Bob Romano Will Be Signing Books At Marlboro Fishing Show

Bob Romano, author, outdoor writer and contributing writer to Maine Fishing Today and other Skinny Moose Media online publications, will be attending the Marlboro Mass. Fly-Fishing Show to sign newly released books.

“I’ll be at the Marlboro fly-fishing show all three days – Jan. 15th, 16th and 17th signing my new novel, “North of Easie” and book of essays, “Shadows in the Stream”, both about fly fishing in western Maine. I’ll be at the Angling Bookstore all three days and folks can stop by and say hi, talk about fishing in western Maine.”

So, if you’re planning to attend the show, make sure to stop by and visit Bob and pick up one of his books.

Tom Remington

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What Thomas Jefferson Thought Of People Who Put Animals At Par With Man

Thomas Jefferson spent several years in France traveling about much of Europe seeking trade treaties for the United States. This occurred in the latter part of the 1700s and before becoming president. In his travels he developed methods he used when visiting other countries to determine if life in those countries, which included all aspects such as work habits, ambitions of the people, politics, the court systems, etc., was a good match in what he considered a worthy trade partner with the United States.

In Jefferson’s writings he spells out exactly the things he would look for while visiting a country. One of the first things he would do would be to climb into the steeple of a town church and look over the town from that perspective. He often would forgo an immediate visit with state dignitaries in order that he call upon the common folks, the workers, if you will, to find out how they were treated by their employers and whether or not they were taxed too much or paid too much for their rent.

I discovered something quite interesting that Jefferson wrote about concerning what he thought of people, in this case the courts of certain countries, who placed animals at par or of higher esteem than the humans.

To be seen as you would see the tower of London or menagerie of Versailles with ‘ their lions, tigers, hyenas, and other beast of prey, standing in the same relation to their fellows. A slight acquaintance with them will suffice to show you that, under the most imposing exterior, they are the
weakest and worst part of mankind. Their manners, could you ape them, would not make you beloved in your own country, nor would they improve it could you introduce them there to the exclusion of that honest simplicity now prevailing in America, and worthy of being cherished.

Well over two hundred years ago, Thomas Jefferson, and you could assume others of his time, realized that for those who considered animals as having a place in common with man, “they are the weakest and worst part of mankind”. Jefferson understood then the makeup of someone who thought that way and realized they would not make for good treaty.

I wonder if today other countries look at the United States in similar fashion and realize that because we are becoming a society that revels in the protection of animals, even to the extreme of affording those creatures the same or higher rights than that of humans, we are no longer the strongest of nations on earth but “the weakest and worst part of mankind”?

Of course the progressives, which often are the same as those who cherish animals above man, would say that over two hundred years ago, Jefferson and others had a completely different perspective of animals than today, that perhaps their ignorance and uneducated ways barred them from seeing that animals are living creatures that deserve the same treatment as man, and as such miss Jefferson’s point completely.

It’s not so much as to how animals are to be treated. It is that he sees the character of the kind of people he would have to deal with who thought this way. The future of our country depended very much on Jefferson’s success in finding viable trade partners. Dealing with “the worst part of mankind” offered little toward our future.

If you further investigate into Jefferson’s life, at his home in Monticello, he cherished his animals. He loved his horses and he even tended to and cared for deer there. He wrote often of how visitors were treated to feeding the wild deer by hand and yet, Jefferson also spent time hunting for sport and also as a necessary part of providing food for his family.

It appears to me that Jefferson had a solid and balanced understanding of the role God’s creatures played in our lives. Being one of the most educated and extremely intelligent human beings of that era, Jefferson was a good judge of character and could plainly see the troubles that awaited those who sought to do business with “the weakest and worst part of mankind”.

Tom Remington

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Book: Gun Laws of Montana

For more information about Gary Marbut’s book, Gun Laws of Montana, visit this site.

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“Living With Death In The 1700s” – Wolf Attacks

A little over two weeks ago I brought you a book review of Will N. Graves’ book, “Wolves in Russia: Anxiety Through the Ages“. Wolves in Russia is the compilation of accounts in Russia of the many hundreds of deaths to humans caused by wolves; some by rabies contracted from wolf bites and some by deadly attacks from healthy wolves. It is staggering to learn of the fear people had to live under in dealing with such a vicious and powerful predator.

