Hunting & Safari Magazine - Issue no.1 by Amed

The Region’s First Hunting & Safari Magazine

Suleiman Franjieh

Hunting Season

The Sky’s Got Game

Exclusive Interview

Guillaume Verney Carron

Safari Destinations Discover Africa USD 6 / DHS 25 / RS 30 / JOD 5

BHD 3 / QAR 25 / KD 2.5 / EGP 50

Passions of a professional hunter

QATAR: Al Majed Jewellery, Suheim Bin Hamad Street, Doha City Centre, Villaggio BAHRAIN: Tanagra City Centre KUWAIT: Tanagra, Arraya Mall, Salhiya Centre LEBANON: Wadih Mrad, AshraďŹ eh, Quantam Tower/Dbayeh, Antelias SYRIA: Al Zaman, Damascus, Cham City Centre, Aleppo, Shahba Mall OMAN: Muscat Watches, Qurum Sabco Centre

Very Zino collection, swiss made automatic chronograph in 18-ct red gold. www.zinodavidoff.com

KSA: BAKARAT JEWELLERY - JEDDAH: AL MADINA ROAD, ALI REZA TOWER - RIYADH: AL SATTEEN STREET KUWAIT: TANAGRA - SALHIYA CENTRE, ARRAYA MALL BAHRAIN: BAHRAIN JEWELLERY CENTER - MODA MALL, BAHRAIN CITY CENTER LEBANON: WADIH MRAD - BEIRUT: ASHRAFIEH, QUANTAM TOWER - DBAYEH: ANTELIAS SYRIA: AL ZAMAN - DAMASCUS: ABU RAMMANEH, CITY MALL

GLADIATEUR COLLECTOR PINK GOLD & BLUE SAPPHIRE ZENITH FOR FRED SWISS AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH 36 PIECES NUMBERED LIMITED EDITION

See Copy of (In CD) Verney Carron Advert (DPS) Special Advert

editor's note

Dear Readers, Hunting is the practice of pursuing living animals (usually wildlife) for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law. The species which are hunted are referred to as game and are usually mammals and migratory or non-migratory game birds. Hunting is becoming a growing activity across the world especially in our Middle East region yet, the majority of the hunters go for the Kill and not the adventure of this activity. Thus the need for a communication tool was there to educate those hunters or hunting enthusiasts on the ethics, products, techniques and kinds of hunting. And here is when H&S idea was born. Among the articles, you will find Interviews with prominent personalities that you might know or you might have heard of, telling us about their passion for hunting and the real adventures and personal experiences they went through. Speaking of adventures; the journey continues to our outdoor and safari section where we will take you through our pages to the world’s most recommended destinations for camping, safari and wildlife hunting. It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to our first special issue where our interviewed guests were no other but the famous Lebanese MP Mr. Suleiman Franjieh that shared with us his hunting experiences and his love for nature and Mr. Guillaume Verney Carron, the grandson of the founder of Verney Carron, one of the world’s leading gun manufacturers, based in France. It is said: “Until Lions have their Historians, Tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter” - old African quote And with this say we hope that H&S will be your reference of choice to anything related to the world of Hunting and Safari. Enjoy the hunt… H&S Team

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April 2010

The Regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s First Hunting & Safari Magazine

Editorial

Lara Mansour Sawaya Managing Editor - English Titles email lara.m@mat.ae

Richard Camm Senior Editor email rcamm@mailme.ae

Ylova Hamdan Assistant Editor email ylova.h@mat.ae

For Advertising Inquiries Suleiman Franjieh

Hunting Season

The Skyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Got Game

Exclusive Interview

Guillaume Verney Carron

Safari Destinations Discover Africa

Passions of a professional hunter

Our Cover: Issue 1 April 2010

Suleiman Franjieh

Hisham Sawaya General Manager - Dubai email hisham.s@mat.ae mob +971 50 661 6677

Joseph Bcherrawy Sales Executive - Dubai email joe.b@mat.ae mob +971 55 202 6367

Jean Kassis Sales Manager - Levant email jean@awraqpublishing.net tel 00961 4 523910 / 03 449344

Jasmin Boyadjian Media Sales - Levant email jasmin@awraqpublishing.net tel 00961 4 523910 / 71 209207

Design

Luvin Santiago email luvin.s@mat.ae

Louie Carmona email louie.c@mat.ae

Contact

MAT FZ LLC Dubai Media City Bldg. No.1 Office 110 P.O. Box 502240, Dubai U.A.E. Tel +971 4 391 6286-9 Fax +971 4 391 8397 www.matpublishing.com

AWRAQ PUBLISHING S.A.R.L Honein Bldg. 2nd Floor Antelias Bikfaya Main road, Rabieh Metn Lebanon Tel 00961 4 523910 Email : awraq.publishing@gmail.com

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April 2010

this month

What are

IWA 2010 & OutdoorClassics The 37th edition of IWA & OutdoorClassics really convinced the experts. The international exhibition get-together for hunting and shooting sports, classic outdoor activities and law enforcement equipment in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg from 12-15 March 2010 exceeded expectations once again. H&S magazine was there and reports: • 1,141 exhibitors from 55 countries • 32,214 trade visitors from all over the world The seven exhibition halls at IWA & OutdoorClassics 2010 were completely

booked up by a record number of 1,141 exhibitors from 55 countries. There was also an uninterrupted demand from trade visitors, who are only admitted to the exhibition on providing proof of eligibility: the number of visitors remained steady at 32,214, the level of the previous event. For Olaf Sauer, President of the Verband der Hersteller von Jagd-, Sport waffen und Munition (JSM), the German gun manufacturers association, the exhibition is an important barometer for the industry: “IWA & OutdoorClassics is always an indicator of the year’s economic performance. It shows how

Air guns

growing variety of exhibited products on the one hand and the outstanding organization of IWA & OutdoorClassics on the other.”

national and international ordering activity will develop and thus the utilization of the companies’ capacities.” Jürgen Triebel, President of the Verband Deutscher Büchsenmacher und Waffenfachhändler e.V. (VDB), the German gunsmiths association, takes a similar view: “The great interest in IWA & OutdoorClassics despite the difficult economic times is encouraging.” Triebel continues: “This is due to the constantly

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Slavia and Diana are two of the biggest names in Air Gun history but how much do we really know about Airguns and their manufacturers?

Whether hunting, shooting sports or clothing and accessories for classic outdoor leisure activities, the exhibitors at IWA & OutdoorClassics 2010 showed the international experts their extensive ranges with several hundred new products and innovations. The topic of law enforcement and security also attracted a lot of attention at this year’s IWA & OutdoorClassics. “Regrettably, violent attacks on our police officers have increased appreciably in recent times,” said Joachim Herrmann, Bavarian Minister of the Interior, in his opening speech. “It is therefore important to also constantly improve the protective equipment.” Besides the many companies that exhibited operational equipment for police forces in the LawEnforcement@ IWA segment, the main attraction was the practical training at the European Policetrainer Conference and the Police Management Academy Conference.

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hunting season

air guns

things to know

The next IWA & OutdoorClassics takes place in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg from 11–14 March 2011. April 2010

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Nil? Nada? Nothing? Well, not to worry, because by the end of this article, you will be loaded with all the information that is necessary in order for you to understand the history of Airguns and their mechanisms as well as brief histories of their most famous manufacturers. What are Airguns? An airgun is basically a rifle, pistol or a shotgun which fires projectiles by means of compressed air or other gas as opposed to firearms which burn propellants. Most airguns use metallic projectiles as ammunition however airguns sometimes use only plastic projectiles and these are known as airsoft guns. What are they used for? Airguns are used for hunting, pest control, recreational shooting and competitive sports.

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Are you quenching for history? Most historians peg ‘1580’as the beginning of the modern air gun. The oldest existing mechanical airgun from that timeline is

A gun, a hunting dog and a bag filled with partridges!

found in a museum in Stockholm.

Wherever there is a major hunting reserve in Spain, you’ll find local restaurants serving up seasonal dishes of partridge, quail, deer and wild boar. Now, before we get into the details of Partridge hunting in Spain, let’s look at the requirements needed to hunt in this beautiful European country.

Airguns appeared throughout other periods of history, for example, during the 1890s, air rifles were used in Birmingham for competitive target shooting. The sport became widely popular that just after the dawn of the 19thcentury; a National Air Rifle Association was created. By this time, over 4,000 air rifle clubs and associations existed across Britain. However, it was during this time that airguns were associated with poaching since they were able to deliver shots without significant reports.

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In rural towns and villages throughout Spain, you will find local huntsmen setting out either on foot or in cars, towing trailers containing their hunting dogs which are usually grey-hound like Podencas. And believe you me; it is not uncommon to find them in bars later on with several rabbits strapped to their belts after a successful day’s hunt. The Red-legged Partridge of Spain is famous worldwide, because of its speed and irregular flight which makes them very challenging birds to hunt. The Redlegged Partridge (patiroja or perdiz brava) is among the most popular prey of small game hunters. This hard flying prediz brava (meaning brave or wild partridge) is naturally reared and provides a challenge for the most expert huntsman.

During the 17th century, airguns had compelling advantages over firearms of the day mainly because airguns could be fired in wet weather and rain. They also had great rapidity than muzzle-loading guns. Moreover, they were much quieter than a firearm of similar caliber; they had no muzzle flash and were completely smokeless, hence not disclosing the shooter’s position.

Today, the modern airguns used are usually low-powered due to safety concerns and legal restrictions; however high-powered designs are still used for hunting.

The Spanish people are very passionate about hunting. There are thousands of hunting grounds scattered all over the country where the prey ranges from stags to wood pigeons and wild wolves.

A guide to shooting partridges in Spain

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• Weapon permits are issued by local police stations. • If you are planning to bring your own gun into the country from abroad, you will be required to have an international extension to the weapon permit which applies in your own country. You will also need a special export permit if you want to take your hunting trophies home with you. Some of the country’s best hunting grounds are found in Andalucia (especially Cazorla, Ronda and Sierra Nevada), the Sierra de Gredos to the south east of Madrid and in the Cantabrian Mountains. Information on the bird and its habitat Partridge is an upland game bird, which has chicken like qualities. The largest of these birds is about a foot long. They are rather small chunky birds with short tails, small heads, short stout beaks and strong feet. They find most of their food, such as grains, seeds and insects, on the ground and their nests are hidden in the grass or under overhanging bushes. Most hunting guides and outfitters know the best

places in the areas that they are in. At night, a covey forms a close circle, each bird facing away from the center so that, in case of any danger, each of them can run or fly without interference. A female partridge will lay eight to twenty eggs. The History of Partridge Shooting in Spain Partridge shooting started in Spain at the end of the nineteenth century when King Alfonso XIII’s great fondness for game shooting was imitated by the important families of that time. This resulted in a collective rejoice in participating in this particular form of hunting. After Alfonso XIII’s reign, General Franco appeared on the political scene of Spain, giving a decisive impulse on partridge shooting. This in turn enabled the setting up of a number of shooting grounds and the successive series of extensive gameshooting in the country. The success and reputation of partridge shooting in Spain is nowadays so authentically accepted that the country is presently considered one of the most exclusive destinations for hunters demanding high quality shooting. Andalucia has long been the Utopia of partridge shooters, providing some of the world’s finest shooting in breath-taking

• Hunting licences are issued by each of Spain’s 17 autonomous communities which publish their very own hunting season calendars that show the specific times, species and areas where hunting is permitted. Together with the regulations imposed by the local hunting associations, these controls are designed to protect the hunted species from becoming dangerously extinct.

April 2010

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What are hunting dogs

52 60 18 things to know 28 safety tips 32 hunting etiquette

• Hunting & Shooting

36 airguns

• What are Air guns?

44 hunting season

• The Sky's Got Game • A guide to shooting partridges in Spain

52 hunting dogs 14

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• What are hunting dogs?

56 dog accessories

• SportDOG Brand

60 falconry hunting

• Arabian Falconry “The Noblest of all sports”

66 cartridges legacies

• Express & Drill Rounds • What makes up a shotgun cartridge • Rottweil

78 big game hunting

• Did Somebody Say ‘Big Horn Sheep’? • Deer Stalking in Scotland • Uganda Lift Hunting Ban

this month

big game hunting

safari adventure

exclusive interview

Go“Wild”!

Deer Stalking in

Scotland

A firm prestigious in History!

Stalking deer in Scotland is a tradition that goes back for centuries and it has arguably some of the best stalking environment in the world in terms of scenery and tradition. The weather can be a trifle inclement at times but this all adds to the charm and nothing good comes without effort and a little discomfort and that is one of the things that makes the whole experience so rewarding.

The history of the company dates back to the 1800s in January when the eldest son of an already gun-making family was born. His name was Claude Verney and he was born in Saint-Etienne. In 1820, Claude took part in a “Concours d’Armurerie” held by the City of Etienne and won the just reward of first prize for a marvellous mounting on a carved gun stock which is now owned by the Museum of Art and Industry. It is ranked among the most beautiful examples of its era. It was this event that marked the beginning of the firm.

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Claude’s first son, Jean was born in 1839. Jean took control over the management of the business with his younger brothers. The company took on the name of Verney-Carron Frères after Claude’s death in 1870. This name was retained until 1917. After Jean’s death, his eldest son, Claude, born in 1868, reformed the business under the collective name, Verney-Carron. In 1936, Verney-Carron added fishing and tennis equipment distribution as well as bicycle manufacturing to its portfolio which

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Safari holidays bring you one step closer to Nature and they are getting more and more popular all around the world.

Safari holidays bring you one step closer to Nature and they are getting more and more popular all around the world. The idea of getting up close and personal with some of the worlds most incredible wild-life while enjoying the exotic atmosphere of the place you are in amongst many other things is what makes a safari holiday enjoyable and memorable.

South Africa The world’s biggest nature reserves

We have picked out the four top destinations where you can live your safari holiday to the most and it is no surprise that the wild and beautiful world of Africa has not only topped the list, but has also taken over it with all four destinations belonging to the magical continent. Deep forests, close encounters with wildlife, raw and powerful beauty in both flora and fauna, sunny days and starry nights is what you will meet in any one of the below destinations and each will leave you with a lifetime experience and a memory that will safely be cushioned in your heart.

helped the firm survive the difficult years of World War II with this clever diversification. After World War II, over 1500 firearms were manufactured despite competition from the national arsenals, most of them under the brand name of “Pionnier”, adopted by Verney-Carron. After Claude’s death in 1941, his son, Jean undertook the task of rebuilding the company, despite of its difficulty. However, he succeeded with the assistance of Auguste Marze. In 1948, Claude Verney-Carron, the son of Jean joined the company. It was

during this time that he encountered the representative of a little known Italian manufacturer, which had just complemented the development of a very light semi-automatic hunting shotgun. In 1954, a license for the manufacture of this product was signed, marking a turning point in the history of the company. Verney-Carron entered into the era of modern industrial production. Aside from hunting guns, Verney-Carron also notably designs and produces the flash-ball riot-control less lethal rubber bullet gun which is widely being used

by the French Police forces since 2000. Also, since 2002, Verney-Carron has been providing loyal customers with their own line of clothing and accessories under their brand. The company’s reputation ensured a reputation that was beyond their own hopes. Over the many years that the firm has been around, they have been able to successfully marry tradition with innovation so brilliantly that they have ensured the loyalty of their customers which in turn has ensured the company’s highly-esteemed name and continued success, generation after generation.

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South Africa is home to one of the world’s biggest nature reserves, the world famous Kruger National Park. This beautiful country surrounded by two oceans offers not only breathtaking imagery and cosmopolitan cities but also exhilarating safari experiences. Kruger National Park is South Africa’s largest game reserve and one of the finest wildlife sanctuaries in the world. You will find unfenced African wilderness, offering visitors fantastic Big Five sightings as well as viewing of endangered game such as the African Wild Dog and last but not least, bird watching of over 507 bird species. Where to stay The Cybele Forest Lodge and Health Spa is a first class Lodge that is a variation of gorgeous suites and cottages. The lodge is situated in the heart of Mpumalanga which is very close to well known attractions. Each suite and cottage features a warm and glowing fireplace, a personal bar, satellite television, an en suite bathroom. The suites boast a climate controlled swimming pool while the cottages are individually decorated. Guests can discover the picturesque surroundings of the lodge on horseback to admire the beauty of Nature through a forest, along clear rivers to the sparkling waterfall on the property.

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Passions of a professional hunter 90 exclusive interview

• The Man behind the iron mask Suleiman Tony Franjieh • A firm prestigious in History! Mr. Gauilaume Verney Carron

104 gunmaker legacies

• AyA - The Legendary Spanish Gunmakers

112 hunting experience

• South Africa Hunting Trip

120 safari adventure 16

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• South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana & Kenya

128 camp with style

• Dsquared2 It's all about camping this season

132 outdoor adventure

• Lebanon / Oman / UAE

138 hunting accessories

• Hart Hunting Collection

142 cook your hunt

• Quail, Duck, and Pigeon

146 directory

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things to know

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growing variety of exhibited products on the one hand and the outstanding organization of IWA & OutdoorClassics on the other.” Whether hunting, shooting sports or clothing and accessories for classic outdoor leisure activities, the exhibitors at IWA & OutdoorClassics 2010 showed the international experts their extensive ranges with several hundred new products and innovations. The topic of law enforcement and security also attracted a lot of attention at this year’s IWA & OutdoorClassics. “Regrettably, violent attacks on our police officers have increased appreciably in recent times,” said Joachim Herrmann, Bavarian Minister of the Interior, in his opening speech. “It is therefore important to also constantly improve the protective equipment.” Besides the many companies that exhibited operational equipment for police forces in the LawEnforcement@ IWA segment, the main attraction was the practical training at the European Policetrainer Conference and the Police Management Academy Conference. The next IWA & OutdoorClassics takes place in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg from 11–14 March 2011. h&s Issue 01

April 2010

things to know

The challenger in the premium class of bolt action rifles offers many ideas: blindingly fast optimised for handling, ergonomics and safety. World premiere of the RX bolt action rifle: Merkel reinvents single bolt action with the “Helix” Hunting rifle factory Merkel goes on 20

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the offensive with a new bolt action rifle. Target is the premium segment of modern hunting rifles. The new rifle RX made in Suhl is – in a nutshell - a fast straight-pull single bolt action rifle with a novel rotary bolt head and a unique take-down system. According to Merkel it is “the first rifle not only developed for hunting, but also for the path that takes you there”. The single bolt action rifle is designed to appeal with elegance and shot performance to a target group among huntsmen for whom the market previously only had highpriced offers in stock. The bar is raised high: Merkel wants to define the hunting rifle of the 21st century’s MEM category. MEM stands for Merkel Engineered Manufacturing, an acronym for modern hunting rifle technology concentrating the Suhl

hunting weapons expertise. However, customer benefit was in the foreground of the development process: "Hunting rifles are still built as if the hunters lived in the hunting grounds," says Olaf Sauer, CEO of the Suhl-based company. In response to the higher mobility of hunters nowadays, Merkel had developed the bolt-barrel system. Sauer: "This is just one of three patents we applied for and one of many ideas that are united in this new rifle." With this system, it just takes three simple steps to remove the barrel and the bolt head and replace with another. Or to clean it very easily. Or to simply pack it into a suitcase that is not much larger than a briefcase. Tools are not required for dismantling.

RX ERGONOMIE A classically beautiful bolt action rifle: the ergonomically shaped bolt handle is ideally positioned above the trigger. The cocking slide for the manual cocking system and the detachable magazine (capacity 3 + 1) complete the operating elements.

RX DESIGN The design of the new Merkel RX communicates speedy bolt action and high ergonomics. The take-down function and the safety components are integrated unobtrusively. The design was developed in cooperation with a renowned studio.

The gun is therefore ideal for hunting trips or for discreet trips to the hunting grounds: the rifle weighs in at only 2.9 kilogrammes and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impossible to tell what the suitcase is concealing. And for ultimate protection against unauthorized use of the bolt action rifle en route, the bolt-barrel system offers a spectacularly simple option: the barely walnut-sized bolt head can be unscrewed from the barrel by hand to then disappear safely into your pocket. h&s Issue 01

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things to know

Fastest straight-pull bolt action The new rifle has a lot to offer whilst on the hunt, too: the Merkel RX bolt action rifle combines a safe rotary bolt head with true straight-pull bolt action. To Merkel, "true straight-pull" means: “without the slightest annoying rotational or tipping movement that one gets with other straight-pull bolt action rifles.” The special feature: the linear motion of the bolt handle is transmitted to the rotary motion of bolt head with a ratio of 1:2. It travels along a helical path and moves gently and quietly into and out of the locking position. The bolt action path is very short due to this transmission and therefore twice as fast. On this occasion, Merkel also solved a long-known ergonomic problem of bolt action shooting: in conventional designs, the shooter pulls back the breech beyond the stock wrist, dangerously close toward his eye. Unlike the enclosed breech of the RX: due to the transmission, the locking motion takes place inside the casing so the eye remains entirely undisturbed. Safety redefined The RX Helix intends to set more standards: every proven safety technology has been employed in the new rifle and

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ROTARY MOTION OF BOLT HEAD WITH A RATIO OF 1:2

cleverly optimized. The sealed casing and the massive six-lug rotary bolt head offer maximum security. The new Merkel Safebolt technology also guarantees that firing a shot is only possible with a completely locked system. A manual cocking system is also employed. Conventional manual cocking systems may suffer from a construction-related lack of ignition energy. Therefore Merkel has developed a hammer system for the RX that guarantees safe firing with a linkage-driven hammer for maximum ignition energy.

Finest design The design was developed in cooperation with a renowned design studio. The design specifications for the elegant lines of the Helix were clear: the design was to communicate highly ergonomic and speedy bolt action – while the take-down functionality and safety components were to be integrated as unobtrusively as possible. The result is a rifle that visualizes its strengths - and in addition offers a wealth of inner values. According to Merkel, "probably the fastest bolt action rifle in the world."

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things to know

All 12 gauge loads in a single shotgun This is why it’s called UNICO

2 1

36% faster that

any other semi-automatic *Shooter managed to fire four shots remarkably fast - three shells in the air at once, and the next shot already exiting the muzzle. A400 Xplor Unico revolutionizes the world of semiautomatic shotguns, offering the possibility of shooting all loads, from 7/8 to 2 ¼ ounces, with the same performance typical of a perfect and specialized 3” shotgun. Light weight (3kg), reduced dimensions, super compact receiver, optimal balance and fast shouldering are available from today 24

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for every type of hunting using a single shotgun: A400 Xplor Unico. From now on different loads are no longer a problem, they are an opportunity. Technological research pursuing ergonomics and comfort with a singleminded purpose: to help you hit more targets.

A400 Xplor Unico is equipped with the best technological solutions in the world to increase shooting comfort and improve the controllability of the gun. Recoil almost reduced to zero, maximum muzzle rise reduction and perfect shouldering will be your best allies in guaranteeing a successful hunt every time. The mechanism of the A400 Xplor is a true jewel of engineering that distinguishes itself from all other systems on the market with its exceptional cycling speed. Being the fastest to shoot followup shots means increasing your chances of hitting the target. With A400 Xplor even this is possible. Green receiver: a true design alternative respectful of even the most classic tastes. The finishing of the A400 Xplor Unico’s receiver is an absolute innovation in the world of hunting shotguns and represents the union between the protective characteristics of anodizing and the exclusive green color that renders the A400 Xplor truly “Unico”, a green technological monster. Shotgun design has never been so beautiful and functional at the same time. From the fore-end insert to the trigger guard and over to the Kick-Off interface, each component of the A400 Xplor has been conceived to optimize from, weight and functionality.

