An intensely private and shy man, Hoover the person was largely unknown to the American public. In this extensively researched biography devoted to the angling side of Hoover, author Hal Elliott Wert examines the often overlooked life of our thirty-first president. In a presidency plagued by the Depression, in a time when the country was poised between the agrarian society of the past and the advent of a modern professional class, Herbert Hoover faced numerous challenges. A thinker and a doer who shaped the way we live today, Hoover found relief from the stresses of his professional life in his pastime, fishing. Herbert Hoover fished near his hometown of West Branch, Iowa, as a boy and then moved to Oregon, where he fished the Rogue, Willamette, McKenzie, and Columbia rivers. As a young man, he attended Stanford and fished and camped throughout the West during breaks. He fished and spent time in the outdoors throughout his life and especially in his years as president. He founded Cave Man Camp at Bohemian Grove north of San Francisco, a yearly getaway for powerful Republicans, and Camp Rapidan in Virginia while he was in the White House. In addition to freshwater fishing, Hoover enjoyed fishing the salt. On trips to Florida later in his life, he stalked bonefish and fished for permit and the larger species, such as sailfish.

First full study devoted to the archery and crossbow guilds which grew up in Flanders in the middle ages. The notion of "guilds" in civic society might conjure images of craft guilds, the organisations of butchers, bakers or brewers set up to regulate working practises. In the towns of medieval Flanders, however, a plethora of guildsexisted which had little or nothing to do with the organisation of labour, including chambers of rhetoric, urban jousters and archery and crossbow guilds. This is the first full-length study of the archery and crossbow guilds, encompassing not only the great urban centres of Ghent, Bruges and Lille but also numerous smaller towns, whose participation in guild culture was nonetheless significant. It examines guild membership, structure and organisation, revealing the diversity of guild brothers - and sisters - and bringing to life the elaborate social occasions when princes and plumbers would dine together. The most spectacular of these were the elaborate regional shooting competitions, whose entrances alone included play wagons, light shows and even an elephant! It also considers their social and cultural activities, and their important role in strengthening and rebuilding regional networks. Overall, it provides a new perspective on the strength of community within Flemish towns and the values that underlay medieval urban ideology. LAURA CROMBIE gained her PhD from the university of Glasgow.

From editors David Joy and Eric Rickstad comes Gather at the River, an anthology of twenty-five remarkable essays on fishing from an ensemble of contemporary authors. Their experiences explore the ways we come to water, for renewal and reverie, or to simply stand waist-deep in a river and watch the trout rise. Gather at The River is more than a collection of big fish stories; it's Ron Rash writing about the Appalachia of his youth and C.J. Box revealing the river where he wants his ashes spread. It's Natalie Baszile on a frogging expedition in the Louisiana Bayou and a teenaged Jill McCorkle facing new realities of adulthood on Holden Beach, North Carolina. This is an anthology about friendship, family, love and loss, and everything in between, because as Henry David Thoreau wrote, "it is not really the fish they are after." The contributors are an eclectic mix of critically acclaimed writers including New York Times Bestselling Authors Ron Rash, Jill McCorkle, Leigh Ann Henion, Eric Rickstad, M.O. Walsh, and #1 Bestseller C.J. Box. Some of the proceeds of every sale will benefit C.A.S.T. for Kids, public charity that joins volunteers who love to fish with children who have special needs and disadvantages for a day of fishing in the outdoors.

The attempt to "match the hatch"--to pair a dry fly perfectly with its natural as the insect emerges--is something every fly fisher hopes to experience. Trout, however, eat all the time and have no intention of waiting for the mayflies to make up their mind. So, while an understanding of dry flies is truly important, the fly fisher who catches fish consistently knows about everything trout like to eat, a menu that includes a wide variety of aquatic species. This book is your essential guide to all the crucial issues: How various flies imitate correctly a variety of food items. How to understand trout feeding patterns and watch the water to spot them. How to identify the important mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, midges, and other aquatic insects, and choose imitations. How to identify forage fish. And how to make proper presentations. Throughout this book, the author's enjoyable black-and-white illustrations
reinforce the discussion and give highly accurate portrayals of what the
angler can expect to see in the field. A full-color section includes size and color charts for many major insects, crustaceans, and forage fish.

