Limited Edition from Tom Kelly, Available Soon
The Bootleg Revival of Tenth Legion
Few books in the sporting world have earned the kind of reverence that Tenth Legion commands. Since its first printing in 1973, Tom Kelly’s plainspoken meditation on the art — and obsession — of turkey hunting has become more than literature. It’s a legend.
And like all true legends, it has gathered stories of its own along the way.
In the early years, it wasn’t promoted. It was discovered. And some of that discovery happened in decidedly unorthodox ways.
A devoted reader in Monroe, Louisiana began quietly making “bootleg” copies of Tenth Legion, sharing them hand to hand. What might have ended as a footnote — or a legal dispute — instead set off a chain of events that reshaped the book’s future and produced one of its most distinctive and collectible editions.
This year, we’re returning to that origin story — not as a reprint, but as a careful resurrection of the edition that began on the fringe and became something enduring. The one that set everything in motion… the “Bootleg Revival.”
This edition breathes new life into that iconic design featuring vintage, calligraphic lettering and a majestic turkey shield. It also includes a new introduction, with more detail on the backstory, written by Tom’s daughter, Laura.
Special Edition Design Details
This special edition evokes the original bootleg cover design. A textured dust jacket. A cloth-bound hard cover with gold foil stamp. Deckled edge pages and updated introduction with the Bootleg Backstory. Each book is protected with an included custom-made matching slipcase.
