Tony Mandile was a long-time contributor to this forum.  He passed away yesterday morning from complications from COPD, Covid and an infection he got while at the hospital.  His wife, Ellen, also got sick about the same time and spent time in the hospital, but is recovering at home.  His family says he did not wish to hold a service, but I wanted to share with you all some more about his background.  Tony went by the handle Outdoor Writer in this forum as well as other hunting forums.  He made a living as a professional write for almost 40 years and he was a wealth of knowledge about the outdoors.  I enjoyed my conversations with him and he will be missed.   Tony and his wife attended some of our CWT campouts so many years ago.  In addition to being a hunter, he was an outstanding photographer and he enjoyed cooking some excellent meals, which he often shared on Facebook.  Many of you have enjoyed the book he co-wrote with Duwane Adams, "How to Hunt Coues Deer". He hunted and fished in 39 states and 10 Canadian provinces. He also hunted and fished in Africa, New Zealand and Mexico.

Mandile began a part-time writing career in 1969 and has been a full-time freelance outdoor writer/photographer for 38 years. His 30-year active membership in the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) included three years on the board of directors. He also served on the board of the Western Outdoor Writers (WOW) and the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA), which he helped create in 2005. He was a contributing editor for ARIZONA HUNTER & ANGLER magazine for 10 years, and wrote seven years as the Arizona Editor for OUTDOOR LIFE magazine. Mandile wrote his book -- HOW TO HUNT COUES DEER -- with noted guide Duwane Adams in 2003, and the Arizona Game & Fish Commission selected him as "Outdoor Writer of the Year" for 2011.

More than 2,100 of his articles and 1,300 of his photos (50 covers) have appeared in OUTDOOR LIFE, FIELD & STREAM, SPORTS AFIELD, CABELA'S OUTFITTER JOURNAL, PETERSEN'S HUNTING, PETERSEN'S FISHING, AMERICAN HUNTER (NRA), DEER HUNTING, ROCKY MOUNTAIN GAME & FISH, CALIFORNIA G&F, WASHINGTON-OREGON G & F, ARIZONA HIGHWAYS, NORTH AMERICAN HUNTER, WHITETAILS UNLIMITED, NORTH AMERICAN WHITETAIL, OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHERS BIBLE, PENNSYLVANIA ANGLER, ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPORTSMAN, WESTERN OUTDOORS, BOWHUNTING WORLD, SOUTHWEST SPORTSMAN, SAFARI, ARIZONA WILDLIFE VIEWS, ARIZONA HUNTER & ANGLER, OUTDOORS UNLIMITED, several books and a few dozen other outdoor, conservation and travel publications. Rest in Peace Tony.