2012 Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame

By Chris Erwin

I had the great fortune to be invited to the Legends of the Outdoor Hall of Fame banquet last week in Nashville, Tenn. It was the second time I have been able to go, and it still always a thrill to meet the giants in the outdoor world. They are just a little over 70 inducted members into the Outdoor Hall of Fame. The list is like a roll call for the people I have looked up to all my life.

Hank Parker, two-time Bassmaster Classic winner, was the keynote speaker, Ray Scott was the Guest of Honor, and Gary Mason conducted the ceremonies.

They were seven new members inducted including: Rayo Breckenridge, J.Wayne Fears, Byron Ferguson, Joe Hamilton, Bill Huntley, Art Ladehoff, and Tommy Martin.

While you may not recognize some of these names, that’s really not too unusual considering the Outdoor Hall of Fame covers hunting, fishing, and all other things connected to the outdoors. I was glad to see Tommy Martin make it in. I believe it’s long past due. At 72 he is still guiding every day and fishing tournaments.

I went down with my good friends Soc Clay, Tom Clay, and Sam Piatt, along with Wanda Clay and my wife Linda. While we all had a great time, I was very impressed with getting to meet one of the inductees that ended up sitting with us. I’m talking about Mr. J. Wayne Fears.

I had read some of his magazine articles and like Soc, this guy has produced a lot of stories that have been published by all the major outdoor publications. What I didn’t know was the real scope of what Fears has done.

Since completing his graduate work, he has held a number of wildlife-related positions and worked as an explorer. He spent a decade as the chief wildlife manager for Gulf States Paper Corporation. Here he was responsible for the wildlife management and law enforcement on 500,000 acres of forest land, the development of Westervelt Hunting Lodge, big-game hunting operations in Colorado, Alaska and British Columbia. In 1982, he left Gulf States to build a company called Alabama Backcountry Lodges Inc., which developed and operated three hunting lodges in Alabama. When the company sold, he became a fulltime freelance magazine writer and book author. He also established a consulting company, Fears & Associates, to do wildlife habitat management and exploration work.

Fears has published more than 5,000 magazine articles along with 26 books. He is often a guest on popular outdoor TV programs and is a frequent speaker at outdoor events. Currently, he is working on three books.

As an outdoor writer, I’m always thrilled to meet people like J. Wayne. They have so much to teach, and I have so much to learn. I’m like a hungry kid staring at banana split through the window of an ice cream shop. I find I have a hundred questions to ask, but I try to remember what my grandmother taught me: You learn a lot more by using your ears than your mouth.

I got to meet all the inductees, and they all had exceptional stories that landed them on the General Jackson that day. How far you can go is only limited by your actions; I hope to see you soon in the great outdoors we all love so much.