Hunting and Safari Magazine - Issue no.4

The Region’s First Hunting & Safari Magazine

Buying Your First Trap Gun Schmidt & Bender

Riflescopes

Ziad Richa

Lebanese Skeet Shooter Extraordinaire Belgium’s Most Excellent

Lebeau-Courally

Duck Hunt in

Azerbaijan POWER RUNS IN THE FAMILY USD 6 / DHS 25 / RS 30 / JOD 5

BHD 3 / QAR 25 / KD 2.5 / EGP 50

www.chanel.com

Azur Landscape Trilogy

This new gun, based on the exceptional AZUR from LÂťAtelier Verney-Carron (ex Demas), has been decorated by the master jeweler Philippe Tournaire, who has challenged tradition with a mountain decoration, representing a magnificent chalet (in 18k yellow gold) with a Jacuzzi (blue Sapphire), and a river in white gold with bears and deer (in red gold) next to it, all incorporated in the walnut stock. Diamonds sparkle in the silver pines, highlighting the reflection of the rough diamonds along the riverside (for a total of over 8 carats of diamonds).

VERNEY-CARRON and TOURNAIRE are renewing their cooperation, which began in 2008, and have created a new hunting firearm that is unique and exclusive: the Azur Landscape Trilogy. This rifle is for lovers of nature, architecture and, above all, collectors.

TOURN A I R E P A R I S

Distributor in Lebanon: EDOUARD JOE DEBS B.P.175106 - RUE GOURAUD IMMEUBLE DEBS GEMMAYZE BEYROUTH +961 125 85 09 +961 144 85 09

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

www.hart-hunting.com

Discovery

Menassa Bldg., Near Serail Jounieh Tel: 09 - 910 626 / 09 - 639 419, Fax: 09 - 639 420 P.O. Box: 2372 Jounieh Lebanon email: akso@wise.net.lb

editor's note

Dear Readers, Can anyone tell me where 2010 has gone? They say that time goes quicker as one gets older ; but lets not dwell on that shall we? However all of us at H&S hope that all our readers have a great 2011.

We have plans to bring some exciting new features to the magazine for you this year, one of which is to include a letter page so that you can send us your comments on the magazine, good or bad; or if you have opinions about our pastime that you would like to share with us please feel free to do so as we are always happy to get your feed back.

In this issue we speak to some prominent Lebanese shooters and get their perspective on a number of issues that concern them, one item in particular is the 2004 Lebanese Hunting Law which they have personally been involved with.

We also touch on the ethics of hunting and how we feel we should conduct ourselves when out shooting and to emphasize the point we have included an article on what we feel are the Commandments of shooting which every responsible gun owner should adhere to.

Since our last edition we have taken a group of hunters on a safari to Azerbaijan and you will be able to read how the trip went. And we would remind you that we do specialize in arranging safaris to a number of different countries, both wing shooting and game shooting, to some of the best hunting locations in the world.

For instance we take you on a goose shoot in Scotland and tell you about some of the best hunting lodges in Argentina.

In keeping with the diversity that we want to bring to the magazine we have featured articles that cover air pistols as well as an ar ticle on the boomerang, which you will probably keep coming back to…..

There are also a couple of nice recipes for you to try out in “Cook Your Hunt,” and if any of you have favorite recipes of your own, or those of your mother or granny, that you would like to share with fellow readers we will be happy to include them in future issues, always considering that it would be good if they have a hunting connection, fish would be acceptable as well.

This hunting season is seeing some of the worst weather for many years in some par ts of the world, and as a consequence game, and wild birds in par ticular, have suffered quite badly. To save energy some migratory species have even been reluctant to fly. If you find this to be the case where you hunt we would urge you to let them be, and as numbers will be down anyway try to regulate the numbers you shoot of those that do fly. This way there will be more game around next season.

We hope that you enjoy reading this issue, and as always we urge you to shoot safely and ethically and always with regards for your quarry and fellow hunters.

Richard Camm

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contact us

The Region’s First Hunting & Safari Magazine

Buying Your First Trap Gun Schmidt & Bender

Riflescopes

Editorial Lara Mansour Sawaya Managing Editor - English Titles email lara.m@amedadver tising.com

Richard Camm Senior Editor email rcamm@mailme.ae Ziad Richa

Lebanese Skeet Shooter Extraordinaire Belgium’s Most Excellent

Lebeau-Courally

Duck Hunt in

Azerbaijan POWER RUNS IN THE FAMILY

Ylova Hamdan Assistant Editor email ylova.h@amedadver tising.com

For Advertising Inquiries Hisham Sawaya CEO - Dubai email hisham.s@amedadver tising.com mob +971 50 661 6677

USD 6 / DHS 25 / RS 30 / JOD 5

BHD 3 / QAR 25 / KD 2.5 / EGP 50

Our Cover: Issue 4 - February 2011

Joseph Bcherrawy Account Manager - Dubai email joe.b@amedadver tising.com mob +971 55 202 6367

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

Pascal Khorj Senior Sales Representative - Lebanon email pascal@awraqpublishing.net tel 00961 4 523910 / 00961 3 137557

