Articles, Book & Product Reviews
This page features a collection of articles I’ve written over the years, many of which have appeared in a variety of print magazines and digital publications, including: MeatEater, Wide Open Spaces, LAND, Quality Whitetails, National Deer Association, the Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunter, HYT Publishing, among others. I’ve also included a number of exclusive articles, book and products reviews, written specifically for readers on this site. Some focus on hunting traditions and ranch life, while others explore the latest gear in the field, conversations or features with your favorite author, band, or even your local chef. Hope you enjoy and thanks for checking these out! ~ George Bowe Blitch
Twice In a Lifetime
On a cool, crisp October evening, I had the opportunity to hunt and harvest my second melanistic white-tailed deer on our family ranch in Texas. The first was a large seven-and-a-half-year-old, ten-point buck, taken on Veterans Day, in 2016. I wrote an article about that encounter, titled, "Black Beauty". The story also highlights the history of our ranch and the work we’ve been doing to improve the habitat over the years. I’ve had the good fortune of seeing many melanistic deer around the ranch over the years. Melanism is “an unusual darkening of body tissues caused by excessive production of melanin,” which affect the skin, feathers and hair. It can give animals a very dark, almost black appearance, at times. There are more melanistic deer in the surrounding 8 county region than the rest of North America, combined...
Organize The Chaos: Why I DECKED My Truck
DECKED is the leader in truck bed storage organization. They have some top tier solutions for all your needs, with their Drawer Syatem, CargoGlide, Tool Box, D-CO Cases and a host of incredibly well thought accessories to fit every one of your needs. I personally use the Drawer System, CargoGlide, D-CO Cases and I absolutely love them. I have been testing these out for a few months and wanted to share my experience and some photos and videos of them in use.
Check out my article highlighting some of key features of them, at home, the ranch, and more!
Check out my article highlighting some of key features of them, at home, the ranch, and more!
South Texas Success: Hunting with the "Razor" Series from Vortex Optics
I’ve been using Vortex Optics in the field and on the range for well over two decades. I've owned numerous riflescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes and rangefinders. I've recommended them to new hunters and gifted some to friends and family over the years. A handful of months ago, I got in touch with Joe Hamilton, CEO of Vortex Optics, to invite him to join me for an interview on my podcast, to discuss the history of Vortex Optics, the Vortex C.A.R.E. Movement, the VIP Warranty that has set them apart from competitors, and what inspires Joe and the team to create incredible products and experiences for their customers. I highly suggest you check out his social and tune into the Create A Rare Experience Podcast! Once our interview has been recorded, I'll be sharing the links on this article, website and socials.
In the meantime, I wanted to share some of my recent experiences from this past seasons, using my Vortex Optics gear...
In the meantime, I wanted to share some of my recent experiences from this past seasons, using my Vortex Optics gear...
HAMMER - The Debut Thriller Novel From JOE BETAR (Book Review)
"HAMMER is the debut thriller novel from Joe Betar that is simply impossible to put down. It begins with the murder of US Congressman Louis Garrett and his wife by brutal assassins, which sets a fire ablaze in the heart of their only son, Jack “Hammer” Garrett, a former MMA Champion and successful Texas rancher and outdoorsman, who vows to hunt down their killers and avenge his parent’s deaths.
Joe expertly blends the complexities and nuance of international crime syndicates, illegal arms dealers, human trafficking rings, corrupt humanitarian organizations, the outdoors and hunting world, and combines them into a riveting revenge story that makes you demand justice, to see the wickedness of evil and darkness exposed and expunged!
I work with many authors in the thriller world and Joe Betar has entered an elite room, where his debut work immediately stands on par with the best of them - Jack Carr, Brad Thor, Don Bentley, Tom Clancy, and many other giants in the genre. It’s amazing to think Joe is just getting started…I can’t wait to see where he, and Jack “Hammer” Garrett, will take us next!" ~GBB
Learn more about HAMMER, and tune into my podcast with Joe Betar, here!
