Larry Weishuhn - Mr. Whitetail's Biography
I honestly don't remember when I started hunting. It was something that I've always done. Hunting to me was something I did, just like breathing..."I honestly don't remember when I started hunting. It was something that I've always done. Hunting to me was something I did, just like breathing.
I do have an old photograph that shows me standing next to a birthday cake with three candles and proudly holding a Daisy Redd Ryder BB gun. My earliest hunting and fishing memories go back to an extremely young age when I fished with a willow pole in Cummins Creek with my maternal grandfather A.J. Aschenbeck and hunting squirrel with him and my dad, Lester Weishuhn."
...hunting squirrel with him and my dad, Lester Weishuhn...
Growing up in the country, literally in the woods..."Growing up in the country, literally in the woods, my dad worked in the oil fields around home about 90 miles west of Houston,Texas. At night my mother, Lillie, this before the arrival of my brother Glenn, read to me nightly from the pages of Outdoor Life and Sports Afield.
Later my dad left the oil field and got involved in the chicken, hog and cattle business. Work was hard and long. For fun and occasionally food we hunted.
When I wasn't working or going to school I was reading or dreaming about hunting.
My heros were Jack O'Connor, John Jobson, Warren Page, Elmer Keith, Russell Annabel and others... My heros were Jack O'Connor, John Jobson, Warren Page, Elmer Keith, Russell Annabel and others."
Thought of her then as the most beautiful thing I ever laid eyes on....still do! "When I was about 9 my dad, who always had 'coon hounds, decided to purchase a Dalmation to keep around the yard. I remember seeing a blue eyed, darkly tanned little girl about my age. Her dad owned the dogs we went to go see. I wasn't interested in girls at the time, but she really looked cute playing with the Dalmation pup we took home. Several years later I got to know that same young lady a little better when we started dating during our last year of high school. Thought of her then as the most beautiful thing I ever laid eyes on....still do! We were married a year after we graduated from high school. Were it not for her, I would never have amounted to anything. While attending Texas A&M University I came home many times from classes bound and determined to quit college. Somehow she'd talk me out of doing so, encouraging me to finish college. Her encouragement and then my going to work as an undergraduate with Texas Wildlife Disease Project headed by Dr. R.M. Robinson provided the path I've continued.
"During the early professional years I worked as a wildlife biologist for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, first statewide, then throughout the western half of Texas, and then on to South Texas where I established quality wildlife management programs on private properties. When it appeared I was headed to an office job within the Department I quit and worked for several ranches in Texas and Colorado, while at the same time continuing to do wildlife consulting work, as well as seriously pursuing a writing career. The latter was aided and encouraged by J. Wayne Fears (who later dubbed me with the "Mr. Whitetail"...seriously pursuing a writing career. The latter was aided and encouraged by J. Wayne Fears (who later dubbed me with the "Mr. Whitetail" monicker), John Wootters (truly the father of modern whitetail hunting as we know it) and Craig Boddington who graciously edited manuscripts for me so I could send them to publications.
I published something over 2,500 feature articles. I also wrote numerous books, including my first, Pear Flat Philosophies, published by Safari Press as well as Trailing the Hunter's Moon..."Over years I've written a lot of articles and served as a staff writer for such publications as Deer & Deer Hunting, North American Hunter, Shooting Times, Handgunning, Sports Afield, Petersen's Hunting, Sporting Classics and numerous others. During my years of serious writing I published something over 2,500 feature articles. I also wrote numerous books, including my first, Pear Flat Philosophies, published by Safari Press as well as Trailing the Hunter's Moon, published by Stoeger Publications which in 2003 was proclaimed by ForeWord Magazine as the Best or Gold Book in the category of Adventure and Recreation, winning over hundreds of books worldwide."
"After overcoming a serious bout of shyness during my early years I have over the years been a fairly in demand public speaker... I have over the years been a fairly in demand public speaker, including long serving as a Featured Spearker for the NRA and their Great American Hunter's Tour. I've also been a featured speaker at most all the "Deer Classics", numerous international conclaves on wildlife and hunting, and many after-dinner engagements. I also long served on the prestigious Bass Pro RedHead Pro Hunting Team for several years, where I did a tremendous amount of seminars.
I got into outdoor videos with Jerry Smith and John Wootters in about the early 1980's, particularly when we did a video titled "Whitetails, Judging Trophies", which has become a true classic. Later I got involved with the Realtree video and television shows, the Bass Pro television shows, then had my own show "Hunting the World", which turned into "T/C Game Trails". These days I spend a considerable amount of time doing outdoor television shows. You can learn more about those shows I'm involved with elsewhere on this site."
My two daughters, Theresa and Beth, both hunted with me when they were younger and now their children known as "Popo's Youngsters" also hunt with me... "Over the years I've been fortunate, being at the right place at the right time...to begin with, meeting that little girl years ago that I told someone "was cuter than the speckled pup she played with". How I convinced her to years later become my wife, I'll never know.
My two daughters, Theresa and Beth, both hunted with me when they were younger and now their children known as "Popo's Youngsters" also hunt with me. I've also have somehow managed to be in the right place at the right time when it's come to my career.
"Popo's Youngsters" also hunt with me...
"I've been fortunate in essentially having the same avocation as I do vocation. That's one of the reasons I'm convinced I was inducted in to the National Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame in 2007 and I'm certain it also had something to do with my being selected to become a Professional Member of the Boone & Crockett Club.
I've pretty well hunted around the world...Over my years, I've pretty well hunted around the world with rifle and occasionally pistols and spent time with the finest people in the world. I have been blessed way beyond what I deserved or ever dreamed. Life is good!
Regards,
Larry Weishuhn
