It is with heavy hearts that we relay the news that our friend, mentor and colleague Wade Bourne passed away in his home in Clarksville, Tennessee yesterday, Dec. 15, 2016. Our deepest thoughts, prayers and fond memories are with his family, friends and others who he touched in his many years of covering the outdoors through various outlets.
Bourne was the founder and host of Wired2Fish/Hunt Radio, a syndicated fishing and hunting radio program that aired year-round throughout the country on about 280 stations. Bourne also held roles as editor-at-large for Ducks Unlimited Magazine and senior writer for Bassmaster Magazine, where he has written a column since the 1970s.
Bourne hosted or co-hosted Ducks Unlimited TV for the past 10 years. He published more than 3,000 articles in outdoor magazines and wrote six books.
He was presented with the American Sportfishing Association’s Homer Circle Fishing Communicator Award in July at the 2016 ICAST show in Orlando, Fla.
He was a mentor to me and many others as we started to find our way in this business decades ago. He was always very gracious with his time and always had a fun loving and cheerful demeanor when we would talk crappie fishing and duck hunting whenever we saw each other.
All of us here at Wired2fish are in a saddened state of shock today and hope you will keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers this season. We will post information about funeral arrangements as we receive them.
I loved this quote from him from his acceptance of his communicator award at ICAST:
“I can’t imagine a more fulfilling career than covering fishing, boating, hunting and other outdoor pursuits.
“I tell people I’m a salesman. I sell fun, and that’s a good business to be in. I feel good when I help others feel good. And I also sell the virtues of sound conservation, close family ties, healthy lifestyles and other outdoor activities.”