Place your order for HAMMER, today!
Joe expertly blends the complexities and nuance of international crime syndicates, illegal arms dealers, human trafficking rings, corrupt humanitarian organizations, the outdoors and hunting world, and combines them into a riveting revenge story that makes you demand justice, to see the wickedness of evil and darkness exposed and expunged!
I work with many authors in the thriller world and Joe Betar has entered an elite room, where his debut work immediately stands on par with the best of them - Jack Carr, Brad Thor, Don Bentley, Tom Clancy, and many other giants in the genre. It’s amazing to think Joe is just getting started…I can’t wait to see where he, and Jack “Hammer” Garrett, will take us next!" ~GBB
Learn more about HAMMER, and tune into my podcast with Joe Betar, here!
Place your order for HAMMER, today!
"Be a Conduit, Not a Catcher's Mitt"
About 25 years ago, I met someone who told me "it's always better to be a conduit than a catcher's mitt." The idea is that if something good comes along, or if you acquire some bit of knowledge or useful information, it is better to share it and promote it, than to hold on to it yourself.
One of my favorite things to do is to connect people (and businesses) together where I see a potential synergy, or have an intuition that "these two people should meet" or "these companies should work together".
That's been true to me, from my travels interviewing Indigenous Elders across the globe, sharing their stories and wisdom, to touring across the country with my band and helping to promote up and coming artists, to the day to day work I'm doing now with the podcast, promoting the projects and passions of my guests with my audience.
If you meet good people, introduce them to other good people. Helping to build other people's networks that adds value to their personal lives and business, is valuable in itself.
A person that is a "conduit" is an individual who serves as a channel for transmitting information, goods, energy, or ideas between parties. They act as a connector or intermediary, enabling the flow of something from one place or person to another. In business, it means passing along resources or connecting people.
One of my favorite things to do is to connect people (and businesses) together where I see a potential synergy, or have an intuition that "these two people should meet" or "these companies should work together".
That's been true to me, from my travels interviewing Indigenous Elders across the globe, sharing their stories and wisdom, to touring across the country with my band and helping to promote up and coming artists, to the day to day work I'm doing now with the podcast, promoting the projects and passions of my guests with my audience.
If you meet good people, introduce them to other good people. Helping to build other people's networks that adds value to their personal lives and business, is valuable in itself.
A person that is a "conduit" is an individual who serves as a channel for transmitting information, goods, energy, or ideas between parties. They act as a connector or intermediary, enabling the flow of something from one place or person to another. In business, it means passing along resources or connecting people.
Tale of Two Turkeys and the Gobblers They Got
Matthew Mitchell and I met around 2018 when our daughters went to the same pre-school. We immediately become best buds and hunting partners. I say partner in every sense of the word. Matthew would come out to the ranch and work alongside me, not just seeing what it took to run a ranch and the benefits that it provided, but he would work just as hard as I did on the land...and that's not a small task. The cool thing about that, is that I never had to ask, he just smiled and went to work. During his first season at the ranch, he got a great doe for his freezer. During those deer hunts, Matthew spotted a lot of turkeys and he told me he really wanted to hunt them someday, as that was something he hadn't had the chance to hunt, previously. We agreed that the next spring, we would try to get Matthew on his very first turkey! This is the story of our journey to fulfill that goal, as well as a little history into my turkey hunting career.
Click here to read the full article, which was first published in The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunter magazine, May/June 2023
Click here to read the full article, which was first published in The Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunter magazine, May/June 2023
Black Beauty
I wrote the article, "Black Beauty", about a very special encounter I had with a melanistic whitetail deer at our family ranch in Texas. Since then, I have written a handful of articles about the buck, the ranch and how our fateful encounter came to fruition. The versions of this story have been published in Quality Whitetails (produced by the Quality Deer Management Association), Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters (TTHA), LAND, Wide Open Spaces, and many other online magazines and publications.
Click here to read the full article about "Black Beauty".
Click here to read the full article about "Black Beauty".
