Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Bob Milek

Good info! Though I knew about the smell of the hot springs.

Have also always liked Buffalo a lot, having spent six weeks working there as the mapper for an archaeological research company around 1980, when oil shale development in the area on BLM land was supposedly going to turn into a big thing.

When I lived in Lander it was -50 for a couple days that winter. But also lived in northeastern Montana for three years right after that, where it ranged between -58 and +113.

John,

Chub, at dinner, asked me why I was so blue. I told him that I was really wanting to meet John Barsness, but you weren’t there. Everyone consoled me and reassured me that you and I would meet some day and we did.


They were really nice guys, but you and Eileen are family…

Bob Milek was my inspiration with specialty pistols.

John spend a few days in Thermop…..while I don’t live there, we’re there pretty often! The only sulfur smell that I detect is north of town near the RV Park, there is a sulfur laden creek crossing under the road which is feeding the RV pool. It’s a bit “smelly” right at the State Park near the springs and the pools! Unless you live in the park……you’ll never or very rarely smell the sulfur! memtb

Agreed.

memtb,

I have spent a few days in Thermop--and more than one overnight. The smell wasn't much, but it was there--though nothing like areas of Yellowstone Park, which I've been to probably at least 100 times, due to growing up in Bozeman.

Was mostly interested in the extremes of temperature. Where we live now is pretty good, especially compared to other parts of Montana, and I've lived in various areas of the state from near Idaho to near North Dakota. But it can still get -40 and +100.

Have mentioned this before, but Montana has the widest range of recorded temperatures of any of the 50 states.

I wore out a guns and ammo magazine reading his article in guns and ammo about the 243 in the article he killed a mule deer. Then the article on 35 Whelen was the other one I re-read few times.

I’m 19 miles out of Thermop, and your temperatures are pretty close to ours, and we’re almost always a little cooler than Thermop…..though we rarely get colder than -30. Until the last few years we had very little wind (only been here 22 years) …..we’ve been pretty breezy lately! memtb

Many showing their age here. Bob Milek was one of the good ones, one of the best! Thanks for the post!

Same here. My grandfather got me a Guns and Ammo subscription from when I was about 9-10 till he passed when I was a Sergeant at 21'ish... It was one of the best gifts ever. I'd peel it open for Milek's writing and Seyfried.. Those two shaped a buncha my thoughts as a young shooter.

Bob Milek was my favorite gun writer. Bought my Rem Classic 35Whelen from reading his article on the same. Finally sold the rifle, still have the article.

Years ago when traveling to Cheyenne, had relitives there, went through Ten Sleeps to Thermopolis to try and catch him at a favorite hang out of his, missed him that morning. Sorry I did.. Liked his writing..

If you ever pass through Buffalo , Message me and we will get together. It would be an honor for me.

I read his articles in 22 specific magazines and suspect why I have a ruger single six

I also read anything of his I could get my hands on. Bought my first 25/06 and 223 contender because of his writings. I remember one of his articles I believe titled “western Varmint Safari”. Probably played a big part in my ending up trying to get out west and shoot p dogs as often as I can. I also remember an article he wrote, I believe in the 1983 Peterson’s Hunting Annual( when I was about 9) where he killed a black bear with a Ruger 44mag and a wild boar with a .300 Herret. Always wanted one of those and finally ran across a 14” .30 Herret barrel this spring so I snapped it up. My cousin and I always get a kick out of shooting something with our contenders and saying we bet Bob would proud! Yup… he’s still missed.

This thread forced me to dig out my Guns and Ammo 1971 Annual. Elmer Keith, Truman Fowler..., Francis Sell, John Lachuk, Jaques Lott, Howard French, George C. Nonte, Allen Bishop and a host of lesser knowns. I was 10. Fun read.

Was this a story about the 35 Whelen; and Bob used it to take a spike bull elk in Montana? I also know of him getting a nice black bear with the 35-W.
Yes, like many, Bob was a great guy.

Take care.

I have had occasion to drive by the Bob Milek gun range on my scouting trips up to my Deer and Antelope units this year......pretty fitting Memorial for a man like Bob I'd say.

In 2017 the wife and I were hunting pronghorn near Thermo.
We were staying in a little cabin in a rv park, we hunted the mornings and evenings and left the afternoons for a little exploring. We took a fancy to Worland and put it on our short list of possible places to live. With the cold temps you stated I might be glad I ended up where Im at. I have a lot of family here in Idaho but I love Wyoming and still think about moving.
As to Bob he was the first gun writer I gravitated to as a younger man. I have more than a few 1/4 bores because of him. I was truly saddened when he passed and looking back I do not know why it hit me that way. I also enjoyed Ross and JB. I thought Craig was a thorn in Ross’s side. No proof of that just a 20 something year olds thought process.

338reddog,

The one winter I spent living in Wyoming was 1973-74, in Lander. It got down to either -50 or -55, can't remember now--one of only two times I've seen -50 in my life, the other in northeast Montana a year later.

But in general Wyoming is colder than Montana, even though it's farther south, due to its elevation being generally higher.