Due to some unfortunate incidents, my hunting partner and I found ourselves looking for a vehicle mechanic in Lewiston, ID. The mechanic would need a couple of hours and we had nothing to do. I remembered hearing about the Jack O'Connor Center and we got directions, just down the road.

I must say, we had a great time at the Jack O'Connor Center. The two gentleman working there were very enthusiastic and seemed to take a lot of pride in the center. They were extremely friendly and even shared their own coffee with us.

The rifles were amazing! They allowed me to handle the replica M70 in 270 made by Al Biesen's gunshop in Spokane, WA. The rifle was as close to perfect as I've ever seen. A little ornate for me, but it handled so well.

The other rifles at the center that really caught my eye were a custom 7x57, 30-06 for his wife Eleanor, a 458 Winchester and of course, one of his custom 270 Winchesters. What really got me was how well taken care of these rifles were. They showed wear from use and we all know he used his rifles well. But, they weren't rusted or pitted. They had character.

There are many mounts from animals taken by Jack himself and other hunters. There are also pictures from Jack and Eleanor's hunts. It was strange to be so close to one of the sheep he had taken. A lot of my favorite gunwriter articles are like stories and to be so close to the actual trophy and the rifle used to take it was like meeting a hero. If I couldn't meet him, it was a close second to be able to experience his tools and their trophies.

If you ever get the chance, the Jack O'Connor Center is a great stop to make regardless of the circumstances and it made so many of the stories I read tangible.

Jack O'Connor was one of my favorite writers back when I was a youngster. I have several of his books and really enjoyed reading them cover to cover. He is the main reason why I hunt with a Winchester M70 in 270. If I ever make it down that way I will definitly top by and check it out.

Thanks for that post. Makes me want to take a little road trip.

The O'Connor museum is well worth it.

If I'm ever in the area it will be a definite stop for sure.

I hope to make it there one day.


ddj

Didn't know there was one. Thanks for the info.

One of the things that I liked about my vist to Lewiston, late last summer, was that while driving around town we ran into wild quail in several places, including the little draw in front of my motel. I have known for a long time that there's pretty good upland hunting in that part of the world, but it was nice to see the birds themselves so frequently.

Despite being known mostly as a big game hunter and rifleman, O'Connor loved upland hunting at least as much, especially in his later years. This wasn't quite a secret, just as it isn't a secret about some other hunting writers, but it was nice to see one of the reasons he picked that part of the west.

I love O'Connor's writing, including about upland game. Just curious, what species of quail are around Lewiston?

the wife and i visited the joc center a couple summers ago. since i grew up reading joc, and have used a 270 win for over 40 years because of his writing and influence, it was a memorable experience for me. i trust joc fans are aware that the center commissions a duplicate win model 70 270 win from a guild of experts in custom firearms, and they raffle it off. the host at the center during my visit said they would make one rifle per year for 5 years. i believe 2010 is year 3 of 5 (perhaps someone can verify this). while i've been buying tickets, i'm still waiting to win. if you like joc, you'll enjoy the visit to the joc center.

The quail I saw were all California valley quail, but no doubt there are some mountain quail in the area as well. I've also heard about bobwhites (originally planted but reproducing in the wild) in the area.

That's funny you mentioned that. When I parked, there were three mule deer does feeding within 25 yards of the pavement. I thought it was fitting.

There is great pheasant, hungarian partridge, quail and chukar hunting there. Not to mention, its still not uncommon to see 30 to 50 deer a day on public land out there.

I believe the 270s that have been raffled off so far have all been made by Roger Biesen and engraved by daughter Paula. No luck so far on being drawn but the ticket price goes to support a good cause, the JOC Center. Definitely worth the visit to Lewiston.

As a kid in the early 60s, I developed a correspondent relationship with JOC....I remember the typed letters from him, some as long as two pages, where he counseled me on not just rifles but sometimes life itself. We shared letters until I discovered girls and quit writing....

I had a yen at that time for a M70 Alaskan in .338 and will never forget Jack's comment that, while it was a sexy cartridge, it was a little much for a 14 year old boy...I own one of those very rifles today along with a .270 Featherweight....

Jack had once hunted PA whitetails where I lived and, perhaps, that is why he was so accommodating and patient with me? Or maybe it was just because he was who he was....I choose to think the latter....whatever, the result was a shooter who, to this day, holds him in the highest regard....

Looks like a good place to stop and enjoy memories of Jack O'Connor hunting and writing.

http://www.jack-oconnor.org/index.html

I have been fairly close to it several times, I wish I had known about it.

Map to Jack O'Connor Center

Appreciate your posting about Jack O'Connor.
I remember reading his fine stories in O/L 60 years ago as a kid. Loved his writing about Sheep Hunting in BC, as well as Mule Deer hinting in Sonora, and Kaibab.
Good posts by everyone above. I enjoy reading stuff like this.
Probably won't ever get to Lewistown to see the O'Connor Center, but reading about it is great.

