Texas Hunting Forum

Books!!

Posted By: BrianCook_RanchSales

Books!! - 03/16/17 04:02 AM

I'm a wildlife major at Texas A&M and love learning more with everything related to the subject. My family has a ranch along the rio grande river in south Texas. Does anyone have any suggestions on books to buy? Anything from tracking, wildlife(already have some on quail and cattle), south texas stories, indians,etc... Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!
Posted By: syncerus

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 04:42 AM

Anything by Jim Corbett. Not Texas, but some of the best hunting stories ever written.
Posted By: RockinU

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 04:42 AM

All of J. Frank Dobie. A lot of Elmer Kelton (The Time It Never Rained is a favorite of mine). Peter Hathaway Capstick. A really interesting read is The Beast In The Garden by David Baron. Tom Brown has written some books that are partially about tracking, and partially self-promoting...but they have some good info if you can wade through all the other stuff.
Posted By: Ranch Dog

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 05:53 AM

Second all of J. Frank Dobies tales, they are some of my favorites. Not of Texas but as a wildlife major, Aldo Leopold should be relevant to your interest.
Posted By: Nogalus Prairie

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 10:51 AM

"Empire of the Summer Moon" by S.C. Gwynne
"Lone Star: A History of Texas and Texans" by T.R. Fehrenbach

Posted By: colt45-90

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 10:56 AM

Originally Posted By: bow5
I'm a wildlife major at Texas A&M and love learning more with everything related to the subject. My family has a ranch along the rio grande river in south Texas. Does anyone have any suggestions on books to buy? Anything from tracking, wildlife(already have some on quail and cattle), south texas stories, indians,etc... Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!
do an inter webb search, you will find plenty
Posted By: BayouGuy

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 12:37 PM

I just finished reading Man-Eaters of Kumaon by hunter-naturalist Jim Corbett. It details Corbett's experiences in the Kumaon region of India from the 1900 to the 1930s, while hunting man-eating tigers and leopards. One tiger, for example, was responsible for over 400 human deaths.

This guy's tracking skills were nothing short of amazing, sometimes tracking a tiger for many days. He could tell a tiger's age, sex, and size by it's pug marks. Many tigers turned man eater because of injury by gunfire or porcupines. On several occasions he predicted where on its body a tiger was injured based on it's track.

See the reviews on Amazon, here:
https://www.amazon.com/Man-Eaters-Kumaon...aters+of+kumaon
Posted By: Choctaw

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 01:15 PM

Jack O'Connor, Gene Hill, Ted Trueblood...
Posted By: QuitShootinYoungBucks

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 01:19 PM

Originally Posted By: bow5
I'm a wildlife major at Texas A&M and love learning more with everything related to the subject. My family has a ranch along the rio grande river in south Texas. Does anyone have any suggestions on books to buy? Anything from tracking, wildlife(already have some on quail and cattle), south texas stories, indians,etc... Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!

Posted By: jakebunch

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 01:26 PM

Robert Ruark
Posted By: Txhuntr2

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 01:39 PM

Howdy Bow5. I got my undergrad in WFSC at Texas A&M. Class of 2010. Great program! What year are you?

As stated above: Leopold (although when I was there A Sand County Almanac was required reading so you probably already have that) Ruark, Capstick, although many of their books are adventure/hunting books.

Although it drives my wife crazy, I have retained a number of my old text and reference books. I still reference my ichthyology, key to skulls, and some wildlife management books from time to time.

If Dr. Fitzgerald is still there, I recommend taking his herpetology course, even if you are not that interested in herps.
Posted By: ETexas Hunter

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 02:01 PM

Capstick
Posted By: Hunt Dog

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 02:15 PM

The Men Who Wear the Star, by Charles M Robinson III. It's a history of the Texas Rangers (LEO, not baseball).
Being down on the border it should have some good historic relevance for you.

And if you have yet to take Political Science... Money, Marbles and Chalk by Jimmy Banks. It's a story/history of Texas Politics. LBJ and box 13, Sharpstown, et al. It may have been written in 1972 but the tales of political chicanery are still relevant today.
Posted By: ErnestTBass

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 02:44 PM

This is a great thread.

Echo Elmer Kelton and J Frank Dobie.

Kelton's The Time it Never Rained is outstanding, especially if you have West Texas family from that era. I "knew" everyone in that book.

The Texas Rangers by Dobie is a dense read but very interesting and well-researched history of the Rangers.

Empire of the Summer Moon by SC Gwynne is an outstanding book on the Comanches.

