February 13, 2020
By Lynn Burkhead
For those who have bowhunted for any length of time, the name of the late Dwight Schuh is certainly a familiar one. Known to many for his role as Editor of Bowhunter Magazine from 1996-2010, Schuh continued his work at Bowhunter upon his retirement as the third Hunting Editor for the brand, contributing both the "Pure Bowhunting" and "Wildside" columns up until his passing on February 5, 2019 after a lengthy battle with myeloma.
A year after his death at age 73, Schuh — who was one of only three editors in Bowhunter Magazine's history, along with Founder M.R. James and current Editor Curt Wells — is receiving a posthumous honor with his induction into the Archery Hall of Fame later this year. The ceremony will take place Aug. 29, 2020 at the Bass Pro Shop’s White River Conference Center in Springfield, Mo.
“It has been one year today since I lost my friend and mentor Dwight Schuh,” said Wells in a recent Facebook post. “I miss him greatly, but we are proud to tell you Dwight will be inducted into the Archery Hall of Fame in August, joining the likes of PSE Founder Pete Shepley, Bob Eastman and others. Dwight was inducted into the Bowhunters Hall of Fame in 1997. Dwight’s legacy as someone we can all admire and emulate will live on forever.”
Schuh’s career was certainly a fabled one in the outdoors industry, beginning after his discharge from the U.S. Army. Following his service time in Vietnam — where he was exposed to Agent Orange — he graduated from the University of Idaho in 1971 with a BA in English.
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Married to his wife Laura for 49 years, Schuh was the father of two daughters — Emily and Margie — and the grandfather of two. A native of Klamath Falls, Oregon, Schuh followed his military service with a freelance writing and photography career for 25 years. That pathway would cause him to return to school in the mid-1970s, followed by his graduation from the University of Oregon at Eugene in 1978 with a BA in Journalism.
A passionate bowhunter since 1969 and a member of the Pope and Young Club, Schuh spent more than four decades chasing various big-game animals, eventually arrowing nearly two dozen different species in North America and 10 species in Africa. Those adventures would help pave the way for his lengthy career with Bowhunter, a publication he sold his first story to in 1975.
From the 1970s into the mid-1990s, Schuh was a busy freelancer with regular appearances in Bowhunter and many more publications — including now sister publication Petersen’s Bowhunting.
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He was also a regular contributor for other magazines, including the industry’s so-called “big three” at the time. Over the years, Schuh enjoyed a stint at Outdoor Life as the magazine’s Western Field Editor; a 10-year stint as the Bows & Arrows columnist for Sports Afield; and also saw his byline appear in Field & Stream, too.
In 1996, Schuh came on board full time with Bowhunter and became the magazine’s editor when M.R. James handpicked him as his successor.
Along the way, Schuh became a regular on the Bowhunter TV program that has delighted Sportsman Channel viewers for many years now. If Schuh wasn’t already widely known for his writing and editing skills, he would likely be remembered by many for his filmed television episodes — including an infamous charge from a bull moose at point-blank yardage.
For all his magazine work, Schuh was also a prolific book author, too, penning nine books over the course of his career.
Starting with "Modern Outdoor Survival" in 1978, Schuh would go on to author "Bugling for Elk; Hunting Open-Country Mule Deer," "Bowhunter’s Encyclopedia; Fundamentals of Bowhunting," "All About Elk; The Outdoor Life Deer Hunter’s Encyclopedia," "The Complete Bowhunter: Bowhunting Equipment & Skills," "Archer’s Bible Presents: The Bowhunter’s Guide," and "The Bottoms" — an autobiography written for waterfowl artist David Hagerbaumer. He was also a contributor to the recent traditional archery record book published by the Pope and Young Club.
In addition to his Bowhunters Hall of Fame honor in 1997 and other awards, Schuh was recognized by the Professional Outdoor Media Association at the 2010 ATA Show in Columbus, Ohio as the winner of the POMA/ATA Fred Bear Archery and Bowhunting Communicator Award.
“I told the guys at our booth that I had an important meeting at the ATA booth, but no, I had no idea why we were coming over here,” said the surprised Schuh in a POMA news release after he received the award. “The one thing I have in common with Fred Bear is a size 14 shoe.
“Receiving this award is a validation of the efforts I’ve put into the industry,” he continued. “I’ve tried to be a good outdoorsman and a good writer, and I believe they go hand to hand. I’ve studied writers and writing so I can communicate what bowhunting means to me. I am a bowhunter at heart.”
So much so that even a year after Schuh left this side of eternity, he continues to be remembered by his peers and colleagues for a lifetime of dedication to bowhunting and the work of communicating its joys to others.
