Outdoors Unlimited® Online | The award-winning publication of the Outdoor Writers Association of America

Fur, Fortune, and Empire: The Epic History of the Fur Trade in America.

By Eric Jay Dolin, W. W. Norton, 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10110, www.ericjaydolin.com, hardcover, $29.95.

Beginning his epic history in the early 1600s, Dolin traces the dramatic rise and fall of the American fur industry, from the first Dutch encounters with the Indians to the rise of the conservation movement in the late nineteenth century. Dolin shows how the fur trade, driven by the demands of fashion, sparked controversy, fostered economic competition, and fueled wars among the European powers, as North America became a battleground for colonization and imperial aspirations.

Women’s Guide to Shotgunning

By Shari LeGate, FMG Publications, 12345 World Trade Drive, San Diego, CA 92128, www.gunsmagazine.com/womens_shotgunning.html, DVD, 68 minutes, $24.95.

Champion shotgunner LeGate helps women of all ages learn and enjoy shotgunning sports by helping choose the right gear and gain knowledge and confidence before stepping out onto the range. The DVD begins with the basics, the parts of a gun, eye dominance and gun fit, and discusses equipment, stance and how to move to the target. “Getting involved in the shooting sports can be really scary for a woman,” LeGate said. “They don’t know where to go, what to do, who to ask, what kind of guns to buy, what kind of games to play, what ammunition to get. This video will help them get started.”

Write that Book Already!

By Sam Barry and Kathi Kamen Goldmark, Adams Media, 57 Littlefield St., Avon, MA 02322, 508-427-7100, www.adamsmedia.com, paperback, 240 pp., $11.96.

Subtitled, “The Tough Love You Need to Get Published Now,” this book features insight from literary superstars like Stephen King, Amy Tan and Rita Mae Brown, with a forward by Maya Angelou. From transforming an idea into a manuscript to finding an agent to working with an editor to marketing your book, publishing insiders Sam Barry and Kathi Kamen Goldmark provide aspiring authors with tips from top industry professionals, booksellers and successful self-published writers.

Moments of Discovery

By Kevin Winker, University Press of Florida, 15 NW 15th St., Gainesville, FL 32611, 352-392-1351, www.upf.com, hardcover, 384 pp., 50 black and white illustrations, $75.00.

University of Alaska, Fairbanks, professor of biology and wildlife Kevin Winker edited this collection of 20 autobiographical descriptions of pioneering field work in Mexico and Central America. The book looks beyond the reports and scientific papers of work from Miguel Alvarez del Toro, Charles Sibley and John T. Emlen Jr., to the adventure, sense of discovery and unexpected humor of their time in the field.

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♦ Best Easy Day Hikes Boise

By Natalie Bartley, Falcon Press Publishing, 246 Goose Lane, P.O. Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437, 203-458-4500, www.falcon.com, paperback, 96 pp., $9.95.

From the mountains to the river valley to the high desert of the Snake River plain, the latest book from Bartley features mile-by-mile directions and detailed maps for 17 hikes in and around Boise, Idaho. Hikes range from 30-minute outings to half-day adventures. The book also includes GPS coordinates and a guide for the best hikes for children, dogs, history buffs and those who want a great view. Bartley writes a weekly outdoor column for the Idaho Statesman and is also the author of “Best Rail Trails Pacific Northwest.”

♦ Manatee Insanity

By Craig Pittman, University Press of Florida, 15 NW 15th St., Gainesville, FL 32611, 352-392-1351, www.upf.com, hardcover, 464 pp., 21 black and white illustrations, $27.50.

Subtitled “Inside the War over Florida’s Most Famous Endangered Species,” this book takes readers inside the battle over manatee protection. Pittman flies with scientists trying to count manatees overhead, accompanies the leader of the biggest pro-boater group on a boat trip, and observes biologists dissecting the animals and politicians discussing their fate. The book takes a close look at the major and minor players in the dispute, from Jacques-Yves Cousteau to Jimmy Buffett to a federal lawman who dressed in a gorilla suit for an undercover assignment. Included on the very first endangered species list in 1967, manatees appear on hundreds of Florida license plates, attract hordes of tourists and expose the uneasy relationship between science and the law.

