Recently it was suggested by some readers that we post the backgrounds of the various gun writers (and others) here so that we could all know what each poster's qualifications were. I believe some of this was done, but on a rather informal basis. Why not do it again and have a permanent post up there alongside the articles at the head of this forum?

I am off to an appointment right now, but will log on later with a brief outline on Mule Deer.

Mule Deer

Anyone that has read your stuff for any length of time knows your background I would think.
-Doc-

Yeah, but having him pony up first is a good start.

Not to mention, it would be interesting to know the backgrounds of some of these fellas.

I'm interested.

It would e a good idea to post who the "gunwriters' are vs the numerous crackpots who post here.

I'd probably be in the crackpot category...

I am in favor of the idea, for those that want to do it.

I would certainly respect the wishes of any that didn't, although it sure would make a lot of sense in terms of the Board.

I appreciate the motion John. Consider it seconded.

Rick

I'd rather let my work speak for itself.

I'd be in favor of the idea.

I would find it interesting if they would tell where they were born how they got into shooting, hunting, etc... What the writers started out doing and how they ended up where they are now.

The article by Brian Pearce in the latest RIFLE magazine about why he wears a cowboy hat was great entertainment. It really let the reader know where he started and where he is now..

I dont buy too many magazines, so this would help me identify who all the writers are. Also if a certain writer has never left the East coast and gives an opinion on Western hunting that he has pickup from several guided hunts. I can take this opinion for what its worth.

Ken, I don't think you have any explaining to do!

Mostly I want the folks who ask questions here know who they are addressing, and who is answering. They might either want to direct a specific question to a specific writer--not to limit the answers, but to get that writer's attention. Or they might be interested in evaluating answers depending on who the identity of who responds.

MD

Mule Deer
I am going to make a liar out of myself and make a post here.
I think your idea is splendid. Here is why.
In your case, i have read enough of your stuff to know that among other things, you have a science degree. When I read some of your tests, I know that those techniques came from late afternoons spent in Roberts Hall. ( I have had some of those late afternoons, too)
Knowing Brian Pierce's background, I know that he IS NOT an Elmer Keith wanna be, but a real life ranch guy, and in the final analysis, what he is seeking guns, bullets, scopes and loads that work in the field. You probably aren't going to see an article by Brian on where to get ear rings that match your McSwirly stock.

Continued
The drawback to this posting of information is that some are good at stretching the truth. I remember reading a statement from a gunwriter ( one you know, Mule Deer) that he had hunted cototes "From (a state I won't name) to Texas". I was familiar enough with the guy at the time to know that he had basically hunted in Texas and the other state 2500 miles away he had named, but stated his experience in the above manner to puff himself up. The real writers on this forum would never do that. Undoubtly, some others will. Astute readers will likely see through most of the puffery, others will have to suffer their own gullibility.
One thing I think would be not only tacky, but counterproductive, is taunting people into posting how many animals of each species they had killed, with all pertinent details, including B&C score, and relative humidity. Some people will learn more from five years experience than others will from twenty.
Royce

El gato escaldado del agua fr�a huje (pls s'cuse my gringo accent!).

The Mexican has it right � and maybe I'm just another scalded cat who's fleeing cold water.

Several years ago, on another board for shooters, somebody asked me "Are you the Ken Howell?" I answered that that'd depend on which the Ken Howell he meant � that there were then more than 350 Ken Howells in the US that I knew of � that I wasn't the Ken Howell who used to pitch for Oakland � that I wasn't the Ken Howell who's a crackin'-good pistolsmith in Wisconsin � that I'm the Ken Howell who used to edit Handloader and Rifle and wrote the Custom Cartridges book.

Right away, some borborygmic fundament belched back that I was bragging.

So I shrink from posting any treatise on my background, even in outline or resum� form.

Yea, but you had a right wicked curve ball....... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

... but not as good a tan!

Ken, that made me snort when I laughed.
RS

A point I meant to make but didn't is that it should be self evident that no one should feel compelled to post their pedigree on here. To some, that I am sure it would feel like an invasion of privacy, and there are certainly other good reasons for not wanting to partake in "Axel Varney, This is Your Life".

I'm thinking John's lead won't be too hard to follow for most of the real writers on here . I bet he has it pretty well thought out to encourage the other guys to share .

I agree that Ken's work speaks for itself and beyond that , he has revealed much of himself to us over the years . BUT --- we are getting so many members that some of them would appreciate a little " snapshot ".

To All:

I guess I will have to plow the new ground. I don't know what everyone is looking for in the way of background information, so I'll get it started and we can adjust down the road, if necessary.

First of all, I have only been a full-time writer for about ten years, maybe not quite that long. However, I was a part-time freelance writer since my first article was published in Guns & Ammo Magazine in December 1972, or was it December 1973. Whichever, it was a hell of a long time ago. At my age, a good memory is the second thing to go.!

My primary career and source of income was as a professional soldier. I wore the uniform of the United States Army for twenty-six years and retired from active duty on the first of January, 1986. My war was in Vietnam, and I spent two tours there. I spent an additional eleven years after retirement working as a contractor, supporting the Army. Since then, I've been writing full-time.

I got my first rifle - a single shot Winchester 22, when I was six years old. My first scattergun came along four years later when I was 10. I don't remember when I got my first handgun, but it was considerably later, probably around age sixteen.

I've hunted all my life, starting with squirrel, rabbit and quail hunting in my native Kentucky. I went on my first out-of-state "big-game" hunt when I was twenty-one, a mule deer hunt in Colorado with my oldest hunting pal, Earl "Rob" Robbins. My last hunt to date was a trip to Namibia in June, and was also with none other than Earl "Rob" Robbins, now 80 years young.

I have written both hunting and gun stories all through my career, but the majority have been stories on rifles, a lot of them custom rifles. If I have an area that I have been sort of segregated into, it is the custom gun field. In addition to several hundred magazine articles. I have also written three books on the subject of custom guns, as well as major contributions to two other books on hunting. I presently have three or four books on various subject in substantially different stages of preparation. I know that several hundred articles doesn't sound like many when reading bios of several writers that state that they have written four or five thousand articles. Just do the math. If one can publish an article each week - one hell of a lot - that would be, Hmmmm, 52 per year. In ten years, 520 articles. How many years would it take to publish 5000?????

Anyway, I have hunted on four continents and several countries on each continent that I've hunted. I've been on safari in Africa three times, in three different countries - Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Namibia. I leave on my next hunt next Thursday (Aug 31) when I head for northern Quebec to see if I can find Rudolph and Dasher.

I am happily married, the father of three sons and the step-father of two sons, and have six grandkids with another due in November. I live in the high desert country around Sierra Vista, Arizona and will be here until I'm carted off in a box. Even then, I'll be planted in the area.

My idol in the outdoor writing business was Jack O'Connor and my mentor was a contemporary of Jack's, John T. Amber. I knew or at least met many of the old timer's in our business, including Elmer Keith, Charlie Askins, Skeeter Skelton, Bill Jordan, and many others. Most of them were really great guys, but most also had a wart or three as well. I've known John and Steve for quite a few years, and I've also known fantastic gunmaker and writer/photographer, Steven Dodd Hughes, for a bunch of years. Dan Johnson I met on a prairie dog shoot a few years back. The other writers that contribute here I either don't know, or, can't recognize from their handle. The gun and hunting writing fraternity is really quite small, and most of us know each other, if only in passing at SHOT.

I usually check the campfire every day that I'm home. I don't always wade into the issues, particularly those with unnecessary personal attacks, but I'm almost always there. I'm open to any question and at any time. Feel free to ask if there's anything in my background that you want to know. If I don't want to answer, I wont!

I just turned 68 years old a few days ago, and I suffer all the malady's that those in my age group usually suffer. I am cantankerous, obstinate, crabby, and "sot" in my ways. I am opinionated, slow to change, and reluctant to cow-tow to editors that are younger than most of my shorts. One of my favorite General Officers that I worked for once told me, "I've never found a valid reason for calling a spade anything other than a spade!" I agreed with him then, and I still agree with him now. Therefore, the older I get, the less you are apt to see my byline in print. That's fine with me.

My experience, which I have always found to be the best teacher, has led me to believe that Jack O'Connor had it right in his writings. Most often, my experience, although pale in comparison to his, has more closely tracked what he wrote than any other writer. Jack was, particularly in his later years, cantankerous, obstinate, crabby, and "sot" in his ways. A few that knew him say that he was also mean! I doubt that, but cannot confirm that he wasn't as I never met him. I do know many fellows that did know Jack, and several that knew him very well. None have ever told me that he ws mean! Even if he was, and I'm not conceding that as a fact, his advice was valid when he wrote it, and it is, in my experience, every bit as valid today, 28 years after his death.

That's where I've been, what I've done, and where I'm coming from. Anything else, fire away.

Tom

Solomon was never wiser than he was when he wrote (in Proverbs 27:2) "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips." And a worthy additional advice is "don't publicize facts about yourself that others see as self-praise or bragging." The link between Proverbs 27:2 and Matthew 7:6 may be slight and ephemeral, but it's there.

As a new/old member that doesn't post much, but lurks a lot, it would be of great interest to be able to identify which scribe was posting. I've figured out who Mule Deer and of course, Ken Howell are. The others I have suspicions, but not clarity. Please help us folks out and step from behind the curtains!

Thanks.

Mule Deer is really named John Barsness. I only came up with the Internet name because I lurked here for six months or so before finally deciding to post something.

Like Tom Turpin, I started hunting as soon as possible in my native Montana. I also decided to be a writer very early in life, but didn't figure out I could combine the two until about age 20, when I sold an article on flyfishing in the winter to SPORTS ILLUSTRATED. During my 20's and early 30's I held some other jobs from time to time, including several years on a summer wheat-harvest crew, two full years for an archeaological and historical research firm, and a few seasons as a hunting guide. I also went to the University of Montana, majoring in biology. (This took a while. The school was on the quarter system, and I took fall quarter off to hunt, and only went half-time in spring in order to fish.)

I spent the first 20 years of my writing career mostly publishing articles and books about fishing, hunting and Western history, but started writing a lot more about sporting firearms at about age 40. I'm now 53 and write about firearms, handloading, optics, etc. about 2/3 of the time, and hunting about 1/3 of the time. Unfortunately, I just don't have time to write about fishing anymore, but still do it when I can.

This lucky choice of a career has allowed me to shoot and hunt a lot. For about 20 years now I've been hunting several states and one or two foreign countries each year. While I write more about big game than anything, I love upland bird hunting just as much, so still write about that and shotguns some as well.

I've written for every major hunting and shooting magazine in the business, several as a staffer, and also edited GRAY'S SPORTRING JOURNAL for a while--the magazine where I published my first hunting article, back in 1977. These days I write exclusively for Wolfe Publishing's RIFLE, HANDLOADER and SUCCESSFUL HUNTER magazines.

"Mule Deer"

Thanks Tom, for the kind words! I am mainly a lurker here but will take this opportunity to introduce my ?gunwriter? bonifieds. It has only been a part-time vocation for me with my mainstay of custom gunmaking. My byline is Steven Dodd Hughes, but most call me Steve.
My first magazine article was published in Muzzle Blasts in 1986 along with my first cover photo of a flintlock fowler I built. Since that time SDH articles about, and photographs of custom guns and gunmaking have appeared in many American firearms periodicals, and several abroad. Did many stories for GUNS and American Rifleman in the late 1980?s early 90?s along with features and the Custom Corner column in Rifle Magazine at that time.
Have been a staff writer for Shooting Sportsman Magazine penning the Fine Gunmaking column since 1993. In the past few years my cover photography appeared in the (now defunct) Accurate Rifle Magazine along with feature articles. Have scores of magazine articles and a couple of dozen book and magazine cover photos. (You will see my photo credits in TT?s fine Modern Custom Guns.) The latest cover photo was Sports Afield June/July 2006 along with a couple of features. Will start a column on custom hunting rifles for SA shortly.
My first book, Fine Gunmaking: Double Shotguns was published by Krause Publications in 1998. The second book, Custom Rifles in Black & White was self- published in 1999. Am currently working on another book titled of Double Guns and Gunsmithing scheduled for publication in 2007.
In June 2002, at Senator Max Baucus? request, I testified before the Senate Finance Committee in Washington, D.C. on a proposed excise tax exemption (now law) for custom gunmakers.
My custom guns have been shown at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the Houston Museum of Fine Art. I normally display at one commercial show (ACGG) per year. I have been a member of the American Custom Gunmakers Guild for 20 years, edited its magazine Gunmaker for two years and have served two terms on its Board of Directors.
I dropped out of High School at age sixteen.
I think Ken was editor at Rifle when I made my first submissions. Worked with JB when he edited Game Country (anyone remember that great magazine?) and have worked in association with Tom Turpin for a couple of decades.
BTW, if you get the chance read JB?s, Montana Time, my favorite of his books. It?s about fly fishing, and I don?t even fish.
Got to get back to the sidelock shotgun I?m checkering.
Best to all, Steve

(Damn, changed all my quotations to question marks!)
As for my gunmaking in process, a pic is worth....


...and lest you think this a safe queen, I've promiced it to the client for the duck season opener. It will be at a duck club in a blind, God willin'.

Gentlemen,

I am thoroughy enjoying this thread. I have read most all of you folks works for years but I did not know Tom T. was in the military for a career. I thought MD was younger! I never cease to learn something new about Dr. Howell!

I think this is a great idea because I ENJOY reading articles from all of you. It is a pleasureable hobby for me and a great stress reliever.

Not that it matters here but I am 58 and have been reading gun magazines since my pre teen years. JOC was also a hero, along with John Jobson, Pete Brown, Carlos Vinson, Maj. George Nonte and a host of others.

Thanks to all. Bill.

Many thanks gentlemen!! Truly a great thread!!

I'm on the road, and like Ken, I don't like the sound of my own horn, so I'll keep it short.
1993 was hired by Pete Dickey as "Firearms Specialist" on NRA Technical Staff. They taught me the ropes and what were good references and what were not. Made Assistant Technical Editor in 1994 after Dickey retired, and Associate a few years after that when Bob Hunnicutt left. Was named NRA's first "Shooting Editor" in 2001.
Left NRA in 2003 to work for SCI (not as a writer). Kept my pen in the well as a field editor for Shooting Times until asked to be the publisher of same this past Feb.
You can Google my name with "Shooting Times," "American Rifleman," or "Shooting Illustrated" to see some past articles. More details are in the archives here somewhere.

I am like Tom T. in that I did a military career first, then a defense contractor gig, then a consultant for state and local government, and finally got into writing about something I enjoyed: rifles and hunting. I like handguns and shotguns too, but riflery is definitely my favorite. Using rifles in Africa is my top interest. I have made five safari hunts to Africa in the last 10 years, and I sell hunts and write about it to get the gold to do it again.

I did two tours in Viet Nam, shot on the PacFLT rifle team at Camp Perry, and spent some time in the Horm of Africa and Eastern Africa doing intel-related things.

I have been to Gunsite for several courses (three rifle), and am a member of that "family": molon labe, y'all. I am also active in SCI (and met Scott there).

I write for African Hunter, and I have written chapters for books on the African hunting experience, but most of my writing since '95 has been for on-line "publications". For example I was providing content to the company who had the outdoors exclusive for AOL in the early days. I got into that from rec.hunting. I like the 'Net because of the interactivity and the warp factor nine speed of the discourse.

I am doing some North American hunting while we get some experience for some grandkids coming up. I turned 64 this month, and we have 7 of those rascals "coming up".

jim

Guys:

This is great stuff! Many of us follow your work faithfully for years and never really know much about you, or how you got started. I've yet to see anything close to bragging, and we're getting a rare opportunity for a glimpse your personal side that shows you're really not that much different from us.

Mule Deer: I've said it before and it bears repeating: You're the most talented writer of your generation. You could write about anything, and it would be interesting, enlightening and entertaining--whether it's the stock market, the solar system, or the annual rainfall in Alder, Montana. That you're a gunwriter is a bonus for all of us rifle loonies. I've been reading everything of yours I can get my hands on since a 1992 article in Peterson's Hunting where you wrote about hunting loads for the 3 classics: .257, 7x57, and .30-06. I also have most of your books, including your older ones. One question I've always had: how do you pronounce your last name?

Turp: I haven't read your stuff as much as I'd like, but I remember one of the first articles of yours I've read was about hunting deer with your custom David Miller Mauser '98 in .270. It made me want a custom .270, too. I finally got one, and I have you to thank for giving me the itch. Thanks for taking the time to visit and post here.

SDH: Dude, you've got to have the coolest job in the world. If I had your talent, that's what I'd do, and I'd get up every morning with a smile on my face. I have your book on double guns, and you are truly an artist. I also think it's great that you hunt and shoot sporting clays with your Fox Hughes. Awesome!

To all of the gunwriters (past, present and future) who post here, thanks for taking the time to share a little piece of your lives with us.

G. Perry

I can personally testify that SDH has no safe queens. He brought his Hughes/Fox when it was very new on a chukar hunt in Idaho that involved going up and down some pretty jagged-edged canyons, when we were both younger. I also watched him shoot it well at an informal clays shoot a couple of weeks ago.

My name is pronounced BARS-ness, though some people claim it started out as, "By golly, this BAR'S nice."

MD

As the newest of the "gun writers", my post should be the shortest. Born and grew up on a hardscrabble ranch in central Texas, went to a rural high school where opening day of whitetail season was a holiday. All my teachers told me that I couldn't write. Spent eleven years combined in college, grad school, and the military. My time in the Army was spent stateside as an engineer/statistician/test director at a proving ground. Spent a couple of years working at a small electronics company, then got a wild hair and started Oehler Research because I wanted a chronograph and didn't want to pay Herter's $120 for something I could build myself.

The next forty years were at Oehler Research where I actually enjoyed solving the technical problems related to ballistic measurements at least as much a shooting, reloading, or hunting. By virtue of my position I got to know the old names such a Colonel Harrison, H.P.White, Roy Weatherby, Bill Ruger, John Amber, Bob Hagel, Les Bowman, and most of the younger fellows writing today. Compentence by association doesn't work!

The only writing I recall, save ad copy and instruction books, were a couple of articles sent to Neal Knox at Handloader. A few months ago Scott Mayer and Joel Huchcroft offered to let me write a monthly ballistics column for Shooting Times. They made the rash assumption that by my long association with all the true experts, I had managed to learn a few things and might tell a few stories. They promised to clean up my writing.

Because of my diverse background, I can usually see both sides of many arguments. I've been the dude on paid hunts, and I've been the Jaegermeister and land owner on other hunts. I've tried to wring the last bit of velocity out of a case, and I've worried much about exceeding pressure limits. Although trained in the mathematical and engineering arts, I tend to just get a bigger hammer and make sure it works. I can relate easier to an old John Deere than to any hotrod.

It is my nature and intention to lurk in the shadows and enjoy reading and learning. I'll jump in if it seems that I might have something to add, or if someone has a specific question of me. Scott Mayer suggested the Campfire, and it was a pleasure to read dear friend Ken Howell's writer's guide on the home page. He must cringe at my posts, but he has always been most tolerant.

Ken

Thanks for the replies, I am enjoying this a lot.
The only thing that could make it better is if you were Canadians. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

The writers that post here are an awesome crowd. They bring varied experiences and backgrounds and, as such, we are better for it. The beauty of it is that if someone has a question, one or more of you guys will be able to give an honest answer, regardless of the topic. My thanks to you all for the biographies. Makes the reading here and in the magazines that much richer.

Well Partsman, I'll be the token Canadian. I spent 21 years in the military as a weapons technician, retiring in 1999. The first fifteen years were spent bouncing around Europe, Canada and the US. The last six years of my career I taught weapons and explosives at a technical school in Borden, Ontario. I returned in 2005 as a civilian, teaching the same stuff.

I write books. The first was completed a couple of months after I retired. I've published three to date, with two more coming out this fall. The first is called Shooting and Reloading the 303 British and the 303 Epps. The second, an outdoorsy fictional work called Memories of Mouche Noir, based on people and events of my youth in northern Ontario. It's a collection of short stories. Bits of it have been seen here over the past few years.

The only magazines in which I've been published were history and trade publications. Almost always about ammunition/wpns systems. A few articles about Lee Enfields. None of which anyone is likely to have read. Generally, I'm the one that everyone ignores at parties. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Dear Mr. Redgwell,
I haven't read any of your articles, but I would like to. I just purchased my first Enfield, it is supposedly an American model made by Savage. What a great rifle, it is a joy to hold and think about what it has seen and who held it and where. Thanks.

Gentlemen all,
I'm coming away even more impressed than... well I can't think of when!

With the exception of a few, I never realized, by your campfire names, how many leaders in the hunting/shooting field we have here. What a knowledge base!
Thank's for posting the bio's!!!

Congratulations on the acquisition westerner. I hope that it brings you many years of enjoyment.

Yes, it would be wonderful if some of these old firearms could talk. Even the ones that never made it overseas would probably have a story or two to tell.

I used to look at SMLEs as junk and then one day it dawned on me what a fine battle rifle it it. I now have three. Thanks...Bill.

Ken - I knew that you never pitched for Oakland, that was Jay Howell.

(Jay was actually in for an office visit yesterday, seriously. A nice guy.)

Ken Howell pitched for Philly!

