What brought the ape out of the trees, and so the man out of the ape, was a taste for blood. This is how the story went, when a few fossils found in Africa in the 1920s seemed to point to hunting as the first human activity among our simian forebears-the force behind our upright posture, skill with tools, domestic arrangements, and warlike ways. Why, on such slim evidence, did the theory take hold? In this engrossing book Matt Cartmill searches out the origins, and the strange allure, of the myth of Man the Hunter. An exhilarating foray into cultural history, A View to a Death in the Morning shows us how hunting has figured in the western imagination from the myth of Artemis to the tale of Bambi-and how its evolving image has reflected our own view of ourselves. A leading biological anthropologist, Cartmill brings remarkable wit and wisdom to his story. Beginning with the killer-ape theory in its post-World War II version, he takes us back through literature and history to other versions of the hunting hypothesis. Earlier accounts of Man the Hunter, drafted in the Renaissance, reveal a growing uneasiness with humanity's supposed dominion over nature. By delving further into the history of hunting, from its promotion as a maker of men and builder of character to its image as an aristocratic pastime, charged with ritual and eroticism, Cartmill shows us how the hunter has always stood between the human domain and the wild, his status changing with cultural conceptions of that boundary. Cartmill's inquiry leads us through classical antiquity and Christian tradition, medieval history, Renaissance thought, and the Romantic movement to the most recent controversies over wilderness management and animal rights. Modern ideas about human dominion find their expression in everything from scientific theories and philosophical assertions to Disney movies and sporting magazines. Cartmill's survey of these sources offers fascinating insight into the significance of hunting as a mythic metaphor in recent times, particularly after the savagery of the world wars reawakened grievous doubts about man's place in nature. A masterpiece of humanistic science, A View to a Death in the Morning is also a thoughtful meditation on what it means to be human, to stand uncertainly between the wilderness of beast and prey and the peaceable kingdom. This richly illustrated book will captivate readers on every side of the dilemma, from the most avid hunters to their most vehement opponents to those who simply wonder about the import of hunting in human nature.

A lifelong Alaskan, Steve Kahn moved at the age of nine from the "metropolis" of Anchorage to the foothills of the Chugach Mountains. A childhood of berry picking, fishing, and hunting led to a life as a big-game guide. When he wasn't guiding in the spring and fall, he worked as a commercial fisherman and earned his pilot's license, pursuits that took him to the far reaches of the Alaskan wilderness. He lived through some of the most important moments in the state's history: the 1964 earthquake (the most powerful in U.S. history), the Farewell Burn wildfire, the last king crab season in Kodiak Island waters, the "Exxon Valdez" oil spill and cleanup, and even the far-reaching effects of the 9/11 attacks.

The essays in "The Hard Way Home" offer a view of Alaska that is at once introspective and adventurous. Here we find the state's plants, animals, people, geography, politics, and culture considered from an intimate perspective, yielding hard-earned lessons about conservation, sustainability, and living well. An irrepressible guide, Kahn invites readers to share his experiences and discoveries and to consider questions about a place, and a life, that are disappearing.

Ed Leonard is not only a great fisherman, but a truly accomplished fisherman. He has found a personal satisfaction in tying and casting that has motivated him to continue fishing for over half a century. In this memoir he writes affectionately about all the wonderful people who helped to make him the fisherman he is today, and all the rare and exciting moments that happened along the way.
The scene opens in Pennsylvania, where a young farm boy is striving to make his Daddy proud, and trying to catch one or two of the monster sunnies in a near by mill pond. As the story unfolds, the sunnies eventually give way to bass when the farm boy ventures past the pond and discovers a smallmouth stream. Colorful characters such as Nev, the janitor and master fly fisher, mentor this youngster and encourage his curiosity for fishing, amusement, and satisfaction. In addition to chapters that focus on a knowledge and appreciation of fly rods, suggestions for trout flies, and a strategy for pursuing Maryland's salty largemouths, Leonard's reminiscences will teach the reader to appreciate and revel in all the delights and rewards that can be acquired by fly fishing.

