O’Connor, one of the greatest hunters and writers of the 20th century and one of my heroes, wrote this in his 1967 book, The Art of Hunting Big Game in America:
“That crafty old whitetail buck above the fireplace is a lot smarter and harder to come by than any Stone sheep or any tiger that ever lived.”
The simple and insightful writing by men who knew how to hunt and lived it is marvelous, isn’t it? Sadly, there are few hunting writers like that anymore. Worse, there are virtually no good-paying opportunities in the outdoor genre for men to hunt and write like that anymore.
That’s good stuff. I love that vintage writing and hearing those stories.
Talking of McManus’ Books as well as O’Connors stuff got all jammed up. McManus kept me in stitches. My wife who generally does nothing in the way of reading, was crying as well on ‘Skunk Dog” Iam laughing now just thinking about it. Retch was exactly like one of my buddies in Sullivan Co. Road a little motor bike all his life and bought our brews when we partied at Eagles Mere…. Won’t go into that. He passed a few years ago.
Mack do you recall how Pat McManus would always hide his name in the illustrations he did? sometimes I’d sit for 1/2 hour till I found it.
Yep- Holy Moly- but I had forgotten that till you reminded me. There were a few I never found- i was too impatient, I guess. I need to find the couple of his books I have to see if they had the same sigs. Was really wanting a .270, but I got a 30-06’s like my uncle shot in Tioga and they are my go to guns. I want to take his Savage Super Sporter w/ aperture sight to the woods of PA in Letonia where he traipsed on the “Spinning Wheel” section The Private Club on 60 acres in the middle of State Game Lands have 20 or so great guys- most from Virginia. He and Dr. WHite of Wellsboro bought the acerage from the PA Lumber Co. when they sold it- most to the state. I’d like to know the story on how they did it.
I could not wait for my next delivery of the monthly Outdoor Life to read his articles. then McManus at the end.Remember “Skunk Dog”? That signed ammo box would be amoung my treasured posessions…..
I’m so darn old I met Jack and his wife Eleanor in a camp on the Prophet river in BC, Muskwa Safaris, owned by Gary Vince . All three of us were hunting moose Jack and his wife were there for 2 weeks prior to my arrival an were there when I rode out 10 days later. Both had killed stone rams on the Prophet Shelf, a couple mountain caribou, Jack a grizzly and a mountain goat. We all killed moose over 52″ which are very good Canada moose.
Jack was a pleasant guy Eleanor a true gift. Both put me at ease at once an evenings in the cook shack were pleasantly passed by gun talk which centered around his love for the Winchester .270.
I was 25 years old at the time an star struck. I could only dream of a day when I too could lead their lifestyle. Eleanor was taken by my youth and free spirit. One of my most treasured possessions is the memory of that trip so many years ago, and an empty .270 Winchester ammo box both Jack an Eleanor signed with the salutation: “Live free hunt the high country an do not look back”. BDT
What you say is true Mike. Jack was a legendary hunter along with Fred Bear and others. The sad part…..those guys are gone now. The good part….you can hunt deer and turkeys in better numbers all over they country than they could have imagined. The new generation…the Lakoskis, the Kiskys, the Drurys, and others hae now taken the outdoor job to a new and different level. You watch it on video vs. reading. I will admit I love to watch the hunts, but sadly, miss the reading of some really exciting hunts where your imagination fills in the details.