Name/Title
All Those Who Wander by Jim SpencerEntry/Object ID
WTL001P0035Secondary Title
The Evolution of a Turkey BumDescription
In Jim Spencer's 2025 book All Those Who Wander: The Evolution of a Turkey Bum, we, as wild turkey enthusiasts, are once again treated to the classic wit, wisdom, and self-deprecating humor that the author has mastered so well. Having sworn off doing another turkey book, we are glad that he broke the oath. This is another gem, with mostly turkey-hunting tales, and every story offers lessons through both his foibles and victories. It is a must-have for the serious turkey hunter.
James Leigh Spencer was born in 1947. While his legal name is James, he has gone by Jim throughout his life and career. As of June 2026, he is currently 78 years old and will turn 79 in August. His professional background is diverse, spanning roles as a construction worker, lab technician, newspaper editor, truck driver, and sports editor. He eventually established a career in public relations and writing for the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission (AGFC), where he managed the agency’s bimonthly magazine and various other publications. Since retiring from the AGFC in 2000, he spent 20 years as a prolific freelance magazine writer and continues to author books.
In 1998, Spencer and his wife, Jill Johanna Easton, formed Treble Hook Unlimited, an outdoor production company. The name represents the "three Js" of their names. He began turkey hunting in 1977 and started writing specifically about wild turkeys around 1983. Since then, he has authored approximately 1,000 feature articles and six books on the subject. He and Jill currently reside in the north Arkansas Ozarks, splitting their time between Lake Norfork and the Ozark National Forest.
Spencer’s interest in literacy began at age three, influenced by his grandmother. His professional writing path was encouraged by his high school Latin teacher, Gracie Bennett, and later catalyzed by Scott Meredith’s "Writing to Sell." His first major sale was a deer hunting story to Argosy magazine in 1976. Jim joined the Outdoor Writers Association of America in 1979, which helped him network within the industry. His primary mentors and influences include John Madsen, Colonel Tom Kelly, George Haas, John McDaniel, and Colonel Dave Harbour.
In his career, Spencer has received more than 50 excellence-in-craft awards from OWAA, SEOPA, and the Association for Conservation Information. He received the Sharon Rushton Award (SEOPA) in 2010 and 2012, the Pass It On Award (Bass Pro Shops) in 2014, a Lifetime Achievement Award (SEOPA) in 2017, induction into the Mink Trapping Hall of Fame in 2017, was Trapper of the Year (Arkansas Trappers Association) in1995, and (with Jill Easton) was recognized as Mr. and Mrs. Trapper of the Year (Arkansas Trappers Association) in 2025.
Chronology of Jim Spencer Publications
- The Mink Manual (1980)
- The Mink Movies (Four-volume set, 1992-1995)
- Turkey Hunting Digest (2003)
- A Young Hunter's Guide to Waterfowling and Conservation (2004)
- Guide to Trapping (2007)
- Bad Birds (2010)
- Bad Birds 2 (2020)
- The Way I Remember It (2022)
- Bad Birds 3 (2023)
- A Life Well Misspent (2024)
- All Those Who Wander (2025)Create Date
June 21, 2026Update Date
June 21, 2026
