Picked a pile of mail out of the mailbox and the red-head girl says, “Look, you’ve got a couple of magazines.” They were 2 magazines from outdoor organizations I belong to. “Yeah, I never read ‘em”, I replied. That surprised her, because I have always enjoyed outdoor literature. And, thanks to my late mother-in-law, who was a librarian, I have a fairly nice collection. I told her to turn to the feature hunting article and read it.

Now, the red-head girl has never been a hunter (huntress?), but she has been married to me for about 45 years. She scanned the first page and said, “This is stupid.” Next, she Googled the author’s professional bio to find zero credentials as an outdoorsman, conservationist, shooter, etc. But, he had great credentials in marketing and media production, and a list of “outdoor” publications he writes for.

I miss Ted Trueblood.

And Jack O'Connor.

And Ed Zern...

Don't forget Hill and O'Rourke. And I don't have a black one either.

And Gene Hill.

I miss those guys too. My wife can’t understand why I reread their books. It’s because when I read those guys, I’m there with them.
And Gordon McQuarrie.

Not sure what having a plastic stock has to do with this, but I have two and still enjoy stories of The Old Duck Hunters Association. I like to think I have trumped around some of these places too when I get up around the Ashland/Superior area. Good ol Wisconsin native.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_MacQuarrie

I liked Colonel Atkinson in spite of the fact that he was the most hard headed, opinionated so & so in the business. Never had to wonder what he was thinking! BTW, I don't have a plastic one either but they are good in some applications! Cheap, light, don't rust, don't rot & are fairly strong!

I have one plastic shotgun, a plastic rifle and a plastic handgun. They have their place.

It’s all about website hits and ad money now. I cringe when I see the junk ‘pros’ put out these days called a ‘review’. Seems nothing is written without an agenda any more.

Most of the magazines in print now are one sit on the pot reads. Rarely is a magazine a two sitter. Then in the round file.

Gentlemen,

I do miss GBE, Mac, and some of the other great writers who actually hunted, especially Spiller and Hemingway. I still get the SSM have let most of the others laps due to repeat type writing.

If you really like good sports writing, start collecting & reading the books GBE wrote, some great Grouse hunting books, with a lady every avid Grouse hunter wished he could have married. Kay was an incredible lady and in her wedding vows to George, she promised to never interfere with his Grouse hunting. I knew the lady personally, and she actually did this under her breath as she was married. His books cover the full 70 years he was able to Grouse hunt, and they are realistic true to life stories every one of them. I have them all in my sports library, inscribed by the author. Reading GBE you will be transported into the world of the Allegheny mountains, Grouse hunting and beautiful Grouse dogs, each time you open his books.

George and his great Grouse dog Old Hemlock Ruff, with a pair of Pa Grouse. Long before the safety orange laws were ever thought of.



When you are done reading GBE, pick up Burt Spillers Great books and get lost with the Poet
Laureate of Grouse hunting!

If you are a gun nut, pick up Best Guns by Mac, the best double gun book ever written.

Every Sportsman should have a nice Sporting Library with the books he or she likes most, to transport them to their favorite hunting places, renewing memories of a life time.

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man