Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters David Petzal

Petzal is a hoot and if you prefer the likes of Michael Waddell over him you are showing your age!

Dave is the genuine article and doesn't bother trying to prove himself. His lasagna tastes just as good to him whether unmet readers like him or not.

Well said!

Or, lack of age...

Very well said, Petro. You would probably enjoy the writings of the old guard you mentioned, and especially for O'Connor, the writings are still available in book form. Though a lot has happened in the gun field since their passing, there are timeless aspects to their writing that make for excellent winter reading with a good cup of coffee.

I have several books by Dave, and have read a lot of his articles. I kinda like him.

Resembles a couple of old geezers here around the 'fire.

Technically I should be in the "Michael Waddell" crowd if you go by age...I can't stand that joker. Or any of the other "Realtree" yahoos and similar shows/hosts of their ilk.

Give me Dave Petzal, John Barsness, Mike Venturino, Elmer Keith, and Jack O'Connor any day (not listed in any order).

I don't know when M. Waddell started writing in Petersen's Hunting but I must admit that I seem to skip right over his articles every time I get a new issue (promotional subscription). On the other hand, I have just read for the second time, the compilation of stories "The Lost Classics of Jack O'Connor." I doubt I will ever get tired of reading JOC's writings.

Petzal's wit really strikes me too. One thing I have enjoyed lately is his blog on the Field and Stream site that he and Phil Bourjay (sp?) manage. Kinda helps me get a little Petzal in even though I no longer have a subscription to the magazine.

I've been reading his articles in the back of Field and Stream for years. He is entertaining and isn't just trying to sell something. This is in a magazine where you can only tell the articles from advertising by checking to see if it says "ADVERTISEMENT" at the top of the page.

I will tell you all a personal Petzal story and you judge for yourself what kind of man he is.

Years ago, he and I were at a Weatherby seminar at the Buffalo Horn Ranch in Junction, Colorado. We were headed back to the airport in a large van full of other gunwriters and we all had tight flights. The van had a blow-out in a little town called Parachute, CO. It was a Sunday, and no place was open or us to call for help (this was before cell phones).

Eventually someone from the lodge got there with a spare, we all made it to the airport, but missed our flights.

Of course tensions were high. Petzal was in line in front of me trying to get re-booked. It wasn't going well and the guy at the counter was making it worse by calling Petzal "Buddy."

Petzal popped and said, "I'm not your buddy."

He got re-booked, and then it was my turn. I would not get out until the next day.

I had no money back in those days. No credit card and very little cash and was facing the likelihood of having to spend the night in the airport with no way of getting food.

Despite having just seen Petzal pop, he was the only one I knew there well enough to ask for money. "Dave, I hate to ask, but I'm traveling kind of light. Can I borrow some money?" I asked.
Petzal looked me in the eye and without saying a word pulled out his wallet, gave me a $20, turned and walked away before I could say "thank you."

When I got home, I immediately sent him a check for $25. He immediately sent it back saying it would be usury to take advantage of a fellow man in a tight spot.

It was about more five years before I ran into Petzal again. It was on the floor of a SHOT Show and I handed him a $20. He asked "What's this for?" "Repaying you for Parachute, CO" I replied.

He had forgotten.

I love hearing stories like that, Scott. Thanks for posting it.

The late Bob Brister (whom I didn't know at the time) had just arrived for a hunt on the Mescalero Apache reservation (NM) when he got word that his father was dying (Houston). There was no place to rent a car for the drive back to El Paso, and Bob wasn't having any luck finding a way back. So I volunteered to drive him to the El Paso airport. Some things are simply more important than hunting or money, no matter who you are.

Another gun writer ran out of film too soon at a SHOT Show, and there was no place there, open on Sunday, where he could buy more. So I gave him a few rolls of Ektachrome from my camera bag. He later "replaced" it, roll for roll, with cheap and chintzy bulk film.

Gun writers are like everybody else in one respect � some are princes, some are parasites (or worse). I could (but won't) name one who's a quite wealthy crook (a thief, among other things).

Dave P is one of the best of the lot, in all the ways already listed here. He's a friend whom I'd love to see more of. A lot more.

Here's Dave's latest blog from the F&S site:
http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs...thing-right-about-guns?cmpid=enews081011

There's an error in the blog. Maybe somebody who knows him could send him a note to which he'd attend.



Water was not one of the four humors; "blood" was.

--Bob

I like Petzal. I like the way he writes.

I guess I don't understand. When I was younger and there were at most 3 options on the haunted fish bowl and few if any hunting shows, you could "get up" and change the channel if you did not like what you were seeing. Now we have many options and a remote but find time to watch and complain! Push the button.

I have yet to sample a TV "hunting" show that I can stand to watch all of. So there's not even one on the "favorites" menu of my satellite receiver. Haven't even sampled one since I can't remember when.

I like him.

Me too...

I also like Petzal. I would gently suggest that anyone who thinks he "talks like a retard" is simply incapable of recognizing an intelligent man's sense of humor.