Dr Ken, you may be the newest one here, but I am most assuredly the smallest footnote of gun writers. I've only published half a hundred full-length articles in major magazines over the past 20 years, although I have written regular columns for newspapers and magazines. I use my usual sobriquet for everything. I majored in English Lit because it was easy and didn't interfere with my real but disallowed major: ROTC.

I've had three overlapping careers, with writing about to become my fourth. In rough order, I spent 23 years in the Air Force as a combat pilot and instructor pilot, then as a non-flying public affairs officer both active and Reserve. I parlayed that public affairs experience into 15 years total, with paychecks from the Air Force, NASA and Thiokol (the rocket maker.)

When the gret "Peace Dividend" hit, my aerospace job was gone and so I started a custom earplug business for shooters and industry. I've been doing that now for 15 years and am about to sell that business as I turn 60 in a few months and the travel is beginning to get to me.

I recently was urged to enter a little writing contest, and part of the prize for finishing a novel was to have it published. I'm now working on the sequel to that little hors d'oeuvre of a story, and hope to have it out next month.

I write almost exlusively about reloading, something I've done since I shot competitive trap in the 50s and 60s. I don't hunt much, have killed only a handful of big game animals and a slew of varmints, nor have I ever competed in shooting since my trap days. I'm math challenged, but my pilot and NASA years gave me a middlin' grasp of science and technology (which I had to explain to reporters, the dumbest critters this side of slime mold).

That's the fingernail clipping version of my resume.

Well gents, I�m not a full time writer, nor is that something to which I aspire (resisting the urge to end a sentence with a preposition).

I grew up in Sacramento, California and I lived there my whole life save the last 3 years. At an early age, I took to guns like a Lab to water. My first was a very well worn (ok, it was pretty much worn out) Winchester 1890 in .22 Short. Armed with said rifle, I proceeded to turn it into a weapon of mass destruction for the local cotton tail population. Grandma would cook �em up for me and make rabbit and dumplins (oh yeah!!).

I got serious about my shooting at around age 15 and started shooting competitively. Actually, over the years I�ve shot all sorts of competition, but I seem to loose interest when I start winning the majority of local matches. I�ve shot:
Smallbore rifle (Mossberg 144)
Military rifle (Garand)
Benchrest (Shilen DGA)
Bullseye (S&W K-22, 1911)
IPSC (M1911)
Handgun Silhouette (Contender .30-30, .357 Bain & Davis)
Basically, if it involves a gun, I�ve either done it, or I�m conspiring. My goal is to do it all.

As for big game, my grandfather was a bear hunter, which means, I was a bear hunter. I�ve done my fair share of hunting just about everything else, but of late, I�m more of a shotgunner and bird hunter.

At age 17 I joined the Army but my tenure was cut short when I tackled a car head on with my motorcycle, which has left me a bit disabled. After 2 years and 3 surgeries, I was up and walking again. After some personal study, I got my first gunsmithing job working on machine guns. (not much of an MG fan, but it paid the bills). At that job, I had access to literally tens of thousands of old Mauser�s and I ended up building custom sporters on the side (still have a great love for the military Mauser).

I then started studying to become a Paramedic, and I worked the meaner streets of Sacramento for 16 years. During that time, I taught PHTLS (Pre Hospital Trauma Life Support) and regular classes on terminal ballistics to ER doctors and surgeons at UC Davis Medical Center. (mostly to dispel the BS and rumors about gun shot wounds). My two 24 hour shifts a week also allowed me to work as a bodyguard to some of the famous people we love to lothe.

I started writing about 3 years ago and I�ve written for Handguns, American Handgunner, Primedia, Guns Magazine etc. I�ve felt a bit pigeon holed into writing only about handguns, so I�ve taken a break from that.

My first love is sporting arms of all kinds. Of late, I�m spending a lot of time with some of the finer guns from England and Europe, while attempting to build a double rifle on a Parker action.

Recently I�ve been given access to the first known cartridge gun which was made in 1813 and I�m doing research on the gun, cartridge and its inventor (I�ll bet SDH knows). Not sure where I�m going with it yet, but I may put something together for the Double Gun Journal or Shooting Sportsman�It�s a fascinating gun and story.

Writing is a hobby for me, as is my shooting sport. The real writers are the ones who do it for a living�I love their work and I�m glad they do it every day�Don�t know that I could.

Thanks to all the writers for hanging out at the campfire

Had no idea so many professionals hung out here. Thanks to you all for sharing.

My handle is "allenday" because my name is Allen Day......

I just turned 49, and I'm a fourth-generation Oregonian who grew up on a family-owned farm, and I farmed there for some years myself, then gradually began a career in real estate development that has led to business in a number of venues, and in a variety of states. I'll never retire because I like what I'm doing, and because I have a lot of energy and I don't like to sit still.

I started my hunting career as a 12 year-old boy going after varmints on the farm, then I bought my first real big game rifle, which was a Remington 700 ADL 30-06, in 1972 and I still have it in my collection to this day. Using that same rifle as a base for learning, I began to handload at age sixteen, and I've loaded tens of thousands of rounds in the years since. I've owned close to 300 rifles (not counting handguns and shotguns) in the days since I bought that first '06. At one point I owned a large collection of pre-64 Model 70s, and I also contributed to Roger Rule's book, "The Rifleman's Rifle", and I'm listed in the credits.

But my real passion is big game hunting, and I started out on blacktails, mule deer, and elk here in Oregon, then I gradually started to branch out to other states. To date I've hunted in twenty states and eight foreign countries, and I've taken hundreds of big game animals from Alaska to Tanzania and back.

I've been in three of Mark Sullivan's African hunting videos, as well as his book, "Death and Double Rifles", at least one of Bart Lancaster's Canadian hunting videos, and it's been my privilage to be on "Outdoor Life" magazine's 'Gear Test Team' (rifles and shotguns) twice.

Today, my real gun interest is custom-built hunting rifles (HUNTING -- not "safe queens") and custom 1911 pistols. I've gotten rid of the bulk of my gun collection and use a pretty basic battery of custom rifles for most of my hunting. I have found that most of the arguments for or against various cartridges are generally a waste of time. I put my time and energy into big game hunting, and into time at the range, shooting. That's where my real passion lies, and that's just about all I have time for these days.

I usually hunt between six and eight weeks a year, although family and business obligations have pared that back over the last couple of years............

AD

I haven't earned, don't qualify for, and don't deserve the highly respected reputation that others have given me. There are many better writers and many who know far more about guns, shooting, hunting, and handloading than I do � in present company especially, but also among those who're so often and so roundly denounced here.

So I have to keep trying, don't I?

So I shall. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif" alt="" />

Rule of thumb applying to no one here

As soon as someone refers to themself as a "scribe" or "gun scribe" I quit reading. Same thing with "wordsmith."

Pardon the digression.

t

Kevin, I wrote a story about a Pauly gun I restored that was published in Shooting Sportsman (Jan/Feb 1996) that you may want to reference for your story. Without a doubt one of the coolest guns I've had the pleasure of working on. (see attachment)
A quote, "The Pauly was the first gun to shoot fixed ammunition, the first to use reloadable centerfire ammunition and the first breechloader to use percussion ignition. The patent - or brevet, in French - for the design was issued September 29, 1812, in Paris. At the time, Napolean was walking over Europe, we were fighting the English and everyone was shooting flintlocks."
As a side note, JB refered the client (Tim) to me at my shop in Oregon, we became good friends, I moved to Montana at his suggestion and it was at Tim's ranch that John saw me mostly missing clays with my Fox a couple weeks ago!
I'm greatly intrigued with the notion of another Pauly, I heard there was one for sale in Vegas last year(?) PM me if I can help. SSM would be a good place to seek publication, contact Ed Carroll. I look forward to hearing about the gun and reading your piece!

Somewhere in his delightful Modern English Usage, H W Fowler wrote most aptly "The obvious is preferable to the obvious avoidance of it."

I just joined this forum a few days ago and I'm in total awe with the folks that are here and the knowledge base. FYI, the Jack O'Connor Hunting Heritage & Education Center was recently opend here in Lewiston and it was thrilling to see some of the old timer writers and friends of Jack at the open house. Ken, John and you others, thanks for giving us a small amount of your time and talents.

Steve Alder, Lewiston, ID


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

I'd argue the other side of that, my friend. How many other guys here know what borborygm means? Heckfire, I've never known a doctor who does! (I wouldn't either if not for my addiction to the sea novels of Patrick O'Brian and his sesquipedalian character Dr Maturin.)

The nearest thing to a "Ken Howell Heritage Center" will be a highway sign pointing toward wherever I am:

HYSTERICAL SIGHT AHEAD

SDH,

Honestly, I�ve never been more excited about a gun in my life. The Pauly I have access to is from the personal effects of a certain Napoleon Bonaparte, and it�s simply magnificent. I�m currently trying to make the time to pile through data on Samual Johannes Pauly and reviewing his patents. Pauly and Egg�s work was decades ahead of the rest of the world. I even have access to a couple of cartridges in 28ga.

Thanks for the tips and I�ll be sending you a PM just as soon as I get my head above water.

Edited - While writing this reply, I was showing a friend a photo on this web site and I'll be darned if I didn't repeat the same typo they did. Sorry.

OK, Rocky, m'friend, let's see to it that all at this yere campfar kin know what [/i]borborygmus[/i] is �

Ken
I never got past Strunk and White
t

Not sure who it was that said/wrote something similar, but I know good writing when I see it. Some entertain with flecks of technical savvy. Some are heavy on the tech side, but highly competent and informative. Some are good story tellers with limited tech and comic relief and some just flat make you laugh your arse off. Some manage to mix all these quite well.

With all the reading I've done over the years, I don't think I once asked myself what's this guy's background or education level. I have often wondered how some can seem to go to Africa as often as they seem - and that writing must be a pretty good way to make a living.

I stopped subscribing to gun mags (as well as most other mags) and prefer to just skim the cover, the story tiitles and the authors at the bookstore. It seems I can tell in a couple minutes whether I think a magazine is worth buying. It's not a slam dunk, even with Wolfe these days. Even less so with other mags.

Maybe I'm getting too picky with age, but I avoid writers that bore me with irrelevent minutia, annoy me with just plain poor or cheezy writing, are self-promoting or just aren't entertaining or informative.

What I like, combined with what I consider good writing is a writer who tells us a bit about themself along the way. Not long ago I read a good book entitled The Right Words at the Right Time by Marlo Thomas. There were several enlightening parts, but one that stood out was what one mentor said to Billy Crystal. This was when he was struggling, but still bringing the house down with his comedy - the mentor said you didn't leave part of yourself on the stage.

Your writing is very entertaining and informative MD. Never cared a lick about what your education level is, but it doesn't hurt that we have learned a bit over the years. I think you may have written about sniping grasshoppers with a BB gun as a kid - not sure. But it's things like that or how Capstick describes catching birds by hand that tell volumes... as in - this dude's a hunter... that you've developed a lot of technical expertise over time is icing on the cake.

But... what I and hopefully a few other readers may want to know is... if you even OWN a handgun! Ha, ha! But really, if you do, which and how do you use them?

Sadly, I think the shooting and hunting rags are too quick to pigeon hole a writer. I mean, does Brian own a shotgun? Does Venturino own a gun made after WWII? Does Phil ever shoot anything smaller than a brown bear? I exaggerate, but you get my drift.

TM

All right, guys! Several of you make some good points, so I'm rethinking my position. May give-in, may not � but I'm reconsidering. Have a few days on the road ahead of me, without much hard cogitation necessary to do what I gotta do, so I'll have plenty of uncluttered cranium time to spend on this.

No promise!

But I warn you � you probably won't find even a brief, informal version of my curriculum vitae either encouraging or impressive. If plain, unvarnished candor is enough for you, I may be able to cough-up a few lines that may interest you.

FWIW, it may be a good idea to leave you with a not-so-great image of Ol' Useless as either a writer or a gun X-spurt.

no erudition here.
smells like the experiential kind.
sweet.

I get a kick out of all you fellows. Whether you've written here or not is secondary. I could do a mighty list of the writers I've enjoyed and learned from, but maybe I ought to spare you that.

My only concern is that anyone who's tempted to try this forum out will in fact do so with the knowledge that he won't get his arse shot off by the belligerents -- some of us can deal with them, for sure. The only gunwriter I'd like to meet up with to tangle with is the fellow who spoke so highly of the .44 Mag's "raw, stump busting power." After 20 or maybe 30 years, I'm still annoyed...

You fellows just ought to go ahead and do what you want to do. I'm not alone in wanting to read your stuff.

Which is why I don't generally go flaunting my resume...It doesn't impress me that much and it's probably even less impressive to others.

At the end of the day, who wrote the story and the author's story is of much less significance than the story itself. Each article must stand on the merits of the article, not the person who wrote it. It's either a good article or its not. Either the writer is right or he's wrong.

I've read outstanding articles from some shady writers. There are writers who I have a lot of respect for and those whom I hold in complete contempt. Regardless, I'll read what they have to say and if it's a good article, it doesn't matter who's name is attached to it.

Writers like the ones on this forum (myself excluded), have built a good reputation for themselves over the years by consistently producing quality work. They get that good name by never leaning on their good reputation to back something up that should be backed up with facts.

Me, I have a looong way to go...But I hope to have fun in the process.

TM45--

Yeah, that was me, a little kid sneaking around in the sagberush trying to kill big hoppers with his Red Ryder. Can't remember ever getting much more excited than when I actually killed my first one. Also used to stuff wads of Kleenex down the barrel, then a little sand, to try to wingshoot flies. That worked OK too at close range.

I do own several handguns, including my dad's Colt Frontier Scout (the scaled-down .22 rimfire version of the Peacemaker), a super-accurate, heavy-barreled Ruger Mark II, a T/C Contender with several barrels from .32/20 up to .373 JDJ and .41 Magnum, an S&W Model 66 with Crimson Trace's neat laser-grips, and a 7.5" Ruger Blackhawk Bisley in .45 Colt. Probably have forgotten a few in there but you get the idea.

I can even shoot them pretty well. Have killed much small game, both birds and bunnies, with the .22's, coyotes with the 66, and (aside from deer) killed a prairie dog at 94 yards with the Bisley a couple of years ago.

But have written very little about all that because editors tend to put their writers into specialty niches. Wolfe has Brian Pearce and Mike Venturino to write about handguns, so I don't even bother proposing an article anymore.

And yes, Brian does own a shotgun, actually a bunch of very nice ones. One of our more enjoyable conversations took place at the very shoot where I .45'd that unlucky prairie dog. Brian and I and my wife had a nice, long conversation about fine side-by-sides. He owns a Westley Richards, among others, if I remember correctly. But he does not get to write about scatterguns much because others are assigned that job, including me.

Back in the 1970's, when I broke into this business, most hunting and gun writers were expected to be much more versatile. I wrote not only about big game and upland birds for FIELD & STREAM, but many kinds of fishing as well. But by the time I resigned as a staffer from that magazine a few years ago (to write full-time for Wolfe) I was pretty well pigeon-holed as "the deer guy."

MD

And that's why editors who pigeonhole multifaceted writers aren't too smart.

JMO

t

I'll never forget Ed Matunas's comment when I told him that I'd like for him to send me articles on guns other than shotguns (and on handloading for other kinds of guns). I'd "hired" him mainly to replace a shotgun writer who'd quit in a huff because I wouldn't use stuff that he was selling to other magazines, and Ed had assumed that all that I wanted from him was shotgun stuff.

"Why don't you ever send me anything on rifles or handguns?"

"You mean I can?"

"Absolutely! And I wish you would."

"Oh, that opens-up whole new worlds!"

'Deed it does.

... and that's why I hope that writers whose other Editors pigeon-hole 'em will send me their other stuff for Smokelore.

One heart-breaking regret that lingers from those days is my failure to get my pal Bill Jordan to send me articles that his Editor wouldn't let him do for their magazine. Bill had absolutely no hobby interest in handguns, which had a plethora of unpleasant memories for him, but he loved hunting big game, varmints, and birds with rifles and shotguns. Too bad that his Editor's narrow vision (which wouldn't let him write about those interests) and his death have lost the rest of us so much good Jordan material.

Just to be clear, assigned stuff is one thing, but a talented writer who actually has something to say is something else.

There might be a few here who fit that category. I hope they cooperate, Ken.

t

I'm working on the talented part...But you hit it on the nose and that's why I'm not writing much as of late. The handgun magazines have some decent writers who have the subject covered pretty well. I found myself writing just to be writing and that's how quality drops.

I love shotguns and rifles...Be nice to write about them from time to time.

KG
Good for you. I hope you come up with something soon.

Then there's the guys who sit around thinking "How can I rewrite that article I already sold to sell it to someone else?"

t

Some people (like Ken Howell) have a good documented background; they have published and edited well respected magazines & books. There are some writers who have written many words and gotten things published and we really do not know who they are. I would sure like to know their backgrounds.

Thinkng further about the "backgrounds issue, I want to include some thoughts on Elmer Keith. I am reading his 1936 book on guns annd loads for big game and have come to several conclusions:
1. His knowledge came from experience.
2. His opinions were valid in 1936 when bullets were not as good as today and he "needed" a .375 H&H to penetrate the long end of an elk.
3. His formal education was limited, but he wrote very well.
4. I do not know how I would react to someone's resume that listed his occupation as Idaho Cowboy.

djs,
Actually, his editors wrote very well.
RS

Thanks for picture. Have heard of it (them), but first time ever saw photo!

Judging from his letters (I have a stack of 'em), he wrote essentially what you saw printed. The struggle for his editors was putting the broken words together, separating the jammed-together words, and removing the extraneous symbols and numbers that his near-misses on the keyboard had inserted where they didn't belong.

So m$et h&ingli*k#e th*is � only I'm exaggerating quite a bit. His mistakes left a lot more there that was a lot easier to read than my exaggerated example implies. If I could lay my hands on my treasured pack of Elmer Keith letters, I'd type a line or two here, exactly as he wrote 'em, so you could see for yourself.

I never saw any of his raw magazine copy, but my guess is that it was no worse and was probably better than what he allowed to go out the door in personal letters.

... addendum ...

The average Campfire member would have absolutely no trouble reading Elmer's raw copy, and some would holler "arrogant" at anybody who dared to suggest how it could be cleaned-up. Like not writing "your" for you're, for example.

We were lucky enough to have Bill join us at the ranch for the opening weekend of whitetail season for almost the last twenty years of his life. KenH probably has a lot more Bill stories than I, but here are a pair of my favorites regarding handguns.

For many years Bill brought a 454 Casull along. He'd usually find some shooter anxious to try a cylinder full. Bill would just cheer them on and grin. Finally Bill showed up without the Casull. When asked why, he deadpanned, "I finally sent that gun back. It hurt to shoot it. Maybe they can send it to someone with more experience than I have."

As KenH said, Bill was hindered by the fact that he was known for expertise with a handgun. His own observations were to the effect of "Yeah, I'm known for using a handgun, but there is nothing you can do with a handgun that you can't do better with a rifle or shotgun. A handgun is just like the pair of slip-joint pliers in a farmer's pocket. It's not the best tool for the job, but it's what you have with you when something goes wrong. Just figgured I'd better learn how to use it."

We really miss Bill in that big rocking chair by the stove. He was one of the truly fine gentlemen of this world.

KenO

Ken,

I was hoping that you would weigh in on this subject.

As I said, EK's editors wrote very well. And they most certainly earned their salaries.

RS

P.S. For those who haven't sorted it out yet, the translation of Ken's writing example is "Something like this." Thank heavens for editors!

Ken Oehler,

I believe Clint Smith is a bit like that in regard to pistols. He is known for Thunder Ranch and pistol shooting but IIRC he once wrote that a pistol is a poor choice for a gun fight and really only good enough to fight your way to a rifle. (I am paraphrasing). Of course he pointed out that if he knew he was gonna run into a gunfight - he would just stay home. Sensible advice IMO.

I think Mr. Smith probably knows a whole ton about rifles and such, just that he got pigeon holed like others.

To all the writers here --- Thanks for sharing your backgrounds. I enjoy them and they help me understand the articles that much better.

Amen... I've seen some unedited tomes by Kieth.

"A handgun is just like the pair of slip-joint pliers in a farmer's pocket. It's not the best tool for the job, but it's what you have with you when something goes wrong."
I love to hear stuff like that from people who are "in the know", it makes me feel better about my thought process!

Thanks to all of you for sharing a touch of your more personal sides, it kind of puts the face with the name...

Pat

Actually, having served as both writer and editor, I can sympathize with editors who prefer to use RELIABLE writers for many articles, when some other writer who supposedly specializes in another area might do a better job. You (the editorial "you") might or might not get a better article.

I remember seeing an article in OUTDOOR LIFE many years ago about catching Rocky Mountain whitefish in the winter. It was done by a long-time staff writer, who did an OK job, and a good+ job on the photos. But I had proposed such an article a few months before to the same magazine, and knew I could do better. So I was a little peeved.

Many years later I realized that I could have done the writing better, but not the photos, and the magazine was trying to keep its regular writers busy.

That is how you become a regular writer for magazines: You provide at least "B" papers all the time, and "A" papers as often as possible. Eventually, if you do this long enough, ALL your articles are accepted.

When I was an editor, like Ken, I did like to give go-aheads to people for things outside their "normal." Often an extraordinary article resulted--and sometimes not.