H&S Travel Joe Balesh Business Development Manager email jbalesh@mailme.ae hsmagazine.travel@gmail.com tel 00961 71 768211 mob 00971 50 551 5957

Design Luvin Santiago Louie Carmona Contact

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h&s Issue 04 l Februar y 2011

AWRAQ PUBLISHING S.A.R.L

AMED Adver tising

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

Executive Tower D, Office 1301 Business Bay, Dubai - UAE Tel +971 4 454 1566 Email : info@amedadver tising.com

(Media Representative)

this month

news hunt

news hunt

The Jebel Ali

Dubai Polo &Equestrian

International Shooting Club Recreational and Competitive Shooting

The Jebel Ali International Shooting Club is an indoor and outdoor shooting academy, which brings the exciting sport of recreational and competitive shooting within easy reach of guests staying in both in Dubai and specifically at the Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa. Located just minutes from the Resort, the Shooting Club is built to international, Olympic standards.

The exceptional facilities of the Shooting Club have drawn top international shooting events to the venue. The club was proud to be the official host of Dubai Calibre 2005, the World Cup Shotgun Championships and Dubai Shooting 2007, the world’s richest shooting event.

22 Clay Shooting:

Clay shooting is also available on the five outdoor floodlit clay-shooting ranges, which have been built to Olympic standards. The

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The perfect choice for Weddings & Elegant Casual Dining

Shooters bar and restaurant: The delightful Shooters Bar and Restaurant in the Shooting Club is not only famous for its flame-grilled steaks and American all wood furnishings and Western style décor, but also the uninterrupted panoramic views of the terrace and shooting activities below through the restaurant’s circular glass wall.

FX

MP3

International

From wedding dreams to dream wedding, we make your special day truly memorable when you choose to host it at Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club. From grand events to private celebrations, we organise all the arrangements including creative themes, simple or lavish decorations, wedding cake, photographer, entertainment and menus tailored to suit your need.

Nad Al Sheba Meeting Room: This private, intimate meeting room can be used separately or as an extension of the restaurant for private functions. Corporate meetings, private parties or incentive conferences are often held in the room, which is decorated, in Arabic themed solid wood and bronze.

Arrive by a romantic horse drawn cart capturing for first moments of togetherness against a backdrop of regal stallions. This inspiring scenery is matched only by the unrivaled catering, professional service and premium facilities; so you can relax and soak up the wonder in the knowledge that your fairytale wedding will unfold exquisitely from beginning to end.

Our experienced Event Management Team appreciates just how important perfection is, yet how stressful it can be to remember every detail. To ensure that your day is both flawless and relaxing, we are always on hand to offer expert advice and oversee the entire process.

Palermo Restaurant & Terrace At Palermo Restaurant, we create an elegant casual dining experience embracing a passion for tradition and excellence. Offering fabulous steaks, mouth-watering grills, seafood, seasonal game and impressive wines, you are guaranteed an enriched experience at every meal with the emphasis always being on good food and good times.

and atmosphere, offering a warm environment for drinks, food and conversation. Whether you are planning a family get-together, a private party or just a romantic meal for two, Palermo offers you something out of the ordinary. Besides the wonders created in our kitchen, the restaurant’s attached terrace overlooks the Polo fields, providing diners with pulsating views during their meal.

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Being a reputable international company, ARMINUS TACTICAL CENTER (ATC) is one of the MP3 INTERNATIONAL’S partner based in Germany. ATC Offers services in the fields of training and consulting for antiterror forces. ATC further offers technical and personal support for Police Special Forces and Military in addition to security.

Support is given in the fields of planning, coordination and attendance of operation,

Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed with Mr. Khamis at the MP3 stand at A.D.I.H.E.X. 2010 MP3 INTERNATIONAL is the famous guns & ammunition supplier in the U.A.E as far as the Gulf region, Established in 2004 and based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, is a reputable nationally owned company handling military supplies for the Armed Forces and Police in the UAE and the Region. The company’s activities extend

The ambiance is second to none for comfort

Airguns

they regularly participate in leading industry events like arms & armaments and hunting & equestrian exhibitions to showcase their product lines and build closer with their customers.

In addition, The Company Star Product is the highly in-demand “ONE-OF-ONE RIFLE” which is a customized weapon with the owner’s name and photograph. This true MASTERPIECE is manually produced by highly qualified and experienced professionals and comes with a certificate of the authenticity, Our Rifles are made by one of the world most famous german gunsmith and a gunmaker by the Oswald Prinz, each of our fine quality guns is handcrafted and engraved to its sophistication, creating great masterpieces by our famous german engraver.

range is equipped to cater for all seven Olympic Clay Shooting Disciplines including Olympic Skeet and Trapshooting.

In trapshooting, contestants fire their twelvegauge shotguns at the moving targets from a series of five positions called ‘stations’ located 15 meters behind the trap. Skeet shooting offers a greater number of shooting angles, with two traps, located 36.58 meters apart, releasing the clay targets alternately or simultaneously along fixed intersecting paths.

air guns

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furthermore catering to specific need for the sporting fraternity, supplying equipment and accessories to hunting and shooting clubs and international Olympic shooting clubs.