♦ What Your Fossils Can Tell You

By Robert W. Sinibaldi, University Press of Florida, 15 NW 15th St., Gainesville, FL 32611, 352-392-1351, www.upf.com, hardcover, 320 pp., 473 black and white illustrations, $39.95.

This pictorial guide provides both experienced and novice fossil hunters and collectors the information needed to correctly identify and interpret their discoveries. It gives amateur fossil enthusiasts tools to recognize significant, scientifically relevant finds and the knowledge of how to collect vertebrate fossils responsibly and legally. Professionals may find the guide helpful as a pictorial resource to assist them in bridging the fields of pathology and archaeology as they relate to paleontology. Sinibaldi is the former president of the Tampa Bay Fossil Club and also the author of “Fossil Diving: In Florida’s Waters or any other Waters Containing Prehistoric Treasures” and “The Handbook of Paleontological Terms.”

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April Bookshelf

♦ DVD

Field Judging Black Bears

By Richard P. Smith, self-produced, 814 Clark St., Marquette, MI 49855, 906-225-1002, www.richardpsmith.com, DVD, 46 minutes, $20.

Produced by veteran bear hunter and freelance hunting, fishing and wildlife writer and photographer Richard P. Smith, the DVD features video and photographs with detailed explanations needed to accurately identify bears in the field. An OWAA member since 1973, Smith shares simple methods hunters of any experience level can use to distinguish between males and females.

♦ BOOKS

A Tribute to Roger Latham

By Ann Jenkins, self-published, 6870 South Section Line Road, Delaware, OH 43015, www.lathamtribute.com, hardcover, 240 pp., color and black and white photos, $20 plus $4.95 for shipping.

Conservation leader Roger Latham served as chief of research at the Pennsylvania Game Commission in the mid-1950s, outdoor editor of The Pittsburgh Press from1957-1979 and OWAA president from 1963-1964. Subtitled “sportsman, conservationist, educator, scientist, author, photographer, naturalist, friend and gentle man,” this book features selections from Latham’s books, special publications and newspaper columns, along with stories and remembrances from friends and admirers like National Wildlife Federation president and CEO Larry Schweiger. Several photographs chronicle Latham’s early years, career achievements and outdoor pursuits. Profits from the sale of this publication will be directed to the Roger M. Latham Memorial Fund at Pennsylvania State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology, a master’s degree in wildlife management and a doctorate in zoology.

Trees, Shrubs, and Vines of the Texas Hill Country

By Jan Wrede, Texas A&M University Press, John H. Lindsey Building, 4354 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, 979-458-3982, www.tamu.edu/upress, flexbound, 258 pp., 186 color photos, $24.

The second edition of this field guide to more than 125 plant species of the Texas Hill Country champions the understory, brush, seedlings, bushes and small trees and shrubs that are endangered by the deer population and landowners in the area. Wrede, director of education at the Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne, Texas, discusses the benefits of natural vegetation and landscaping with woody plants. The guide features a color photo and information about the leaves, flowers, fruit and bark of each plant, and offers insight into the species’ range and habits.

A Southern Sportsman: The Hunting Memoirs of Henry Edwards Davis

Edited by Ben Moise, the University of South Carolina Press, 1600 Hampton Street, Fifth floor, Columbia, SC 29208, 803-777-5243, www.sc.edu/uscpress, hardcover, 440 pp., 24 illustrations, $29.95.

Published more than four decades after his death in 1966, this memoir of sportsman, horticulturist and historian Henry Edwards Davis chronicles his hunting adventures through the fields, forests and swamps of South Carolina. As a connoisseur of sporting firearms, Davis details his experiences with a long line of rifles and shotguns from his first 14-gauge, cap-lock muzzleloader to modern American and British shotguns. A historian at heart, Davis’ hunting tales are interspersed with description of the region’s history, including evolving cultural attitudes and economic conditions in post-Reconstruction South Carolina and the practices that gave rise to modern natural conservation and wildlife management efforts.

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Be Expert with Map & Compass: The Complete Orienteering Handbook

By Bjorn Kjellstrom and Carina Kjellstrom Elgin, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748-6000, www.wiley.com/WileyCDA, paperback, 256 pp., $18.95.

If your GPS device gets lost or broken, basic map and compass skills are essential. The late Bjorn Kjellstrom, a Swedish champion in orienteering, created this handbook with exercises to help practice orienteering skills, as well as tips for how to use your GPS in concert with map and compass techniques. The third edition, updated by Kjellstrom’s daughter, includes current Web site information and photographs for safe outdoor navigation.

