Father’s day is coming. I can tell because advertisements everywhere have been telling me how I should get the fathers in my life a bit of golfing paraphernalia, a new watch and a jersey from their favorite sports team.  Or in some cases, terrible combinations of the three.

I don’t know about the dads in your life but if I gave mine any of the above items there would be some serious raised eyebrows and they’d probably preemptively cancel Christmas.

If the fathers in your life are anything like the ones in mine –

The kind who would rather hike through fields and woods all day than play a round of golf.

The kind who you’ve heard argue the merits of their choice of hunting rifle far more often than defend their favorite sports team.

The kind that are more likely to wear a beat up orange outfit as they follow their dog through the field than strap on a fancy watch.

– Then I’m here to save your Father’s Day.

Jerry Johnson (a self proclaimed Old Coot and curmudgeon) blogs at Dispatch from a Northern Town and has collected many of his essays on hunting, bird dogs and commentary on life in the North Country into a series of Old Coot books.

Of course, if your father is a father like the described father, there is a chance that he’s got his own Old Coot stubborn curmudgeonly ways and would balk when presented with a single random essay from this collection.

Don’t let that stop you, if he’s not the kind of dad to be interested in the Science and Art of Rifelry (Old Coots Never Forget) maybe he’s the type who would enjoy an essay on snowshoeing (Crazy Old Coot).
Jerry won my readership with an essay on the difference between hunters and shooters (Old Coots Never Forget) and his dog stories, that often leave me in tears, like Molly’s Grouse (Coot Stews.)  Perhaps the effects of Ethanol on the country side (Coot Stews) will get your Dad excited or maybe he would rather appreciate the joys of making firewood (Crazy Old Coot).

And everyone, who’s ever hunted over a dog (and quite a few of those who never have) will love the story of a Bad Day at Crane Creek (Old Coots Never Forget).

Would I recommend these?  These are not the books to give your golf loving, tv watching, man cave living dad. Save these books for those of us who love to follow a dog through the field and live part of our life in the outdoors.  We are the ones who will appreciate them.

Many of the essays can be read right on Dispatches from A Northern Town and I encourage you to go read a few and see what you think before you go pick up a book (or three) for your favorite outdoor dad (or mom, or uncle, or son, or yourself…).  Sure, you could read online or get a copy for your Kindle… but buy a book. Those of us who are slowly making our way to Old Coot status aren’t quite ready to give up the feel of a good book in the hand.