John

Thank you, gentlemen -

This has been very educational and entertaining. Some of your personal stories make us feel we're sitting around the fire while you and old friends banter about.

Please continue with any ancedotes or tidbits you care to further share. Let's hope the other writers do as well.

RS
Why is it important to you whether EK could type or had perfect command of the written word. I can assure you he knew how to talk quite well and, unlike some, knew what he was talking about (in the context of his time as a qualifier so we don't have to get the garbage started again).
t

I have an article from Craig Bottington mentioning how at the end of what E.K. considered a sentence,or paragraph Elmer would leave a bunch of ", ( ) ? ect ect. for Craig to fill in!

Still, after all these years, just the mention of Elmer's name never fails to inspire the statesmen of Lilliput.

This has been one of (if not the) best and most enjoyable threads here so far.
It is kinda cool to know the person, not just his (or some of his) works. There are some non-writers here that are real experts in certain areas and it would be great to know them a little better also.
And yes I do respect those who wish to remain somewhat anonymous and/or not be in the point position.
It is much better to "know the pro", than just a nickname. Maybe the rest of us rookies can ask better questions now, and better respect the source and content of the replies.
IMHO
Anxiously waiting for more to chip in, should they so choose.

Come on Ken, we've been waiting to hear about you!
What do I know about Ken Howell?
He edited Rifle during the years that it was the favorite magazine for all gunsmiths, he wrote THE book on modern cartridges, he is very well educated (got that here) and he has a sling swivel base named after him that I frequently use on custom projects.

How about how about these thing came to be?

SDH;

Ya gotta stop posting pics... a man is only so strong, and many more of those is likely to break me...

Seriously, you do BEAUTIFUL work, and I look very forward to the day that I find one of your creations in my hands during the fall season.

One of the most facinating articles I ever read was the one you wrote about mountain lions in F&S. I picked up the mag from a pile in a second hand bookstore maybe a couple years ago. The mag was pretty old even then.

I must have read that story at least 3 times. That article alone must have sold boatloads of mags for F&S.

As much as I enjoy your firearms and hunting articles - dang, if you can let rip with more stuff like that lion article - or even put it in books - I'd gladly help finance your next Africa trip! Ha, ha!

I read your book on fly fishing too and was quite impressed - especially the part where you loudly ignored the "elbows in" instruction of some self proclaimed expert... Ha!

TM

When I was much younger, some of Elmer's tales in G&A often caused me to chuckle out loud at his descriptions of people and events, or because of the way he "crowed" about his accomplishments.

As I grew older, it occured to me that he wasn't crowing, as much as he was simply narrating his own unique experiences.

I've been lucky enough to have known some real characters over the past 59 years and would've been happy to have known him too. A friend lent me Hell, I Was There several years ago and I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it. Chuckled some while reading that one too, but more from appreciation, than anything else.

Never enough characters in this world to suit me, glad to have more than a few around this place.

Glad you liked the flyfishing book. I still get a little bitty royalty check for that one now and then!

You sure I wrote the mountain lion story? I can't remember writing it, but then again I can't remember everything anymore.

John

Might could be an answer in there somewheres.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I'll be 60 in a few more months. Despite all the comments one hears about the legs, lungs or knees bein' the first things "to go", don't you believe it. My long term memory works fine, but it's often a waste of time asking me WTH I was doing yesterday, or last week.

Only a matter of time now afore you achieve exalted curmudgeon status.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Very interesting topic with lots of good stuff in it.

HBB

Yeah, it was yours, ha! I must have it stashed around here someplace, I'll have to dig it up. It was an old story even for a secondhand store.

There was one part about an island in Canada and wolves and moose and how the animal populations rose and fell and there wasn't really equilibrium or something like that.

The part about cats that spooked me was that they watched little kids at the zoo like desert entres being paraded in front of them.

The part I thought almost funny was the attitude of farmers or ranchers - shoot, shovel, shut up. I do agree with it. We certainly don't need them in Ohio.

What really bothered me was the attitude of state DNR officials - they aren't here, it's a figment of your imagination.

Sheesh, I remember reading this like it was yesterday - I'll never go out unarmed now, ha, ha!

TM

Isle Royale? There is a boom or bust there with moose and wolves.

Oh, yeah! It wasn't a mountain lion story specifically, it was about predators in general. Man, I thought that story was pretty recent, at least in geological time....

John

LMAO @ recent - may have been the 80's or even 90's but those days seem like ancient history to me.

Might have been a predator story generally, but I was on a lion reading kick at the time and took it as that.

For what it's worth - Ohio is drawing its share of predators. Deer season opened early for me as a farmer pal was issued 20 permits good till November to get rid of some of the population. I'll be going commando early tomorrow AM at O' Dark thirty with 12 ga and 000 and slugs. Any gun is ok - I may get to try out most of them on live game.

I've seen more coyotes dead on the road this year than any in the past. An entire pack seemed to have gotten clobbered by a semi on one highway. I've heard packs in my suburban, wooded, ravine lot and really wanted to arrow a fine 8 pointer bedded in my back yard... when asked, local authorities frowned on that even though I had my tags. Go figure,,, LOL

Bobcats, black bears, and some form of lion have been said to have been spottted or killed here lately. In southern Ohio there is definitely habitat for them.

Anyway, it was a neat article.

TM

Yeah, they used a mountain lion photo as the lead, which is probably why you remember it that way. Plus, I believe the article started out discussing lions.

There are a lot of predators in much of the country, which mostly indicates that they have lots to eat!

John

Don't know if you expected this to turn out like it has, but this is some kind of fine read! Thanks for starting the thread MD! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

My writing background is rather unique in that I would likely not be working for a gun magazine had it not been for my dad, Skeeter. I grew up shooting - the old man had me plinking with a .22 rifle at age four or five. He had me in a Winchester pump .22 at about six, and a Colt .22 SA at about ten. I knocked around in the New Mexico desert with those guns for years. Of course, I also had the chance to shoot quite a few of my dad's test guns, too. I was also blessed with the opportunity to grow up knowing some fine men who are frequently mentioned in this forum.

Went off to various colleges, rodeoed and cowboyed in the summer. Worked several big outfits, including the famed Vermejo Park. I was accepted to the New Mexico State Police academy in 1984 and was an officer with that fine department for about five years. When my dad passed on in 1988, Shooting Times asked me if I would be interested in submitting a few stories, which I clearly accepted. I later went to work as a special agent with the U.S. Customs Service, working on the New Mexico/Chihuahua border. I had a monthly column with ST for a few years, too.

G&A hired me back in 1998 to write my "Down on the Border" byline, which, fortunately, I still have. I'm currently the Resident Agent in Charge with ICE (formerly the Customs Service), and am still on the border. G&A and Jerry Lee at Handguns occasionally permit me to submit feature articles, so I tend to stay on the busy side.

I've written a novel, "Juarez Romance", a story about things I'm familiar with - drug smuggling, murder and corruption on both sides of the border. I hope to have it published in the near future.

The opportunity to write for ST and G&A has been quite an honor for me, especially in following my dad's footsteps, though I know I'll never fill those boots.

Bart,

Please let us know when your book is ready. I bought Down on The Border from you in Pittsburgh and was happy for my wife and I to meet you there.

I spent a while in El Paso courtesy of the Army back in '68. Was in Curley's Bar on the main drag in Juarez one night, heard about three gunshots, and a guy was lying on the sidewalk in front of Curley's, dead.

I've also witnessed how the Juarez police would arrest someone, take all his money and his shoes and then fine him and put him in jail because he then had no money.

Thanks...Bill.

Bill,

Good hearing from you. Juarez has always been a tough place, and it's just gotten worse over the years. Good place to stay out of, though I've spent my share of time down there.

Take care,

Bart

You fill your own boots pretty well, Sir!

An old lady whom I saw on this last trip up to Montana and back really filled her T-shirt so that it looked like a lumpy billboard proclaiming �

"At my age
"I've been everywhere
"Done everything
"Seen everything
"Heard everything
"The problem is
"I can't remember everything"

It showed.

I know how it is too. Too well.

How's that for a quick 'n' dirty "background?"

Think that would probably work as quick and dirty background, KH!

After that much time and quantity of everything and/or can't remember everything, I think we could probably allow a fair degree of improvisation, LOL!

Edited to add: quantity to the much time.

Alright, you're on. I'm a lab technologist at a local hospital here in Pueblo, CO. I've been working the graveyard shift for over 20 years here now, and love it really, as it allows me to pursue my (our?) favorite pastime to the tune of 6 days off in a row every other week.

Back in '94 my lab partner suggested i try and write an article for a hunting mag., to provide another outlet for my addiction. I took her up on it, and wrote a 1-pager about woodchuck shooting in my home state of MD. I sent it to 3 editors, and they all turned me down. 1 day, months later, i thought to send it into Mitch Cox @ Fur, Fish, Game. He sent back an acceptance letter, and a promise of $75 upon publication. I was ecstatic, and called mom and dad immediately to tell them about their soon-to-be-famous son.

That was "the beginning," so to speak, and it's been a great ride so far. I only put out about 4 or 5 freelance articles a yr., but i guess i've snowed a few guys over the years now, and was asked to do a talk on coyote hunting at the Fur Takers Convention of America several yrs. back. I've also been asked to do another talk next yr. on intermediate range coyote shooting at the Varmint Hunter's Jamboree. We'll see how that goes.

My name is Steve Hugel, and i write some now for Varmint Hunter, and Small Caliber News these days. Been a privilege hanging out here with some of the "Biggies," as well as the non-writers with worlds of experience beyond mine, who for whatever reason have not taken pen to paper to try and sell their expertise.

Steve, thanks for kickin' in some background & a name!

I think it is a good thing so many writers peek in here, & I am sure other sites also, to kind of check the pulse of what's being talked about, etc. Seems like it should give some ideas to the publishers what to get movin on.

Thanks again to all of you, Pat

Well,I'm no "Gun Writer" but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once. Does that count?

Actually,just wanted to thank you all for the post. This is certainly one of my favorites,to date. It is really nice to "meet" you and hear your stories on such a personal level.

As for me,I grew up in Michigan,with Dad taking us hunting every chance he could and me and my older brother going hunting,fishing,snorkeling when Dad wasn't able to. Mom still has pics of me and older brother with snakes and frogs we "harvested" from local ponds,creeks,etc.,with our Red Ryders and slingshots. Certainly,some of my fondest memories and where I cut my hunting teeth.

Currently, I live in the sunny South Carolina "Lowcountry",I'll be 44 in a couple weeks,am a Maintenance/Reliability Tech. at a local firm,have been blessed with a beautiful,understanding wife,two wonderful step-sons,a new house,46 acres to call my own,a cat that actually craps in the litter box and a half-ass decent selection of guns,am prone to tobacco and the occasional libation(hence,the long post). I would love to hunt out west someday and my big dream,of course,is to hunt Africa. Other than that nothing spectacular.

I truly enjoy reading ALL gun articles and don't care what a persons' qualifications are as long as it is interesting. As do many others here,I live vicariously through gun writers' adventures and appreciate their putting forth the effort to entertain,enlighten and educate us,despite their having to put up with their own issues. Good job,ALL of you! And,Thanks!

If any of you "Gun Writer"-types wants to visit,hunt,golf,fish,etc in the area,let me know and I'll see what I can do. For a nominal fee,of course. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

And no,I'm not just suckin' up. Well,maybe a little. But,nothing ventured,nothing gained,eh?

Here is a pic of my latest acquisition:
Ruger 77 African in .458 Win. Mag. w/ Leupold 2-7x33.

Hey all,

I don't write often so for those who may be interested in some of my writing, my latest just came out in the Nov/Dec edition of American Handgunner. It's a review of the Kahr Arms P45...Hope you like it and if you didn't, please pm me and tell me what you didn't like and I'll try harder next time.

I am enjoying this as much as any reading in a long time. If Ken Howell doesn't choose to write about himself it is worth it in my opinion to state that Handloader "dumbed itself down" after he left to a level that now promotes only an occasional read. If that isn't great praise I can't say more. Gianni.

What a great thread! Very interesting to say the least. Been playing with the idea of a freelance piece on the origin of the 22 Hornet and the first factory rifle so chambered. So far I've done a few drafts & some digital photos. I'm not a gunwriter but I wouldn't mind sticking my toe in the water to see how things go & what kind of rejections my submission could generate. Worst they could say would be "No Thanks"...

That's right. Fear of rejection is often the greatest hurdle for many people who'd like to write for publication. (I could have wall-papered my office with rejection letters when I started out, though I did sell a couple of stories early to "big" magazines, which helped my confidence.)

One thing to realize is that a rejection letter does NOT mean the article is no good (though it obviously may). One story I like to tell is how in the early 1980's, when I had started making a living (barely) free-lancing, I sent a letter outlining some articles to FIELD & STREAM, where I was selling fairly steadily. One was a flyfishing piece on "The Evening Rise." They said they liked the idea, so I wrote it up and sent it in, along with 20 slides.

They sent it back in a few weeks, saying that somehow the story "did not hang together," and the slides were OK but maybe a few different ones might not hurt. They suggested I let it rest for a few months and then read it again, in order to look at it freshly. If I rewrote it then, and maybe took some different photos in the meantime, they'd be happy to look at it again.

In about three months I reread the piece and looked the photos. Both looked fine to me, just the sort of thing I'd already been selling to them. So I sent the package back in to the same editor, saying I'd taken his advice--but not mentioning there were no changes. He wrote back saying that I'd "hit the nail on the head" this time, that both the story and photos were now just fine, and I'd be getting a check soon.

So some editors just have bad days. Maybe he read my story the first time on a Monday. Other reasons for rejection are too many stories on the same all-around subject already at the magazine, the story is too long for their format, etc.

Very often in those days I sold stories that one magazine rejected to another magazine. So if at first you don't succeed, it pays to keep plugging.

John Barsness

One of my favorite writers (who doesn't now acknowledge that he knows me) had all but given-up all hope of "making it" as a writer when he sent me an article in 1978. I later learned that he'd sent-out five or six articles, vowing privately that if one sold, he'd keep plugging. Otherwise, he'd be content to be a truck-driver. All had come back except the one that he'd sent me.

I sort of accepted, sort of rejected the one that he'd sent me. I sent it back and told him that I liked it but wanted more. At the first SHOT show (1979) a couple of months later, I introduced him to the folks who made the components that he'd need, and they sent him gobs. He did more work on his loads, expanded the article, and I used it. His writing wasn't the problem � he'd just done too little load-development, using too few components for the intended scope of the article.

His work got better and better, so � before he really qualified for the position but obviously soon would � I added him to my staff. He has long since gone on to bigger and better pastures and is internationally known and respected. (Needless to say, I'm both pleased for him and proud of him.)

I asked him several years later what had happened with those other first articles. The Editors who'd rejected 'em had bought 'em after he became one of my staffers and his work appeared regularly in Handloader and Rifle. Also, other Editors invited him onto their staffs.

But I'm the polar opposite of most Editors. When I got an article manuscript from a free-lancer, my mind set was Here's something that I can use unless something about it makes it unworthy. Others generally (some have told me) open the brown envelope thinking I'll have to send this back unless something about it compels me to use it.

My pal Neal felt the same way I did � when I took-up the reins that he'd dropped (1978), I inherited a passel of articles that his assistant had rejected but Neal had accepted (and stock-piled) with the notation "OK with tinkering" (IOW, potentially usable but needing a lot of editorial improvement).

After several years of sometimes very tedious and tough tinkering, I was able to use all but very, very few of those articles. In fact, I can't remember having, finally, to give-up on more than one. Most Editors don't have the skill or the will to put forth that much effort for the reader.

May I ask who the writer is? I would like to know if he is one of my favorite writers too.

W

If I were willing to give you his name � or even a clue � I would've.

I bet it is Mule Deer. Nope, bet it is Clay Harvey. Am I getting warm?

Nope. Not even "Matthew-warm."

And I'm not going to tell you if you do.

Ken--

I felt somewhat the same way as an editor. Of course, most of the material I received was Me'n'Joe stories, the type used in GRAY'S SPORTING JOURNAL, though some technical stuff was also purchased, especially when I edited GAME JOURNAL.

But I always opened an envelope full of new submissions with hope rather than trepidation. One of the great things about editing is the pleasant surprise possible with every slitting of an envelope.

I often saw potential in pieces that were not professional, but could be fixed. In fact, one of the pieces I published in GRAY'S was a fine story about the death of an old hunting dog. Now, these are usually cliches and too personal and sentimental, but this one was great--until the last page. Trouble was, the author didn't end it where he should have, but pounded on the point too long. I insisted on cutting the last page, back to the real ending. He was not happy, saying how hard he'd worked on it. But I was the editor, and he finally gave in, grumbling.

One of my greatest editing pleasures came a year or two ago, when that same author had a collection of his bird-hunting stories published, including the dead dog story. He sent me an inscribed copy, with a note saying, "You were right, John. It appears here as you edited it, and a much better story for it too." Of course, he had also since gone through nearly a decade of evolution as a writer.

But a great many editors simply don't have the time to spend fixing pieces. If they have the budget, they compensate by hiring writers who are pretty good self-editors--but in the process they lose good, new writers, and the world never has enough of those.

John

I might be startin' to sound too repetitive but here it is again:
"What a great thread!", it's fascinating hearing about this sort of stuff from those who've "been there, done that". It really gives a "behind the scenes" type of insight into a realm that most of us never even think about.
Rejections?.... Heck, I can handle that stuff. Isn't that how you learn? Think I'll just make sure I know in advance what an editor wants to see in terms of layout, photo format, etc. and go from there.
So thanks to all of you for sharing your insights and experiences with the rest of us here. BTW, Mule Deer; my new HANDLOADER finally arrived yesterday. Can't wait to get into the "Velocity vs. Barrel Length" piece tonight. I'm sure it will be one heckuva lot more interesting & scientific than my crude chrono experiments circa 1998 with the two 6.5x55's that you may recall from a recent barrel length/velocity loss thread. When you get that 21(?) inch 6.5x55 rebarrel job back I'm still hoping we get a good story all about it. So thanks again to everyone, including advertisers, who help to make this forum interesting, informative and just plain entertaining. I can dig it...(Does that make me sound old?)

I would like to here about your rodeo career. DARREN as you cansee i am not a writer!

It wasn't too illustrious, I'll tell you that. I started riding steers and little bulls when I was ten. Rode barebacks through high school and into college. Finally came across a minute amount of wisdom and switched to team roping a few years later. While I had some fun, my rodeo days weren't much to brag about. My mother, Sally, on the other hand was the 1947-1948 world champion bull rider in the All-Girl Rodeo Association. Was a well-known trick-rider after that, and that IS something to brag (or boast) about.

Do you still rope? DK

I have been very high profile and now I am unknown in the US, even to the major companies where I have written hundreds of articles through the support of their distributors over the last couple of decades.

I was told that if I wrote an article, the orders flowed in a couple of weeks later. That is influence and value to the manufacturers. I was proud of that and conscious of the responsibility to get it right and say it in a way so as not to lead people astray,

Nobody is my name. AGW for short.

I am only concerned with helping riflemen. If I can pass on information and experiences I have learned or had passed onto me, my goal is to pass it on. I have no interest in fame nor notoriety.

A smile from a grateful ear is my reward.

AGW

AGW
I for one enjoy your posts.
mrk

If memory serves Nobody is My Name was the title of an Italian Western in the 70's. And 'Nobody' was not the guy you wanted to face in a gunfight. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I recently discovered the 24hourcampfire. Absolutely facinating. This thread in particular has been of interest as I am beginning my writing journey in earnest.
For the past 10 years I have written part-time, mainly about fly-fishing. A few months ago I retired from the Canadian Forces with 26+ years as a medic. I decided to try writing fulltime about fishing, hunting and the outdoors. Thanks to a supportive family, I can give it a go. To 22250rem, I find most rejection letters a learning experience as some editiors I have received them from indicate what did not work for them.
I am located in SE Alberta, which is an odd place for a guy trying to write about fishing, but almost perfect to write about hunting/shooting. Not much of a pedigree but it's mine.

Mule Deer:
How right you are. It doesn't apply to writing for gun mags or books, but my best friend and I covered our fraternity room with rejection letters from all the companies who rejected us our senior year of engineering college. Now he's a top engineer with a utility company and I'm heading up an engineering firm. Rejection itself (and not the fear of rejection) can inspire some mighty big works!
Not a gun writer or even a wanna-be. Just a wanna-be good hunter and shooter!

I remember a number of years ago, i was taking a trip back east to my home state, and while on the plane i read a romantic-style article about some guy's hunting dog who up and died on him unexpectedly. May have been in "Grays,"-- can't remember now. But it was a moving story that hit me right in the heart. Right then and there i knew that if i ever got in "the game," I wanted to write stuff that would move people like that. I've had a few of those articles published with some decent reviews now, and those are definitely the most satisfying articles, IMO.

1 of the neatest pieces i ever read was the short foreword that Bob Bell wrote in his Gun Digest Book of Scopes and Mounts titled, "In the Beginning," about a single long-range chuck shot he made with his .240 Cobra/Unertl Ultra-Varmint, that was just as neat as it gets. Very seldom do u ever read anything more than technical about varmint shooting, but Bob hit it right on the head with that short piece.

