Who is the Armchair Outfitter?
Like all good questions, this one leads only to more questions. First, and most obviously, who put all this stuff here on a website? That one’s pretty easy. My name is Mike Congiardo, and I love to hunt and fish. I’m not a professional guide, I don’t own a gun or tackle shop, and I don’t write for or edit an outdoor magazine. I have a full-time job working behind a desk in an office, and I don’t get outdoors nearly as much as I’d like. See, I told you that part was easy.
The next logical question is somewhat more complicated. Why did I create this site? I already said that I love to hunt and fish. Because I don’t work in the “outdoor industry,” I don’t get to do either nearly as much as I would like. I’ve always dreamed of living the sporting life, traveling around the world with rod and gun. Cape buffalo in Africa, marlin off the Kona coast, you get the picture. Like most people, I find that my options are severely limited by two factors, time and money. There’s never enough of either, and both must be spent carefully. Most of my trips are self-guided, and involve places within an easy day’s drive. I live on the Gulf Coast, so that helps a little, but there hasn’t been a Cape buffalo through these parts in quite some time.
That brings us to the last and most important question. Who are you? When it comes to outdoor activities, do you have champagne taste and a beer budget? Is your most exotic hunting destination a dove field with your buddies? Do you wonder what fly pattern is most appealing to bream? If so, you may be an Armchair Outfitter. It’s O.K. We’re everywhere.