The Captured is a great book written by a guy from Mason about white (Anglo and German) kids who were captured by Indians and raised as Indians.
Posted By: 1860.colt

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 02:49 PM

cheers spend time reading in here... ohh, welcome ta texasHF... cool thread, while nota much of a reader, after a good days work...
Nothing more relaxing than sitting in a stand with bow in hand, & enjoying Mother Nature & watching the wildlife unfold on the big screen of life....
confused2 they added the ignorance list cause my posts aint worth 2cents... flag
Posted By: Hunt Dog

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 03:18 PM

DUH (palm plant to face hard) anything and everything by Dr James C Kroll {Dr Deer}. I know he teaches at a competing school, SFA, but all his stuff on Whitetail studies and research are insightful.
Posted By: deerfeeder

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 06:47 PM

Trees, shrubs, cacti of South Texas by James H. Everitt, D. Lynn Drawe, and Robert I Lonard. A field guide to Common South Texas Shrubs by Richard B. Taylor, Jimmy Rutledge, Joe G. Herrera. Adios to the Brushlands, Keepers of the Wilderness, And, The Sand Sheet, All 3 by Arturo Longoria, all published by A&M Press.
Posted By: swmays

Re: Books!! - 03/16/17 09:02 PM

John Graves, Roy Bedichek and Jim Corder.
Posted By: Slow Drifter

Re: Books!! - 03/17/17 01:08 AM

I have hard-bound copies of Outdoor Life from about '66 into the 80's. They might provide some insight into conservation. I won't give them away, but I can loan them to you if you want. I can get them to you.
Posted By: BrianCook_RanchSales

Re: Books!! - 03/18/17 03:29 AM

Thanks everyone! Finding some great books in this list
Posted By: HillbillyDeluxe

Re: Books!! - 03/19/17 02:01 AM

Enjoy "The Listening Walk" by Gene Hill. Also "View From a Tower Blind: Reflections From a Texas Whitetail Hunter" by Ray Sasser. Sasser is the outdoor/hunting columnist for the Dallas Morning News sports page for many years. I always try to read "View" before the start of every deer season. Very spiritual, educational and insightful.
Posted By: lhare

Re: Books!! - 03/19/17 03:04 AM

Ben K Green. Several great books about Texas
Posted By: redmist1

Re: Books!! - 03/19/17 05:15 AM

Originally Posted By: syncerus
Anything by Jim Corbett. Not Texas, but some of the best hunting stories ever written.



I will second that
Posted By: SnakeWrangler

Re: Books!! - 03/19/17 02:57 PM

Roemer's Texas 1845 to 1847....

Roemer's Texas With Particular Reference Immigration Physical Appearance

Another article


Ferdinand von Roemer
Posted By: Nogalus Prairie

Re: Books!! - 03/19/17 03:00 PM



Just finished that one. Probably the best first-person description of the land and people of early Texas there is.
Posted By: redhaze

Re: Books!! - 03/20/17 11:21 AM

What an interesting thread, am now reading T. Fehrenbach's Lone Star book now.
Posted By: Son of a Blitch

Re: Books!! - 03/20/17 04:43 PM

The King Ranch by Tom Lea was an incredible read, albeit a long one.
Observing and Evaluating Whitetails by Dave Richards and Al Brothers
If you arrowhead hunt, "A Field Guide to Stone Artifacts of Texas Indians"
Devil at my Heels by Louis Zamperini was a great read, but not necessarily on the topics you provided.
Dolph Briscoe: My Life in Texas Ranching and Politics
1491 by Charles Mann
any Dobie book or McMurtry book

Also...I have a publishing company: www.HaveYouThought.com that has books that are either written by, or about Native American Indians and Indigenous Elders, worldwide. I'd be happy to ship you some of them for free, if they seem interesting. We also have some audio CDs on the site as well.
Posted By: Preacher Ed

Re: Books!! - 03/21/17 10:09 AM

Not being from TX, I don't know any books, but hopefully this will help you and maybe others who are not aware of this website, but if you are looking for a good deal on a certain book go to bookfinder.com . It will search multiple sites and show you the cheapest place to find a book. I have found a lot of books that I thought I would have to pay out the wazoo to get and ended up getting them rather cheaply. BTW-sounds like you are headed down the right path in your studies.
Posted By: Choctaw

Re: Books!! - 03/21/17 02:32 PM

Originally Posted By: Preacher Ed
Not being from TX, I don't know any books, but hopefully this will help you and maybe others who are not aware of this website, but if you are looking for a good deal on a certain book go to bookfinder.com . It will search multiple sites and show you the cheapest place to find a book. I have found a lot of books that I thought I would have to pay out the wazoo to get and ended up getting them rather cheaply. BTW-sounds like you are headed down the right path in your studies.