Actually there's kind of a neat story to go along with that. Awhile back I wanted to write an article for PS magazine as a sort of "thank you" to the gunwriters that influenced me to become an outdoorsman years ago. It was titled, "Through Their Words," and Dave Brennan was gracious enough to publish it several years ago. I wanted to dedicate that short piece to those guys, but i didn't know how to get ahold of Bob. In the book he mentioned he was from a certain town in PA, so i called information for that town, and they gave me a bunch of #'s for all the Bob Bells in that town, so i called several of them, and finally got ahold of him, and ran this idea by him. He was all for it, and i sent the article to him to edit. We stayed in contact for awhile afterwards, and it was a great experience. Nice to know the "heros" of your youth are quite often nice guys that are so approachable. He was certainly one of them.

I don't get on this thing often as I spend seven to eight months a year in "bush" Alaska at my hunting lodge and connecting thru our Irridium sat phone gets a bit pricy. Still I enjoy catching up when I get a chance. I consider myself first and foremost a hunter and guide rather than a "real" gunwriter although I send the occasional piece in to Rifle or Handloader and do a column in Successful Hunter.
I have been interested in anything that went bang or tossed a projectile since I can remember and been a hunter since I was able to cock a Red Rider BB gun. ( I was five)
I shot competatively for four years on the SW Missouri rifle team, served a year as a combat grunt with the fourth infantry division in the central highlands of Vietnam in 1969 and was given a choice as a sniper instructor with the US Army marksmanship unit in Ft. Benning or as a service rifle team member on the Ft. Benning Team. I chose to shoot on the rifle team and every moment off was also shooting with the USAMU pistol team or the skeet team as well.
Once out of the service I finished college with a degree in Wildlife management, obtained my pilots license and began a series of jobs with the National Park service including bilolgist and Park Ranger. I quit to do research with the musuem of Northern Arizona on bighorn sheep and burros and finally worked as chief pilot for Grand Canyon Airlines before heading to Alaska. My first week in Alaskan I answered an add in the Anchorage Times looking for a packer during Dall sheep season and when the guide broke his ankle on day three I started my guiding career.
This is my twenty seventh year.
As for guns, like I said I enjoy everything including military weapons. In shotguns I have owned numerous high grade English and Italian double shotguns (but still prefer Win. M-12's) I shot competitive pistol for years but now prefer the simplicity and durability of tuned S&W revolvers. My first love however is practical hunting rifles, especially in the larger calibers as I also love hunting big bears.
I have also hunted on four continents, including two countries in Africa.

Good to hear from you Phil - always enjoy your articles in the Wolfe publications.

Yessir, what he said!

Thanks to all, Pat

(I sure seem to get some jealous feelings about some of this!)

Those look like 375 HH shells to me LOL

I'm new here as a poster, but, like others, have been observing for a while and this one is just too good to pass on.
I have read Mule Deer for many years and in my mind, as a technically knowledgable outdoorsman, he is a great successor as my current favorite replacing the late great Bob Hagel.
Having gunsmithed for 20+ years, it's relatively simple to sort out the rats__t from the coffee in most article and be able to tell who's for real and who's not.
Kudo's to Ken Howell and Tom Turpin as their stuff has always been the real deal too; most of the rest of the writers posting here, I either haven't read or just don't recognize.
Can't say the same for all writers, though - hunted with one very well know writer (who shall remain nameless) at a Jack Wemple camp in Idaho one time and was positively turned off at his lack of knowledge and superficial personality.....always did and still does come through in what writing he still does.
Keep up the good work boys; it brightens my day when I get to read a really good article.

I'm not a famous writer. I kind of got into it with a little help from Dan Johnson who introducted me to Dave Arnold, who bought my first piece of material for Handguns Magazine. I was thrilled beyond belief to have a feature article in Handguns, but my art sucked! So Dave did something I never would have expeced. He used file photos and had a two page opening photograph of several percussion pistols, some old leather and horse shoes in the sand. He did all this work and still paid me full price! Since then, Handguns has printed two more features from my submissions and is sitting on another. That's not a lot of volume, about one a year, but I am a hobby writer, not a professional. Truth is, I'd do it for free just to see my byline.

I don't have what I would consider to be a wealth of technical experience at the reloading press or the casting pot or the case-prep station. I'm a minimalist! If my rounds go bang and strike the target within an acceptable amount of error, I am pleased. But I am mightily disappointed when I read a review of a new handgun in which the author eschews the tried and tested twenty-five yard benchmark for accuracy, in favor of fifteen-yard "combat accuracy" to categorize the latest in a line of anti-personnel contraptions. If my gun won't do 2.5 inches at twenty-five yards, I'm having a bad day, or I'm shooting a gun that will never find its way into my safe...or my heart!

My interests are mostly historical, but as a life-long (now retired) law enforcement person, moderately talented handgunner and twenty year military man, I have some things tucked away in my brain that actually have the potential to make for decent reading (according to a few writers who have passed on a compliment or two.)

But I'll more than likely never be famous and my name will never be a "house-hold" word in the shooting and writing fraternity. So, I don't consider myself a "gun writer." I'm just a gent who loves guns and hunting, thrills to long rifles and cap & ball revolvers, has a soft spot for Browning High-Power pistols and 1911s, and am turned off by cops in ninja outfits and face masks.

I appreciate this forum and the chance to introduce myself. I've corresponded with MEC a bit, and really like what he does.

Dan

Maybe the best thread i've ever read here at the 'Fire.I'll never see Africa or hunt Alaska but yall make like i can hear the rushing water of the creek as Alaska's rain pelts during a bear hunt.(it does rain there right?)

I was pleased to see Bart dropping by to give his bio, and join the fray. I always enjoy his "Down on the Border" column in G&A. I live in far southeastern Arizona, in fact, drive ole Hwy 9 from north of Rodeo to ElPaso twice a week...still a fascinating part of the Boot heel country or NM.
Keep dropping by Bart....hasta pronto amigo

Howdy folks,
I am brand new to this site, I have been lurking here for months however. I really enjoy Mule Deer's work, tis the main reason I subscribe to Handloader/Rifle/Successful Hunter.
I am most emphatically a "rifle loony", I have a 375H&H and a 416Rigby "just in case I ever go to Africa"-sound familiar?
I also own and love shooting a 257bob, 6.5x55, and a 9.3X62, all of which I call my "Barsness rifles"-am I hopeless or what?
I look forward to many enjoyable hours with all of you on this forum!

I hesitate to rank myself as a writer, amongst some of the very distinguished here. I publish the odd article, about half a dozen in a good year, usually less. Most have been published in Germany, some in the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, US, and I even had the questionable honour of seeing one of my articles 'stolen' and reprinted in a Spanish magazine. My first article was published in 2001, so I'm new to this field.

I grew up in Europe, and hunted upland birds and waterfowl for a few years before 'graduating' to bigger stuff. My job took me to Eastern Europe quite a bit, so I managed to arrange for some hunting in countries like Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. I moved to Canada in 2003, and I'm now going through the process of experiencing a lot of things for the first time. I doubt if you will be seeing me write "How To Hunt the Mighty Moose", or "How to Bust Bruiser Bruins" or that type of stories any time soon. If anything, moving to a new country, hunting new species, mostly solo, has taught me how much I still need to learn.

Frans

From one newbe to the next, a very hearty welcome to the forum. Glad to have you on board.

This is a great thread.
Connecting to our resident writers deepens as I get to know them as the human beings they are.
One of the guys who grabbed me a few years ago was Phil Shumaker. I read one of his outstanding articles about an Alaskan hunting adventure in a Wolf publication. It was my first of many of Phil's articles to follow. Phil, you are an outstanding communicator. I love reading your writings.
John Barsness is stellar. One of the guys from the small town I live in was at the range shooting with me some time ago. We got to discussing who the best writer was, Jack O'Connor or John Barsness. We both voted for JB.
SDH, your work speaks loudly....... So does your writing and photography. I LOVED your pix on the covers of Accurate Rifle. I wish I could remember what Dave Brennan said exactly, but he said that you must play first fiddle for the Boston pops too, or words to that effect.. Talk about talent in action, poetry in motion, SDH is that.
Bart, I love reading your articles as it's that kind of writing I connect to very well. The real life drama captures me. Keep it coming...
Steve Redgwell, your down home writings here on 24 hour are awesome. I love 'em. Wish you could get some of them in magazines. I do think you should compile them into a book and publish it. I'd buy it.
Ken O, didn't know you were writing till I saw a post you made here about the 6x47. You've done a ton for us shooter with your chronographs. I'll be looking for more of your writings as you are a very good man.
Rockey, being retired Army, I appreciate your service and your writings here on the forum. Being a pilot, especially an IP, moves you to the top. I haven't read any of your writings in print, but would love to see some in pubs. Living in Ogden doesn't hurt your image a bit..LOL I lived in Bountiful.
Turp, I love what you write. I've left my subscription lapse to the pubs you write for, but TODAY I will be renewing them. It's been my loss for not keeping current. And, KUDOS for your military career. Thank you.
Kevin, I'd love to read some of your stuff. If you'd keep us informed on what you have coming out, I'd appreciate it, and I'd buy the pub.
Don, Hang in there. Like Ken says, "It's a cinch by the inch, but hard by the yard ". I'm not a handgun guy, but will be subscribing to Handguns for my oldest son who is a pistol loonie. Thanks for your Military service.
Franz, I'd like seeing you get involved in writing here in the US. You have a such a wonderful history to contribute to us here; stuff we never get to read. I love the European hunting traditions, and would enjoy reading what you have to say. (I'm a BIG fan of German triggers, like FWB and Anschutz <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />)
sscoyote, Bob Bell lives in Mechanicsburg, PA, where my brother lives. I'm originally from PA. Bob was editor of the PA Game News and is a friend of Jack Lewis, IIRC I have Bob's book on scopes.
Ken Howell, you're the leader of the pack. I have your OUTSTANDING treatise on cartridges about 3 feet from where I sit. You're our main man!!! I enjoy your writings here on the campfire, and the one I read in Varmint Hunter Magazine not long ago.

Don

DMB,

What publications does my friend (I've never met him but he is my friend) Turp (T Square) write for? I will renew too! Thanks...Bill.

340boy--

Thought you might like to know that I am considering getting a .340 Wby. built. Have to try one of everything!

John B.

John-

I'm surprised! Thought you were into the milder, calmer, more reasoned days of middle age. A 340 Wby is kinda radical isn't it? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Sounds like a crisis of some sort to me. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

George

340Boy-

Welcome to the 'campfire.

Edited to say, "I have a .340 too but am trying to get over it and use more "reasonable" cartridges for elk....but just it dominates <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.

Mule Deer-
Let us know how it goes, I sure like mine!
Goodnews-
Thank you, I am enjoying it so far-and yes, I am trying to use more "reasonable" calibers as well-which gives me another excuse to buy more rifles. How sweet is that? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thanks - DMB.... and look for upcoming cover photos for Precision Shooting.

Will do..
Just subscribed to Shooting Sportsman and Sports Afield today. My sons and I will be well read..

Thanks,

Don

Bill,

Turp writes for:
"Gun Digest, GUNS, RifleShooter, and Safari Magazine. At the moment, I'm working on a piece for the Dakota Magazine, two for Safari, one for GUNS"
His words.. I just cut and paste... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Don

Thanks Don! Bill.

As a reader i am only moderately interested in the background of writers, and more interested in the writing. There are writers whose work I avoid because I do not enjoy their writing, though some are certainly well respected and quite successful. I have little interest in 'me and Joe' stories and much greater interest in how-to articles. I have read a lot of Mule Deer's work over the years and have noticed that I have an interesting (to me at least) reaction to his work. He writes in a straight forward manner, with some of his own experiences melded in to illustrate. After some years of reading his work, I began to realize I could remember hunting trips with John. Yeah, I am old, a little older than he, but not usually delusional. Somehow the writing is so comfortable, I just kinda remember being there.

That's one of the greatest compliments I've ever gotten as a writer. Glad you could come along!

JB

The pleasure has been all mine!

I'm not a "Gun Writer," but I have written about guns. I prefer "Outdoor Writer," so I don't get boxed into one category.
I've hunted, fished, and enjoyed the outdoors my whole life (born in MI in '54), with five of those years spent as a Hospital Corpsman at Camp Pendleton, CA. I've been a hunting and fishing guide in Maine since 2001, and spent the last three years writing for several regional outdoor magazines. (The Maine Sportsman, Vermont's Outdoors Magazine, and Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife quarterly).
The problem with writing is that it takes me out of the woods and off the water, but writing has been a blessing disquised as work. I've met a load of wonderful people along the way.
I'm an awefully slow (but thorough) writer, and monthly deadlines are a killer. I'm thinking of writing a few books, at my own pace--and in my own style.
I like popping in to The Campfire now and then to see how the real writers live.
Thanks,
William Clunie

TM45 I believe your are referring to Isle Royale National Park in Lake
Superior where the park service and fish & game have been studying
the relationship between wolves and Moose since I believe it was in
the 1930's. Cheers NC

William--

Welcome to the club.

I used to be an outdoor writer--when I still wrote about fishing and hardly ever wrote about firearms--but over tiem that evolved. I am really a "gun and hunting writer" now but somehow that seems a little clumsy!

You really should write a book or more. Most of the slow writers I know are much happier writing books; the pace seems to suit their style better. Plus, there is something quite satisfying about a book, not just making it but hefting it in your hand!

JB

Thanks for the welcome Mr. B,
I've read articles and books by most of the writers on this board, and over the years have been quite inspired by their works. It's such a pleasure to sit down and read a piece that makes you feel like you're right there. My hat's off to all of you that have taken the time to formulate some of the finest entertainment for me over the years. And thank you Mr. B for putting this great board together.
William Clunie

I'd like to thank ALL you guys, and the generation that came before you, for an enormous amount of entertaining reading over the years. I am a gun magazine junky and avid shooter/hunter who looks forward to a weekly trip down to the magazine emporium for the latest edition of....whatever!Have enjoyed and followed John B. since I read an article in Gray's entitled, if a remember correctly, "WHAT IS THIS THING ON MY RIFLE,AND WHY AM I LOOKING THROUGH IT?" Still cracks me up...Love reading Tom T. since I agree with him on just about everything.My view is that there simply are no bad gunwriters out there today; you guys are all intelligent, articulate, informative, and highly entertaining, even though I don't always agree with you, which is OK because, as a lawyer, I understand the benefits of advocacy....Keep up the great work!

Man, that article in Gray's was a long time ago! Must have been close to 30 years since it came out. I just ran across it again while filing my old copies of the magazine.

JB

MuleDeer: I still remember, and quote, the reference to "Boobus Americanus". Great stuff and makes me laugh my %(&*&^^T off.I think, somewhere, I still have that copy of Grays!But please stop aging me!

Regards,
Bob F.

I read almost anything I can about guns and have a library of over 1,000 books on firearm history, development and use (civil and military), as well as cartridges.

Some writers may be knowledgeable, but do not interest me; the "Me and Joe" stories, or a firearms review that just includes a range test are not very interesting. I am interested in the development and technical details of the product, as well as how it shoots (variations between guns means that I'll probably not be able to duplicate the test gun's performance).

I enjoyed Bob Hagel's writings and currently like John Barsness, as well as most of the Rifle/Handloader writers.

As for the writer's backgrounds, I like to learn about them. this knowledge helps me understand the writers expereinces and gives me a frame of reference in which to consider the article.

djs - I agree 100% with wanting knowledge of an author and his background and the helpfulness that knowledge provides in putting his thoughts into perspective. I refuse to "appreciate" the abilities of athletes as an entity separate from their qualities as a human being. I hold writers (as I do everyone else) to the same standard of not separating the person from his work. Best, John

These are all interesting posts.
Tom, I envy you your locale; when my mother was still alive, I visited her every summer near Huachuca City, and spent my free time hiking in the Whetstones or the Huachucas, just south of the Fort.
God's country, sure enough.
Regards,
- R

I've never been an outdoor writer but have had many thousands of paid written "reports" behind me. I've made a living a large part of my life writing "reports". I'm a real estate appraiser (now retired) and investor and it's obvious where my expertise lies.

I've, many times, wished I could write novels like Louis L'Amour or Peter Hathaway Capstick or could write outdoor articles like Mule Deer or technical articles about guns and shooting like Ken Howell.

But alas... "I am what I am and that's all what I am"...

I'd like to thank John and Ken and any other writers I've seen here, some of whom I don't recognize, for a lifetime's worth of enjoyment and education related to my favorite pastimes which have always been hunting and shooting.

I've been an avid shooter and hunter for almost 50 years now and have probably spent about 50 days a year at various gun ranges shooting and talking to other shooters but that doesn't make me any kind of expert because my efforts were always aligned toward enjoyment and making myself an accomplished shooter but never a competitor or expert.

I've spent an average of 80 days a year hunting too but I would NEVER class myself as an expert and don't want to ruin my fun by seeking to achieve expert status. It's my hobby.

I've found that true experts lurk in many places and some of them pop up where you'd least expect to find them. Some of them have been involved in shooting or hunting all their lives and some of them recently joined but have that native intelligence that helps them learn anything very quickly. It seems that expericnece counts but there is much more in the making of an expert than experience.

Then there are people that are wonderful writers and everybody seems to hang on their every word. They might know a lot about what they're writing about or they may just know how to write a really good article and have unique insights or a lot of passion to share.

But my favorite, and I'm sure many of us here will agree, is the guy that has dedicated his life to the hunting and shooting sports, and has a lot of analytical qualities and is capable of clear thinking. If that man is also an exceptional writer and is willing to put up with deadlines, publishers, editors, etc. AND if he is successful then he may become a great outdoor writer and surely John and Ken and probably several others here are in that league.

Thanks to you guys!! I seriously doubt that you'll ever receive the pay that you deserve for your dedication, knowledge, expertise, and talent but hopefully you'll find reward that will add to that pay in our undying thanks and appreciation!!!

Long live the outdoor writer!!!

$bob$

To all, thanks for putting together this post!

Thank God we live in a country where we not only have guns, but we can use them to hunt and shoot and we can write and talk publicly about them!

I once heard someone say "I wish I was born a 100 years earlier!". Well, for me I have no regrets about when I lived, for I propose we are in the Golden Age of shooting and hunting. And, I'm glad I'm a small part of it.

I've only one published article, one about the Blackhawk helicopter. Got a lot to say, just can't seem to put it on paper.

My days are filled with work. I'm happy if I can manage a couple of weeks of hunting and shooting each year. I know, only I can fix that, but.....

I do enjoy what I do. After a mediocre career as an Army enlisted man, Warrant Officer and Officer, mostly flying helicopters and playing cavalry, I've settled in as a contractor helping train our combat brigades at Ft. Irwin, CA on their way to Iraq and Afghanistan. It's a suck place to live with respect to weather, hunting and fishing, etc., but it's for a reason I live here.

I'm a long time hunter, mostly working on the premis that "even a blind hog finds an acorn every now and then". I have a few heads on the wall. Having a bad case of tinitis tends to send me to the prairies to hunt, rather than to the woods. I admit to an affliction called Ruger Collector. Again, I'm not very good at it. I just can't stop myself from dragging out one that they only made a very few of to go hunting. Last year's elk rifle was a Ruger 1S in .300 H&H.

I've read every thing JO, EK, and BH ever wrote. As a kid the new issue of Field and Stream was like Christmas every month. My mom bought me my first Gun Digest for a Christmas present in '68. To this day, that's the present that means the most to me. I've been lucky that my wife of 32 years knows what I want for Christmas and sees fit to buy it for me. Yeah, I know it comes out in Feb or so each year, but I purposely avoid it at B&N until Christmas, cause I know after all the presents are opened I'll get to read it on Christmas day. It's always been worth waiting for. I really like the One Good Gun articles.

When I got back from RVN in '71 I gave myself a Christmas present of a new Ruger M77RS in .350RemMag. I bought it from SR&Co. in Fayetteville, NC for $165. I've been "stuck on stupid" when it comes to Rugers and .350s ever since.

To all you great gun writers now. Keep doing what you're doing. Kids, both young and old, still enjoy reading and dreaming over your work every month. And please, put some of yourself in every article. Be technical when you need to be, but be human the rest of the time.

Jim

Jim,

At this time I can only say one thing to you Sir...

Well written!!!

Thanks... I enjoyed it...

Wait a minute... Was that two?

$bob$

Wow, what a great thread. Glad I decided to wade through it!
Definitely not a writer, as I can hardly construct a comprehensible sentence, lol, but I may try it some day.
For now, radio is my bag, baby

Last week, I traveled through Gibbonsville, Idaho (home of the late Bob Hagel) and visited the cemetery hoping to visit his grave. I spent about a half hour looking for his grave, but could not find it. Gibbonsville is an old mining town and many of the graves were those of miners dating from the late 1800's.

Does anyone know where Bob Hagel is buried?

By the way, as you enter Gibbonsville (a small town of about two dozen houses off US 93, just south of the Montana line) a sign is posted: "No shooting in town". Ineresting.

djs,

Bob Hagel was not well in recent years and he moved from Gibbonsville to Salmon. He died in Salmon and I would expect you would find his grave there.

Dogzapper,

As a former (recovered) gun writer, you can throw your 2 cents worth in too. I, for one wish you were still writing. You have much to offer and I'm glad you escaped from Lurkdom.

1flier,

Are you asking for my background? If so, sure I can do that. I'll work it up on WordPro and paste it here.

Steve

1flier,

OK, Partner, you asked for it. Here is a no-BS, totally honest story of my life.

