Professional Bio 

                After graduating from Auburn University, J. Wayne went to work as a wildlife specialist with the University of Georgia to develop the 
wildlife resources in a rural test county in South Georgia. The resulting program was published as a feature article in the March 1966 issue of Outdoor Life magazine. This article gave J. Wayne and his work national attention and introduced him to the world of outdoor writing.               The following year, he took a similar job as Director of Outdoor Recreation & Wildlife with the Coastal Plains Planning and Development Commission working with nine counties. At the same time, he began writing for outdoor magazines, had a weekly radio program and a syndicated newspaper column.               
               By 1970, he was in graduate school at the University of Georgia working on his Master’s degree and working with Safari Systems, which gave him North and South American experience. While in school, he was writing for 11 outdoor magazines.
                Since completing his graduate work, he has held a number of wildlife related positions and worked as an explorer. He spent a decade as the chief wildlife manager for Gulf States Paper Corporation. Here he was responsible for the wildlife management and law enforcement on 500,000 acres of forestland, the development of Westervelt Hunting Lodge, big game hunting operations in Colorado, Alaska and British Columbia. In 1982, he left Gulf States to build a company called Alabama Backcountry Lodges, Inc, which developed and operated three hunting lodges in Alabama. When the company sold, he became a full time freelance magazine writer and book author. He established a consulting company, Fears & Associates, to do wildlife habitat management and exploration work.
               In 1994, Progressive Farmer magazine, the nations oldest and largest farm/ranch magazine asked J. Wayne to work for them as the Editor-in-chief of Rural Sportsman, a wildlife management magazine within Progressive Farmer. He retired from this position in 2005. Soon, he came out of retirement and became the editor-in-chief of Hunting Camp Journal.
              Currently, he serves as shooting columnist for Turkey Call magazine, serves on the shooting council of North American Hunter magazine, writes The Food Plot Doctor column for Whitetails Unlimited magazine and is a contributor to Gunhunter magazine, the New Pioneer magazine and a number of other publications.
              In 2009, developed J. Wayne Fears brand in association with Pro Tool Industries to publish four series of outdoor guidebooks, design knives and other outdoor equipment.
              J. Wayne has had over 5000 magazine articles published and 26 books. He is often a guest on popular outdoor TV programs and is a frequent speaker at outdoor events. Currently he is working on three books.

                                            EDUCATION
                           B.S. Degree from Auburn University
                     Master’s Degree from the University of Georgia

                           PROFESSIONAL AWARDS

Journalism

    
    2007 – Grits Gresham Communicator of the Year Award – NSSF & POMA
    2006 – Best Outdoor Entrepreneur Project – Magazine – SEOPA
    2005 – Best Outdoor Book – Third Place – SEOPA
    2004 – Best Outdoor Book – First Place – SEOPA
    2004 – Governor’s Conservation Achievement Award-Communicator of the Year
    2004 – NWTF Communicator of the Year Award
    2002 – Best Outdoor Book – Third Place – SEOPA
    1993 – Best Outdoor Entrepreneur Project – Public Relations – SEOPA
    1993 – Technical Magazine Article – Second Place – OWAA
    1989 – Best Outdoor Book – Second Place – SEOPA
    1986 – Best Outdoor Book – Runner-Up – SEOPA
    1986 – Anschutz-PSI Outstanding Writer Award
    1985 – Best Outdoor Book – Runner-Up – SEOPA
    1978 – Best Magazine Article – First Place – SEOPA
    1976 – Deep Woodsman of the Year Award – Overall Writing – OWAA
    1976 – Deep Woodsman of the Year Award – Newspaper – OWAA
    1976 – Buck Knives Writing Award – Newspaper – OWAA

                                           Other Professional Awards
    2001 – Outstanding Conservationist–Soil & Water Conservation Districts Asso.
    1982 – Distinguished Alumni Award – University of Georgia
    1981 – Tom Rollins Award – SEOPA

                 PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION ACTIVITY

    Professional Outdoor Media Association
    Past President 2006-07
    Founding Board Member
    Chairman: Intern/Mentoring Committee

    Southeastern Outdoor Press Association
    Chairman of Board – 1975-76
    President 1973-74
    Board member 1971- 73
    Chairman of numerous committees

    Outdoor Writers Association of America
    Board Member 1979 – 1982, 2003 – 2005.
    Chairman of numerous committees.