Offshore Pursuit

By John Unkart, Geared Up Publications, LLC, Edgewater, Md., www.geareduppublications.com, paperback, 208 pp., $19.95.

With more than 40 years of offshore experience, John Unkart explains how to troll baits like a pro, tease marlins to the hook and find the most productive offshore trolling areas. Whether you are fishing for billfish, tuna, wahoo or mahi-mahi, these tactics will take recreational blue-water anglers to the next level.

Twenty Salmon Flies

By Michael D. Radencich, Stackpole Books, 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055, 717-796-0411, www.stackpolebooks.com, hardcover with DVD, 220 pp., 822 color photos and 24 black and white illustrations, $69.95.

From the simple to the complex, this book features the full range of classic salmon fly patterns. The book comes with a two-hour DVD that shows key techniques, and features an appendix with 100 classic patterns. Radencich, who is also the author of “Classic Salmon Fly Materials” and “Tying the Classic Salmon Fly,” has been tying salmon flies for 20 years.

Bug Water

By Arlen Thomasen, Stackpole Books, 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055, 717-796-0411, www.stackpolebooks.com, hardcover, 224 pp., 337 color photos and seven black and white illustrations, $39.95.

For fly-fishers who want to learn more about the foods fish eat and the best patterns to imitate them, this book of photos and narratives show bugs up close and personal. As a scientist and fly-fisher, Thomasen covers all popular trout food including mayflies, caddis, stoneflies and midges. One chapter illustrates what trout see underwater and the secrets of designing flies that work.

California’s Best Fly Fishing

By Chip O’Brien, Headwater Books, 531 Harding Street, New Cumberland, PA 17070, 717-421-4776, www.headwaterbooks.com, paperback, 240 pp., $29.95.
Before heading out on your next California fly fishing trip, consult these pages for detailed maps and hatch charts, fly patterns with recipes, the best places and times to fish, and local guides and outfitters’ tips for techniques and tackles. From northern California’s wild trout waters to the American River’s steelhead, stripers and shad, O’Brien provides a reference for the best fishing in the state.

Common-Sense Fly Fishing

By Eric Stroup, Headwater Books, 531 Harding Street, New Cumberland, PA 17070, 717-421-4776, www.headwaterbooks.com, paperback, 152 pp., black and white illustrations, $14.95.
As the owner of guide service Spruce Creek Fly Company, Stroup offers seven simple lessons on often overlooked fundamentals of fly-fishing like drift, reading water, position of angler and rod, casting, line control and mending. The common-sense principles cover dry fly-fishing, nymphing, best rigs and essential guide flies.

Sight Fishing for Trout

By Landon Mayer, Stackpole Books, 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055, 717-796-0411, www.stackpolebooks.com, hardcover, 208 pp., 235 color photos and 36 black and white illustrations, $29.95.

Mayer, a fly-fishing guide who specializes in sight fishing for trophy trout, shares his techniques learned through years of fishing, guiding and teaching. Tips include how to get close to a fish, cast with a short line, develop pinpoint accuracy and read fish behavior. Mayer also shares where to find fish, how to rig your line, how to fight fish and how to use the buddy system to increase your success.

Single-Handed Spey Casting: Solutions to Casts, Obstructions, Tight Spots, and Other Casting Challenges of Real-Life Fishing

By Simon Gawesworth, Stackpole Books, 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055, 717-796-0411, www.stackpolebooks.com, hardcover, 256 pp., 400 color photos and 88 illustrations, $39.95.

Whether you are a small-stream angler looking for tough trout, or a saltwater fly-fisher, this book features refined Spey casts for all one-handed rod needs including the single Spey, double Spey, snake roll, snap T, side cast, shepherd’s crook, reach cast and aerial mends. Gawesworth has fished in world championships and taught Spey casting around the world.

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♦ BOOKS

Natural History of West Indian Reptiles and Amphibians

By Robert W. Henderson and Robert Powell, University Press of Florida, 15 NW 15th Street, Gainesville, Fla. 32611, 352-392-1351, www.upf.com, hardcover, 576 pp., $85.

