Walter A. Lesser is a retired wildlife biologist with 42 years in wildlife management for the State of West Virginia. He resides in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia and has written many wildlife or dog-related articles, papers and reports. Walt acquired his first Ryman-bred setter in 1958. He and a few dedicated Ryman fanciers bred, trained and hunted over these setters, primarily on ruffed grouse and woodcock, for more than half a century.
Lisa M. Weisse is a college music teacher and avid outdoors person who grew up in the West. Her interest in setters began in 1986 with the gift of a puppy named October who was descended from Ryman bloodlines. Pursuing grouse, woodcock, and western covey birds with that wonderful dog sparked a life long obsession with English setters. She and her husband Cliff live on Idaho’s Yellowstone plateau where, along with careers in the fly-fishing business, they breed Ryman-type setters under the kennel name October.