Have you ever had an especially memorable day in the marshes, when flocks of ducks or geese filled the skies and came willingly to your calls, turning to land among your decoys in wave after wave? To preserve those memories, many hunters like to preserve their birds-be they Canada geese, mallards, wood ducks, bluebills, or teal-by taking them to a taxidermist and having them mounted for permanent display in dens or trophy rooms.
But having a bird professionally mounted can be expensive, so these days many hunters are opting to preserve ducks and geese themselves. And for these do-it-yourself taxidermists, The Complete Guide to Waterfowl Taxidermy is the perfect book. Written by master taxidermist Todd Triplett, this ultimate guide covers all aspects of the art of waterfowl taxidermy.
Included are detailed, easy-to-follow chapters on:
Proper field care
Waterfowl anatomy and reference
Tools and materials
Skinning and degreasing methods
Methods of preservation
General mounting procedures
Flying and standing poses
Using artificial parts
Base attachment
And much more

John Bailey has skillfully woven a unique blend of natural history and practical information into this indispensable guide, ensuring that anglers at all levels will find exactly what they need, whether it be learning a new skill or improving upon an existing one. Covering the entire range of modernday fishing, including fly fishing, bait fishing, lure fishing, carp fishing, and saltwater fishing, The Complete Guide to Fishing brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and a genuine sense of fun and enthusiasm to the world of angling. In addition to exploring such practical elements as clothing, tackle, bait, and flies, the author also focuses on the philosophy of sport fishing and the role of the fisherman-naturalist. With detailed step-by-step photography and dramatic shots of fish in their natural habitats, as well as comprehensive practical advice and encouragement throughout, this book will remain a classic reference on the subject for many years to come.

"Fishless Days, Angling Nights" is a rich and varied treasury of the best writing by the "Dean of American Fly Fishermen." There is lighthearted philosophy and profound insight into the character of fishermen and campers. There are hilarious pieces such as "Who Is Sparse Grey Hackle?" and starkly vivid recollections of the terrors of night fishing. And throughout there are memorable portraits of the great anglers he knew, like Edward R. Hewitt and George M.L. LaBranche. This is a book for anyone interested in the very finest writing about the great outdoors.

"Trout Flies" presents the most carefully tested and proven series of fish-takers now available to the fly fisherman. There are the flies of legend -- sixty-two of them: nationally acclaimed patterns such as the Emergent Sparkle Pupa, along with effective innovations such as the Twist Nymph. But this is not just another recipe book. It is crammed with fine and important observations on the habitat, the fish, and the techniques of fishing all of the flies; for without such knowledge, even the best flies are doomed to produce limited results.

"Trout Flies" is a top-to-bottom analysis of day-to-day situations in all types of trout water. It gives anglers the best of modern flies -- all proven patterns -- and all the expert information fly fishers need to fool fish consistently with these exciting patterns.

Many dream hunts involve elk, and yet so often those dreams do not come true because of excessive expenses or just plain not knowing where to go. Elk Hunting Montana can make the elk-hunt dream a reality by offering a thorough and detailed explanation of where to find public access in Big Sky Country, and also where to find good elk. Author Jack Ballard has done the majority of his elk hunting in his home state of Montana. He knows the terrain thoroughly--not just the wilderness, but also the bureaucracy all hunters must deal with to obtain the necessary paperwork to hunt legally. Given the large size of the state and the myriad issues surrounding the system for drawing a tag and finding a good outfitter, having this insider's guide will help locate your quarry. Features include: - Geographical overviews - How to find good access
- Advice on hunting strategies - Information on elk distribution
- Highly useful maps If you're the do-it-yourself hunter who is resourceful and willing to give your boots a workout, Elk Hunting Montana is here to help you plan for success in a state known for good bulls and a lot of public acreage.

