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Beautiful Critter

Bushbuck

Now all of you know why Steve quit writing. His typing fingers got real tired pulling those triggers.

Hey, Rooms, a .280 AI won't really kill an Alberta moose, will it? I figure you need at least a 7x57....

JB

Good friend Johnny Buffalo,

Only if a fella uses insignificant bullets will it work. Actually, a bunch of crazy Canuks were chasing around in the bush and I was waiting for a whitetail to pop out. My bullwinkle showed up instead.

He's the one I told you about. I shot him and he stood like a sheet of balanced plywood ... then it all fell down. Dead.

What the heck, the best bullet, rifle and cartrige are the ones that are right there in your hands. Just Do it!!!

Yup, typing fingers are tired.

Your friend Steve

Steve,

Thanks for the insight and pics. So typical of you...ask for 2 cents worth and you throw in a C-note. You are a giver and most of us appreciate it. Shame on those who don't.

I was somewhat familiar with your background from the scores of posts I've had the pleasure of reading. I was hoping for just a bit more and you didn't disappoint. I still wish you were writing but I can accept the fact that that part is over.

Best to you & Karen

Rick

Friend Rick,

Absolutely no problem. Actually, it was kinda fun, looking back upon a very active life and I didn't even mention the shotgunning aspect of it.

Did you know that my dad and I once owned the "Two In A Family" .410 Skeet World Record? In the Oregon State Championships, Dad shot (with his silly Krieghoff) a 197, while I used my el-cheapo Remington 1100 to shoot a 198. Our aggregate was a 395. Our World Record held for about a couple of years and then was eclipsed by one clay.

As I mentioned, something I will always regret is not pursuing the big game writing thing. I really had so much to offer, but the opportunity and the years are gone now.

And I'm tired.

Steve

Ol Buddy Zapper, you are truly one of the greats... For about the 14th time, I'm gonna beg you to write about your guiding!!!! I sure wish you would..... or even post a few more short stories about it.. i could set and read your stuff all day long.. Your Friend, Jesse

Good friend Jesse,

Actually, what I'm planning to do is slowly writing the elk guiding experiences, getting it really right. Then, I'll probably send it to Johnny Barsness. I'm also planning on sending him copies of my journal from the 1978 sheep hunt in the Yukon, with a full set of photos, and my two African safari journals, also plus full photo backup.

The Yukon journal and the two African ones are HUGE and there is a wealth of information in them. Those who have read my [i]Rome & Assisi Journal]/i] would find each of these journals to be much larger ... and they are all about hunting, game reactions, bullet performance, important in-the-field stuff. And they, to some degree, are of "period" interest, because they all happened a while ago ... in a hunting environment that will never be again.

Johnny can then use the experiences as he wishes, or not; he can give credit to me, or not. This is totally his call, it will be completely my gift, both to him and to all of my fellow hunters. Think of it as Steve's Last Legacy.

The problem is I took the easy way and signed on early in my career to write about subjects that were not in the center of my experience and interest. And the magazine I gave twelve years of my life to was read by very few folks. I did not become a big game household name.

If John writes about the my field experiences, either giving credit to me or not, at least folks will read about them. John IS a big game household name.

Anyway, that's what I'm planning on doing, given time.

I haven't discussed this with John, but I'm sure that he would agree.

It's kind of amazing. At this time, I'm STILL sorely-wounded and totallly pissed at the writing trade and firearms industry. Even so, at least every two weeks I receive an offer from magazines that I only dreamed about writing for ten years ago.

Karen is still amazed and she often asks, "Jeez Steve, don't you REALLY want to write for this great big game hunting magazine." My response is always, "Nope, they had their chance, they had a huge chance and the just pissed it off. Screw 'em." She just shakes her head.

Life is so very, very strange.

Your friend Steve

Zapper, I hope JB will do something great with your works... I'm sure he will... The world needs to know!!! I'm glad you are posting more... Jesse

Steve,

No, I didn't know that about you or your dad. And I'll bet you didn't know my dad is also the father of the .338 Federal. He (Roy Smith) wrote an article on the .33-308 for Rifle Magazine (#33) in the seventies.

He still holds a national record in cast bullet shooting too.

I, on the other hand, haven't done much. I have killed some stuff that I wanted to bite tho. And some stuff I never wanted to bite.

I hope JB does something with your work. It is absolutely worthy and I will read it, wherever I may find it.

Cheers, Rick

Rick,

I remember your dad's .338-308 article. The .358 was giving me fits at the time and I thought that the .33 version made a lot of sense. It's even better today, because the world has come to its senses about the weight needed in a .338 bullet.

I've killed lots of elk with 200-grain Power Points and 210 Partitions in the .338-'06; works for me. I remember, shortly after my .338-'06 article was published, I had a guy come into our store. He asked if I was THAT Steve Timm and when I allowed that I was, he yelled at me for about 15 minutes for killing elk and bears with the lowly 200-grain ... he knew for a fact that the 250 Partion was minimum and the 300-grainer was better yet.

The problem being, of course, is that I'd prolly killed elk at a 10 to 1 basis for his kills. So I asked him how may elk he'd killed with the .338-06. He proudly said, "Two." Not a lot of experience, methinks.

If I was working with the .33s in standard cases today, the '06 or the .308, I would probably gravitate to a well constructed 180-grain.

John hasn't responded, so I have no idea what his reaction will be. Hopefully, positive.

Have a great weekend.

Steve

I'll be happy to get anything from Steve, and will try to make very good use of it!

JB

Cool. I don't know when, but it will be done. Count on it.

Steve

Hello DZ. I for one would enjoy reading of your exploits and experiences..

George

Greetings, gentlemen. I am not technically a "gunwriter" though I do write the back page column for a gun magazine, namely the relatively new Buckmaster's GunHunter. I have lurked around this forum for several years but for some reason always seem to have technical problems and seldom get anything posted. I've written professionally since I was 17, which -- hard to believe -- is 38 years of writing. I've written five novels, several nonfiction books, a volume of poetry, a collection of articles, produced a photographic calendar, and have published thousands of articles in over 100 publications ranging from NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE to READERS DIGEST to WESTERN HORSEMAN to BOOKS AND CULTURE. I've also been published in literary quarterlies and two editions of a collegiate text book. All that being said, when I want good technical information on shooting I visit web sites like this one. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is John L. Moore and I ranch in eastern Montana. Best to you all.

John,

Welcome to the campfire. Glad to have you.

1flier

I tried to post yesterday. do not know if it went through. Was wanting to know if there would be any reprints of Skeeter Skelton's books? I've had a hard time finding any without an extreme price, but that may just be the way it is. thanks

Boy what a walk down memory lane this has been with all writer's
past and present some enjoyed better than others.I am a little
long in the tooth and fess up to having read JO'C when he
was still being published. I will not name names for fear of
missing someone. Sufice to say there are some great one's still
around the campfire.To Dogzapper an open invite to join me for mass
in the redwoods of a hundred years old or do a sausage and kraut
dinner on me. PM me if there is an interest Cheers Northcountry
P.S of course it includes Karen

I would like to add a short note about 1flyers dad, Roy Smith.

During my larval stage (teenage years), Roy mentored his sons Kelly & Rick as well as myself in the ways of reloading. He was and is one extroadinarily fine gentleman & I feel truly privledged to have known the man.

I just finished reading this entire thread.

Simply amazing.

Thank you all for your efforts.