Backcountry reading material

[Novemberfest]

Hi all. I'll be doing my first solo elk hunting trip next month. I've read a lot of books that have helped me prepare for the trip but now I'm looking for some books to pass the time during the slower afternoons and in the evening. I'm a terrible day napper and books help me fall asleep at night so I'm looking to bring a few with me.

I'm into old time western hunting and ranching stories, and stories about some of the original conservationists like John Muir and Teddy Roosevelt. If anybody has any book recommendations I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks for the help.

 

[MarvB]

Check the "Movie and Book Reviews" in the FUN STUFF forum here...plenty of recommendations to search through.
The CJ Box "Joe Pickett" game warden series is some nice light reading that might suit the bill.

 

[TexAg09]

I love Elmer Kelton's western novels. He was a great writer in my opinion, and will give you plenty of options for the "ranching" category you're interested in.

 

[Werty]

I don't recommend bear attack books.

 

[Brandon270]

I love Elmer Kelton's western novels. He was a great writer in my opinion, and will give you plenty of options for the "ranching" category you're interested in.

I read "Buffalo Wagons" a few years ago from Elmer Kelton, it's a great book!

 

[OleRedbeard]

Jim Harrison, if you've not already read any of his stuff. Great writer.
"The Ranger, the Cook, and a Hole in the Sky" by Norman MacLean... It's a short story inside the better known novella " A River Runs Through It" which is a great book and also has allowed me to purchase quite a bit of fishing equipment both fly fishing and spinning from folks that read it and decide their gonna be devout fisherman only to hang it up when they figure out watching football or hitting golf balls is better than slipping and sliding and swimming in rivers.
Also... Like Werty said above. Bear attack books are probably not a good idea. Unless you want to sleep in the truck that night clutching your pistol and skinning knife burning a headlamp.

 

[BackofBeyond]

I'm not sure what the Trilogy was called, but English Creek, Dancing at the Rascal Fair, and Ride With Me Mariah Montana by Ivan Doig are great. Especially Rascal Fair.

 

[MarvB]

Another one that I've drug to a few of my hunt camps is The River Why...if you are a PNW steelhead fisherman you gotta get to know Gus Orviston!

 

[lpcoutdoors]

Elmer Kelton and Louis L'Amour for me. I'll be taking Mark Kenyon's book this year too, "This Wild Country" I think is the name. And I will download a bunch of Mountain and Prairie podcasts as well.

 

[Runnin_Chupacabra]

Indian Creek Chronicles is a great quick read! It's about a college guy who is offered a job to stay in a Montana Fish and Game shack and monitor the salmon eggs in this creek twice a day. He stays in this shack for 9 months in the dead of winter with his dog and takes you through his experience, true story. Highly recommended, plus you can get it for $4-$5 online!

 

[Irrelevant]

Hemingway Old Man in the Sea. It'll prep you for the suffering of the pack out.

 

[Northwoods Labs]

I'll second Indian Creek Chronicles. "My Life as and Indian" by JW Schultz is a good one

 

[bowhuntmontana]

Just read Hatchet again over the weekend. Haven't read it since I was probably eleven. Still a great book.

 

[BackofBeyond]

Just read Hatchet again over the weekend. Haven't read it since I was probably eleven. Still a great book.

My nephew is 10, and before christmas decided he wanted to do a family book club. He picked the first book, but this weekend we'll be discussing Hatchet while at Crater Lake National Park.