A superb collection of stories that captures the very soul of hunting. For hunters, listening to the accounts of kindred spirits recalling the drama and action that go with good days afield ranks among life's most pleasurable activities. Here, then, are some of the best hunting tales ever written, stories that sweep from charging lions in the African bush to mountain goats in the mountain crags of the Rockies; from the gallant bird dogs of the Southern pinelands to the great Western hunts of Theodore Roosevelt. Great American Hunting Stories captures the very soul of hunting. With contributions from: Theodore Roosevelt, Nash Buckingham, Archibald Rutledge, Zane Grey, Lieutenant Townsend Whelen, Harold McCracken, Irvin S. Cobb, Edwin Main Post, Horace Kephart, Francis Parkman ,William T. Hornaday, Sc.D, Rex Beach, and more.

It is with passion and clarity that Dave Whitlock describes trout, salmon, char, and how to fly fish for them. Artful Profiles of Trout, Char, and Salmon and the Flies That Catch Them is a collection of articles spanning Whitlock's career, all of which are essential reading for any fly-fisher. Over the past fifty years, he has amassed an incredible amount of knowledge and written a large number of articles, many of which appeared in Trout magazine and are featured within. Here, Whitlock deftly, accessibly, and thoroughly goes through a vast range of topics, including Insights into the many subspecies of trout, char, and salmon Casting methods for every scenario Drawing out shy fish Types of flies for different waters and situations Accurately imitating food sources And much more! Discover a wealth of information consolidated by an experienced and devoted angler. Artful Profiles of Trout, Char, and Salmon and the Flies That Catch Them is absolutely packed with tried-and-true tips, tactics, and techniques that are presented concisely alongside colorful illustrations by Whitlock himself. This book is a must have for anyone with an interest in angling, whether they are an absolute beginner, or an experienced angler with years under their belts.

Award-winning carver and fishing enthusiast Rich Rousseau shares his fish-tested designs for creating a variety of fresh and saltwater lures. These are fun and easy projects for anyone who enjoys fishing, carving or collecting. It includes a full-colour gallery of historic and contemporary wooden lures, accompanied by an introduction from top collector Butch Bartz. Making a usable fishing lure from a scrap of wood and some paint is a fun and easy project for anyone who enjoys fishing, carving or collecting. Divided into three main chapters this covers everything from what to know about choosing the right wood, types of lures, extra options to add to a lure, how to dress a hook and full-sized bonus patterns to help develop skills. Along with the wonderful lures that can be made by hand, there is a full-colour gallery of historic and contemporary wooden lures, accompanied by an introduction from top collector Butch Bartz. Rousseau's love of lure making and fishing in general is evident in the Fun Fish Facts and entertaining stories that are littered throughout.

In its first edition, published in 1993, "The Complete Book of Tackle Making" became the reference of choice for builders of fine tackle and casual craftsmen alike. It saved countless anglers thousands of dollars, and now, with this new edition--revised, updated, and expanded to accommodate the many developments in tackle making methods, equipment, and materials made since then--it can continue to do so for years to come.

Twenty-seven chapters and helpful appendixes include everything readers need to know about tools, spinners, bucktails, jigs, sinkers, plastic lures and plugs, wire leaders, painting and finishing methods, basic and advanced rod building, basic and decorative wraps, necessary knots and splices, tackle care and repair, suppliers and manufacturers, and much more. With more than eight hundred photographs and clear, step-by-step instruction throughout, this book is the ultimate reference for the tackle tinkerer.