A400 Xplor Unico

Chamber

Unico (2” ¾ + 3” + 3” ½)

Functioning System

Semiautomatic shotgun featuring the new Beretta gas system Blink

Locking System

Rotating bolt with reinforced lugs

Receiver

New aluminum-alloyed receiver

Finishing \ Engraving

New colored anodizing process Technical engraving with scratches and logo

Barrel

Optima-Bore® HP featuring the exclusive Steelium technology (specific Beretta Ni/Cr/Mo steel, deep hole drilling, cold hammering and vacuum distension)

Barrel length

26” - 28” - 30”

Chokes

Optima-Choke® HP (High Performance)

Rib

6x6 ventilated rib

Trigger

Chrome plated

Trigger Guard

Trigger guard with Xplor logo

Safety

Reversible safety button with new ergonomics for better grip

Front Sight

Metal bead

Wood

New X-Tra Grain technology with oil finishing

Stock

Pistol grip stock, stock drop 35/55 mm (with adjusting drop spacers), new fore-end with front polymer insert, available also in Kick-Off configuration

Stock Length

14.5” (14.25” with Kick-Off) with 0.75” pad

Recoil Pad

New Micro-Core pad

Checkering

New checkering with Beretta logo

Accessories

New dedicated case with stock drop spacers, quick detachable swivels and 3 chokes with wrench

Weight

6.6 Lbs / 3 Kg (with 28» barrel) h&s Issue 01

April 2010

A400 Xplor Unico – Product Specifications

Gauge

things to know

A new era of perfection The Blaser R8 bolt action rifle

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The beginning of a new era of perfectionâ&#x20AC;?, is how Blaser CEO Bernhard Knoebel has named the launch of the new Blaser bolt action rifle R8 in his preface of the brand-new catalog. For the past five years, there has been one lingering question for the hunters and engineers at Blaser, regarding the Blaser bolt action rifle R93: How can this technically superior concept be taken to the next level? In order to answer this question the Blaser engineers, most of them passionate hunters themselves, kept a close connection to hunters around 26

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the world in order to respond to their requests. Detachable Magazine When the development of the R8 actually started the detachable magazine was right at the top of the optimization list. Blaser found an ergonomically superior solution that essentially supports fast and intuitive handling. Magazine and trigger unit merged into one compact module. The magazine buttons are positioned right above the trigger guard. Thus, the magazine can be released blindly and

within a split second. When removing the magazine, the R8 automatically de-cocks and once the magazine is removed, the cocking slide cannot engage anymore. Today, this is a very important safety feature securing the rifle against misuse by unauthorized persons. Blaser Precision Trigger The detachable magazine is just one of a multitude of innovations that turn the R8 into the new worldwide benchmark when it comes to bolt action rifles. Enhancing the reliable and precise

performance of the trigger posed a very special engineering challenge that has been brilliantly mastered. The new Blaser Precision Trigger breaks crisp as glass at a trigger pull of 750 gram / 1 5/8 lbs. Thanks to its extremely short release time it turns the shooterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thought impulse immediately into an accurate shot. The innovative design does not rely on a spring to reset the trigger after firing, which marks the next leap in rifle technology. The desmodromic trigger mechanism offers unsurpassed reliability in extreme conditions such as freezing rain and blowing dust. Perfect Stock In order to make shooting with the R8 as comfortable and safe as possible, Blaser attached immense importance to optimizing the stock, reaching a new level of perfection here, too. Different from traditional stock shapes the straight comb of the R8 diverts recoil forces horizontally on the shoulder. This results in increased muzzle stability and a

substantial reduction of felt recoil. Thanks to a steeper angle, the palm support and a distinct cast, the R8 pistol grip provides a relaxed hand position allowing for controlled shooting and better shooting results. Design Besides achieving maximum performance, Blaser gave particular attention to superior style and design. Concave and convex lines discreetly shape the rifles appearance. Contours of stock, action, mount and bolt handle blend perfectly, giving the R8 a dynamic and unequaled elegance. R8 Models The R8 is available in the following models at your qualified Blaser dealer from February 2010: Standard, Luxus, Black Edition, AttachĂŠ and Baronesse as well as in the model versions Safari, Safari Luxus and Safari Black Edition. Also available in the R8 Custom class is an individually engraved version. h&s Issue 01

April 2010

safety tips

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Shoot Yourself

Into Trouble

Now we all know shooting involves the use of guns, and some of them are very dangerous. So safety is obviously a great concern. Safety is also one of the most important elements of the sport/hobby. To ensure that you are not causing danger to yourself or other people around you, 28

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it is vital to know how to handle a gun. Here is a crash course on the basic safety and important precautions that must be kept in mind. First and foremost, it is important to unload your gun, when you are not using

it. Accidents are very common, and it would be unwise to move your gun around when it is loaded. For example: while climbing a fence or moving through obstacles. Always make sure the muzzle is pointing in a safe direction all the time. Do not aim the gun in the direction of

anything that you are not intending to shoot. Likewise, make sure that you have a solid idea of the area that you’re aiming at before you commit to the shot, and don’t shoot at anything that is floating on or just above the water or that is sitting on a flat and hard surface. Bullets can easily ricochet off at a dangerous angle. When you’re not using your gun, keep it in a safe place along with the ammunition.

stability, although many shooters prefer to be sitting on the ground to gain a bit of extra height. Standing is the most difficult position and offers less stability.

Now those were the basic rules that one must keep in mind. It is also very important to wear safety equipment, before shooting. However experienced you might be at shooting, you never know what can happen. It is essential to wear safety glasses and some sort of hearing protection if you value your sight and hearing.

Now we move onto the trigger control. This refers to a skill of releasing a trigger without affecting the sight alignment. The ideal method revolves around pulling back the trigger with one finger without allowing the rest of your hand to apply any pressure. This is necessary, as you wouldn’t want to miss your target. The key is the position of your finger on the trigger when you pull back. Trigger control is harder than it sounds, especially if you’re not an experienced shooter. Ideally, the correct finger placement should be in between the fingertip and the first joint of your finger.

Of course you can shoot in whatever position you feel comfortable in. But there are three very popular shooting positions: lying on the ground, sitting/ kneeling and standing. Of the three, the first option offers the best balance and

Finger placement isn’t the only thing you need to perfect. You also need to be able to apply a slow but constant pressure to the trigger (rather than a fast pullback) so that the rifle doesn’t move while you’re pulling the trigger.

Breathing is another important element that is often overlooked. Once you have the right sight, take a deep breath and partially release and hold this breath as you squeeze the trigger. This is not as easy as it sounds. We are so used to breathing normally, that when you actually try and control you’re breathing, it’s you know, not easy. A lot of shooting safety is based on common sense, but this doesn’t mean that all shooters necessarily stick to the guidelines. Some are just naturally good at it, some prefer to do it their own way. Sometimes, it is better to do things in a way you’re a comfortable with, rather than follow a book, in which you might mess up. Some of these tips aren’t immediately obvious to beginners though, especially those related to trigger control. Most shooting clubs will happily advise new members on safety basics, but it looks more professional if you’re already clued-up when you join.

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

safety tips

Hunting Tips that

‘Elmer Fudd’ Vitally Needed! The Great Outdoors can offer you the most relaxing and rewarding experience, especially for hunters, but of course all hunters need to be prepared to delve in to Mother Nature’s abode. Hunting is an important outdoor activity and it requires a lot of preparation each season. If you enjoy hunting, then you already know how exhilarating the experience can be; the thrill of the kill that draws your feet into the woods is what most hunters look forward to, year after year. So before you grab your pals and family and rush out into the wilderness, it is essential that you have the right equipment and education. Let’s say you are at home, fighting with the zipper of your backpack. How about we just stop right there for a minute? Yes, be sure you take everything that is of vital importance but make sure not to over-pack as this can sometimes weigh you down. The most important thing to have is your licensing which include your tags, stamps and permits. That’s right, if you are carrying a shotgun that holds the passion for the thrill of a game kill, then make sure you are carrying your license! A fixed blade knife, folding knife, flash light, lantern, riffle or ammo, trash bags, nylon ropes, binocular, camera, insect repellent, water proof matches, fire starter kit and a sleeping bag is what 30

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April 2010

you should be carrying with you. Yes, that is all the hunting equipment that you will need on your trip so make sure you are locked and loaded with all the above for a fulfilling hunting experience. Clothing is another thing that you have to play close attention to. Make sure that your clothing includes multiple warming layers, a wind breaking outer shell and a thin layer of poly socks; quick drying nylon pants or shorts, a long sleeved shirt, a fleece or wool vest and pants, stocking cap, fleece gloves, glove liners, bandana, wide-brimmed sun hat, rain gear, warm coat, extra socks and hiking boots. Yes, these mentioned clothing materials is what a hunter usually dresses up with and should dress up with. Who says hunters can’t be fashionable and comfortable at the same time while stalking their game!? One of the world’s greatest gun-makers, Holland & Holland have their own clothing line and if you want to look good while still being comfortable then that is your one-stop-shop!. Other essential items include an emergency kit in a water proof container, adhesive bandages,

band-aids, string or parachute cord, space blanket, marking tape, iodine swab, salt candles and aluminium foil - You never know when you may get hurt. Not only is hunting an enjoyable sport but it is a very serious business that should be taken very seriously. A hunter can be seriously injured or even killed if the necessary safety measures are not taken. It is not a trip to be taken spontaneously; it should always be planned and planned well. Always keep in mind that a spontaneous hunting trip will most likely always turn out to be a dangerous one and that education and preparation is essential to a hunter’s life. So, what are you waiting for? Grab that shot-gun of yours; engage in a bit of practice shooting before you set out into the wilderness to go in for the thrill of the kill, because you are now prepared! And trust me, if you’re an Elmer Fudd that has been trying to hunt a Bugs Bunny, he definitely wouldn’t be able to get away now. You would end up strolling in the woods without a scratch as well as the joy of success in your smile!.

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

hunting etiquette

Hunting &

Shooting

Safety and Etiquette As this is the first edition of H&S magazine we thought it appropriate to start with an article devoted to shooting etiquette, and as etiquette is closely related to safety it is even more appropriate that this should be the first thing that you read when you pick up the magazine. We will make no apologies for constantly emphasizing that safety and etiquette is of prime importance when we are out hunting or shooting. Our sport comes in for some sharp criticism from some areas and there are factions who would like to see any sort of shooting sport banned. So it is up to us, the proper enthusiasts, to be an example to our less enlightened brothers as well as the general public at large. If we want to continue to enjoy our sport then we must act responsibly and with professionalism at all times. So keep in mind the following couple of anecdotes.

“We do not hunt to kill, but kill in order to have hunted.” 32

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April 2010

Also the last line of the UK Member of Parliament, Mark Beaufoy’s, poem written to his 11 year old son is as well very pertinent. “All the pheasants ever

bred won’t repay for one man dead”.

So let’s start of with safety, and the first safety rule should be that the only time you ever contemplate pointing your gun at anyone is when you are having it fitted

by a competent person such as a gun smith or shooting coach who is checking for eye dominance and stock fit. In this case both the person holding the weapon and the competent person should fully satisfy themselves that the gun is empty in both barrels and, if relevant, magazine or chamber. Under no other circumstances should you point a gun, whether loaded or not, at anyone.

The following list is not necessarily comprehensive but does encompass the basic safety rules that all responsible shooters should follow. Please feel free to add more if you wish. 01 Once more I stress, never point your gun at anyone whether loaded or unloaded. This includes carrying a closed gun on your shoulder with the barrels pointing behind you. This is pretty disconcerting for any one walking to your rear.

09 When you are stalking game or wing shooting, either driven birds or walked up, ensure your gun is pointing toward the sky, or the ground just a few feet in front of you when waiting for the target to appear.

02 When clay shooting do not load your gun until you are on the stand and always unload your gun when you are moving from one stand to another. When game shooting read, peg, instead of stand.

10 Never shoot where you can not see. On a driven bird shoot the beaters will be forward of the guns and behind the birds and whilst most birds will be well above the height of the good fellows driving them forward you could get one or two birds that come out of the timber quite low and in this case it is best left for another time. It is always nice to see sky behind a bird, or at least the tops of trees.

03 Never put a loaded gun in a gun slip, gun case, gun safe or cabinet or other storage item, including the boot/trunk of a car. 04 Do not leave a gun visible in a vehicle whilst you are away from it. Always put them in the boot/trunk and in the case of SUVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s or estate cars ensure that they are well out of sight. 05 Always unload guns when entering a club house, cabin or other places of occupancy, including vehicles. 06 When entering such places, as mentioned in 5, with a gun that is not in a case or gun slip always make it obvious to other occupants that your gun is unloaded. Over and under and side by side shot guns should be carried open, and autos should have the breach open and preferably fitted with a breach block. Usually such places will have a gun rack close to the door for you to store your gun whilst you exercise your bragging rights about the clear round you have just shot or the trophy buck that is being loaded into your pickup. 07 When removing side by side and over and under shotguns from their gun slip, get into the habit of removing them half way and then open the gun and fully withdraw it in the open state and whilst doing this look down the barrels, just in case. Always ensure that rifles and semi autos and pistols are not loaded when removing them from storage. You know that you put them away unloaded; right, but it does not hurt to double check. How many times have we heard of guns being fired and indeed injuries occurring whilst a person is cleaning his weapon? 08 When handing over a firearm to another person make sure that they are aware of the status of the gun by showing that the weapon is not loaded or by advising them that the weapon is indeed loaded. This would apply when hunting in the field and you are climbing over a fence or hedge or other obstacle and you are handing the gun to a colleague while you negotiate the obstacle. In these instances, even though it might take a few seconds, it is always preferable to unload the weapon.

11 When you are on a driven or walked up shoot you will have guns to your left and right, unless you are end guns then you will of course have a gun to one side only, so shooting across the line is not allowed. In these instances if a bird gets past you leave if to the back stops or for another time. There will always be good birds coming along. 12 Where shooting behind the line is allowed your gun should be dismounted, taken out of your shoulder, held vertically upwards, you then turn around, remount your gun and fire safely behind the other guns. Always being aware of stops and pickers up if there are any to your rear. 13 If you are stalking game in woodland wear the appropriate clothing that enables you to be seen by other hunters and be aware that no matter how remote you are, you are there, so others might be as well. Always identify the game you are shooting at and do not shoot just at moving braches or undergrowth. 14 When shooting over snow or mud ensure that your barrels do not get accidently blocked. 15 If you experience a misfire, immediately point your gun at the ground a few feet in front of you and away from anything that you would not want to hit. This includes dogs, other animalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; expensive motor cars etc. As well as humans of course. Wait 60 seconds or more before attempting to investigate as it might be a hang fire. These occurrences are rare nowadays but do happen. I have had this happen to me once and seen it happen to others on a couple of occasions. Not many times but enough to know to be careful. If nothing happens during this time, and still pointing the gun at the ground, remove the offending cartridge and dispose of it safely after carefully checking its base to see if the cap has been correctly indented. If not the striker in the gun may be damaged. Do not tamper with a cartridge that has been struck but did not fire.

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

hunting etiquette

Enjoy your sport in safety, show consideration at all times both to your fellow shooters, the public at large and to your quarry. Leave risky shots and always try for a clean kill. If you do wound you owe it to your quarry to dispatch it as quickly and as humanely as possible. Safety is of course the ultimate etiquette but etiquette goes further than this and no where more so than in the United Kingdom where formality is the norm. Being British myself, or if you like, English, I am well aware of the rules that govern a formal shoot especially bird shooting days as these almost always include a party of people, unless you are fortunate enough to own your own estate with your own keepers and associated staff then of course you decide your own rules of etiquette, but as we are dealing with the slightly less fortunate amongst us in the most case then we do have to abide by what is generally accepted and what is looked on as, “good form”, as we Brits like to call it. Even in the UK some shoots are more formal than others and in some instances the shoot captain, or the owner of the shoot, may relax formality a little, but generally speaking there are lines that should not be crossed. No shoot worth its salt would compromise on safety, this is a given. Anyone acting in a dangerous manner would be taken to task most severely by the shoot captain and may even be asked to leave the shoot. Being disrespectful to other members would also be considered bad form. Game shooting is very different to clay shooting in terms of its etiquette and if you have never shot live quarry before in a formal environment it might be worth getting yourself invited along as a guest observer in the first instance to see first hand the correct etiquette of live shooting. 34

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April 2010

When you receive your invitation you should reply as soon as possible with your acceptance, or if the date offered is not convenient for you explain your circumstances, and this will mean that you will be given an opportunity in the future. If you accept and then receive an offer of a shoot at what you would consider a better shoot, do not then turn down the first invite and accept the second, as you can be assured that somehow it will get back to the organizers of the first shoot as people in the shooting fraternity are very close. On the day it is best to arrive to the shoot well before time so that you can prepare yourself fully and relax and meet your companions for the day. Tea or coffee will normally be available and if lucky a cookie or muffin to start the day. When all the participants are assembled and introduced to one another, the shoot captain will give his briefing regarding the format of the day. Listen carefully as he will advise what can and what cannot be shot, and whether ground game can be shot. He will also tell you what signal will be given to start a drive and what signal will end a drive. This is most important as no shooting is allowed either side these signals. After he has finished, if you have any doubts ask, no one will mind, best to ask than to make a mistake in the field. Then you will be asked to draw for your peg for the day. This is done by drawing numbers from a hat or drawing purpose made numbered counters or short sticks. Remember your number as usually you will be moved two places left or right after each drive to give every one a chance on a different peg throughout the day. If you conduct yourself along the guide lines detailed above you should be made most welcome. OK. Dress code. Again this can vary from shoot to shoot and if you are rough

shooting with a couple of close friends on a land owned by a friendly farmer and you are doing him a favor by taking a few woodies off his crops then no one will mind if you wear your old wellingtons and a pair of jeans, but a formal shoot is much different and that is what I will we are dealing with here. First the gun. A one hundred thousand dollar Purdy would be well accepted but in case you are not fortunate to own such a piece, then a well maintained side by side or over and under will do fine. On our shoot a semi auto would not be acceptable. This can be put down to tradition or, as we are allowed to have only three shot semi’s in the UK, other Guns might argue that if you have the ability to fire three shots at a bird whilst the other Guns have only two then you should pay 50% more per bird. So, double barreled side by side or over and under is the rule of the day. The only time this rule may be relaxed is if you suffer from an injured shoulder and you use a softer shooting semi for medical reasons then the shoot captain would, I feel, make an exception. But check first. Let’s start at the top. A hat is not a requirement but would be useful if the weather got a trifle inclement and you need to keep the rain out of your eyes or the heat in you

head. A tweed flat cap would possibly be the first choice or a wide brimmed trilby or any kind of tweed hat would be acceptable. A check shirt in subdued colors accompanied by a tie preferably sporting a game related motif or knitted wool. If the weather is cold, as it tends to be later in the season, then a country colored pullover would be good. On top of all this, the coat. There are some very nice and not too expensive tweed coats available now that are both warm and water proof and eminently acceptable. Or you might prefer to wear a Barbour type oiled thorn proof jacket; again you would fit in nicely. OK so now you are in your underwear and need some trousers. If you have a tweed suit then the trousers will come with the suit, so no problem. If you choose to wear an individual jacked then mole skin trousers or breeks are the thing. Moleskin is not actually mole skin but a weave of cloth that is very comfortable and hard wearing. Usually you would choose brown, green or lovat color to match the rest of your ensemble. If you wear breeks, and I do prefer them mainly because I like the look, it does enable one to add a bit of color to what might be describes as a drab outfit by holding up your long warm woolen sock with a pair of brightly colored garters. These are available from any outfitters and it is looked on as de rigueur to have them in bright colors. Red, blue or yellow would be eminently suitable. They do add a small splash of color and shows that things are not too serious.

Le Chameau for rubber. Not cheap but what price nice warm toes on a freezing January morning. I do own and wear a sturdy pair of Churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brogues when I happen to be lucky enough to be invited to an early grouse or ptarmigan shoot in August and boots are just a bit on the warm side. I always travel with my guns in a lockable gun case and this is fine, even desirable, but when in the field one would need a gun slip for carrying your gun when not on a peg waiting for the birds. Leather or canvas is fine depending on your preference and pocket. It is worth a mention that if you have been shooting in wet weather do not leave a wet gun in a gun slip too long, for obvious reasons. You will need a cartridge belt or bag, again it is down to personal preference but I always prefer a bag for a couple of reasons. One can get more cartridges in a bag, normally 50 or 100, and I personally am not keen on the appearance of cartridge belts, but they do have the advantage of making the cartridges more accessible and they are all pointing in the same direction making it easier to load.

a cold day, as with the boots, you need to keep the extremities as warm as possible if you are going to shoot your best. There are many to choose from and I have used a pair of clay shooting, lined kid leather gloves, that keep my hands warm with out compromising on the feel of the gun. Lastly, the most import accessory. That being good manners. Always remember to thank your host and follow it up by a written thank you note as well. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be greedy regarding the birds you shoot, leave some for your peg neighbors. If another Guns bird is taken, apologize, and if in doubt let the bird go, there will be plenty more later and any contentious bird should be credited to your neighbor. Try to have a general idea where your shot birds fall so that you can tell the pickers up where to send the dogs. They will be looking of course but it helps to give them a clue. So there you are, if you follow the above suggestions you will look the part at any formal shoot and provided you also bring along with you the most important accessory you will always be welcomed back next time.

You will also need a decent pair of shooting glove to complete your kit. On

Enjoy your shooting.

Boots or shoes? Your choice depending on the weather again. I have always found that I tend to shoot at the back end of autumn or in the depth of winter so a good pair of warm rubber or leather boots is ideal. You can not do better than Dubarry for leather boots, and Aigle or h&s Issue 01

April 2010

air guns

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

What are

Air guns

Slavia and Diana are two of the biggest names in Air Gun history but how much do we really know about Airguns and their manufacturers? Nil? Nada? Nothing? Well, not to worry, because by the end of this article, you will be loaded with all the information that is necessary in order for you to understand the history of Airguns and their mechanisms as well as brief histories of their most famous manufacturers. What are Airguns? An airgun is basically a rifle, pistol or a shotgun which fires projectiles by means of compressed air or other gas as opposed to firearms which burn propellants. Most airguns use metallic projectiles as ammunition however airguns sometimes use only plastic projectiles and these are known as airsoft guns. What are they used for? Airguns are used for hunting, pest control, recreational shooting and competitive sports. Are you quenching for history? Most historians peg â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;1580â&#x20AC;&#x2122;as the beginning of the modern air gun. The oldest existing mechanical airgun from that timeline is

found in a museum in Stockholm. During the 17th century, airguns had compelling advantages over firearms of the day mainly because airguns could be fired in wet weather and rain. They also had great rapidity than muzzle-loading guns. Moreover, they were much quieter than a firearm of similar caliber; they had no muzzle flash and were completely smokeless, hence not disclosing the shooterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position. Airguns appeared throughout other periods of history, for example, during the 1890s, air rifles were used in Birmingham for competitive target shooting. The sport became widely popular that just after the dawn of the 19thcentury; a National Air Rifle Association was created. By this time, over 4,000 air rifle clubs and associations existed across Britain. However, it was during this time that airguns were associated with poaching since they were able to deliver shots without significant reports. Today, the modern airguns used are usually low-powered due to safety concerns and legal restrictions; however high-powered designs are still used for hunting.