    Georgia Outdoor Writers Association
    President 1970 – 71
    Chairman of Board 1971-72

    The Wildlife Society
    Certified Wildlife Biologist

    The Explorers Club
    Led five scientific expeditions – voted into EC 1982

    Georgia Parks & Recreation Society
    Board of Directors

    Georgia Recreation Commission
    Advisory Board, Licensed Recreation Administrator

    Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame
    Board of Advisory Governors

                                  BOOKS PUBLISHED

    The Complete Book of Dutch Oven Cooking – Skyhorse Publishing 
    The Pocket Survival Guide – Skyhorse Publishing
    Hunt Club Management Guide – Stoeger Publishing Corp.
    Hunting Whitetails East & West (Co-Author) - Stoeger Publishing
    Build Your Dream Cabin in the Woods - Skyhorse Publishing
    The Complete Book of Outdoor Survival - Krause Publications
    The Field & Stream Wilderness Cooking Handbook - Globe Pequot Press
    The Canoer’s Bible (Co-Author) - Doubleday
    Hunting Big Bears - North American Hunting Club
    Hunting Whitetails Successfully - North American Hunting Club
    Muzzleloading Hunters Handbook - CVA Publications
    Cooking the Wild Harvest - ICS/Stackpole Books
    The Wild Turkey Book - Amwell Press
    Successful Turkey Hunting - Target Communications
    The Complete Book to Canoe Camping - Winchester Press
    Sportsman’s Guide to Swamp Camping - David McKay Publishers
    Trout Fishing the Southern Appalachians - East Woods Press
    Turkey Guide - Scotch Publications
    Scrape Hunting from A to Z - Derrydale Press
    Backcountry Cooking - East Woods Press

    Planting for Wildlife - Progressive Farmer Publications

    How to Lost Proof Your Child - Pro Tool Publications

    How to Manage Native Plants for Deer - Pro Tool Publications

    How to Hunt Clear-Cuts Successfully - Pro Tool Publications

    How to Make Jerky & Pemmican - Pro Tool Publications

    Deer Hunter’s & Land manager’s Pocket reference - Pro Tool Publications

                                                             MEDIA EXPERIENCE

         Some magazines in which work has been published:

            Whitetails Unlimited              North American Hunter                 Great Days Outdoors                      Turkey Country
            Backpacker                            Ourdoor Life                                    Shooting Times                               Bowhunting World
            Petersen’s Hunting                 Field & Stream                               The Trapper                                    North American Hunter
            Guns & Ammo                        Canoe                                              Sports Afield                                   Farm Journal
            SHOT Business                        Progressive Farmer                        Southern Outdoors                         Turkey Hunter
            American Hunter                    Seventeen                                       Turkey Call                                      American Rifleman
            Buckmasters                           North American Hunter                 Woodall’s Camping                        Game & Fish
            Fur-Fish-Game                         Muzzle Blasts                                 Predator & Prey                              Hunting Camp Journal
            Aqua/Field                              Cabela’s Outfitter Journal

    Newspaper

        Quitman Free Press (GA) – Outdoor Editor
        Valdosta Times (GA) – Outdoor Editor
        Syndicated weekly outdoor column to 20 Georgia newspapers
        Greenville News (SC) – Outdoor contributor
        Tuscaloosa Graphic (AL) – Outdoor Editor
        Anniston Star (AL) – Outdoor Editor

    Radio

        WSFB, Quitman, GA, “Georgia Outdoors” 30-min. twice weekly

    Television

        WMAZ_TV, Macon, GA- guest host – Southern Outdoors, twice weekly, 30-min.
        15 weekly segments on Benelli American Safaris for two years, aired nationally regarding survival and wildlife management.
        Guest host on national TV outdoor shows: 
                 T/C Game Trails, NWTF Get in the Game
                NWTF Turkey Call, Benelli’s American Safari
                Southern Sportsman.

    Commercial Video/DVD

        “How to Hunt Wild Turkey” – Warburton Productions & Chevy Trucks
        “The Secrets of Successful Food Plots” – Mossy Oak Productions
        “The Complete Hunter” – Smith/Taylor Productions
        “Backcountry Lodges” – Denny Productions

        MAGAZINE EDITOR

            Editor - North American Hunter, Southeastern - North American Publishing Group

            Editor - Rural Sportsman – Progressive Farmer Publications

            Editor - Hunting Camp Journal – JNE Publications

            Editor - Hunt Club Digest – Grand View Media Publications