With more than 400,000 members, Buckmasters is an organization devoted entirely to deer and deer hunting. Founded 15 years ago by Jackie Bushman, Buckmasters prides itself on disseminating hunting information that its members can put to good use. After 15 years of heading up Buckmasters and hosting the nationally acclaimed Buckmasters television series, Jackie Bushman has picked up a wealth of information on whitetail hunting. And now, for the first time, he has put it all down in his first book. Containing his favorite 50 hunting tips-everything from reading tracks and droppings, to understanding deer habits and habitat, to choosing the right guns and gear for the hunt at hand, to proper placement of treestands-Jackie Bushman's Top 50 Whitetail Hunting Tips is guaranteed to soar to the top of the deer hunting charts. Liberally illustrated with color photographs throughout, plus illustrations and diagrams, this is the type of book that all deer hunters-be they members of Buckmasters or not-will appreciate. They can't help but come away more knowledgeable deer hunters, after reading this book. The only question is, when will Jackie Bushman come out with his next book-because you can be sure people will be asking for another one, as soon as they finish this one. (6 x 9 1/4, 160 pages, color photos)

Bill Bynum, one of America's foremost hunting experts, uses his remarkable experiences in the field to illustrate every aspect of attracting predators and coaxing them within those last few critical yards for the shot in any type of environment. In Predator Hunting, Bynum details not only the standard methods of luring predators, but many other advanced techniques developed through hunting coyotes, bobcats, and foxes all across the country. Predator Hunting includes chapters on selecting the right game calls and learning how and when to use them, scouting and reading tracks and other sign, identifying each predator's habits and habitats throughout North America, and hunting in any type of weather. Other chapters provide information on hunting at night, using the right guns and loads, hunting coyotes year-round, choosing gear without spending a fortune, securing access to great hunting land, and picking the right outfitter for a hunting trip far from home.
Predator Hunting provides all the information a hunter needs to take smart predators, like the adaptable coyote, the cautious red fox, and the secretive bobcat, even in areas that receive heavy pressure.

Celebrate the heritage of Field & Stream, America's premier sporting magazine, with this fine collection of more than fifty great articles from more than a century of the very best in outdoor writing. The subjects included are as diverse as the great outdoors itself: fishing-from the pursuit of big game in tropical seas to fly fishing for trout in mountain brooks; hunting-from waterfowl and upland birds to the dangerous game of Africa; dogs and camping; and much more.
The selections presetn the best work of the best-known outdoor wirters of the past hundred years, including: Zane Grey, Robert Ruark, Burton Spiller, A. J. McClane, Ted Trueblood, Corey Ford, William G. Tapply, Roderick Haig-Brown, Ed Zern, H. G. Tapply, Nash Buckingham, Keith McCafferty, Datus Proper, Russell Chatham, Tom Kelly, Gene Hill, Bill Tarrant, John Barsness, and many more.
With a color insert of some of the most striking covers of past issues of Field & Stream, this absorbing treasury will be a great treat for all lovers of the great outdoors.

That autumn, I went a little crazy for rivers, writes Bill Barich, and this charming volume captures the essence of this obsession. The hours he spent on various streams became a kind of meditation on family, friends, and the natural world. To anyone who remembers the infinite patience of a grandfather on a lake, or the romance of a mountain getaway with a new girlfriend; to anyone who can recall each fish caught on days that were far too hot, or way too cold, or on rivers too crowded or in canyons too steep; to anyone who has appreciated the trust of an age-old fishing partner, or marveled at the beauty of a leaping trout - to anyone, in fact, who has ever gone crazy for rivers, Bill Barich's wonderful memories of a season on the water and a lifetime of fishing will seem both touching and wise. This little book is a gem. (6 1/4 x 9 1/4, 98 pages)

