The Still-Hunter

Macmillan, 1944-01-01. Hardcover. Very Good+/Very Good+. Hardcover, Illustrated Edition 1943 Macmillan 390 pages. Very Good+, in a VG+ DJ. Original brown cloth boards with black titles and accents - corners bumped. Minor shelf/edge wear to original unclipped tan paper DJ with black titles - now in mylar. No previous owner markings - all pages are clean and unmarked. 27 black and white illustration plates including Frontispiece. A classic on the art and skill of Hunting. When this book was first published in 1882, Theodore Roosevelt reviewed it and loved it. Van Dyke applied his intelligence and attention to detail to studying deer and deer hunting as thoroughly as any man ever has. He scorned hunting from a blind and instead developed his ability to walk up on deer and antelope, which is what he calls "still-hunting."Using a blend of storytelling designed to illustrate his points, he climbs inside the head of a novice hunter and describes with great accuracy the common mental faults and mistakes of the average neophyte in a narration about a fictional hunt. Then he corrects the mistakes, for, as he states, "In scarcely any branch of life is one more apt to draw wrong conclusions from hasty observations than in hunting deer and antelope and shooting with the rifle." His advice on bedding and movement of deer is consistent with much of what many of the best of modern biologists will tell you, and his guidance on methods has stood the test of time. One of Theodore Roosevelt's favorite books, this classic set the stage for deer hunting in America. Still hunting requires total commitment and awareness of the environment, even more so than stand hunting. A very handsome vintage war year copy in the scarce DJ. Highly recommended. LOC FB-01