Campfires in the Canadian Rockies & other great reads

[aletheuo]

Hey, just wanted to mention how I have been blessed by a guy who has taken me on in mentorship. He's started me off with some great reading including, for starters, his precious collectors edition of Russel Annabel's Tales of a Big Game Guide. But since that's Alaska-based stuff and this is BC I've also been reading "Campfires in the Canadian Rockies" by William Hornaday & John Phillips. It's now out of copyright and you can find full text of it online.
http://www.archive.org/stream/campfiresincanad00hornuoft/campfiresincanad00hornuoft_djvu.txt

Set in the Elk Valley of BC in 1905, this recount of a month-long hunting expediton after mountain goats is hard to put down. Hornaday wasDIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL PARK at the time. I've learned so much and have been entertained much as well. Did you know that the Elk in the elk valley were protected in 1905? According to Hornaday's account, elk had just begun moving into the area from the south and were few and far between. (common knowledge to all of you, right?)

I would love to take a trip to retrace his steps. The descriptions of the landscapes are so vivid that it would be fairly easy to know exactly where he camped and the mountains he climbed.

Anyone else have the priviledge of reading this fine book? Maybe you have other books you'd like to recommend? Comments, thoughts on it?

[BigBanger]

Sounds like a good read .

[SteadyGirl]

Thats a book I have to have. Thanks for the suggestion.

I'll make one, Whitetail Wisdom by the North American Hunting Club.

[brenden]

I have an original print 1st edition of "Campfires in the Rockies". My dad bought it as a gift for me when I graduated college. I read most of a second print edition book in the Fernie library when I was a kid. I have been to many of the places mentioned in the book and even took a goat off the same ridges Hornady and Phillips did. Fascinating book I will always treasure.

(my copy was bought online through the New-York public library for about 350$ Canadian. It was printed in 1906 by Schribner Press. It has "Ontario Museum Of Geology" stamped inside the front cover.)


Brenden

[scratch]

I noticed Amazon.ca has copies of "Campfires in the Canadian Rockies" hard cover for sale, for $41.84 Canadian and a "Tales of a Big Game Guide" leather bound for $1,077 Canadian:-)

[aletheuo]

I noticed Amazon.ca has copies of "Campfires in the Canadian Rockies" hard cover for sale, for $41.84 Canadian and a "Tales of a Big Game Guide" leather bound for $1,077 Canadian:-)

Yeah, i've looked for Tales as well, but in my search it appears that under about $300 is more reasonable and I think one book seller had it listed for something like $50... but they are known to back out of deals when they discover discrepencies like that. According to my mentor, there were only two printings so far at 1250 each, makes 2500 books in the world. Glad I've read it already.:eek:

[TPK]

There was a copy of "Camp Fires in the Canadian Rockies" auctioned of at the BCWF convention in Fernie last weekend. Light blue hard cover in a very nice wooden box. I was interested in it but it went for more than I could afford.

[HD95]

I purchased Campfires in the Canadian Rockies for $25.00 us on e-bay.Original first edition in fine shape.An excellent read.I love old hunting books.

[Chuck]

Just a thought on how things change over time. Regarding the Elk moving into the E. Kootenay area way back and being protected.
I read an account of David Thompson when he explored the Columbia River and hunted Cariboeufs in Castlegar. I would agree that these old stories and accounts of the pioneers very interesting. Can't put it down til it's done.

[blackbart]

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&tn=campfires+in+the+canadian+rockies&x=0&y=0

Try this link out. Seems to cover the whole spectrum from a 1907 printing to present day replica's. I just might have to order one of the knock off versions.