Eric Peper grew up fly fishing the Beaverkill and learned its ways from some of the Catskills' greatest anglers, including Walt Dette, Harry Darbee, Al McClane, and Sparse Grey Hackle. Fly Fishing the Beaverkill distills his vast experience into a concise, authoritative package. Peper addresses where to find the trout, what flies to use, how the seasons affect the angling, and how to avoid the crowds on this popular upstate New York river. Fly-fishing guru Gary LaFontaine went along on this foray into classic American trout fishing, using his own experience on the Beaverkill and his extensive knowledge of fly fishing to help elicit the essence of the Beaverkill experience.
Included are a hatch chart of important insects, a list of popular flies for the river, recipes for several essential flies, and what Peper calls "adaptive behavior for the Beaverkill" or how to enjoy the experience despite the stream's popularity. There are scenic and helpful black-and-white photos throughout. This guide is essential reading for all anglers planning to fish this well-known American trout stream.

Though the modern pickup is a technological marvel, it is far from perfect, especially if you need it to tow or go off-road. Fortunately, there is now a wide variety of automotive after-market products specifically designed to enhance the performance of your four-wheel-drive pickup or sport-utility vehicle. "The Field & Stream Sporting Vehicles Handbook" explains in non-technical language how upgrades to a truck's suspension, transmission, exhaust, and electronic engine controls can yield a dramatic and much-welcomed improvement in towing, load-hauling, and off-road performance. You'll also learn from the experts about such critical bolt-on accessories as winches, auxiliary lights, hitches, and wheels -- in fact, everything you need to turn a stock four-by-four into a real hunting and fishing machine.

The Beaverkill, the Willowemoc, the Neversink, the Delaware, the Esopus, the Schoharie--these hallowed trout streams have been hailed for generations as "the birthplace of American fly fishing." Here is their story. Painstakingly researched and beautifully told, Catskill Rivers will likely remain the definitive study of these fabled waters and the remarkable people who created the American fly-fishing tradition.
There is an unforgettable look at the early river industries--rafting, sawmills, tanneries, wood-acid factories--and at the early days on these classic trout waters, where George LaBranche, in Sparse Grey Hackle's words, "adapted the dry fly to fast water and started an angling revolution." Here are the great anglers, fly tyers, rod makers, entomologists, and publicists--"Uncle Thad" Norris, Seth Green, Theodore Gordon, Herman Christian, Roy Steenrod, Rube Cross, Hiram Leonard, Ed Payne, Louis Rhead, Edward R. Hewitt, Sparse Grey Hackle,
Preston Jennings, Art Flick, Harry Darbee, Walt Dette, and a host of others. There are revealing discussions of the sociological forces that led Americans into fly fishing; the origins and customs of private stream clubs; the rivalries between owners and poachers; the controversies over imported "German" brown trout; the cult of dry-fly purists; the evolution of hatchery practices, stream improvements, and fisheries regulation; as well as the future prospects for these lovely waters. There are also penetrating historical and physical profiles of the six principal Catskill rivers, their insect life, trout distributions, stocking practices, access, angling pressures, fishing conditions, and successful angling techniques.
CatskillRivers is a poignant journey through the annals of American angling, from its origins to the present, laced with anecdotes and stories, graced with over one hundred ten photographs and nine beautifully illustrated river maps by John Manikowski. It is a book all fishermen will treasure.

When Bob "Bubba" Rich decided to embark upon his own quest--to qualify for the Metropolitan South Florida Fishing Tournament Hall of Fame--he didn't realize the amount of strength he would need to accomplish his goals. By the time it all was over, he had exhibited as much strength, valor, patience, and fortitude as any angler could muster.
Consider his goals--to take ten species of gamefish, on specific types of tackle, with difficult-to-achieve minimum weight requirements: a twenty-five-pound barracuda, a twenty-pound permit, a twenty-five-pound dorado, a blue or white marlin, a twenty-five-pound wahoo, a nine-pound bonefish, a sailfish of any weight, a six-pound largemouth bass, a one-hundred-pound tarpon, and, finally, an eighteen-pound snook.
Fish with Rich as he probes the waters of south Florida and the Bahamas, searching for the ten species that will gain him entrance to the Hall of Fame. Enjoy the incredible highs he feels when finally catching a fish that qualifies; share with him the unfathomable lows when things go wrong, and he just can't catch a break on some of the gamefish.