Steve

-----------------------------------------------------------------


Actually, I thought that just about everyone on the Campfire knew pretty much all about me. After all, my posts hold back nothing; what you see is pure Steve in every post. Sometimes this gets me into trouble but, the way I look at it, the truth never changes. OK, I can do this, a short autobiography of the Dogzapper.

I remember, quite vividly, several experiences before I was born. Relating these experiences, however, would weird-out some Campfire members, so we will not go into that. Perhaps, we'll discuss that later, or maybe not.

I was born on June 18, 1943. This was, of course, right smack in the middle of WWII. My dad was off fighting Tojo and Hitler (both), while my mom was pregnant with me. My mom moved back to her parent's dairy farm, out of Corvallis, Montana, to give birth to me. My first in-body recollection is watching a Holstein cow sticking its head into the bedroom window at my grandparent's home. I was about two weeks old at the time.

Dad got pretty busted-up in the war. The last injury was while bailing out of a burning bomber, when two planes clipped wings over Syracuse, New York. Two flyers got out of the planes; my dad and a guy who was blocking the hatch that my father kicked out of the way. Typical of Army efficiency, they gave my father a medal for saving the sergeant's life. My father suffered two broken legs and a broken back when he hit the frozen ground. He spent six months in an Army hospital.

I remember when my father came home from the Army Air Corps. He limped into my grandparent's home, dropped his bag and kissed my mom. I wondered who this big person was.

We moved back to Portland, Oregon soon after that and I vividly remember the hot trip across eastern Washington and down the Columbia Gorge. What I later learned was the Rowena Loops, a viscous part of the old highway, made me puke.

I remember my first birthday, we were living in a houseboat, just above the Sellwood Bridge, and a bunch of neighbors had a party for me and Finky Damon, Finky's dad, Howard had been killed in his first fighter mission in the Pacific. A Jap sniper, who was laying in wait at the end of the runway, put a bullet precisely through his head, while he was starting to taxi for a takeoff. We were treated to a rare boat ride under and around the Sellwood bridge.

OK, nobody will be interested in my education and work, so I'll make this quick and we'll get to shooting, hunting and killing. Let's just say that I graduated from Portland State University with a Bachelor's in Sociology. I was three hours short of a BS in Psychology, three hours short of a degree in Anthropology and twelve hours lacking for a degree in History. Silly me, I didn't spend the extra two terms in college for a quadruple degree. By the way, I worked eight to twelve hours a day, six to seven days a week to send Karen and myself through college.

I worked in a gun store while sending us through college. About a year before I graduated, my dad asked me if I wanted to learn the jewelry trade and start at the store as an apprentice. I did and Dad died in 1976, leaving Mom, Karen and me with the store. The store was badly in debt (about $300,000 because of my father's mismanagement style of doing business and it took me about two years of hard work to get the biz into a profitable enterprise.

Yes, I am a nut-busting, hardworking business person. Never claimed differently.

The store was a an unqualified success, both Karen and I are GIA Graduate Gemologists and we ran a great shop. Rolex was our main watch and we featured fine jewelry, a lot of which I built on the premises.

We were lucky enough to retire in 1992. Karen was 48 and I was 49. It was through investment luck and skill that we were able to do it. That, and hard work.

Shooting, Killing and Hunting Stuff

My Dad was a shotgunner, an absolutely superb shotgunner, on clays and any bird that flies. His chosen shotguns were a Winchester Model 21 for trap, a Krieghoff Super Crown (four barrel set) for skeet and either a Remington Model 37TC or a Parker VH for ducks, pheasants and all feathered things. He shot rifles occasionally, but was not particularly skilled with them. His favorite big game rifle was a Savage 99 in .250 Savage, with which he managed to kill a fairish 6-point bull elk and perhaps a dozen mule deer. Dad's favorite .22 rimfire was the Winchester Model 63 and I still have the two that he owned.

By the way, those who have never handled and shot a Model 63 are missing one of the pure delights of rimfire shooting. No rifle, before or since, has anywhere near the handling ability; the 63 literally points itself.

Dad had a .22 rifle cut down to fit me when I was three years of age. It was a Winchester Model 47 single-shot and I still own it. Yes, I was shooting a rifle at three and I was beating my Dad's azz, much to his delight, with one of his beloved Model 63s by the time I was five.

I killed my first Chinese pheasant with a hard-kicking Winchester Model 97 twelve-gauge when I was about eight years old. It was a great day and, as I remember, I shot way over the limit of five birds that day. Plus quail and huns, of course. Yes, I still own the M-97.

My first big game rifle was a Winchester Model 94 in .30-30. I killed my first deer, a yearling doe, with the rifle when I was eleven or twelve years of age. I killed four deer with the rifle with four shots. Yup, still have it.

During the following year, I sporterized a Springfield 1903 and had it fitted with a Lyman receiver sight. I was handloading by then and, for whatever reason, favored Hornady 150-grain round nose bullets. That fall, I shot my first buck, a 3X4 mule deer with the rifle. I was also ferrying horses to a high-ground with a friend and managed to put a hell of a 4X4 on his tag with the rifle. The rifle was a known-killer by the end of the season.

During high school, I graduated to a Weatherby Mark V in 7 Weatherby. Yup, I killed lots with it, but eventually found it truly exceeded the need.

My next dedicated deer killer was a Mannlicher-Schoenauer carbine with double set triggers in 7X57. This rifle killed way more deer for me than I'd care to recount. In those days, we weren't too particular about tags. We all camped together and stopped shooting when the tags were all filled. I apologize for upsetting anyone's sensibilities, but that is the way it was. I know what my highest year was, but I damned well ain't telling.

I got involved in .22 gallery and outdoor shooting when I was about fourteen. My rifle was an old BSA Martini Mark II with a Litchert 20-power scope. I soon scrapped the scope and worked overtime in a gas station to buy a Bausch & Lomb 6.5-24 target scope. My first gallery shoot was the Oregon State Championships and I won Class C Junior by about twenty points. The next year, I was the Oregon State Class A Junior Champion and I held the title until I became eighteen. I am a Lifetime Master, Gallery.

I was awfully late in killing elk. My first bull was a 6X5 that I shot near Elgin, Oregon with a Remington 700C in .30-'06. I remember that it was dusk and the bull was running across an opening at about 70 yards. I put a 180 Hornady Spire tight behind the shoulder and was amazed when it didn't drop like a deer. It kept on running, so I planted another ...and another. He fell, struggled and laid still.

When I walked up to the bull, I could not roll it over. Hey, it was big, but not THAT big. Eventually, I found that he had hit a jackpine and impaled himself on about two-feet of the broken stub. He was literally impaled and not rolling anywhere until I sawed the pine tree off.

That was a long night.

From the time I was about ten or so, I'd corresponded with Elmer Keith. I met the fine gentleman several times and we always had yarns to exchange. Think of the odd couple; the old guide-writer-gun nut and the young gun crazy kid. Anyway, it worked for us.

Elmer sent me every one of his books and wrote very nice things in the fronts of them. These autographed books are some of my most prized possessions. I've photographed a few of these and posted them on the Campfire. The inscription about my dall sheep from the Yukon is especially cool.

Speaking of the Yukon sheep, I killed it with a Model-70 Featherweight at a distance that no man should ever shoot. The hunt was in 1978 and it was up the Snake River out of Goz Lake. I killed a double-shovel caribou on the trip, as well. He was sleeping and I shot him in his bed, as he noisily belched and farted, at about twelve feet.

As I grew older, my rifles became more refined, as did my handloading. Eventually, it was time to do a wildcat and, with Elmer's advice, I settled on the .338-'06. It was an elk killing, deer killing, bear killing son-of-a-buck. Feed it 200-grain Winchester Power Points or 210 Partitions and critters died bang-flop.

Eventually, I decided to write a magazine article about the .338-'06, so I could relate my experiences. Ken Howell was the Editor at Handloader at the time. I called Ken and he said, "Sure, send the article, young fella." The article was published in 1984 and, believe it or not, I still get mail on it.

Anyway, the .338-'06 article wasn't even published yet when Ken called me and asked if a good friend of his contacted me with questions about the cartridge. He said that his friend was Chub Eastman, who was the Sales Manager of Leupold & Stevens. Chub and Ken went back to their Montana days and Ken said that it was OK to give Chub a copy of the manuscript, if I chose.

Chub called a day or two later and we had lunch at a cafe in Milwaukie, near my store. We got along from the first. As he left, he asked me if I'd like to ride along to Kimber of Oregon. He had to settle up a bill (Greg Warne was horrible about paying bills) and he needed a bit of repair on a set of Warne scope rings. I accepted, so Chub introduced me to Greg and Jack Warne.

Ken left Wolfe about then, but his replacement, Al Miller, phoned me at the store one day and asked when I was going to send them another article. Actually, I only thought of doing one, but I thought to myself, "Why not??? Maybe I can work out something with Kimber" OK, I was going to be Steve the Gunwriter.

So, I called Greg and we worked out a deal. He had a bunch of little wildcats going and they needed ink. This would give me rifles to shoot and things to write about.

The first one was a Handloader article about the 6X45, followed closely by the .17 Mach IV and a bunch of case-forming/handloading articles. It didn't take long until I was a common sight in the pages of Handloader.

After several years, I asked both Dave Wolfe and Al Miller if they were considering me for a Contributing Editorship. Both passed the buck and stalled enough that I knew that it was never going to happen. Frankly, my stuff was better than a lot of Wolfe's offerings at the time, or so I thought, and it kinda pissed me off. Then came a new editor, who will go unnamed and who is very famous even today, who was the EDITOR FROM HELL. He was a real sonofabitchazzhole and it was time for Steve to leave.

Absolutely at the same time, June of 1990 or 1991, Chub invited me on Red Mist II, a firearms industry prairie dog shoot out of Glenrock, Wyoming. Ned Kalbfleish, the owner/editor/publisher of the fledgling Varmint Hunter Magazine was also on the hunt. On the first day, he asked me to be a Contributing Editor. It was probably the best and worst decision of my writing career.

It was the best decision because my days at Wolfe were over and it was the worst because I could no longer write about my love: big game hunting.

I wrote all sorts of precision rifle/precision handloading stuff for the next thirteen years. My last article, on that unbelievable loser of a cartridge, the .223 WSSM, appeared in the April 2004 issue of The Varmint Hunter Magazine.

By the time I ended my career, I published well over 100 feature articles and goodness knows how many shorts.

My divorce from the firearms industry and writing actually happened some time in the fall of 2003 (the magazine is a quarterly and it takes a loooong time to get to print). It was dramatic, it was fast and it was final.

We will not discuss why I quit writing. Let's just say that I received two fatal blows in a short period of time. Friends were not friends and it was time for Steve to get on with what was left of his life.

So, I just walked away from writing. Cold, clean, just walked away and never looked back. Karen was shocked and truly thought I couldn't do it; one day I was writing madly and planning future articles ..... the next day, writing and my beloved firearms industry were absolutely completely dead to me.

I have broken my personal vow to never write again precisely twice. The first was a total rewrite of the story that you know as Shootout with the Black-and-White Cat that is in the 24HourCampfire's Smokelore Magazine. The second was the two lead-in sections I wrote for the upcoming Nolser Reloading Manual Number Six. Both were done on a No Charge basis.

During all of the time I've written about rat shooting, rat cartridges and rat rifles, I was hunting big game, including well over fifteen trips to Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec, two lengthy African safaris (Zimbabwe in 1984 and RSA in 1989) and hunts all over the Western United States. I have the actual numbers of dead critters, but few would believe me, so I will not post them.

Also, during the late 1970s and the entire 1980s, I worked as an unofficial elk guide here in Oregon. This gave me the opportunity to kill a whole lot of elk and see many more made dead. This was a unique experience and it gave me an excellent perspective. Johnny wants me to write about it, but I'm done writing forever. I'll prolly just write it up one day and give it to him.

Other than that, we're pretty boring. Karen and I are paying dearly for all of the dead critters we hauled out of the bush. We gimp along, taking care of our home of forty-three years. Excitement for us is taking a Sunday drive, a short one, in our 2006 Duramax truck or visiting a different Catholic church for Mass. Having said that, we enjoy life and still are madly in love with each other.

My shoulder, which was operated on some time ago, has prevented my active shooting for a couple of years. And, if I'm really honest about it, I'm really not as interested in shooting and hunting as I once was. I love helping others solve shooting and handloading problems and I love a good hunting yarn.

I am a writer and will always be a writer in my heart. In truth, the Campfire has very much taken the place of my magazine writing, only it's better. At the Campfire, we can work one-on-one or with several folks at the same time. Folks with a problem get answers quickly and we all totally enjoy the fellowship. The Campfire is a cyber-community at its best.

I'm sure that I am forgetting a bunch and I'll add it later, if anyone at all is interested. And if there are questions, just ask away.

Steve you are a true cold blooded predator killing a critter while he was belching, farting and trying to take a nap. I LOVE it

Joe

Joe,

Yup, he was asleep. I left my guide, Rudy Minder, behind and Injuned through the low bush cranberry. When I got to where my 3X9 Leupold fuzzed at 3X, I put the crosshair under the ear and shot him.

The bull had his right front hoof laid beside his head because I ht him under the ear, the bullet exited the opposite jaw and hit his right front hoof dead-center.

We boned him in place and carried the meat and horns a looong six miles down the the Snake River. The horses were at the river.

Below is a photo of the horns and packs of boned meat on a horse.

Steve

6 miles is a long way to tote a critter that size. Is he the caribou that adorns your Dead Petting Zoo photos?

Joe

Six miles is horrible and, carrying meat is worse downhill than uphill, I swear.

No, actually the cape burned up in a tent fire on the trip. Our outfitter was a crook and we were basically eating off the land. We were literally eating ptarmigan, sheep and caribou.

Some of the rig grease evidently got under the tent and all was lost. My guide, the cook (his girlfriend) and I slept under horseblankets for about six or seven nights. Not really too pleasant, I can assure you; sticky, sweaty, smelly and sweat-wet.

The caribou in our dead petting zoo is a wiiiiiiiide one I shot in Quebec. The Yukon one is just a skull mount beside it.

I'll drop in a photo of the dall sheep. And maybe more stuff that will be tantalizing.

Steve





Here is the Quebec caribou we have mounted.



Another Quebec caribou. He is in the attic. Nothin special except good meat.



One of my boys. All alone sucks.



Great Alberta whitetail. Crappy photo.



Good kudu.

[img]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a180/dogzapper/BigBuck.jpg[/img]

The mule deer I have tattooed on my left arm. Really pretty bugger. Killed with a prototype Nosler bullet in my .280 Ackley.

[img]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a180/dogzapper/Freezout.jpg[/img]

Prolly 30 below and a long, long ways to go. Out of horse feed and fewezing out of the saddle. Been there, done that. Am paying for it now.


Where Karen and I will end up.

[img]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a180/dogzapper/Crypt.jpg[/img]

Steve

Steve, thanks for the informative posts and pictures. It's awesome when you combine facts and information with a great deal of entertainment. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say, I'm glad you're here.

Chad

Thanks Chad,

I consider both you and your dad to be my friends. Ain't nothing more important in the world than friends.

Steve

Thanks Steve and you couldn't be more dead on! I explained it very well I think to a lady a while back. She's a friend through friends and through the course of time, my wife and I have accepted her as our friend. Anyway, the point was that I don't have but a handful or so of no BS true friends. However, I wouldn't trade them for a million so called friends. You know what I mean, the kind that when the proverbial fecal matter hits the artificial wind making device, they are RIGHT THERE, and vice versa. Ya don't buy that...like respect it's earned.

More Great Pictures Steve. The Sheep and the Alberta Whitetail are absolutely magnificent.

How much did that deer weigh, he looks like a yearling steer?

Joe

AMEN !, Chad

Joe

+ 100 True Friends are priceless

Friend Joe,

Surprisingly, that is one of the very few deer I've taken in from the bush ungutted. It was so frickin' cold that Jason and I threw him into the truck and gutted him in the shed with two space heaters blowing on us. yes we did weight him on a feed scale, just for kicks and giggles.

Weight, guts feathers and all = 378 pounds

I'd suppose that the hanging carcass would weight somewhere around 200 and the meat only at less than 100. Something like that

Steve

Good Grief thats about 2.5 times the weight of my heaviest deer.


Was he a victim of the .280 Ackley?

Joe

Yup, the .280 Ackley 140Ballistic @3,100 fps at 302 yards. Precisely through the center of the throat patch. Didn't go too far, just three feet DOWN.

Monster of a body and the antlers aren't bad either.

Steve



Here's a moose. He decided to die when a 120Ballistic was injected.

Most folks won't recognize this, but is one freakin' MONSTER impala. Heavy, heavy heavy and long. Biggest I've seen or killed.

Steve

Now Steve you know a 120 grain BT won't kill a moose

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.

Have always enjoyed O'Conner, Barsness, Hagel, Taffin, and the late great Gary Sitton (a rare talent gone too darn soon). Does anyone know much about Gary Sitton, other than living in Tucson and liking to hunt on the Bagget ranch near Abilene TX...? A friend of mine met Craig Boddington and according to my friend is genuinely one fine fellow...I have enjoyed his work also. The thing that makes all these writers is the sharing of their foibles as well as their successes...

Really have enjoyed this whole thread..one of the finest...
thanks ever so much one and all...Blessings...

Thanks to all the writers who have shared there experiences here and in the many articles and books that have been written. It's real nice to be able to put 2+2 together and figure out who each person is and there writing tendencies.

Again Thanks to All,

Rob

I know a gent who was G. Sitton's hunting and shooting buddy who speaks very well of him. Whenever I find something he wrote, I put it into my library. If you can find a copy, his article "Favorites" tells a lot about him.

He definitely had to leave too soon.

jim

Haven't been on this thread for far too long. Glad didn't miss it, and waitng for that elk stuff, in an inpatient way, !!!


Also got a good chuckle out of the Johnny Buffalo , !!!

_______________________
"Real trucks don't have spark plugs"

DZ, a followup to that line may soon be...

" Real trucks don't have diesel "

All well
Dew

PS
Of course in a few years at this rate there may not be any real trucks... Gas or diesel

I've been in the hunting business long enough to peg most of these guys including hunterJim...They are all first class gunscribes IMO..In fact I can't think of one gunscribe that I really dislike, I may not agree with them all the time, but I don't think they require me to do that...

I think some folks get to into personalities sometimes and draw conclusions or put gunscribes on a pedalstal with unrealistic ideals...If their writting entertains, educates or even aggrivates, then that is all that is required..

I loved old Elmer and I knew him personally, he was a great guy, and so was Jack O'Conner, but I'm pretty well convienced they really didn't care much for each other, yet they are both among the greats...I can't imagine growing up without Outdoor Life and those two old reprobates, and they were that! and their bantering made for some great reading!

I had an article published three-ish years ago when i was 13 about a mountain lion hunt that i did (man o man was that a story). I'm not sure if that counts me as a gun writer though.
-Henry

Gunwriters............... HMMM, good or bad, love or hate em, they help stir the passion for a sport that is dying off at a alarming rate in Canada. (I'm not sure about the USA). Therefore I support all of them. I personally do not read articles used to sell magazines. I find them boring. These are the same articles I read 25 years ago with huge vigor. I read ever word, and used whatever I could out in the bush. I quickly found out what worked and what did not. Which writer knew what he/she was writing about and who was into self promoting fluff. The bush and the bench is where most gun writers earn the repect of the reader. I bet there are a lot of people on this forum that did the same thing. We envolved, most of the articles haven't. You can only repeat the "10 best ways to shoot a whitey" so many time. IMO, these articles are still required to help the next generation of newbies become hunting and gun "loonies". So write gunnies, write we need the press.

P.S. To help promote this sport, the next time a newbie shows up at your local gun club. Don't be a pompus smug ass (you know who you are)and help he/she out. Shelve the superiority and teach them. On second thought don't we cannot afford another generation of gun snobs.

alevas - amen to your P.S. Best, John

Very interesting backgrounds. Tim, through your reloading articles in the Nosler #3 reloading maunual my FIL and I always thought you were a varmint hunter.....

The only reading I really did was through a Shooting times subscription from probably 1980 until just after Bill Jordan passed. I always enjoyed the articles by Bill and Skeeter, and felt they both were probably the kind of gentlemen most hunters hope to be. I almost owned a 7 STW, but after consulting Mr Jarret to have him rechamber an ADL I assembled on a McMillan, we decided 3350 fps in a 140 partition, and 1/2" 3 shot groups would be hard to beat. I digress.

I luckily stumbled onto this website in search of information for my MkV 300 wby, and thankfully so. This seems like a really good place to share knowledge, and hopefully soon when I get the rifle I spend more time prepping cases, and loading for it and my other neglected firearms I haven't shot much in the last 10 years. My son and son in law need to learn how to load, and I need to discharge some old powder to be replaced with new. There is never enough time to hunt and fish, but in 5 yrs I hope to do some catching up on old friends with my family.

May you all continue to share words with us, may we be able to thank you for those words, and may your bullets hit there intended mark.

Allen

Very interesting read on here. It took me a while but I went through it all. 'Outdoor Writers' seem to draw a lot of response, whether positive or negative. Why is that?

