My Mentor

[Outdoor Writer]

Thinking it might turn into a nice trip down memory lane, I started this thread as an off-shoot of the "Good ole days on ammo prices" one. In that thread I mentioned (see below) my early mentor from the 1960s of all things hunting, and that he and his son were noted for a certain hunting discipline.  

"Yup. I had a PM conversation with another member , and that's how we remembered it. Govway was like an airplane hanger and later became a skatng rink. He also brought up one of my hangouts in the 1960s,  Bellow's Sporting Goods at 27th Ave. & Camelback. My dad had a gas station next to Fergison's Cafeteria on the corner of 27 Ave. and Indian School. I worked for him as a mechanic until about 1969 when they tore up the road to widen it, sending his business south. Ed Bellows and I, plus two others, did a DIY horseback hunt in Colorado's San Juan Mts. one year. One of my hunting mentors on all things AZ also hung out there. I'll see if anyone might be able to guess who it was. "

So far the guesses included all of these incorrect ones: Bob Hirsch, Bob Housholder, Manuel Sinohui, Mickey Del Re, Steve Galizioli and Ben Avery. 

These are a few of my replies:

Good guesses, but no. I met Householder but didn't know him well. My mentor was actually older than both of them, and he and his son (who was about Hirsch's age) were noted for a certain discipline of hunting. 

In contrast, Hirsch and I were good friends from about 1969 until his death in 2007. In the 1990s, Kurt VonBesser, the owner of Atsko Inc. (Snowseal, UV Killer. Etc.) and I drew archery elk permits in unit 7W. Hirsch let me use his 23' trailer for Kurt's comfort. It had seen a lot of neglect in the kitchen and bath areas. So when we got done with the hunt, I told Hirsch to leave it with me for while and I'd get it fixed up. I completely rebuilt the cabinet area that held the sink, stove and oven and replaced the floor that had warped because of a water leak.

Another good guess. Although, Mickey and I became friends, I didn't know him well until the early 1970s when I was a road rep and sold hunt/fish stuff to him & his brother, Ed, at their store on Northern. I did hunt with Mickey twice, tho -- once for deer & turkey in TX and once for elk near Pagosa Springs.  And in the 1970s when we had our lodge at Vallecito Lake in Colo., Mick, usually with his close friend, Chet Hansen (Hansen Mortuary) or others along, would come up a couple times a year to fish for northern pike with me.

From PM: Nope, though Steve was another good friend. Jim Tallon, Steve and I hunted dove and quail together a lot. They are both dead now. 

you don't think he is talking about Ben Avery do you?  thats just too obvious.................................... -- No, not Ben. 

 

[forepaw]

Sam Fadala.

 

[Outdoor Writer]

1 hour ago, forepaw said:

Sam Fadala.

No, but how ironic since not more than 15 minutes ago, I pulled Sam's book, The Complete Shooter, off the shelf because I'm getting ready to list it for sale. Not sure if Sam is still alive because I haven't spoke to him for at least 30 years. Last I knew, he was living in Alpine as of about 3 or 4 years ago. If he's still around, he's about my age.

 

[HorseHunter]

Thanks for sharing.

This brings to mind the value of mentorship.

I have always surrounded myself with people that know more than I do. 
Or maybe it’s just that most people know more than me.

Whatever the case, my life has been greatly enriched by these individuals.
I have subject matter specific mentors and often a few in each area. One helped me evolve my horsemanship skills and introduced me to packing. Many have helped me learn carpentry skills. Some have helped me keep my trucks on the road. While others have helped me develop my business acumen. Not to mention those who have showed me how to be a good husband, father, and friend.

All of the above are works in progress and will continue to be until my race is run.
Let’s not forget the many that teach us what not to do or how not to be. I would argue that those lessons are equally valuable.

I look forward to hearing who influenced the influential Outdoor Writer!

[biglakejake]

that's some serious bona fides there.......................

lee

[Outdoor Writer]

On 11/15/2020 at 9:10 PM, HorseHunter said:

Thanks for sharing.

This brings to mind the value of mentorship.

I have always surrounded myself with people that know more than I do. 
Or maybe it’s just that most people know more than me.

Whatever the case, my life has been greatly enriched by these individuals.
I have subject matter specific mentors and often a few in each area. One helped me evolve my horsemanship skills and introduced me to packing. Many have helped me learn carpentry skills. Some have helped me keep my trucks on the road. While others have helped me develop my business acumen. Not to mention those who have showed me how to be a good husband, father, and friend.

All of the above are works in progress and will continue to be until my race is run.
Let’s not forget the many that teach us what not to do or how not to be. I would argue that those lessons are equally valuable.

I look forward to hearing who influenced the influential Outdoor Writer!

Dead on! And I can relate to the multi-faceted deal, as the same as happened in my life. Coincidentally, some of them we share, ala horsemanship/packing skills, carpentry, masonry and vehicle mechanics.

The carpentry bit is sort of funny in a way. My Italian family in NJ, including my dad, were always into building or remodeling stuff. So growing up, my weekends were often spent as a helper/gofer on some project like adding on a 2-car garage. So along the way, I learned a lot of the rough type carpentry by watching. Then when I moved to Colo. in the mid-70s, I worked winters building expensive custom houses. I spent one of those winters working for a young contractor who rented a cabin at our lodge. Although Steve was only 27, he knew his way around with hammer and saw quite well. We spent the winter building a huge $250K house for a Texas cardiac surgeon and basically made everything from scratch, including all the oak cabinets in the kitchen. It was Steve who mentored me at 37 years old in the disciplines of fine carpentry -- an interest I've kept and used since then. Most importantly, it's saved me oodles of money as I have completely redone the house we now live in.  🤣

[Outdoor Writer]

Clue of the day:

My mentor was already in his 60s when I first met him in the 1960s. 

[AZBob]

Wild guess.....Ben Avery?

[Outdoor Writer]

31 minutes ago, AZBob said:

Wild guess.....Ben Avery?

No. Someone guessed him in the other thread but I forgot to add it in this one. Will do right now, 

[forepaw]

3 hours ago, Outdoor Writer said:

Clue of the day:

My mentor was already in his 60s when I first met him in the 1960s. 

I looked at my list of ADBSS Charter Members, but no match there.  Jack and Bradford O'Connor partially match, but they were known for more than one hunting discipline.  I guess I am about to learn something new.

 

[Outdoor Writer]

13 minutes ago, forepaw said:

I looked at my list of ADBSS Charter Members, but no match there.  Jack and Bradford O'Connor partially match, but they were known for more than one hunting discipline.  I guess I am about to learn something new.

 

Neither of them. Although I met O'Connor at least twice, we weren't really friends per se. Anything I learned from him was through his writing. 

And I'm not sure if my mentor was involved with ADBSS at all. He also practiced other hunting disciplines/techniques, but he was well known for a very specific one. 

[10Turkeys]

Askins just to eliminate him, and maybe Parker for the win?

[Outdoor Writer]

3 minutes ago, 10Turkeys said:

Askins just to eliminate him, and maybe Parker for the win?

Not sure who you mean, but there is no "Parker" in his name.  

[10Turkeys]

8 minutes ago, Outdoor Writer said:

Not sure who you mean, but there is no "Parker" in his name.  

George Parker the border patrolman that was known for his Coues trophies.

[Outdoor Writer]

Just now, 10Turkeys said:

George Parker the border patrolman that was known for his Coues trophies.

Hmmm, that one escaped me. I don't recall ever hearing about him. Bygone era, maybe??