John Randolph's wise and riveting memoir of precisely how one begins to fly fish, learns the dozens of necessary skills, and finally advances to true mastery is destined to become an angling classic. It begins with early days on "brookie water, " an idyll of fishing small creeks for the most beautiful of native fish, and advances to thoughtful explorations of different rivers, hatches, the problems and mechanics of casting, and flies.

There are chapters on "Fly Fishing Sounds, " the religion of fly fishing, "The Wise Men" (Lee Wulff, Ernest Schwiebert, Lefty Kreh, Dave Whitlock, George Anderson, and others), and the literature of the sport; and there is a long chapter on the author's catching of a fish of a lifetime, in Alaska. And finally, there is a brilliant section called "The Tenth Level, " which shows the expertise that has been achieved by a rare few who combine all the various skills necessary for a great fly fisherman into a stunning whole.

Bass, especially largemouth bass, are easily the single most popular freshwater gamefish in the United States. Knowing Bass is a book about the science of bass fishing, with particular emphasis on the bass itself:
What bass can sense
How they use their senses to feed
How they relate to fishing lures
And ultimately, how they interact with anglers.
Understanding why bass do what they do will greatly improve anyone's chances of being a better and more successful angler, no matter the angler's present skill level.
Topics covered include bass biology; life history; the bass's organs of vision, hearing, smell, and taste, including the smells and flavors bass like-and don't like; how smell and taste control feeding behavior; the best kinds of lures to trigger the attack response in certain situations; and even minimizing stress on caught bass that are to be released.
A distinguished scientist who knows how, when, and why bass pursue their prey, Dr. Jones offers a wealth of valuable information on pursuing this popular gamefish to anglers of all skill levels.

Bass Bug Fishing is a detailed and comprehensive guide to top-water fly fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass, covering everything anyone needs to know to enjoy the thrill of bass bug fishing: the behavior of bass at various times of the day and season; recognizing good bugging water; the most effective tactics and techniques; the history of bass bugs; selecting effective bugs; how to tie the best bass bugs; equipment; and much more. No one who uses a fly rod to fish for bass - beginner to expert - should be without this book. (6 X 9 1/4, 164 pages, color photos, b&w photos)

"The Year of the Angler" and "The Year of the Trout" have long been underground classics, the kind of books used-book sellers can't keep in stock, the ones its owners won't loan out. Now they're back in print, under one cover.
Arnold Gingrich, the fly-fishing maven and editor of" Esquire," ranked Steve Raymond with the great fishing writers, and Gingrich knew writers and good writing. So great is its reputation, that a copy of "The Year of the Angler" was presented to the White House by the American Booksellers Association.
Raymond fishes Western waters, particularly the Northwest. Here are accounts of adventures on the Hoh, the Duwamish, the North Fork of the Stillaguamish, the Hanford Reach of the Columbia, Pass Lake, and Columbia Basin Pond. Here, too, are affectionate portraits of the great fish of those waters, the sea-run cutthroat, salmon, steelhead, rainbow, and brown trout.
And solid advice on catching them. Raymond tells stories, too, of men like John Huelsdonk, the Iron Man of the Hoh, who killed one hundred cougars.
As much as it is a book about fish and rivers, it is also a book about life, about the passage of time, the seasons, man and his place in the environment, family, pain and pleasure. Truly a classic, The Year of the Angler and the Year of the Trout will find a place on every serious angler's shelf, if only to replace one imprudently loaned to a friend.

