SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
& Hilton M. Briggs Library Special Collections

 
 


Bert Popowski papers
 

Administrative Information | Search Terms | Background Note | Scope and Contents Note | Arrangement | PDF of Finding Aid
 

COLLECTION SUMMARY

Title:     Bert Popowski papers

Dates:     1935-1978

Creator:     Bert Popowski

Physical Description:     4.32 linear feet—8 containers, 93 photographs, 7 negatives

Collection number:     MA 5

Language:     Collection material in English.

Repository:     South Dakota State University Archives, Hilton M. Briggs Library, South Dakota State University, Brookings, S.D.

Abstract:     Collection is composed of articles, manuscripts, and materials related to Popowski’s career as author and hunter. Included are photographs, illustrations, and many articles. Bulk of collection is copies of articles authored by Popowski on the subject of hunting and wildlife.

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Provenance:     Bert Popowski donated his personal library of books, photographs, manuscripts and wildlife-related materials to South Dakota State University in 1979.  Popowski is noted as an outdoor writer.  He wrote ten books concerning various aspects of outdoor sports such as hunting and fishing.  His writings emphasized the important of habitat management.

Access Restrictions:     This collection is open to research without restriction. Items in this collection do not circulate and may be used in-house only.

Copyright Status:     Copyright 2008 by South Dakota State University and SDSU Archives. Please credit the SDSU Archives if you copy or reproduce material from this finding aid.

It is the responsibility of anyone reproducing material to determine the copyright holders and obtain permission from them if necessary. Archives staff will provide available copyright information on request. Please note that most collections, especially those received before 1997, may not have complete information on file. (Revised 15 SEP 2003)

Preferred Citation:     [Identification of item]. Bert Popowski papers, MA 5, South Dakota State University Archives, South Dakota State University, Brookings, S. D.

Processing Information:    All of the photographs have been separated from the collection and placed in the Photograph Archives for preservation purposes.

This collection was received prior to 1997, when SDSU Archives was established.  The then acting archivist created a preliminary inventory of materials received.  Final processing of this collection was conducted by Crystal J. Gamradt on 31 March 1998 with revisions on June 24, 2008 (cjg).

SELECTED SEARCH TERMS

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the subject guide. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein.

Names:

  • Elliott, Gordon.

  • Popowski, Bert.

Subjects:

  • Big game hunting.

  • Fowling.

  • Game bird hunting.

  • Hunting.

BACKGROUND NOTE

Bert John Popowski was born in Grafton, North Dakota on February 15, 1904.  He lived in Grafton throughout his elementary and high school years.  He attended South Dakota State College in Brookings, South Dakota and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in printing in 1926.  He married Harriet Seymour of Aberdeen, SD in 1930.  They had two sons, John Seymour and Jerome Bert.

Throughout his career, Bert lived in various areas of the United States and held several different jobs, ranging from a high school principal to associate editor for Look Magazine.  From 1951 to his death in 1982, he worked as a freelance writer, author, and contributing editor for several publications.

During a career that spanned half a century, Bert wrote over 2,300 articles.  His first feature story appeared in Outdoor Life in 1931.  He served as contributing editor for The American Rifleman writing a column titled Dope Bag.  He also wrote columns for several other magazines, including Hunting for The Outdoorsman, Guns and Ammunition for Hunting & Fishing, and The Shot Tower for Guns and Hunting.  He wrote several major books and gained national prominence with his classic Hunting Pronghorn Antelope.  Some of his works were translated into Spanish and Japanese.  He was also an award-winning photographer, and his photographs illustrated many of his articles and books.

In his earlier years, he was best known as an expert varmint hunter.  Several of his books did much to popularize this form of hunting.  In 1932, he built a log cabin near the Narrows on French Creek in Custer State Park.  There he weathered the Great Depression and did most of his writing.  In 1949 he won the National Crow Shooting Championship, using calls of his own design to take first place over 51 other contestants.  Bert was always interested in natural history and wildlife management as well as hunting.

In 1980, he donated a collection of his books, original manuscripts, and photographs to his alma mater, South Dakota State University.  At the convention of the Outdoor Writers Association of America in Rapid City, the State of South Dakota presented him with a special award as the Dean of South Dakota Outdoor Writers.  In the 1980’s, Bert contracted cancer and eventually suffered a stroke, which hospitalized him.  He died on February 14, 1982.

