Turner's Taxidermy

By: Herman W.Brune

Herman W. Brune demonstrated early in life that neither summer 100-degree heat nor the biting cold of a Texas blue norther could keep him indoors.  As a small child he absorbed the embellished outdoor memories of old timers and chased imagined bad guys hell-for-leather across the prairies on horseback.  He spent his school years running a trap line for varmints and chasing bad cattle out of the brush.  By the time he graduated high school Herman had honed his cowboying and woodsman skills.  Unlike many men who dream of a life in the outdoors, Herman lived his dream and has enjoyed adventurous outdoor occupations that run the gamut from being a working cowboy, a PRCA saddle bronc rider, an entrepreneur producing shooting competitions, to hunting guide and rancher.  Herman has made friends at every stop, from down-at-the-heel cowboys to wealthy business tycoons.  Tempered by his own stretches of hard times, he has learned not to judge others too quickly.  For that, he has earned their gratitude.  Now, as an outdoor writer, Herman has satisfied the old axiom that the best writers "know what they're writtn' about."  Will James, one of Herman's favorite boyhood authors, said something that could easily pertain to Herman W. Brune.  Paraphrased, James said, a man with sand, a man to ride the river with.  In the vernacular, a man you can count on as a true friend who will always help you.

Rusty R. Klaus

 

Christmas Tales from the Lost Rider By: Herman W.Brune

 You can't always tell a book by its cover... Still waters run deep.

These are two time-worn phrases that tend to make your eyes roll when you hear them.  In Texas we had the opportunity to visit with a ranch owner who proves the validity of these two ageless expressions.  This rancher looks more like one of the hands than the owner, and he's shy of conversation- at least with strangers.  Fortunately, he makes friends easily.  Herman W. Brune is proof that living the cowboy way doesn't mean simplifying life to the point that you're out of touch.  Despite looking like a cowboy direct from central casting, this former PRCA saddlebronc rider, hunting guide, and rancher is also an accomplished writer.  He's one of those writers who actually know what he's writing about.  Ditto his conversation.  Around a cowboy campfire one evening, Brune charmed folks with his recollections of life on and around his fifth generation family spread, pithy observations on the media, politics, and hard-mouthed horses.  He enthralled us with his intelligence, his reluctance to judge us too quickly, and his willingness to give everyone the benefit of a doubt.  Tottering around in our make-believe cowboy rigs probably made him alternate between wanting to laugh or throw up, but Herman never lost his even keel and sense of humor.  Herman, the gracious host, is also more a man of letters than he'd ever tell you.  He hosts a radio show, stages shooting competitions, and has even mad a run for the Texas Legislature-  and smart money says he's probably going to be a formidable opponent again in the future.  However, Brunes's no saint and his writing admits that.  In one of his essays, in a riotously funny conversation with St. Nick, insight into a free-spirit reveals his own private purgatory for his missing out on much of his daughter's early life.  In short, Herman Brune is one of those rare folks you'd be happy tto sit beside at a black-tie dinner, or ride with up a mountain trail in search of elk- the kind of guy who really will "have your back."  If you're looking for a collection of stories that gives a great look into the inner-workings of an unapologetic cowboy, this read's for you.

Jim Shepherd