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

air guns

PELLETS An airgun by itself is pretty much useless and so the first thing that you require is a good selection of pellets. Hundreds of pellets are available in the market, in various shapes, sizes and weights. Useful pellets can be divided into two groups: Flat nose pellets for target use and round nose pallets for everything else. The reason why flat nose pellets are used for target shooting is because they cut nice round holes in the target. When it comes down to round nosed pellets, well, they have better aerodynamics for longer distance shooting. There are three factors you should consider in selecting pellets: Size, consistency from pellet to pellet, and weight. Size does not only mean selecting the right caliber. Some pellets are under sized which can lead to blowby and reduction of accuracy; therefore it is very vital that the right size is chosen. Consistency leads to accuracy and so you need every pellet to be just like the other. When it comes to weight, it influences the transfer of energy from the gun to the pellet. AIR GUN POWER SOURCES The earliest airguns dating back to the 17th century mainly used two basic systems, which today we’d call “precharged pneumatics” and “spring air” guns. Today, there is a much wider variety. SPRING AIR GUNS Spring air guns develop power via a piston propelled by a spring under compression. Cocking the weapon causes a piston to be drawn back in a cylinder, drawing air into the cylinder and compressing a coil spring. Pulling the trigger releases the piston, allowing the spring to propel it forward and force a large volume of air through a hole into the barrel, propelling the pellet down the barrel. PNEUMATIC GUNS As opposed to spring guns, pneumatic guns use a tank of compressed gas to propel a projectile. They are virtually recoilless as the recoil energy of the projectile is stunted by the comparatively large mass of the gun. These guns are the choice for most types of target shooting. They are also generally much noisier than spring air guns, as a much larger volume of gas is released along with the pellet. The noise however can be reduced through external or built in silencers. GAS GUNS This particular class derives energy to propel a projectile from a reservoir that has been filled with a compressed gas from some external source – usually CO2 or simply compressed air, though other gasses can be used. These guns are generally designed to use CO2 or air. AIRSOFT GUNS These guns use compressed gas or springs to fire a soft plastic ball specifically designed to be relatively harmless if it strikes a person or an object. Originally, they were conceived as realist looking toys for countries such as Japan where the interest in firearms was particularly high. Modern Airsoft guns come in a variety of styles and many are indistinguishable from the real firearms they seek to imitate however because of their low energies and limited accuracy, they have no use in hunting or serious target shooting. Many people collect airsoft guns as an alternative to collecting actual arms that are unavailable due to cost or legal restrictions. 38

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TYPES OF AIRGUNS There are countless different types of airguns found in the market and most of them can be divided into these four categories: Match, Field, Target, Hunting and Sport. MATCH GUNS These guns, also known as 10M guns can usually be seen fired by stern looking competitors at the Olympics. They are generally recoilless, use peep sights and are capable of placing one pellet after another through the same hole at a distance of about 10 meters. FIELD TARGET GUNS Field target, as mentioned earlier, is a sport that originated in England. It involved shooting at small metal targets shaped like animals which are arranged in lanes at unknown distances. The targets generally have a hole in them, and to score, a pellet must be put through the hole, striking the disk that will in-turn trigger a mechanism that knocks over the target. Field target guns come in a variety of shapes and styles but for the purposes of competition, they are divided into two categories: Spring Piston and Recoilless. Spring piston covers the most common type of recoiling airgun. The classes included are often divided into standard or modified categories in which standard guns must appear unmodified from their factory versions where as modified guns can have any sort of modified and custom stock. Recoilless generally means precharged, but can also include recoilless spring guns. Field Target guns have more power than match guns to knock down metal targets. HUNTING GUNS This category covers a wide range of guns, but generally guns with simple stocks, good accuracy and at least 100-foot pounds of muzzle energy. These guns usually use telescopic sights, since a low power projectile like a pellet needs very accurate placement to assure a quick and humane kill. The most common quarry hunted with these airguns is: rabbit, squirrels and vermins like rats and crows.

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

air guns

Well, those were the basics to the history and types of Airguns. Now let’s take a look at their manufacturers.

CESKA ZBROJOVKA This firearms factory was built in mid-1936 in Czechoslovakia (present day, Czech Republic). Till now, it has been a long standing manufacturer of small arms. The firm was actually established for the purpose of military small arms, but over time, the product range was expanded with products for civilian use both for sports and hunt shooting. One very prominent feature of firearms made by Ceska Zbrojovka is their quality, reliability and accuracy. At present, Ceska Zbrojovka employs some 2000+ engineers, craftsmen and business personnel, making it one of the largest small arms manufacturers in the world, based on sales to about 100 countries. The excellences of their products, which include pistols, rifles, rim fire rifles, shotguns and airguns, have created an image of high quality over the span of its existence. Moving on, we are now about to focus on the company’s airgun line which goes by the name of ‘SLAVIA’.

The lines of air guns offered by CZ are made by the most up to date models of the classical and much favoured breakbarrel air rifles of the Slavia brand. • BREAK BARREL RIFLES These break-barrel air rifles are some of the longest time produced and the most successful weapons of the Slavia Brand, produced by Ceska Zbrojovka. The brand surpasses in ingenious and simple design, superior fit and finish, absolute reliability and high accuracy. The properties mentioned make these air rifles fit for shooting skills training and leisure time activities as well as some sport shooting disciplines. • SLAVIA 630 STANDARD With a calibre of 4.5mm and a muzzle velocity of 170 m/s, this rifle is intended for leisure time activities and basic training in sport shooting. It features a rear sight adjustable for elevation and windage and the trigger is provided with an adjustable trigger pull. The automatic safety that is included, secures the air rifle against any accidental discharge during cocking. The stock is made of beech wood, fitted with a low rubber buttplate and the receiver tube is provided with dovetail grooves for mounting a scope.

• PCP RIFLES These attractive air rifles with outstanding ergonomics and excellent fit and finish are great in shooting comfort and high accuracy. The rifles are also fully-fledged sporting weapons as the designs comply with ISSF rules. They are well suitable for leisure time activities and in the case of models with muzzle energy up to 16 J; they are suited for pest control also. • CZ 200 S HUNTER This model is based on a previous offered by the Slavia Brand, known as CZ 200 S model. The improvements that are projected into this model supersede the previous design in PCP rifles. The fundamental changes include the new shape of the stock which is outfitted with a cheekpiece. The stock responds to the shooter’s requirements, be it for hunting purposes or target shooting. The rifle is made in 4.5 and 5.5 mm calibers having maximum muzzle energy of 16 J. The CZ 200 S HUNTER allows users to appreciate the increased capacity of the pressured air cylinder which enables 150 shots. When using a scope, the zeroing is held for an exceptionally long time. After shooting this air rifle just once, you will be addicted to its qualities for a lifetime.

CZ 200 S Hunter

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

RWS 52

350 Magnum

DIANA Diana air guns are distributed exclusively by Dynamit Nobel RWS Inc. These spring piston air guns are state of the art and are also the leaders in adult air guns. They are recognized around the world for their performance, quality and value. Manufactured in Germany, Diana was founded in 1890 by Jakob Mayer. The company premises were built in Rastaat. Today, the company employs a total of 90 employees, 5 of which are trainees. This unique trademark guarantees the highest of qualities of the product range as well as after the impeccable servicing after the weapon is bought. Because of the high standards of qualities offered, their lines of air guns are enjoyed by shooters worldwide. • DIANA RWS 52 The RWS 52 is dressed up in a Monte Carlo beech stock with a sculpted cheek

piece. For better control, checkering to the grip and the forearm is added. Loading is done through a sliding breech mechanism. (The rear portion of the gun, often found at the bear of the barrel.) The ammunition is inserted into the breech. This rifle can be used for field target, plinking, hunting, target shooting and spinners. The cocking lever spring piston gun is very popular amongst airgunners who want the very best – affordability, power and accuracy – which is exactly what, is provided by this Diana air rifle. • DIANA MODEL 350 MAGNUM This model is the ultimate performance Magnum air rifle. The development of this high quality and reliable rifle is based on more than a hundred years of experience. Its supremacy is its high velocity and accuracy. This model is an example of a match type trigger with

an automatic safety catch and a metal rear sight. It is fully adjustable with interchangeable frontsight inserts and a rail for scope mounts. The hunting style of this marvellous weapon by Diana is a chequered stock with a rubber buttplate. We have reached the end of our quest to gaining sufficient knowledge about Air Guns and you should now be able to understand everything that there is to know on the topic. So head on out, and get yourself an air gun and practice some target shooting, if you may. Just always remember to chose the right pellet for your air rifle and make sure that it is of the right size, consistency and weight as mentioned above. Remember, safety is the key to success, and on that note, I leave you, dear readers to venture out and discover the great world of air guns and their suppliers.

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

air guns

It was the technical challenge, which brought our founders Jakob Mayer and Josef Grammelspacher to develop airguns for sport and recreational activities. With the unmistakably unique logo of the hunting goddess, for 12 decades now, the name DIANA stands for pioneering innovation in design and production of excellent airguns. Celebrate our anniversary together with us and be fascinated by our comprehensive range of products and a lot of innovation, e.g. our newcomer “Panther 31” and “350 Magnum” in a modern and trendy camouflage-look. Look forward to our new underlevercocking models “430” and “430 Stutzen” as well as our latest member in our high-end class, the model “440 TH targethunter ”. Be enthused by our individual adjustable precision trigger T06, which is for best shooting results, available serially from model-series 280 on all our DIANA air rifles. For experts and collectors, enthusiasts and friends of our company, we are offering for our 120th birthday a very noble and limited anniversary model 34, with a high quality oiled walnut stock, special engravings 42

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April 2010

as well as a 24-Karat gold plated T06 metal trigger. Enter the world of DIANA - the world's most famous air rifles! Genuine Values always remain up to date On 01. October 1890, Jakob Mayer and Josef Grammelspacher founded the company Mayer & Grammelspacher in Rastatt, laying the foundation stone which was to lead the company to world fame. With the unmistakable unique logo of the roman hunting goddess, the brand DIANA is even now, 120 years after its establishment, a worldwide term for best quality and pioneering innovation in production and construction of first class air rifles. No other production company of air rifles is able to look back on so many years of tradition. Perfection and innovation have always been then as well as today the supporting pillars of our success. Far more than 10 million enthused customers around the globe appreciate the uncompromising quality and reliability of a DIANA air gun. For generations, know-how and continuity have been a main component in the first class reputation of our products. The pioneering spirit and enthusiasm of our founders for air guns have accompanied

Mod.34 Anniversary model

Panther31 Camouflage

430 Stutzen

440 TH Targethunter

the history of our company till now and together with its philosophy continues to live in our products. Since its foundation in 1890, DIANA is a family business and has remained independent till today. In the course of time, the company had to experience its ups and downs. For example, the plant was totally dismantled in 1947 after the war. But the rebuilding of the plant already began in 1950 and the company

started to grow remarkably during the time of the German economic miracle. This boom slowed down at the beginning of the 1970s due to a tightened weapon law and this led DIANA to focus more on export. This became a huge success. DIANA airguns were sold in over 60 countries in the world, and are represented successfully in the markets of all continents. Quality, traditional awareness, customer service and precision have been highly appreciated

worldwide. Today, export shares are more than 90 percent. With stable valued, first class air rifles and air guns, we distinguish ourselves from other numerous competitors. Every single detail of a DIANA air rifle is a subject to our strictly quality demands, so that our customers can be proud to hold a precision product "Made in Germany" in their hands. DIANA - the world始s most famous air rifles.

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

hunting season

The Sky’s Got Game!

Small game, big game – they’re both the same. Both will allow hunters exhilarating experiences and excitement beyond measure. Let’s delve in to the topic of Bird shooting - more specifically, pigeons and quails. You may think that hunting these birds are easy, but no, think again! This article will go on to explain the process and the hard work that goes into the hunting of these creatures as well as the fulfilling experience achieved when you sit at your dinner table with a beautifully cooked hard-earned bird on the center platter! Pigeon Hunting Pigeon shooting is an art; it consists of decoying, field craft, conditions and of course last but not least, luck! (So just make sure you don’t happen to 44

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get Lady Luck ticked off on your hunting trip!) Successful decoying can give way to success and provide as a great sport for the pigeon shooter. It is also a great way to practice your shooting in the summer so that you won’t be rusty during the duck and pheasant seasons. However, it can be done all year round. There are three types of pigeon shooting and these are: Decoying, Flight Shooting and Roost Shooting. Decoying - This is probably one of the most common type of pigeon shooting. It involves building a hide near to where they feet and setting up decoys. Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? Well, trust me, it is not! The hides are built from various materials such as straw bales, camouflaged nets and

natural cover. Pigeons have a very good eye sight therefore, you must keep in mind that the idea is that you should be invisible at all times. Do not allow yourself to be seen. The decoys are used to draw the pigeons in close enough in order to be shot. You can make use of artificial ones that can always be purchased at good hunting and shooting stores or you could always use dead birds to keep your wallet feeling full! Flight Shooting - This type of shooting is not as common as Decoying but it is however, growing in popularity these days. It involves shooting the pigeons on their flight lines. The gun would usually be hidden in a hedge and the pigeons would be shot as they fly by. Roost Shooting - It is more common in winter months of the year when the days are getting shorter. The gun is usually positioned at the edge of a wood and the pigeons are shot while they are going to roost.

Recommended Calibre 12 bore

68 - 72 cm

20 bore

68 - 72 cm

Perfection Redefined...

Model “Imperial” • Self -opening action. • Locking screws fitted throughout internally. • Bone charcoal case hardening. • Hand detachable pin with locking stud. • Finest hand picked engraving. • Exhibition quality walnut. • Diamond Chequering. • Locked hinge pin.

www.aya-fineguns.com

AYA’s Imperial shotgun embodies the very highest level of quality you have come to expect from AYA. The Imperial boasts exquisite hand picked engraving, bone charcoal case hardening , and exhibition quality walnut, making it one of the most elegant shotguns available today. AYA has also taken great care to ensure the Imperial functions as beautifully as it looks. Crisper trigger pulls, smoother opening, and lively handling are to be expected from this masterpiece. The Imperial has not been made to a price, but to a level of fit, finish, and function unmatched in Spanish gunmaking. New England Custom Gun Service Ltd. Plainfield, NH 603.469.3450 www.newenglandcustomgun.com

H.G. Lomas Gunmakers Inc. Elkhart Lake, WI 920.876.3745 hughlomas@yahoo.com

Anglo American Sporting Agency Corona del Mar, CA 209.763.9040 or 949.644.9557 www.angloamericansport.com

Fieldsport Traverse City, MI 231.933.0767 www.fieldsportltd.com

John F. Rowe Enid, OK 580.233.5942 jrowe@att.net

hunting season

Quail Hunting – These birds are usually hunted in the fall using bird dogs. The bird dogs are to be trained to “point” to the covey of quail when they find them by smell. Upon command, the bird dogs then rush to the covey, causing them to fly in to the air. This is when the hunter must shoot the quail; as they fly about, trying to escape from the dog and the shooter. Yes, this all is pretty much simple and not difficult at all but there are a few things that you need to know about and remember before you embark on your quail hunting experience. Where are quails found? Quail are usually found on land that has a combination of open land and woody cover. These are fields that have diverse vegetation such as annual weeds with native grasses as they provide quail with the seeds that they feed upon. The birds like to hide in briars, especially if they feel threatened so therefore you must make sure to prepare yourself with sufficient clothing to walk through briar patches. Here a couple of tips about quail: • They feed on seeds in the field at mornings. • The birds rest under woody covers by mid-day. • During the late afternoons, you will most likely find quail in the weedy areas of the field. • They normally sleep in the weedy, grassy areas at night. What type of gun? Quail can be hunted with a shotgun with the gauge of 410 to 12. It is important to have a proper barrel length and choke on your shotgun. Even though it may seem like a really simple hunt, bear in mind, that 46

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quail hunting is nothing something you can just jump into. Strong preparation and extreme safety is required, especially if you are a beginner. The same applies to all other sorts of hunting ventures.

Recommended Calibre 12 bore

68 cm

28 bore

68 cm

410 bore

62 - 64 cm

PIGEONS - 2010 Hunting Season Days - Lebanon / Syria / Jordan Lebanon

April 15 - May 31

August 15 - October 10

Syria

April 15 - May 31

September 1 - September 30

Jordan

April 15 - May end

August 15 - October 10

South Africa

February - May

Argentina

All the Year

QUAILS - 2010 Hunting Season Days - Lebanon / Syria / Jordan Lebanon

March 15 - April 30

Syria

March 1 - April 30

Jordan

March 1 - April 30

September 1 - October 15

hunting season

A gun, a hunting dog and a bag filled with partridges!

A guide to shooting partridges in Spain 48

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The Spanish people are very passionate about hunting. There are thousands of hunting grounds scattered all over the country where the prey ranges from stags to wood pigeons and wild wolves. In rural towns and villages throughout Spain, you will find local huntsmen setting out either on foot or in cars, towing trailers containing their hunting dogs which are usually grey-hound like Podencas. And believe you me; it is not uncommon to find them in bars later on with several rabbits strapped to their belts after a successful day’s hunt. The Red-legged Partridge of Spain is famous worldwide, because of its speed and irregular flight which makes them very challenging birds to hunt. The Redlegged Partridge (patiroja or perdiz brava) is among the most popular prey of small game hunters. This hard flying prediz brava (meaning brave or wild partridge) is naturally reared and provides a challenge for the most expert huntsman. Wherever there is a major hunting reserve in Spain, you’ll find local restaurants serving up seasonal dishes of partridge, quail, deer and wild boar. Now, before we get into the details of Partridge hunting in Spain, let’s look at the requirements needed to hunt in this beautiful European country.

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April 2010

hunting season

use the steepness of hills as an escape mechanism. They fly down instead of up to gain speed more quickly. • A good hunting dog is always a plus. Just make sure that the dog is well trained or else it might just scare off the game birds. • Focus on the caliber of the gun you use, rather than the manufacturer. People who hunt partridges do so with a wide variety of gun makes and models. • Opt for a 12 gauge shotgun. This is a favorite of those who hunt since it is an affordable choice with a good range. • Make sure you are using the right shot. Too small of a shot and you may not stop this game bird and too large a shot could lead to way too much buckshot in it. • Last but not least, always have an emergency pack with first aid equipment in case there are any injuries. Always carry water with you. You never know how long you might be hunting for. A compass is a must!

sceneries of hills and valleys. A sportsman is bound to appreciate the speedy flight of the red-legged partridges driven from the hills by the magnificent Andalusian horses over an armada of anxious shooters. TIPS Partridge shooting in Spain is distinguished by the flight variety of the coveys, some high, some low crossing or bursting, producing such different gun-swings at every shot. What really matters with regards to the partridge 50

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is the strength of its flight, its speed and courage where as to the shoot itself, the importance lies in its rhythm, character and variety. Partridge hunting will involve climbing up and down hilly areas that they inhabit, so be sure that you are healthy and fit enough to hunt these birds. Mid October to February is the partridge hunting season. • The best time for partridge shooting is in the early morning or late afternoon. • Partridges usually prefer locations at higher elevations so prepare to hike. Look for the steepest slopes. Partridges

There you have it! A quick guide to the sport of hunting partridges in one of the most beautiful countries in the world as well as some pretty good tips! Soak up the information, pack your bags, put on your hiking boots and you’re ready and set to go! Happy Partridge Hunting! By:Ylova Hamdan

Recommended Calibre 12 bore

68 cm

20 bore

68 cm

Cartridges Calibre 12/70

2,2 - 4,2 mm 36 g

Calibre 20/70

2,5 - 4,0 mm 31 g

hunting dogs

What are

hunting dogs?

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April 2010

What are hunting dogs? As the name suggests, these are dogs that assist humans in hunting. Originally, these dogs were responsible, at least partially, for bringing home the meat for the family’s dinner and without them, the job of hunting was much more difficult. Hunting dogs are trained for the hunt when they are young, and certain breeds are especially qualified for hunting by their bloodlines and backgrounds. The main method hunting dogs’ use to track game is by sight and smell, and each breed of hunting dogs is unique in their hunting methods and specific uses. Hunting dog breeds can be divided into three main types: hounds (sight or scent hunting dogs), water dogs (or gun dogs) and terriers. Each of them have unique skills and attributes and it is important to bear in mind exactly which breed is best suited to your requirements. These basic categories can be even more specialized. For Hounds, there are two kinds of hunting dogs: Sight hounds and Scent hounds. Sight hounds have distinctive characteristics, features and traits, which are suitable for hunting. One of the best examples is the Afghan hound. The Afghan hound has padded paws and powerful legs, which give them the ability to skim across sands or snow, or even, climb rocky terrains. As the name suggests Sight hounds have extremely good vision. They have a long jaw and long neck, which assists them in hunting their target. They have a lean muscular body, deep chest, and long powerful legs, which are essential traits for a hunting dog. Next are the Scent hounds. These dogs are specialized in following the scent or the smell of its quarry. One of the key characteristics of the scent dogs is that they don’t need to be fast and agile as the Sight hounds, that is, they do not need to keep their target in sight. Scent hounds are built for endurance, and that is the reason they are such good hunting dogs. They can follow a scent for long distances and even across running water. Scent Hounds have distinctive characteristics, features and traits that are perfect for their purpose as Hunting Dogs. It’s like they are born to hunt. They have large noses, which have deep, open nostrils, and their lips are loose and moist, designed to pick up scent particles and follow the trail of an animal. A good example is Blood Hound, which were

h&s Issue 01

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hunting dogs

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

originally bred to hunt wolves, deer and large game. But as man’s requirements changed with new hunting technology and along with the role of the blood hound changed to that of a police dog to track missing people, fleeing suspects, or escaped prisoners. Hound dogs in the hunting dogs category are bred to chase a target by sight or smell, or maybe a combination of both senses. This is a lethal combination for hunting dogs. Gun dogs are breeds developed since the invention of firearms to aid the hunting of birds. The Gun dogs are generally very active and are always on the go. Even if they are confined, they keep moving about and not laze around like the Hounds. They are named Gun dogs because these dogs are not afraid of the sound of a discharging gun. Gun dogs are generally divided into Retrievers and the Setter/Pointer/Spaniel Group. The latter are called Bird Dogs because they freeze in a stylized fashion when they detect the presence of a bird. Last but not the least, hunting dogs in the terrier group are developed to hunt and kill vermin. The vermin includes rats, mice, and other predatory animals such as foxes, and other small to medium sized animals that are regarded as pests. Their liveliness, lack of fear and alertness makes them relatively easy to motivate in situations such as being a canine actor so they are frequently present on TV shows and in the movies. The word “terrier” comes from the Latin word “terra,” which means earth. It was given to these tough little dogs because they were particularly skilled in tracking small game into the ground. In conclusion, there are various kinds of hunting dogs. Some of them have been explained briefly in this article. Dogs are a special set of animals, they have unique set of characteristics, which help humans in hunting and are very valuable. After all, they do say, a dog is a man’s best friend.

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

dog accessories

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

SportDOG Brand Enhances portfolio with New 1200m Remote Trainer This year’s IWA will showcase the latest addition to the SportDOG Brand® portfolio – the innovative SPORTTRAINER® 1225E remote training collar. Providing a 1200m training range, the collar will complement the existing 1600m, 700m and 350m training range of products, offering increased versatility in stimulation levels and communication. Suitable for all dogs over 3.6kg the compact waterproof receiver and transmitter benefits from advanced DryTek technology - a guarantee that it is fully waterproof and submersible TM

to 7.6 m (25 ft.) as per NEMA 6P and IP67 standards. In addition, it offers up to 24 static stimulus levels, a choice of continuous or momentary stimulation with the ability to control a second or third collar. It is only one of two products that has all three variables – static stimulus, audible tone and vibration. SportDOG Brand®, a division of Radio Systems® Corporation in Tennessee, is a leading manufacturer of sport and hunting dog training products committed to providing its customers with superior product ranges. To enhance its total offerings, the company acquired Innotek® in 2006 and Lucky Dog in 2007 making TM

them part of the SportDOG Brand® family. Titch White, International Sport and Export Manager says:

“The launch of the SportDOG Brand® 1225E at this year’s IWA will be significant for several reasons. Not only are we responding to demand and bringing a new product to the market, but this adds the final piece, giving SportDOG Brand® the most complete line up with performance and value in the market place."