This is a great thread, great reading. For Those who Like Bill Jordan, he did publish a collection of articles all written after he retired from the Border Patrol. I was self published in 1987 it seems the Editors had him pigeon holed. It was called Mostly Hunting I bought one at a gunshow somewhere which is signed by Bill, unfortunately not for me but the previous owner. If you check ABEBooks.com you may be able to find a copy.

Len

Bart, I still love the Me & Joe stories and your Dad and Bill were quite a pair. Kind of like OConner and Kieth, but they really liked each other.

Hey John, long time no see. How goes it?

Although I've visited 24HR a few times, I just signed up as a real, ruttin', tuttin' full-fledged member.

I'm not a "gun writer" per se, though I do the occasional article on gun-related topics. Anyway, rather than retype a bunch of stuff, here's a little bio of who I am.

******
Tony Mandile lives in Glendale, Ariz. and has wandered the waters and woods for more than 40 years in pursuit of game and fish. During that time, he has traveled around North America to fish or hunt in 39 states, 10 Canadian provinces, Africa, New Zealand and Mexico.

Mandile has been a full-time outdoor writer/photographer for 24 years and his 35-year active membership in the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) included three years on the board of directors. He has served on the board of the Western Outdoor Writers (WOW) and the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA), which he helped organize in 2005. He also was a contributing editor for ARIZONA HUNTER & ANGLER magazine for 10 years, and spent nearly 7 years as the Arizona Editor for OUTDOOR LIFE magazine. Mandile finished his first book project -- HOW TO HUNT COUES DEER -- with noted guide Duwane Adams. He's now working on book #2.

Mandile's articles and photos have appeared in OUTDOOR LIFE, FIELD & STREAM, CABELA'S OUTFITTER JOURNAL, PETERSEN'S HUNTING, PETERSEN'S FISHING, AMERICAN HUNTER (NRA), DEER HUNTING, ROCKY MOUNTAIN GAME & FISH, CALIFORNIA G&F, WASHINGTON-OREGON G & F, ARIZONA HIGHWAYS, NORTH AMERICAN HUNTER, PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER, ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPORTSMAN, WESTERN OUTDOORS, BOWHUNTING WORLD, SOUTHWEST SPORTSMAN, SAFARI, ARIZONA WILDLIFE VIEWS and a few dozen other outdoor, conservation and travel publications.

Additional writing and photo credits include books, posters, product packaging, print ads and even the photo on a MasterCard credit card. More than 100 magazine covers have carried his byline. His photos have also won numerous awards in the annual photo contest sponsored by the OWAA, and Nikon selected several to appear in the company's prestigious Outdoor Photographers Showcase.

Hi, Tony!

Yeah, it's been a while. Things up here in Montana are just fine. The winter started off nasty but lately it's been more like Arizona. Well, maybe Flagstaff....

Mule Deer, I am glad that writing full time for Wolf is working out for you, but personally I am still ticked you are no longer the back page of Rifle. Heck that rag is not worth reading any more. Do I remember correctly you left that because you are now editor of something?

The bios are interesting, not because I am impressed by guys who went to college, heck probably few besides Mule Deer spent as long going to school as I did, just means we were other wise occupied or slow learners, but the background does tend to flesh out the experience behind the writing. A decent writer can do the book research and sound knowledgable. A good writer has experience behind the research and is knowledgable. A great writer has both and reads like sitting around the fire together. For me there are two guys like that, O'connor and Barsness. I would have to say I feel very fortunate to have been on so many hunts with John. I can remember hunting upland birds together several times before I remember I have never yet had the chance to hunt those upland birds. And a couple of times in Africa we were talking about...Oh wait. Well anyway there have been plenty of times when we were hunting deer and elk and talking about... Well anyway I think I saw him in the junipers once near the Colorado state line. There are plenty of good writers and I have learned a lot from many of them. Even some I am pretty sure I don't much care for. I was once on an oryx hunt the same time as Mr. Zumbo, but I only have memories of hunting with two guys I have never met. That is a gift beyond good writing.

He Dog,

Thanks very much. Actually I am not working at all for Wolfe anymore, and it was there that I was editing SUCCESSFUL HUNTER. Nowadays I am a staff writer for several other magazines (SPORTS AFIELD, AMERICAN RIFLEMAN, GUNS, VARMINT HUNTER) and freelancing for a bunch more.

Actually, though I did go to college for a number of years, I am by no means as university-educated as my parents were. They both had Ph.D's, but after my freshamn year my progress slowed down considerably, because I was already making most of my living writing about hunting and fishing. (Not much of a living, but a living.) The U. of Montana was on the quarter system then. I didnt go at all during summer and fall, went full-time in winter, and half-time in spring, in order to hunt and fish and take photographs. So adding credits was a slow process!

Mule Deer, 1992 Gun Digest article, "Cults"

Do you remember this one. It's the best call it like I see it type article I can recall before or since and still worth reading today. A lot of punctured sacred cows there. I always wondered if there was any negative feedback on it.

Norman Strung was a good writer, I never had trouble with Remington 700 extractors, my 870 always worked as well as my Model 12 and I used a Bushnell Banner 4x for a lot of hunting before I could afford Leupolds.

Never heard about any negatives--but Leupold was about to introduce Multi-Coat 4. That changed things!

Glad to find somebody remembers....

Yea, one of my favorite articles as well. Make sure I read it at least once a year to "remind" myself of what's really important in hunting gear. Caused me to purchase more than a couple Remingtons as well as a few Rugers.
Already liked Norm Strung; he moved from NY to Montana and was making a living teaching/writing so he was my hero!

Mule Deer, you would know this one. I Swear I saw an article by Norm Strung right after my college days wherein he spoke of tying flies to look like popped corn in order to catch carp in metro New York...was it him??
Ingwe

Yep, and as I remember it was from a pond in Central Park.

I did a similar "match the hatch" a few years ago on a farm pond in West Virginia. The people that owned the place stocked the pond with largemouth bass, bluegills and channel catfish, and would feed them with dry dogfood, just throwing it out there. I caught some BIG channel cats by cutting the feathers off an ugly brown popper I had in my bass-fihsing flies. It was the same size and color as the pieces of dog food.

I�m a gunwriter because ONE of my articles has been printed. It was about my experiences with the Scout rifle concept, and it ran in the Steyr-Mannlicher Collector�s Association newsletter the summer I finished college.

My Dad was (and still is) crazy about guns. He was on the Oklahoma National Guard rifle team when I was a kid, and I still think of him every time I hear someone chamber a round in an M-14. I shot the National Match Course for with an M-1 when I was about 12 years old, and didn�t finish last. He taught me to hunt on huge ranches on the Edwards Plateau in Texas in the 70�s before the days of feeders and growth hormones.

When I got old enough, I spent three years in the Guard. The team shooters were assigned to the same armory and went to practice sessions instead of going to drill. But I was in an infantry unit that went to the field all the time, which I loved, so I chose to drill with my them and go to practice sessions. It was a busy schedule, but I got plenty of ammo and plenty of exercise. I shot everything I could every chance I could. In those innocent days we kept our match guns at home, and my S&W M-41 had holster wear when I finally turned it in.

After three years in the Guard, I joined the Regular Army. Graham-Rudman budget cuts and �the needs of the Army� let me get waivers to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course, but I had to repeat Basic Training and go to Jump School first. When I finished the SFQC, I served on A-Detachments at Ft. Bragg, NC and at Ft. Lewis, WA. I spent a lot of time carrying various weapons in the field, which gave me a lot of insight in to what a soldier really needs out of his gear. I got lots of trigger time with some interesting weapons, but aside from bar fights and a scare or two, I was never in combat. After six and a half years in SF, I left the Army.

For the next several years, I worked in gun shops, taught shooting classes, ran ranges and read almost every word that Jeff Cooper ever wrote. Based on his work and on my military experience, I began to favor his modern methods over the classic disciplines. I was married with kids by then and had reached the point where I couldn�t support a family working in gun shops, so I went back to school and earned a degree in writing.

Now I�m a copywriter. I work in ad agencies, which is like getting paid to eat chocolate cake. Along with writing, I study how media are evolving and how that affects buying decisions. I think print journalism will always have a place, but it�s ruled by brands and it only sends ideas one way so I don�t know what that place will be. The real action is on the internet. It moves so much faster and lets people communicate so much more easily that our voices as individuals are now louder than a brand�s voice. In that sense, we�ve all become gunwriters.

So other than the one article I mentioned at the start of this post, I�m a gunwriter on the internet. My work is worth what you pay for it.


Okie John

Hope this isn�t presumptuous, because I only discovered and joined this site tonight.

Since 1967, I have made my entire living as a reporter, columnist, editor, and publisher specializing in hunting and fishing and, since 2000, as author of books for and about international big game hunters.

My clients have included Weatherby Award recipients C.J. McElroy, H.I.H. Prince Abdorreza, Watson Yoshimoto, Arnold Alward, Hubert Thummler, and David Hanlin.

�The History of Safari Club International� has my byline, but not the two books I ghostwrote for well-known hunters of mountain and African game. My own book, �Sixty Years A Hunter,� will be published by Safari Press this year.

When I complete in November the book I'm working on now, I will have sold approximately 1.4 million words since retiring from my SCI post in 1999.

My training as a writer and editor came under the pressure of a daily newspaper�s deadlines. Over the 27 years I worked for that paper, I wrote close to 2,800 twice-weekly outdoor columns and maybe twice that many feature and news articles about hunting and fishing.

Before I retired from the paper in 1994, I also worked five years on its copy desk from 4:00 to 8:00 am, writing headlines and editing and rewriting articles others had written, and served on its editorial board.

From 1984 to 1999, I also edited and directed SCI�s Safari magazine and the SCI record books as an independent contractor. I conceived and launched Safari Times and Safari Times Africa. The first became a financial success, the second lost money and was shut down. After I retired in 1999, my wife and I co-edited Safari Cub magazine during its brief life.

My tenure as editor of the SCI record books, and working closely with the club�s trophy records committee, gave me a unique education on the natural history of all the world�s big game animals.

Although I sold several gun articles to magazines early in my career, I would never call myself a �gun writer.� I�ve hunted on six continents and in a dozen countries, and I view guns the same way I do shovels. Some are better suited for certain tasks, to be sure, but most of them will do the job. When hunting the animals most Americans hunt, bullet placement is more important than caliber, maker, action-type, velocity or even bullet type.

As for Elmer Keith, who was mentioned earlier in this thread, I hold the distinction of having rejected an "article� -- and I use the term loosely -- that he sent me at Safari magazine. It began something like this: �Im duing yu faver sumiting thsi articul ... � The piece also was full of misspellings and errors of grammar, punctuation, and even fact.

Bill Quimby

Welcome to the Campfire, Bill!

It's our pleasure to see you here Bill.

We hope to hear from your experience.



Just don't correct my own poor grammar!

I'm just crackpot, alot of what I believe is what I have seen and done in my life and even more of it comes from more crackpots. It's fairly easy to tell who knows what they are talking about and thoose who don't. Others probably believe what I was once told by a crackpot... "If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, you need to baffle 'em with bull@#$&."

Hello Bill:

I enjoyed the last paragraph in your posting (above) as it confirms something I was told in 1962. That summer I worked in Central Idaho and two of the guys on my crew came from Salmon and Lewiston (Idaho) respectively. One knew Elmer Keith and the other knew Jack O'Connor.

Jack O'Connor was considered to be very quiet (almost reclusive) but a decent guy who'd answwer questions if you asked.

Elmer Keith, I was told, was an outgoing "expert" and considered himself to be THE real expert in many fields, even when he was wrong. Having read several by and about Keith, I concluded that my friend was wrong; maybe he wasn't.

I never met O'Connor. I did know many people of his era who knew him well when he lived in Tucson. Not all were his fans.

Bill Quimby

Just read this thread...thanks to all!!!

I am a very avid reader. I have a bookcase in the loo, my bedroom, and living area. If I'm not on the computer or in my machine shop, I'm reading. I so admire you guys that write as it just ain't my deal. I wish it were.
I've only had personal dealings with Steve{SDH} Hughes, Tom Turpin, and Jim Carmichal. These were small business dealings and they were all good honest gentlemen. Jim makes a wicked martini and I know he is a terrific BR shooters. He has several points toward the BR Hall of Fame. Having read most of the outdoor writers has been a real joy. Thanks Mr. Howell for the autographed book that I purchased several years ago. I am getting old and kinda jump from one thing to another.
Butch

Carmichel does indeed make a wicked martini.

I would like to add that Jim Carmichel just finished the NBRSA benchrest nationals. After a weeks shooting in 4 different gun classes Jim finished 20th overall out of 172 shooters. His average group after 30 5 shot groups and 16 10 shot groups was a .2496 MOA average group size. Ain't no mulligans or called fliers, every shot counts. That is damn good shooting for any man.
Butch

Jim can sure shoot. I have watched him do it. And evidently he still can at around age 70.

A few months ago I saw a list of Jim's rifles that were going to sold- It was astounding.

Yeah, apparently after he retired from Outdoor Life he decided to let some of 'em go!

Huhhh ... he's "around age 70" - that's only 2 years ahead of me and I've been reading his writings for 40+ years. God - does time fly!!!

A number of years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Fred Huntington of RCBS fame... He was in a wheelchair, on oxygen but was very kind to me and we chatted for almost an hour. He and Jim Carmichael were hunting buddies and Mr. Huntington shared some fantastic stories with me... Being a 280 Rem. fan, I asked him about a lightweight 280 that Mr. Carmichael wrote about in Outdoor Life and gave Mr. Huntington credit for giving him the stock blank. He told me all about it and was pleased I remembered the story. It was an afternoon I'll never forget.

When I was a kid, I wasn't a good reader and I didn�t like school. My folks ordered me Outdoor Life and Guns and Ammo magazines and I learned to read because I was crazy about guns and hunting. Every month I couldn't wait to read the latest article from Jack O'Conner. To me his articles were "manna from heaven"... Reading about O'Connor hunting a Fannin Ram the Yukon or Stone Sheep in BC was the fuel that stoked my desire to someday go on a sheep hunt. Years later, when fate and the "Gods of Hunting" smiled on me, and I killed my Dall sheep in Alaska, I was flooded with memories of those O�Conner articles.

When O'Conner retired and Charmichael took over, I remember the article he penned, "To Fill a Giants Boots"... Mr. Carmichael did a great job and then some.

Ovis_Chaser

Ovis_Chaser,
I shared your post with Jim. Below is his reply.



Butch, many thanks for the kind words. I appreciate more than I can say. Is that a recent post?
As to the Huntington rifle, it is a prize piece in my collection. The stock is yama wood and was made by Montie Kennedy. Fred hunted with it on several of our hunting trips before giving it to me. I've got lots of Fred Huntington stories to tell sometime when we're together. I was mighty lucky to know him. We hunted in places like Iran and Sudan where there will never be hunting again.
best to all
jc


I thought you might like this.
Butch

I am new to this great forum, wonderful reading and info. I went to CO school of Trades with a gent by the name of Jack Mitchell that did I think some books for Gun Digest.I would like to correspond with him and some of the others I was there with. Wayne Novak was there, have talked to him in the last 8 years,
Sterling Davenport(what a quality stockmaker),Steve Fisher(stocks and checkering), Reeve Abraben from FL, Art Leckie, I heard he bought Beuhler, don't know for sure. It was wonderful then, instructors like Ralph Bone( for you old heads), Sid Cross, Gus Crites(barrel man for P O ackley),Dean K. (6.5 Rem.Mag). We had a good group and a wonderful camraderie. Now I am back in SC and working for the Rail Road paying for my daughter to go to grad school, but it is worth every dollar I spend.
Mule Deer,
Can you offer any info, thanking you in advance,
CBI

CBI,

I am good friends with Jack Mitchell and as a matter of fact was just on a bear hunt in Alaska with him in late August. I am sure he'd be glad to hear from you.

I have Jack's phone # around here someplace. I'll get it to you and he might be able to get you in touch with some some of the other guys.

Mule Deer,
Thanks for the quick reply, he is a super person , we shared some holiday meals together while in school , good friends with Bobby Lee, Art Leckie, a guy named Buecher who had been the chef for a US Army General, made a damn good pheasant and duck for Thanksgiving, I read as much as I can by you , full of info and not BS. I am old , got 57 years behind me can sort out the bull and the bull S##t over a good adult libation, anything malted.
Mule Deer if you get this way, let me know, we will share some knowledge(like I might have something to offer.)

CBI

Mule Deer,
Thanks for the quick reply, he is a super person , we shared some holiday meals together while in school , good friends with Bobby Lee, Art Leckie, a guy named Buecher who had been the chef for a US Army General, made a damn good pheasant and duck for Thanksgiving, I read as much as I can by you , full of info and not BS. I am old , got 57 years behind me can sort out the bull and the bull S##t over a good adult libation, anything malted.
Mule Deer if you get this way, let me know, we will share some knowledge(like I might have something to offer.)

CBI

Malt is good for me too! The one thing Jack didn't like on the Alaska hunt (among others) was not being able to bring enough beer to a spike camp.

I turn 57 in a month so we are right in there together. Jack is 11 years older and sure doesn't look it.

As far as knowledge, I have learned something every day of my life and have a lot more to learn. If I get down your way would love to talk guns and anything else.

rrconductor
Unfortunately Ralph Bone passed away recently and was pretty much broke. A couple guys took advantage of his widow on some of Ralph's stuff.
Butch

Butch, thank you for forwarding my post to Mr. Carmichael... that was very thoughtful of you - and I really appreciate his reply. Thanks again!

Growing up reading O'Connor fueled my desire to hunt and shoot. When Carmichael�s reign began, I was entering adulthood, and he fill my need for "how to" achieve and be proficient with a hunting rifle. His engineering and shooting background dovetailed my exact needs at the time... What he penned in his articles, proved to be correct by my experiences in the field.

My two most favorite books in my library are "The Hunting Rifle" by O'Connor and "The Modern Rifle" by Carmichael. I have almost warn the ink off the pages of those two over the years. They became my bible, both Old and New Testament. I shouldn't admit this, but I can recite some memorable paragraphs word for word as they were written... Am I addicted or what?

Next month my son goes on his first sheep hunt, a Desert Bighorn in Nevada... As with all things, the cycle of life continues. Ovis_Chaser

Butch, I saw a picture of Mr. Bone awhile back, did not know he had passed away, I think he was a Texan, he engraved a VZ 33/40 that I built for my Dad in 7x57 , got stolen after my Dad died.
He was a hell of a nice man with a multitude of knowledge. sorry to hear that people would take advantage of his widow, SOB'S.Where is Poetry, Texas?

Mule Deer,
Thats the Jack M. I know, hope the hunt was sucessful, it's not about killing, it's hunting.

Poetry is a community about 45 miles east of Dallas between I30 and I20. Ralph lived in Okla when he passed away in the Tulsa area.
Butch

I'm new here and only on page two of this thread, but am amazed that I didn't find this site sooner. What an awesome forum. This is so cool to actually be able to communicate one on one with you fellas(gun writers). I can't wait to read on.

pinku,

You might have gotten more response from your post if you'd used it to start a new thread.

I both agree and disagree. I agree that too many gun reviews are very much like you describe. I disagree that ALL are like that.

Part of the problem is that about 20 years ago one magazine publishing company (in New York City) discovered that they could sell a lot more ads if they pimped a pile of products in every article. This the origin of the hunting story that began something like this: "I got out of my Super-Cozy sleeping bag and slipped my feet into my Rugged Brand Boots, then grabbed my Remingchester .300 Whiz-Bang and a box of Grizzly Blaster ammo and headed out the door of my marvelous Mountain Master tent."

Advertisers soon flocked to these magazines, and other publishing companies noticed. Some (but not all) publishers copied the technique. In fact I know of one that has a clause guaranteeing editorial coverage of the product in their advertising contracts.

The problem was that readers also noticed. The old-fashioned way of publishing magazines was to attract lots of readers, then persuade companies to advertise by pointing out how many hard-core shooters and hunters read the magazine. The "adverwhorial" method of publishing turned this around. The reader was secondary to advertising sales, and many readers (like you) noticed.

This is one reason, among several, for the readership drop in some hunting and shooting magazines over the past 20-odd years. As a matter of fact, the publishing company that started the trend no longer publishes ANY hunting magazines, because too many readers got fed up and quit buying the magazines.

Another example is what once used to be a fine hunting magazine, with a mix of actual hunting stories and real equipment evaluations. But for the past decade or so it became a thinly disguised gun magazine, full of "hunting stories" about hunts thrown by manufacturers for writers. Since these hunts usually take place somewhere like a ranch in Wyoming where every writer gets to shoot a 13-inch pronghorn within a couple of days, there isn't much hunting involved--but there is plenty of space in the article to talk about the wonderful rifle. Quite often the rifle is only shot a few times before the hunt, with the ammo provided by the host company. (Lately, though, I have noticed a change in this magazine back toward its roots.)

On the other hand, there are some magazine publishers who do not follow the adverwhorial formula, either because of integrity or because they've seen what eventually happens to the magazines that slavishly follow it. There are also some writers who actually test firearms thoroughly before writing an article. They may not publish an article on a new product before everybody else, but the article they do published will have more information.

I happen to know one writer very well who will not test any rifle unless he has a wide variety of factory ammo or can handload for the rifle. He also doesn't go on very many "industry hunts," and if he does, he doesn't write an article just about that limited experience, but also tests the rifle (or scope, or bullet) thoroughly in other ways. And there are enough magazines that are interested in his articles that he can make a fair living at it. And I know several others who pretty much operate in the same way.