Kevin "Doctari" Robertson's best-selling book on shot placement for African game, The Perfect Shot, has now been completely revised and updated: extensive additions to the text; 300 all-new photos of the animals covered; and revised, detailed anatomical drawings. The Perfect Shot II also has shot-placement details for a number of species not covered in the original edition, including blesbok, bongo, black wildebeest, grysbok, nyala, reedbuck, roan, and steenbok. In all, twenty-seven African game species are now covered. Robertson, a licensed professional hunter and veterinarian, first developed The Perfect Shot a dozen years ago, and it was quickly recognized as the most comprehensive work ever undertaken to show the anatomical features for all classes of African game. His revised version reflects his increased knowledge of big-game anatomy and shot placement. In addition, the chapters on bullet construction and performance have been substantially revised to cover the advances in bullet development that have occurred in the twelve years since the publication of the original edition. The book covers just about every animal you might hunt in Africa, from the big, dangerous species (elephant, buffalo, rhino, and hippo) to the large cats (lion and leopard) and from the largest antelopes (eland and bongo) to the smallest (duiker, grysbok, and klipspringer). Even Africa's more unusual species (giraffe, crocodile, zebra, and hyena) are covered in detail. Each animal is shown in at least one color field picture as well as a color ";ghost view"; that illustrates the shoulder bones, heart, lungs, brain, and spinal column. These views allow you to see precisely where to place your shot in relation to how the animal may be standing. Most species now have multiple illustrations from different angles for easier understanding of the different shot-placement options.

The Ultimate Guide to Bird Dog Training explains how to train a bird dog to hunt at a pace that suits a man walking, and to point and hold birds with all the elegance and style of a field trial champion. It combines successful traditional methods with modern electronic techniques to show how the nation's top professional gun dog trainers develop reliable hunting dogs that are easy to control, exciting to watch, and stylish on point.
Topics covered include: Selecting and starting pups, electronic training aids, how to prevent gun shyness, backyard bird dog practice, using your dog afield for the first time, teaching dogs to quarter ahead of the gun, using the wind to your advantage, and much more.
The author has traveled around the United States for more than thirty years studying how professional trainers develop the most dependable and enjoyable hunting dogs, and passing that information on to readers. In this invaluable volume, he provides everything the sportsman or -woman needs to know to train pointing dogs for hunting in the close-cover conditions found in most parts of the country today.

Kayak fishing: GAME ON 2 follows up on the award-winning success of the original film by folloiwing Jim Sammons around North America on another fishing adventure of a lifetime. Jim pushes his skills to the limit fighting a 120 lb tuna in Panama, musky hunting on a 6-day whitewater kayak fishing trip, and battling yellowtail in the exposed waters off Baja. Jim's adventures also take him down a road of discovery as he learns to fly fish in Montana and takes part in a special Heroes On the Water event in Texas.

Through gentle training methods learned from Ray Hunt--the original "horse whisperer"--Robert Milner shows retriever owners how to train the hunting retriever by using its own natural tendencies instead of force. Supplemented with the latest scientific research on how dogs learn, Milner's easy step-by-step training regimen uses positive reinforcement to create the perfect hunting and at-home companion. There is no better training method for the hunter who wants a calm, steady, and obedient retriever.
Milner, who has been training retrievers professionally for more than thirty years, reverses the trend of difficult dogs and difficult training methods and offers a system every hunter can easily understand and follow.

Tanning is the science and art of turning perishable animal skins into leather and furs. This age-old process can yield a luxurious fur garment or an indispensable leather item, and no artificial product to this day can replace or duplicate the properties of a tanned hide.A hide is the outer tissue of an animal body made up on once-living cells and their products. Tanning a skin involves removing the tissues which cannot be converted into leather and the treatment of the other tissues so they won't rot and will stay flexible and strong. Advice on transforming skins into unique wall decorations is also included, as are the how-to's of making gloves, boots, moccasins, jackets and more. Interesting background information adds to this comprehensive portrait of tanning. Facts on animal skins - what they are made of and why they can be preserved - precedes specific instructional sections, and a chapter on pioneer tanning methods thoroughly examines the roots of this art in Indian life. In these pages, Churchill gives you the means to make the most of each 'catch', using tanning skills that can equal those of professionals. Tanning also makes a satisfying craft for beginners or accomplished tanners who would like to try working with different types of animal skins or creating new products. This is a complete guide of simple instructions you can refer to again and again in preserving animal skins for years of future use and enjoyment.