SPORTTRAINER® 1200 M REMOTE TRAINER SD-1225E

* Waterproof and submersible to 7.6m (25ft) per NEMA 6P and IP67 standards

• DRYTEK™ waterproof design technology - transmitter and receiver* • Up to 16 stimulus levels • Choice of continuous or momentary correction • User can select from 8 levels each within a low, medium or high setting on the compact transmitter • Vibration and tone only options • Rechargeable - 2 hour charge time • Extra collar receiver (sold separately) • Expands to 3 dogs h&s Issue 01

April 2010

dog accessories

SportDOG Brand®, the world’s leading manufacturer of dog training products, has unveiled a new range of accessories, offering everything the serious hunter needs to prepare for the season ahead. The collections include whistles, collars, leads, lanyards, dummies, grooming kits and the Original Lucky Dog bumper. The extensive range of whistles offers several different purpose built models. These include the following: TM

ranges in the most ardent weather conditions. The collars and leads range provides collars in nylon, polycoat, leather and chain which is excellent for quick and precise training. The leads include a 30ft check cord, with an easy coil construction with a tangle free design, in highly visible orange blaze.

• European Style Silent Whistle With a light, single body construction and an adjustable tone. • Commander Whistle Designed for use in adverse weather. • Clear Competition Mega Whistle With a long range control, designed to protect the handler’s ears. • The Answer Whistle A whistle designed with no trill, to produce a consistent signal in long 58

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for when training in water and are available in a variety of colours - white, orange and black / white for easy visibility against different backgrounds. SportDOG Brand®, a division of Radio Systems® Corporation in Tennessee, is a manufacturer of electronic training products such as training collars, bark control collars, beeper collars and inground fence systems. Through its 2007 acquisition of Lucky Dog Equipment, SportDOG Brand® increased its range of training equipment.

SportDOG Brand also offers a selection of canvas dummies, which are excellent for young and adult dogs, are weighted for easy throwing and readily hold game scent to aid training. The dummies are available in different colours – white and orange. The Original Lucky Dog bumper, the Lucky Dog plastic bumpers are designed to protect the dog’s mouth and have an air valve which allows adjustment of weight and buoyancy. These are ideal TM

The difference with SportDOG Brand® is that it is run by real sporting dog enthusiasts who spend much of their time out with their dogs. The SportDOG Brand® team has many years’ experience utilising professional staff, field-testing all its gear on various continents and in various conditions.

Sportdog Brand offers range of accessories for the season

EUROPEAN STYLE SILENT WHISTLE SAC00-11754 • Light, single body construction • Removal of cap allows for adjustment of tone

30’ CHECK CORD SAC00- 11746 • Easy-coil construction. • Highly visible blaze orange. • Tangle free design. • Heavy duty brass snap.

COMMANDER WHISTLE SAC00-11752 • Designed for use in adverse weather • Lower pitch • Rubber mouthpiece

CLEAR COMPETITION WHISTLE SAC00-11751 • Lower pitched sound carries further • Used to train more field champions than any other whistle

THE ANSWER WHISTLE SAC00-11755 • No trill • Long range control • Protects handler’s ears • Won’t freeze • Directs sound forward

CANVAS DUMMIES • Canvas excellent for young and adult dogs. • Readily holds game scent. • Weighted for easy throwing. SAC00-11650 natural puppy canvas 1pk SAC00-11684 natural canvas 1pk SAC00-11681 natural canvas 3pk SAC00-11688 orange puppy canvas 1pk SAC00-11685 orange canvas 1pk SAC00-11680 orange canvas 3pk h&s Issue 01

April 2010

falconry hunting

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

Arabian Falconry A lot of the books written about Falconry describe it as, â&#x20AC;&#x153;THE NOBLEST OF ALL SPORTSâ&#x20AC;?, maybe this is because it was the nobility that tended to dominate the keeping and flying of Falcons in past times, or maybe because of the birds themselves, who always have a noble bearing. One can not doubt their beauty and heritage, as well as their gracefulness and agility in flight, and their single mindlessness once they are set on their pray. The origins of falconry is a little clouded and the fact that there is artistic reference to the sport as far back as the 13th century BC, makes specific dating a little bit uncertain, but it is thought that it originated in the Far East, in countries such as Japan, China and Korea. However, falconry was historically recorded

during the reign of, Sargon the Second of Assyria, who reigned from 722 to 705 BC. But we know that it goes back beyond recorded history. As for Falconry in the Arabian world it is again difficult to be specific as to dates of its origins but there is reference to falconry in early religious and court texts as far back as the seventh century AD. More recently the Falconry heritage is kept alive by enthusiast of all status and like any sport the cost involved is what one is prepared to invest in it. Good, trained, falcons can change hands for many thousands of US$, but the Bedouin are extremely adept at capturing wild falcons on their migratory journey from the northern hemisphere and then training them to hunt.

The capture usually takes place in the autumn and the birds involved are usually Peregrine and Saker Falcons and these captured raptors are typically trained during the two week period which precedes the arrival of the, Houbara Bustard, which tends to follow behind the falcons migratory path and is a typical falcon quarry. The quarry of the Arab falcons will depend on the environment that you have to fly the birdsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in. As well as the Houbara other quarries that are hunted, are all kinds of Doves, Partridge, Francolin, Grouse and Quail. Over hunting of Desert Hares has bought about the banning of further hunting of this animal in most areas of the Arabian Peninsular but in certain areas of Saudi Arabia, specifically the Empty Quarter, it is still permitted. h&s Issue 01

April 2010

falconry hunting

much larger and heavier than herself. Thirdly, whilst she is a relatively large bird she is an extremely canny hunter and has the manoeuvrability to match that of the Houbra.

So how does one go about catching a falcon? Like all wild animals their prime function is to find food for survival, and so a lure of a free meal is a good start. Pigeons are plentiful in the region and as the falcons enjoy a hearty pigeon lunch they are used extensively for this purpose. Once the bait bird is caught it is fitted with snares tied to its back which encumbers its flight but only sufficiently to hoodwink the falcon into thinking it is injured and he will see it as easy pray. Once the falcon attaches its self to the decoy it will become entangled in the loops of animal hair thread or latterly, nylon fishing line, on the decoys back. A weight is also attaché to the snares which prevents the falcon from flying of into the, “wide blue yonder”, and makes the capture that much easier. Of course the falcon will also stop to devour it pray on the ground.

The Houbara is a favorite quarry for the falcons as it is lighter but none the less strong. It is a fast bird and has the ability to turn very sharply thus initially avoiding the falcons talons, giving good sport. However, the falcon will usually prevail due to its increased stamina, and this is why the Saker and Peregrine are preferred over other raptors such as the Goshawk. 62

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Taking all things into account it is the Peregrine that comes a close second to the Saker for a number of reasons. Firstly the Saker tends to fly lower than the Peregrine which makes her better at catching land animals. Secondly, some say that the Saker is more intelligent than the Peregrine and she is certainly more aggressive and will happily take on quarry

There are other methods of course, such as using a smaller less active falcon with bait tied to its legs as well as snares fitted to its body. It also has its eyes partially closed by utilizing a rather scary, but painless, procedure called sealing. This entails sowing the decoy falcon’s eyes partially closed which prevents it from looking downwards. When a suitable falcon is located the decoy is thrown into the air and will immediately rise up in the

air as it is unable to see the ground and upon seeing the smaller falcon with what appears to be pray caught in its talons the falcon to be trapped immediately dive to steal the pray from the decoy, whereupon it becomes entangled in the nylon snares and they all fall to the ground where they can be retrieved. There is also netting in its numerous formats, some quite ingenious. One really ingenious method is that a falconer will bury himself in the ground with only his head showing and a gloved hand. He will cover his head with a wicker basket so that he is able to see through the weaving but the bird will not be able to see in. He then has a lure on a line in the form of a dead bird which upon sighting a suitable falcon he will swing about with his free hand attracting the falconsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; attention, who, upon seeing what he perceives as an injured bird, immediately pounces upon it and starts to eat it. He sees only the basket and the bird and a leather glove. The falconer slowly pulls the dead bird towards him and when the falcon is sufficiently close he will grab hold of it legs capturing it and he, or his accomplice, will immediately calm the captured bird by covering its eyes and the training process can thereafter begin. So after you have got yourself out of the hole in the ground with your falcon in hand you are going to need some equipment. This comprises of a few essentials which are as follows. Probably the first thing to mention would be a strong leather glove or gauntlet. The leather has to be rather thick to protect the handler from the very sharp talons of the bird. Jesses are straps of leather which are attached to each of the birds legs and bought together and in turn attached to

an other strap somewhat longer which has a steel swivel connected to it, to which is then attached a third lead. The stand comprises of an inverted dome, the flat surface facing upwards and upholstered to allow the falcon to stand on it. This dome can be quite ornate as can be the pole, or leg, that it is attachĂŠ to. The base of the pole is pointed so that it can be stuck into the desert sand to act as a steady perch for the birds to rest on. The stands can be used also for transporting birds rather than letting them hold onto your gloved hand. This can get tiresome after a while, as well as the fact that movements can make the falcon grip with its talons which would be somewhat uncomfortable for the falconer. The falcon is secured to the stand by means of the Jesses and the leads. A hood is needed to cover the falconâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyes when he is being transported or when he need to be quietly restrained.

The hood will calm the bird down, and as it is unable to see will not get distracted. The hood is secured by means of a drawstring and a fully trained bird will quite happily accept this head cover. For training purposes a lure will be required which can be made from the wings of other birds and attached to a long cord which can be swung around the head to attract the falcon in order to train it or to retrieve it after a free flight or kill. There are many other raptors that are used for hunting purposes such as, ospreys, owl, and numerous breeds of eagles, which I suppose one would say that these are the king of hunting birds due to their size and status in the bird kingdom. However, when it comes to hunting in the Arabian Desert the most popular are the Saker and the Peregrine, two falcons beautiful in appearance and beautifully adapted to the Arabian Desert environment.

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falconry hunting

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;bara Bustards.

Who? What? You ask? Everything you need to know about the elusive desert birds.

The Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis undulata) is a large bird that belongs to the Bustard family. 64

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What do they look like? The bird is usually 60 cm long with a 140 cm wingspan. It is brown above and white below, with a black stripe downs the sides of its neck. In flight, the long wings show large areas of black and brown on the flight feathers. Even though the sexes are similar, the female is smaller and greyer above. Where are they found? The Houbara Bustard is found in ranges of The Canary Islands, North Africa, Iran and Pakistan. It breeds in deserts and other arid and sandy areas and is largely resident within its range. How do they breed? When it comes to breeding, like other Bustards, this species has a colourful display, raising the white feathers of the head and throat and withdrawing the head. 2 to 4 eggs are laid on the ground while it is almost vocally silent.

now close to extinction. The population of the Houbara Bustard has dropped as much as 40% since 2005 and this shy, desert bird could be facing extinction within the next 15 to 25 years if unsustainable trade and hunting continue. Conservation: NARC, based in Abu Dhabi, UAE, was established in 1989 and designated for research on houbara biology and conservation breeding. NARC aspires to establish houbara populations in the UAE. The first experimental releases began back in 2004 with only 5 houbara, and the numbers increased every year with 201 released in 2009 and 350 projected for 2010, leading to a combined total 800 houbara that will have been released by the end of February 2010.

How do they feed? The Houbara is omnivorous, which means it feeds on seeds, insects and other such small creatures.

The first successful breeding in the wild occurred in spring 2007, by 3 females released in 2005. In 2008, 12 females nested in the wild, hatching 25 chicks. None of the females attempted to breed in 2009 presumably in relation to unsuitable local environmental conditions.

The bird is greatly treasured in the Arabia for its meat and as a quarry for falconers. Due to widespread hunting and loss of habitat, the number of the species has greatly been reduced and the birds are

And there you have it! That is almost all you need to know about this mysterious and shy desert bird, the Houbara Bustard that are ever so greatly prized in the Arab World! h&s Issue 01

April 2010

catridges legacies

Express & Drill Rounds

What are Cartridges?

A cartridge, also known as a round, incorporates the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm accurately. 66

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Going back a couple of hundred yearsâ&#x20AC;Ś In 1260, gunpowder cartridges were employed by the Egyptian Mamluks, for use in their fire lances and hand cannons against the Mongol Army at the Battle of Ain Jalut. The original cartridge for military small arms dates from 1586 and it consisted of a charge of powder and a bullet in a paper tube. Thick paper is still known as cartridge paper from its use in these cartridges.

EXPRESS AND DRILL The term express was first applied to hunting rifles and ammunition beginning in the middle 1800s to specify a rifle or ammunition that was capable of velocities higher than usual. The early express cartridges used a heavy charge of black powder to boost a lightweight, often hollow point bullet, at high velocities to maximize point blank range. Later, the express cartridges were loaded with nitrocellulose based gunpowder, leading to the Nitro Express cartridges, the first of which was the .450 Nitro Express.

The term express is still in use today, and is applied to rifles, ammunition and a type of iron sight. With the widespread adoption of small bore, high velocity rifle cartridges, the meaning of express has shifted in modern usage and refers to high velocity large bore rifle and ammunition, typically used for hunting large or dangerous game at close range. RIFLE DESIGN Express rifles historically came in two actions, single shot (singles) and doubles. The side by side was among the earliest, but by the early 1900s, the bolt action began to replace it. The side by side has two barrels and either single or double triggers. Most parts of the mechanism that fire the gun are duplicated. In the unlikely event that a mechanical failure such as a broken string, the hunter can still fire the second barrel. This action allows the hunter to fire two shots rapidly – the second shot is used when the animal is missed, etc. If the hunter were using a bolt action rifle,

he would have to work the bolt, taking additional time and possibly affecting the aim. Bolt action rifles for hunting usually have a small magazine of about five rounds rather than the ten, thirty or more found on more modern rifles firing smaller rounds. Express rifles are generally either single shot or bolt action designs. Doubles are still made; however, they are a bit expensive; getting both barrels to shoot to the point of aim is an intense process. Single shot rifles are not often used when hunting dangerous game because follow up shots are not made as quickly. DRILL (Dummy) rounds are inert versions of cartridges used for education and practice during military training. Other than the lack of propellant, they are the same size as normal cartridges and will fit into the weapon in the same way as a live cartridge does. To distinguish them from live rounds, they are marked distinctively. Several forms of markings may be used – for example – setting colored flutes in the cartridge, drilling

holes through the cartridge, coloring the bullet or cartridge, or even a combination of these. In the case of centerfire drill rounds, the primer will be absent, it’s mounting hole in the bare left open. Because they are mechanically identical to live rounds, which are intended to be loaded once, fired and then discarded, drill rounds have a tendency to become considerably worn and damaged with repeated passage through magazines and firing mechanisms, and need to be frequently inspected to guarantee that they are not so damaged as to become unusable. For example, the casings can become torn and can snag on moving parts, or the bullet can become separated and stay in the breech when the cartridge is ejected. So there, you have it all; the 411 on cartridges both express and drill! Always remember to practice safety and caution when around weapons and look for the particular markings etc.

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April 2010

catridges legacies

Rifle cartridges 1

EVOLUTION Following intensive development, RWS presents a new generation of deformation bullets. They have brought together the best of the latest technologies to produce their new Evolution bullet. Using the most up to date bonding techniques, combined with a brilliant jacket design, the Evolution will give impressive performance at all usual hunting distances. Das Vollmantel Geschoss (VM) im Schnitt und mit Restkรถrper.

7 mm Rem. Mag.

1. Bullet tail with ballistic calotte for excellent precision and flexibility in the barrel. 2. Bullet core bonded with jacket for almost 100% residual weight. 3. Lead core with precise hardness supports fragment-free deformation. 4. Crimp groove for a defined fit of the bullet. 5. Circular sharp edge for sufficient hair at point of impact. 6. Increasing jacket wall thickness for controlled bullet deformation.

7 x 64

7 x 65 R

.308 Win.

EVO 10.3 g / 159 gr

.300 WSM

.300 Win. Mag.

EVO 11.9 g / 184 gr 68

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April 2010

8 x 57 JS

.30-06

.30 R Blaser

EVO 11.9 g / 184 gr

8 x 57 JRS EVO 13.0 g / 201 gr

8 x 68 S

9,3 x 62

9,3 x 74 R

EVO 18.8 g / 291 gr

Prestigious Bespoke Firearms

s e l f i R

600 NE • 577 NE • 500 NE • 470 NE 450 3”1/4 • 450/400 NE • 375 HH 8x57JRS • 9,3x74R • 444 Marlin 7x65R • 30R Blaser...

s n u g t Sho CAL. 12 - 16 - 20 - 28 - 410

For further information please contact Verney-carron at +33 477 7915 00 by phone 69 h&s Issue 01 April 2010 or email to export@verney-carron.com

catridges legacies

Cartridges What makes up a shotgun cartridge, and which cartridge should we use for a specific purpose?

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

Well for those who want to know a little more about that all important entity of our shooting sport, read on...

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April 2010

catridges legacies

A shotgun cartridge is usually a plastic tube with a metal base that caries all the components required to fire the shot at a given target. One can still obtain paper or solid brass cases but the fact that plastic cased cartridges are relatively inexpensive nowadays there is little call for anything else. The components that make up the cartridge are the plated metal head, the plastic case, the cap and primer, the powder, the plastic or fiber wad that sits on the powder, the plastic or fiber wad below the shot and lastly the shot itself. The plastic wad is shaped like a cup in which the shot is held and this is held in place by the case being crimped at the end to prevent the contents from spilling out before being fired. The wads are a very important component of the cartridges as the lower one over the powder is there to give a gas tight seal and the plastic cup wad is so shaped as to compress slightly when the shot is fired to absorb some of the recoil and the cup itself prevents the shot pellets from being deformed as they leave the barrel. The most common shotgun cartridge in use today is undoubtedly the 12 bore and this is due, obviously, to the fact that the 12 bore shotgun is the most popular shotgun due to its supreme adaptability to all kinds of shooting, whether it’s game shooting or clay shooting, so the 12 bore cartridge has many permutations in shot size, shot material and powder load to accommodate whatever sport you follow. 12 gauge cartridges usually come in three popular sizes to fit 2 ½ in / 65 mm, 2 ¾ in / 70 mm or 3 in /76 mm chambers and it goes without saying, but I will, that one should never use a 3 in / 76 mm magnum cartridge in a 2 ¾ in / 72

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70 mm chamber. The larger shell will fit the smaller chamber when inserted due to the fact that the chamber is longer to allow for the opening of the crimp when fired, and obviously there lies the problem in that there will be no room for the crimp of a 3in / 76 mm shell to open properly in the shorter chamber with potentially disastrous consequences. Also if you intend to use magnum loads then make sure your gun is proofed for magnum loads. One can also get 2 in / 50 mm cartridges for use in older lightweight

game guns. So, how did the 12 get into 12 bore. Well the bore or gauge, whichever you prefer, and consequently the size designation of a cartridge is derived from the number of spheres of equal size that can be produced from one pound of lead. Therefore a twelve bore shotgun barrel diameter is exactly the diameter of the sphere that is produced from 1/12th of a pound of lead.

A 20 bore will be the diameter of the sphere produced from 1/20th and so on.The exception to this is the .410 which is stated in inches.The table below details the equivalent imperial and metric barrel diameters for the most common sizes of shot gun.

Gauge / Bore

Inches

.775

19.69

.729

18.52

.615

15.62

.550

13.97

.410

10.40

The 10 gauge cartridge is usually used for wildfowling whilst the other four sizes are used for clay shooting and game or vermin shooting. Below is a table that gives recommended shot sizes for specific game.This is not comprehensive but will assist you to decide what shot size for the type of game you are hunting.

Lead / Tungsten Turkey Pheasant/Guinea fowl

Steel

4.6 5

Grouse/Partridge

7½

Quail/Dove

7½

Snipe

Rabbit

Geese

BB,1

Ducks decoyed

3,4

Ducks high birds

1,2

Clay shooting cartridges are specific to the discipline being shot. For example British and FITASC disciplines require that 28 grams shot loads, or a bit less than an ounce, are used and Olympic Trap, Double Trap and Olympic Skeet require 24 gr or 7/8 oz. Lead shot size for these disciplines vary between 2.6 mm/ No6 shot UK, to 2.0mm/No9 shot UK. On its own in the clay disciplines is Helice (ZZ), in which 36 gr or 1 ¼ oz is used with shot size of 2.75 mm / No5 shot UK maximum and a minimum of 2.2 mm / No8 shot UK. Game cartridges should be specific to the game being harvested. As mentioned above the 10 gauge is used mainly for wildfowling and turkey, or other game that requires a reasonably heavy load to make a clean kill. Also it should be noted that when wildfowling over wetland, irrespective of the cartridge size, the shot should be non toxic; steel, bismuth or tungsten. If non lead shot is to be used make sure your gun is nitro proofed to be able to safely use this type of cartridge especially if the cartridges you are using are fiber wad. With plastic wad cups the shot and steel shot specifically, stays in the cup and does not come into contact with the barrels. It is not that the steel shot will cause the barrels to burst but it may damage the chokes which will prevent the gun from being proofed later and therefore will negatively affect the value of the gun should you wish to sell it later. Nowadays many authorities are banning lead shot in favor of non toxic shot over wetland as it has been established that spent lead shod will eventually poison the wetlands with dire consequences to the wild life abiding there, as well as being introduced to public consumption either through fish or fowl or through seepage into the ground and ultimately into the water table. So check the law

on this prior to your hunting trip. Shot size for the 10 gauge ranges from 6 to OO buckshot and, where permitted, rifled slug for bear and deer. Another environmental consideration when deciding which cartridges you require is the type of wad used. The standard one is the plastic wad, which is non degradable, then there is the degradable plastic wad and also the fiber wad. Again some shooting grounds require degradable wads and some game shooting situations require that degradable wads are used. If you are shooting clays where the wad is likely to fall on to farm grazing land then a fiber wad is a must as animals digestive systems do not take kindly to plastic. As ever, to avoid disappointment or embarrassment check before you purchase your shells and go off hunting or clay shooting. Oh, and don’t forget as a matter of courtesy, pick up your empty shell cases on a game shoot and dispose of them in a responsible manner.

It’s things such as this that will ensure you are invited back to the next shoot as the Shoot Captain will take a dim view of it if you ignore such a courtesy. Clay shooting is a bit different as there are usually containers to drop your cases into at each stand or the ground will have a machine, or a “lad”, to collect them at the days end. As it is becoming more common to find that non toxic shot is required I will reiterate that before using none toxic cartridges ensure your gun is proofed for just such shells. Steel and tungsten are far harder than lead and can cause damage to the barrels and chokes of older, non proofed guns. Also it is recommended by the CIP, International Proof Commission that chokes no more than ½ should be generally used, and the British Proof Authorities recommend no more than ¼ choke on normal lightweight guns. If in doubt consult the gun maker or your gun smith. Safe Shooting. h&s Issue 01

April 2010

catridges legacies

Its cartridges represent ‘Legacy’ History The foundation of the Rottweil powder factory goes all the way back to the 15th century, according to old documents. Its name, Rottweil, became famous thanks firstly to the red Waidmannsheil shot cartridge and since 1921 to the current day thanks to the legendary “black Waidmannsheil” with its cardboard case. The brand’s shot cartridges have been in production since 1971 under the control of the company RUAG Ammotec GmbH. Rottweil hunting and sport shot cartridges have always had a good reputation with regards to their quality and performance and are greatly appreciated equally all across the universe by hunters and marksmen. Most of the Rottweil employees are hunters themselves. Therefore, their valuable experience is constantly added to the development process and it has influenced even the smallest details of the Rottweil shotgun cartridges.

