Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Good books

There was an English writer named Gerald Hammond who wrote mysteries built around guns, bird hunting, occasional salmon fishing and Scottish stag hunting. Starting in the late 60's and ending, I think, in the 80's maybe 90's his series of books revolve around a colorful gunsmith/dealer and part time poacher named Keith Calder who continually gets sucked into local murders, always solving them outside the law (or in spite of the law and even sometimes with the law). Kind of a middle aged male version of Jessica Fletcher in "Murder She Wrote" (with a touch of Sherlock Holmes, if Holmes were an irascible gun nut), and with lots of gun lore and shooting to boot. The stories fulfilled two literary passions of mine: reading about guns/hunting and reading a good crime/mystery novel. He wrote with humor and a keen insight into the human condition, his characters are well developed such that they come across as real people, and descriptions of rural settings are so vivid you can practically smell the heather. All in all a most delightful escape into a world that is no more, and never will be again.

Bear in mind that the books were written in an era before England made free and easy private gun ownership difficult. It's hard to imagine the way things were in rural England in the 60's and 70's in terms of acceptance of gunnery and blood sports compared to what it's like now.

The books are small, you can easily read one a day (helped by the fact it's difficult to put one down once started). There's a bunch of them in the Keith Calder series, I don't know exactly how many. I have around 20 of them and know there's a few more out there. The good news is they're dirt cheap - I bought all of mine on eBay and Amazon for a couple bucks each. I would only caution you to start with the first one and try to read them in order. While each one is certainly a stand-alone, they do follow a progression as the characters age.

Pugs here on the 'Fire and I shared the books back and forth and many of our "beer fueled discussions" centered around the latest ones we read.

I try my best to read this every hunting season. Something of value is outstanding.

Kambaku by Harry Manners is a great read as well.

There is also a book about poaching "Game Wars" that I found interesting. Author is Marc Riesner. It's non-fiction I have a great Uncle that was wildlife agent here in Louisiana and he was interviewed for some information to alligator poachers.

I can't think of a better book to read at hunting camp than "The Hunting Shack" by Gunnard Landers.

"A Hunter's Road " by Jim Fergus has been an inspiration for me in several ways

I find I like reading short stories now and most hunting story books are compilation of magazine articles so work well. I find novels kind of boring, my life has been more interesting than the authors imagination. Which I think holds true for many people. I'm also picky about quality of writing, I read Joseph Conrad books as a kid in high school, that's why I enjoy John's writing. Man Eaters of Kumaon is a book I sent my grandson. BTW I picked up an Edward Abbey book in Arizona , it was really an interesting read.

I'm about to embark on a collection of Corey Ford's "The Lower Forty Hunting, Shooting and Inside Straight Club" and some of his other writings since I just found out we live less than 2 miles from his former house.


Gerald Hammond followed those up with another detective / hunter / Springer Spaniel dog breeder / Ex-soldier (medically retired after the Falklands dust up) in Scotland named John Cunningham - very good series along the same lines.

Oddly I don't immediately think of any Alabama centered and very little S.E. and southern centered outdoor adventure stuff. John Phillips owns Nighthawk Publications. Robert Ruark of course. Bearing in mind it didn't really happen that way for stories set in the U.S. makes for a tougher read. Sadly for me I find much fine writing covering the snows of yesteryear by good people more depressing than invigorating.

I like Education of a Turkey Hunter for the region though it seems to have sunk without a trace. I might look for Knopf as a publisher which would give me Andy Russell and Bob Hagel.

In today's world I'm inclined to buy whatever looks even remotely interesting and is on the shelf.

E. Donnell Thomas Jr (Don Thomas) : Longbows in the far north
Jay Massey: A thousand campfires, Bowhunting Alaska's wild rivers
David Peterson: A man made of Elk
Gene/Barry Wensel: Bowhunting October Whitetails, Come November
Mike Mitten: One with the Wilderness.

Growing up I enjoyed all of Capstick's books on Africa. Have most of them. I also have African Game Trails, Horn of the Hunter, and where Lions Roar (Boddington).


"Sagittarius" by Bob Swineheart is often highly recommended. I have not read it, Dad has a copy. The book is a sought after collectors item. I will read it someday.

Yes , Beyond the Hundredth Meridian is a good read. Grizzly Years by Doug Peacock is a good read , Abbey's Character George Hayduke is said to be the modeled after Peacock.

I just finished "The Wilderness Hunter" by Theodore Roosevelt. It was very good, he covers different animals in each chapter and tells stories about hunting them along with great information of interest on each of the different breeds.

I'm working on a Stonewall Jackson biography by Robertson that is good right now and I have Roosevelt's "African Game Trails" next in the queue. After reading "Hunter", "Tales From The Long Grass" and "White Hunters" I'm very excited to read the details of the Roosevelt safari in "African Game Trails". After that I have Frederick Courtney Selous' "A Hunter's Wanderings in Africa". I can't get enough of the golden age of African safari hunting. I'm hoping to pick up some copies of WDM Bell's "The Wanderings of An Elephant Hunter" and "Karamojo Safari too.

I lucked into a beautiful collectors 1st edition of Col Townsend Whelen's "The Hunting Rifle" that I keep by my bed and read from time to time. That's a classic too, but maybe not the story-type book you're looking for.

Aagaard's Africa by Finn Aagaard
My Health is Better in November by Havilah Babcock
A Look at Life From the Deer Stand by Steve Chapman
The Best of John Jobson
Carolina Christmas by Archibald Rutledge
Sixty Years a Hunter by Bill Quimby
Trophies of the Heart by Russell Thornberry
The Hunting Game by Kevin Thomas
Looking Back by Clint Ward

Collections of short stories:

Last Casts & Stolen Hunts
River Gods & Spotted Devils
Heart Shots
Horned Moons & Savage Santas

Any of Barsness's Gun Gack books are great reads and learn a lot! I'm going to get some of his hunting books next, I'm sure they'll be a great read as well.

Thanks, gnoahhh, sounds like fun reading. I'm going to try and find some of his stuff.

I'm always blown away by Faulkner. The hunting stories in Go Down Moses and The Big Woods are my November ritual.

John Barsness, The Life of the Hunt is excellent.

Larry Benoit's How to Bag the Biggest Buck of Your Life

Many good suggestions here. And, my list has grown!

Read The Bear as a HS frosh. Changed my life.

I read Walking Out by Quammen to my E9 class. Still remember verbatim passages from McCafferty in F&S from 30+ years ago. Dave Mance's one-hit wonder is superb.

IMHO Billy Faulkner's best work.

Peter Hathaway Capstick - Death in the Long Grass and Death in the Silent Places. Incredibly interesting and funny safari tales.

As mentioned by a previous poster - Robert Ruark- The Old Man and the Boy. Stories of his youth growing up in Coastal North Carolina.

Good luck with making a decision as so many wonderful books have been recommended to you.