Wild Men, Wild Alaska: Finding What Lies Beyond the Limits

by Rocky McElveen

Book Overview

In "Wild Men, Wild Alaska" professional hunting and fishing guide and outfitter Rocky McElveen tells the stories of his own adventures as well as those of some of his well-known clients. The book takes readers directly into the Alaskan bush, and shares the intense challenges of a majestic wilderness that pushes a man to his limits.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 078521772X
• ISBN13: 9780785217725
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Nelson Books
• Length: 209 Pages
• Weight: 0.94 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Get ready to hunt with this book

This book is fun to read before going on a hunting adventure. It helped me to understand what hunting in Alaska would be like and made me chuckle at some of the people who went hunting. If you like to hunt, and or are going on an Alaskan hunt, then this is the book for you!

Finding Adventure Within this Excellent book!

First off, this book was a pure joy to read. If you have ever shared bone chilling tales around the campfire, you will instantly relate to the amazing tales Rocky tells in "Wild Men,Wild Alaska"! I particularly enjoyed NO BEAR NO! I have had more than a few run ins with bears in the wild but never have I handled a GRIZZ, or a black bear for that matter, in the way Rocky does. You really have to read this tale...and since you know the ending of this vignette, aren't you as curious as I was as to how Rocky did it ? The mark of any enjoyable read, you'll pass the book around to your friends ( the cheap ones who didn't buy it themself) and share which tale you could relate to or enjoyed the most. Things happen in Alaska that don't happen anywhere else and thankfully Rocky has shared those marvelous tales with us down here in the lower 48! Great read! Highly recommended! Tom DeNapoli Sacramento ca.

Rocky rocks!

Wow! This was a Christmas present from my wife. I'm 26 years old and I have to tell you I was finding it hard to sleep at night. I would read 1 or 2 chapters a night and wouldn't want to put the book down. When I did I would set and dream about the bears and wild adventures that take place in this book. One that really got me was the tale about the wolves beating the snow down outside the tent around and around in the night. Eerie stuff! I would definitely recomend this book to anyone who likes HIGH CLASS ADVENTURE!!!! This is a must read for every hunter! Rock on ROCKY!

The Ultimate Armchair Adventure Opportunity . . . and Room for Helpful Reflection

Wild Men, Wild Alaska is the best hunting and fishing book I've ever read. Hemingway's great novels about hunting and fishing fall short of Rocky McElveen's impressive real life experiences. If you've never been to Alaska, this book will call you there. A few years ago, I attended a conference where people told stories about their most amazing vacation adventures. I was riveted by one fellow who recounted tracking wild bears unarmed. The closest he got to a bear was to hear some rustling in the woods. Who knows if this was a bear, or a skunk? But he was following bear spoor. His ancient guide had long before fled in fear. Realizing that he could easily be outrun by a bear, he decided to leave rather than find out what was in the woods. Ever since I've heard that story, I've been wondering what it would be like to be close to a large, angry bear. Wild Men, Wild Alaska is jammed with much more harrowing and thoughtful stories than the one that had previously riveted me. Now, I think of that earlier story as being like a walk in the park. If Jack London were alive today, he would envy Rocky his experiences and stories. Rocky McElveen operates Alaskan-Adventures with his wife Sharon. Sharon organizes, and Rocky leads the adventures . . . most of which are hunting or fishing trips with an emphasis on capturing trophy animals. His clients have included former president George H. W. Bush (and the book includes a fishing tale involving that gentleman), Chuck Yeager, Dave Dravecky, Pastor Chuck Swindoll and Bob Seiple. There's also a story about Mr. Dravecky hunting after having his arm amputated. Each story takes you deep into the Alaskan wilderness to places, problems and animals you've probably never dreamed of. The middle of the book offers 16 pages of stunning color photographs that help make the stories come alive. As an example, one photograph reveals a hand holding open the mouth of an enormous (and presumably dead) bear. Imagine looking down that view up close! In another memorable photograph, a man's hand is placed next to a bear track that's twice the length of the hand. The book contains fourteen vivid stories about Alaska, beginning with how Rocky ended up in the Alaskan adventure business. The book ends with some final musings about what the lure of wilderness adventure is all about. Several stories focus on the dangers of flying into the bush to land in locations where there is no landing strip and to take off overloaded or into unexpectedly stormy conditions. To me, the most memorable stories are those where Rocky comes into dangerous, up-close contact with wild animals. As these contacts occur, his mind is filled with stories about what can go wrong . . . and many unexpected and thought-provoking events take place. His hunters also take some impressive risks, such as those who use bows and arrows for weapons rather than high powered rifles with scopes and the people who choose to run rivers that have nev

'You have to read this book' - OUTDOORSMAN.com

Truly captivating. I could not stop reading. I needed to finish this book, but hoped it would never end. 9.17.06 I read chapter one online from the publishers website, www.wildmenwildalaska.com, and could not get enough. Not only is he spiritual he has a huge sense of humor and knows just how to recount his experiences with a perfect recipe of honest self-introspection, humorous euphemisms, and a constant but subtle reference to Deity and His role in our everyday life. Can't wait for the book to arrive. 9.25.06 USPS delivered the book about 3pm. We opened them here in the office but only had time to read the foreword and introduction. I read the introduction out-loud to Phill and Danny and quite enjoyed their reactions. Looking forward to reading the book tonight. 9.26.06 Read a full chapter to my kids last night before they went to bed. They were as spellbound as I. "Is he going to die?" "Will he get eaten by one of the grizzlies?" "How bad was he hurt?" "Dad, how can they land a plane on the top of a mountain?" "Why would they.........?"....... Aren't children a delight? After they settled down and went to sleep, I continued to read until mid-night when I finally put the book down and went to sleep with visions of twisted planes, caribou herds, and nine-foot-tall bears in my head. At 4:30 in the morning I found myself wide awake and looking for the book. Feeling as I read, that somehow I was there with them, wondering if, within me, there is enough mental and physical discipline to battle through similar experiences and emerge the victor, not just once, but time after time. Long before I turned the last page I realized that this book is not just about Alaska, it is about the deep introspection that each one of us should do on our own, but most of us won't until we are forced to by one of life's wake up calls that usually blindsides us on a quiet Tuesday afternoon. 9.27.06 This book takes a powerful hold. I can't stop myself from telling family and friends about it and that they have to read it.