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“At the moment of firing, hunters and marksmen can concentrate on the essentials and place their trust at all times in Rottweil shot cartridges.” - Rottweil’s philosophy For more than a century now, ammunition products have been manufactured at the Furth-Stadeln RUAG Ammotec GmbH factory. The company has indeed had a very lively history. In 1885, Heinrich Utendoerffer was granted permission to set up a laboratory for the production of propellants. In 1889, Utendoerffer then sold his company, which was then still located in Nuremberg, in 1889 to the “Rheinisch Westfalische Sprengstoff Actien Gesellschaft” (RWS) founded in 1886 in Toisdorf. After there were repeated problems in Nuremberg with regards to concession allocations, the factory was moved in

1894 to today’s Furth district of Stadeln. In 1971, the shot cartridge production, founded in Rottweil am Neckar and located for decades in KarlsruheDurlach, was moved to Furth-Stadeln. Since then, Rottweil shotgun cartridges for hunting and sport have been produced here together with another wise range of products with explosive characters. Production is carefully monitored so that you can shoot successfully and safely. Going into detail The product

THE CASE Until 1960, shot cartridges only came with cardboard cases. Since the increased industrial use of plastics in the 70’s, completely non-swelling plastic cases have also been in use. However, some cartridges are still produced with cardboard in order to counter increasingly significant environmental problems. The cardboard case tube is produced with several, glued together layers of a high quality Kraft paper,

perfectly calibrated and glazed, then lacquered as protection against moisture. The base plug in cardboard cases consists of a special cardboard perfectly dimensioned and produced by strongly compressing spirally wound cardboard strips. This stabilises the case floor, contains the propellant and steals the case to the rear during firing. The plastic case tube consists of polythene, which according to technical regulations is not a hazardous substance and can therefore be disposed of in domestic waste/general waste. A thick-walled tube is produced and this tube is continuously bi-axially stretched in a special system. This results in fivefold strengthening of the output tube. The tube is pressed, together with the brass head, to form the cartridge base by means of the base plug. The brass head is made of sheet steel and then brass-plated. The imprinted numbers indicate the calibre of the cartridge. The brass head in plastic cases replaced the card inlay thanks to its special shape. This results in both a solid fit of the primer and good sealing thanks to the high elasticity of the plastic material.

propellant is pushed against the anvil by the firing pin impact where it ignites within a thousandth of a second. This energy is transferred in the form of a powerful flame through the flash hole and ignites the powder.

THE DIFFERENT CALIBRES The calibre designation for shotguns comes from England and is internationally valid. The calibre is based on the number of uniformly round balls, cast from pure lead, that weigh precisely one English pound (453.6g). 16 uniformly sized balls are therefore known as calibre 16. The most common shot gun calibres are 12, 16, 20, 28 and 36 (=.410). The calibre data and the manufacturer data are imprinted on the cartridge base of shotgun cartridges. The case length is also given with the calibre information, eg. calibre 16/70. The

entire case length is defined, eg. 65, 675, 70, 76 or 89 mm. Sealed cartridges are generally approximately 6mm shorter with roll crimps and approximately 11 mm shorter for star crimps than the nominal measurement given for case length. Therefore cartridges with longer cases can fit without a problem before firing into shotguns with shorter firing chambers. When the case mouth opens or unfolds after firing, the chamber cone of a shorter firing chamber prevents complete opening of the case. This causes blockage of the shot load in the firing chamber cone and this can lead to an increase in gas pressure. In order to manufacture a single cartridge type for the chamber lengths 65 and 70 mm, cartridges with a case length (average length) of 67.5 mm have been developed for 12, 16 and 20 calibres.

THE IGNITION The shot cartridge ignition is a centerfire ignition (also called: medium ignition) and is located in the ignition bell of the case floor. It is an anvil ignition cap with the very impact sensitive propellant and the anvil. The housing, anvil and ignition cap form a compact unit. The ignition can only work reliably when a perfect firing pin strikes deeply enough into the center of the ignition cap with sufficient energy. The h&s Issue 01

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catridges legacies

WAIDMANNSHEIL PAPPE – MASTERFULLY PERFECTED FOR DEMANDING HUNTERS The legendary Waidmannsheil Pappe has been around for almost a century now and it can look back upon a long tradition. Generations of hunters are familiar with this cartridge, which originally used to be produced with a red and blue case. The constant optimisation process means that the Waidmannsheil Pappe has developed into one of the most mature shot cartridges with practically no rivals amongst the other shot cartridges available.

THE SPECIAL QUALITIES AT A GLANCE: • The biodegradable cardboard case and intermediate material made of a cardboard wad and fibre wad means that this cartridge is particularly environmentally-friendly. • The case is also coated with impactresistant paint that protects the cartridge against moisture. The cartridges can be loaded even in damp weather or rain. • The 20 mm brass head makes this cartridge particularly high quality. • The high quality intermediate material combination of fibre wad and cardboard wad means that different choke bores can be better utilised. This has in turn a positive effect on the patterning. • The additional cardboard inlay optimally seals off the powder chamber. This ensures uniform combustion of the powder. • The shooting pattern of the Waidmannsheil Pappe is perfect in every aspect.

Highly stable, impregnated cardboard case GECO-X hard shot

High quality, biodegradable fibre wad Ecologically biodegradable cardboard wad for optimal sealing Smokeless Rottweil powder Base plug SINOXID® ignition: Erosion-proof and less wear on bore 20 mm brass head

MAGNUM – PARTICULARLY POWERFUL FOR MORE PATTERNING This cartridge type is characterised by the highest possible shot weights in calibres 12 and 20. The high shot weight of the Rottweil Magnum guarantees sufficient killing force even at long-range limits. This can be a factor of hunting success in particular for small game hunting where long range shooting is often necessary due to unfavourable surroundings. The Magnum cartridge may only be used in shotguns with 76 mm (3”) firing chambers.

THE SPECIAL QUALITIES AT A GLANCE: • The high shot weight ensures excellent patterning even for longer distances. • The black plastic case made of PE is extremely resistant to moisture. • The 20 mm brass head makes this cartridge particularly high quality. • The cup wad used in the Magnum is extraordinarily stable and prevents the shot from wear in the barrel. • The rear-facing part of the wad seals the shot load against powder gas thanks to the special construction of the seal lips. Clumping is therefore prevented. • The guidance of the shot in the cup wad leads to a tighter shooting pattern.

Highly stable PE case

Maximum shot weight with GECO-X hard shot

Cup wad Loaded with special Magnum powder Base plug SINOXID® ignition: Erosion-proof and less wear on bore 20 mm brass head

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BRENNEKE – EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE FOR SHOOTING DURING DRIVEN HUNTS This classic hunting cartridge contains the classic slug with felt wad and can be used up to 50 mm. The choke bore does not influence the precision of this cartridge so that it can be shot from all types of shotguns. This cartridge has been available for decades in the three main calibres and case lengths of 67.5 mm (also for shotguns with 65 mm firing chambers) and 70 mm.

THE SPECIAL QUALITIES AT A GLANCE: • The externally angled, deformable lead ribs adapt to the different mouth shapes without damaging the barrels. • The felt wad is permanently attached to the slug and stabilises the projectile ensuring optimal precision. • The plastic case made of PE is extremely resistant to moisture. • The transparent case shows the contents at a glance and prevents the mistaken use of cartridges with slug. • The H-wad optimally seals off the powder chamber. This ensures uniform combustion of the powder.

Transparent PE plastic case

Brenneke slug

Felt wad

H-wad Powder charge

Base plug SINOXID® ignition: Erosion-proof and less wear on bore 20 mm brass head

EXPRESS - SPECIALLY DEVELOPED FOR PARTICULAR HUNTING SITUATIONS These special cartridges are produced in various shot diameters. Normally known as buckshot they are designed for specific hunting applications and are used in countries where “rough shooting” is allowed for cloven game. The use of buckshot can be appropriate especially at short range and under particular land conditions (e.g. thick bush).

THE SPECIAL QUALITIES AT A GLANCE: • This cartridge is designed for special hunting applications. • The plastic case made of PE is extremely resistant to moisture. • The H-wad optimally seals off the powder chamber. This ensures uniform combustion of the powder. • The transparent case shows the contents at a glance and prevents the mistaken use of cartridges with buckshot.

Transparent PE plastic case

Buckshot

Biologically degradable fibre wad H-wad Powder charge Base plug SINOXID® ignition: Erosion-proof and less wear on bore 20 mm brass head h&s Issue 01

April 2010

big game hunting

Did Somebody Say

‘Big Horn Sheep’? A quick guide to the mountains of Iran and its wild sheep hunting opportunities.

It all began in the 1970’s when Iran was a paradise for sheep hunters. Today, after a long interval, it has re-opened to foreign hunters. Iran is a vast country of about 1.6 million square kilometres. The geological past and current geographic location of the country has resulted in the appearance of beautiful open landscapes with a vast number of mountain ranges, 78

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evergreen forests, arid deserts and tropical sea-sides.

upon by the fastest land animal, the Asiatic cheetah.

Iranian Mountains are habitat to seven distinct and internationally recognized species of wild sheep, the Persian Ibex and the secretive Leopard. The valleys below these mountains are home to the Jabber gazelles which are usually preyed

Let us delve right into the topic that we are most interested about – and that is ‘the Bighorn Sheep’. The country has around 10 subspecies of wild sheep (a variety not encountered anywhere else in the world.) which include:

The Laristan Ram which is the world’s smallest wild sheep. The Transcaspian Ram that is the ancestor of the Urial sheep and undoubtedly the most handsome. The other names are – The Armenian Mouflon, the Esfahan Mouflon and the Laristan Sheep which are all the main species of the region. The others, such as the Red, Shiraz, Kair, Kerman, Arak sheep and Desert Urial all emerged as a result of cross breeding between them, and their names are mostly taken from the regions where they dwell. Sport hunting has been a part of Iran’s culture and heritage dating back to 500 BC, having established falconry, pursuits by the Saluki hound and the Asiatic Cheetah. Iran offers the finest mountain hunting in the world to the most ardent and demanding hunters. All hunting areas are in lightly vegetated hills between 4500 and 9000 in altitude. You will definitely be able to find the sheep in a large number of areas but just bare in mind that October to February are the most suitable months for hunting wild sheep, especially if you are looking

forward to combination hunts. Essential Tips Sheep hunting involves a lot of glassing. Binoculars of the top quality are recommended. Many sheep stay in the timber for most of the day and it takes long hours of looking here, there and everywhere to find them. Look high on the mountains but do not forget to look below you as well. A good rifle is as important as your ability to use it effectively, so practice before you hunt. Learn the course of your chosen calibre because your shooting opportunities are probably going to be very lengthy. Judging the distance in the mountains is going to be tough but then again we do not live in the Stone Age – Technology happens to live right next door from you and it is marketing a range finder that can now take the guesswork out of shooting distance! Here are a couple of other few tips that are essential to mountain hunting: The first important requirement is to understand that hunting wild sheep is extremely tough and the going will

be very steep and a long way from anywhere. There will be long days in the saddle and the climbing will be tougher than tough on your body and so it is absolutely vital that you get your body in good physical condition. Always remember, that the air is thinner at higher elevations than it is at sea level and getting enough oxygen might be difficult therefore, I cannot stress on it enough – Do not let your poor physical condition ruin your hunt. Long days and cold nights; that is what you can count on while hunting sheep. Rain is a possibility and snow is a probability during the fall therefore you need to toughen up and make sure you maintain a healthy body and attitude as it is important to survive a long hunt in the mountains and trust me - it will be long! • Always hunt with someone. Hunting alone is bound to invite trouble. A partner will not only help if there is a problematic situation but he/she could also act as an extra pair of eyes to help find big game.

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big game hunting

sometimes you must shoot them more than once to keep them on the ground. • DO NOT forget your water. As mentioned earlier, you may have to hike for hours, sometimes even days before you get to your perfect hunting spot. Keep in mind that big game moves around a lot and you may have to hike for a couple of miles before getting close enough for a shot. • As you will most definitely be a long way from home or from anywhere as a matter of fact, make sure you always use caution in the mountains and take a pack with emergency gear with you. Last but not least, always remember that a successful hunting trip is based on the preparation and not solely the kill or the trophy, so therefore, make sure that all the above mentioned tips are read carefully and taken into great consideration before venturing out on your wild sheep hunting trip!

• The weather WILL play a large part on this type of big game hunting. Dress for the occasion. Wear good hunting boots for the rough terrain. I mean, you could have all the skills imaginable, you could have the warmth of clothes on your body but nothing and I mean nothing will go as planned if your ‘mode of transport’ is not convenient and it leaves you with a couple of hundred blisters on your soles! Ouch! Always take sufficient clothing with you to the mountains because trust me, you cannot have too many clothes; Mountain weather can turn dangerous in hours if not seconds! • A compass will help you keep your 80

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bearings. Do not go into areas that you have never been and then expect to find your way out easily. That is a BIG No, NO while on your hunting trip. Carry a GPS device in your emergency pack as it is a great safety device. • You need better than good equipment when on a trip like this. A good rifle scope is a must. It should already be sighted in for long shots. You may want to practice using the scope at different angles since bullets travel differently when shooting upwards compared to downward shots. • Once you have shot a bighorn sheep, make sure that is down for good. These are tough big game animals and

Oh and I almost forgot! Make sure you pack a camera in your pack; your trip is going to be one of the greatest memories of a lifetime so do not forget to capture and treasure the moments! By: Ylova Hamdan Reccomended Calibre

.308 Win.

.30-06

.30 R Blaser

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

big game hunting

Deer Stalking in

Scotland Stalking deer in Scotland is a tradition that goes back for centuries and it has arguably some of the best stalking environment in the world in terms of scenery and tradition. The weather can be a trifle inclement at times but this all adds to the charm and nothing good comes without effort and a little discomfort and that is one of the things that makes the whole experience so rewarding.

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big game hunting

average weights and will vary dependant on age and condition. The first Red Deer I had stalked and shot was a few years ago now and I had booked three days with an outfitter to stalk deer and some walked up mixed shooting which I hoped would include the sometimes elusive, Ptarmigan, as these birds can be a challenging quarry to harvest. They are not that easy to find and when you do there is likely to be only a few in number.

Whether you decide to stalk in the Boarder Regions, Central Scotland and the Grampian Mountains and up to Moray in the east, or over to the North West Highlands and up to the area around Loch Shin, or even further north to Southerland, you will be confronted with some of the wildest, but most magnificent scenery in the world. If I had to choose one region in terms of scenery it would be the West Highlands, with Fort William as its main town which sits on the east side of Loch Linnhe, and at the base of Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest mountain. Leaving Fort William, heading north on the A82 towards Inverness, you will travel along the shores of Loch Ness and who knows, you may even catch sight of the famous Loch Ness Monster. What a trophy that would be. Speaking of trophies lets look at the type of deer that you are most likely to be stalking in Scotland, staring with the largest and most regal, the Red Deer. The Red is immortalized in the painting entitled, “Monarch of the Glen”, by Sir Edwin 84

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Landseer, and is used as a trade mark for a couple of famous Scotch Whiskey brands. A big Red Deer stag in Scotland can easily weigh between 90 and 120 kg., the female, or hind, weighs between 60 and 85 kg. The Red will give you the most impressive trophies, if that is what you are after, with some mature Stags sporting 12 point antlers and more. The next in terms of size is the Fallow Deer, weighing between 50 and 70 kg. for a buck, and the female, or doe, coming in at around 35 to 40 kg. The Sika Deer would be next in size with male and female weighing in at between 30 to 55 kg. The Sika is well known for its ability to evade hunters and is therefore a much more difficult target. It is also somewhat of a nuisance as it is habitually damages newly planted woodland and forestry. The smallest of the Scottish deer would be the Roe; a good size buck would weigh around 20 to 30 Kg., with the doe in the region of say 15Kg. These are

Anyway, I arrived at the hotel in the evening prior to the first days stalk as I had travelled from Manchester a good few hours drive, depending on traffic, and I decided that a good nights sleep would be in order to steel me for what I knew would be a pretty exhilarating day on the morrow. The estate I would be stalking over comprised some 15000 acres and ran about 1100 deer. I was hoping to bag a Red Deer stag, not necessarily the Monarch, but a good eight pointer would be great, although an old stag can have antlers almost 1.5 meter long with ten or twelve points. So after a hearty breakfast of ham and eggs and traditional Scottish porridge oats I was joined for coffee by my host for the day and head stalker, Alistair (call me Ali) Stewart. Ali had 20 years experience on these hills, the Scots never say mountains, even though they are, so if anyone could find me a good stag it would be himself. After coffee Ali took me to get acquainted with the gun I would be using that day, this was his own as at the time I did not own a rifle myself. My shotgun, for use the following day, was safely locked away in the hotel gun safe. Ali’s rifle was a bolt action Sako .270 caliber, fitted with a moderator to reduce recoil and noise, and a Pentax 6x40 telescopic site, and he informed me that we would be using 150 grain bullets. He mentioned to me that

some would say that it was too much gun and that a 243 with 120 grain bullets would suffice, but for Red Stag’s Ali always preferred to be adequately loaded and in his opinion a moderated .270, 150 grain for the amount of shooting we would do today would not be a burden on me and would ensure a clean, swift kill. He also stated, in his lilting Scottish brogue, that in any event it was not the caliber of the gun that counts, but the caliber of the man shooting it. This put me under not a little pressure to live up to that statement. To get me fully acquainted he said that a bit of target practice would be in order to enable me to get the feel of the rifle and the sound. I was used to shotgun cartridges but a rifle has a very different sound altogether. The scope was zeroed at 100 yards as this would be the distance he would try to get me to the stag, maybe closer maybe further away, that depended on the conditions we find ourselves in. After I had fired a few shots to make sure I was comfortable with the gun, and to enable Ali to see that I was competent to use it, he introduced me to his ghillie, or what we would call a game keeper north of the Border. Ian Campbell was a local man even more familiar with the hills than, Ali, and he would be accompanying us today. We covered the first few miles of moorland in an Argocat ATV and into the mountains proper. I do not care what the Scots call them they are mountains to me. We were well off the beaten track by now climbing all the time and the weather was not too bad for the second week in October. Dry but overcast, with a North Westerly wind blowing of the

Grampian Mountains which were on our left as we headed north. After awhile we dismounted the Argo and started to walk along a stalkers path which Ali said that according to Ian should bring us to a herd of deer just over a rise in the ground a mile or so ahead of us. As we walked it gave me time to take in the magnificence of the scenery, rugged mountains to our left and the

undulating moorland all around with lichen covered boulders of all shapes and sizes randomly dotted around the place. Some were as big as buckets some as big as a family saloon cars. The grass was long and course and interspersed with bracken and heather, and here and there were pools of standing water from the rain of the previous days with a stream in the distance. Awe inspiring. As we approached the crest of the hill Ali sent Ian up to survey the land to see if the deer were there and sure enough Ian

came back with a positive nod of the head and said, “Aye, they’re there, Stags, Hinds and Calves, and there are four Stags to one side away from the main herd”, and with a broad grin said, “but you man go and see for youself. Good luck.” With this Ali took me forward whispering now and telling me we had the wind in our favor as it was in our face so we were down wind of the heard. We crawled the last few meters on our stomachs and inched slowly to the top of the rise and there before us was a magnificent site. There were maybe 50 or so deer in all grazing peacefully, some standing some laying down, looking completely at home in their environment. Then Ali pointed to our right and maybe 40 or 50 meters away from the main heard were four stags two laying down and a young stag grazing a few feet away from them and also standing was an older stag, a ten pointer. Ali glassed them through his binoculars and said that the older Stag looked to be 13 or 14 years old and that would be the one he wanted to cull. The other three were considerably younger and Ali said he would like to keep them on the hills this year and the older one looked as though he was going back, or past breading. The main herd were about 300 meters away and the stags probably 50 meters further on, grazing on the side of a steepish slope which tailed off further to the right. Our ridge curved round to the our right which would bring us closer to the stags but still down wind, so we backed off the ridge and when out of sight walked along its base bringing us closer to the stags all the time but still out of view. We eventually made our way back up to the top of the ridge and from there Ali said that we had to get h&s Issue 01

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big game hunting

closer to the stags and must keep low and together to minimize our silhouette. We crawled on our stomachs until we were below the sky line then slowly stood and very slowly move forward crouching all the time and trying to use every bit of cover, in the shape of boulders or grassy outcrops until we were about 150 meters from the four stags. Maybe thirty or forty meters in front and slightly to our right, away from the deer’s sight was a mound of earth that Ali whispered we should make for. Now sliding on the damp, often slimy, ground we gradually reached our firing point. The youngest of the four stags was the most active the other two were laying down quartering away from us, with the old Stag still standing and grazing, lifting his head now and then but unaware of our presence. We now had to wait to see if the stag would give us a clear shot or if he would just show us his rear end and walk away. How long we watched them was hard for me to tell as I was focused only on the stag, willing him to turn broadside on giving us the shot, whilst Ali’s eyes were taking in the whole heard as they could determine the

movement of the stags. Ali then passed the rifle to me and said that I should take a bead on the stag through the scope to get my eyes accustomed. Looking through the 86

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6x magnification gave me a much clearer picture of the beast. I could see clearly the red, course, fir of his coat, his eyes and those 10 point antlers, and as I was looking he moved forward, still grazing and turned to his left coming broadside on to us. “There’s your stag, Laddie, take your shot when you are ready”, whispered Ali. I focused the dot in the center of the cross hairs slightly behind and just above the top of his front leg into his shoulder where all his vital organs are, took a breath and held it and squeezed the trigger. I felt the kick in my shoulder as the 150 grain bullet sped towards its target. I saw the small cloud of dust come off the stags hide and his head shoot up and his front leg kick forward, the other stags started trotting away moving the whole heard, but the Old Boy only got maybe five meters when his front legs buckled and he rolled over on his side, a clean kill. Thank goodness. “Good shot Laddie, now we will wait awhile, chamber another cartridge just in case, and keep the scope on him,” said Ali. After a few minutes Ali indicated that we should go see for ourselves and with that we stood up and Ali waved Ian to bring up the Argocat. As we started to walk towards the fallen stag my feelings were mixed, euphoric at having made my first kill of a stag and sadness at dropping the beast after 13 or 14 years of freedom on the hills. I mentioned this to Ali who said it was quite natural to feel this way but the old stag was just that, old, and going back, past his best and not able to breed, and to keep the herd healthy you had to cull the ones that were not fit. The old hinds past breeding and the week calves all had to be culled. The stag’s death was far more painless than leaving him to starve or to get too old to keep up, or to just waste away on these bleak moors, and all deer shot hereabouts are sent to the

butcher and all the meat eaten. Ian caught up with us and we covered the last few meters on the ATV. Ian and Ali examined the beast and they said that his back teeth were worn down, an indicator of his age, but healthy none the less. Ian, with amazing dexterity, field dressed the stag in less than ten minutes whist Ali reached into the box on the back of the Argo and retrieved a bottle of Genfiddich scotch whisky which, as all whisky drinkers will know, has the stag trade mark on its label. “I Think it is appropriate that we salute the Old Boy with a wee dram don’t you”. Pouring a couple of fingers into three mugs he handed one to Ian and my self and we raised the mugs to the stag and took a swallow. The mugs were then topped up with hot coffee from Ian’s thermos and we sat there for a while taking in the scenery and watching the herd, still in view, seemingly unconcerned but a good few hundred meters further away, before we lifted the stag onto the back of the Argo and headed back to the hotel. It is difficult to describe the feeling after culling your first deer but I assure you the adrenalin rush is at its height during the final stalk and taking the shot, but remains in your system for a good while thereafter. The more experienced you become the more confident you become and some things come naturally to you after a while. But one should never become so confident that you take a risky shot. You owe it to your quarry to kill it quick and clean and if you do not kill it straight away you have to follow it and make sure you dispatch it as soon as possible. “Tomorrow we will see if we can find you some ptarmigan,” said Ali, as we bounced over the rough terrain. But that’s another tail which will keep for another edition. h&s Issue 01

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big game hunting

Uganda

Lift Hunting Ban

After decades Uganda has lifted its ban on hunting big game to enable it to boost tourism revenue and to fund other wild life and environmental projects in the region. 88

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Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) spokesperson Lillian Nsubuga said that game such as elephants, zebra and buffalo have now reached such numbers as to be a problem to farmers to the animals destroying crops and a deal had been agreed with a private company to sell sport hunting licenses to certain areas of the east African country.

