About Us

Cane and Cotton was founded in 1713… well not exactly; however, we can directly trace our roots back to the Déportation des Acadiens, or the Expulsion of the Acadians, from the Canadian maritime province of Nova Scotia. Fast forward 300 years and we are applying the same skills used by generations past to survive. 

Started by brothers with a rich passion for the outdoors, Cane and Cotton was created to embrace and share the heritage and culture of the outdoorsmen who came before us. With so many counterfeits out there we felt it was time to bring some authenticity back to the field by forming a brand that applies real heritage to the products we create. 

Our heritage runs deep and we can prove it. After being exiled from French Acadia because of their refusal to sign an unconditional oath of allegiance to Great Britain, our ancestors left Nova Scotia and trapped their way down the Mississippi River ultimately settling just west of the “Big Muddy” in Louisiana. Several generations later Dennis “DD” Boudreaux came along, and so did the great depression. DD’s primary dialect was Cajun French, but he spoke broken English. Thankfully, he had embraced the hunter trapper expertise of generations past. With these learned skills and a ton of grit, he led his family through the Great Depression. The primary tool of his trade was a .410 shotgun. He traded in the currency of squirrel, duck and the occasional deer. It was the years of tried and tested outdoorsmen skills along with a mind of sheer determination that helped DD steer his impoverished Cajun family through the depression.  

DD hunting squirrels in the Atchafalaya swamp 1962

The story continues with Paul Kalman, the son-in-law of DD. Paul brought this unique heritage to life through thousands of images and hundreds of articles he contributed to national sportsman publishers, such as Sports Afield, Field and Stream, Readers Digest and Sports Illustrated, just to name a few. In his early 20s Paul returned from military service in WWII after fighting in major engagements, to include the Battle of the Bulge, where he was awarded the Bronze star for meritorious service along with a purple heart, having been severely wounded during combat. Paul then went back to life in Louisiana doing what he loved: sharing the outdoors with others.

Paul Kalman 1944, taken shortly before the Battle of the Bulge 

When it became clear that Paul had an exceptional gift in the field of photography and journalism, it was often said to him that he could really “go somewhere” with his talent. His reply was, “I Iooked around the oaks and cypress, at the swamps and marshes, and I told them, ‘I’m already there.’” Paul’s contributions to the hunting and fishing community of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast are innumerable. He was the founder of the Big Bass Rodeo in City Park, Regional Director of the Louisiana Wildlife Federation, and an officer of the Southern Yacht Club. He was also on the first expedition that found Marlin off the coast of Louisiana and Texas. It was said in his obituary that Paul was “a traditionalist, a gentleman of the old school” and “he was oxford shirts, club ties and Bean boots, a man who was a stickler for etiquette and style”. A true Pioneer nicknamed “The Ernest Hemmingway of Louisiana”, Paul continued a Legacy of hunting and fishing that would be carried on for generations to come.  

Paul Kalman Bone Fishing Treasure Cay Bahamas 1965 

The greatest of all contributions made by Paul Kalman Jr. came in the form of his son Paul Dennis Kalman. Paul Dennis was inundated with everything hunting and fishing as far back as he can remember. Being that his dad was one of the leading sportsmen of the time, Paul was cast into the most fertile environment imaginable to propagate the next generation of consummate outdoorsmen.

Paul Dennis Kalman(Left) learning from DD Boudreaux 1961

Following the death of his father, Paul found the silence of the marsh brought deafening pain. In order to process such a monumental loss, Paul stepped away from it all. He walked away from hundreds of years of hunting and fishing heritage as this hiatus turned into a decade of absence from the sport. Like the falling tide in the marsh, it appeared this lineage of hunting and fishing legacy had finally dried up, as is the case with so many family traditions. Finally, spurred by the birth of his children, Paul felt the stirring up of a reconciliation with traditions past. After a nearly ten year lapse without a hunt, Paul returned to the thing that was as much a part of him as his own blood. Paul dove back into the hunt with the next generation in tow.

Paul Dennis Kalman and Rudy 1999 

Paul’s love for the outdoors is most visible in the joy it brings him to share his skills with others. Anyone who knows Paul can attest to the great passion he has for selflessly providing opportunities for others to enjoy a beautiful morning marsh hunt, or watch a redfish take a huge top-water bite at a fly he most likely tied. Most importantly, Paul has tirelessly shared his devout faith in the God who created the beauty of the grassy marshlands and set into motion the migration of the birds he so enjoys. 

Paul Dennis Kalman chasing redfish 2017

The next heir to the shell bucket throne of this mallard monarchy is Paul Rudolph Kalman III or far more fitting, just...Rudy. The task of writing a short blurb about Rudy is an arduous process simply due to the sheer volume of what could be written. A guy who it has often been said needs a reality TV show, and already has legendary acclaim in his community. Rudy has taken the torch of heritage and modified it into a flamethrower. Since he could walk, Rudy has been in the swamps and marshes, snatching frogs, shooting ducks and catching anything that swims with a fly rod.

 

Rudy 2020

Rudy has packed an inordinate amount of life in his 25 years. Rudy has been a nationally ranked rifle marksmanship competitor, licensed fly fishing guide, and a frogging and duck hunting expert; oh, by the way, he has a Masters in accounting from Louisiana State University. Rudy has already accomplished a great deal pointing to the fact that the proverbial nut doesn’t fall far from the tree. The next challenge for Rudy is launching a collection of products that embodies the heritage that so richly abides in him.

Much like the Cajuns migrating down the Mississippi, here at Cane and Cotton we have set out on a journey to create products that combine the lessons learned from hundreds of years of hunting and fishing heritage with modern technology to produce the best possible gear for any activity. Cane and Cotton is committed to functionality, style, and most importantly, integrity in all aspects of what we do.