I certainly enjoyed this thread. Personally, I miss the days when the last page of outdoor magazines was reserved for 750 to 1000 words of light hearted reading. Demand for this is gone now, but the pendulum will swing back one day. Or at least, I'm hopeful that it will.
Gene Hill, Pat McManus and others used to make me smile. They were just as important as O'Connor, Keith or Warren Page. I realized very early that while articles about hunting or new rifles were necessary, they were only part of the outdoor experience. Fellowship, friends and fun were more important than the latest gear or filling the tag.
I do agree with John's assessment of today's hunting crowd. They are urban, more affluent, but with less time to spend chasing animals. As a result, gimmicks, gizmos and glitter get more coverage. Sadly, the simpler times are gone. $1000 hunting outfits, fancy Jeeps and trucks outfitted with laser rangefinders, GPSes, cellphones, etc. are part of the modern hunting scene now.
Like everyone else, I am the product of my generation.
A source of my major concern
Is the absence of a McManus or Zern
No longer do my eyes
delight at their lies
of monster moose and giant walleyes
