Book Review - Gary Bogner's, Bowhunting for the North American Twenty-Eight By Jason Balazs
Apr 23, 2008 - 5:43:49 AM
Let's face it, TV is pretty much, with all the hundreds of channels, a wasteland. So now is your chance, like Jason recovering, to read a really exciting book on the sport we love, by an icon who lives it to its fullest.
Recently I had to have a surgery on my ankle and foot that had me laid up for six weeks. This was hard for me, since I am always doing something and very active in the gym and in the field. Then, as if Rich Walton just knew I could not do anything, I received a package in the mail. The package was a book for me to review. There was a letter inside that stated this book was sent to me for a review and they hoped I enjoyed reading it. I pulled the book out from the box and read the title, "Bowhunting for the North American Twenty-Eight, by Gary Bogner." So with that, I had my wife help me get some coffee and sat on the couch to start the book.
On first inspection, I found it nice that Gary Bogner himself had signed the copy for me. It stated, "To Jason, I wish you health, happiness, and a lifetime of rich adventure- Good hunting, Gary Bogner." Well I can tell you one thing, Gary's life is very full of adventure, from being an airline pilot to chasing his dream of the North American 28, a person could only wish to have a life time adventure like that.
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It all starts off on a Dall Sheep hunt for Gary. This is not like other books I have read where the bowhunter is led up the mountain and there is a successful stalk with a monster trophy at the end of the rainbow. No, Gary's accounts of his hunts are real life. You can feel the expression in his words that reflect how difficult bowhunting really is.
For instance, it took Gary 5 trips to successfully take a Dall Sheep with a bow, and that was no small task. He concluded his hunt with a perfect 80-yard shot on his impressive mid 150's Ram. Can you believe it? 80 yards? I have shot some things at a very long distance before. Heck, I even shot a turkey on the T.V. show, "The Art of Deception," at 50 yards. Shooting at a long distances definitely takes a lot of practice, skill and self-control to pull it off. Now when you read Gary's book, he mentions how much he has practiced throughout his lifetime and how diligently he prepares for his hunts. This is a man who knows his abilities as well as his limitations.
Even with all the practice in the world however, there are sometimes bad shots made. Gary is, although you have to question it at times reading about his adventures, after all, human and he is not afraid to let you know that he has made some bad shots on animals.
Like everything else when it comes to bowhunting, conditions are seldom perfect. Such was the case on a Polar Bear hunt. Polar Bears are notorious for actually stalking and hunting humans. It is also bad enough your trophy can eat you, but you are also hunting in temperatures well below freezing. This was such a hunt with great results but not without some excitement. He was able to take a record book bear but they almost lost the guides son. He had gone to look for bears when a huge storm blew in. Having no supplies or personal protection, he should have been a goner. He was saved only by the quick thinking of Gary and his guide and able to find his way back to the shelter where they celebrated both being alive and a successful hunt.
I would have to say that my favorite chapter of the book was Gary's hunt for a Giant Grizzly Bear in British Columbia. After many days hunting Grizzly, Gary was not only physically exhausted but mentally drained from the whole incredible experience. The consummate trooper, he continued to push through, sitting in the pouring rain for days on end like "Chinese water torture," as Gary explains. Or worse, walking back to camp in the dark and having bears growl at you as you pass.
You find yourself continually wanting to read ahead and yell, "Watch out Gary." And then you have to feel relieved when he finally pulls the string on a monster Grizzly. The pain, the effort, the days in the rain and the treks back to camp wondering if this is the night the Grizzly pulls the string on him, it's over and Gary stands over his trophy.
There is so much to write about this book, but it is better that you read it for yourselves. You will find when you read Gary's book that you find yourself in every story, on every hunt. He writes in such a way that you feel like you are there beside him.
He writes about his first hunt for Whitetail and how the adrenalin was pumping and you will know exactly how it felt. Every bowhunter can relate to that adrenalin pumping event unmatched at sometime in their life. I still get it even when a doe or cow elk walks out. The thrill of being able to overcome all the senses that these magnificent animals have is just plain awesome.
Reading the book, you follow Gary as he grows and matures as a bowhunter. It took Gary 46 years to complete his quest for the North American 28 and he lets it all out. He is not afraid to admit he made bad shots or misses while he was doing it either. This isn't a man impossible to believe. He is a great bowhunter and a legend in my mind. If we all could only be as fortunate and dedicated as Gary to experience all he has what a wonderful experience we could share. Well we can't but Gary let's us come along as he does and for me, that is good enough.
There are a few books I would recommend every one who loves to hunt, especially with a bow should own. This book is certainly one.