Nice link, sir.
Posted By: Mr T

Re: Books!! - 03/22/17 09:20 PM

Dr James Kroll is a great authority, out of Stephen F. Austin. Patterning Whitetails is a great reference.

www.drdeer.com
Posted By: Ranch Dog

Re: Books!! - 04/13/17 11:34 AM

Originally Posted By: deerfeeder
Trees, shrubs, cacti of South Texas by James H. Everitt, D. Lynn Drawe, and Robert I Lonard. A field guide to Common South Texas Shrubs by Richard B. Taylor, Jimmy Rutledge, Joe G. Herrera. Adios to the Brushlands, Keepers of the Wilderness, And, The Sand Sheet, All 3 by Arturo Longoria, all published by A&M Press.

Just finished Adios to the Brushlands, thanks, deerfeeder! I bought all three of Longoria's books. "Adios" really hit home as the Author and I are very near in age, and I too have witnessed the loss he describes in South Texas first hand.
Posted By: HS2

Re: Books!! - 04/16/17 03:22 AM

A Practical Guide to Edible & Useful Plants
by Delena Tull

This is the best book I've seen on edible plants, harmful plants, and plants useful for crafts & dyes.
Posted By: deerfeeder

Re: Books!! - 04/16/17 03:42 AM

Originally Posted By: Ranch Dog
Originally Posted By: deerfeeder
Trees, shrubs, cacti of South Texas by James H. Everitt, D. Lynn Drawe, and Robert I Lonard. A field guide to Common South Texas Shrubs by Richard B. Taylor, Jimmy Rutledge, Joe G. Herrera. Adios to the Brushlands, Keepers of the Wilderness, And, The Sand Sheet, All 3 by Arturo Longoria, all published by A&M Press.

Just finished Adios to the Brushlands, thanks, deerfeeder! I bought all three of Longoria's books. "Adios" really hit home as the Author and I are very near in age, and I too have witnessed the loss he describes in South Texas first hand.


I am mentioned in Adios to the Brushland. Me and Longoria are good buds. We text, talk and email quite often. Saw him about a month ago. We had coffee down in San Isidro.

The man knows his stuff. He has a blog. http://woodsroamer.blogspot.mx/
Posted By: jeffbird

Re: Books!! - 04/16/17 08:05 PM

Highly recommend:

Askins, Restoring North America's Birds, Lessons from Landscape Ecology.

https://www.amazon.com/Restoring-North-A...ndscape+ecology

For just great hunting and fishing stories, Bob Brister, Golden Crescent. Long out of print, a bit expensive, but worth it. Also includes wonderful art by Jack Cowan, one of the artists that truly defined art of South Texas hunting and fishing. Truly outstanding quality writing and a great gift to yourself.

Brister & Cowan





Posted By: bill oxner

Re: Books!! - 04/16/17 09:19 PM


'The Son,' a Novel by Philipp Meyer - The New York Times
The New York Times › books › the-son-...
Jun 19, 2013 - The words of Edward Gibbon bookend Philipp Meyer's novel “The Son,” a luxuriantly big book that tells a very Texan story of decline and fall. Mr. Meyer opens with Gibbon's words about how the ...
Posted By: Simple Searcher

Re: Books!! - 04/16/17 10:01 PM

If you want genuine South Texas stories and descriptions of Texas geography and wildlife read Early Settlers and Indian Fighters of Southwest Texas by Andrew Jackson Sowell. He personally interviewed many original setters in Texas and recorded their stories first hand of hunting, land, animals, Indians, etc. Some of the previous books mentioned used Sowell as a reference. I also kept seeing Life of Robert Hall used as a reference in many books when referring to hunting stories. He was a guide and hunter with great stories of hunting bears, deer, lions, and buffalo (American Bison) in South Texas.
Posted By: predapex

Re: Books!! - 04/26/17 07:05 PM

Lonesome Dove
Posted By: Creekrunner

Re: Books!! - 04/26/17 07:23 PM

Lots of excellent suggestions above.

For humor - The Deer Pasture, by Rick Bass. He's written other books that are good, but this was one of his earliest, maybe his first, before he got all holier-than-thou bowhunter, you should only hunt as I do; he moved to MT and lives in the Yaak valley. His short story collections, many about living in Houston suburbia, are a riot.
Posted By: Nogalus Prairie

Re: Books!! - 04/26/17 07:27 PM

Originally Posted By: Creekrunner
Lots of excellent suggestions above.

For humor - The Deer Pasture, by Rick Bass. He's written other books that are good, but this was one of his earliest, maybe his first, before he got all holier-than-thou bowhunter, you should only hunt as I do; he moved to MT and lives in the Yaak valley. His short story collections, many about living in Houston suburbia, are a riot.


Loved The Deer Pasture.
Slogged my way through a recent book of his short stories. Wished I had that time back. Just not my cup of tea I guess - seemed if he was just riffing by jumping from one absurd scenario to another with no direction I could discern.
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