Former Women's Bassmaster Tour pros Dianna Clark and Judy Wong quickly switched to the Bassmaster Central Open circuit when the WBT was discontinued this month.

In the 1990s, there was a popular trivia game called Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. It was based on the concept that any performer could be connected through his or her film roles to prolific actor Kevin Bacon in less than six links. The hunting world version of that game would have to be Six Degrees of Brenda Valentine. I'd venture to guess that you - or someone you know - has seen or met the First Lady of Hunting at a Bass Pro Shop opening, a hunt, convention, conference or seminar, not to mention the TV shows she's hosted or appeared on. Though there may be less than six degrees of separation between you and her, what do you really know about Brenda?

The "golden age" of sport hunting in the American West attracted many devotees of the chase beyond the military officers, aristocrats, and foreign gentlemen-sportsmen discussed earlier. The same factors that drew the "top-shelfers" to the hunt-the still-abundant game, convenient rail transportation, and improved firearms-also stimulated a growing tide of upper- and middle-class Americans to go west in search of adventure and trophy.

Vickie Gardner, vice president of stuff and marketing for Alpen Outdoor Corporation, equates buying binoculars with picking out a pair of shoes.

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