RIFLE SEASON - the Debut Thriller from PAT KELLY (Book Review)
Pat Kelly’s incredible debut thriller novel, Rifle Season, is rooted in Colorado’s Western Slope, where elk rifle season draws strangers with rifles and mixed motives. Kelly explains how the book springs from decades of living among hunters, absorbing the rhythms of weather, pressure, and terrain. The inciting spark is painfully human: a careful and well-respected guide, Mason “Mace” Winters, breaks the cardinal rule—knowing what is downrange of the target—for one second, and his life splinters after he tells his client to “send it”. That breach becomes the engine of character, community pressure, and a devastating downward spiral. Mace leaves guiding behind for a year, until his friend and fellow guide, Will Stoddard, offers him up a chance to take a couple up the mountain to try to get a photo of a mountain lion. If anyone can get them in range in one day, it’s Mace. But he can’t seem to get out of his own way, fueled by his deep addictions to alcohol and sativa. Even in his constant hazy state, the couple see Mace’s skills will be useful to them. Soon we find out the truth…they are not just shooting pictures of wildlife – they are trained assassins on a deadly revenge mission, and his guiding prowess is in high demand! Continue to read the full review
Houston Safari Club Foundation Convention - 2026 Recap
I had known of the Houston Safari Club Foundation for years and was well aware of its support for youth education, fundraising, grants, and partnerships centered around its mission: "To preserve the sport of hunting through education, conservation, and the promotion of our hunting heritage." It wasn’t until about a year ago, however, that I truly began to peel back the layers of the organization. That started when I was introduced to Derek Ham, the 2026 HSCF Convention Chair, and Executive Director Joe Betar. What began as professional conversations quickly turned into friendships. After discussing how I might be involved, we decided I would come aboard as part of the Convention team—interviewing key partners, sponsors, and staff in the months leading up to the event and then, throughout the weekend, itself. (CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE)
Bob Lemmons - The Original Mustanger (book in progress)
I have a book that I am writing that is gradually in the works right now about a famous Black Cowboy from Texas, by the name of Bob Lemmons (1848-1947). He was born into slavery, but later emerged as one of the most famous Black Cowboys of Texas, aka the "Most Original Mustanger" (J. Frank Dobie) and "The Horse Whisperer," as he would single-handedly round up countless Wild Mustangs in the Wild Horse Deserts of TX, before barbed wire spider-webbed the lands. He is truly a Texas Legend. Our families would become close friends, ranching together and living side by side, in Carrizo Springs, TX. In the last decade of his life, as his eyesight continued to fail, Bob lived alongside our family, with a guide wire that was attached from my great-grandparents house to a guest house they built for him, so he could easily make his way over. He would spend countless hours retelling his legendary stories. Our family has passed those down, and we want to share them with the world. Click here to learn more about Bob Lemmons.
Editor's Intro from the book, "Have You Thought of Leonard Peltier Lately?"
My journey to starting HYT Publishing with Harvey Arden (National Geographic writer and editor of 23 years and best-selling author), began when my friend Adrian Velasco decided we should watch “Incident at Oglala,” a brilliant documentary of Leonard's case, produced by Robert Redford. I heard about Peltier’s plight, but was still very unfamiliar with the details involving his case. The documentary was about to change that, and my future path…in many ways.
We turned on the documentary and about fifteen minutes in, I insisted my friends restart it so I could take sufficient notes on Leonard's case. After about eight pages of notes and questions I wanted to have answered, the credits rolled down the screen and I was off to the library to learn more about Leonard Peltier, the American Indian Movement (A.I.M.) and the "Reign of Terror" that took place near the Pine Ridge Reservation in the 1970's. Eventually Harvey decided he wanted to write a follow up to Peltier's book, "Prison Writings: My Life Is My Sun Dance", which Harvey edited. This is the story about how our journey working with Indigenous Elders from all around the world, shifted to producing books and spoken word CDs with HYT Publishing...
