Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters John Barsness' writing -

I count my self luck that I've been reading JB's writing for many years. Check out his piece in this old Field and Stream. JB will go down in history as our generations Elmer Keith or Jack O'Connor. He is that good. Thank John for all the good years.

https://books.google.com/books?id=N..._r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

I'd be very likely to agree with you.

Geno

Kinda like his writing and also his demeanor!

From the story:

',toward where the sun shone like a gauzed phosphorescence"

Using such fancy words like "gauzed" that this website tries to tell me it's not spelled correctly.

Great stuff John,

Geno

YES , J.B. has sure helped many of us on campfire .Thank you,Pete53

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

I like to read the old time gunwriters because they were so opinionated. They weren't always correct but they were adamant about it! I like to read JB because he knows the subject matter better than anybody and his stuff is always factual and I take it as gospel.

Well, this piece is pure literature! It tells a story of hunting, but it also tells you the 'why' of hunting by indirect methods. Crap, I'm not good enough to explain what this story does or how it does it, but this is dang good writing.

Concur on his writing and especially of his testing of optics and handloading articles. I do like seeing old magazines and remembering some of the writers and the ads. How about that Marlboro ad!? And I definitely remember those Remington shotgun ads.

I agree. I thoroughly enjoyed reading that story.

Thanks for posting that blast from the past. JB is definitely one of the best.

WTF? Sounds like y'all are eating potato salad over him!

Those who bemoan the dearth of "stories" in current outdoor magazines should pony up for the Rifle Loony News. Plenty of excellent stories without the constraints regular publishers impose. A real bargain since you can download all the old ones as well. That woman that lets John live with her is also a good writer, btw.

Thanks, everybody!

When I started in the outdoor writing business, there was a thriving market for both hunting and fishing stories. In fact it took several years for me to sell anything BUT stories, and start selling some technical stuff as well. Being able to sell both made paying the bills a lot easier--but back then stories paid better than technical articles. Today the reverse is true, and pay for fishing writing is worse than the hunting market, the reason I pretty much quit writing about fishing, and also part of the reason we started RIFLE LOONY NEWS.

We're working right now on the book collection of the second five years of RLN, and should have it out this summer. Hard to believe it's been a decade since we put together the first issue....

Consistency is key, and John is nothing if not consistent. Understanding the whys and wherefores of hunting and being able to portray them in words so ably that you can feel the wind and smell the sage is indeed a gift.

That was JB, before he was JB, and it was really, really good. I miss the 80's and the old Field & Stream. It had advertisements of rifles and shotguns with blued steel and wooden stocks.

You'll also notice that first couple of ads are for cigarettes and whiskey. That was known as "brown money" in the magazines back in the day when such ads were legal. When outdoor magazines lost the brown money, they lost a lot of revenue, which was one reason they started getting smaller and articles shorter. But there were other reasons as well.

I really miss the "old days" when magazine articles were stories about hunting and fishing, not technical "how to" stuff. I like to tinker with technicalities as much as anyone, but for me the real enjoyment is being outdoors, doing what we love as hunters and anglers and telling the stories after. thanks for the reminder, i enjoyed going through that magazine and was amazed at all the wonderful stories.

Yall keep on a talkin and ya gonna give JB the bighead...... nuthin smaller'n a warshtub afit!

(Hey, I enjoy the articles, too.)

One of the first things I would read in Peterson's Hunting was J B's optics column. That was a decent magazine back in the day. John Wooters was a big draw back then.

Aside from his very practical writing from a vast base of knowledge, I have to say John has shown a great deal of patience on some ‘Fire threads while remaining ever civil throughout. That speaks to character which is even more important than the reason he is here.

John has forgotten more on the subject of guns, optics, and all things related than I’ll ever know, but then I’d not expect him to write an article in an anesthesia journal either 🙂. But it’s really his collegial approach here that makes his contributions so valuable to this site.

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

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 ...

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 ...

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.

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.

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

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

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

Ron

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Life has an end.

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

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

And there you have it.

Sometimes there's things that I'll learn from an article or some kind of technique or data point and I'm thankful for that. Other than that I'm not an fan and I'll leave it there.

I look for his stuff and it is often the reason I buy the magazine ir read the post. He reaches me.

I believe he is the best outdoor writer of my lifetime; but I am only 85.

When it comes to writing on guns JB is the best I believe. About the only other outdoor write I liked as much was the late Dwight Schuh at Bowhunter Magazine. Two different types of writing, but I read every word each of them write that I could/can get my hands on.

John is easily my favorite writer on guns or hunting. I'm an engineer, and back when I was in college I was drawn in by his articles on rifles and handloading. I liked that his scientific/technical approach was always tempered with a sense of practicality based on his extensive experience. I learned a lot reading his writing in those days that really gave me a head start when I jumped in the rifle/handloading game myself.

While I was always drawn to the more technical, comparison type articles, Rifles & Woodsmoke was always a favorite read for me. I've not subscribed to his Rifle Loony News, but I will be investigating that soon.

Gosh, those articles and even the advertisements really take me back... Loved the pieces done by JB.

Thanks for posting this!

John filled the void left by the greats like Keith, O'Connor, Skelton and so many others of that generation. I have been a fan since the early 90s, even bought a rifle from him once but alas let it go in some deal long since forgotten.

John writes too? I’m glad he answers his phone, so I don’t have to read...

I met John at the Sheep Show in Reno many years ago. I bought his book on optics from him while there and he was good enough to autograph it. Some years later and for a brief time we had a, shall we say challenging exchange on the Campfire.That passed quickly I gained a greater respect for him not only as a knowledgeable writer but as a decent guy as well. Although we met that one time I consider him a friend: I call him every so often, he is most gracious!

Desertranger,

Thanks very much!

The challenging exchange was my fault. One of my many faults is working too hard, which sometimes results in too-quick responses here. Have sort of semi-retired this year, which is helping....

John is a WAY better writer than Jack was....

m d much of what you write is not my thing but you are a great writer . enjoy your time off you earned it

I have long thought that JB is likely to be remembered as the shooting sports writer of his era, just as JOC was during his era.

When I was a kid growing up in northern New England there were 2 writers who were generally regarded as the best at what they did, JOC and Warren Page. JOC was more hunting oriented and WP was more technically oriented. I can't think of JOC doing much, if any, gunsmithing while at the same time I can't imagine WP doing nearly as much actual hunting as JOC.

OTOH, JB seems to be a jack of many trades and a master of many of them.