Book Recommendations?

[Waddi]

What are your favorite hunting books? I’m mainly looking for books that are species specific regarding animal behavior and hunting tactics etc but I’m open to anything.

I’m finding myself spending way too much time on my phone to research hunting and would like a healthier alternative. Thanks!

 

[wingmaster]

Wind, Dust, and Snow I and II by Robert Anderson - I really liked these books about sheep hunting in central Asia. The series Great Rams I - IV by the same author is also good but is much more expensive.

The Great Arc of the Wild Sheep by James Clark - Makes sense of sheep distribution across the globe, also includes Elgin Gates's famous hunt for Marco Polo sheep which is worth reading.

Hunting Trophy Antelope by Mike Eastman - Filled with useful information on antelope hunting, I'll be revisiting it every time I draw a tag.

Any book by Duncan Gilchrist

I couldn't really get into Jack O'Connor's books, although I did like The Art of Hunting Big Game in North America which covers tactics and various species.

The Edge and Public Land Mulies by David Long for practical deer-hunting information and are enjoyable to read.

North American Wildlife Policy and Law for an academic textbook on wildlife management and conservation.

Books on hunting stories can get boring after a while, but I find the old ones to be a nice exception, such as East of the Sun and West of the Moon by the Roosevelt brothers, and Across Asia's Snows and Deserts by William Morden. Both expeditions collected specimens in central Asia for American museums.

 

[Waddi]

Those are some great suggestions. I appreciate the variety. I enjoy Eastman articles so I’ll probably check that out since I should be drawing a pronghorn tag this year. The Great Arc of Wild Sheep sounds pretty interesting too. For 15 bucks off Amazon I’ll add it to the list.

I understand your sentiment towards the older hunting novels. I just started reading Hunting Trips of a Ranch Hand and The Wilderness Hunter by Teddy Roosevelt sometimes they’re a slow read for me just because of the language of that era I can only read about twenty minutes at a time or so before i need a break.

Just googled some of those Robert Anderson books. I think the entire series costs more than my first car! Pretty wild the amount of money some of these old books can cost. I’ve been debating buying Col Tom Kelly’s Tenth Legion, there’s a version for $60.00 on Amazon right now.

Thanks for the recommendations!

 

[wingmaster]

Those are some great suggestions. I appreciate the variety. I enjoy Eastman articles so I’ll probably check that out since I should be drawing a pronghorn tag this year. The Great Arc of Wild Sheep sounds pretty interesting too. For 15 bucks off Amazon I’ll add it to the list.

I understand your sentiment towards the older hunting novels. I just started reading Hunting Trips of a Ranch Hand and The Wilderness Hunter by Teddy Roosevelt sometimes they’re a slow read for me just because of the language of that era I can only read about twenty minutes at a time or so before i need a break.

Just googled some of those Robert Anderson books. I think the entire series costs more than my first car! Pretty wild the amount of money some of these old books can cost. I’ve been debating buying Col Tom Kelly’s Tenth Legion, there’s a version for $60.00 on Amazon right now.

Thanks for the recommendations!

No problem! Regarding pronghorn, I'm always recommended Pronghorn: Ecology & Management by James Yoakum. I haven't read it yet since I'm waiting to see if I can get it discounted, but I might just pay up since I'm also expecting to draw antelope this year.

The old books can be slow, but it's interesting to read about the kind of expeditions that don't happen today. I recently read The Wilderness of the Upper Yukon by Charles Sheldon and there were exciting sheep stalks interspersed with peaceful/boring journeys through pristine wilderness.

$60 for Tenth Legion is a decent price. I always see older editions of that book sell for hundreds, and sometimes a thousand plus for the first edition.

As a side note, I collect sheep hunting books in particular since I doubt I'll ever experience one firsthand.

 

[R boar]

The Comfort Crisis is not a hunting book, although a hunting story is told throughout it. I listened to it on audiobook and thought it was very compelling. Many of the points in the book perfectly put into words things I've been thinking for years.

One of the takeaways for me was how people never allow themselves to be bored anymore. It might make you rethink mindlessly wasting time on your phone with every spare second (but here we are).

 

[Pochuck]

Loved Alaska's Wolf Man, Alaska-Yukon Trophies Won and Lost, and A Sand County Almanac. Looking to get some more so will be following this thread

If you get Hunt High by Gilchrist can I borrow it?

