Dogs & Ducks & Hat Rack Bucks

This 200 page book, that has been out since 1999, is an anthology of the author's past work with some new stories (at the time) thrown in for good measure. The work includes twenty five short stories, semi-legions, hunting and fishing tales. The author's subject matter includes dogs, hunting, fishing, floating, and camping stories from the Ozark Mountains and general observations from the author thrown in here and there. These are well written and well crafted works that capture perfectly the essence of the Missouri and Arkansas Ozarks. Many of the stories are taken from episodes which occurred during the author's youth. Most of these outdoor tales were written during the 1960s and 1970s. The author's style is very reminiscent of that of the famous outdoor writer Robert Rouark and I suspect that Dablemont has been strongly influenced by him. Rouark's Old Man and The Boy is one of the best works in this genre ever put to print, so I suppose that if you are going to be influenced by someone, which all authors are, that Rouark would be a good choice. As you read, you will also note that the author brings back the style and flair of many of the old outdoor writers that were prominent during the 1940s and 1950s in publications such as Field and Stream and Sports Afield. These are publications I grew up reading, so I feel quite comfortable with this current work. This author also has an acute sense of humor and can be quite amusing. Dablemont is particularly strong when he writes of dogs, nature and the old timers he has been associated with. I no longer hunt, for many reasons, but still appreciate reading of the times, men and dogs that were participating in this activity when it still had honor and adventure attached to it. Dablemont has obviously been there and done it and portrays it quite well. There are some very nice black and white illustrations by Tome Goldsmith, a very talented artist. For some great outdoor reading, it would be hard to beat this stuff and I do highly recommend it. Don Blankenship The Ozarks