Since posting the review of Graves’ book, I’ve been sent another account translated from Italian called, “Living With Death in the 1700s“. This work also recounts wolf attacks occurring in portions of Italy during the 15th through the 19th centuries. The regions studied were Lombardy, Eastern Piedmont and Italian Switzerland.

The document is about 10 pages in length and includes maps and index with footnotes and resources.

Tom Remington

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Wolves In Russia: Anxiety Through The Ages

Wolves in Russia: Anxiety Through the Ages by Will N. Graves, Edited by Dr. Valerius Geist

Wolves in Russia is an extraordinary piece of work. It became obvious to me only a few pages into this book that the author, Will N. Graves, did an incredible amount of research. Having said that, I would like to say that before I read this book, I thought I had a pretty good grasp and understanding of wolves, their habits and their affect on man. I’ve been subjected to a huge learning curve.

I have to admit also that when I first learned of Wolves in Russia, my initial question became, “Why would I care about wolves in Russia?” I’ve learned that wolves are wolves no matter where they are. What might make them act differently are circumstances. These circumstances are vital to a complete and proper understanding of this creature.

There’s no better place to go to learn about wolves than Russia. After all, they do have the history of wolves. Circumstances, although different from ours, are essential if we are to learn about North American wolves as their population grows and expands outward into more regions of North America. It has only been until recently, after the fall of communism, that we have been able to retrieve documented wolf activities in Russia. This is much of the work Will Graves has done in this book.

Wolves in Russia educates the reader with spine-tingling, real life tragedies of wolf attacks on humans, numbering into the thousands, as well as pets, livestock and wild animals. Graves shares the seemingly unending accounts of poor and unprotected Russian peasants being subjected to attacks by wolves and terrified in the knowledge that wolves carry disease, such as rabies, of which years ago there was no cure.

The documented accounts should help us all gain a better understanding of wolves, a different respect for the vicious predator and just as importantly, give us a base of knowledge to learn how not to repeat the tragedies of what transpired in Russia and Eastern Europe here in the West.

Wolves in Russia also helps dispel the many myths associated with wolves. The more common myths are that wolves prey only on the sick and old. Evidence provided here shows that not to be the case at all. As a matter of fact, there is evidence to suggest that wolves, being the intelligent and adaptable creatures that they are, can actually recognize the healthier animals and choose to attack them.

Another myth that gets busted is the one that wolves only kill what they need to eat. Graves tells us of one account of two adult wolves killing 96 sheep inside an enclosure, in one hour’s time. Account after account shows us that wolves kill for more reasons than simply the need to eat.

The idea that only rabid wolves attack people is unfounded and proven false. In the documented accounts shared by Graves, it is clear that a large percentage of wolf attacks on humans are from sick wolves, evidence suggests that over 30% come from very healthy wolves proving that it is not just the sick wolves that attack humans.

One thing that becomes clear in studying this book is that it is easy to see that as populations of wolves rise and fall, so too do attacks on humans, incidents of disease and wild ungulate populations.

There are many things we in North America need to learn from the history of wolves in Russia. The main questions might become, what is so different between the people of Russia and the people of North America? Are there that many more wolves in Russia than in North American and how does this compare with human populations? Why aren’t people here in the West being attacked by wolves?

Those questions are all answered in this book but there is one thing that became abundantly clear to me. Managing wolves is an extremely difficult task. Merely hunting and trapping them may not get the job done. Controlling population numbers and growth has to be an ongoing effort and as is shown to us in Wolves in Russia, any lapse in that effort has dire consequences.

The effort of Will Graves should be commended. Hopefully this book will open up better and more complete research into our studies and understanding of the wolf as we press into a future that is bent on being shared with wolves and preserved by those determined to let the wolf grow and expand unchecked, unmanaged.

You can order your own copy of this book by visiting Wolves in Russia website.

Tom Remington

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“Wolves In Russia: Anxiety Through The Ages”

I have been encouraged for several months now by a number of people to get a copy of Will Graves’ book, “Wolves in Russia: Anxiety Through the Ages”. As things go, I got busy and kept putting off looking into it. It seemed everywhere I turned, someone was mentioning the book. Then one day I got an email from Will Graves asking me if I would visit his website, WolvesinRussia.com, and read about his book.

I did visit the site and began reading about Mr. Graves and his book and I remember at the time I decided that I would have to come back to the site when I had more time to take it all in. I still could not escape the constant confrontation of “Wolves in Russia”. Everywhere I went people were asking me if I read the book yet.

