Bowhunting is a spiritual adventure. Dennis Dunn, the first man to complete the Super Slam of North American Big Game Animals shooting bare bow, meaning no sights-wrote a book about his lifetime of bowhunting adventures after completing the Super Slam in 2004. Like a master bower crafts the limb of a new bow with detail and emotion, so has Dunn shaped and crafted each page with the same painstaking attention to detail and emotion required to create a masterpiece. This book is downright poetic.
Each turn of the page left my mind cringing in anticipation. From a writing standpoint, each page was artfully crafted with such power and emotion, time becomes irrelevant as the mountainous landscapes, jagged desert cliffs and emotional roller coasters of a bowhunting life rise off the page, and play out in your imagination. Dunn’s background as a romance language major at Harvard truly shows its power. I make it a point to read a quick section from Barebow before writing any of my own material.
Dunn penned book not only to capture his lifetime of adventures, but also a resource and educational reference. After finally completing the Super Slam in May of 2004, he set out on the three year journey to record his previous 40 year quest. As one will notice very quickly, Dunn’s book contains no “hero shots”, pictures posing with a kill. Instead, Dunn collaborated with the talented father and son wildlife artist team Hayden and Dallen Lambson, to create stunning depictions of each animal species. I really enjoyed each depiction because part of the reason Dunn decided to use drawn pictures since it helps the non hunter understand the powerful intrinsic side we as hunters see in the chase of our quarry. One will also notice throughout this book, Dunn directs his words directly at the non hunter. Never attacking them, but explaining in calm words the philosophical side to chasing game. I attribute these parts of the book as a major reason Dunn was awarded a coveted Mossy Oak Pinnacle Award at the annual Professional Outdoor Media Association, (POMA), conference in 2010. In addition, Barebow has won awards from the Outdoor Writers Association of America,( OWAA),The Northwest Outdoor Writers Association, (NOWA), as well as top recognition from the Bulls and Beaver website and an editors review in Outdoor Life in 2010. Recently as this year it was awarded the Jenkings Publishing Group Gold award for its new ebook publication. Each award is well deserved.
The Book.
As I wrote earlier, part of the reason I truly love this book, and part of the reason it has netted multiple awards, was because of Dunn’s ability to communicate effectively with the non hunter. In fact, while talking with Dunn he told me a fierce anti hunter once read the preface of the book and returned shortly after purchasing five more books for her friends. The Preface and the Afterward, are two of the most well thought out and crafted pieces of explanatory literature about the place of man and our role as a predator I have ever read. Dunn captures the pure essence of why we do what we do. He brings the concept Dunn quotes James Swan several times throughout the book. Swan’s quote is, “ Down through the ages, the concept of stewardship-that humans have a responsibility to care for the creatures that feed them- has been the law of the land , and it has worked to the benefit of both. they feed us and we care back for them. That, really is a far better deal than other predator species give their prey.” Dunn brings to life this quote through out the pages of his book blending the pursuit of trophy animals and the reality that, trophy hunt, hunting general is so closely related to the overall stewardship of the land. Dunn and his book represent hunters and huntresses the way we need to be represented in todays politically fueled landscape. From explaining the benefits of trophy hunting and how it is tied into stewardship of the land, why we hunt, where our hearts as sportsmen and women truly are.
Dennis Dunn with his world record SCI Freeranging Red Stag from NewZeland.
Included are links to Dunn’s website in which one may purchase a hardcover edition of Barebow. If you are an archer, a hunter of any skill level, a nature lover, a non hunter or even one who classifies themselves as an anti hunter, I highly recommend one spend the money for this piece of art. The true reasons for the hunt are embedded within the pages. If one does not have the money to spend on a hardcover edition, the e-format books are a great option for a fraction of the cost.
http://www.str8arrows.com/Order.htm\
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=barebow&sprefix=barebow%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Abarebow
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/barebow?store=allproducts&keyword=barebow
Dennis Dunn is as good of an ambassador for the sport of hunting as it gets. He is a class act individual and truly understands the reason we hunt. He conveys that meaning through the pages of his book. He is a great friend and mentor as well, and I am proud to name Barebow the Pushing the Wild Limits August book of the month.
Pushing the Wild Limits 