Bibliography:

Calling All Game, Harrisburg, Pa., Stackpole Co. [1952] [SD Collection: SK33.P6ca]

Calling All Varmints, Harrisburg, Pa., Stackpole Co. [1952] [SD Collection: SK33.P6c]

Crow Shooting, New York : A.S. Barnes and Company [1946] [SD Collection: SK325.C7 P6]

Hunting Pronghorn Antelope, Harrisburg, Pa., Stackpole Co. [1959] SK305.A6 P6h

Hunting Small Game, New York : Macmillian Co., 1948. [SD Collection: SK36.P63]

Manual dil Cazador de Alimanas y Grajos, [The varmint and crow hunter’s bible. Spanish], Barcelona : Editorial Sintes, 1964, c 1962. [SD Collection: SK33.P58718]

Olt’s Hunting Handbook, [Omaha?, c1948] [SD Collection: SK313.P6]

South Dakota Brags, Custer, S.D.: The Author, 1953. F651.5.P6

The Hunter’s Book of the Pronghorn Antelope, Tulsa, Okla., Winchester Press, c1982.  [SD Collection: SK305.P76 P66 1982]

The Redbook of Big Game Hunting, Skokie, Ill., Publishers Development Corp., 1961. [SD Collection: SK33.P588]

The Varmint and Crow Hunter’s Bible, Garden City, N. Y., Doubleday, [1962]. [SD Collection: SK33.P587]

Varmint Hunting, Paterson, N. J., Athletic Activities Pub. Co., 1971. [SD Collection: SK336.P66]

SCOPE and CONTENTS NOTE

This collection is composed of articles, manuscripts, and materials related to Popowski’s career as author and hunter. Included are photographs, illustrations, and many articles. Bulk of collection is copies of articles authored by Popowski on the subject of hunting and wildlife.

ARRANGEMENT of the RECORDS

The Bert Popowski Papers are arranged into eight series: General, Illustrations, Japanese Magazine: Modern Hunting, Manuscripts, Phonograph Record, Photographs, Published Articles, and Research Material.

Many of the manuscripts are accompanied by correspondence sent to publishers and an information card, which notes to which publications Popowski sent his manuscripts, whether or not they were published and the amount he was paid for these manuscripts.  Several of the manuscripts were published in books as collected works.

The largest series is Popowski’s collection of articles he had published in various hunting and wildlife publications.  These articles cover a wide range of subjects from big game, crow and varmint hunting to safety and conservation issues.  Included also is an autographed copy of The Outdoorsman (June 1947) in which Popowski wrote an article titled “Off-Season” Duck Hunting.

There are several black and white photographs, mostly of wildlife and hunting, and a few negatives.  Some items of note are 22 matted and signed black and white photographs that Popowski entered into a photography contest at the Iowa State Fair.  He won first prize for these photographs.

The illustrations consist of several loose-leaf illustrations of crows drawn by Gordon Elliott for Popowski's book titled Crow Shooting and include 29 ink drawings.  Also included are two folders of photograph proofs (37 pages) for Popowski’s book titled Hunting Pronghorn Antelope, 1 mat board drawing of a fireplace in what is suspected to be Popowski’s cabin and drawn by C. Greenidge and one phonograph record titled Crow Calling.

SERIES 1:      General

Box 1.

Folder

Description

Dates

1

Correspondence

1942-1951

2

Correspondence

1952

3

Correspondence

1953-1956

4

Miscellaneous

[n.d.]

SERIES 2:      Illustrations

Box 8.

Description

Dates

Drawings: 29 ink drawings

[n.d.]

Drawings: 1 matted drawing of a fireplace drawn by C. Greenidge

[n.d.]

Proofs: Crow shooting illustrations (33 p.)

[n.d.]

SERIES 3:      Japanese Magazine: Modern Hunting

Box 7.

Folder

Description

Dates

1

Translation of article titles

1968-1970

2

[No Articles Found]

1968 June

3

Crow Shooting; p. 30-38

1969 August

4

Crow Shooting (Last - Decoy); p. 56-64

1969 September

5

Decoying Ducks; p. 54-61

1969 October

6

Detail Survey of Deer Hunting By Calling (Part 1); p. 30-35 and Calling for Ducks; p. 98-101

1969 November

7

Detail Survey of Deer Hunting By Calling (Part 2); p. 30-37

1969 December

8

Aim of Elk Hunting; p. 38-43

1970 January

9

Decoying The Divers; p. 17-24

1970 February

SERIES 4:      Manuscripts

Box 2.

Folder

Description

Dates

1

Alaska

1967-1974

2

Big Game

1957-1970

3

Big Game: Antelope

1957-1975

4

Big Game: Bear

1955-1957

5

Big Game: Bison

1957-1969

6

Big Game: Deer

1955-1976

7

Big Game : Elk

[n.d.]

8

Big Game: Moose

[n.d.]

9

Big Game: Sheep

1975-1976

10

Big Game: Turkey

1958-1977

11

Binoculars and Scopes

1973, [n.d.]

12

Book: Calling All Crows

[n.d.]

13

Book: Call of the Wild

[n.d.]

14

Book: Hunting Pronghorn Antelope

1959

Box 3.

Folder

Description

Dates

1

Camping

1959, [n.d.]

2

Conservation

1960-1976

3

Cookery

1973-1978

4

Dogs

1974-1975

5

Firearms

1955-1978

6

Fishing

1947-1957

7

Game Birds

1953-1975

8

Game Birds: Grouse

1958-1975

9

Game Birds: Pheasant

1964-1975

10

Game Birds: Prairie Chicken

1964-1968

11

Game Birds: Quail

[n.d.]