Click here to read the full Editor's Intro from the book, "Have You Thought of Leonard Peltier Lately?"
We turned on the documentary and about fifteen minutes in, I insisted my friends restart it so I could take sufficient notes on Leonard's case. After about eight pages of notes and questions I wanted to have answered, the credits rolled down the screen and I was off to the library to learn more about Leonard Peltier, the American Indian Movement (A.I.M.) and the "Reign of Terror" that took place near the Pine Ridge Reservation in the 1970's. Eventually Harvey decided he wanted to write a follow up to Peltier's book, "Prison Writings: My Life Is My Sun Dance", which Harvey edited. This is the story about how our journey working with Indigenous Elders from all around the world, shifted to producing books and spoken word CDs with HYT Publishing...
Click here to read the full Editor's Intro from the book, "Have You Thought of Leonard Peltier Lately?"
Remembering Harvey Arden
On Nov 17th I received a text that one of my dear friends, and mentors, Harvey Arden, had passed away at his home in DC, after being in hospice care for a couple weeks. For those that don’t know, Harvey Arden has been a very important person in my life since the fall of 2000, when I reached out and asked if he would come speak at my school, Northeastern University, in Boston, for an event I was hosting called “In Pursuit of Justice: the Leonard Peltier story”. Harvey Arden was the editor for Peltier’s book, “Prison Writings”. I knew that this 23+ year veteran writer for National Geographic, author of many books by/about Native Americans and Indigenous People was a total rock star, and it was unlikely he would be able to make it to the event. But I decided to email him after finding his contact information online. I had secured some funding for the event, so I told him I could cover his airfare, hotel fair and a speaking fee, or honorarium. 10 minutes later, I get a reply and he says, “send the honorarium money to the Peltier defense committee and book my flight. I’d be happy to come speak and meet you in Boston”. Needless to say, I was VERY excited! Click here to read the full article, "Remembering Harvey Arden"
The Blue Marble
(Published by The BridgeKeepers Project/World Peace & Prayer Day 2021)
The above picture of the Earth was taken by NASA in 2015, 5 years ago, today. I came across it the other night when I was looking for the first full picture of Earth, from the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. I was thinking about an observation many astronauts described when they looked back at Earth for the first time. They shared the impact of personally witnessing the visual of a borderless world. From space, Our Earth is just land, water and atmosphere, united in a giant marble, floating around with a bunch of other marbles. But our Earth is very unique and provides life for all humans, and billions of species of other life forms. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the shelter we make - it all comes from within that giant blue marble.
The Human Race is obviously the most advanced of any species on our planet. But I feel that collectively, we are not respecting the sacredness of the lives of ALL human beings, and we are treating our planet as an unending resource, instead of The Source. There are many things out of balance in the world right now. That is evident in some many ways. It's weird that the biggest thing to unite us has come in the form of a global pandemic. Yet, it secludes us all at the same time.
Click here to read the full version of the "The Blue Marble"
The Human Race is obviously the most advanced of any species on our planet. But I feel that collectively, we are not respecting the sacredness of the lives of ALL human beings, and we are treating our planet as an unending resource, instead of The Source. There are many things out of balance in the world right now. That is evident in some many ways. It's weird that the biggest thing to unite us has come in the form of a global pandemic. Yet, it secludes us all at the same time.
Click here to read the full version of the "The Blue Marble"
"Blast From The Past: Erskine Rhodes" by George Blitch
(featured in Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters)
(featured in Journal of the Texas Trophy Hunters)
Remembering 9/11
I started out writing a post on Instagram about 9/11/01 and when I went to submit, I was told it was far too long for the space they provided, so I decided to post it here. It felt good to write it out and share my thoughts and feeling about a day that changed so many lives in an instant. I continue to think about and pray for all the people who lost their lives, their relatives and friends, and to the first responders that, like many days in their daily lives, rushed towards all the chaos, danger and death, to try to help. God Bless them all. Read on....
Permission to use any text or pictures from this website must be granted by contacting George Blitch at [email protected]