I turned back to the website one more time and began reading and rereading. I even wrote down all the information so I could purchase my own copy, after all, it was beginning to feel a bit like divine intervention of some sort.

While browsing through news stories and information this past Saturday, I discovered an article in the Southern Maryland Online website by Anath Hartmann about Will Graves and his book.

I began scanning the sky watching out for lightning bolts. I quickly sent an email to Mr. Graves apologizing for taking so long to respond to his simple request to visit his website. I also figured I could sleep better that night.

Graves emailed me back and asked me I had seen the article about him and his book. He referred me to the same article but published in HometownAnnapolis.com.

I quickly made a promise that I would order a copy of “Wolves in Russia: Anxiety Through the Ages” first thing Monday morning. Well, it’s now Monday morning and the first thing I did when I got up was to send Mr. Graves a check for my own copy.

The book promises to be interesting and factual. It was edited by Dr. Valerius Geist, Ph.D, renowned for his work in wildlife biology and in particular studies of the gray wolf.

Mr. Graves has a storied and adventure-filled past. You can get a taste of that from the article at the two websites I gave you links to and at his own website, where he includes the preface to his book.

Having completed the task of writing this book, Mr. Graves informs me that he has turned his attention to see if wolves are carrying and spreading around the parasite neospora caninum. This parasite causes cattle to abort their calves and has been a problem in some areas taking its toll on the cattle industry and posing a serious threat.

For those interested in Mr. Graves work and would like to order their own copy of “Wolves in Russia: Anxiety Through the Ages”, please visit WolvesinRussia.com.

Tom Remington

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Natural Regulation Of Wildlife And Lands

Nearly a year ago, I published an article in Black Bear Blog called, “Beware of ‘Natural’ Wildlife Management“, written by Dr. Valerius Geist.

Dr. Valerius Geist, Professor Emeritus of Environmental Science at the University of Calgary in Alberta, is a renowned expert in wildlife management and conservation practices. In addition to teaching, writing about, and lecturing on the subjects, Dr. Geist has performed years of in-the-field research on big game species. He has authored 16 books, seven documentary films and contributed 40 entries to various encyclopedias.

In discussing wildlife management, there are those who rely on the theory that “natural” management is the proper way. Whether they fully understand the wild fluctuations, including death, disease and destruction, in “natural regulation” is mostly unclear. Some want to rely solely on science, often hand picked to suit their beliefs and some want to disregard science in favor of letting God do it.

When I hear the argument of “letting God do it”, I am always reminded of a story a friend of mine, Maine humorist Joe Perham, told. It goes something like this:

The community church pastor had been concerned for some time because one of his parishioners, Farmer Brown, hadn’t attended church for several weeks. One Sunday following church services, the pastor headed out to Farmer Browns to pay him a visit.

When he arrived at the farm, he found Brown out in the back field working hard, the sweat having dampened his back and beads of sweat streaming down his face.

The pastor walked out to greet Farmer Brown and after a brief hello, the pastor said, “Mr. Brown! It is amazing what you and the Lord have done with this piece of land!”

Farmer Brown stood still a moment and then gazed about him admiring his hard work and then emphatically replied, “Yeah? Well you should have seen it when the Lord own it all be himself!”

All too often those who espouse to “natural regulation” of wild lands and wildlife, remove man from the equation. It makes no sense at all to do that when you consider we share this earth with the animals and always have and are very much an integral part of our ecosystems. If God intended the lands and the animals to be taken care of “naturally”, I don’t think He would have created man nor granted him “dominion” of them.

I received my latest copy of The Outdoorsman. The featured story written by George Dovel, “The Truth about Our Wildlife Managers’ Plan to Restore “Native” Ecosystems”, is an excellent read.

At the W.I.S.E (Western Institute for Study of the Environment) website, George Dovel’s historic account has been made available for readers. Please visit the site and you’ll find a link to read Dovel’s entire account.

As a bonus, W.I.S.E. also includes an earlier article, a review, of Dr. Fred Wagner’s book, “Yellowstone’s Destabilized Effects, Science, and Policy Conflict”. The review was written by Cliff White of Parks Canada, Banff, Alberta.

Wagner’s book debunks Yellowstone National Park’s “natural regulation” of management, a management process used in many of our national parks nationwide and what most environmental groups promote.

Dovel writes in his article pertaining to Wagner’s book:

In 1999, 32 years after the natural regulation policy was adopted, YNP (Yellowstone National Park) biologists claimed they needed more years of research in order to test the natural regulation hypothesis. But Dr. Wagner told the National Research Council they had a 126-year data-set of interaction between YNP ungulates and their ecosystem and half a century of research which should be adequate to determine if the elk herd had reached equilibrium.