The Year of the Angler and The Year of the Trout have long been underground classics, the kind of books used-book sellers can't keep in stock, the ones its owners won't loan out. Now they're back in print, under one cover.
Raymond fishes Western waters, particularly in the Northwest. The pages of this book are filled with accounts of his adventures on various bodies of water in this region, including the Duwamish, the Stillaguamish, the Columbia, and Pass Lake. Here, too, are affectionate portraits of the great fish of those waters, and solid advice on catching them. Raymond also tells stories of men like John Huelsdonk, the "Iron Man" of the Hoh, who killed one hundred cougars.
Arnold Gingrich, the fly-fishing maven and editor of Esquire, ranked Steve Raymond with the great fishing writers, and Gingrich knew writers and good writing. So great is its reputation that a copy of The Year of the Angler was presented to the White House by the American Booksellers Association.
As much as this is a book about fish and rivers, it is also a book about life, about the passage of time, the seasons, man's place in the environment, and family. Truly a classic, The Year of the Angler and the Year of the Trout will find a place on every serious angler's shelf, if only to replace one imprudently loaned to a friend.

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.
This collection of stories captures the very soul of hunting.
With contributions from: Lt. Col. J. M. Patterson, D.S. O., Theodore Roosevelt, Nash Buckingham, Archibald Rutledge, Zane Grey, Lieutenant Townsend Whelen, Harold McCracken, Irvin S. Cobb, Edwin Main Post, Sir Richard Dane, Horace Kephart, Ivan Turgenev, Francis Parkman, William T. Hornaday, Sc.D, Rex Beach
Settle into an armchair, and let the expedition begin.

If you read Jackie Bushman's first book, Jackie Bushman's Top 50 Whitetail Tactics, you learned about his favorite techniques and strategies for hunting trophy-caliber whitetail bucks. In this, his second book, you will see how Jackie puts those tactics to use.
In Jackie Bushman's Big Buck Strategies, Bushman shows you through example how he gets all of those bucks. It is not luck, as you will see, but skill, coupled with experience and observation.
With more than thirty stories of trophy bucks, including the taking of the Buckmasters Logo buck, and special Tactical Breakdown sections, you'll be able to not only enjoy the hunts along with Jackie Bushman, but you will be able to apply his tactics to your own hunting situation.
After you have read Jackie Bushman's Big Buck Strategies, you'll be a smarter deer hunter. And that, in turn, means that your odds for success will be improved.

Written in a matter-of-fact, often humorous style, 'The Champion Buffalo Hunter' is the engaging memoir of one of the most famous frontiersmen of the early West, 'Yellowstone Vic' Smith. Recently discovered in Harvard's Houghton Library by editor Jeanette Prodgers, this remarkable account (told in the third person) is comparable to Andrew Garcia's 'Tough Trip through Paradise, ' but notes Prodgers, 'without the melodrama.'

The surf fishermen of Martha's Vineyard are the heroes of this collection. Brought together by a longtime Vineyard fisherman, these colorful men and women offer advice, insight, and the inevitable tall tales.
There is Nelson Bryant, about to haul in a fifty-pound striper only to be cut off by an unseasoned newcomer who casts a plug over his line. There is Whit Manter, doggedly pursuing the next strike, the next rush of adrenaline, the next exhilarating struggle far into the surf and the eerie blackness of the night. And Janet Messineo, dragging a Derby-winning bluefish across the beach at dawn. Hair matted, face drawn with fatigue, hands sliced and punctured, she's the epitome of the sporting woman.
Intense and determined, the surf fishermen face cold, exhaustion, or a line gone slack at the height of battle. They prowl the beaches, testing their wits and lures against the sea's bounty . . . and each other.
While the romance and excitement of the hunt is at the core of these tales, there is practical information to be gained-about the subtleties of tide and current, the phase of the moon, the direction of the wind, the best baits and lures. It's a stirring testament to one of the most delightful corners of angling, in one of its richest locales.