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I’m reading a book that I think a lot of folks here would enjoy: “Hunting Expeditions of Oliver Hazard Perry.” Note: this is not the O.H. Perry who was the naval hero of the war of 1812. The author was born in 1817 and his family were early settlers in the Cleveland Ohio region. Perry came from a fairly well to do family of lawyers and businessmen, but he was an avid deer hunter, hunting for sport rather than out of necessity. The book is a journal of a couple dozen hunts Perry made in Ohio and southern Michigan during the years 1836-57, a period when both states were fairly wild and unsettled, and when bear, elk, wolves, and even the occasional moose could still be encountered in the region.
Perry hunted with percussion muzzleloaders, finally settling on a double barreled rifle (47 caliber?) by New York gunmaker Morgan James. Perry’s journals are interesting and detailed, covering not only the events of each day’s hunting, but also the details of his travels (on foot, by sleigh, Great Lakes steamers, and stagecoach) and accommodations (taverns, barns, trapper’s cabins, and wilderness tent camps). It’s an entertaining and very readable book.
The original book was published after Perry’s death in a small edition given to friends and family. The edition I have was published in 1994 by St. Hubert’s Press, and contains a good historical introduction by John Howard. I bought it a number of years ago and I’m just getting around to reading it. A quick search on the forum didn’t turn up any mention of the book; have you guys seen it?
Perry hunted with percussion muzzleloaders, finally settling on a double barreled rifle (47 caliber?) by New York gunmaker Morgan James. Perry’s journals are interesting and detailed, covering not only the events of each day’s hunting, but also the details of his travels (on foot, by sleigh, Great Lakes steamers, and stagecoach) and accommodations (taverns, barns, trapper’s cabins, and wilderness tent camps). It’s an entertaining and very readable book.
The original book was published after Perry’s death in a small edition given to friends and family. The edition I have was published in 1994 by St. Hubert’s Press, and contains a good historical introduction by John Howard. I bought it a number of years ago and I’m just getting around to reading it. A quick search on the forum didn’t turn up any mention of the book; have you guys seen it?
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