In August 2008, TWS (The Wildlife Society) announced that Dr. Wagner would receive its “2008 Wildlife Publication Award – Outstanding Book” for his 2006 book Yellowstone’s Destabilized Ecosystem: Elk Effects, Science and Policy Conflict. His book documents extreme fluctuations in the Northern Elk Herd and is highly critical of Park Service management.

“In 1967 the NPS (National Park Service) introduced a ‘Nature Knows Best’ approach and stopped controlling the size of the (elk) herd,” he wrote. “A new contingent of NPS research biologists disputed earlier scientific evidence and claims about best management practices of elk and other wildlife in the park. In the process, they totally negated everything that had been observed, recorded and published for nearly a century.”

Dr. Kay (Utah State University) pointed out that TWS gave Douglas Houston the same prestigious award for promoting his flawed natural regulation theory in the early 1980s as it gave Dr. Wagner in 2008 for disproving Houston’s hypothesis. He asks, “Are we supposed to believe that Yellowstone is an ecological slum – or that it’s the epitome of land management as claimed by Park officials and the “greens” who want to depopulate half of the U.S. so that nature can take its course?”

It’s time to move forward in how we view being the best stewards of our lands and ecosystems. Please read the supplied information. I’d also like to invite readers to subscribe to George Dovel’s “The Outdoorsman”. This publication is vital to educating the people.

