If I had only read dem der school books with as much passion.
Dad ordered from them, their hunting boots were great. I outgrew mine quickly, dad had a pair he used for everything for decades. Lots of hard wear, had them resoled multiple times. They were in the garage when we cleaned out the house after his passing. well oiled and ready to go, just waiting on Dad. The boots to my Bro and Sis were just boots. I remember him putting them on before we cut wood, all the deer camps and stomping for quail or rabbits. Really well worn, toe patches and to me it was sort of like viewing the last 1/2 of his life and my formative years. I was always sorry I did not take them.
I think Dad was hooked on the World Famous catch all. I personally dreamed of owning one of everything. And would have swam with sharks for one of their canoes.
Some where I have my first reloader, looks like an old Lee, it reloaded many a 38 special for my Colt SAA. Loaded down wad cutters for head shots on squirrels. You had to supply your own hammer and wood block.
Dad bought us the hunting knife, I still have his, Mom took mine for kitchen duty as it looked like her old hickory butcher knives. I didn't argue hard.
I still have some decoys, LNIB turkey, deer, varmint and a duck call. All have been used. And all were bought thru the catalog. The varmint call, dying rabbit, called up a coyote a few years ago on the farm. That little dinner bell has rang for quite a few yotes.
I would buy Herters stuff when found at gun shop junk boxes, gun shows, flea markets etc.
My wife went thru the, lets advertise all of our "junque" on fleabay and get rich 7 or 8 years ago. Her dad had bought each of his daughters hummel figurinis each year for xmas. All the experts said they were oh so super valuable, buy my book and you will see the values. A couple actually brought moderate money, nothing 3 figures. She pounded my delicate ears to get rid of my stuff. So I had this box full of surplus Herter stuff, you know like if there was a Herter's shortage or I needed 30 or 40 pounds of Herter stuff to fight nostalgia. Well it all went quickly, including my good pre 68 catalog. That junk blew away the high dollar collectible stuff.
I kept the stuff dad or I had bought thru Herters. Told her it was not junk, it was a container of important memories of me from my youth, My Dad and back when America was America.
I bought a 1967 Herters Catalog at a recent gun show. I could spend hours reading through it, and enjoy cherished memories of guns, knives, calls, decoys, reloading equipment, taxidermy supplies, archery equipment, out-door clothing, etc, and all ordered by mail and delivered to our front door
I'm sure there are many out there who feel the same as I do about the "good-old-days"
