Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Gun writer lists

I like to think that even Wootters would believe it's been taken too far. He had some ground breaking ideas for his time and there's a lot of value there, but people have pushed his ideas to the point that they don't sound just real fun anymore. Part of the fun of hunting to me is the anticipation of not knowing what's going to happen. finding a track that looks like a big deer and try to figure out a pattern and stand site, etc . I refuse to use a game camera, as if I know a certain deer is going to be using a certain trail between 5 and 6 pm sitting up waiting on him doesn't sound just real fun.

Kind of like with music, usually just listened without paying much attention to who the artist was. Magazines were usually just waiting in some office or the other, not paying much attention to the writer. A few of the books I have And, not really surprised to not see any of them mentioned here by Vaughn, Madis, and Howell. among others.

Phil

I never took Wooters the way he’s been portrayed here. If I recall correctly he never did food plots or had a hit list. He chose eventually to hunt mature deer but I don’t recall him condemning meat hunting. He wrote about how to trophy hunt if you want to go that way. He was proud that he hunted wild deer in the brush without mineral supplements etc.

Do other people see him that way? I could be wrong

shouldershot,

Yep, and since I knew John a little, I also knew he was less enchanted with "score" as he got older, and tended to prefer looking for simply old bucks, or meat animals--which are not mutually exclusive.

Greyghost,

Dunno which books you are specifically referring to, but have Madis's Winchester book, which is useful but not essential. If the "Vaughn" you are referring to is Harold, then it's in my "essential" list.

I knew Ken Howell, and while he was a fine guy and a clear writer, never found his books essential, partly because he had some ballistic misconceptions. Dunno if it matters, but also never found he had enough hunting experience to compare with the likes of Aagaard, Hagel, Keith, O'Connor or several others.

I certainly did NOT know J Wooters but he was a very active writer when I really got involved with Deer hunting & guns.
I read him up until he retired or died - don't remember which.

At first I disagreed with him but as I LEARNED I changed my mind on some things.

I agree with your take on his objective on WT. IMO he doesn't deserve some of the 'credit' given in this thread.

He was NOT my fav writer but others I could name were FAR below him on the list.

Jerry

Not to get into names, but all of those mentioned here are writers that I have enjoyed. To put outdoor writers, whether gun, hunting, fishing, or what have you, into two camps, I have found the most important aspect to me is the ability to pass on knowledge in a way that is interesting to read. I have stopped reading many an article because it took me back to the days of reading a statistics textbook.

As I grew in handloading I found Mr. Ken Howell very helpful to me. IIRC he was the handloading 'editor' or scribe with Shooting Times. I always looked forward to his articles and learned from him.

Surprise ! Surprise ! I was privileged to have one on one ' discussionS ' with him AFTER I joined the 'fire' in 2010.
He was always pleasant and courteous to me. ONE time I referred to him as "Sir Ken".. He replied that he had NOT been knighted yet..

I don't guess I ever thot about his "hunting' experience since MOST of what I got from him was on handloading.

I also know that others did not have the same attitude toward him. Well... he was helpful to me until the end.

Jerry

Were any changes made to Brister's Shotgunning book in the second edition? I have a couple copies of the first edition and bought the second edition for any changes. With a close reading it still looks like a straight reprint.

Probably closer to hunting books but I have a special fondness for Clyde Ormond and especially Game and the Gunner half game and half gunner from Pulling for local, for western values of local, associations. The same is true of Keith and Hagel but they each have sustained a wider than local appeal.

I mourn the days when what was called Winchester Press published a variety of books from one hit wonders in addition to such as the edited Keith. I liked the edited Keith more than I like the Petersen Press Hell I Was There.

I grew up reading O'Connor, then enjoyed G. Sitton's words, but have to say JB tops my list.....

Gary Sitton wrote a great piece about the difference between a hunter and a guy that hunts. There was also an article written I don’t remember by who, but he interviewed a bunch of other writers. The only one I recall is wooters talked about having a ruger blackhawk.357 and having to quick draw on a charging hog. I’d like to reread both articles

Great lists. Some I like not mentioned so far -- Wayne Van Zwoll, Phil Shoemaker, Terry Weiland,

I had a subscription to Outdoor Life as a youngster, and I really liked Jim Carmichael. Nowadays, I really enjoy reading old Jack O’Connor stuff. The article entitled “Santiago and the Lady” is one of the best pieces of writing I have read. Google it and thank me later.

In current day, I really enjoy John Barsness. And I really enjoy Eileen’s cookbooks!

HCDH66,

"Santiago and the Lady" is a great piece of writing--and also a great example of how a hunting story does NOT need to be all about the hunting.