So, again, I both agree and disagree with your post.

Well said, and needed to be said.

There never was a substitute for integrity. We all know writers that "stop" us from purchasing magazines, and others that make us reach for the wallet.

JW

"I happen to know one writer very well who will not test any rifle unless he has a wide variety of factory ammo or can handload for the rifle. He also doesn't go on very many "industry hunts," and if he does, he doesn't write an article just about that limited experience, but also tests the rifle (or scope, or bullet) thoroughly in other ways. And there are enough magazines that are interested in his articles that he can make a fair living at it. And I know several others who pretty much operate in the same way."

I would think that writer would be a "Mule Deer".

Dew

Thanks, Dew!

Evidently "pinku" had a short career on the Campfire. His post and his user name are now gone!

Hi I'm looking at getting a Handi Rifle in the 500 smith and wesson caliber and was wondering if anyone has any feedback on the gun, thanks

Irving,

Wecome to the Campfire!

You'd get more responses if you started a new thread on this subject, either here or in the "Hunting Rifles" forum.

I am wondering if anyone can shed some light on Jim Rearden of Homer, Alaska? How he and his wife are doing up there, etc? I always thought it would be a pleasure to shake that man's hand and thank him for his writing.

In January 2010, Jim fell and seriously hurt himself. He is slowly recovering and I'm sure he would appreciate hearing from friends.

Do a search for: "Big Bore on the Cheap" A good read for you in the "Big Bores Only" Forum.

Always search first...........And Welcome!!!!!!!!!

I bet me and him would get along,..provided he ain't one o'them dirty martini drinkers.

I haven't read the whole thread,..and I can't claim to actually know the man, but from his writings, I'd guess that Massad Ayoob is a very decent kind of fellow.

I especially like the fact that he's a writer for Backwoods Home Magazine

Lot's of good, down to earth stuff in his writings there.

Wow, I have been a member and poster here for several years and I just now saw this thread. I almost never come to this forum because I thought it to be a place where people hoped to get answers only from the full time gun writers that post here. I have not considered myself to be in the same class of experience and knowledge as our own John Barsness and Ken Waters or Aussiegunwriter even thought I have two published articles (WOW a whole TWO! ) Not even close enough to be mentioned in the same paragraph! Saw the thread on recoil induced concussion and opened this up to find this interesting thread. I don't mind posting up my experience as an avid hunter, hunt booking agent focused on Africa , unofficial helper on a few safari's, oft times gun show table renter and horse trader of firearms and long time gun nut with an affiinity for nice looking rifles but do not consider myself to be what one would call an 'authority' on much of anything except the depravity of man, most assuredly including yours truly, and Gods amazing grace.

Gun Writers & the rest of us:

I have started this thread 3 Xs and other threads distracted me & I forgot to finish. This week I started the 4th X and finished it.

Well, I could say too much but I promise to be reasonably short.
Some of our GWs I do not know at all and that's MY LOSS from the past. Some of you I haven't figured out. Aussie GW is NEW to me and I'm happy to know YOU and I appreciate your posts that I have read.

Let me digress about my mag. history. After Shooting Times & Peterson's Hunting went into the dumper (IMO) I didn't find other mags that interested me. I didn't stumble onto Sports Afield, heard about it here. All that figured in, I quit reading gun mags for several yrs. Part of that was due to the fact that MOST of what I saw I had ALREADY read or put into practice.

JB (MD), I vaguely remember some of your writing before I got out of the habit BUT you have EXPERIENCES and ACCESS to things that us lay shooters don't. I have come to have a GREAT APPRECIATION for you. THANKS.

Phil S., I din't know who you were HERE, but I remember your writing and I'm glad you participate.

Another of our GWs contacted me personally in a friendly way. We discussed an issue & I was humbled and honored that he would take the time to talk 1 on 1 w/me. He knows who he is. THANKS more than I can say.

We all have personalities and sometimes personalities CLASH. We have discussed other GWs that don't participate on the "fire". Of all those, 1 GW has never impressed me, then he WENT or was PIGEON holed by editors, into a genre of our sport that DOES NOT INTERST ME. That's not a bad average, 1 of how many?

Rocky R, I almost forgot. I don't know if I know you from previous writing but THANKS SO MUCH for your input and gun industry connections. I enjoy your posts and informed opinions.

THANKS GUYS, kudos! I haven't found ANY other forum NEARLY AS GOOD as the Campfire.

JWALL
_________________

VEGETARIAN........Indian Word For Poor Hunter

I can't believe I just waded through this whole thread. Frankly, there is one gun writer whose name I will not give out that I consider a total pompous ass. I had the displeasure of talking with him and while I don't claim to know it all, I sure as hell did not like the way he talked down to me as if he was doing me a favor. I can say without hesitation that I was shooting gun while he was still rattling the bars of his crib.
Last off, I will say that he is NOT one of the people here in this site.
This is a standing offer to Mule Deer and all you other writers that if you're ever in Tucson, look me up and we can share a cup ot two (I make a really mean cup of coffee.)and if time allows, a free meal at one of our local Mexican restaraunts. There's a fantastic one just a mile from the house. I'm glad I took the time to wade through all this.
I never had the chance to talk with the likes of Keith or O'Connor but though this site I have been able to "talk" with some of you writers and I will say the pleasure is all mine.
Paul B.

I've met a number of writers and (by and large) they are decent folks if you meet them under the right circumstances. But, many times the meeting is not under the "right" circumstances:

- They may be having a bad day.
- They�ve been hassled by folks who are "always wrong and never in doubt" who tell them that they don't know what they are talking about.
- They are a at gun show as a celebrity and after shaking hand and making nice for hours, they are tired.
- Maybe, they are just cantankerous folks (but this does not affect their knowledge or experience).
- AND possibly, you are the pompous know-it-all that is irritating them!

An enjoyable thread..nice to hear about you fellows...someone ask and others may be interested about Bob Hagel's resting place..I was there this summer..it is in Gibbonville, Idaho ..as you enter the cemetery it is on that side and to the right as I remember..nearly to the end of the cemetery..his wife rests beside him, and an elk adorns his stone...one of the most unique spots I have ever visited..Also stopped by ONeil's grave in Superior, Montana..he, Keith and Hopkins had the OKH rifles...

deleted - wrong forum

Big Red... duh, say what? Did you turn left when you thot you turned right?

Maybe you're at the right church but in the wrong pew? ?

What does PF vs CRF have to do with "Gun Writer" Backgrounds?

Duh, oops. Wrong forum. Uh huh, yep. Sorry.

I visited the Gibbonsville Cemetery in 2007 and did not find bob Hegel�s grave - someone told me he was buried in Salmon (Elmer Keith is buried in Boise, I believe). I did visit the Gibbonsville "museum" in the old school house though. I'll pass through Gibbonsville in 2012 following the smokejumper reunion in Missoula and will definitely visit the cemetery again. Thanks for the update.

I remember the sign as you enter the town: "No shooting in town." Neat!

Looking for a marlin 39 century 22 lever action, anyone know where I can find one?

All I can say is thank you to all you professional gunwriters. You've made hunting and love of firearms much more enjoyable for me. I like some of your writings better than others, but together you do us sportsman proud. I remember years ago reading the writings of as writer who was one of the first to hunt with a handgun. I believe he was killed in a plane accident in Alaska. Anyone remember his name?

I just did remember his name. I have an autographed book by him. His name was Alfred J. Goerg. Wrote the first books on handgun hunting in North America.
I can't imagine not having gun and hunting writers. How else would I be able to enjoy the things I'll never get, or the places I'll never see.
Thanks again you writers.

I believe you wrote a deer hunting article in Petersons Hunting years ago titled "Yellow Number 7". One of the best I have ever read.

Hmm. Could it have been "Old Number 7"? That's the only Number 7 that rings in my memories--the 7th deer that Eileen killed, back in the late 80's. It might not have been in Petersen's, either.

This was about a deer that had been tagged at a young age and had come in and out of the writers life illuding him each year with heavy antlers (he saw it every year) and then he never saw it again around year number 10. No one had reportedly shot it.

I'm a "newbee" here, just found the site before Christmas. I've been reading Mule Deer's articles wherever I can find them for a long time, so when I found out he visits here, I knew I had found a new home. To all the other writers - thank you for your contributions, it really makes this a special place, unlike "other" forums.

Ain't that the TRUTH !! That's not a ? in the South.

And Yes we have some OTHER GREATS here too.

I 'repeat', THANKS for letting me participate.
Jerry

I believe that was Wooters who you're referring to. If not, he chronicled a buck in similar way on a lease he frequented in Texas. Anyway, in reference to backgrounds, I can attest to the fact that Spomer is a solid and stand-up guy. There's no pulling punches when it comes to the way he articulates how he feels and what he knows, that's for sure.

I didn't want to babble about myself here, and still abhor the idea, but now it looks like I hafta say something.

A number of the fellows have been asking what I've written � especially what books I've written.

Forget it!

I haven't kept track and wouldn't go back and compile a list if I knew how to do that. I've been writing since 1946, published since 1947. The dozens, possibly hundreds, of books that I've done were almost all about stuff so seriously classified that I wasn't qualified to read 'em (no "need to know") after they were published. All that I'll say here is that they covered several kinds of materi�l and techniques from outer space to deep-ocean "exploration."

I usually didn't know what agency or what ultimate use they were really for. Only lately have I learned that some of 'em, for example, were for the CIA. I don't even remember the title of one big work, the encyclopedia of biological and chemical warfare. Some of the superclassified weapons systems that I did the books for are now obsolete. One was so tightly classified that I was one of only four people on the proving ground who were privy to all the details of it � what the thing was, its target effects, how to deploy it, how to counter it, etc. Everybody there worked on it, but each group was privy to only its own rigidly compartmented mission. Not even the commanding officer was allowed to know all that we four were required to know.

My clearances have all expired, but I still consider myself under oath, so I'm not about to reveal anything that I swore not to.

So forget it.

I have always enjoyed reading John Taffin's articles. I am curious about his background and would like to learn more about his background. I understand that he is a retired teacher, but that is the extent of my knowledge about him. Has anything biographical been written about him?

"I didn't want to babble about myself here, and still abhor the idea, but now it looks like I hafta say something."
NO YOU DON'T. If you don't want to participate in the thread we respect your wishes.

A big thanks to the large number of writers who have positively and willingly participated in this thread. It has made it one of the most interesting and informative I have read in a long time. Thanks fellas.

I always enjoyed reading his hunting articles. Seemed very down to earth and chock full of experience. I never saw any commercialism or hawking of products in his writings. They were exceptionally interesting to me. I wonder if the man still lives?

John Taffin is one of my favorite reads.

Just having been around a lot, hunting or shot alot, doesn't establish all that much, really. Look at Elmer Keith, Jeff Cooper and bill Jordan, completely foolish in many regards. Elmer with his bs claims about 600 yd shots on deer with a 6" .44 mag, Jordan with his silliness about 'combat pistols", and Cooper with his claptrap about the so-wonderful"Scout Rifle". So, despite the herd just blindly following x,y, or z, I make up my own mind, based on what makes sense.

To use a famous quote from Finn Aagaard, "How do you know this to be true?

I never met Keith, but I have read the full account of his 600 yard shot on that mule deer and also the one where he was at the range one day and a "big mouthed critic", knowing Keith was in earshot, slandered the same comments to which Keith drew his 44 Magnum and shot a rock out at the 600 yard range and then invited the slanderer to stand on that rock and repeat his insult.

I really like people to be able to defend themselves when they are slandered. Then it simply becomes an, "Excuse me Mr Keith, could you please tell me more about how you learned to shoot your .44 Magnum at that range?" Thank you.

Manners carries a huge weight compared to a cheap shot. There are people I do not favor, but how you handle that reflects yourself.

John Woods

John,

Very, very well said.

Manners and how we handle ourselves surely go a long, long way to defining oneself.

We should ALL use this as a guide to life.

Blessings,

Steve

Thanks Steve.
This is an important and valuable web site to our sport so we need to police ethics and contribution so all are rewarded in some way.
John

I am not a Gun Writer. I am nobody.

But some folks over on the "Going with the 25-06" thread could do well to read the above few posts.

I was talking to John Steinbeck the other day. He said if he had known there was such a thing as the Campfire he would have most certainly contributed during his more prolific years. That said, I still love his quote:

"Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like, from hearing Texans"...

Good writing is good writing, no matter when it was written.

I'm really glad this thread was resurrected from seven years ago. I have enjoyed it thoroughly.

A friend of mine Googled my name the other day and this website came up as one of the first listings. When he went into it, the first question there was "Where's Jon Sundra" or something to that effect. So I went into 24 Hour for the first time in a couple of years (I just don't do this kind of stuff; I guess I'm too much a private person). Anyway, it seems that my handful of readers just aren't aware of the magazines I'm writing for these days. I'm actually writing as much as I ever have; it's just that I'm not writing for the bigger magazines for a couple of reasons: 1: I have a lot more independence and don't have to pander to advertisers to the degree I once did, and 2: I'm paid well enough that the difference is more than worth it.

So, for whomever is interested, I'm the Field Editor for Safari Club International's SAFARI Magazine; Field Editor for RIFLE FIREPOWER, a relatively new magazine from Harris Publications (the same one who published my COMPLETE RIFLEMAN annual for 22 years; Senior Writer for GunHunter Magazine; Contributing Editor to RIFLE SHOOTER, VARMINT HUNTER, GUN DIGEST, and various other Harris Publications magazines.

I'm still in good health and good physical condition for an old coot. And I'm still driving Lamborghinis; that never gets old!!

Good to hear, Jon. Speed on.

Always a treat to hear from you, Jon.

Thanks for the update and drop in again...

DF

Jon,

Good to see you posting here again. I know you're more private than some gun writers--though are quite talkative among some of us! I've always very much enjoyed the time we've spent together, both during and after the hunt!

By the way, just returned a few hours ago from one your favorite places, Argentina. The food and drink and ambience in Buenos Aires was great as usual, as was the dove shooting Cordoba!

You know John, that ring necked doves are NOT a game species in Northern Nevada, we have a bunch of them here in Winnemucca with no season, of course you might have a problem with the city limits, but I have it on good authority that you could shoot 1000 shells & not dent our population significantly, save you the airplane ride.
I'm just jealous. Sounds like you had a good time
MC

Anyone know the current status of Ken Warner, former editor of AMERICAN RIFLEMAN & GUN DIGEST, etc., and Harold Murtz, former GUNS ILLUSTRATED editor? Retired perhaps?

I heard from Ken Warner a couple of years ago. He is in his early 80s and had just bought a house in a small burg in West Virginia. He has his own line of knives and is doing well.

Jim,

Thanks for the update on Ken. I haven't seen him in quite a while now. Good to know he is trucking along, and is in West-By-God-Virgina, which is where I saw him last.

7mmJRS, I wish you would post more often. The ability for an enthusiast such as me to interact with experts and gunwriters is a privilege...and the more of you folks the better.

Who the heck is Jon Sundra?
I had wondered what happened to you sir. Always enjoyed some of your 'bits and pieces' type articles that detailed so well the "where, with what and in pursuit of whom".

I have recently abandoned all gun rags due to the cost for such little content. Too many great magazines have been sullied by poor editing and worse advertisement. Maybe one day the publishers will see the trend and ditch the cronyism.

Yup, even the former "best" of the bunch is now far too much advertising, often in the guise of an article on what, how to, where and when, and too little serious content.

But, we have "the 'fire" and for me, anyway, that plus reloading manuals, is all I really want or need, now.

Gun/Hunting magazines and TV shows are produced and staged for advertisement to promote sponsor products. Just like with NASCAR drivers/teams, they are competing for the sponsor's dollars. A gun/hunting personality who is likeable, has a solid background in the gun/hunting industry, and has a ton of character, is highly marketable as a pitchman/spokesperson for sponsors. It's a job, and if one doesn't get the job done, someone else will come along who the sponsor believes will better promote an increase in sales of their widgets.

This is nothing new, I collect old annual hunting journals, and I like to refer to one I have from 1955 which is comical in how the big name outdoorsman/writers of the day performed backflips to get words in for the sponsor products in about every paragraph from cover to cover. Pitchmen/Spokespersons may have greater skill today at their craft of pitching products, but nothing has changed with the intent to promote these products for the sponsor. It's a job.

Best

Actually, a lot has changed. Today many writers are paid directly to pitch products. When Petersen was alive and published HUNTING mag, that kind of activity would get you blacklisted pretty quickly.

The other big change is the proliferation of PR companies that take writers/outdoor communicators on hunts. That didn't exist back in 1955. When O'Connor first started writing for OL, the magazine paid for his hunts. Been a long time since that happened.

Interesting read ,all. I have to admit that until joining this forum some few years ago I had really not heard of or read anything from any of these quite talented writers. That is rather astonishing since I have been intimately involved with firearms all my life which at this point is these last 79 years. I knew Jack O'Conner,Warren Page,Lucien Carey's writing well and corresponded with some of them at length,O'Conner and Carey being particularly responsible and encouraging of my attending Gunsmith School in the early 50's. I have read all the magazines mentioned here but until now never associated any writers names with them.

I was reading this thread for the first time and learned not just one, but two new words today.

Not 100% sure but I think he means a fart. Sorry, no Webster or Thesaurus on hand and my Droid stream can't handle dual sites.

Hey AussieGunWriter,

you need to let us all know here on the 'fire which magazines you write for....being a compatriot I woul dlike to read some of your scribes......all I know is your initials "JW" ....

You seem like a man who knows the Aussie hunting scene??

Gus

Gus,
I am not writing for the Aussie Mags lately.
I have been published in most of them including Australian Hunter's Journal which published the most, followed by Australian Hunters, Gunsports, Australian Shooter. NSW Deer Stalker, all the SCI Mags, maybe some manuals, and a couple more which changed their name.

John Woods

John,
great! I have actually read quite a few of your articles in some quite old magazines that an uncle had. I have found your articles very well written and informative.

Cheers,
Gus

Wow! What a great thread. I think I've read just about every one of the scribes mentioned and, usually, liked them all. I think for pure non-BS, Jeff Cooper was the best.

You can find him a the local flea market and gunshows selling old copies of Gun Digest, knives, and rusted firearms (no kidding).

I don't buy stock in so-called Gun Writers!! All the good ones are long dead!

I was not aware that Mr. Barsness had passed.

Interesting topic. Based on some of the responses I've received in this forum, I'd really like to know he qualifications of those that say they are gun writers. I'm not a gun writer but have hunted for 46 years in 13 states plus Canada. I've hunted squirrels to elk and much in between. My gun collection isn't the largest but is substantial (IMO). But, I do not consider myself to be an expert hunter, but rather a well informed hunter and firearm owner. I must say that I've learn a lot from many that post in this forum. There are a number of well informed people here. But, there's also a good number that unfortunately don't have a clue. I for one would like to know the qualifications of those that post here as "gun writers".

How about experience and acceptance by professional publishing companies with specialty magazine publishing and distribution in this, our chosen area of favor?

With respect, you are opening a can of worms here because everyone who is not a publisher will vary in what they presume is a qualification.

Everyone who is or has been an editor or publisher is looking for knowledge, experience, credibility in word presentation and supporting pics and hopefully the last 2 things would be professional presentation which minimizes the need for time in editing manuscripts and lastly, continuity, or the ability to keep it coming, encompassing all of the above.

Having a particular specialty in an area of technicality or experience is another plus.

I would be very interested in knowing your thoughts on qualifications, and I mean that sincerely, without malice.

John

Interesting thread. I make some money from writing about guns but it's not hunting related (unfortunately). I'll watch and see how this progresses.

7x7x7x7,

It was agreed, probably at least a decade ago, that any Campfire member could post on "Ask the Gunwriters," to enhance the exchange of information.

One great aspect of the Internet is that anybody can be a gun writer.

Does that make us peers?




Travis

Peers to.

If I may...

John and Travis,

Thank you for your wit and good humor.

No one knows everything about guns, nor hunting. But I look at it this way....I shoot and hunt as a hobby. But when I get up in the morning, I go to work in a field unrelated to that hobby. That limits my time and ability to research and learn about guns and hunting.

So when someone has decided to devote their working life (or at least a significant chunk of it) to gunwriting, or guiding, or competitive shooting, and thus can put their workday hours to researching gun and hunting related topics, they are bound to have a LOT more experience than me. If they're smarter than the average bear, that makes them worth reading so I can benefit from that time and expertise.

Couple that with the fact that when I can't be out shooting, I like to read about guns/hunting, I'll buy those books and magazines.

Although there are still good articles written today, I find I don't subscribe to many magazines anymore, mostly because the most popular ones republish a lot on the same topics.

That's not really to criticize. When I was first reading them 30 or 40 years ago, every caliber comparison article, remington vs. winchester vs. whatever -- all the popular topics were new to me. And they are new to many readers today, so they sell. I'm just getting old.

So I find my joy now in looking for the classics that I missed or have forgotten. Just reread Francis Sell's book on deer hunting. Rereading Elmer Keith. And just picked up a book on the .22 by CS Landis, that I have never read.

That said, there is still good stuff written now that is of interest to me. Just not in every magazine, every month. Thanks to all of you who contribute to gun literature for making our lives a little richer.

