Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Skeeter Skelton

Recently, bought a used copy of "Good friends, Good guns, Good whiskey" by Skeeter Skelton from a used bookstore in Redding California (a very good read).

I grew up in the 70's reading Skeeter Skelton's monthly articles in Shooting Times. Remember how sad I was when he passed away in 1988. I know he passed at a hospital in El Paso. Does anyone know the illness that took him?

Yeah, I really liked Skeeter Skelton's articles and stories. Made me sad too when he passed away. I felt like I lost an old friend even though I never met him. I probably read at the time what he died from but, don't remember now. His son, Bart, is on this forum from time to time, or was. Maybe he will see this and say something about it.

IIRC he had a stroke.

I too remember him fondly, and saved several of his magazine articles.

He passed from a stroke. Thank you, I couldn't recall how he passed. Truly a shame.

It always seemed to me that Skeeter was far less impressed with Skeeter than the rest of us were. I mean that as a high compliment. I miss his writing a great deal. He had the gift of being able to write fictional as well as factual material to the same high level. I always looked forward to reading about Dobe Grant (as well as about that tall yahoo with whom Skeeter would trade barbs).

I always did like his writing. Was the first thng I used to read when I recieved a copy of ST.

Me too.

That is a great book. Watch for a used copy of the sequel, "Hoglegs, Hipshots, and Jalapenos." It's just as good.

I gave Bart a tip on one of his dad's old guns that was currently residing in Cedar Rapids. Evidently the price was too dear and he passed on it. A Browning High-Power.

Dan

i liked the story about the horse and bicycle race

One of my favorite paragraphs from his fiction:

"...He sipped his sourmash and leaned expansively back in the rickety kitchen chair. 'I got enough cash to last me. I got too many cows, and maybe too many guns. The guns are more fun than the cows, so I'm gonna cut the mama bunch in half, and I'm going to buy one of every new gun that comes out.' He paused and squinted at me to show he'd take no back talk. 'And you're going to help me shoot 'em'..."

-from the Legend of Dobe Grant

His stories were part nostalgia, part guns, part common sense. I always enjoyed them.

I still reread his "Joe and Me" stories. He and Milek were my favorite gunwriters of the era. I don't think Shooting Times ever recovered from the loss of those two.

Met him once in the late 70s at Mathis Field in San Angelo on my way to deer hunt.....a very old school West Texas gentleman, reminded me of my dad's uncles. Happy to chat with a fan while he waited for his plane.

Skeeter had the ability to interest readers in his subject. Even though I didn't care much for handguns, I got hooked on reading his stuff to the point that I started collecting revolvers with 5" barrels. Ross Seyfried is another writer who can do that.

jim

Skeeter, now there was a gunwriter! I never met the man, but was lucky enough to talk to him on the phone a couple of times.

He never wrote an article I did not enjoy, ever. His articles and books were full of great insight into guns and other products and such, and so full of entertainment about the older, better days of our country.

Skeeter was my favorite gunwriter, bar none.
Virgil B.

Glad that Skeeter doesn't have to see the shape the country's in right now.

+1

Both books are fantastic.

ddj

No writers around anymore that I enjoy reading like I did Skeeter, I always read skeeters stuff first when I got My new issue of Shooting Times.......Rest In Peace Skeeter you are missed........................547.