The herpetofauna of the West Indies is considered one of the richest and most vulnerable in the world, with many endemic species living in fragile environments. More than 700 species of frogs and reptiles live here, their natural habitats falling prey to tourism development and the introduction of invasive species. Robert W. Henderson, Milwaukee Public Museum senior curator of herpetology, and Avila University biology professor Robert Powell detail the natural history of the amphibians and reptiles of this region in a book designed as a companion for biologists.

Theodore Roosevelt Hunter-Conservationist

By R.L. Wilson, Boone and Crockett Club, 250 Station Drive, Missoula, MT 59801, 406-542-0784, www.boone-crockett.org, 312 pp., 200 color and black and white photos, $39.95 for paperback and $99.95 for a limited quantity of signed hardcover copies with dust jacket.

The first illustrated biography of the 26th president as a hunter and arms enthusiast, this book features archival photographs from Boone and Crockett, Harvard University, Library of Congress, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site and Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace Historic Site. Teddy Roosevelt enthusiasts will gain insight into his life as a rancher, explorer, soldier, statesman, author and president of the United States. A limited edition of 1,000 signed, hardcover copies with a dust jacket can be ordered through the Boone and Crockett Club directly. A paperback version can be purchased in stores or directly through the Club.

♦ AUDIOBOOK

Sporting Clays Consistency: You Gotta Be Out of Your Mind!

By Gil and Vicki Ash with Ty Adams, Optimum Shotgun Performance Shooting School, 29354 McKinnon Rd., Suite A, Fulshear, TX 77441, 281-346-0888, www.ospschool.com, audio, five CDs, $39.95.

A shooter’s guide to the mental aspects of sporting clays and life, this audio book version of the hardcover is narrated by Country Music Award-winner Tim Fox. If your clay shooting skills have reached a plateau, this could be your next road trip pick. Sporting clay shooters since 1982, Gil and Vicki Ash strive to improve the listener’s game mentally by delving in to the psychology of learning and performance. Through common sense teaching methods, listeners can begin to understand how their eyes, mind and body function together. Knowing whether your problem is mechanical or mental is the first step to becoming a better shooter, say the authors.

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DON’T SLEEP, THERE ARE SNAKES: LIFE AND LANGUAGE IN THE AMAZONIAN JUNGLE

By Daniel L. Everett,  Random House, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, www.randomhouse.com, softcover, 320 pp., $16.

Part memoir, part scientific exploration, the book is based upon the seven years Everett lived with the indigenous Amazonian Pirahã people. What Everett found about their language and its cultural and linguistic implications has become a hotly contested topic in the linguistics community.  Everett found that the Pirahã language has a number of unique features, particularly that it lacks many concepts considered to be common. The Pirahã have no counting system, no concept of war or personal property, no creation myth and no fixed term for color. Everett now believes that language is not universally constructed, but rather culturally conceived and inextricably linked to how and where we live our lives – a theory in direct opposition to Noam Chomsky’s theory of Universal Grammar and Stephen Pinker’s “language instinct.”

FLY FISHING IN THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO A PURSUIT OF PASSION

By Jim Casada, High Country Press, 1250 Yorkdale Dr., Rock Hill, S.C. 29730-7638, www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com, 448 pp., $24.95 (softcover) and $37.50 (hardcover) plus $5 for shipping and handling.

Famed fly fisherman, historian and author Jim Casada has edited or written more than 40 books, but he considers this one to be his masterpiece. He wrote it to help celebrate the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s 75th Anniversary.  Casada grew up within walking distance of the Park and has used his decades of experience in the Park to provide a comprehensive portrayal of fly fishing in the Smokies. Along the way, he explores the region’s rich history and offers personal anecdotes.  Casada’s book serves as a practical manual as well. It includes information about every major Park stream, maps, weather graphs, recipes for trout, and fishing tips and tactics.

OSCAR AND OLIVE OSPREY:  A FAMILY TAKES FLIGHT

By Janis Suss, Synergy Books, P.O. Box 80107, Austin, TX 78758, www.synergybooks.net, hardcover, 112 pp., $15.95.

Suss, who is known as the “bird woman” in her Chesapeake Bay neighborhood, thinks that birds have plenty to teach us about natural structures of family and how life works in stages and cycles.  She offers what she’s learned in her book about Oscar and Olive, two ospreys that inhabit Suss’ world both literally and figuratively.  Oscar and Olive Osprey features photographs and stories from these real-life birds that teach kids and family about growing up, while also encouraging them to explore the outdoors.

