Ted Trueblood
Encyclopedia
Cecil Whittaker "Ted" Trueblood (1913-1982) was an outdoor writer and conservationist. From 1941 to 1982, he was an editor and writer for Field & Stream
magazine. Born in Boise, Idaho, on June 25, 1913, he grew up on the family farm near Homedale and graduated from Wilder High School in 1931. Drawn to writing about the outdoor life, he published his first article in National Sportsman magazine in 1931. He attended both the College of Idaho (at Caldwell) and the University of Idaho
(at Moscow), but left before earning his degree.
In 1936, he became a reporter for the Boise Capital News. In 1937, he became a reporter for the Deseret News in Salt Lake City. From there, he began writing articles for Field & Stream. He returned to Idaho in 1939 and married Ellen Michaelson. Together they had two sons, Dan and Jack. After struggling as a freelancer, Trueblood took a public relations position with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. He became fishing editor of Field & Stream in 1941 and moved to New York City. In 1947, he moved back to Idaho in order to "fish, hunt, and write about it." From his home in Nampa
, he remained an associate editor and contributor to Field & Stream, and continued writing articles for the magazine throughout his life. In addition to his magazine work, he also wrote several books about the outdoors (often based on his articles): The Angler's Handbook (1949), The Fishing Handbook (1951), On Hunting (1953), The Hunter's Handbook (1954), How to Catch More Fish (1955), Camping Handbook (1955), and The Ted Trueblood Hunting Treasury (1978).
Perhaps more important to Idahoans was Trueblood's work as a conservation leader. In 1936, he helped to organize the Idaho Wildlife Federation, the state's major conservation group in the mid-twentieth century. Trueblood often helped the Federation fight many of its conservation battles. One of their most significant victories, in the 1950s, was the successful campaign to protect Idaho's salmon and steelhead trout by stopping the construction of Nez Perce Dam on the Snake River
, which would have blocked the migration of fish up the undammed Salmon River
. Trueblood advocated for the creation of the River of No Return Wilderness in central Idaho, and worked to oppose the anti-environmental "Sagebrush Rebellion" in 1980. His conservation work was honored with several awards, including a 1975 Conservation Service Award from the U.S. Department of the Interior and the 1975 Outdoorsman of the Year award from the Outdoor Writers of America.
Painful and terminal bone cancer led Trueblood him to kill himself at the age of 69 on September 12, 1982. He died of a gunshot wound to the head.
His life of conservation leadership is commemorated by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game's Ted Trueblood Wildlife Area, near Grandview. In 1991, the newly organized Boise chapter of Trout Unlimited
named itself the "Ted Trueblood Chapter."
His papers are housed in the Albertsons Library at Boise State University.
Field & Stream
Field & Stream is a magazine featuring hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities in the United States. Together with Sports Afield and Outdoor Life, it is considered one of the Big Three of American outdoor publishing....
magazine. Born in Boise, Idaho, on June 25, 1913, he grew up on the family farm near Homedale and graduated from Wilder High School in 1931. Drawn to writing about the outdoor life, he published his first article in National Sportsman magazine in 1931. He attended both the College of Idaho (at Caldwell) and the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
(at Moscow), but left before earning his degree.
In 1936, he became a reporter for the Boise Capital News. In 1937, he became a reporter for the Deseret News in Salt Lake City. From there, he began writing articles for Field & Stream. He returned to Idaho in 1939 and married Ellen Michaelson. Together they had two sons, Dan and Jack. After struggling as a freelancer, Trueblood took a public relations position with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. He became fishing editor of Field & Stream in 1941 and moved to New York City. In 1947, he moved back to Idaho in order to "fish, hunt, and write about it." From his home in Nampa
Nampa, Idaho
Nampa is the largest and the fastest growing city in Canyon County, Idaho, USA. The population of Nampa was 81,557 at the 2010 census. Nampa is located about west of Boise along Interstate 84, and six miles west of Meridian. Nampa is part of the Boise metropolitan area...
, he remained an associate editor and contributor to Field & Stream, and continued writing articles for the magazine throughout his life. In addition to his magazine work, he also wrote several books about the outdoors (often based on his articles): The Angler's Handbook (1949), The Fishing Handbook (1951), On Hunting (1953), The Hunter's Handbook (1954), How to Catch More Fish (1955), Camping Handbook (1955), and The Ted Trueblood Hunting Treasury (1978).
Perhaps more important to Idahoans was Trueblood's work as a conservation leader. In 1936, he helped to organize the Idaho Wildlife Federation, the state's major conservation group in the mid-twentieth century. Trueblood often helped the Federation fight many of its conservation battles. One of their most significant victories, in the 1950s, was the successful campaign to protect Idaho's salmon and steelhead trout by stopping the construction of Nez Perce Dam on the Snake River
Snake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
, which would have blocked the migration of fish up the undammed Salmon River
Salmon River (Idaho)
The Salmon River is located in Idaho in the northwestern United States. The Salmon is also known as The River of No Return. It flows for through central Idaho, draining and dropping more than between its headwaters, near Galena Summit above the Sawtooth Valley in the Sawtooth National...
. Trueblood advocated for the creation of the River of No Return Wilderness in central Idaho, and worked to oppose the anti-environmental "Sagebrush Rebellion" in 1980. His conservation work was honored with several awards, including a 1975 Conservation Service Award from the U.S. Department of the Interior and the 1975 Outdoorsman of the Year award from the Outdoor Writers of America.
Painful and terminal bone cancer led Trueblood him to kill himself at the age of 69 on September 12, 1982. He died of a gunshot wound to the head.
His life of conservation leadership is commemorated by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game's Ted Trueblood Wildlife Area, near Grandview. In 1991, the newly organized Boise chapter of Trout Unlimited
Trout Unlimited
Trout Unlimited is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of freshwater streams, rivers, and associated upland habitats for trout, salmon, other aquatic species, and people. Often contracted as "TU," the organization began in 1959 in Michigan...
named itself the "Ted Trueblood Chapter."
His papers are housed in the Albertsons Library at Boise State University.
External links
- "Ted Trueblood Biography," Special Collections, Albertsons Library, Boise State University. http://library.boisestate.edu/special/FindingAids/fa89-bio.htm
- Ted Trueblood Chapter, Trout Unlimited. http://www.tedtruebloodtu.org/Ted/TedTrueblood.html