Hemingway would have been impressed. In a stunning combination of superb colour images and literary yet lively personal essays, celebrated angling photojournalist Roy Tanami chronicles his adventures to far-flung fly-fishing destinations in some of the most remote wilderness areas on the planet. Angling the World takes us along on amazing excursions to ten of the world's top fly-fishing destinations. We seek out steelhead on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula; sea-run Arctic char in Nunavut, Canada; peacock bass and piranha in the Amazon jungle of Brazil; and brown trout on New Zealand's South Island. That's not to mention the fabled giant taimen of Mongolia, "one of the undisputed holy grail species for the serious, been there/done that, traveling fly angler." This member of the salmon family can weigh in at almost 200 pounds-and, yes, can "strike suddenly and often in a highly violent manner." There's drama around every bend in the river, with thoughts on conservation woven effortlessly in, as Tanami examines the ways in which traveling anglers can help save not only wild fish but also the wild places they inhabit. Written with keen observation, wit, and verve, and interspersed with fascinating tidbits of historical and geographical lore, Angling the World is a passport to a world of extraordinary angling adventure. Conveying the full awe and wonderment, enthusiasm and reflection of a consummate storyteller who also knows just how to capture his catch on film, it will have all anglers hooked-even if, while dreaming of distant waters, they're curled up on the couch.

A gripping story of man pitted against nature's most fearsome and efficient predator.
Outside a remote village in Russia's Far East a man-eating tiger is on the prowl. The tiger isn't just killing people, it's murdering them, almost as if it has a vendetta. A team of trackers is dispatched to hunt down the tiger before it strikes again. They know the creature is cunning, injured, and starving, making it even more dangerous. As John Vaillant re-creates these extraordinary events, he gives us an unforgettable and masterful work of narrative nonfiction that combines a riveting portrait of a stark and mysterious region of the world and its people, with the natural history of nature's most deadly predator.

The golden eagle has frequently been disregarded as a falconry bird. However, if trained and flown correctly these eagles can be very effective, providing the contemporary falconer with a unique hawking experience. As folden eagles are raptors for the experienced, this book has been written with the practicing falconer in mind or for those interested in history and natural history.

In the twelve years since his landmark book Pop Fleyes, Bob Popovics has continued to develop new fly patterns and improve old favourites. His new book includes 36 step-by-step tying and technique tutorials, over 12 new patterns, and numerous variations for every situation, plus contributions from a new generation of fly tiers who have been influenced by his signature style. Important fly design insights from one the sport's most innovative and influential fly tiers. Detailed tying steps for over 14 new patterns for salt and fresh water, including the Hollow Fleye, BULKhead, Beast, and Flex Fleye. In-depth tutorials on fundamental techniques essential for many saltwater fly patterns, large freshwater patterns for toothy critters, and working with the new light-cured acrylics. Fly patterns and tying tips from the next generation of leading fly designers: Jonny King, David Nelson, Dave Skok, Steve Farrar, and Blane Chocklett.

Hearty and comforting recipes that honor wild foods from the sea and the shore--and the inspiring life and work story from this famed pair of sisters and Alaskan fisherwomen. Share in the remarkable and wild lives of Emma Teal Laukitis and Claire Neaton, the Salmon Sisters, who grew up on a homestead in the Aleutians where the family ran a commercial fishing boat in the Alaskan sea. Their book reveals through stories, recipes, and photography this outward-bound lifestyle of natural bounty, the honest work on a boat's deck, and the wholesome food that comes from local waters and land. Here are creative and simple ways to enjoy wild salmon, halibut, and spot prawns, as well as simple crafts and ideas for exploring the natural world. The sisters are committed to sustaining and celebrating the seafaring community in Alaska, and their business of selling products related to and from the ocean donates a can of wild-caught fish to local food banks for each item purchased.