RYBOVICH

By Pat Rybovich, Pat Rybovich Publishing, 2490 Chestnut St.  No. 203, San Francisco, CA 94213, www.rybovichbook.com/book.html, oversize hardcover, 350+ pp., see Web site for cost.

Rybovich details the rise of the Rybovich boatyard, starting in 1947 when the author’s father and uncle launched their first attempt at boatbuilding. Since that time, Rybovich has become the go-to name for luxury sportfishing boats. Pat Rybovich tells the story of the family industry in a massive limited-edition book containing hundreds of photographs, original blueprints, memorabilia and unpublished photos collected from the boatyard’s archives and the family of vintage Rybovich owners.  Old-timers who worked on the boats in the Rybovich heyday bring the story alive with their unique recollections. The book showcases the original 79 boats built by the pair of founding brothers and culminates with the latest creations of the author’s cousin, Michael Rybovich, who continues the legacy today.

POACHERS, CROOKS AND OTHER TURKEYS

Edited by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News, 9304 Forest Lane, Ste. 114 South, Dallas, TX 75243, www.LSONews.com, paperback, 272 pp, $15.95 + shipping and handling.

Readers of the Lone Star Outdoors News commented so regularly on how much they liked the Game Warden Blotter that the editor decided to compile excerpts from the section and publish them in Poachers, Crooks and Other Turkeys. What results is a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction collection about miscreants who get caught breaking wildlife laws. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book go to the families of three game wardens who have died in the line of duty since Lone Star Outdoor News began in 2004. ◊

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LEGAL HANDBOOK FOR FREELANCERS

By Bill Powell, OWAA Legal Counsel. Outdoor Writers Association of America, 121 Hickory St., Suite 1, Missoula, MT, 406-728-7434, www.shop.owaa.org, 64 pp., $15 OWAA members, $18 non-members.

This brand-new OWAA publication titled Legal Handbook for Freelancers is authored by OWAA Legal Counsel Bill Powell. Learn about copyright basics, how to structure your business as a freelancer, defamation, privacy rights, protections for electronic communications, contracts and how to use litigation to resolve freelancer-publisher business disputes. If you’re an outdoors communicator, this reference book is a must-have publication.

REMOTE LOCATIONS: INSIDE OUTDOOR TV

By Chris Dorsey, Orion Multimedia, 10397 West Centennial Road, Littleton, CO 80127, www.orionmultimedia.com, hardcover, 117 pp., $39.

The maker of 30 outdoors series (26 of which are still in production today) offers an insider’s look at the rise of televised hunting and fishing and describes the day-to-day reality of the people who make these shows possible. Dorsey also offers his thoughts on where the industry is heading and how best to catch the boat.

RECORDS OF NORTH AMERICAN MULE DEER AND RECORDS OF NORTH AMERICAN ELK

By Boone and Crockett Club, 250 Station Road, Missoula MT 59801, www.booneandcrockettclub.com/store/, softcover 490 pp. and 298 pp., $24.95 each or $44.95 for both. Boone and Crockett Club members receive a discount.

The last time the Boone and Crockett Club printed a record book for mule deer and elk was 13 years ago. Of course, much has changed since then, enough to warrant two volumes for these species instead of one. Twenty-nine state and provincial records have been set in the mule deer, Columbia blacktail and sitka blacktail categories since 1996’s record book came out. Thirty-three new state and provincial records have been set in the American elk, Roosevelt’s elk and tule elk categories since 1996. Both books include all-time and award-class listings from the late 1800s through January 2009, along with geographic analyses of kill locations, maps, photos and tables. Informative chapters from top outdoor writers and two OWAA supporting organizations, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Mule Deer Foundation, round out the books.

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST: POEMS ABOUT CAMPING AND HIKING

By Steve Kissing, Big Table Publishing, 289 Elliot Street, Newton Upper Falls, MA 02459, www.BigTablePublishing.com, softcover, 29 pp., $10.

Kissing’s honest reflections on time spent in the outdoors (both alone and with family in tow) are amusing and clear as a night sky. This compact book of poems and prose is perfectly suited for backpacking and car camping, picnics and s’mores.