In fact, Eileen and I teach a monthly writing course for the local high school's adult-education program. (This pays less in a year than my average article, but keeps us fired-up and thinking--along with meeting a lot of great people.) Many of the guys who take the class want to publish in hunting/gun magazines, and I have used "Santiago and the Lady" as an example of a great story--even though most magazines wouldn't publish it these days.

Glad you like our stuff!

That, and "We Shot the Tamales" are two of O'Connor's best

At one time or another, I've read something by most of the better known guns & hunting writers mentioned on the last several pages.

As for favorites & who I've enjoyed & learned the most from, that's really easy; Bob Hagel & then John Barsness when he came along.

Hagel was handicapped by the limitations of electronic measuring equipment & ballistic technology of the time he was active; John is more scientifically oriented & has had the benefit ofmuch more advanced ballistic technology & equipment.

I started reading John when he was writing the back inside cover stories for Rifle, maybe in the early to mid '90's & long before I joined The "Fire............those were entertaining but illustrative of a much stronger talent...............as he wrote more, it just became better & to the point that I think John will eventually be acknowledged as the very best gun, shooting & hunting writer ever, or at least to date.

All the books listed are good..............just different types of reading & some just flat don't apply anymore. Times have changed dramatically for both hunting & shooting.

Other great writers I respect are Jim Carmichael & Warren Page & both great shooters; O'Connor was a story teller as was a Keith & his needs (of the time) never had much alignment with mine, but I think he was a phenomenal outdoorsman, maybe the best.

Always enjoyed Wayne Von Zwoll; little use for Boddington; Aagard was always informative. Seyfreid I just read to be reading.

MM

Brain washed by Keith at a early age when I was a young lad in Iowa. Have maybe three of his original books laying around the house I have two of Hagel's books and at the time they were scripture to me when it came to bullets and working up loads. Elmer did him a dirty deed when he called him lazy in one of his books, about a time when him and Hagel and his Dad were out hunting. My old neighbor in Spenard, Alaska back in the 60's guided Hagel and Johnny Porter said Hagel was the finest rifle shot he ever saw. There is a picture of Hagle and a good caribou he took with a fast 7mm of some type. For sure he had lots of trigger time in the game fields.

Sharing a campfire with Elmer and Hagle would be a treat.

Finn Aagaard, I liked his down to earth practical style based on opinions formed from a life time of big game hunting and bullet testing. Would liked to have shared a campfire with him.

Skeeter and Jordan they wrote interesting stuff and I would loved to of shared a camp fire with them. I have and autographed copy of Jordan's "No Second Place Winner".

I liked some of the stuff Ross Seyfreid wrote. He did not like lever action repeaters and boat tail bullets and bore scopes. But, rumor has it he could shoot.

I have come to like Terry Wieland's articles, he has a unique style.

The Campfires very own Mule Deer, John Barsness, in many ways he is probably the over all best I have read when it comes to learning about rifles, barrels, bullets, shooting, powders, etc. I mean he is a walking encyclopedia for sure and his Gack books and others should be on every ones shelf.

Phil Shoemaker "458 Win.", writes very well, but not nearly enough. He wrote an article on triggers years ago that probably didn't make him very popular. But, as a brown bear guide he has first hand knowledge of how important a reliable trigger is. I wish I could find the article again, as I personally believe the trigger is the most important part of a rifle. If it does not work as intended then it gets interesting in a hurry.

That's about it, I admit to not reading a lot of gun mags.

When I think back Jack O'Conner, Rick Jamison and JB are the writers that have had the most influence on me.

I have some of JOC's books, but his biggest impression came in the boxes of old Outdoor Life magazines my Dad had saved. When I was young, I could not get enough of hunting and guns. I read all of his saved copies. I think it took me a couple of winters to finish the stacks.

Did not help that we had a Herter's store in MItchell, SD where I grew up. Also the local grocer had been to Africa and his African mounts were in the Corn Palace and his grocery store.

Rick Jamison was writing for Shooting Times when I really started getting into reloading. I looked forward to his articles every month.

JB needs no explanation, I still reference his books, and they are the only ones besides reloading manuals on my bench.

The little I have read of Aagaard, I wish I would have discovered him earlier. He would have been a positive influence on a younger mind.

Finn Aagaard
Jack O’CONNOR
John Barsness
Wayne Van Zwoll
Peter Capstick(Just Kidding)

I wish you could find the article also as I don't remember ever writing a piece on triggers. Maybe that was why it written so poorly.
But as a former competitive target shooter I certainly agree with you on the singular importance of a good trigger !