Hush of the Land

Arnold “Smoke” Elser is a professional animal packer and a semi-retired instructor of wilderness outfitting and packing at the University of Montana, from which he received a 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award. Elser’s work as an educator and outfitter has been covered in National Geographic and the PBS documentary Three Miles an Hour. He is the coauthor of Packin’ In on Mules and Horses. Eva-Maria Maggi, PhD, is a writer, social scientist, and packer and teaches courses on wilderness issues at the University of Montana.

"The stories will warm your heart, make you think and remind you of every first step you took on a good trail. Get a cup of coffee or a strong cup of tea, pick up his book, and sit back and enjoy Hush of the Land."-Milana Marsenich, Roundup Magazine "A beautifully written book and every chapter is an engaging read. A good book should be like an onion, peeling apart layers of the story as one goes and Elser and Maggi have done a masterful job of that."-Chris Peterson, Hungry Horse News "Hush of the Land is a heartwarming collection, a tribute to both the landscape and those who traveled with Elser, forming a connection that only wilderness can offer."-Maggie Doherty, Flathead Beacon “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

• List of IllustrationsForeword by Tammy ElserPrologue1. Starting Out2. First Trip into the Bob Marshall3. Early Hunting4. A Mule, a Train, and the Fight for Wilderness5. Boy Scouts6. A Grizzly Ride and the Great Bear7. Falls Creek and Bitterroot Hunts8. Teaching the Ropes9. Mysterious Boxes10. The Hole in the Wall11. A Very Fine Pack Trip12. The Wall13. The Grizzly Family on Scapegoat Mountain14. A Shot in the Dark15. The Horse on Omar Mountain16. A Dead Man in the Bitterroot17. Hunters and People Who Hunt18. The Fastest Fire in the West19. SmʔotEpilogueAuthor’s NoteAcknowledgmentsNotesIndex