NECHES RIVER USER GUIDE

By Gina Donovan, Stephen D. Lange and Adrian F. Van Dellen, Texas A&M University Press, John H. Lindsey Building, Lewis St., 4354 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-4354, www.tamu.edu/upress, softcover, 96 pp., $17.95.

This comprehensive guide book includes 40 color maps, 77 photos (72 in color) and 18 tables for outdoor enthusiasts eager to experience nearly 360 miles of Texas’ Neches River first-hand. Campers, paddlers, birders, hikers and hunters will find informative and practical information to direct them during their excursion. Each map details information about public access points, potential hazards, camping facilities, and GPS coordinates for points of interest. Brief descriptions of the area’s history and archaeology along with a final note on past and present conservation efforts are also included.

MEDICINE FOR THE OUTDOORS: THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO FIRST AID AND MEDICAL EMERGENCIES, FIFTH ED.

By Paul S. Auerback, M.D., Mosby Elsevier, 1600 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Ste 1800, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2899, www.us.elsevierhealth.com, softcover, 552 pp., 24.95.

Just about any medical emergency you might encounter in the woods (or the ocean, or the desert, or high altitude mountains) is covered in this book. An assortment of illustrations and tables make this practical manual easy to use. Auerbach, a founder and past president of the Wilderness Medicine Society, covers everything from common injuries (dislocated shoulders, frostbite, minor abrasions) to more exotic medical situations (snow blindness, childbirth, and all manners of mushroom poisonings).

JACQUES COUSTEAU: THE SEA KING

By Brad Matsen, Pantheon Books, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10010, www.randomhouse.com, hardcover, 296 pp., $26.95.

Matsen dives into the professional and personal life of one of the world’s greatest explorers, a man who changed the way we think about and treat the world undersea. The help of Cousteau’s collaborators, friends and colleagues make this intimate portrait possible. Matsen writes about Cousteau’s experience working for the French resistance during World War II, how he risked his life to develop and test the regulator that made scuba diving possible, and Cousteau’s keen eye for business, matched only by his relentless devotion to conservation. ◊

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♦ DVD

A WALK FOR SUNSHINE APPALACHIAN TRAIL SHOW

By Jeff Alt, Dreams Shared Publications LLC, P.O. Box 18188, Cincinnati, OH 45218, www.dspublications.com, DVD, 67 minutes, $19.95.

This DVD is a companion to the newest version of Alt’s book, the critically-acclaimed A Walk for Sunshine. It features personal narration, slides and music based on stories of Alt’s 2,000 mile journey along the Appalachian Trail. Alt dedicated the hike to his brother who has cerebral palsy. Bonus features include Alt’s gear list, a guide for beginning hikers, and tips for hiking with children. A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of this title benefit the nonprofit Sunshine Inc. to help enhance the lives of people with disabilities.

♦ BOOKS

BACKYARD DEER HUNTING: CONVERTING DEER TO DINNER FOR PENNIES PER POUND

By Wm. Hovey Smith, AuthorHouse Publishing, 1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403, http://www.authorhouse.com/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=61333, softcover, 265 pp., $19.95.

This one-volume work takes the novice hunter and wild-game cook through all the steps necessary to find deer and other game and put it on the dinner table as inexpensively as possible. Backyard Deer Hunting is based on the author’s experience supporting a family while under the pressure of large financial obligations. The book starts with a description of how and where to find deer and takes the reader all the way through the hunting process, concluding with 50 kitchen-tested recipes ranging from country-fried deer steak to hunter’s ratatouille. A collection of 100 illustrations and a handful of fowl, vegetable and dessert dishes complete the book.

TURKEY CALLS AND CALLING

By Steve Hickoff, Stackpole Books, 5067 Ritter Rd. Mechanicsburg, PA 17055, www.stackpolebooks.com, softcover,160 pp., $22.95.

From traditional turkey calls to the newest models, Hickoff gives tips and tactics for beginner and veteran turkey callers alike. He covers the how, when, where and why of turkey calls in addition to expounding on different types of calls, competition calling, caring for calls and finding callmakers.

A MAINE DEER HUNTER’S LOG BOOK

By V. Paul Reynolds, Maine Outdoor Publications, 300 Sawyer Rd., Hampden, ME 04444, softcover, 106 pp., $14.95.

