Tom Turpin has been a professional writer in the outdoor industry for more than 40 years. He has several hundred published articles, four books, and substantial contributions to several more to his credit. He is presently a contributing editor to the annual Gun Digest volume, and Gun Digest recently reprinted his book Custom Guns: Mastery of Wood & Metal.

An avid hunter, Tom has taken game on four continents. Retired as a lieutenant colonel from the U.S. Army, in 1986, after a 26-year career, Tom and his wife, Pauline, live and work in the wonderful high desert community of Sierra Vista, Arizona. He says the elk steaks still taste wonderful, the Scotch still provides a tranquilizing effect that adds to the pleasure of life, and, at the ripe old age of 74, he is still looking forward to his next hunt, his next story, and his next book.