“We have entered into a tripartite agreement with Uganda Wildlife Safaris and a number of district governments which will benefit the local community by providing employment for local people” The licenses will only be issued for areas not currently designated as wildlife reserves. During the 1981/1986 civil war that bought the current government to power much of the wildlife was decimated whilst in parts of northern Uganda the Lords

Resistance Army insurgency enabled poachers to have free range to hunt without restrictions, which caused the ban to be implemented.

enough game nor adequate controls in place to reintroduce the hunting of elephant and buffalo for sporting purposes.

Nsubuga stated that in some districts the elephant and buffalo in particular have recovered to such an extent as to be a burden on farmers, disrupting grazing and damaging crops. “There is now enough wildlife in some area to support carefully managed hunting,” Nsubuga explained.

Animal and environmental protection groups were angered by the Authorities decision to sell game licenses in an effort to increase tourism.

“We want local communities to benefit from these animals and of course sport hunting is one way." Some of the revenue generated from the sale of licenses will go to landowners and community development funds and ironically some of the locals who for years hunted illegally will be employed as guides. However not everyone is happy about this turn of events as conservationist groups have said that Uganda has neither

In reply UWA has said that they consider that stocks elephant and buffalo have increased considerably since the end of the war in some areas and that reintroducing controlled hunting would both prevent illegal killing of game as well as protecting the farm crops under threat and would provide employment for locals. We hope to be able to have more information in our next issue and will try to confirm that the policy of controlled hunting of big game will be implemented and if so would try to arrange special deals with the outfitters for any reader interested in taking advantage of this new hunting development in Uganda.

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

exclusive - Suleiman Franjieh

Passions of a professional hunter

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

Suleiman Tony Franjieh, born on November 18, 1965 in Zgharta, Lebanon is the current leader of the Marada Movement and a Member of Parliament for the Maronite Catholic seat of Zgharta, in North Lebanon. He is the son of former minister Tony Franjieh who was assassinated in 1978 and grandson of the former Lebanese President Suleiman Franjieh and as such, carries his grandfatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name. Suleiman is the father of two children from a first marriage; Tony (1987) and Bassel (1992). Suleiman Franjieh Jr. has been married to Rima Karkafi since 2003 who has given birth to his daughter Vera (2007). He resides in Bnachii, a small town right next to his home town of Zgharta. Suleiman Franjiehâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s political career began when he was 17-years old in 1982. He entered the Parliament for the first time on June 7, 1991 and was then the youngest MP. He was in charge of various ministries such as: State, Housing and Cooperatives, Public Health, Agriculture, and Ministry of Interior. h&s Issue 01

April 2010

exclusive - Suleiman Franjieh

This prominent figure has always been known for his passion for hunting and his love for nature, so H&S decided to visit him at his residence in Bnachii to get to know more about these passions, and we report: A Friday morning, early in March we head to the North of Lebanon - destination Bnachii. It was approximately a 1 hour drive from Beirut. To be honest a person can’t but really appreciate the beauty of Lebanon on the way to the North, you have the sea to your left side spread all across the coast and the beautiful mountains with their spring outfits of green to your right side. The scenery, well, it is God’s work of art! We arrive to Bnachii residence where we were welcomed and escorted to the guest area. The house, if I may describe, is every bit of being far from exaggeration. It is just nature brought indoors and we will let the pictures reveal what we are talking about. It was only 5 minutes and the MP Franjieh comes and greets us. It was my first time to meet him. A modest, sharp, and intelligent personality with a sense of humor and generosity like no other. I guess all the characteristics of a true hunter! Speaking about his passion for hunting, we ask: Tell us about your first hunting experience, and who was the first person who introduced you to the hunting world? It was my father that taught me the principles of hunting. I remember that I was 5 years old when I went with a couple of my friends from “Rachiine” village and experienced my first hunting experience. 92

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What is the first caliber you used? It was the 9 mm and I used it till the age of 10 when my father gave me a Spanish 410 caliber as my Christmas present. I kept using the same gun for 2 years till I got the 16 gauge in 1977. It was 1978 when I lost my father and I recall that I kept his Berretta 301 semiautomatic for around 4 years. What is your favorite shot gun? It is the Italian Benelli.

Do you think hunting is an innate skill or an acquired one? Do you think people know the ethics of hunting? I think that a person is born a hunter by nature. It is in his instinct, he might learn to develop it, but it is already there. Take our ancestors long time back, for example they used to rely on hunting to survive. The instinct is there and if a person practices it he will get addicted to it. That said, in previous eras man was regulated since he only hunted to eat and survive, so it was a need. But, nowadays, most of

the hunters go for the killing and not for the adventure not baring in mind that it is supposed to be the game not the number of killings you do. There are so many places that I travel to where hunting is regulated, whereby you have a specific distance to shoot from not because you can’t shoot more , it’s because you will injure the animal less. When we hunt big game, we try to hunt old animals that are 15 years old and are to die soon. So if it wasn’t us who hunt it, it will definitely be a prey for other animals. So regulated hunting does help the development of nature and the preservation of the environment. Where do you usually hunt and where is your favorite hunting destination? Well, each place has its own flair and beauty but I can say that Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in Central Asia are among my favorites since the area is still natural and not very developed however hunting is regulated there. It is a pure wildlife. Other places that I like are Romania, Turkey, and Iran but the closer we get to Europe the more you get away from wildlife.

Hunting in Austria Where is your most challenging area to hunt? The hardest and most enjoyable experience would be Kyrgyzstan since its mountains are around 4500m high that makes it difficult and special. And it is cold with snow most of the year. What was the furthest range you have hunted from and what was the gun? It was in 2004 when I hunted the Chamois (a goat-antelope species) from a 485m range with my BLASER gun.

Kyrgyzstan

What about hunting in the Middle East? I hunt the Bezoar, a kind of a wild goat, in Turkey. This animal used to exist in

Lebanon during the 1920’s. Now we can find a few in Mount Taurus and Iskenderun in Turkey. For a moment you feel like you are at the mountains of Lebanon especially during October and November where you can smell the aromas of orange flowers blossoming. I hunt birds in Syria and Lebanon. In Jordan I hunt the Nubian Ibex and in Iraq next to Irbil I hunt the Bezoar. What about the Desert hunting? Desert animals are not an interesting hunt since there is no challenge in the process of hunting. I recall when one time we were hunting Ibex in Tajikistan, we started at dawn and our day ended with only one hunt. That’s what we call a challenging hunt and adventure. h&s Issue 01

April 2010

exclusive - Suleiman Franjieh

Residence of Suleiman Franjieh in Bnachii

We feel now we are in a hunting lodge but a 5-star one, Tell us more about its concept? Yes, this house was supposed to be a Hunting Lodge for the hunters to stay at, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our permanent residence now. I was my own architect, I designed it all, and it took me 10 years to bring it to life and make it ready. It makes me comfortable to be here. It is just me! As for all the accessories you see around you, it was all my wife Rimaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taste. Do you have the same passion for Marine hunting and diving? I love it. To a certain time, I was really hooked to marine hunting, but after a 94

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while a person has to choose one over the other and I chose wild hunting not marine hunting. What about Bassel and Tony, are they hunters too? Yes, they are passionate about both marine and wild hunting. Do you collect hunting guns? I'm not a collector, because I change a lot of guns. But my favorite will always be the practical one. For example, for shooting big game, I use 308 Caliber - Blaser. As for birds, I use 12 gauges since there is a lot of availability.

What other hobbies do you have? Photography and Drawing. Photography grew with me since I was child up till now. What kind of photography and drawing? I love the abstract photography and the imperialism in drawings. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like post card images since anyone can do that but the art of photography is to be unique and have your own style. Going back to hunting, are you with allowing and regulating Hunting in Lebanon?

Hunting in Turkey I am against banning hunting since the ban is urging people to create dangerous and twisted methods to hunt. For example: the Thrush (La Grive) bird hunting was banned, yet the hunters created a way to hunt at night using light projectors. So instead of hunting ten birds they hunt 200 birds and it becomes so brutal.

Hunting in Austria

Suleiman Franjieh and his wife Rima

Did you take a personal initiative for regulating hunting? In our area (Zgharta), I took many initiatives and I started by gathering the hunters on a regular basis to guide them and educate them on Hunting. For example, Wild Boar hunting. We have a lot of Wild Boars in the mountains and we always make sure that they are kept there to reproduce so they become large in numbers. But when people started shooting them without any education and knowledge on the ethics and rules of hunting, we gathered all the hunters and taught them that they should never aim at the mother (female wild boar) that heads the herd, the rule is only to aim at the young ones since the mother can always bring other wild boars to life. h&s Issue 01

April 2010

exclusive - Suleiman Franjieh

h&s Issue 01

April 2010

Hunting in Turkey

What do you think is the problem or obstacle that the Lebanese hunter faces? Well, the hunter by nature has a really nice spirit but his problem is the people that are imposed on the hunting arena that don’t have a clue about hunting or its rules.

when to hunt. We can take care of our environment if we work together in the right manner, but to do that the state can’t help us only! Each person should take a personal initiative and effort to educate himself it could be through magazines, internet, TV programs and many more…

The hunter nowadays lacks education and information so we can’t blame them for something they don’t know about, so the state has to create programs to educate them. The problem here in Lebanon is when the state can’t regulate a matter, they ban it!

So all the new generation can learn how to develop the hunting yet, keeping their environment safe.

What would you like to tell all the readers of H&S that are hunting enthusiasts? I say, if you love hunting, think about your children. Think about leaving them a large number of birds so they can also enjoy the hunting. And the only way to do that is to be educated on how and

In Lebanon, most of the hunters go and hunt as if it is going to be their last trip. They leave all the trash behind, like cartridges, food, cans and so on… If only each person can clean behind it will make a great difference, and it will help maintain our green environment. I get a lot of environment friendly gadgets

I personally hope that each one of you does that effort so you can be a true hunter and nature’s best friend.

for my personal use. One of those is a stick with a magnetic head that can trace metals in nature, like cartridges and etc.. I’m just saying that since it is also the responsibility of the shops to import and sell accessories that are friendly for our environment and really doesn’t cost a lot. They might even think of giving such items as gifts when their clients make purchases. I guess such steps are very crucial and important to make a change!

H&S would like to warmly thank MP Franjieh and his wife Rima for their generous hospitality during that day and their time given to us in spite of their busy schedules. h&s Issue 01

April 2010

exclusive interview

A firm prestigious in History!

Founded in 1820, Verney-Carron is a French weapon manufacturing company based in Saint-Etienne. The gun-making firm produces a wide range of fine shotguns and rifles for the purpose of hunting. Although the company is better known in France than in Europe or North-America, export of the firearms to South American and other parts of Europe is not uncommon. The history of the company dates back to the 1800s in January when the eldest son of an already gun-making family was born. His name was Claude Verney and he was born in Saint-Etienne. In 1820, Claude took part in a “Concours d’Armurerie” held by the City of Etienne and won the just reward of first prize for a marvellous mounting on a carved gun stock which is now owned by the Museum of Art and Industry. It is ranked among the most beautiful examples of its era. It was this event that marked the beginning of the firm. Claude’s first son, Jean was born in 1839. Jean took control over the management of the business with his younger brothers. The company took on the name of Verney-Carron Frères after Claude’s death in 1870. This name was retained until 1917. After Jean’s death, his eldest son, Claude, born in 1868, reformed the business under the collective name, Verney-Carron. In 1936, Verney-Carron added fishing and tennis equipment distribution as well as bicycle manufacturing to its portfolio which

h&s Issue 01

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exclusive interview

H&S magazine visited earlier this February the premises of Verney Carron located in the heart of St. Etienne in France and we report: 100

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6 AM , a snowy and cold morning in Paris, the journey started when we took the TGV (fast train) from Gare De Lyon heading in the direction to Gare St. Etienne Chateaucreux. We grab our coffee sit back and enjoy the 3 hour journey where we were so fascinated by the scenery of the white overlays of snow that covered both sides of the roads. 9 AM, we reach the station and we are hosted by Mr. Guillaume Verney Carron the grandson of Verney Carronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founder. The first thing that appealed to us was the special edition 4x4 car that was exclusively done for Verney Carron having nature as its skin, well a perfect

camouflage for a hunting trip since it blends with the warm colours of nature. A ten minute ride from the station and there we are: VERNEY CARRON HEADQUARTER. Mr. Guillaume takes us through the 5000m Sq factory and shows us how the unique and exclusive pieces of the Verney Carron guns are made and the process and manpower it requires for each item to be done. The factory has two parts: one part is where all the custom-made pieces are done and the other is where all the other guns are made. Frankly, we were amazed by the highly skilled manpower on location from the team

checking the shadows in the holes of the gum to the team at the dressage process, and we knew that it takes around 40 operations to make a barrel from start to end!. Fascinating when we stood next to the man who was working on a custom made gun, his work was so accurate and it was done with complete care and preciseness. Imagine that when the barrels of the gun are made it goes under a 600 degree of heat and then down to 20 degrees before it is safe to pick up. It is true that most of hunters have a lot of guns for hunting birds or big games but few are those who know the process of gun making and how much hard work is put to get to the final product that we see.

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exclusive interview

We took a tour all across the factory and then we took a break to sit and chat with Mr. Guillaume: Based on what criteria you chose your gunsmiths? We have a very famous school in St. Etienne called (Ecole d'armurerie) where a person has to study around 4 years to be a professional gunsmith. There are many famous schools as well in Europe like in Liege-Belgium, Brescia-Italy, FariaAustria and Shul in Germany. Verney Carron is currently available in Lebanon tell us more about your expansion plans in the Middle East? Our coming presence will be in UAE, Oman and Kuwait soon. What are your biggest markets? Russia, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Italy and Japan. What brand can be considered a competitor to Verney Carron? Well, Verney Carron is a niche brand, yet we can say that we can compete with all, since we offer a good value for money. Tell us more about the custom made guns and how can a client get one? As you saw we have our own Atelier here at the factory where all custom made guns are made. We have our own jeweller in Paris that is responsible for designing the guns with diamonds, or Gold initials and engravements. It all starts when a client sees a picture or has a design in mind, he will send us his specifications, number of barrels, what special engraving he wants, gold or diamond initials and so on. At Verney Carron, you can design your own gun.

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How much time a custom-made gun needs to be completed ? It depends on the customer’s request and the specifications he requires in his gun. Sometimes it may take up to 2 years. What is Verney Carron’s most expensive gun sold? It was special request from the Middle East, it was a gun with diamond and gold designs and it took around 700 hours of work. It costed 180,000 Euros.

What’s Verney Carron best seller? I can say it is the Sagittaire. It is the most sold shotgun in France since ever. We are currently stamping our five hundred thousand Sagittaire gun. It was launched in 1967 and it is a “popular” French rifle, known for its remarkable design and reliability. What is the gun that is ideal for hunting enthusiasts aged 21 and above and what’s its retail value? It is definitely the Sagittaire , it could be the 12 gauge or 20 gauge. The Sagittaire’s starting cost is 1300 euros.

Tell us more about L’Atelier of Verney Carron? L’Atelier Verney-Carron The quality of our fine shotguns & rifles has generated, since our beginning in 1820 and over the years, an international following from knowledgeable hunters and collectors. It is the reward for all our work and all our love of the craft. It also has a name, loyalty. The loyalty of all our customers, hunters and friends, who have always liked our outlook on life and, more simply, who have always appreciated our guns. “Atelier”, our artisanal workshop was re-born from the partnership between us, Verney-Carron and Demas, a Saint-Etienne Artisan. It turns out rifles and game guns which marry tradition and innovation using the internally developed know-how skills. Our gun stocks are entirely crafted from raw pieces of walnut wood, then weighted and adjusted in our workshop of SaintEtienne (French Capital of Gun Making) for perfect balance. Our stocks are all, hand-rubbed oil finished. Our barrels are made in-house from fine steel with added chrome and molybdenum and follow the slow traditional polishing step and rust blueing process. Each and every rifle is individually regulated by actual firing in

our shooting tunnel. A factory target comes with every double rifle we make. Highly detailed, stunningly lifelike game scenes, deeprelief floral borders, extremely fine rose bouquets, deep-chiselled relief Royal-style borders or contrasting gold inlays are a sample of what our team of engravers can do for your gun. Our responsibility till this time is to achieve the unmistakable “feel” of an exclusive bespoke firearm. What is the ideal gun for professional hunters? It is the AZUR from our custom made line. You can have your own gun with your own specifications and dimensions. The starting cost is 5000 euros. What golden rule you can give our readers when buying a gun, can we say that there are also trends in guns? I can tell them to choose the gun according to what specifications they need. As for trends, well, you know there are 2 kinds of barrels, there is the overunder barrel, and the side by side barrel, and the latter is more trendy and of a higher level. Words for H&S readers? Come visit us, and make your personalized gun.

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gunmaker legacies

AyA The Legendary

Spanish Gunmakers

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Situated in an ancient land of lofty green mountains, mysterious valleys and rugged coastlines, is the birthplace of the legendary Spanish guns. Volumes have been written about this famous gun maker and their history that grants the knowledge of the past, present and future with the existence of their production.

AyA shotguns, today, have a very well defined niche in the American market and are properly designed to suit and meet the needs of upland bird hunters, clay target shooters and gun collectors who appreciate true value and genuine quality. AyA offers one of the most complete lines of high-quality shotguns that are present in our world today. In this article, we explore the beauty and history of its birthplace, the rising of its company and their products of excellence.

The Birth of Legacy The inhabitants of the Basque Country have lived in its mountains since the dawn of mankind. The Basques are believed to be the last of the original

Europeans, with their own language and culture. The land harvests a wealth of water power and substantial iron deposits, but that is not all. The land is also an ancient industrial center. Steelmaking and manufacturing have been mainstays of the Basque economy for centuries. The Basques were always great arms makers, from the very beginning. Swords, spears and shields were made initially and then this process gradually evolved naturally to gunmaking when gunpowder was discovered in the late 1200s. The center of Basque gunmaking is the town of Eibar which is located in a narrow mountain valley, cut by the Ego River.

Gunmaking has, for centuries, been the reason of being for Eibar’s 28,000 inhabitants and it is home to the Escuela de Armeria – the gunmaker’s school – as well as the government’s proof house which proof-tests every shotgun made in Spain. Fine gunmaking in the English tradition began in the Basque Country during the Peninsular War when Napolean’s troops were driven out of Spain by the Spanish guerrillas and British forces under the Duke of Wellington, whose officers took home gun barrels of Spanish steel and had them made into fowling pieces by London gunmakers such as the Manton brothers. Spanish steel, at the time was renowned for its strength. A strong h&s Issue 01

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gunmaker legacies

1915 by Miguel Aguirre and Nicolas Aranzabal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Aguirre y Aranzabal, known to the world as AyA and the later of this article is

bond was formed between London which was the commercial capital of the world and Bilbao, the Basque port and center of banking, shipping and iron mining. The close commercial ties between London and Bilbao throughout the 1800s led to exchanges of technology and technique. Just as John Manton was the father of English gunmaking, Victor Sarasqueta was the father of the Basque gun trade. His company was established in 1881 and set a high standard for Spanish guns for the next hundred years. Although his company might have been the oldest, it was not the largest, nor was it the most famous. No, that honor belonged to a firm that was founded in 106

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their story. A small gunmaking center existed for many years in Catelonia, near Barcelona in Spain. One of the most famous of the Barcelona gunmakers was Eduardo Schilling. When word of his skills spread to the Basque Country, the two young Basque gunmakers, Aguirre and Aranzabal, left their home to work with Schilling and perfect their skills. In 1915, they returned home and went

into business together as AyA. The firm began as a small shop that produced components for established companies. Their first shop was located in Eibar, close to Carmelitas Church. As the company grew, it expanded and moved, first to the center of the town and later to a large, new factory in the Vista Alegre. Each move brought along with it

larger quarters and more craftsmen. The company’s reputation for high quality work grew along with it. In July, 1936, the Civil War began and even though it was a period of economic and social hardship for the Basques, it was the beginning of the company’s rise to become the largest and best known Spanish maker of fine guns. When the war was over in 1938, the two men decided to move on from making mere components for other companies and began making complete guns themselves with the AyA name engraved on the barrels. The Second World War had very little impact on AyA, since Spain was officially neutral.

The market after the war signified a great opportunity for Spanish gunmakers as returning service men, especially in America, were anxious to take up hunting and sport shooting once again. Their need for rifles and shotguns were vast. However, Spain was unfortunately still subject to shortages of vital commodities and essential materials such as steel. There was intense competition among Spanish gunmakers during this period of time with regards to exporting to the United States. Majority of the guns exported were mostly low priced and low quality. AyA was producing a basic range of standard shotguns at this point of time - mostly side-by-side double guns. Even though their products were well-made and dependable, they were not yet the “best” guns. The situation for gunmakers in Spain stood still till the mid 1950s. This was when two English brothers arrived in Spain on holiday. They visited a couple of gunshops in Barcelona and what they saw gave them an idea that would later on change the course of AyA’s history and the Basque finegun trade.

The brothers were Andrew and Peter King. They agreed to help AyA produce an “English range” of guns, specifically for the UK market since the British market was then and still is the toughest in the world regardless of the price, quality, etc. A partnership was born that helped transform the Spanish fine-gun business and allowed AyA to elevate from being just a regional company mostly known in Spain, into one of the great names in shotguns around the world. Since then, AyA has manufactured more than 600,000 shotguns of all types and grades. The firm is not only carrying on a long tradition of making fine shotguns, but also working to ensure that Eibar’s fine-gun industry prospers long into the future.

The secret of AyA Every AyA is made by hand - each part is carefully fitted to every other part. The gunmaker smokes the steel, first the parts, then removes metal one file stroke at a time until the two parts fit as one. The steel parts are gradually brought together into one perfect whole: barrels, frames, trigger guard, forend. The walnut stock and forend are carefully shaped and inletted at the hands of master stockers. Finally, the steel is engraved using their artist’s most traditional tools. AyA has created a range of shotguns that incorporate the very best technical features of traditional English guns, yet have the advantage of lower manufacturing costs. Every product is uniquely designed for individuals who appreciate excellent value quality.

