Up RECENT HUNTS 2011 HUNTS 2010 HUNTS 2009 HUNTS 2008 HUNTS OLDER HUNTS BIG GAME SMALL GAME MISCELLANEOUS

CLICK HERE FOR: RANGER PHOTO SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

 

Hunting Presentations at the Royal Ontario Museum

Toronto, CANADA - October 1-2, 2011

North and I just made the 3 hour trek back home from the Royal Ontario Museum, in Toronto.  We were putting on a display and demonstrations about medieval hunting at the October 1st & 2nd, "Field of the Feast of Archangels" event in the Museum's Currelli Gallery.  The event also featured martial displays from the Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts and the International Jousting Association - Canada, the ROM's own musicians and medieval dance troupe, manuscript illumination specialists, weavers and spinners, heraldry activities, a full size working trebuchet, and plenty of medieval inspired activities for families to enjoy.  The University of Toronto's Hart House Archers were there too, demonstrating the sport and allowing the ROM's visitors to try their hand at arching.  Our exhibit featured hunting paraphernalia from the Middle Ages, a few live falconry birds and "Hector", my huge wolfhound, who is always a big hit as he howls back at my resounding hunting horn during presentations.  We proudly displayed the St, Hubert's Rangers' heraldry, talked up the organization and fostered great interest in our Brotherhood.  The Hart House Archers even held their  first annual medieval archery contest at the festival and North and I did the Rangers proud, taking 4th and 1st place, respectively.

The new CEO of the ROM, Janet Carding personally took in one of our presentations and gave us glowing reviews to Robert Mason, who heads up the Ancient Cultures dept. at the museum.  Overall, the festival attracted many more people to the museum, than is typical for this time of year, and visiting families thoroughly enjoyed learning about this interesting period in time.  We have already been asked back and are now delivering medieval hunting education at the institution, every March Break and for the annual fall fest.

Dale M. Gienow

Please click on the thumb-nail images for a larger view.

.

 

 

Scouting in Preparation for a Traditional Bow & Stable Hunt

Spencerville, Ontario, CANADA - October 1, 2011

After a morning of vigorous training and sparring with long-sword, sword & buckler, and spear, a group of us decided to take a tour through my property and scout for deer in preparation for the fall hunting season.  The group consisted of myself, and fellow Rangers Nick and Leanna, along with our friend Dave.  The main purpose of the trip was to familiarize Nick and Leanna with the trail network and point out some key locations and land-marks.  We also scouted the area for our planned Bow & Stable hunt, and identified a number of "choke" points and game-trails that would need to be covered by archers during our hunt.  I observed some tracks indicating a few deer were in the area.  On Sunday, I continued my scouting throughout another part of the property.  I had a couple close encounters with ruffed-grouse.  Again I found more fresh deer tracks, and also found an antler shed from an 8pt buck.
 
John Woods

Please click on the thumb-nail images for a larger view.

.

 

 

The Hunting Horn of St. Hubert

St. Hubert, BELGIUM - 2010

In 2010 I was deployed to Iraq with the US Army. Since I was overseas I decided to take advantage of the extra pay to take a vacation in Europe.  My wife (then Fiancée), Stephanie, flew in to meet me in Germany.  My initial steps from Iraq to Kuwait were a pain in the 'foot', but eventually I also arrived in Germany (three days late, but that’s decent for military travel).  We rented a car and took off west.

Eventually we came upon a sleepy little town in the middle of nowhere.  Now we all know that St. Hubert’s full name was St. Hubertus of Liege, and I had assumed that his cathedral would be found in, well Liege.  I couldn’t have been more wrong.  Outside of Liege by some distance, through some awe inspiring forest, lies a small town know as St. Hubert, Belgium.  It is in this town that the cathedral dedicated to St. Hubert resides, as well as the reliquary of the saint.  Entering the Church we found that we were the only English speaking people, and that everyone was amazed that a pair of crazy Americans would journey to their town.  We looked around at the artifacts and shrines on display and we found out some interesting things.  It turns out that they have the tomb, the reliquary, and the shrouds for St. Hubert, but no one knows where the saint actually is.  The body went missing some time in history (though I saw one of his fingers go up for auction on Ebay once) and has never been recovered.  We continued walking around the outer court when we came across the treasury room.  Now, between my wife and I, it taxed our limited French to come to the conclusion that the treasury room was in fact the treasury, and that it was off limits and locked.  On the wall beside the door was a little sign that showed some of the pieces housed inside.  One of the pictures was of a fuzzy but simple horn with ornate silver fittings...IT was St. Hubert’s horn.  I was that close to an original Oliphant and it seemed I would not be able to see it.  Depressed, we headed towards the exit, but a Lady stepped out from a little door and greeted us in French.  We responded in English and she said "Ah".  Her English was limited but we were able to chat a bit.  After asking why we were there and asking me a lot of questions about the Rangers, the lady looked around the church and said, "follow me".  She walked over to the treasury and opened the door.  Inside she opened a drawer built into the wall.  Without any ceremony she pulled out a pillow with the famous horn resting on top.  She placed the horn on a table and told me to go ahead.  I didn’t even think about picking it up.  I took about a billion pictures and then Stephanie took a picture of me beside it as evidence.  It was an awesome start to what became an awesome trip.


