Hush of the Land

“Smoke Elser is a legend not only in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana but throughout the Rocky Mountain West. . . . Hush of the Land will be read for years by those who want a saddle-high view of a unique and adventurous life well lived.”—C. J. Box, New York Times best-selling author of Storm Watch

“Smoke Elser is a Montana treasure. His stories about the Bob Marshall Wilderness allow the reader to see God’s greatest cathedral through Smoke’s lifetime of adventures in this incredible landscape.”—Jon Tester, U.S. senator from Montana

“For more than fifty years Smoke has given his clients a brief but delicious taste of life on the trail in the slow lane. Read a chapter of this book, then close your eyes and transport yourself into the middle of the Bob Marshall Wilderness with Smoke on a fine adventure, big campfire, full tummy, huge stars. I tried it, it works! You will be there!”—Steve Running, Nobel Peace Prize co-laureate and professor emeritus of ecosystems and conservation sciences at the University of Montana

“There are but a few experiences that really define our lives as westerners and conservationists. Perhaps peering over the south rim of the Grand Canyon at first light. Maybe experiencing Glacier National Park, hearing a first elk bugle, or watching a grizzly sow teach her cubs how to forage. For a lucky few Montanans like me, being around a campfire with Smoke Elser is one of those life-changing events. We know that Smoke’s life is the quintessential hardscrabble storybook that most Montanans wish could be frozen in amber as permanent and true. Of course, it is interwoven with his unique wilderness ethic, sense of adventure, and reverence for the places we all love. As you read, it won’t take long to understand why Smoke is so revered as an outfitter, teacher, advocate, and incomparable storyteller.”—Ryan Busse, Montana conservationist and author of Gunfight: My Battle against the Industry That Radicalized America