Jeff Ell

JEFF ELL: You’re Only Allowed One Truly Great Dog

There is an immutable law of the universe that not many people care to talk about. An incontrovertible principle that we all quietly accept, but rarely choose to acknowledge. Dog...

JEFF ELL: Snow In May

"Snow in May-Poor man's pay . . ." That’s what an old farmer told me. But...

JEFF ELL: The Four Seasons: Fishing, Girls, Cars, Fishing

“When I was a kid I was into fishing, then I got into cars, then...

JEFF ELL: The Makeup-Free Forest

Like "Maggie's face in the morning sun," the leafless world of early spring is when...

JEFF ELL: Relocated Wildlife

It’s illegal to relocate wildlife in Virginia. So if you have a nuisance raccoon or...

JEFF ELL: Sometimes The Best Way to Find Something Is to Stop Looking For It

Every time I find a shed I do a happy dance. I’m glad no one sees me, because I’m not a very good dancer....

JEFF ELL: Fare Thee Well Beautiful Deer Filled Mountains

I didn’t kill a single deer this year. The last time that happened was 2002, the year we moved to Roanoke. And so now as...

JEFF ELL: No More Chess – My Personal Checkmate

My experiment was a complete failure. The hope was to get better at something for which I have almost no natural aptitude. Specifically, the game...

JEFF ELL: The Gospel of Old Trucks

An old truck is essential equipment for the outdoorsman. Along with lame dogs, broken tipped fishing poles, and twisted tree stands, a dented and...

Hard Rain and No Fish But Still A Great Day

I went fishing the other day. I left the house in the late afternoon with the hopes of getting hooked up with a couple...

Leonardo Gives Us More Sci-Ice-Fiction

If you’re going to tell a story about an outdoor adventure you should keep it real. The wilds have enough mystery, drama, romance, and...