Edward Lindey

 

 

Hunting Presentations at the University of Oklahoma Medieval Fair

Norman, Oklahoma, USA - April 1-3, 2011

St. Hubert's Rangers' banner fluttered proudly in the 20 to 40 mph winds that graced the 35th Annual University of Oklahoma Medieval Fair April 1st through 3rd, 2011.  The busiest weekend event in Oklahoma, the OU Med Fair drew in excess of 300,000 visitors this year.  Steven Roe (SHR #25) and Richard Swinney (SHR #12) provided almost non-stop educational presentations on behalf of the Ozark Medieval Fortress, a 13th century castle being constructed in northern Arkansas using medieval materials and methods.  Steven's hands-on display table was quite the crowd pleaser, and his wide ranging discussions of medieval hunting weapons, methods and prey were the undisputed favorite.  He delighted audiences pre-school to post-graduate with topics ranging from practical aspects of spearing wild boar to subtleties of hunting references in Chaucer and Shakespeare.

 Richard Swinney

Please click on the thumb-nail images for a larger view.

.

 

 

Hunting Presentations at the Royal Ontario Museum

Toronto, CANADA - March Break, 2011

Every year I am asked to provide displays and programming for the "Medieval March Break" at the Royal Ontario Museum, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  In years past, I have put on medieval falconry displays and demos that featured a wide array of live raptors that were and still are used for this ancient art.  Because of my recent association with St. Hubert's Rangers, I decided to cover the much broader subject of medieval hunting.  I was able to convince the museum to create and display large banners in their gallery, displaying the heraldry of SHR.  My son North (also a fellow Ranger) and I presented live falconry birds, a huge coursing hound, hunting treatises, weapons and other artifacts, used to facilitate the medieval hunt.  Our talks were a overview of the subject and provided many interactive learning opportunities for patrons of the museum, and were very well received by some 35,000 visitors over the March Break week.  The week was such a success, in fact, that the ROM has asked me to provide something similar for a new event of theirs, a medieval fair weekend on October 1-2 of this year.

Dale M. Gienow

Please click on the thumb-nail images for a larger view.

.

 

 

Jerry Cossey took this beautiful 6 X 5, red deer heart with a .308 rifle during a February, 2011 Texas ranch hunt.  Even though this was not a medieval-themed hunt, Jerry opted to wear his medieval hunting clothes anyway, citing they were the quietest and warmest hunting clothes he owned.

 

 

Medieval Hunter Education

Boone County, Arkansas, U.S.A., April 29 - May 1, 2010

 

Members of the Bramble Schoole of Defence (three of whom belong to St. Hubert's Rangers) provided educational presentations on medieval hunting and falconry for the Grand Opening of the Ozark Medieval Fortress in Boone County Arkansas.  The Ozark Medieval Fortress is a massive 20 year project to erect a 13th century medieval castle in the United States using period materials and techniques.  Guedelon Castle (it's sister venture in Burgundy, France -- directed by the same entrepreneur, Michel Guyot) is a similar 25 year undertaking that began in 1997.  http://www.guedelon.fr/

Encamped in the woods along the trail between the wooden motte and bailey and the on-site quarry, the Bramblers presented information on 13th - 14th century falconry, hunting, and swordplay.  Highlights included:

With 4 of the 5 adults having taken one or more animals using medieval weapons and techniques, the presentations enjoyed an unprecedented level of credibility.

From left to right: Josh Wever, Philippe the Ferret, Eleanor Crawford, Randall Henson, Steven Roe, Scott Crawford, Richard Swinney, and Gaston the Red Tailed Hawk.

 

 

 

Reenactor Fest

Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., February 5-7, 2010

Reenactor Fest is a unique event open to reenactors from all cultures and time periods.  My wife, Sandi, and I attended this year for the first time, along with some dear friends.  While there I had the pleasure of meeting fellow Ranger, Arthur de Haas, in person for the first time, along with his wonderful family.

A highlight for me was meeting Jason Salkey, who played 'chosen man' Rifleman Harris in the Sharpes series of movies.  SHR's own Richard Rutherford-Moore was the military advisor on those films.  Jason credited Richard with teaching him how to accurately portray a member of the 95th, and he had nothing but great things to say about Richard.  In addition to being a talented actor, we found Jason to be a wonderful and generous guy.

 

Paul Wilburn

(9 Photos)

 Please click on the thumb-nail images for a larger view.
(You may have to click on the left arrow once before you can scroll through the photos with the right arrow)

.

 

 

Annual Rangers' Prayer

 

 

 

A Wonderful Gift!

Madame du Pont, from the Kingdom of An Tir, in The Society for Creative Anachronism, sent me a wonderful St. Hubert's Rangers silk banner as a surprise gift.  She had recently learned how to make silk banners and she said that she was inspired by our device.  Her generosity is very much appreciated.  Thank you Madame du Pont.

Paul Wilburn

             

 

Copyright 2005-Present, Paul Wilburn
For questions or comments about the web site, please contact the webmaster.