Quick question? Ken Howell.

I don't post much and I'm a relative newbie here recently.

I see posts from Ken Howell - but going way back in years. Last I heard he was moving and in very poor shape physically. That was years ago. Any news about him ?

I have his first book, Designing and Forming Custom Cartridges. He was talking about Volume II. Did that ever happen.

Thanks for any info.

@ John B. RE: Scope [Relative Brightness % Light- Transmission comparison].
Are all scopes(different brands, but with same power and objective size, with same lens coatings----Fully multi-coated, etc.) with a brightness (light-transmission rating of X%...(Say...95%) actually equally bright, OR...can Brand (A)w/92% transmission actually be brighter than Brand (B)w/95%+ transmission?. If so....How so?

WILL; Just another rifle loony long-time reader.

Read my article "RIFLESCOPE BRIGHTNESS" on this same page and you'll find your question answered.

JB: I just went back and read (as thoroughly as I possibly could) your piece on [Brightness], and I still don't see anywhere, anything explaining my question.

Does [LEUPOLD's] estimate of *98%* transmission with their [Top-of-the-line] scope equate to, say, NIKON's estimate of *98%* transmission with (their)[Top-of-the-line] scope...All things being equal.....Power setting, Objective lens diameter, side-by-side comparison, etc.

No disrespect intended...If a simple 'yes' or 'no' is too difficult an answer....Then I apologize for the inconvenience.

WILL.

OK, let's do it another way.

There are two basic ways to find a riflescope's percentage of light transmission. The first is to calculate it, using the number of lens surfaces, using knowledge of the glass and coatings, plus any other glass surfaces such as those for etched reticles, and come up with an approximate number. The other is to actually measure it using a very expensive piece of equipment called an integrating sphere, useful for a variety of optical tests. There are problems with each of these approaches, all applicable to the question you asked.

First, we don't know which method a company uses, and in fact its advertising may just quote the light transmission from ONE lens, and scopes have far more than one lens.

Second, even measuring light transmission with an integrating sphere doesn't tell us how well we'll see an object in dim light, because of all the factors I listed in my article, including our own eyes.

All of which means the numbers thrown around by various scope companies are relatively meaningless to their prospective customers, except in convincing some prospective customers that certain scopes are brighter, so they'll buy them.

I've followed 24 Hour Campfire for a while but have had trouble getting registered. A week or so ago they must have decided to let me on. I'm guessing I qualify as a gun writer...

In 1991 I started writing articles for Precision Shooting magazine. That continued till the magazine folded in Oct. of 2012. I did freelance work for other magazines but my focus was PS.

I've been a competitive target shooter since I got out of college (1960) and a big game hunter since 1967. I've collected custom rifles also since I got out of school.

I've been a stockmaker for custom rifles since the late 60's. In the future I hope to be able to contribute something to this site.

Dick Wright

Welcome. Looking forward to your input.



Jim

FWIW this is my latest stock job. It's a CZ 452 in 17 HMR. Lots of custom work... new trigger guard, modified trigger, shortened magazine, etc, etc...

I also made a tuner for it since I will shoot it in informal benchrest matches next year.

Dick

Dick: I say good on you for embellishing a nice rimfire a bit.

Most folks don't want to spend any money on them...


But which rifles do you shoot the most? Might as well treat yourself on the rim fires!

Dick, welcome and that is an awesome rifle...

I've never figured out why folks seem to spend all the money on centerfires that they rarely shoot. Between squirrel and turtle control (we have a lake on our property) and the matches I shoot this in, I will shoot this more the first year than most people shoot their big guns in a lifetime. ?????

We have quite a few informal rimfire benchrest matches nearby. If I have enough ambition I can shoot it once a week in warm weather.

Dick,

Welcome to the Campfire! I have many years of PS carefully stored year by year. I always looked forward to your articles. We could use a jack pine savage here. Are you still shooting benchrest rifles?

Craig

Craig,

It's been nearly three years since PS folded and I'm starting to think that no one remembers.

I'm getting too old and benchrest is getting too expensive to participate seriously like I once did. We have two clubs within an hours drive that have rimfire benchrest and I shoot in their matches when I can. One of them has egg shoots which are kind of fun.

Dick

Man alive that is a beautiful rifle.

Always enjoyed your work in PS, Señor !

Kudos on that stock work, and a warm welcome.

GTC

I thought the article was well written and informative John. Like you have stated, companies throw around light transmission numbers basically to attract customers. Bushnell used to advertise that they had " the brightest scopes in the world" with a published figure of 95%. That figure is measured in the center of the visible color spectrum (550nm). Leupold states that they have 98% "total light transmission) whatever that means. It looks like Zeiss measures across the visible spectrum or some type of an average apparently. In the end, even though people see things differently due to their eye sight capabilities, if I see better through one scope it is likely that you will see the same difference(percentage wise) even though our eye sight isn't the same.

Welcome to the Fire! That sure is a beautiful piece of wood, and very nice checkering to boot!

Dick,

Sorry not to welcome you to the Campfire sooner, but was having computer troubles that finally got resolvedin the past day or so. Then I had to catch up on other stuff!

I've always liked your articles in PS and now I like your stockmaking too! I also make wood stocks now and then, and know very good work when I see it!

John Barsness

John,

Thank you. That means a lot.

I really enjoyed Precision Shooting. I am pretty sure they still owe me about a year or more of magazines...I don't want a refund, I want new editions!

Welcome Dick. Beautiful work.

Joel,

Thanks. I had a lifetime subscription and they owe me lots of issues. There was a time around twenty years ago, when, in retrospect, I think the magazine was at it's absolute best, that we had Rich Keyser and a couple of other guys who wrote about varmint guns and hunting, a couple of guys covering Camp Perry shooting and myself and several others who covered benchrest.

At that time I had retired from my real job, formed my own corporation and spent half my time trying to build the business and the other half travelling around the country shooting in matches and writing about same. Those were good days although, if I were smarter, I would have spent more time on the business. At that time, Glorya and I owned about 15% of the Precision Shooting stock and I was on the board of directors.

Things changed and people changed... the sport of benchrest started to slowly lose competitors. The use of computers grew very rapidly which made staying in the magazine business harder and harder... Seeing the handwriting on the wall, I sold my PS stock and used part of the money to buy my old Porsche which is, by now, an old friend and which still sits in the garage, polished and pampered and waiting to be exercized, something I do at every opportunity.

By 2012 Precision Shooting subscriptions were not being renewed at an alarming rate. In October the magazine simply ran out of money and couldn't afford to pay for the printing of the next issue. Alas, no more Precision Shooting. Jim Borden (another member of the board of directors) and I decided that, were we twenty years younger, we would try to resurrect it... but we weren't.

Now, pushing eighty, (real hard) I spend too much time sitting by my computer and looking at the fifteen acre lake we have in the back yard. There was a time when I was an associate member of the American Custom Gunmakers Guild and each winter I try to build one rifle. I was very lucky recently and found a good Ruger No. 1 action for a very good price. A call to my old friend, Tim Gardner, at Douglas got me a light .22 barrel. The metal is off to the metal guy now with a request to have it done when deer season is over. Making the stock will keep me out of Jackpine Savage bars for another winter.

Still, I really miss writing for the magazine...

Dick Wright

Dick, I remember having a conversation with Joe Krupa when he had an article published in PS magazine. I asked him if he was an aspiring writter just like Dick. His reply was "Al there's a difference between Dick and I, I dont write fiction". I about fell out of the range house door I was laughing so hard...

Good to see you're still up and about.

Al,

There was a time, years ago, when Mr. Krupa and I were on each others shi- list over something stupid that happened in an Honor System group match. I think we're both probably older and more mellow now and that bygones are bygones...

Re: writing fiction... years ago when I was a fledging writer I wrote something in Precision Shooting about some Scottish powder that was just plain wrong... just a stupid mistake. Let me tell you, I learned the hard way to check my facts before I wrote anything.

I get tired very easily nowadays and really miss the shooting; especially the Harrison matches that Glorya and I started 25 years ago and which flourished for many years. A lot of really good shooters got their start at those matches. Thanks to you they were well run and continued after I got too old to do all the work necessary to keep them going. This is the first year there are no matches in Harrison since 1990. That's really a shame...

Dick

FWIW this is the finished rifle. I got the parts that were out for bluing back and put it together yesterday. The scope will be added shortly and it will finally be ready to shoot.

Absolutely stunningly gorgeous!

Man I just found this thread and I'm getting ready to head into work. I'm only on page 3 and got about a half hour of reading left before my morning commute into work. Some of my favorite writers have revealed themselves already--awesome.

The suspense is killing me only being on page 3. Is Wayne Van Zwoll, Craig Boddington or David Petzal on here as well? If so, this is the best site ever period IMO.

Mule Deer, I'll have to read your writings on upland hunting. In the excitement, did i read you have written books on upland hunting in Montanana or articles for magazine companies? I know you write for magazines and i know which ones, im interested if you have any books in print on upland hunting in Montana-especially for ruffs. And if any of you other fellas do let me know title and where to snag them. Im from southwestern Pennsylvania originally; Chestnut and Laurel Ridge areas and I got all of George Byrd Evans books and read them all from cover to cover. Fan of William Hardin Foster as well.

Having spent the last fifteen years working my life away for big oil companies, I lucked into a lower management role recently and plan on fly fishing and hunting more this year. Not enough vacation time in the past. So I did alot of reading before my oil career kicked into high gear, haven't really read a good hunting book in years.

MolonLabe41,

Sorry I missed this post--was involved in getting some dang handloading book shipped.

Yes, I wrote one book on western bird hunting, mostly about upland birds and mostly about Montana, named WESTERN SKIES. Unfortunately it's out of print now and we don't have any copies left, but used copies can be found on Amazon and other sites.

I also wrote a book named SHOTGUNS FOR WINGSHOOTING that has a lot of stuff on western upland hunting, and includes a lot of nice color photos. We do have copies available on our website, www.riflesandrecipes.com.

Mule Deer, thanks. I just saw this and today is my 42nd birthday and I'm ordering your book from you and I will track down the used copies on Amazon of the other. I'm super super stoked to finally have my wife on board with our western move.

I've always wanted to live in Montana, but I think we will be relocating from ND to Wyoming. Specifically the Cody area. I had a job offer before years ago in Sheridan and recently in Saratoga, but she wasn't on board then. After recently talking to an old timer from Montana, he told me if he was me he'd move to Wyoming because "Wyoming is everything Montana used to be" and he was referencing the recent puky poltical problems you outdoor guys are facing. To many Hollywood types have infested you was his words.

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing, I will ad IMHO from reading and not actual hands on experience that Montana is a Sportsmans paradise and the BEST in the lower 48.

Being from Pennsylvania Appalachians, as long as I can hunt ruffs, deer and catch trout on dry Flys I'm a happy dude. With some yote interaction as well, whether it be from trapping or hunting and I'm a happy camper. I am pumped looking forward to some Elk hunting and other upland game Wyoming has to offer.

Got to learn how to quarter game next. Having skinned and butchered my own deer for two decades now, I think it won't be a problem.

Thanks for the information.

Just completed order thanks again

Always enjoyed and profited from your work, Sir.

Times and people change! When I started shooting at Camp Perry in 1960 there were several thousand competitors every year! I spent four years instructing in the Small Arms Firing School and I hope I helped many people! In recent years the attendance has dropped way down from past years and I really hate to see that. The introduction of other venues involving shooting has distracted from what is really in my opinion the best method of teaching marksmanship ever invented aka The National Match course of fire in conjunction with the Prone Long Range Matches using iron sights...or in the event of Any Any Rifle allowing a scope.

I've gotten old now and with a lower lumbar that my Doc says is 'shot' I can no longer shoot the prone or sitting position. But I'll never forget the 'cling' of an empty National Match M1 clip ejecting the rifle and looking through the spotting scope and seeing ten rounds dead center of the 300 yard rapid fire target! The next command from Ole Sarge was "Police up your brass and move back to the 600."

No...noone knows ALL ABOUT RIFLES....but keep on writing!!

Good day gents!

Geeze, this was a good read tonight.

Thumbs up!

In my view there is a pile of members here that can and do offer anything a "gun writer" can. It ain't rocket science though they work hard convincing of so.

Not me! Maybe if I had carried on like I did when my hunting buddies were still around.

Hopefully my kids take to it, would be nice to get into the outdoor stuff again.

I took gun magazines to school as a kid, probably cant let my kids do that today.

I retired as a teacher four years ago. I had a couple hundred hunting and shooting magazines in my classroom all the time. The boys who were nonreaders would eat up the magazines. Many of my students would bring me their spent brass, because they knew I reloaded ammo. I taught in a rural system where even the superintendent was a hunter/shooter. For almost 30 years I taught Hunter Education in the school during evenings.

Now that I am no longer writing for Precision Shooting, I have been (slowly) building a couple of rifles. This is my latest project. It is a .222 varmint rifle, 60's style, which should be done by spring and which I intend to shoot in local benchrest matches next summer. I found the Unertl at a real deal a year ago and decided it needed a gun.

I'm about to put finish on the stock after which it will be checkered and rust blued.

I really miss writing for the magazine and this work helps satisfy some of the creative urges.

PS was a favorite. It sure wasn't a slick production, but it was deep. I would much prefer to struggle through a technical work, than skip an article I could have written myself.

I'm thankful for writers, because I like guns.

I have a friend that is new to hunting. Matt comes over sometimes for a chat. I gave him the Nosler (#7) Reloading manual, and the 10th edition of Cartridges of the World. As I have newer editions in both. Matt doesn't have a rifle yet (he borrows one of mine) however he decided to buy a 270 Winchester. I'm trying to convince him to buy a 30/06.

For our next chat I pulled out the 10th (1993) edition of Records of North American Big Game. It has a great chapter about cartridges titled "The Caliber of Record". It explains how the 30/06 is the #1 caliber. It wasn't until today that I noticed it was written by John Barsness AKA Mule Deer!

Now there's a blast from the past!

That chapter was assigned by the late Walter White, whose family owned the White Motor Company, and who wrote the prologue to the 10th edition. Walter was very successfully retired by the time I got to know him, and heavily involved in Boone & Crockett. His name still shows up here and there in The Book, most notably alongside a 30-2/16 skull from a brown bear taken on Uyak Bay on Kodiak Island in 1954.

Walter told me the story of the bear, which was pretty exciting because the Winchester Silvertips from his .375 H&H kept coming apart on the wet hair of the bear. He didn't know exactly how many shots he fired, but did remember topping off the magazine of his Model 70 Winchester more than once. Luckily, the bear was across a small river, so couldn't charge very quickly, and eventually succumbed. Walter was also one of the last Americans to hunt tiger in India, taking a big male. By the time I met him he was doing less strenuous hunts (we went after pigs in California and turkeys in Florida) but he liked to hunt anything, and was great fun in camp.

I don't like the new Boone and Crockett system. There were so many heads of big game being turned in that they should've raised the minimum. Instead, they only take heads from the previous three years. And then publish a new book. But the new book only shows those three years. I bought a new book about 10 years ago. And that's when I found out about the new system. So all the all-time records are not listed. I prefer the old method. Especially when (American Elk, typical) The number one elk was taken in 1899 number two was taken in 1890. However, under the new system you would never find out about those old records.

How does everybody think about that?

Since Photobucket will no longer show my pictures I'm going to re-post two showing project guns I've made in the last two years. This gun was finished in 2016.

This is a CZ 452 American that was extensively modified before I stocked it. It's a 17 HMR and I shoot it a lot in local rimfire matches.

This image is from Imgur which seems easier and much less a PIA that dealing with PB.

I just got this project finished and have shot it in a few local benchrest matches. It's a .222 Rem and was intended to be a competition rifle since day one. I wanted a gun like the single shot rifles with Unertls that I fell in love with in the 60's.

This is an Imgur image.

had to look that up,,,,,,,,,,,but just KNEW I'd learn some good stuff if I joined this forum!!

That is a very fine looking rifle if I do say so myself. I had a 452 in 17 HMR but it sure didn't look that nice!

I've often wondered - Do gun writers have FFL's to receive the guns they are sent for testing, or do they go through a gun shop or other FFL holder?

It would seem more convenient to hold your own FFL, but since they are not in the "selling business", it might be easier (less hassle) to go through someone else.

Anyone?

Just wanted to thank all of the writers here. Have read most of you over the years. Hunting and shooting (rifles, handguns, and shotguns) since I was old enough to ride along with my dad and grandpa in South Dakota (mid '50s). Waterfowl, pheasant, deer, turkeys, prairie dogs, coyotes, and of course what we call gophers. Not a pro by any means, but have spent many, many hours learning and being entertained by you all when not outdoors. Thank you again for what you do.

And thank the Lord for this forum! Been lurking for a while, lurking and learning.......... I grew up reading JOC in Outdoor Life. I remember being enthralled also with the "this happened to me" page. One day I realized I could be writing the "this happened to me" stories. Skipped school one day with two friends to go duck hunting. Frozen, windy day toward the end of season (last chance, you know?). We decided we would use a hatchet to chop a hole in the ice on the slough so the ducks would have a place to land. Found a place to set up and started chopping ice. Turned around and saw a mallard drake and hen too cold to fly right behind us. My friend was holding my shotgun while I chopped ice, so I jumped the ducks and got the hen with the hatchet. The drake managed to fly off without getting shot at. 'Course I promptly fell through the ice while holding my duck and my hatchet. Hip deep, no waders (we were poor high school kids), so I headed for the car and sat in it most of the rest of the day trying to get warm and/or dry. Spent time in detention as well, since my mom refused to write me a "sick" note. Those were the days..........

41fan,

I had a similar experience many years ago, when hunting the prairie of northeastern Montana late in the season for both pheasants and ducks. A much older mentor took me on a tour of a dozen stock ponds, just when they were starting to freeze up. The ponds held ducks, and the cover around 'em held pheasants--and the temperature might have been 15 degrees.

I was doing most of the hunting and shooting, while my old buddy kept the pickup warm. On the third pond (if I remember correctly) I shot a couple of mallards after sneaking up to the dam from below. They fell in the pond, but the water around the edges, full of cattails, had maybe 3/4" of ice. The only dog we had was the relatively small and ill-trained Lab-cross belonging to my friend, and he wouldn't go after the ducks.

So I started breaking through the ice in my hip boots, at a point where the wind would push the ducks into the cattails. At that point the dog decided he wanted to go out after all, and swam behind him as I broke the ice. About halfway to the open water, however, he tried to climb up my back, dumping me.

I slogged back to the pickup, emptying my hip-boots and getting into the passenger seat in my wet pants and wool socks. After an hour and a half in front of the full-blast heater, while driving to a couple more ponds which my mentor jump-shot, I'd dried out enough to put the hip-boots back on and start hunting again....

Let me tell you about the time two of us crawled through a muddy picked cornfield at about 15 degrees on a flock of snow geese. After about an 1/8 mile crawl, some idiots pulled up on the road nearest the geese (well more than 150 yards away), piled out and emptied their guns, laughing their ***es off until we stood up well within range of where the geese had been. Surprise, surprise........ My dad (91 YO now) has a great recipe for snow geese. You clean and dress the snow goose on a new piece of pine board, then put the board in the oven 350 degrees for one hour and ........

41Fan,

Eileen and I had a similar incident while pronghorn hunting once. We were stalking a little herd, when some nitwits shot at 'em from the nearest road, which wasn't near at all, not even coming close. (It's not as funny when rifles are involved!)

Have heard that same basic story about cooking jackrabbits too. That said, Eileen can make snow geese quite edible (and jackrabbits too, believe it or not). Some of the recipes are in her latest cookbook about marinades, brines and rubs for wild game, TENDERIZE THE WILD. Half of it's on big game, the other half on gamebirds.

djs,

I somehow missed your question on gun writers and Federal Firearms Licenses on 4/20.

Have had my own FFL since the Reagan administration, which sure makes being a gun writer in a small Montana town a lot easier and cheaper. I know some others who have 'em too.

Mr. Wright

I used to get Precision shooting. It was a very good read. You have created rifles that look to me to be some of the best I've seen.

I have a couple of stories on hunting in the cold. One I'll remember:
We were muzzle loader hunting in the Sand Lake refuge near Aberdeen, SD. We were using 54 caliber rifles made from Lyman kits. I forget the year, but I believe it was in the 70's. The temperature - a high of 40 degrees below. I belly crawled up to a small 4x4 and had troubles and ended up loading a double load of FF, about 240 grains, I think, behind a Maxi-ball. I got a kick out of that.
We didn't have a lot of cash. The money we had went to Budwieser and hamburgers. We had planned on camping out, but it was too damn cold. We found a very cheap motel room (about $5 each). There were five of us and there was a small double bed. The lucky ones slept on the concrete floor, The bed had about the same slope as a hammock - the guys on the bed got cozier than planned.
In the morning, showers were in order and we soon realized that we needed to pick up our sleeping bags post haste as the water from the shower drained into the bed area to a drain in the middle of the floor.

Just had to say thanks to the writers here. Those still here and R I P for those who went ahead of me. ( No I'm not a writer ). Rusty

This is a great Forum. We are very lucky to have it. Thanks to the great writers who make themselves available !!

I have enjoyed your articles and post here for several years and always wanted to ask you what it is about big bears that trips your trigger?

Phil 458 win, sorry the above was supposed to be directed th Phil .

Have at me.
Jon R.