Who is your favorite current, living gun/hunting writer and why?

[BigBboy25]

Who is your favorite current, living gun/hunting writer and why?

[ggmack]

It pains me to say but being a rifle guy at heart this site's very own Dave Petzal has influenced me most. Bourjaily is a close second. my shotgunning has definantly improved since i started reading his works.

For a hunting " writer" I would say Bestul and Hurteau are tied. as a whitetail hunter i find my self using alot of what they say and modifying and adapting it to the situations i hunt in.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

Zumbo. He has guts.

[texasfirst]

Honestly, I have to say Dave Petzal is my favorite. I think he does a lot for shooting, and is an excellent advocate. I like his dry New York sensibility and his very hands-on approach, ie. the homemade "ballistic buffalo" made out of wet newspapers he used to test ballistics in his own practical way... He makes shooting very approachable and is very instructional in his advocacy.

[texasfirst]

I like Zumbo, too. His writing is superb. I met him once. He does a lot for veterans, which I think is admirable. Petzal has a cooler head. Zumbo's hotheaded and has guts, it's true, but Petzal's got a cooler temperament and is a better advocate.

[Beekeeper]

There is a dead heat between two. Dave Petzel and John Barsness. Both have a modicum of integrity, they write well in a conversational tone that is easy to follow and both come up with interesting stuff.

[OutdoorEnvy]

I like Layne Simpson.

[country road]

I like Dave Petzel because he likes to use his pen to burst the balloons of pomposity and ridiculousness in the world of firearms. He knows a thing or two about guns, too.

[ALJoe]

I also like Zumbo. I grew up reading his work. I also like Hanback's writing on whitetails. Some of his work may not be very informative but he tells a good story.

[99explorer]

My vote goes to Jim Zumbo, who paid a heavy price for his gaffe. He has done great work for our disabled veterans.

[007]

toss up between Larry Weishuhn and Bryce Towsley.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

99explorer, I don't think Zumbo ever felt it was a gaffe. That's because he DOES have guts and stsnds up for them.

[357]

i have to second Bourjaily he's a great help to me.

[99explorer]

Jim Zumbo's opinion regarding the use of AR-15 style weapons for hunting is shared by a number of hunters I know. But they are not public figures, and their views are private.
Jim has acknowledged that his mouth was activated before engaging his brain, because Remington quickly severed its sponsorship ties with him, as did Outdoor Life. He had antagonized a great number of their customers and subscribers. That was a mistake from a business point of view.

[Happy Myles]

My favorite depends a bit on subject matter. I like Petzal's writing style and rifle knowledge. Additionally, he does not try to "wing it" on subjects with which he is not comfortable. Terry Wieland has a different approach and I like what he says on heavy African rifles, loads, and ballistics. You can take to the bank what Zumbo says on Rocky Mountain hunting. Craig Boddington has hunted Africa more than any writer, his style, to my notion, is not the most entertaining, but the University of Kansas certainly taught him how to craft a sentence, and indeed, he writes a lot of them.

I am puzzled how a few writers stay gainfully employed. For example, the ones who have rattled around South Africa roads behind high fence, popped a few animals, then hurry home to impart their new unheard of wisdom to we mere mortals. Possibly I am being a little harsh on them. Perhaps their affliction is the result of some strange, exotic insect bite. Curmudgeonly Yours

Must add in my opinion there are other good outdoor, rifle, and hunting writers. I have been lucky to know several of them, including the ones I mentioned earlier, with the exception of Mr Petzal.