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Model Nº 1 - Model Nº 1 Round Action Standard Features • Side by Side hammerless sidelock shotgun. • Forged steel action with double locking mechanism and gas vents. • Hardened steel intercepting safety sears. • Gold washed internal lock parts. • Gold lined cocking indicators. • Double trigger with hinged front trigger (optional selective or non-selective trigger). • Chopper lump chrome nickel steel barrels. • Concave Rib. • Straight hand, finely chequered oil finished highly figured walnut stock. • Wood grade 1. • Hand engraved with fine rose and scroll engraving. • Gold initial Oval. • Automatic Safety.

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• Available with colour hardened, old silver or white finish. • 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore. • 28" barrels, with other barrel lengths to order. • Approximate weight in 12 bore 63/4 lbs. 235 235 375 375

€ € € €

Price Model Nº 1 Cal.12.- 9.800 Price Model Nº 1 R. A. Cal.12.- 10.150

€ €

• Surcharge for bores smaller than 12 • Surcharge for Magnum Chamber increase of • Surcharge for long barrels over 28” • Surcharge for shorter barrels than 27” PRICES EX WORKS EIBAR- SPAIN • These prices supersede any previous prices. • Prices does not include VAT.

Model Nº 2 - Model Nº 2 Round Action Standard Features • Side by Side hammerless sidelock shotgun. • Forged steel action with double locking mechanism and gas vents. • Hardened steel intercepting safety sears. • Gold lined cocking indicators. • Double trigger with hinged front trigger. • Optional selective or non-selective single trigger. • Chopper lump steel barrels. • Concave Rib. • Straight hand, finely chequered walnut stock. • Wood grade 2. • English scroll engraving. • Initial Oval. • Automatic Safety. • Available with colour hardened, old silver or white finish. • 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore.

• 28" barrels, with other barrel lengths to order. • Approximate weight in 12 bore 63/4 lbs. • Surcharge for bores smaller than 12 • Surcharge for Magnum Chamber increase of • Surcharge for long barrels over 28” • Surcharge for shorter barrels than 27”

235 235 375 375

€ € € €

Price Nº 2 Cal.12.- 4.700 Price Nº 2 R.A. Cal.12.- 5.000

€ €

PRICES EX WORKS EIBAR- SPAIN • These prices supersede any previous prices. • Prices does not include VAT.• 28" barrels, with other barrel lengths to order.

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gunmaker legacies

• Half-pistol or semi-pistol grip

• Straight hand or English grip

• Pistol or Prince of Wales grip

* The pictures shows grades of walnut, bear in mind that these are indications only, as wood, is a living material with infinitive variations, but they give a broad idea of the quality of each grade. EXTRA FEATURE WOOD

Euros

BARRELS & RIBS

Euros

Surcharge individual stock measurements.

475

Flat rib.

370

Half pistol grip or Full pistol grip.

650

Machine cut flat rib.

405

Surcharge Long stock.

185

Hand file cut flat rib.

535

Surcharge stock from block.

650

Churchill' rib (up to 25").

845

Churchill' rib (over 25").

845

Cross-over stock (including stock measurements).

1.275

Completely left-handed GUN.

1.375

Beaver-tail or semi beaver-tail forend.

325

Cheeck piece.

325

MULTICHOKES & SPECIAL MARKS

1.275

Central vision stock.

Euros 455

Surcharge Multichokes (5+key).

Standard recoil pad.

135

Surcharge Briley Multichoke (complete set).

1.125

Silvers' recoil pad (solid rubber).

225

Surcharge Steel shot Briley (complete set).

1.325

Upgraded to Nº 1 wood (on lower models).

585

Surcharge for steel shot proof.

Special grade walnut stock (surcharge on Model Nº 1).

955

Minimum Chokes will be ***.

Exhibition wood stock (surcharge on Model Nº 1).

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SemiBeaver Tail

April 2010

1.275 225

Oil-finished stock (where not standard).

Beaver Tail

Splinter

410

• AyA Special Finish

• Case Hardening

• Old Silver Finish

• White finish

OTHER FEATURES

Euros

ENGRAVING AND GOLD

Euros

Special Hardening treatment.

1.450

AYA logo (in gold) on top lever.

125

Pair of guns (per gun).

465

Gold line around lockplates.

685

Single non-selective trigger (SNST).

850

Initials in oval (each letter).

Single Selective Trigger (SST).

990

Initials inlet in gold (each letter).

345

Self-opener.

1.670

Lettering on barrels.

Bi-gauge.

1.475

Serial number in gold on trigger guard.

Chrome lined barrels.

80 345 59

Initials on trigger guard (per letter).

Concealed hand detachable pin (only in 12, 16 or 20 Ga).

850

Complete set of fitted spare parts.*

425

Initials in gold, on trigger guard (per letter).

Spare fitted firing pins and springs.

110

Gold plated internal parts.

Extra surcharge for special Trigger Pulls.

160

Gold plated triggers.

125

* Firing pins and springs, mainsprings, ejector springs and top lever springs. h&s Issue 01

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hunting experience

South Africa Hunting Trip I arrive from Dubai to the newly extended Johannesburg International Airport in the early evening of the 16th of May, and after collecting my luggage proceeded to the Hotel courtesy pick up area where the bus was waiting to take me to my hotel room for the night. I had arrived in South Africa ahead of my four other hunting companions who were scheduled to arrive the following morning when we would all meet up and fly to our hunting destination of Bloemfontein. Joe, and Omar had visited South Africa on numerous previous occasions, but for myself, Richard and Nasri it was our first time. I met the others at the airport

arrival terminal the following morning and we had a few hours to wait till our internal flight to Bloemfontein at three in the afternoon. The down time was spent pleasantly with Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife and family, who happen to be South African, and we had arranged to meet them for lunch before our departure onwards. The flight to Bloemfontein was uneventful and for those of us who had not visited South Africa before it gave us time to view the scenery from a few thousand feet in the air. The first thing that you notice about the land is that there is a lot of it, from our vantage point it looked pretty flat with mountains in the

distance. Upon arrival we were greeted by our outfitter, Mannie, who met us in a commodious Ford F250 Dual cab pickup and delivered us to our hotel which would be our home for the next five nights. After being assigned our rooms and freshening up we all met in the lobby where Mannie proceeded to outline the itinerary for the next four days hunting. The actual farm we would be hunting on belonged to Mannie and was about an hours drive from the hotel. Mannie told us that the first days shoot would be doves over sunflower crops in the morning with Rabbit and Duck in the afternoon and evening. We had arranged to meet for breakfast the following morning at 7am after which Mannie drove us to his farm and introduced us to his family and his assistant guide for our duration, Obbie. The farm had been in Mannieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family for four generations and consisted of undulating veldt that stretched as far as the eye could see in all directions, the area contained five lakes and numerous wooded areas which was the home for a variety of deer, wild bore, rabbit, water fowl, game birds, pigeon/dove and ostrich. Obbie had arrived well before us and had bought with him the ammunition and additional 12 gauge shotguns that our

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party would be using during the hunting trip. Being a traditionalist, if hunting with a shotgun, I prefer to use an over and under and so I chose a Browning Citori, whilst the other members of the party preferred the Remington semi automatics. Once the boxes of cartridges had been allocated and identified we were driven a few miles to our stands on the sun flower plantation. The flower heads had died off leaving the seeds to be harvested and this is what the pigeon are after. The area we were shooting over was vast and we were each dropped of with a tracker and a picnic chair about 500 meters apart giving everyone ample space to shoot. The birds were already feeding on the crops and as we drove from stand to stand we disturbed what must have been thousands of feeding pigeons which gave us confidence that we would see some good shooting. These were wild birds, not bred and released, and the farmers here about are grateful for anyone keeping the birds under control and away from the crops. The plantation was generally flat and we were distributed in an arch around the perimeter of the fields and were advised to pitch our chairs inside the crops about fifteen or twenty meters from the track. The sunflowers stood about five or six feet tall so we had pretty good cover, or so I thought. The birds tended to flock together in groups, the groups moving from field to field as they became disturbed. Obie dropped me and my local tracker, Matthew, who would be my companion for the duration, at the furthest most point and as we walked into the crop to find a suitable location Matthew suddenly turned and pointed upwards and behind and as I turned a large flock of pigeons flew directly over our heads. Of course we were not set up so we were not able to disturb them, but they will be back, or at least there

relatives would be and we would be ready next time. Well indeed we were. Being the last in the line we could hear the report of other guns and by the number of shots we could count they were getting some good sport. As soon as I heard the others shooting I was on my feet and was crouching low and looking upwards and behind me as the land sloped at roughly 15 degree away to my front and I assumed that behind would be the direction the birds would come from. Sure enough as I looked through the waving sunflower stands a large flock of pigeons were heading in my direction, just slightly to my right and coming on fast. I watched until they were in range, stood and mounted my gun in one fluid movement to take my first shots of the day. As soon as the birds saw me they took evasive action and veered off further to the right and as a consequence my

first shot missed in front, but I quickly adjusted my aim and my second shot found its mark and a bird folded up and dropped out of the sky from the edge of the flock. Quickly reloading I was able to take a second bird before the flock had passed me. Maybe a semi with a five shot capacity is not a bad idea after all in these circumstances. Shooting pigeon is not as exciting as shooting pheasant or grouse or wild fowl, but the speed of these birds and their awareness of your desire to shoot them make them pretty good sport none the less and I was happy to have downed two birds for three shots. Matthew trotted off to collect the downed birds and on bringing them back mounted them on the tops of the sunflowers as decoys to other birds that would undoubtedly fly over our location. Obie was driving around from location to location and scaring up the flocks that had settled and were feeding on the seeds. This of cause kept the birds moving h&s Issue 01

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and all of us had some good shooting that morning with 114 birds taken in total. By mid day it was getting quite warm at 27 degrees and the birds had got wise to our stands and had moved off to other, less dangerous, locations. They would be back later in the day but for now it was time for us to get together and to discuss the mornings shooting and to have a bite of lunch and then move on to the rabbit and duck. Driving from the sun flower crops and on to the open veldt was an experience in its 114

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self. The land was vast and you could see for miles and miles, but eventually we arrived at an area where were told that there would be one or two rabbit although at this time of day they would not be in the numbers that they would be early morning and evening but Obie had set aside the late afternoon and early evening for the duck flighting. Looking for the rabbits turned out to be more fun than gun. We managed to bag only three rabbits but we were all in pretty good spirits after the morning shoot and no one minded that we spent the early part

of the afternoon riding in the huge Ford pick up over some pretty rough terrain with the occasional walk if the ground got too rough for a comfortable ride. Richard bagged a couple which tested his aim and Joe bagged one and the rest of us just had a good time looking for them in this beautiful countryside. The duck flighting was a more formal affair and after the fun and games chasing rabbit we were all ready for some serious shooting. It is difficult to establish just where we were in relationship to where

we had started from, this being the nature and the vastness of the terrain but before to long we had arrived at an area which had two lakes in defiles about a mile apart. Well one you would call a lake the other was more of a big pond, both had ducks and geese sitting on the water and the idea was to send the sitting ducks off of the lake on to the pond whilst we spread ourselves around the shore of the lake and wait till Obie scared them all of the pond in the hope that they would fly back to the lake, where we would be ready for them. We waited about forty minutes before we heard the familiar quacking of ducks in flight and off in the distance, sure enough, we could see them approaching the lake. We were all keeping a low profile as the ducks and a few geese started their decent onto the lake and as they were about to glide in I saw Joe and Omar stand and commence firing. Birds were dropping out of the sky and the flight suddenly veered to the left away from the guns which sent them over Richard and Nasri, and a few more birds then folded up to their guns. I was not fortunate enough on this occasion to have the opportunity to shoot as the birds veered away from my stand. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the way it goes. If they had decided to

veer right then it would have been my day, but the evening was not yet over and there was a possibility of a flight coming in to roost as the afternoon wore on. As dusk was approaching it started to get cooler and we had waited for almost an hour before we saw in the distance black specks in the gathering gloom which indicated a flock of birds coming to roost for the night on the lake. This time they appeared to be heading in my direction, although they were quite a way out and could circle away from me to approach the lake from the other end which would give the other guys the shooting again. But I saw them approach from over my right shoulder and then swing slightly to their left bringing them in over a stand of conifer trees directly to my back. As I watched them disappear behind the trees I could hear Matthew, my trusty man, advise me to get ready as they would come on to the lake right over my head. After what seemed like an eternity the first birds cleared the trees and made to glide on to the lake. I let them get to about 45 degrees and 30 meters in front of me, chose my target and aimed about six inches below him, pulled the trigger and saw him turn head over tail feather into the water. I missed with my next shot

and quickly reloaded and by this time the flight had decided it was not the place to spend the night and split left and right heading into the gathering gloom and unknown to them over the guns of Joe and Omar on the right hand side of the lake and Richard and Nasri on the left. I did manage to bag a tail ender with my forth shot but the other four guys were having some good shooting as they had time to watch the birds coming in over the trees till they were in range. Again the semi autos took a good toll and at least 17 birds were taken by the four guns. Well shot you guys. The following day was to be a bit of a safari, as we would try to bag a wild bore, which makes very good eating, ostrich, guinea fowl and duck again in the evening. We arrived at Mannieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farm at about nine oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock and collected some cans of soft drink as well as a couple of dozen delicious bread rolls filled with ham, cheese and beef that his good lady wife had prepared for us to keep us going throughout the day. Mannie had fitted out the F250 with high seats in the back which looked out over the cab top and this was where Richard, Omar and Joe positioned themselves for the ride over h&s Issue 01

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into the stand of trees despite everyone having shot at it at least twice as it past. We were sure it was not even pricked but one of the trackers went into the trees to see if it was wounded but saw neither hide nor hair of it. At the end of the drive we had a bag of 17 birds which I would venture to say was a little more than half of the ones flushed.

the undulating veldt as we went in search of the guinea fowl. We had traveled for about twenty minutes off the beaten track when the guys on top suddenly called out, “wild boar”, and sure enough to our left on the top of a rise a good kilometer away we spotted maybe 7 or 8 boar. Obie stopped the Ford and watched them through the scope of his, Browning .243 rifle. It would appear that they had seen us before we had spotted them because they were all on their feet and looking nervously our way. Obie said that we should keep quiet and still to see if they settled down, if they did we would have to pursue them on foot. However, this was not to be as the group turned smartly as one and disappeared over the rise in that quick short stiff legged shuffle that bovines seem to do. We drove up to the top of the ridge and despite being able to see for miles the boars were no where to be seen. We drove for a kilometer or two in the direction that they could have taken, but without any look. So we abandoned the chase and moved off in search of the guinea fowl. In this regard we were more successful. 116

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After driving to the area where we expected the birds to be we all disembarked from the pick-up at the side of a track with an undulating grassy plain in front of us and a stand of trees and bush about 15 meters deep to our left extending about a couple of kilometers forward. In some areas the veldt was corrugated, these ridges were maybe a meter high and a couple of meters wide at the base stretching all the way from boundary to boundary. These ridges were man made to help with drainage but also gave cover for the wildlife and it was in this environment that Mannie assured us we would find the guinea fowl. We spread out in a line, 15 or 20, meters apart and started to walk. And sure enough, we had not walked far before, Joe and Omar, at the far right, flushed two birds and dropped them cleanly. These two must have been the back markers because as we walked on birds were being flushed out ahead of us all along the line and every one had some good sport. Not all the birds flushed succumbed to the guns and one memorable bird, flying fast and low down the line was seen vanishing

We continued walking on into the next field but saw only a couple of the ones we had flushed and missed, and they took off well in front, too far for a clean shot. Obie told us that the guinea fowl, if scared, would run along the ground to avoid detection. We even walked into the stand of trees to see if they had decided to hide there, but like the boar, they had disappeared. This is there land after all and they know it better than us. So we headed back to the pick-up to look for the ostrich. It had never occurred to me to shoot an ostrich but in South Africa they do run wild and all game shot, including ostrich, is eaten. So we decided that we would see what sort of sport they offered. The area where we would find the ostrich was a good way away from the guinea fowl but after a drive, again over pretty wild terrain, we eventually came upon a group of 7 ostrich grazing about 300 meters ahead and to our left. Some of the birds were laying down some standing. Obie stopped the truck and after Nasri had volunteered to take the shot he climbed onto the back of the pick and settled himself into the left hand seat as we would be approaching the ostrich from this direction and Obie would try to keep the truck with the bird to the left. Ostrich’s eyes are about the size of a snooker ball and its brain is somewhat smaller than that. It is not too good at eluding hunters as it will tend to run in circles, but it is able to run at close to 70 km per hour;

and there lay the challenge. The ground was not ridged as it was when we were walking up the guinea fowl but it was no blacktop highway either. We approached the group very slowly and for a while they just stood or sat watching us. As we got closer those sitting stood and we could see that they were ready for flight, not literally as they are not able, but they soon were on the move. Myself, Joe, Richard and Nasri were in the truck bed with Omar hanging out the rear window of the cab shouting encouragement. Soon we were on the move, I mean on the move. It was difficult to establish the actual speed as Obie was too focused on driving over rough terrain and trying to cut off the Ostrich to look at the speedometer. The bird that Obie had decided Nasri should go for was a big male about two and a half meters tall and weighing in the region of 130 kg. and he was moving very quickly by now. The shot would not be easy but Obie was skillfully closing to a distance suitable to make a clean shot. The first two shots came nowhere near due to the movement of the tuck but the third round of No4 buck shot. Dropped him cleanly about 20 meters from the truck. He was dead when he hit the floor but the nerves in his legs kept them kicking and you would not wish to get on the wrong side of an ostriches foot as it has two very large, sharp claws that could disembowel a man. Even though it was only Nasri who took the shot all of enjoyed the excitement of the chase.

goods and it feathers would be put to good use as well. So no waste. Day three, like the others started just after 7 o’clock, and at that time in the morning the temperature was down to single figures. We would be back shooting pigeon this morning and by the time we had reached our location the sun was warming the world nicely. On this occasion I was more content to relax and so set my camp chair next to Joe and took it easy. Richard and Nasri were out of site further down the plantation but Omar was about 60 meters away from us, well within earshot, as was proved by the friendly banter being passed between us. The pigeons were probably more aware of our presence that morning as we saw fewer than on the first day but they provided good sport none the less. We could hear the report of Nasri’s and Richard’s guns and they appeared to be having a fair amount of shooting and throughout the morning Joe and Omar took about thirty five bird between them, mostly good, high fast birds, at that. I contributed two or three but was just happy to sit comfortably basking in the

sun and watching the sport. After lunch we headed off to look for more guinea fowl and on the way we startled a duiker buck that was lying down in the grass. The common duiker is a small antelope, which grows to around 20 inches and weighs in at between 12 and 25 kg. This one was larger than average size and took off at a run but stopped about 100 yard in front of us. As soon as we saw it Obie stopped the truck and counselled us to be still and quiet. For a while the duiker stood face on looking towards us watching us all the time and we just watched him back. After about five minutes or so he started grazing and as soon as Obie decided he had settled down he slowly passed the rife and two .243, 75 grain, Hornady bullets up to Joe, who was stationed in the back of the pickup. We all seemed to be doing things in slow motion so as not to spook the deer and as Joe drew back the bolt and loaded a bullet into the chamber the deer turned so that it was now quartering towards us giving Joe a reasonable shot as we had manage do get to within 70 to 75 yards of him. The crack

After the ostrich we headed back to another lake to catch the evening fighting of the ducks and a good few ducks and geese were taken that evening, but on the way back to the hotel all that we could talk about was the ostrich. The ostrich would provide a good few kilos of meat and its hide would be used for leather h&s Issue 01

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at the far end of the lake in an arch and Obie and the trackers would try to flight the birds in our general direction. I knew that this could be a bit of a hit and miss affair having shot on many duck drives in the UK. The direction of scared up wildfowl was not that predictable and this to some extent is the beauty of the sport. Sometimes your luck is in sometimes it is not. However we all stood back from the lakes edge in eager anticipation as Obie and his boys did their work and within a few moments most of the birds were in the air heading towards the far end of the lake where we waited.

of the rifle cause us all to flinch, even though we were expecting it, and we peered intently at the deer as it sprang forward and ran about ten meters before dropping from view into the long grass. Obie said it was a good clean shot and that the deer would be dead but told Joe to load the second bullet as a follow up shot should it be necessary. As it turned out it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, the 75 grain bullet had entered just in front of the shoulder and into the deerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vital organs killing it almost instantaneously. The rifle was unloaded and the deer lifted into the back of the truck. More venison on its way. After a few more miles driving over the veldt we disembarked at an area that Obie thought there should be more guinea fowl. This time the terrain was long grass and scrub and sloped uphill to the left towards a small copse in front, and hedges to left and right. The left hand hedge hid a small lake which we hoped would attract some water fowl later on in the day. The walk up was not as rewarding as yesterday but we bagged a further eight guinea 118

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fowl between us. By the time we had finished the walk up we were a about two kilometers away from where we had initially started from and Obie suggested that we take a break and relax for a while to let things settle down a bit as we were hoping to be able to take duck and geese off of the lake we had left behind us. It was getting towards late afternoon as we all sat on the grass drinking our sodas and occupying ourselves with some good natured banter and filling our lungs with clean fresh air. In actual fact after the activity of the day we were all feeling pretty lazy, but Obie soon roused us up and said that there should be some birds on the lake now waiting for us. With this we all mounted the pick up and headed along a track that would take us back the way we had come but with the lake way on our right hand side. From a vantage point at the head of the lake we saw that there were a good few duck and geese on the water and the plan was that we would station ourselves

The waterfowl you can expect to find in South Africa ranges from, Egyptian Geese, Spirwing Geese, Teal, White Faced Duck, and Red Bills. There were some Moore Hens on our lake as well but in this instance they did not fly and just moved on a bit further down the water. However the duck and Egyptian Geese did fly and we accounted for 17 birds consisting of 11 duck and 6 geese. One memorable Egyptian was shot by Omar who was end gun in the line and as the goose flew safely off the lake it swung to its right gathering height and calling all the time. Those of us that had the time could see Omar watching it and following its course as it came round over his left shoulder. It is difficult to judge exactly the distances as dusk was gathering, but it must have been a good 45 meters in front and pretty high because when Omar fired twice in succession I thought he had missed but after what seemed like an eternity the goose folded its wings and plummeted to the ground. It was a big goose and if anyone was under it at the time it surely would have done some damage. Omar was over the moon and quite rightly so. In terms of numbers Richard was the most productive taking some very impressive high birds which

included 4 of the geese. The birds were retrieved and stowed in the back of the pick up and it was fully dark as we headed back to the hotel, tired but happy and pleased with another enjoyable day. It was agreed that the next day, as it would be our last, would include a traditional South African Braai, or barbeque as I know it. The arrangements for this was made at breakfast that morning and whilst the others would shoot in the morning Mannie, Nasri and myself would visit the Natural History Museum in Bloemfontein to take in a little bit of the culture of the place and then pick up the meat for the Brie in the afternoon. The museum was definitely worth a visit as was the butchers. The meat was extraordinary, and not expensive, so we loaded up with steak and sausages and cutlets and a few six packs from the liquor store next door. We collected Mannies wife, from home as she had been busy preparing the accessories for the brie, including salads, cutlery and crockery etc., and we then proceeded to the camp site. This was beautifully situated on the shores

of a large lake set out in the midst of a small cops cleared of undergrowth, with all the amenities you would need for a really great BBQ. The boys started the fire and before long the pick up arrived with Obie, Omar, Joe and Richard, who had had another good morning in the sun flower plantation accounting for good few pigeon that would not bother the farmers any more. The rest of the afternoon consisted of relaxing, eating, and imbibing the occasional beverage whilst reminiscing on the previous days experiences, which all agreed were some of the best times any of us had experienced for a long time. We sat quietly, each with our own thoughts of favorite moments, with the delicious smell of the cooking meat and wood smoke still in our nostrils and watched wild fowl come to roost and marveled at magnificent sun set over the lake. No wonder they call it the Rainbow State as the setting sun produced colors that were breathtaking. The wild fowl on the lake were in no danger this time. The shooting was over for the time being but we all agreed that we had to come

back again in the not too distant future as this was too good for it to be only once in a lifetime. We flew back from Bloemfontein to Johannesburg the next morning with time to spare before our departure back to Dubai, so as Joe had visited South Africa many times before he took us to the Safari Park to see the wild life there and especially amazing was the lion compound which enabled one to actually pet the lion cubs and to get as close as a few meters from the adults, whilst in the safety of your vehicle of course. These magnificent animals were looked after and bred by the park which had the largest number of white lions in South Africa. Lunch was taken in Mandela Square, which forms part of the Sandon Shopping Center, and as the Squareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name implies is a monument to Nelson Mandela and is dominated by a huge 6 meter bronze statue of the man himself as well as being the home to dozens of fine eating establishments located around the perimeter of the square, and our lunch there was a fitting finale to a truly enjoyable and memorable experience.

