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I have posted here before with md about writing . that I did not read some of his stuff cuzz it aint my cup of tea. he replied he knows he cant write to make every body happy all the time, that makes me know he cares about his readers

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As an engineer of sorts I appreciate John's technical ability and scientific approach to whatever subject he is covering.
In that regard I am not certain that he has any peers - 'tho with his typical modesty he'll probably argue.
Wait! Eileen's ability may not be any less than John's ...


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As an engineer of sorts I appreciate John's technical ability and scientific approach to whatever subject he is covering.
In that regard I am not certain that he has any peers - 'tho with his typical modesty he'll probably argue.
Wait! Eileen's ability may not be any less than John's ...


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Yes, JB'c contribution to that issue was a beautiful piece of prose.

One other article in that issue that should be given notice by many hunters is "After the Shot" by Gillis Webster. It teaches some lessons about what is arguably the most important part of the hunt - what happens AFTER you pull the trigger.


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czech1022,

Here's a confession: I was Gillis Webster.

Back then F&S often had a writer do more than one article for an issue. In fact, in one issue four articles appeared written by Norm Strung, one of my mentors, both in the outdoors and in writing. Only one with Norm's name, and the other under three different "pen names." The reason they did this was to avoid having the magazine look like it was being written by relatively few people--even though it was.

Back then F&S (and some other wide-circulation outdoor magazines) were much thicker, due to not much competition from videos, TV shows, smaller specialty magazine. Aside from tobacco and liquor ads still being legal, advertisers flocked to the magazines they figured would get them the most coverage, and F&S was one.

With more advertising, there was more money to increase the number of articles--which attracted more readers and more advertising. But there could be a problem finding enough writers to fill an issue, so F&S often ran more than one article by various staff writers in an issue--but under different names. My other name was Gillis Webster, but I only needed one, because I was also writing for other magazines, so wasn't doing as much for F&S as Norm did. Aside from writing books, F&S was his full-time job, so he needed more pen names. The only one I can remember now was Bart Jaeger.


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I'm glad old Gillis did a good job, or this conversation may have taken an embarrassing turn. grin

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I look for magazines with John's stuff in it.
Maybe it is because his experiences mirror many of mine, his writing is understandable to me , he lives in the same general environment as I do.
I also sense his knowledge is first hand and vetted thoroughly.
It is pleasing that he speaks so highly of his wife,Eileen.
Not to get you you all puffed up about yourself, John....but keep on trucking, many of us really appreciate it.Cheers

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If Mr Barsness says it as it pertains to rifles and hunting, then I just accept it as the truth!

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IN the 70's and 80's I was a definite magazine addict for anything hunting or shooting. In time I obviously started paring down on the number of mags and then started looking into actual authors names that I read. Found a writer who I could relate to with the initials of J.B.eventually only buying mags with his byline in them.

I initially was on here in 2003 for years with a different name, took me 6 months to find out who MD was. He and I are months apart in age and I have often wished I knew back in my younger years what he knows now.


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John is a very good writer. He blends technical with "common" in a way that interests a wide range of readers.


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Originally Posted by RedCherokee
As an engineer of sorts I appreciate John's technical ability and scientific approach to whatever subject he is covering.
In that regard I am not certain that he has any peers - 'tho with his typical modesty he'll probably argue.
Wait! Eileen's ability may not be any less than John's ...



While wanting to be sure that he gets his point across, I have yet to see him have the same article immediately follow itself in any magazine. grin


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I agree that JB's writings are the best out there these days on the hunting side. I have several of his books, and read his comments closely here. Like many on this board, I too became of age with O'Connor, Keith, Wooters, Milek, Aagard, and others. And on the fishing side the likes of Homer Circle, Charles Ritz and Ed Bauer. I actually have an old reel that Charles Ritz used to own: an Alcedo Micron, I acquired in the late 70's.

I actually think he is a more "complete" writer than some of his predecessors. He combines the technical (which by a happy coincidence of timing has accelerated over the last 50 years, since the earlier generation of greats held court) without falling into geekery (albeit, loonyism driven by passion and experience), with mature observation set and humor (an example is his palate surrounding the .338 as a "medium medium", like 3/4 ton pickups).

In so doing he avoids the emotion traps of others in the past (bombast over fact): yet obviously loves what he does and his writing shows it.

My .02




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Mule Deer’s articles are the first thing I read in the gun rags I take. I hope you write forever.

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I like stories like JB's in the 1985 Field and Stream. The only magazines I pay for are Field and Stream and Sporting Classics. They have actual stories about hunting, though some of the best ones were written decades ago. We are lucky to have furums like 24hcf and experts like JB so accessible. I have never seen him fail to answer a question directed to him.


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Very few people can write in conversional style, something John has mastered. I truly enjoy his writing.

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John's (I feel like I know him even though I've never met him) writing puts me in mind of Ted Trueblood of Field and Stream fame.

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I probably have the spelling of his name wrong, but always liked the article you did about Ben Burshia and wish you would do a book on him

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Originally Posted by bowmanh
I like John's stories a lot. They provide a different view into his writing than the more technical pieces.



It was a better time, I feel. It seems like now every other line is a promo for tech-stuff we can't do without.

Hunting was simpler and far more palliative. John seems to say this, at least to me, as I read his stories. Thank you, my friend.

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I've always liked JB's writings and hope to enjoy them for a long time to come.

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The first articles written by JB that I remember reading, were the ones on the back inside cover of Rifle, called "Woodsmoke & Rifles", or something similar.

I liked them...........they weren't technical, but exhibited a very personal level of experiences with a real-person feeling & perspective that was open, honest, entertaining & refreshing to read.

After that I began seeing more of JB's articles in both Rifle & Handloader & began to seek them out; besides some of the "old"guys, I enjoy JB's writings as much or more than anyone else.................mainly because (from my perspective) they are generally aligned to my POV & well written.

Having JB as a contributor here says volumes about his down-to-earth attitude & willingness to continue to make his knowledge base available to all of us at a level not possible in a book or magazine.

Thanks, John.

MM

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