Below is the information that can be found on the back of each issue of the magazine. Simply send the requested information and a check to the address provided. You’ll be glad you did.

~~~~~~~~

A donation in any amount will help support the circulation of facts in this unique publication and a donation of $25 or more will pay the cost of receiving The Outdoorsman by U.S. mail for one year. Please print your name and correct mailing address on the coupon below and add additional names on a separate sheet of paper. Mail to:

The Outdoorsman
P.O. Box 155
Horseshoe Bend, ID 83629

Name__________________________________________

Mailing Address_________________________________

City______________________State_____Zip_________

Tom Remington

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Nugent Unleashes Take-No-Prisoners Political Manifesto

Hunter and Rock Star Extraordinaire Ted Nugent

Is Cocked, Locked, and Ready to Rock

Washington, D.C.—America needs one strong voice during this chaotic election season, and Ted Nugent is answering the call. The Nuge is back with Ted, White, and Blue: The Nugent Manifesto, and he tells it like it is, with his no-holds-barred plan to attack the problems gutting our country, from taxes and welfare to health care and immigration.

“I adamantly believe that one determined man or woman cannot be stopped. Let’s get it on. America needs us now more than ever.” With overwhelming enthusiasm and non-stop energy, Ted takes on America’s controversial topics with the same dogged determination it takes to track and hunt an elusive white-tail deer. A passionate patriot as well as a fervent supporter of individual rights, Ted encourages Americans to stand up to government control with a “We the People” attitude instead of “We the Sheeple” in all parts of their lives.

Ted takes it all on in Ted, White, and Blue, including:

✮ Ted’s Take on Big Government: Here’s a common-sense idea born of freedom and liberty: every new law passed by Congress must eliminate five other laws previously passed.

✮ Ted’s Take on Energy Independence: Go ahead, nuke my day. Thirty years from now when I play my 12,000th concert, I want my amplifiers powered completely by nuclear energy.

✮ Ted’s Take on Success: The only things you need in America to be successful and happy are a dream, a dedicated work ethic, and an alarm clock. Everything else is elementary.

✮ Ted’s Take on Illegal Immigration: The Nugent household has never had any invaders. No unauthorized persons have ever made it through our borders, or for that matter, ever even attempted it. We give off, shall we say, a vibe that such criminal activity has, shall we say, consequences.

Ted Nugent is an American icon, with over 35 million albums sold and more media face-time than most active politicians. Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild television show continues to be Outdoor Channel’s #1 Hunting Show year after year. He is an award-winning writer for more than forty publications, and author of the New York Times bestseller God, Guns, and Rock ’n’ Roll, as well as Kill It and Grill It, BloodTrails II, and now, Ted, White, and Blue: The Nugent Manifesto. In 2008, he celebrated the most successful tour of his career with Operation Rolling Thunder, setting attendance records in America and Europe, and performing his 6,000th concert.

Posted by Tom Remington

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“A Remarkable Shot”

Find it to read here.

HELLO, Cap’n Titus,” said Perkins, as that ancient neck-whiskered mariner walked into the store. “How’d you make out gunnin’ today?”

“Tole’ble, jest tole’ble: thet’s all,” replied the genial old Captain, good-naturedly. “I got four black ducks, six broad bill, and ten winters.”

“I must say thet’s putty good shootin’ fer one day,” said Perkins, trying to draw the Captain out.

“‘Twas putty fair : but I should hev got more yet if my shells hadn’t gin out. ‘Twas mighty hard luck and ‘minds me o’ one day ’bout four years ago, when I went down tu the medders gunnin’ with thet old muzzle-loader o’ mine.” Here the Captain paused to take a mouthful of plug tobacco, after which he continued, full of the spirit of the thrilling tale which all of his auditors were anxious to hear.

“I fooled ’round all day, till I had only one charge o’ powder left. Birds hed been comin’ ‘long, one in a flock and now and then tew lone ones, and all of ‘em out er range, and I didn’t git a bird. I was kinder discouraged : hadn’t hed a good shot all day. But jest as I was gittin’ out o’ the stand I heard a goose hollerin’ and I crouched down quick, I can tell yer, and purty soon he landed plump down in the slough-hole in front o’ me, where my decoys was. I was jest tu the south o’ the Deacon’s medder — you fellers remember how the marsh there is very narrer and runs right clus up tu the beach — and my stand was jest ‘breast o’ thet low place on the beach they call the blow-hole. Wa-al, I moved ’round keerful and got a bead on the old goose, when he must hev smelt me, fer jest as I was goin’ tu let him hev it he begun swimmin’ away from me. I didn’t want tu lose him so I begun to whistle him back, and, if you’ll b’lieve me, as I was a-sittin’ there, what should I see comin’ up by the blow-hole but a red fox. Boys, I’d hev given my hull farm for another charge o’ powder and shot thet minute, I guess. The goose by this time hed circled round and begun tu come towards me agin, and the fox was a-standin’ stock still. Gradually the old goose was gittin’ in line with thet fox. ‘By thunder,’ ’s I, ‘if I can git ‘em in a line there’s a chance o’ gittin’ ‘em both.’ In another minute they was right in line and I let ‘em hev it. Jest as I fired, a blue-fish jumped out o’ the water from a school on ‘em thet was chasin’ bait inshore. I shot the goose plum through the head, lamed the fox so he couldn’t run, and killed thet blue-fish so he drifted ashore, and I got the hull three.”

“Boys,” said Perkins solemnly, ” if you’ll step intu the back room I’ll set up the cider, cause after thet yarn we’ll need somethin’ bracin’.”

Tom Remington

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Unstoppable Global Warming?

Oh this can’t be! There has to be some mistake!

