[mobirdhunter]

Another bucket list pilgrimage for me that we just completed -- a visit to Aldo Leopold's farm, his shack, and, as an unexpected treat, a view of his Fox shotgun.

I know there are folks here who appreciate what Leopold has meant to the conservation movement in the U.S. and beyond. The fact that he was a hunter helps to highlight the role that hunters have played in leading this movement. It was a worn out farm in Adams County, Wisconsin that provided Leopold the inspiration for his seminal book, A Sand County Almanac which, if you've not familiar with it, is a must read for all hunters and those that love the land.

I had remembered the Double Gun Journal article about Leopold's Fox, a safety-less XE that was a bird taker. I didn't know the gun was on display at the Leopold Foundation Center, but was delighted to find it and his Winchester there. It's so nice to not see the franchise conservation thinking so prevalent today that assumes hunting and hunters cannot still be a part of conservation.

If you have the chance, you should stop in for a visit.