Steve Hickoff earned a bachelor's degree in creative writing and the humanities from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, and, with a full scholarship and teaching assistantship, an M.A. in the University of New Hampshire’s writing program, studying under the poet and essayist Charles Simic.

Hickoff is the poetry editor of Spitball: The Literary Baseball Magazine. A prolific writer, his work spans both literary and sports genres.

His poetry has appeared in The Quarterly: The Magazine of New American Writing (Gordon Lish, editor), Country Journal (Donald Hall, poetry editor), Gray’s Sporting Journal, The Penguin Review, Pinchpenny, Pinhole Poetry, Pulsebeat Poetry Journal, Turnstile, and others.

He also co-wrote lyrics to “Drivin’ on 9” using lines of poetry from one of his notebooks, a song first recorded by Ed’s Redeeming Qualities, later covered by The Breeders on the platinum-certified album Last Splash.

Hickoff has published books on fly fishing (Wilderness Adventures Press), wild turkeys (Stackpole Books), the Pittsburgh Steelers (Triumph Books), along with numerous poetry chapbooks and collections.

He’s been a newspaper outdoor columnist and feature writer for Foster’s Daily Democrat/Foster’s Sunday Citizen, and contributor to Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, Turkey Call, and other prominent sporting magazines, including digital platforms such as espn.com. His photos and illustrations often accompany assignment packages.

Hickoff’s teaching for the University System of New Hampshire has included courses such as Creative Writing (Star Island), Major American Poets, Magazine Writing and Editing, Nature Writing & the Environment, Sports Writing, and Short Fiction, among others.

 He’s received Granite State College’s Distinguished Faculty Award, given in recognition of teaching excellence, and the NWTF’s Tom Kelly Communicator of the Year Award for his long-standing commitment to sharing the wild turkey conservation success story.

Born and raised in north-central Pennsylvania, he lives in Maine.