Tom Remington

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“The Mountains” On Seeing Deer

“And I don’t see how you can ever bear to shoot them.”

“Don’t you?” said I. “Well; suppose you’ve been climbing a mountain late in the afternoon when the sun is on the other side of it. It is a mountain of big boulders, loose little stones, thorny bushes. The slightest misstep would send pebbles rattling, brush rustling; but you have gone all the way without making that misstep. This is quite a feat. It means that you’ve known all about every footstep you’ve taken. That would be business enough for most people, wouldn’t it? But in addition you’ve managed to see everything on that side of the mountain – especially patches of brown. You’ve seen lots of patches of brown, and you’ve examined each one of them. Besides that, you’ve heard lots of little rustlings, and you’ve identified each one of them. To do all these things well keys your nerves to a high tension, doesn’t it? And then near the top you look up from your last noiseless step to see in the brush a very dim patch of brown. If you hadn’t been looking so hard, you surely wouldn’t have made it out. Perhaps, if you’re not humble-minded, you may reflect that most people wouldn’t have seen it at all. You whistle once sharply. The patch of brown defines itself. Your heart gives one big jump. You know that you have but the briefest moment, the tiniest fraction of time, to hold the white bead of your rifle motionless and to press the trigger. It has to be done very steadily, at that distance, – and you’re out of breath, with your nerves keyed high in the tension of such caution.”

“The reason I can bear to kill deer is because, to kill deer, you must accomplish a skillful elimination of the obvious.”

Now of course she did not see. Nobody could see the force of that last remark without the grace of further explanation, and yet in the elimination of the obvious rests the whole secret of seeing deer in the woods.

In traveling the trail you will notice two things: that a tenderfoot will habitually contemplate the horn of his saddle or the trail a few yards ahead of the horse’s nose, with occasionally a look about at the landscape; and the old-timer will be constantly searching the prospect with keen understanding eyes. Now in the occasional glances the tenderfoot takes, his perceptions have room for just so many impressions. When the number is filled out he sees nothing more. Naturally the obvious features of the landscape supply the basis for these impressions. He sees the configuration of the mountains, the nature of their covering, the course of their ravines, first of all. Then if he looks more closely, there catches his eye an odd-shaped rock, a burned black stub, a flowering bush, or some such matter. Anything less striking in its appeal to the attention actually has not room for its recognition. In other words, supposing that a man has the natural ability to receive “x” visual impressions, the tenderfoot fills out his full capacity with the striking features of his surroundings. To be able to see anything more obscure in form or color, he must naturally put aside from his attention some one of another of these obvious features. He can, for example, look for a particular kind of flower on a side hill only by refusing to see other kinds.

If this is plain, then, go one step further in the logic of that reasoning. Put yourself in the mental attitude of a man looking for deer. His eye sweeps rapidly over a side hill; so rapidly that you cannot understand how he can have gathered the main features of that hill, let alone concentrate and refine his attention to the seeing of an animal under a bush. As a matter of fact he pays no attention to the main features. He has trained his eye, not so much to see things, as to leave things out. The odd-shaped rock, the charred stub, the bright flowering bush do not exist for him. His eye passes over them as unseeing as yours over the patch of brown or gray that represents his quarry. His attention stops on the unusual, just as does yours; only in his case the unusual is not the obvious. He has succeeded by long training in eliminating that. Therefore he sees deer where you do not. As soon as you can forget the naturally obvious and construct an artificially obvious, then you too will see deer.

You will see many deer thus from the trail, – in fact, we kept up our meat supply from the saddle, as one might say, – but to enjoy the finer savor of seeing deer, you should start out definitely with that object in view. Thus you have opportunity for the display of a certain finer woodcraft. You must know where the objects of your search are likely to be found, and that depends on the time of year, the time of day, their age, their sex, a hundred little things.

Perversely enough the times when you did not see deer are more apt to remain vivid in your memory than the times when you did. I can still see distinctly sundry wide jump-marks where the animal I was tracking had evidently caught sight of me and lit out before I came up to him. Equally, sundry little thin disappearing clouds of dust; cracklings of brush, growing ever more distant; the tops of bushes waving to the steady passage of something remaining persistently concealed, – these are the chief ingredients often repeated which make up deer-stalking memory. When I think of seeing deer, these things automatically rise.

One morning, happening to walk over a slashing of many years before in which had grown a strong thicket of white popples, I jumped a band of nine deer. I shall never forget the bewildering impression made by the glancing, dodging, bouncing white of those nine snowy tails and rumps.

But most wonderful of all was a great buck, of I should be afraid to say how many points, that stood silhouetted on the extreme end of a ridge high above our camp. The time was just after twilight, and as we watched, the sky lightened behind him in prophecy of the moon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ramblings and thoughts of a modern-day hunter? Surely I think not but it could be although a rare find.