Note: Bloemfontein, in the Orange Free State, is probably the flattest landscape you can get in South Africa and for the type of hunting we enjoyed it was ideal, but if you hanker after a little more spectacular scenery then maybe you could consider a visit to, Limpopo Bushveldt, in the north which boasts the greatest diversity of mammal species and bird life, or the Eastern Cape which is home to all of the popular game species and to the east is boarded by the Indian ocean. Whatever type of hunting or safari you are looking for South Africa can accommodate. h&s Issue 01

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safari adventure

Goâ&#x20AC;&#x153;Wildâ&#x20AC;?!

Safari holidays bring you one step closer to Nature and they are getting more and more popular all around the world. Safari holidays bring you one step closer to Nature and they are getting more and more popular all around the world. The idea of getting up close and personal with some of the worlds most incredible wild-life while enjoying the exotic atmosphere of the place you are in amongst many other things is what makes a safari holiday enjoyable and memorable. We have picked out the four top destinations where you can live your safari holiday to the most and it is no surprise that the wild and beautiful world of Africa has not only topped the list, but has also taken over it with all four destinations belonging to the magical continent. Deep forests, close encounters with wildlife, raw and powerful beauty in both flora and fauna, sunny days and starry nights is what you will meet in any one of the below destinations and each will leave you with a lifetime experience and a memory that will safely be cushioned in your heart.

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South Africa The world’s biggest nature reserves

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Tanzania The world’s best in game viewing

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Tanzania - Home to Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania is truly a place of great marvel with its beauty so supreme. Its wildlife sanctuaries are unspoilt and this is the reason why Tanzania safari is placed among the world’s best in game viewing. The Serengeti National Park is one of the world’s greatest game parks and also Tanzania’s oldest game reserve. In the Massai language, it means ‘endless plains’.

Things to do: There are a number of enjoyable things to do at the Serengeti National Park if you want a complete Safari experience. Unforgettable hot air balloon safaris over vast Serengeti plains are offered as well as fantastic bird-watching. If you want to inhale a magical scenery that will sweep you off your feet, than it is strongly suggested that you allow your eyes to view its vast grassy plains that are dotted with beautiful acacia trees.

Where to stay Serengeti Under Canvas will allow you to experience a classic safari in solitude, tranquility and comfort with only the canvas walls of your tent separating you from the Serengeti. The mobile camps are carefully planned to bring guests as close as possible to the magnificent natural spectacle of the Great Migration. A comfortable drive brings guests into the midst of the moving masses of

wildebeest and zebra. Warm service, comfort and simple luxury in the heart of Nature is offered by the Serengeti Under Canvas and custom made Indian rugs will caress your feet as the polished brass samovars add a touch of elegance and romance to your adventurous stay.

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safari adventure

Botswana The most beautiful subtropical wilderness reserves

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Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It extends 1100km from the north to south and 960km from east to west. Botswana experiences extremes in both temperature and weather. In the winter, the days are normally clear, warm and sunny and the nights are cool to cold while in the summer, wildlife is harder to spot as this is the time of highest humidity and the most stifling heat. Wildlife never wanders far from water sources so sightings are more possible during winter than in the wetter summer season. Botswana is a one of a kind destination, a combination of desert and delta that draws a vast variation of wildlife and the Savute region, a famous corner of Chobe National Park is the place to be for the ultimate safari experience in Botswana. Some of the largest concentrations of wildlife Southern Africa are found in the Savute region. During the rainy season, Savute hosts the annual zebra migration. After the summer rains, thousands of zebra form a thundering migration across the Savute. Where to stay Savute Safari Lodge – The area is renowned for its population of bull elephant and for its unique interaction with the resident predator species. All suites are adorned with gorgeous

modern African décor. They also have private decks, combined bedrooms, sitting areas and en-suite facilities which set this lodge apart from typical safari accommodations. The main sitting area, cocktail bar and library are situated in a beautiful thatch and timber main building. Savute Safari Lodge boasts a private viewing deck for all its guests, an al fresco dining area and a swimming pool which is ideal for watching game at the waterhole. Besides the above, open 4x4 game drives are conducted in the Savute area, including the famous Savute Marsh, and the ancient San rock paintings at Gubatsa Hills, add magic to a delightful African safari. Highlight The Seven Hills of Savute, also known as the Gubatasa Hills, which means ‘place where water can be dug in river sand’, is one of the main highlights of the Savute area. They are volcanic rocks that date back 980 million years. During the time of Lake Mababe, they were islands in the vast lake. Today, pebbled beaches created by the lake can still be seen at the base of the hills. Botswana is truly an unforgettable safari destination as it is blessed with some of Africa’s most beautiful subtropical wilderness reserves!

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safari adventure

Kenya

Where "safari was born"

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When the word ‘Safari’ is thought of by most people, the word ‘Kenya’ comes to mind and that is because Kenya is where ‘safari’’ was born. The thrill, excitement and even the romance are all characteristics that draw people to this magical country. Kenya boasts magnificent beauty filled with magic and history as well as numerous herds of wildlife. It is indeed a land of vibrant wildlife with its many nature reserves, national parks, elephant orphanages, etc. The Masai Mara National Reserve is one of the most diverse wildlife areas in the world and it is known as the ‘spotted

land’ to the Masai. The Mara River is famous for its enormous crocodiles. The reserve is part of a huge conservation area that also includes the Serengeti National Park.

The en-suite bathroom is incorporated with a stone shower and warm wood furnishing. Guest areas are relaxing beyond imagination with cushy sofas and leather chairs.

Where to stay Set in the legendary Masai Mara, Bateleur Camp offers breathtaking views of the Mara and the wonderful ambiance of the classic Kenyan Safari. Guests are pampered with an elegant tent, a private deck where bird-watching during the day and star-gazing during the night is much possible and greatly enjoyable.

So yes, the above four destinations are the best locations if you are looking forward to a memorable and thrilling safari holiday. Put on your khakis, grab your binoculars and enjoy watching Nature as it is supposed to be - Wild and Free!

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camp with style

It's all about

camping this season Canadian twin brothers from Willowdale Ontario, Dean and Dan Caten have operated in the international fashion business since 1984. They moved to New York City on 1983 to attend the Parson’s School of Design and on 1991 came to Italy where, on 1994, after many collaborations with the most important fashion houses, they had their first men’s collection show, marking the first in a long succession of runway extravaganzas that were to capture the attention of journalists and buyers for their perfect combination of fashion, music and theater. The intelligent mix of irreverent Canadian wit and refined Italian tailoring, together

Dsquared2 Boutique - Dubai Mall

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with attention to detail are the foundation of today’s Dsquared2 philosophy, which has given life to a unique concept of alternative luxury. Recently, Dsquared2 collections have conquered a wider audience and, owing to their natural stylistic maturity, have become more chic and sophisticated while maintaining those sexy and provocative traits so embedded in their creative roots. This evolution is also due to the continuous international inspiration received by Dean and Dan, who, while dividing their life and work between Milan and London, create their collections in Italy: “Born in Canada, living in London, made in Italy”.

Dsquared2: Available at Dubai Mall Fashion Avenue 1st Floor Tel +971 4 339 8709

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camp with style

Spring/Summer Collection 2010

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outdoor adventure

Camping in Lebanon

La Reserve

Located in the heart of the majestic mountains of Lebanon is Afqa, which is home to an eco-tourism resort that offers nature lovers and adventure seekers outdoor sports and activities in a green and friendly environment.

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La Reserve is the premier eco-tourism resort in the mountains of Lebanon and the very first that allows visitors the opportunity to enjoy the thrills of the outdoors. It is located at Mnaitra, at the heights of casa Jbeil and it spreads over millions of square meters, blossoming with apple and cherry trees, evergreen juniper, pine and oak trees. The surroundings of the resort incorporate archaeological remains, fabulous grottos, and a number of beautiful valleys and plateaus with overwhelming imagery as well as natural water springs. Besides the astoundingly beautiful location and scenery of the resort, the activities offered are just as brilliant. The activities range from archery to climbing and hiking, caving to a rope course and the one which we are the most focused on and the most impressed by is, camping! Yes, that’s right. La Reserve is extremely well known for its great camping, where one could just remain in the wilderness for days and nights without ever wanting to leave. La Reserve’s camping is probably one of the only ones in Lebanon and it welcomes guests from May till October.

Every tent is equipped with four beds, mattresses, pillows, lighting and one electrical outlet for your mobile telephone. TV’s and Radios are not permitted in the camping area, but then that is only reasonable as you will be there to get in touch with your inner ‘nature’ spirit. Communication with the outside world is not necessary at all and so you could instead listen to the winds whisper, the birds chirping and watch the leaves as they dance. How could it get any better than that?

Other activities sponsored by La Reserve include horseback riding, mountain biking, team building and family and school programs. The resort is situated in an area of great history, myth and legends. The waterfall at Afqa is the source for the River Adonis (known today as Nahr Ibrahim or “Abraham’s River’’). It is known as River Adonis because according to Greek Mythology, Adonis was born and died at the foot of the falls in Afqa.

“There is something delicious, almost intoxicating, in the freshness of these tumbling waters, in the sweetness and purity of the mountain air, in the vivid green of the vegetation” Sir James Frazer, The Golden Bough(on a village belonging to Afqa.) h&s Issue 01

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outdoor adventure

Camping in Oman

Wadi Tiwi & Wadi Shab

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Wadi Shab is one of the most popular places for camping in Oman. Wadi Shab is located in Oman, between the capital Muscat and the town of Sur, Oman. Wadi Shab is situated in the village of Tiwi south of Muscat. It takes around two hours driving to reach the wadi with some off road driving in parts. To camp in that area, it is necessary to park at the entrance of the Wadi and continue by foot. Although parts were damaged in the cyclone, it is still one of the most stunning camping site in all of Oman. A long walk past the green grass, banana and mango trees along the narrow winding, old rock paths will bring you to a series of streams and pools. After wading and swimming through some gentle ponds your extreme adventure begins. This path is breath taking. It has at least seven pools of emerald green water and is studded with dramatic boulders. One of the pools is in a cave where light streams in dramatically from above and there are fantastic echoes heard when one swims in it. Some of the pools are not meant for swimming, as it is a natural resource of spring water for the local villages. It takes about an hour to reach the cave. But, once through the narrow entrance, it provides the opportunity to relax, or swim, or to climb up into the ceiling and jump 7 meters into the crystal water. Next stage is a climb up the rock-face through the mouth of the waterfall. Once through to the other side more crystal ponds, massive boulders and stunning

waterfalls await your discovery. Now, all we have spoken about up till now is Wadi Al Shab’s exhilarating beauty. But of course, camping is not camping without the required equipments. It is important to carry sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Wearing shoes is recommended as the path is a bit rocky and it’s important to be comfortable. It would be advised to carry a pair of swimming costumes, as it’s a life changing experience to swim in one of the ponds in the Wadi. There are different spots designated to camp in and around the wadi. So a BBQ pit also would be a good idea and of course tents are necessary. Wadi Al Shab is not a just a camping destination, it’s a very beautiful trekking spot. About seven kilometers away from Wadi Shab starts Wadi Tiwi, which extends 36 km inland and ends at a mountain village known as Mibam. Many groves and fruit trees grow along the course of this wadi from which the azure blue sea can be seen as you climb up the hills and descend into the valleys. Wadi Shab is one of Oman’s most scenic wadis and the swim through the famous keyhole and beyond will leave you with a lasting memory. h&s Issue 01

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outdoor adventure

Camping in UAE

Jebel Hafeet

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Located on the outskirts of Al Ain, in the United Arab Emirates, lies Jebel Hafeet, a mountain that actually straddles part of the border with Oman.

barbeques, and hot springs that run from the mountainsides. It is an ideal location for overnight camping and a quality experience with both friends and family.

The mountain rises 1240 meters and offers a magnificent view over the city, making it the second highest mountain in the across the emirates. At the base of the mountain is Green Mubazzarah, a well developed tourist attraction, which is a large, irrigated area of vibrant green hillsides amidst the austere and rugged mountainside. It is a popular picnic spot that houses children’s playgrounds,

Swimming pools and Jacuzzis are scattered all over the Green Mubazzarah. The majestic scenery, the engulfing archaeology and the serenity of the friendly ambience is what draws millions of people to this destination year after year. Jebel Hafeet is also home to a wide variety of animals including bats, foxes, snakes, etc.

The Serpent: The Jebel Hafeet mountain road is considered by many enthusiasts to be the eighth wonder of the world. It extends for 11.7 km, winding up the mountain with a total of 60 curves, an asphalt pavement better than any race-track and three lanes (two climbing and one descending) with astonishing lighting. The flawless road was called the greatest driving road in the world by Edmunds.com. It scales the mountain and ends at a parking lot with only a hotel ‘Mercure Grand Jebel Hafeet Al Ain’ and a palace that belongs to the country’s rulers.

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hunting accessories

Collection 2010

When we launched our first HART Hunting collection back in 2004, we pursued a philosophy which still today guides us: Create a modern hunting line with maximum functionality and a new design that stands out of the common hunting lines.

Today, after six years clients all over the world have experienced the HART-feeling and the community is growing every year both in Europe and overseas.

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Also in 2010 we are presenting our new collection, which meets the expectations of the most demanding hunters. The HART collection stands out in design for its EDS-System (Ergonomic Design System) to provide the maximum movability – convinced product tester and various product awards have shown that we are on the right way. Our new models show a consequent evolution of our hunting line. The

know-how of experts in Southern and Northern Europe as well as last tendencies in garment technology were integrated in the line. The demand for weatherproof hunting gear with all-season functionality is realized in the models OAKLAND and ARTIKA. The wide range of softshell products and the active-fit hunting pant SUPERIOR and RANDON are closing the “summer gap” of the Hunting collection.

OAKLAND Series

This 4-in-1 solution with a perfect relation price-quality covers the whole hunting season. Further on, the series has a very functional outdoor-cut and can be used as a multifunctional jacket for Hunting- Outdoor - and Leisure Activities. The OAKLAND series is extremely silent, but also resistant. The summer jacket is equipped with a detachable Osmotechmembrane that can be used separately as a Pack-Lite rain jacket. The optional zipped-in softshell reversible jacket is another highlight of the series which keeps you warm in winter. The colours of the reversible jacket are green and red, so it can be used as safety jacket. More features: Functional pocket concept, handwarmer pockets with fleece-lining, detachable hood.

ARTIKA Series

Is it worth buying a camouflage jacket for autumn or is it better to buy a snow-camo combi for winter? The hunting time is generally to short to spend a lot of money in both products. The ARTIKA series combines a reversible jacket and trouser with a warm lining to cover both hunting periods. The Thermolite linning keeps you warm in autumn and winter. The camo-print and the garments are examples of constant innovation of HART apparel. The ARTIKA series is covered with a bio-logic layer for succesful elimination of odor, viruses and bacteria, which represents a real advantage when hunting from a raised hide. The camo pattern of Beyond vision uses a revolutionary technology - it makes it look so alive that it seems you can touch the bark with your hand. More features: Functional pocket concept, handwarmer pockets with fleece-lining, detachable hood etc. h&s Issue 01

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hunting accessories

IZON Softhshell Jacket

IZON belongs to a new generation of sportie universal jackets that combines hunting, nature and activity. The three-layer laminated softshell with a light microfleece lining make it wind-and waterproof, breathable and warm. The perfect jacket for warmer temperatures and ideal as mid layer in colder seasons. IZON is available in traditional green, trendy black and safety orange.

SUPERIOR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Light universal pants with tick protection

HART innovates creating a new model of a light hunting pant. It combines the advantages of a trekking pant with the resistance of a hunting pant. The result: light trousers for utmost freedom of movement with a Spandex-flex garment as base layer. The front side is constructed in strong but silent Toplon fabric and resistant ARMOTEG in knees and bottoms. Fixed gaiters inside provide protection from ticks, dirt and snow. Detachable suspenders for maximal comfort. 140

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cook your hunt

Cook your

Hunt

Game birds offer the most varied and perhaps even the most delicious type of meat. They provide the human tongue with a range of flavour delicacy just as wide as the variation of the sport in hunting them. However, keep in mind that the quality and flavour of game birds greatly depends on the care they receive after a hunter has bagged them. Roasted Quail

Here a couple of simple rules to follow: • Birds should be drawn soon after they have been shot. • Body heat should be allowed to cool as quickly as possible. • They should be kept cool or at cold temperatures until they are to be cooked. • Make sure game birds are bled, cooled and cleaned directly after shooting. • As birds are being cleaned, make sure to remove the oil sacs at the base of the back near the tail. • Always carry a portable cooling chest to speed cooling and to protect the birds from getting rotten on the way back home. Game birds should be skinned if only the breast is going to be used or if they are tough and you would rather use them in stews. Otherwise, the birds should be plucked since this helps in keeping the meat more moist and tender. Freezing a bird for a week or two will help tenderize it. Always be sure to remove any shot pellets and cut away baldy shot up areas, if any. Cut off the wings and small feet of small birds with shears, then cut them up the backbone, remove the lungs and wash and drain. When preparing game birds, you may cook younger birds by broiling, roasting or in any of your other favorite recipes; however, older birds should be stewed or braised to tenderize them.

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Listed below, are a couple of recipes for your favorite game birds, Quails, Ducks and Pigeons and if you are worried about the serving sizes, here’s a little tip!

1 serving = 2 quail, 1 small duck, 1 pigeon. Pigeon Recipe

Ingredients:

Directions

Sauteed Quail with Grit

• 2 Italian Tomatoes • 4 ounce Quail split down the back • 1 ½ ts Bayou Blast (Emeril's Creole Seasoning) • 1 tb Oil • 2 tb Chopped Onion • 1 ½ cup Veal Stock • ½ cup cooked grits (leftover is fine) • 1 tb Chopped Green Onion • Add salt to taste. • Freshly ground black pepper to taste. • 1 tbl butter.

• Split the tomatoes lengthwise and roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. In a medium saute pan, heat oil. Season quail on both sides with Bayou Blast. Sear the quail, skin side down for 4 minutes. • Flip each quail over and continue to cook for 2 minutes more. Remove quail from the pan and set aside. To the same saute pan place onions and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and stock, and allow to reduce for 1 minute. Using a whisk add grits, incorporating them thoroughly. • Place the quail back into the pan. Add the green onion, and adjust the seasonings. Cook for 3 more minutes and then stir in the butter. Place quail on two serving plates and top with the sauce. This recipe yields 2 servings.

Pigeon Recipe

Ingredients:

Directions

Roasted Quail

• 2 Quails • 1 tb Butter • 1 ts Dried tarragon (scant) • 2 Turns of pepper from a pepper mill

• Preheat oven to 450F for 15 minutes. Clean quail. Grind a bit of pepper into cavity, put a half tablespoon of butter inside each with the tarragon. • Tie the legs together with string if desired to maintain shape during cooking. Place on a rack, breasts up. Rub the skin of each quail with the other half of the butter. Place quails in the oven for 15 minutes. • Baste with butter once or twice if you can. Remove from oven, cover with foil. Let sit 10 minutes and remove string before serving

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cook your hunt

Cooking you Duck

Ingredients:

Directions

Barbecued Duck

• 3 Ducks; well washed Salt to taste Pepper to taste • 1 Bottle (14-oz) ketchup • 2 tb Worcestershire sauce • 1 tb Vinegar • 1/4 ts Cayenne pepper • 1 Stick butter • 1 1/2 c Hot water • 2 Cloves garlic • 1 sm Onion; chopped • 1 cn (4-oz) mushrooms; chopped and drained; or fresh mushrooms, chopped

• Place ducks breast down in an electric skillet. • Mix remaining ingredients, pour over ducks, cook on very low heat, covered, for 4 hours or until meat is very tender. Add water if needed. • The last hour of cooking add chopped onion and mushrooms. This makes a good gravy. Yield: 6 servings.

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Cooking you Duck

Ingredients:

Directions

Casseroled

• 3 Wild ducks or 1 (6 pound) domestic duck • 1 pt Red wine • 2 lg Onions; sliced • 2 Bay leaves • Olive oil or vegetable oil • 2 tb Minced parsley • 1 tb Thyme • 1 Clove garlic; minced • Salt • Pepper • 1/2 lb Mushrooms; quartered • Butter • 1 tb Flour • Water

• Cut duck up as for frying. Place pieces in a china dish, cover withwine, sliced onions and bay leaves. Marinate overnight. Drain, reserving liquid and the onions. Brown each piece of the duck in olive oil, just enough to cover the bottom of the skillet. When each piece is well browned, transfer to a casserole. Brown the onion slices in the remaining oil. Pour the wine marinade into the skillet and heat. Ladle the contents of the skillet over the duck. Add parsley, thyme, garlic, salt and freshly ground pepper.Cover and bake in 300ø oven for 2 to 2-1/2 hours for wild duck, (1 hour for domestic duck) until tender, About 5 minutes before the dish is ready to serve, saut‚ mushrooms in butter. Spoon off any excess liquid in the casserole and add the mushrooms to the liquid. Thicken with the flour which has been mixed with a little water to form a creamy consistency. Serve with wild rice. Yield: 6 servings.

Cooking you Pigeon

Directions

Pigeon Pie

• Take half a dozen pigeons; stuff each one with a dressing the same as for turkey; loosen the joints with a knife, but do not separate them. Put them in a stewpan with water enough to cover them, let them cook until nearly tender, then season them with salt and pepper and butter. Thicken the gravy with flour, remove and cool. Butter a pudding dish, line the sides with a rich crust. Have ready some hard-boiled eggs cut in slices. Put in a layer of egg and birds and gravy until the dish is full. Cover with a crust and bake.

Stewed Pigeons

• Clean and stuff with onion dressing, thyme, etc. Do not sew up; take five or more slices of salt pork, let it fry awhile in a pot so that the fat comes out and it begins to brown a little; then lay the pigeons all around in the fat, leaving he pork still in; add hot water enough to partially cover them; cover tightly and boil and hour or so until tender; then turn off some of the liquid and keep turning them so they will brown nicely; then heat and add the liquor poured off; add extra thyme, pepper, and keep turning until the pigeons and gravy are nicely browned. Thicken with a little flour, and serve with the gravy poured over them; garnish with parsley.

Duck

(heirloom)

Pigeon

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