Retiring Landscapes: After a 53-year tenure of highlighting Kentucky's natural beauty, Art Lander bids farewell
Retiring Outdoors Writer Art Lander Reflects on 53 Years of Covering Kentucky's Wildlife
After a remarkable career spanning over five decades, Art Lander, the renowned outdoors writer, is stepping down from his pen. Lander has dedicated 53 years to writing about Kentucky's diverse fish and wildlife species, their habitats, and the state's rich outdoor activities.
Lander's work has been a testament to his passion for the outdoors, covering a wide range of topics from native trees and snakes to turtles, nesting birds, invasive and non-native species. He has also delved into the state's heritage of fishing and hunting, providing insights into forest management practices that benefit wildlife and seasonal activities like mowing and planting forage crops for deer, wild turkey, and other wildlife.
One of Lander's most significant contributions has been his annual articles on deer and wild turkeys, including harvest data, trends, observations, and strategies. He has offered valuable advice on equipment like ground blinds, treestands, archery gear, rifles, and even flintlock longrifles and turkey shotguns.
Lander's articles have also highlighted major reservoirs and small lakes, with an emphasis on marinas, boat ramps, and fish species, and how to catch them. He has written about fish species and their management, native walleye restoration, striped bass, ancient fish species such as gar, the invasion of Asian carp, non-native mussels, and nuisance rooted aquatic vegetation in Kentucky's lakes.
Throughout his career, Lander has covered various outbreaks of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) that affected Kentucky's deer herds. He has also written about Kentucky's elk herd, the largest in the eastern U.S., furbearers, small game (squirrels, rabbits, and ruffed grouse), songbirds, migratory birds (mourning doves and woodcock), and waterfowl (ducks and Canada geese).
Lander expresses his gratitude towards the Clabes family, biologists with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, and his loyal readers. He also appreciates the opportunity to continue writing online articles into advancing age.
Throughout his career, Lander has written over 550 articles for various magazines, print newspapers, and online platforms. He has also authored three books and contributed to several others. One of his most notable achievements is being the outdoors staff writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper for 23 years.
In the early years of his career, Lander remembered James A. Henshall, who introduced America to black bass, and is remembered for the Kentucky Reel, a handmade casting reel produced from about 1820 to the 1940s in Central Kentucky. Henshall spent many years in Northern Kentucky and died in Cincinnati in 1925 at the age of 89.
As Lander bids farewell to his writing career, he leaves behind a legacy of knowledge, passion, and love for Kentucky's wildlife and nature. His articles will continue to serve as a valuable resource for outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife lovers for years to come.
[1] Source: https://kentuckymonitor.com/2021/09/15/outdoors-writer-art-lander-retiring-after-53-years-of-writing-about-kentuckys-wildlife/
- Art Lander, in his writing career spanning across Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, has written about various outdoor-living topics, including lifestyle changes and home-and-garden practices that promote outdoor living in Kentucky.
- Beyond writing about Kentucky's wildlife, Lander has also covered the state's sporting activities, offering guidance on sports equipment like fishing rods, hunting rifles, and outdoor apparel.
- In his articles, Lander has highlighted the rich array of outdoor activities in Kentucky, such as fishing in major reservoirs and small lakes, hunting in forests, and observing wildlife in their natural habitats.
