For over 40 years, freelance writer, columnist and author Joel M. Vance’s lifetime passion for writing has led him to become one of the country’s most respected and recognized outdoors writers providing inspiration and knowledge about the great outdoors and conservation issues to so many nature and outdoor enthusiasts.
Vance was born in Chicago in 1934 and moved with his family to Dalton when he was 13. His father was born and raised in the Forest Green area and moved back to supervise a 960 acre farm in the Bynumville area which he and his two partners had purchased several years before.
Upon graduating from Keytesville R-III Schools he attended the widely honored and acclaimed Missouri University School of Journalism, receiving his degree in 1956.He then took a job editing news copy at the Montgomery Journal in Alabama for 2 years with 6 months for military service at Ft. Bliss, Texas to fulfill his ROTC commitment. In 1959 Vance moved back to Missouri as sports editor at the Mexico Evening Ledger. The Missouri Department of Conservation recruited and hired Vance in 1969 which fit very nicely with his desire and dream of being an outdoors editor/writer. After 21 years as the leading writer for the Missouri Department of Conservation and writing hundreds of articles about the Missouri outdoors and conservation issues for the Missouri Conservationist magazine, he retired in 1990.
Vance’s accomplishments are many including the authoring of 7 published books on nature and the outdoors. In his latest book, Down Home Missouri: When Girls Were Scary and Basketball Was King, he regales readers with his recollections of living in a small Midwest town (Dalton & Keytesville) during the 50’s with detailed humorous, downright funny and sometimes emotionally moving stories about his high school friends, dating, baseball, basketball, French kissing, drinking, hog castration and his foray into the Future Farmers of America.This book gives insight to his passion for the outdoors cultivated during his visits to his uncle’s farm when he resided with his family in Chicago and then living in Dalton and attending school in Keytesville.
As a member since 1967 of the Outdoor Writers Association of American (OWAA), an international organization with 2,000 professional communicator members dedicated to sharing the outdoor experience, he is only 1 of 3 members in the organization’s 80 year history to receive all three of its’ major awards.J. Hammond Brown Memorial Award is the OWAA's most prestigious recognition of a member; Excellence in Craft Award honors an OWAA member for outstanding effort in upholding the OWAA Creed and continued excellence in craft; and Jade of Chiefs Award is the OWAA's top conservation award.In addition he has been President, Board of Directors Chairman and Historian of the OWAA.
As a freelance writer since 1967 he has written thousands of articles and columns for various magazines and publications which has brought him the distinction of being the recipient of the Conservation Communicator of the Year by the Conservation Federation of Missouri and the Excellence in Craft award from the Association of Great Lakes Outdoors Writers plus many awards for writing contests from the Missouri Press Association and various outdoor organizations.
At age 75 Vance is still doing what he loves as a full time freelance writer with columns in 2 outdoor magazines, conservation columns in Gun Dog magazine (for more than 30 years), articles and columns in Outdoor Guide Magazine (for more than 6 years) and articles in Missouri Life magazine.He and his wife, Marty, live in their country home nestled back in the woods on their 40 acre property which includes a one acre lake located on a dead end road 5 miles from Russellville, MO.
Joel and Marty are the parents of five children: Carrie of New Prague, MN: Joseph of Columbus, OH: Eddie of Russellville, MO: Andy of Russellville, MO: and Amy of Jefferson City, MO.They have 5 grandchildren and 3 step grandchildren.
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ation columns in Gun Dog magazine (for more than 30 years), articles and columns in Ou