Reynolds, a self-described diehard white-tailed deer hunter, presents the knowledge he’s gleaned from more than 50 years spent in deer country. This colorfully-illustrated how-to manual covers deer-hunting basics, the best deer-hunting guns, buck fever, scent control, camp cookery and the “great rut debate.” Reynolds’ keen observational skills extend beyond deer; this book is also about the hunters themselves, the unforgettable characters who stoke the stoves in Maine deer camps.

CHANGING PATHS: TRAVELS AND MEDITATIONS IN ALASKA’S ARCTIC WILDERNESS

By Bill Sherwonit, University of Alaska Press, P.O. Box 756240, Fairbanks, AK 99775, www.uaf.edu/uapress/book/, softcover, 212 pp., $21.95.

Framed by the two-week solo trek that Bill Sherwonit took through Alaska’s northernmost mountain chain at age 50, Changing Paths explores the author’s long-running and life-changing relationship with the Central Brooks Range, while also considering the critical importance of wilderness – and, more generally, wild nature – in our culture today.

The Hunt: Challenge and Reward

By John G. Whinery, Hawthorne Publishing, Amarillo, Texas, 2009, jgwhin@cox-internet.com, 268 pp., hardcover.

Drawing from the experience of 40 years hunting and 20 years writing about it, Whinery has collected more than three dozen stories and verses in his most recent self-published book. “This story telling came as a late gift,” the author says. “Immense pleasure in recalling the hunts, people, animals and situations has come as a bonus to the life-enriching pastime of hunting. Added to pleasure, the work of writing is a sort of giving back.”

FROM BOYS TO MEN OF HEART: HUNTING AS A RITE OF PASSAGE

By Randall Eaton, Ph.D., OWLink media, 210 SE Cedar Hill Lane, Shelton, WA 98584, www.owlinkmedia.com, softcover, 336 pp., $24.95.

Throughout his 35 years of studying hunting, Eaton has strived to answer several questions based on man’s relationship to hunting. Is it good for kids? Why do they do it? Does it encourage violence or does it teach empathy and compassion? The book is based on what Eaton, a behavioral scientist with an international reputation for wildlife conservation, has found. He conducted thousands of questionnaire surveys on mature hunters and interviewed leading authorities in several fields who corroborate his research. Eaton presents compelling evidence that hunting is a rite of passage that teaches boys how to become compassionate, virtuous and responsible adults who respect life and defend nature.

STANLEY MELTZOFF – PICTURE MAKER

By Stanley Meltzoff and Mike Rivkin, Silverfish Press, P.O. Box 12452, La Jolla, CA 92039, www.silverfishpress.com, hardcover, 182 pp.

The first comprehensive book on the life of acclaimed artist Stanley Meltoff has finally gone to print. It was nearly finished when Meltzoff, who is considered to be the first artist to realistically portray all of the major game fish species in their native habitat, passed away in 2006 at the age of 89. Angler and International Game Fishing Association historian Mike Rivkin has completed the job in a lush oversized format. The deluxe edition ($89) is limited to 500 copies and includes a signed-and-numbered bookplate, vintage Meltzoff poster, and game fish art catalogue from the early 1980s. An un-numbered trade edition ($50) will also be available.

SECRETS FROM FLORIDA’S MASTER ANGLERS

By Ron Presley, University Press of Florida, 15 Northwest 15 St., Gainesville, Fl 32611-2079, www.upf.com, softcover, 224pp., $24.95.

Professional fishing guide Ron Presley interviewed 20 of Florida’s top charter boat captains to create a broad and thorough manual of fishing in the Sunshine State. He helps anglers with the choices that determine their success including picking the right gear, bait and tackle, finding good fishing spots, and hiring an experienced guide if so desired. He also dives into the technical aspects of fishing from casting to landing a fish. The book’s 65 images and illustrations contribute to a well-rounded manual that boosts the confidence of both visitor and native anglers.

THE GREAT CHAIN OF LIFE

By Joseph Wood Krutch, University of Iowa Press, 100 Kuhl House, Iowa City, IA 52242, www.uiowapress.org, softcover, 246 pp., $19.95.

