Gene A. Hill (1928-1997) was considered by many to be one of the best outdoor writers of his time. Hill grew up in New Jersey, graduated from Harvard, and worked as an advertising copywriter for several agencies.
Hill always had an interest in the outdoors, and began an outdoor writing career by moonlighting as an outdoors columnist for several magazines, including Guns & Ammo and Sports Afield.
Eventually, Hill took the plunge and became a full time columnist and associate editor of Field & Stream magazine. He also served as executive editor of Sports Afield magazine for years.
Gene Hill is known for two very popular outdoor columns: “Tail Feathers”, written in Sports Afield, and “Hill Country”, written in Field & Stream. Gene’s writing was unique. His pieces were typically short and to the point. He was humorous without trying too hard to be so. Hill always disliked the title “outdoor writer”. For all his notoriety, the man was very humble. He had a unique ability to understand and describe the relationship between a man and his hunting dog. He also had a weakness for the finer things in life, including fine shotguns, beautiful scenery, and a glass of good bourbon. By all accounts, Hill was remembered as a great writer, and his books are among the most popular in outdoor sporting literature today.
Gene Hill books:
A Hunter’s Fireside Book
Mostly Tailfeathers
Hill Country
A Gallery of Waterfowl and Upland Birds
The Whispering Wings of Autumn
Tears & Laughter
Outdoor Yarns and Outright Lies
Where might I find printable versions of Gene’s stories that I might use with my at risk students. I love his stuff!
Hi Darren,
Glad you enjoy Gene’s work. Due to copyright laws, I don’t think you’ll be able to reprint his stories without permission from the publisher. Fortunately most of his books are available at a reasonable price. You could also borrow books from your local library. If they don’t have any of his books on the shelves, you can request them through interlibrary loan.
Take Care,
Jeremiah
Darren,
I am Mrs. Gene Hill and I just came across your note.
How might I be of help to you?
Cathy Hill
Mrs. Hill:
When I had my open heart surgery followed by my diagnosis Hogkins Lymphoma I read a copy of Gene’s book “The Best Of Gene Hill” during my period of nasty chemotherapy. That book really helped me get my frame of mind set very well to have to deal with that rough time. I have conducted an extremely diligent search for that book with zero results. I am going through another rough time and woul dearly love to read the book again. Can you possibly steer me in the me towards a copy of it anywhere? Thank you kindly, C.S.McWhorter
6145 Catskill LN
Colorado Springs, Co 80918
To Mrs. Cathy Hill
Would you be able to reach out to me regarding a creative project that might involve some of Gene’s stories? I, like so many others, am a huge fan of Gene the man and the author. Thank you in advance for your consideration.
A fine tribute for a fine man.
I have vivid memories of sitting in the dim basement of American River Junior College, reading “Hill Country” and “Tail Feathers.” That basement and those columns were a kind of portal to an outdoor world I yearned and pined for. And now that I am older, I return there often. I know you’ve gone to a better place, but thank you Gene Hill. I look forward to meeting you and shaking your hand, when the dogs are put up for the last time and this hunt is over.
To Cathy Hill,
I hope you still are monitoring this thread. About 1967-68 or so a blond haired boy showed up on your front doorstep to ask permission to fish in your pond. The kindney bean shaped one in the far meadow. You gave your permission and the memories I accumulated are priceless. I fished the ponds of your neighbors the Moebus’s, Bonta’s and yours of course. All uniquely different. Later, much later, I realized who your husband was and read most of his books. It was obvious he used the farmstead as inspiration for his writings. It was like he was writing to just me as I had walked the same places and observed the same natural sightings. Thanks for all you did during that time. You kept a beautiful home. Best wishes in the future.
Anyone knowing where I could acquire a copy of “The Best Of Gene Hill”. Please advise.
Thank you so much/C. S. McWhorter
My memories of Gene Hill go way back to Robinwood Farm on Elm Ridge Road in New Jersey. My father, Bob Weiss, was a friend of Gene as well as members of Nassau, Black Rock and Philadelphia Gun Clubs. I was fortunate enough to fish in the pond there and learned how to cast a fly because of this friendship.
I remember all the dogs coming to meet you as you drove up to their home as well as his office in back of the garage. Wonderful times!
Thanks for sharing those memories Rob, that’s pretty neat!
I grew up reading Gene Hill’s stories in Hill Country in field and stream. Made my life as a hunter. Truly put you there as a person, hunter and dog person. I only wish I could have shared some time with him, his wife and his dogs.
I am looking for a Sports Afield article that I am pretty sure Mr. Hill wrote, late 60s to early 70s. It was about duck and goose hunting at Ocracoke Island in NC, with a gentleman/guide named Thurston Gaskill. I hunted with Thurston many times over the years, and want to share this with my children/grandchildren. I found a source for the magazines, but don’t know what month/year to get. Any chance you could guide me to it?
I have just acquired a set of four Gene Hill books that are enclosed in a green slipcase. On one side is Gene Hill in hold letters. The books are Shotgunner’s Notebook, Tears & Laughter, Hill county and Passing A Good Time. Does anyone know whether this was sold as a set. Or did someone have the slipcase made on their own. I can’t seem to find any information on a box set.
I just bought a hard bound copy of Jack O’Conners book “The Shotgun Book” at a antique store in McMinnville Oregon. It is a first edition and when I opened the inside cover it had the previous owner name written in ink on the inside. The name was Gene A Hill. Being a shot gunner most of my life I wondered maybe. Then I found inside a unfolded shoot schedule and rules for the 1971-72 Live Bird shoot for the PA. Gun Clubs. That convinced me it had to be Genes book. Great addition to my library and collection for 20 bucks.
That is awesome Mark!
Very cool Mark. I too read all of Gene’s magazine articles when our 6 boys were very young in the late 70s and 80s. I fondly anticipated cold winter nights (not many here in Southern California) sitting in on the floor, fireplace roaring and my wife working on dinner. Gene was my favorite writer, and still is.
God Bless everyone, Merry Christmas, 2019.
I read a story told in a shared duck blind about a field trial dog that died from a broken neck while performing in a trial. The story was named “one”. Do you know of it?
Hi Tom, I haven’t heard of that one, or if I did, I’ve forgotten!
Thom, the story you seek “One” can be found in Hill’s book Tears & Laughter..
Does anyone know what year/month of the Sports Afield magazine did Gene’s tailfeathers article “The Ringneck Hunter” appear? I’ve been looking for it for some time, but I’ve been unsuccessful. My father is very fond of it and I would like to find it
I am Gene Hill’s widow. I would like to be of assistance. You may reach me at hillcathy@aol.com.
Mich… The story “The Ringneck Hunter” can be found in Mostly Tail Feathers, Hill’s second book..