East Africa affects our imagination like few other places: The sight of a charging rhino goes directly to the heart; the limitless landscape of bony highlands, desert, and mountain is, as Isak Dinesen wrote, of "unequalled nobility." White Hunters is the story of seventy years of African adventure, danger, and romance. It re-creates the legary big-game safaris led by Selous and Bell and the daring ventures of early hunters into unexplored territories, and brings to life such romantic figures as Cape-to-Cairo Grogan, who walked 4,000 miles for the love of a woman, and Dinesen's dashing lover, Denys Finch. Witnesses to the richest wildlife spectacle on the earth, these hunters were the first conservationists. Hard-drinking, infatuated with risk, and careless in love, they inspired Hemingway's stories and movies with Clark Gable and Gregory Peck.

The definitive resource on tunas and billfishes from the world's top authorities. Tunas and billfishes are peak predators of the oceans. Admired by scientists and naturalists for their speed, grace, unique physiology, and diversity, they are important both ecologically and socioeconomically. Vital sources of food and income for many maritime nations, whose fleets of vessels target them with huge purse seines or miles-long lines, these exhilarating fishes are also highly desired and avidly sought by big game fishers across the globe. In Tunas and Billfishes of the World, Bruce Collette, a leading marine ichthyologist and conservationist, and John Graves, an expert on the biology, fisheries, and management of tunas and billfishes, focus on three families of fishes: Scombridae, the mackerels and tunas; Istiophoridae, sailfish and marlins; and Xiphiidae, the Swordfish. Over the course of 61 in-depth species accounts, Collette and Graves * describe what each species looks like and where it lives * include detailed summaries of the fishes' biology-size, food, habitat, reproduction, and early life history * offer current information about fisheries interests and conservation status * provide up-to-date evaluations of the threat status for each species Accompanied by full-color, scientifically accurate illustrations by renowned illustrator Val Kells, along with range maps for each species, this spectacular volume is the essential book on these majestic inhabitants of the sea. Destined to quickly become the standard reference for scientists, students, and naturalists, Tunas and Billfishes of the World will also be prized by all fishers who pursue these species.

Being an effective hunter with a modern precision air rifle requires; being suitably well informed about the intended quarry species, have a wealth of knowledge concerning different hunting methods, a detailed understanding of how their air rifle performs, and know how to maximise its attributes to optimise efficacy in the field, and a level of proficiency in shooting an air rifle. The Airgunner's Companion: A Field Guide to Hunting with Air Rifles, provides the reader with the fundamental knowledge necessary to be an effective hunter. With detailed discussion about the different types of airgun and selecting additional shooting equipment (such as telescopic sights, moderators, laser range finders, etc). Chapters include how to use camouflage effectively, manage serious vermin control and conservation projects, stalking, lamping rabbits, how to decoy woodpigeon and corvid species to the ground, hunting around farmyards and woodland and a dedicated section on the effective control of grey squirrels. The book unites the latest developments in airgun technology, tried and tested methods for hunting, and the latest scientific knowledge concerning animal behaviour.

In the Zen tradition archery (or swordsmanship) is not just a sport or a form of self-defence but an art, a religious ritual and one of the many possible paths to Enlightenment.

Few Westerners have tried as hard as Eugen Herrigel, a German professor who lived for many years in Japan, to learn Zen from a Master. In this classic text he gives an unsparingly honest account of how he was initiated, step by step, into the 'Great Doctrine' of archery. At first he was baffled by what he was taught - that art must become artless, that the archer must aim at himself - yet gradually he began to glimpse the depth of wisdom concealed in such paradoxes. While many Western writers on Zen serve up second-hand slogans, Herrigel's hard-won insights were his own discoveries. His fine book offers a beautifully lucid introduction to one of the most haunting and subtle spiritual traditions in the world.

The Deer Stalker’s Bedside Book provides an entertaining read for every deer enthusiast, whether experienced stalker, novice who would like to learn more, or indeed anyone who has an interest in these enigmatic and graceful creatures. Packed with a wealth of information – factual, practical, historical and biological – as well as anecdotes, advice, stalking tales, trivia and quotations, all backed up with personal observations and experiences, this expertly researched and authoritative book offers something for everyone. This treasury of all things deer is presented in an articulate, accessible and often humorous style, enabling the author to share his knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for the subject in an effortless and absorbing way. Above all, this is a book to enjoy, to savour and to return to, again and again!