 

[TreeDog]

The Comfort Crisis is not a hunting book, although a hunting story is told throughout it. I listened to it on audiobook and thought it was very compelling. Many of the points in the book perfectly put into words things I've been thinking for years.

One of the takeaways for me was how people never allow themselves to be bored anymore. It might make you rethink mindlessly wasting time on your phone with every spare second (but here we are).

Really enjoyed that book. Going to have to give it another read through now.

 

[Waddi]

No problem! Regarding pronghorn, I'm always recommended Pronghorn: Ecology & Management by James Yoakum. I haven't read it yet since I'm waiting to see if I can get it discounted, but I might just pay up since I'm also expecting to draw antelope this year.

The old books can be slow, but it's interesting to read about the kind of expeditions that don't happen today. I recently read The Wilderness of the Upper Yukon by Charles Sheldon and there were exciting sheep stalks interspersed with peaceful/boring journeys through pristine wilderness.

$60 for Tenth Legion is a decent price. I always see older editions of that book sell for hundreds, and sometimes a thousand plus for the first edition.

As a side note, I collect sheep hunting books in particular since I doubt I'll ever experience one firsthand.

I never knew there was such a market on these books, I’ll keep an eye out for the ones you mentioned and hope someday someone at a garage sale doesn’t know what they have

 

[Waddi]

The Comfort Crisis is not a hunting book, although a hunting story is told throughout it. I listened to it on audiobook and thought it was very compelling. Many of the points in the book perfectly put into words things I've been thinking for years.

One of the takeaways for me was how people never allow themselves to be bored anymore. It might make you rethink mindlessly wasting time on your phone with every spare second (but here we are).

I really enjoyed the audiobook of this as well!

 

[Waddi]

Loved Alaska's Wolf Man, Alaska-Yukon Trophies Won and Lost, and A Sand County Almanac. Looking to get some more so will be following this thread

If you get Hunt High by Gilchrist can I borrow it?

Just added Alaska-Yukon Trophies to my list. I read Sand County Almanac years ago in school I’d love to read it again. Hunt High goes for as much as a decent rifle

 

[ClaytonLowell]

What are your favorite hunting books? I’m mainly looking for books that are species specific regarding animal behavior and hunting tactics etc but I’m open to anything.

I’m finding myself spending way too much time on my phone to research hunting and would like a healthier alternative. Thanks!

Mostly Tailfeathers: Stories About Guns and Dogs and Birds and Other Odds and Ends by Gene Hill​

 

[Davyalabama]

Gene Hill, Ted Trueblood, Zane Grey, David Petzal, and more......You didn't mention turkey hunting, so I'll leave those authors out, for now. Don't be afraid of the older literature, those guys knew there stuff before youtube, game cameras, drones, thermal imaging, etc. They actually were in the field to learn it, and learn it they did. There reading are slow and meticulous, but if you are wanting to learn ....... they were/are the real deal.

Now, specific authors, just use chatgpt and search for what topic/animal you care to read.

 

[NealS02]

I second The Edge by David Long. Right now, I am reading Robby’s book How to Take the Biggest Buck of Your Life and so far am really enjoying it.

 

[Mish-pop]

Hunting Open Country Mule Deer: A Guide for Taking Western Bucks With Rifle and Bow - Dwight Schuh

 

[MTtrout]

I haven’t read many hunting specific books but I really enjoyed Alaska’s Wolf Man and American Buffalo

 

[JDPAPA]

As mentioned above, the Wolf Man of Alaska was an excellent read!
I had only read it based on the numerous recommendations on here and I was impressed.

 

[nobody]

I can’t believe only one Rokslider has mentioned “Hunting Big Mule Deer: How to Take the Best Buck of Your Life” by our very own Robby Denning. It should be required reading for ANYBODY who ever plans to set foot in the woods chasing after mule deer. I’ve read it a few times and latch onto something different each time.

 

[Jlister]

Hunting trips in the land of the dragon by Dr. Kenneth P. Czech
It’s about hunting in china from 1870-1940 pretty interesting

Currently reading horn of the hunter by Robert Ruark and really enjoying it

 

[PillarofKodiak]

Alaska based books I have enjoyed last year or so: Alaska's wolf man about frank glaser = Excellent, A beast the color of winter: a Mtn goat observed, Vanished Bear trails, Track of the Kodiak, and Last of the great Brown Bear men or some other classics about guides Pinnel and Talifson

 

[silencedmajority]

The long range shooting handbook, by Ryan cleckner. Does a pretty good job of summarizing a lot about shooting topics and setups.