J. Wayne Fears has been an outdoor writer for more than four decades. His work has appeared in most of the leading outdoor magazines with over 4800 articles and 22 books published. In 2005 he retired from the Progressive Farmer magazine, the nation?s largest and oldest magazine for farmers and ranchers, after serving 11 years as the magazines wildlife management editor. During the 1970's and 80's Fears was the wildlife manager for Gulf States Paper Corporation and served as the business manager for their Forest Recreation Division. His work in exploration, wildlife management and writing has taken him around the world and he has been elected a member of the prestigious Explorer Club and awarded the University of Georgia's Distinguished Alumni Award. He has received numerous awards for his writing and conservation work.