Krutch, a late teacher, artist and naturalist, presents a powerful and thought-provoking argument that a force beyond survival itself drives evolution. Originally published in 1956, the book was Krutch’s reaction to the shortfalls of Darwinism. He employed the careful observation of a naturalist and the contemplative faculties of a philosopher to suggest that the pursuit of joy – not the instinctual struggle for survival alone – explains the evolution of awareness and consciousness in the natural world.

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Carving Up the Commons: Congress & Our Public Lands

By Janine Blaelock, Western Lands Project, P.O. Box 95545, Seattle, WA 98145-2545, www.westernlands.org, 106 pp., $10.

Blaelock puts the politics of public land policy under a microscope and describes what she sees: the wheeling-and-dealing of public land that favors politicians and special interests at the monetary and environmental expense of taxpayers.  This meticulously researched book is divided into five chapters detailing key elements of pubic land policy – the past, the process and its pitfalls, the people, projects, pure politics – and concludes with a set of appendices that dissect the anatomy of a land bill, propose suggestions for public participation and offer a Hill staffer’s perspective on congressional land policy.

The Environmental Resource Handbook, 2001/11

By Laura Mars-Proietti, ed., Grey House Publishing, P.O. Box 56, Amenia, NY 12501-0056, www.greyhouse.com, softcover, 1,200 pp., $155.

The revised edition of this reference manual provides up-to-date information for everything environmental, including more than 6,000 environmental listings and 171 tables and charts of environmental statistics and rankings. The manual includes a section devoted to resources, such as lists of associations, organizations, charities and research centers. Also included is a glossary of almost 2,000 commonly used environmental terms, as well as almost 1,5000 abbreviations and acronyms used in the industry.

The National Parks: America’s Best Idea

By Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY, www.aaknopf.com, hardcover, 403 pp., $50.

The National Parks: America’s Best Idea is the paper-and-ink companion to Ken Burns’ 12-hour PBS series of the same name. This visually and historically rich narrative traces the history of our national parks from Yellowstone’s establishment in 1872 all the way through recent additions to a system that encompasses nearly 400 sites and 84 million acres.  Present-day photographs are displayed alongside an abundance of historic photographs and art. The narrative includes journal entries, poetry and interviews with well-known figures that piece together the idealism, political struggles and uniquely American sentiment involved in the establishment – and evolution – of the U.S. National Park system.

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More Musky Tales

By Bob Jennings, Infinity Publishing, 1094 New DeHaven Street, Conshohochen, PA 19428-2713, www.infinitypublishing.com, www.buybooksontheweb.com, laminated cover, 161 pp., $15.95.

Jennings shares his adventures and tells of how a common fisherman became a full-fledged “musky hunter.” He takes you back to the 50s to a place called Lonesome Lodge on beautiful Lake NISATO; you’ll meet the residents, enjoy their down-to-earth humor and fellowship and meet the visitors that come along to learn the ways of this enchanted lodge. You’ll learn the penalty for bringing a modern rig to this fabled lodge and see how musky fever can strike even the most famous musky hunters.

Limited Editions of 100 laminated cover books, signed and numbered (autographed as requested) are available for $22.50, packing and mailing included. Contact Jennings at robert36969@peoplepc.com.

North of Easie

By Robert J. Romano Jr., Birch Brook Press, P.O. Box 81, Delhi, NY 13753, www.birchbrookpress.info, soft cover, 200 pp., $20.00.

Romano’s new novel is set in the Rangeley Lakes region of western Maine, where his credible and lively characters spend a good deal of time wading through trout streams while coping with loss, love and other uncertainties of life in modern times.

A Walk for Sunshine, expanded third edition

By Jeff Alt, Dreams Shared Publications LLC, P.O. Box 18188, Cincinnati, OH 45218. www.dspublications.com, softcover, 304 pp., $15.95. For review copies contact KSB Promotions: 800-304-3269; kate@ksbpromotions.com.

Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy this entertaining adventure for a noble cause. Walk along the Appalachian Trail with bears, bugs, blisters, skunk bedmates, and hilarious food cravings. Alt dedicated his journey to his brother with cerebral palsy inspiring an annual walk. Alt shares his life lessons from the trail with a focus on family, stewardship of the earth, and good health. Previous editions have received three awards and have been featured on ESPN, in the Associated Press and more. New to this edition: Details about the annual walk, gear lists and hiking tips for the whole family. Printed on recycled paper.