Thanks all for a great thread.

Don

Many moons ago, and just back from the draft, I moved to ID to attend school at Moscow. In the mean time, I have wacked a fair share of the local fauna.

Mountain Quail are scarce and protected in ID. When I arrived here, I took a short term job that lasted over thirty years. I worked out of a service truck, and every one in the yard had snow shoes on it for winter work. The first several years I put quite a number of miles on them.

Quail were about, but not too numerous then. Since the winters have gone mild, the quail have exploded. The California quail can be seen across a broad expanse of northern Idaho.

Whitetail and mule deer occupy interspersed territory locally. The whitetail is more abundant, but there are significant herds of mulies. In southern Idaho, I hear the reverse is true.

What bothers me most about the critter population of ID is the decline in antelope. The wolves are working over the elk and deer herds, but they survive in good numbers around the farming areas. Should people start wacking wolves in significant numbers, the elk and deer will repopulate. The antelope however are declining due to a decrease in habitat, and that situation will most likely not improve.

It is easy to spot herds of wild sheep, but the tags are not so easy to obtain. Bears are fun to poke with a sharp stick.

The UofI used to house the JOC exhibits in the upstairs of the science building. I spent quite a few hours on that floor. I have not made it to the new center.

I'm making my second trip to the JOC center next month. I'm heading up that way for my cousin's wedding, and I might as well make something good out of the trip, right?

Unfortunately, I won't be able to look for employment up there, as it will be the holiday weekend (Thanksgiving). I sure would like to live out that way, but I imagine the market for land surveyors is even more soft than Portland.

I always enjoyed Jack O'Connor's writings and have a number of his books which I re-read regularly. I'll plan to make it to the O'Connor Center next time I get to Idaho.

If you are intending to visit the center, make sure you know the hours of operation. It seems like there are lots of businesses in that area that close sunday/monday rather than saturday/sunday. The JOC is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

"Or maybe it was just because he was who he was....I choose to think the latter....whatever, the result was a shooter who, to this day, holds him in the highest regard...."

I would like to think it was just because of who he was. I also corresponded with him during the early 60s. I wish I had have kept the letters he answered.

Wow! I didn't know about that. Two places I would like to visit are the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wyo., and the O'Connor Center.

I read all of his books; owned and wore out most of them. My first rifle was a .270, mostly on his recommendation. I found him entertaining and informative, great to read, a reliable source of information, much like I find John Barnsness, Ross Seyfried, (even if I didn't like him when we met) and Jim Charmichael.

'Course, my all-time favorite, although he wasn't a reloader, is/was Peter H. Capstick. Gotta read thru my collection again...it's been too long!

+ 1 on Capstick. I have most (perhaps all) of his books, and even after reading them multiple times, I am not sure whether or not his books are fiction or if he actually did the things he claims.

There have been some comments on this forum questioning whether Capstick was for real or not, but I have never read anything that conclusively says that he was or wasn't. There are hints, but nothing that I can find that proves it one way or another.

One of these days I intend to visit that place.....



Casey

I had a conversation at a gun show, with a fellow representing an outfit called Lotus Publishers. (Okland, California) He was selling a book by John Kingsley-Heath. $95 back then. Whoa! A large book, with a magnificent photo of a bull elephant on the cover. Probably a good read, but back then...four kids and a dog limited my discretionary funds, soooo....

Anyhow, somehow the subject turned to Capstick, and the guy said, very confidentially. brushing his handlebar mustache with the back of his index finger: "You know, old boy,(British accent and all) that Capstick didn't do all that he claimed,don't you?"

I almost said "SO WHAT? The man can WRITE!" And his success caused much jealousy and discontent among those who couldn't do likewise.

257Rob: I am a great and long time fan of Mr. O'Connor and own virtually all of his books and novels!
I enjoyed seeing and talking with him in person at an NRA Convention years ago.
Many years ago I remember having to "dig deep" and painfully to come up with the $80.00 (eighty dollars) it took to buy an original signed copy of his beautiful Derrydale Press book - Game In The Desert.
Not only is my copy signed it was personalized to one of Jack's college professors!
Some years ago I turned down a cash offer of $750.00 (seven hundred and fity dollars) for it!
There is a strong, and still currently robust market in books.
Jack O'Connor was NOT a totally perfect person - none of us are.
But his writings are "perfect" in my world anyway.
I look forward to next summer when I will be in Lewiston, Idaho and will take in the O'Connor center.
In fact I think I will raise a toast (bourbon and branch water!) this evening to the memory of Jack O'Connor.
He was one of a kind.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Like so many here, I'm another one who grew up in the early '60's reading the Jack O'Conner stories - Many a winter nighte was spent reading them with a flashlight under the bed covers when I was supposed to be sleeping .

And, also like the others, my .270 goes right back to his writings.