Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Boddington Bashing

I just got back from sharing a camp in Argentina with Craig Boddington, who is doing an expos� on stag hunting in that lovely country. I have had the good fortune to have met Craig at SCI, and through him have been introduced to Kevin Robertson (The Perfect Shot) and a few others.

As with my other encounters with him, I found Craig to be a great guy to share a camp with, and he handles his quasi celebrity status well. Everyone in the hunting world either wants to pick his brain, or hammer him for something he wrote, even if it was in 1978. He takes it all with a smile and ready laugh.

As surmised, editorial constraints from publishers have really cut done writers abilities to say much in magazines anymore. Boddington told me that while 3000 words was the standard 15 + years ago (when I had a few attempts), 1500 - 2000 is the norm now.

I know Craig has his advocates and detractors, but I for one find him to be a good guy, down to earth, not snobbish, and a good addition to camp. It could improve only if he travelled with a pack of Hooters Girls and could write like Ruark.....


Olsen, Boddington, Hatari

Jeff: I've known Craig for about 12 years now and he is a great guy. But like with any other celebrity, the green monster of envy comes out every time anyone posts about him, so stand by...jorge

I might take a swing or two at the Church and Religion, but even I'm not that much of a heathen to bad mouth Craig Boddington!!

Seriously though, I enjoy most of his writtings, and find that he comes across as a very down to earth type, without the ego of some writers.

Added to that is his long time service in the USMC and the guy has my greatest respect.

I met him briefly in Dallas in January. I have a couple of his videos and a book. Read his articles in magazines. He doesn't come across as a jerk to me. I don't really understand the reason for all the bashing that he receives.

I met him in Reno and he was a great guy to talk to. I agree with Jorge...jealousy is an ugly thing and it sure seems like as soon as someone brings Craig up people go beserk. I think there's two kinds of people on these boards...Craig Boddington and people who wish they were Craig Boddington (and yes, there's days I'd like to be Craig).

I have known Craig for 30 years now, and not only have hunted with him but worked for him, which is another real test of a human being. He was one of the best editors I've ever worked for.

Craig's only real downside is that, like a lot of us, he doesn't hear so well, so a conversation in an urban setting (like a convention) isn't as possible as in a quieter setting, such as around a campfire.

I've met him before and he was as pleasant as can be. I appreciate his military service enjoyed Safari Rifles.

I've always liked reading his stuff, the guy sure enough knows his rifles. It's good to hear that he's a good guy to go along with it.

What Scott said. The couple of brief encounters I've had with him, he was pleasant as could be. Why he draws so much fire from people, is beyond me. Petty jealousy.

Jeff

I have never had the pleasure of metting him but 2 of my buddys have and both said he is just is regular guy. Down to earth and easy to talk to.

I enjoy pretty much everything he writes, the man knows his guns.

What Scott said, X 3

He is a nice guy.

John,

You'll be happy to know he had nothing but fine things to say about you and your work. He was very complimentary. He spent the siesta hours punching away at his laptop, mumbling that his editors had deadlines for him to meet, no matter where he was and what he was doing.

We had a good laugh talking about how Ruark claims to have sat down one afternoon on safari and typed out a handful of stories for his editors between pink gins. Being a newspaperman by trade, he probably did just that. Mere mortals have to plod through them. Ruark did it all before laptops, spell check, or even White Out. Must have been tough.


Jeff

Never meet the guy but from his writing and TV shows seem like a good guy.

Right about that, and not just gun mags!

It really annoys me when you look at the cover and see in big letters "TESTED - LATEST (insert favourite gun/4WD/motorbike here)" and then the article contains maybe two pages including a few postage stamp size photos.

I call that a review not a test.

Sorry, rant over .

Re Boddington, I have not met him but if I ever did, I would feel privileged to have a beer with him.

Never met the guy, and probably never will. I've read a few of his articles, and one in particular was very helpful. It was the one he did on the Ruger #1 in 405 Winchester. I had decided that a #1 was in my future and was deciding on what chambering to get. Thought about 45-70, 416 Rigby, 375 H&H, and since my budget would not handle multiple #1's, I was very interested in what he had to say.

Long story short, I bought the 405, and truly enjoy it. BTW, the article that I read, his 18 yr old daughter shot an Australian water buff. So why do I think more than 10 rounds off the bench is a little stiff?

I've met him a number of times and he's a great guy.

I find his detractors generally either do not know him, or they think their experience with tens of animals outweighs his experience with what must be hundreds of animals.

hatari,

That's good to know, though Craig has always been very nice about my writing personally as well. I have learned a lot from him over the years, by the way. He has to be the most disciplined writer in the business.

We first met when we were in our late 20's at a writer's convention, and ended up at the same table for lunch. At the time he was relatively new at Petersen's Publishing and was editing the GUNS & AMMO annuals. During our get-to-know-each-other conversation he gave me a couple of assignments, and out of that start he hired me as a staffer for PETERSEN'S HUNTING a dozen years later.

There were times, back in those days, where I would have liked to be Craig, but dang he travels a lot. So far I have almost always managed to travel to Africa without a laptop. Guess I am still primarily a Montana boy at heart.

I agree with all sentiment, I met him this year at a show and he was scheduled to give a seminar. It ended up being my dad, myself and my 2 kids as the only ones there. He was glad to sit and talk for an hour about hunting, rifles and even took the time to answer my kids' random questions. I thought he was a stand up guy.

I like Boddington's work.
Every time I read his "Safari Rifles" or Ruarks "Horn of the Hunter" gets me dreaming about hunting Africa someday.

Safari Rifles is a great book, but now he has an updated version out, which of course I'll have to have as well...