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Persimmon People:

"Bayou" Bill Scifres

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"Bayou" Bill Scifres (1925-2009)

Wild Food Forager Extraordinaire

Bayou Bill Scfres' signature from his book, Bayou Bill's Best Stories (Most of them True) which he autoraphed.

     Several years ago, in 2007 to be more precise, I ran across an outdoors writer from Indiana.  His name was "Bayou" Bill Scifres.  I was tracking some information about wildcrafting, which led to some search on foraging for persimmons, which in turn led to a persimmon recipe to track, and that is what brought me to Bayou Bill.  In the meantime, I learned a lot about his work and wish I'd been aware of him much sooner.  I got a chance to gab with Bayou Bill on a grey winter day back in 2007 and spoke to him shortly thereafter in early 2008.  He had an easy demeanor and since the first words were spoken I felt like I was talking to a family member.  He really was that warm.  Talk of persimmons ran long, then pawpaws, then various other fruits, then foraging for more savory wild edible plants and mushrooms, then tangential outdoor topics.  He apologized several times thinking he'd run the discussion too long.  I could have continued talking to him into the wee hours of the night.  He was truly a gifted naturalist with a love of the outdoors that was palpable and contagious.

     For 37 years he was the Outdoor Editor at the Indianapolis Star where he wrote an outdoor column entitled, "Lines and Shots".  Hoosiers grew up reading about his hunting, fishing and foraging.    He "retired" from the Indianapolis Star in 1990, but continued writing freelance work he had done in addition to his column at the newspaper.  His "All Outdoors" column ran in newspapers throughout Indiana.  It was under this title that he created his website "Bayou Bill's All Outdoors" which he "dedicated to the conservation and enjoyment of Indiana's natural resources."  He also found time to publish two books:

Indiana Outdoors: A Guide to Fishing, Hunting, and Wild Crops


citation:

Bill Scifres.  1976.  Indiana Outdoors: A Guide to Fishing, Hunting, and Wild Crops.  Indiana University Press, Bloomington, Indiana.  376 pp.		Indiana Outdoors: A Guide to Fishing, Hunting, and Wild Crops by "Bayou" Bill Scifres - picture of front cover

Bayou Bill's Best Stories: (Most of Them True)


citation:

Bill Scifres.  1990.  Bayou Bill's Best Stories: (Most of Them True).  Indiana University Press, Bloomington, Indiana.  201 pp.		Bayou Bill's Best Stories: (Most of Them True) by "Bayou" Bill Scifres - picture of front cover

    Additionally, Bayou Bill had almost finished a cookbook before he died.  It is entitled, "Just Add Heat: Bayou Bill's Simple Little Cookbook."

     In addition to being an author, he was also fond of outdoor photography and was only just starting to catalog and get his photos online before he died.  In fact, his family has told me the small amount that is online doesn't scratch the surface of the body of work he left behind and that they are working on getting more uploaded.

     Bill Scifres unfortunately died in 2007.  His family has vowed to keep his website running.  In forager/wildcrafting circles outside of Indiana, few may now know about Bayou Bill.  I urge you to change this and buy some copies of his books.  He had a real gift for storytelling and his books would really add to the forager's bookshelf or make great gifts (hint).  After reading them, see if you don't reflect on his books the next time you're sitting quietly alone in the woods.  My bet is that you'll have learned a great deal.  Also, while you're reading the works of "Bayou" Bill Scifres, don't forget to pop in at his website, "Bayou Bill's All Outdoors".

     Bayou Bill mentions persimmons in his books as well as his website.  In fact, he gave permission for persimmonpudding.com to run a copy of his recipe for persimmon pudding with his mother's vanilla sauce.  You can find it here at Bayou Bill's Persimmon Pudding.

     Bill Scifres relished talking about foraging, hunting, fishing, photography, and in-truth, anything which brought people closer to the outdoors.  Bayou Bill's writings and tireless advocacy for conservation garnered him awards from a variety of state and national organizations.  Truly, Indiana was served well by it's native son from Crothersville.  If you were lucky enough to follow the thousands of his regular columns, his books, or met Bill, and you want to relate any memories, please contact me and I'll post them here.