My good friend and chief photographer for Skinny Moose Media, Milt Inman, discovered a book in a pile of what looked more like trash than treasure while browsing a yard sale not that long ago and came upon a book looking old, faded and frail. The book had a friend and found a new home.

“The Mountains” by Stewart Edward White just might be a modern-day treasure looking for a reading deer hunter to inspire. White is the author of other books; “The Blazed Trail”, “Silent Places”, “The Forest” and others. “The Mountains” is illustrated by Fernand Lungren and was published by McClure, Phillips & Company of New York in 1904.

Over one hundred years have passed since White moved about the trail looking for deer. What has changed? That really depends upon who might be reading the book. For me, it could have very well be written today, with the exception of the use of certain words and terminology of its day. For others the tactics described would be ancient history, something that happened in an era long ago passed by.

I think not! You see, I’ve never been one to hide out in a ground blind or sit uneasily in a tree stand. For those who do, the accounts described above could just as easily been written in ancient Greek. It would have as much meaning.

All too often in the so-called modern era of deer hunting, nearly every article written or hunting tip given focuses on blinds, tree stands, scents, lures, calls and about every assorted gimmick and gadget ever invented and those yet to come. The art of tracking doesn’t seem to be practiced as readily as it did once but I can attest that it’s not dead.

I discussed this book some with Milt before I confiscated it and he brought to my attention that much of what White writes about in this book is similar to what a family of big buck deer hunters from Vermont talks about and spends time each year trying to teach to other hunters.

The Benoits all grew up in Vermont. There’s Larry the father and sons Lanny, Lane and Shane. They love to deer hunt and their passion is tracking down big bucks. As they say, the proof is in the pudding and if you look at the success these guys have had, you cannot deny that they must know more about the art of tracking than the average deer hunter.

A couple years ago, Milt and I traveled to the far reaches of Northern Maine to a small town called Allagash to attend a Benoit Brothers’ Big Buck Tracking School. I wanted to cover the event as a writer and I took Milt along to take pictures and to use his perspective on issues.

There were two things the Benoits emphasized all during their instruction – shooting and tracking. Shooting is obvious. As Lanny pointed out and as White points out in his book over a hundred years ago, you have a very brief moment to “hold the white bead on your target” and shoot. But, Lanny further points out that if you have been successful enough to “eliminate the obvious”, as White describes it, you’ll have perhaps as much as a split second to react and shoot. If you can’t shoot, the hard work leading up to the shot is all for not.

The second aspect is the one White writes about in knowing the obvious and removing it from what the mind takes in and sees. If you can accomplish such, you will see deer. The Benoits often talk about learning what a big buck will do. This begins with an understanding of where to find the big deer, taking into consideration all factors. You pick up a track and follow it. You have to learn and know your area, the terrain, escape routes, etc. and you have to recognize from the track what the deer is thinking, know his habits and use this to eliminate the obvious.

There will be mistakes. That’s how we learn, that is if we are willing to learn from our mistakes and apply them to the next outing. The more seasoned we become the more we will be able to remove from our visual all the obvious things – the rock, the tree, the flowering shrub, etc.. Then, once our minds are trained to know what to look for and how to apply all the information being processed, our success rate will go up. We will turn seeing no deer into seeing deer and in turn taking deer.

I agree with Milt, now that I’ve read that section of the book. Almost every aspect of what Stewart Edward White wrote about over one hundred years ago still applies today and accurately describes the Benoits methods they employ in tracking down monster bucks.

Tom Remington

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“If You Didn’t Bring Jerky, What Did I Just Eat”

I just finished reading Bill Heavey’s new book, “If You Didn’t Bring Jerky, What Did I Just Eat?” – Misadventures in Hunting, Fishing, and the Wilds of Suburbia. This book should be available and in stock this week and I recommend it highly.

If You Didn’t Bring Jerky, What Did I Just Eat?: Misadventures in Hunting, Fishing, and the Wilds of Suburbia

Bill Heavey, for those who don’t know, has written the back-page column for Field & Stream for nearly a decade and is regarded as a leading outdoor writer in this industry.

I’m not sure how many books, stories and articles I’ve read over the years but it’s quite easy to find as many stories as can make a man nauseous about the “perfect” shot, the “exact” presentation of a fly for the trophy trout or recreating an incredible duplicate sound to call in a monster whitetail. These guys never make a mistake, or you never read about them. You won’t get any of that with Bill Heavey. When you read his stories, many of them are about you and most are the stories you were too ashamed to tell anyone about.

Bill Heavey’s stories are real. There’s no doubt about that. Short on pride and a lack of bravado, you might think him to be a bumbling fool. I’ve hunted and fished with this type before and if you aren’t careful, you can easily be duped by that fool leaving you to wonder who really is the fool.

The bulk of the book is a compilation of some of Heavey’s best stories, the likes of which will leave you snickering, snorting, belly laughing and succumbing to uncontrolled outbursts. Mixed in there, I will warn you, are a few stories that might leave you heading for the back room so nobody will notice the tear in your eye.