12

Game Preparation

1964-1970

13

Hunters

1973-1975

14

Hunting

[n.d.]

15

Hunting and Game Laws

1968-1973

16

Hunting Gear

1964-1970

Box 4.

Folder

Description

Dates

1

Hunting Techniques

1956-1975

2

Miscellaneous

1966-1973

3

Safety

1973-1976

4

Small Game

1975-1978

5

Small Game: Crow

1952-1977

6

Small Game: Dove

1973-1974

7

Small Game: Bobcat

1955-1957

8

Small Game: Coyote

1946-1970

9

Small Game: Fox

[n.d.]

10

Small Game: Magpie

1952, [n.d.]

11

Small Game: Mink

1956

12

Small Game: Porcupine

[n.d.]

13

Small Game: Prairie Dog

1958

14

Small Game: Rabbit

1956-1973

15

Small Game: Rat

1952

16

Small Game: Squirrel

1967-1975

17

Small Game: Woodchuck

1977

18

Waterfowl: Duck

1947-1973

Box 5.

Folder

Description

Dates

1

Waterfowl: Goose

1955-1957

2

Weather

1970

3

Wildlife

1954-1973

SERIES 5:      Phonograph records

Box 8.

Description

Dates

Phonograph record titled Crow Calling (78 rpm)

[n.d.]

  Phonograph record titled Demonstration and Instruction on Duck Calling, Goose Calling
  and Crow Calling
  • Demonstration and Instruction on Duck Calling
    As done at (1) Bean Lake, Mo. (2) Fontana, Kans. (3) Reelfoot Lake, Tenn. (4) Stuttgart, Arkansas - Missouri State Duck Calling Champion (1950 - 51 - 53) click to listen
  • Demonstration and Instruction Good Calling and Crow Calling
    Goose calling by Missouri State Duck Calling Champion (1950 - 51 - 53)
    Crow calling by Oscar Quam, Minneapolis, Minn. click to listen
  circa 1950-1953

SERIES 6:      Photographs

Box 7.

Folder

Description

Dates

10

Award-winning photographs

1939

11

Hunting and fishing

[n.d.]

12

Hunting techniques

[n.d.]

13

Miscellaneous

1937-1938, [n.d.]

14

Portraits

1949, [n.d.]

15

Proofs-Hunting Pronghorn Antelope: Final set

[n.d.]

16

Proofs-Hunting Pronghorn Antelope: Rough draft

[n.d.]

17

Tomahawks

[n.d.]

18

Wildlife

[n.d.]

SERIES 7:      Published Articles

Box 5.

Folder

Description

Dates

4

Ammunition

1938-1964

5

Big Game

1948-1962

6

Big Game: Antelope

1948-1962

7

Big Game: Bear

1951-1962

8

Big Game: Bison

1959

9

Big Game: Deer

1941-1963

10

Big Game: Elk

1952-1962

11

Big Game: Moose

1962

12

Big Game: Mountain Goat

1950

13

Big Game: Mountain Lion

1958

14

Big Game: Turkey

1960

15

Cabins

1935-1941

16

Conservation

1948

17

Cookery

[n.d.]

18

Dogs

1952-1959

19

Firearms

1939-1963

20

Fishing

1938-1962

21

Game Birds

1939

22

Game Birds: rouse

1958-1961

23

Game Birds: partridge

1960

24

Game Birds: Pheasant

1937-1963

25

Game Preparation

1960

26

Hunters

1945-1958

Box 6.

Folder

Description

Dates

1

Hunting

1947-1962

2

Hunting Gear

1951

3

Hunting Guides

1950-1963

4

Hunting Techniques

1942-1962

5

Miscellaneous

1935-1938

6

Photography

1945

7

Small Game

1942-1962

8

Small Game: Bobcat

1952-1961

9

Small Game: Coyote

1953-1959

10

Small Game: Crow

1938-1963

11

Small Game: Fox

1941-1943

12

Small Game: Magpie

1961

13

Small Game: Owl

1948-1960

14

Small Game: Prairie Dog

1941-1962

15

Small Game: Rabbit

1942-1959

16

Small Game: Raccoon

1960

17

Small Game: Snake

1943

18

Small Game: Squirrel

1940-1943

19

Small Game: Woodchuck

1939-1961

20

Waterfowl: Duck

1940-1962

21

Waterfowl: Goose

1942-1963

22

Weather

1944

23

Wildlife

1945

SERIES 8:      Research material

Box 1.

Folder

Description

Dates

5

Magazine Articles

1946-1973

6

Magazines

1949-1971

7

Newspaper clippings

1952-1957

8

Statistics

1938-1958

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Updated 23 June 2008 by cjg

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Copyright 2008 by South Dakota State University and SDSU Archives.
Please credit the SDSU Archives if you copy or reproduce material from this page.