Updated 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR!

John A. Vance

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My computer technician tells me that I need to write a 'blurb' about myself ... so that you folks can see and judge my credibility for yourselves. I believe that you need to know me better, so that you can see that what I've written is well founded, gained from personal experience and that, as a professional guide - outfitter -  and writer, I'm well qualified to do what I do.  You need to know this so that you will be able to with confidence, enjoy my  web page(s), and hopefully, you'll consider some of my 'knowledge based written products, and now, in 2012, my audio instructional CDs that I offer for sale. My ' wares' are more instructional in nature than that of 'entertaining' as per se - which differentiates myself from MOST OTHERS in my field.

It's not particularly easy to write about oneself, so if I have come on too strong, or have not given you enough information ... please, feel free to e-mail me with your thoughts, concerns, and ideas.

I wish to remain receptive to your ideas about this home page, what you wish to see more of, or less of, new categories, and the like.

I want you to feel comfortable, and I wish to be approachable ... drop me an e-mail/line - say hello.

So - here goes with a short autobiography!

As as young lad, I was introduced to the 'outdoors' at an early age. Indeed, my Uncle Buck  took me down to the 'crick' when I was seven years old, to help tend his muskrat traps, and my dad was a master fisherman, and owned a fishing tackle/outdoor shop.

By the time I was twelve I was able to easily trap and catch muskrat, mink, and coon on my own, and my dad had introduced me to fly tying.  By age 15, people from all across Canada were using my flies, and some were actually collecting them!

I hated school!  But I had to go, and made the most of it by learning everything I could about animals, plants and wildlife.  I could 'take stock' into light refraction/reflection - only if I were to put it to a practical use - such as what a walleye saw, or how this process related into glitter, or luminescence of a fishing lure.

By the time I was eighteen I was named by our district MNR as the top trapper in our huge district - but I was more interested in the price of fox and muskrat pelts to be humbled much by the experience.

By the time I was twenty-one, I had hunted and fished much of Ontario's water and hinterland.  I was now quite adept at fly casting, tying flies and rod building, having tied thousands of dozens of flies, and built hundreds of 'custom' rods for people.

I never married - nor am I now - instead as it seems, having my love affair with coon puppies, catfish, and nearly all of the 'outdoor pursuits'.
At the age of 22, I was asked by the local newspaper to write a regular 'outdoor column', which I still do, but now I write for a very much larger northern( truly in the land of hunting & fishing/trapping) Newspaper.  I'm heading into my 40th year as a pro writer - having a number of published books, and 'Pro FactSheets' as well – and now in 2012, because people have asked for a more modern approach, I've launched a number ofinstructional audio Cds on varying topics – and adding to the titles all the time!

At age twenty three, both the Oxford County Board of Education, and Fanshawe College approached me to run a night course for Fishing/fly tying, and rod building - I did this for about five years, teaching hundreds of ardent anglers 'the ropes'.

I continued to hunt, fish & trap, using all that I learned form my father and uncle, and others, and did quite a bit of guiding too, for waterfowl, fishing, and teaching many folks how to enjoy the outdoors.

Dad caught cancer and died, just before he was going to take an early retirement.


I kept on hunting, fishing, trapping, guiding/outfitting, then decided I had to 'give back' to the very resources I was participating in,  so I enrolled in Fanshawe College, and went through, and became an Environmental Engineering Technician, graduating as class valedictorian.  I was lucky, most had to struggle with the course, but owing to my background, to me it was 'a piece of cake', and I won several awards in college too - and if you can believe it - from someone who 'hated school' - as a kid!

An outdoor writer friend convinced me to join the 'Outdoor Writers of Canada', which I did.  I've written a number of books ( most of which are offered for sale elsewhere on this web site), and continue to write more, feeling that I have a lot to share with other 'outdoor buffs'.
I don't particularly like politics, and because I've earned every one of my pieces of savvy, hate and detest any "Good Old Boy's Clubs", and fight them at every opportunity.  I believe that anyone with merit should be accolade'd appropriately - not because a person is good at 'licking bags'.

Now, at age 62 in 2012, I have to slow down a bit - because of poor health I can no longer do a good job of guiding . So to keep earning a living, I have to rely more on my communication based expertise, and share some of my savvy - with fine folks like you! I need to earn a living too - please consider my written wares that I offer for sale here in this home page - I need your support! NEW FOR 2012 – AUDIO Cds on a host of subjects – email me for titles/pricing...

I regard myself as a 'grassroots' writer, and excel at "How To"( see Pro FactSheets & audio CDs) and information articles, I've been 'teaching' for many years. I'm not a glossy writer, and prefer the 'need to know' format.

Here are a few of my accomplishments, in a nutshell:

If you've managed to 'hang in' for all this, please don't hesitate in contacting me with any Questions about myself, I'd be glad to answer them.

and - thanks for your interest!

Yours in conservation, toward a 'sustainable' future

John A. Vance

Author: John A. Vance
Copyright © 1998 John A. Vance. . . 

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