I thought I would take a few minutes and share two parts of the book that I found the most enjoyable but may not accurately represent the entire make up of his book. The first is my favorite story. On page 97 begins “The Lion Dogs”. Bill hooks up with guides Jonathon Kibler and Wally Kostelnik in the rough deserts of the Southwest hunting mountain lions. Heavey’s recount of the events during this particular hunt, draw you in, placing you on the scene with dust on your boots, participating in the hunt.

The story rips at you as you discover the commitment of the guides and their dogs. It is incredible. This obviously is the kind of hunt for the hardy and the adventure seeker. What is portrayed as a group of tough guys overcoming the challenges of a mountain lion hunt, ends in a way that will leave you to close the book and ponder for some time.

On the other end of a broad spectrum that Heavey will take you through, you’ll find this piece of journalistic genius. From a story titled, “The Middle Ground”, beginning on page 34, Bill writes:

Then I made the mistake of asking if he ever used spinning rods. “Hell, no,” he growled. “I call those fairy wands.”

Now call it dumb luck or call it fate, but on that particular day the biggest bass, a 4-1/2 pounder, fell to a pumpkin tube on a 1/8-ounce slip sinker cast by yours truly, Tinkerbell. With his fairy wand.

At the other end of the scale are my yuppie friends who have taken up fly fishing with all the gaiety of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Where did these people come from? I think what happens is this: If you make over $80,000 a year and drive a Saab, somebody from the Fly Fishing Bureau of Indoctrination shows up at your house and teaches you to false cast in your living room. If you also wear steel-rimmed glasses and have an untrained golden retriever with a red bandana tied around its neck, they immediately present you with a Tonkin bamboo rod (two tips), a brain surgeon’s headlamp, and a leather leader wallet embossed with Izaak Walton’s profile.

Click on the link above and order your copy today. I know you’ll be glad you did.

Tom Remington

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My First Deer Hunt

My First Deer Hunt is a brand new children’s book written and photographed by Curtis and Michael Waguespack – brothers. The book is published by Country Kid Publishing LLC. You can find more information and place your order by visiting the website at MyFirstDeerHunt.

I just received my complimentary copy in the mail less than 2 hours ago and thought that I would give it a review, even though I wasn’t asked to.

As is explained at the website and also within a press release about the book, Michael Waguespack, a co-author and elementary school teacher, discovered there were no children’s books available about hunting. He and his brother decided that with the difficulties states are having to recruit new hunters, including the kids, and no books out there to help them out, this was their entrepreneurial opportunity.

First let me say that the book is of the highest quality printing material. High gloss paper loaded with some great photography is sure to open wide the eyes of a lot of kids. I wouldn’t want to say too much here but in all honesty, some of the pictures will gape an eye or two of some seasoned hunters.

The story is simple and should be exceptionally easy for kids, whose parents deem them ready, to grasp and get excited about. The story plot takes a Dad and his young son on a hunt. The kid is introduced to camouflage clothing and hunter orange. While father and son are spending together time, Dad teaches his son about several aspects of hunting, including the discovery of tracks and droppings, rubs and how the wind needs to be used to one’s advantage.

While walking to a favorite sitting spot, both father and son see other wildlife around them. After sitting awhile, the son spots deer and points them out to Dad, learning that such movements will frighten the deer away. When the young boy later on spots a beauty of a buck, Dad misses out. I’ll let you discover why.

I really have only one issue with the book but it is one I will not get too hung up on. Nowhere in any of the photos is there a gun of any kind pictured. It’s a bit odd and even in the photos, the Dad looks a bit uncomfortable with his hands most often tucked into his pockets.

In a press release, Michael is quoted as saying, “We didn’t want to do a how-to instructional book. We wanted to create a real children’s book that captured the imagination.” I think that they succeeded in doing that as I think any kid who isn’t already tainted in their thinking about hunting would certainly enjoy the photos and the sights and sounds awaiting them according to the book.

The explanation given by the authors as to why no gun, the same press release says, “The authors chose to leave out the weapons to keep the story appropriate for all school environments.”

As a parent, you’ll have to decide if the book is too politically correct by leaving out any pictures of a gun or any reference to guns in the story.

I suppose the bottom line is whether or not I would buy the book and share it with my grandkids, as my own children are adults now. The answer is yes but with an explanation. As a parent, it is my decision what I teach my kid. I can present them with a book like this and then introduce them to the use of guns as I deem appropriate. This is certainly a tool I could use in getting my kids excited about hunting, especially in cases where hunting is not a long-time family tradition.

If this is what it takes to get a few more kids interested in hunting and all the experiences that go with it, I’m for it. There is a program underway right now where you can order a book for yourself and pay to have another shipped to a school or library. It is my belief that the authors of this book may see some opposition from anti-hunting groups and animal rights groups but they would no matter what they did. If this book can get placed in a few schools and library’s and pique the curiosity of a handful of kids, then that’s a handful of kids that might not discover the greatness the rest of us have.

You should consider this could make a great Christmas gift.

Tom Remington

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