First published in 1942 by Leon L. Bean, Hunting, Fishing and Camping is a classic outdoors manual full of howto’s and practical advice. Topics include how to hunt for different types of wildlife, safety, fly-fishing, and cooking out in the field. While it’s fairly old and not carefully edited, most of the information is still relevant and helpful.
Recent copies are easy to find for purchase (and it makes a great gift) but a version published in 1993 is also available for free viewing online. [Google Books]
From Chapter 22 – “You may have read or have heard that fly fishing is an art that requires expensive equipment and the mastery of many difficult tricks. Perhaps you have neglected this part of fishing because you have considered the sport hard to learn. But you certainly won’t learn to fly fish if you don’t try.”
His section on recommended clothing in chapter 12:
Shoes: One pair 12″ Leather Top Rubbers. I also take along a pair of 6 1/2″ Moccasins to wear on dry days on the ridges before snow comes.
Stockings: Two pairs knee-length heavy woolen and two pairs light woolen.
Underwear: Two union suits same as worn at home.
Pants: One pair medium weight all wool with knit or zipper bottom. Also wear from home your heaviest business suit. [?]
Coat: One medium weight, all wool, red and black with game pocket in back.
Shirt: Two medium weight, all wool; one to be red plaid in case you go out to drag in deer without coat.
Cap: A reversible red on one side for deer hunting and brown on the other side for duck hunting.
Gloves: One pair of light weight woolen with leather strips on fingers.
Handkerchiefs: Six red bandanas. Do not use white in woods. I also recommend colored toilet paper.
Miscellaneous: One pair heavy suspenders, one heavy belt, one very light weight sweater or wind breaker, one silk rain shirt, one pajama suit, two towels, a few toilet articles, and one pair slippers. Coming from a long hunt change to slippers and light stockings. This is important to keep feet in best condition.
I believe the “leather top rubbers” would later become the Bean Boot, but I’m not sure what he meant by “heaviest business suit”.