The product lines cover Rifle and Pistol in addition to ammunition and specialized clothing,

Consistently, the company’s commitment to product quality and service excellence is reflected in its track record as a preferred supplier for various competitions even at the level of Olympic Games. To keep pace with the advancements in the industry they have established a branch in Germany, the hub of innovative product development. Moreover,

Newco Safety Tecnologies (NST) Is the one of Famous Pyrotechnics Company from Germany Partner of MP3 International in U.A.E. The demand for non lethal products is increasing over proportionally to fulfill the missions of the threats of today in the battle against terrorism. Special -

Air to a great tradition by Terry Joe A former European, U.S. and U.K. Field Target shooting champion, a prolific author on airgun-related subjects and a consultant for many of the U.K.’s airgun companies.

and armed forces bring their ideas and experiences to the industry and institutes in order to get the right products to the right time. In the non lethal technologies there are three main streams: Electric shock and irritation, sound waves systems and last but not least ballistic shock and pyrotechnic irritation.

And also, we are an authorized agents for the world’s prominent pistol manufacturers including Sig Sauer, Heckler & Koch, Smith&Wesson and Beretta. and so as having the reputation known as the leading suppliers of international brands in ammunition such as Norma, RWS, Lapua, and Jaguar.

NST concentrates on the last sector and offers a full range of products for operational and supporting use in order to protect the forces and the innocent parties during an attack. NST products are developed for the different ranges and number of people involved. Products to be used indoor in rooms or outdoor from 5 m to 150 m effective range.

To top it all with the best, as being a proud dealer that markets the world’s finest scopes including Zeiss, Bushnell, Leica and Schmido Bender and also provides high quality accessories, genuine leather and wooden gun cases from Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany and Spain.

As partners, we also have business association with biggest international monopoly rifle manufactures such as Blaser, Anschutz, Beretta, CZ and Browning.

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• The Jebel Ali International Shooting Club

• Dubai Polo & Equestrian

• NST - Newco Safety Technologies

• St. Etienne - A gun-making center

• IWA & Outdoor Classics

• International Championship of

New Zealand Pistol Shooting

• MP3 International • Buying your first Trap Gun

• Ammunition Count

44 hunting tips

18

• Commandments of Gun Safety

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From those early times, all the way to the present, I’ve shared my sport with some remarkable people, who also shared my passion. Inventors, engineers, world-class marksmen, hunters of all descriptions and a whole range of experts and enthusiasts have inspired me and increased my enjoyment of shooting. Among these remarkable people was a young man from Sweden, who was

h&s Issue 04 l Februar y 2011

After our first meeting, Fredrik and I went our separate ways, but I would receive regular updates from John Ford about the discoveries made by Fredrik and how much the young man’s industry and inventiveness had not only impressed John, but had inspired new directions in his own developments. John Ford once told me that he consid ered Fredrik Axelsson to be the most talented airgun engineer he’d ever met. Praise indeed, from a man respected throug - hout the airgun industry, not just for his achievements, but for his honesty and integrity. John Ford spotted something special in Fredrik Axelsson and that faith was well founded. The potential of Fredrik’s early years has now come to full fruition via FX Airguns.

Like John Ford, Fredrik Axelsson and every airgun hunting expert I’ve had the pleasure to meet throughout my years of shooting, I use air rifles because I appreciate their quiet, efficient, precision. Modern air rifles, and especially those produced by companies with the worldwide reputation of FX Airguns, are capable of total accuracy, extraordinary consistency, and a variety of power outputs to suit an even wider variety of hunting and pest-control situations. The modern air rifle is a precision hunting machine that will translate the skills of its owner into success in the field. But there’s more to hunting with airguns than their pure efficiency.

Air-powered hunting rifles from FX Airguns can be used where no other rifle would be suitable. The ability to adjust the power of these rifles renders them safe, silent and extremely efficient when clearing rats and pigeons from buildings and other shortrange situations, after which the rifles can be instantly adjusted to cope with small game at greater ranges. Few, if any, hunting rifles offer the versatility of an FX Airguns sporter.

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Trap Gun 32

• SHOT Show 2011 Las Vegas, Nevada

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As I grew and improved my range of shooting skills, my airguns grew with me and I became ever more fascinated by how they worked, how they could be improved and how I could improve the way I used them.

My shooting became a passion, and airguns were the focus of that passion.

introduced to me by John Ford, the founder of Sportsmatch UK. As I exchanged pleasantries with Fredrik Axelsson that day, I couldn’t have known that I was shaking hands with someone who would go on to change the face of modern airgunning.

Buying your first

22 news hunt

• I Came, I Camouflaged, I Conquered

MP3 contact person MP3 International - Abu Dhabi - U.A.E. Al Buteen, P.O.Box (60613) Tel: 02 6679798, Fax: 02 6679970 Email: mp3intl@mp3group.ae

I’ve been shooting since I was four years old.

I’m 50 now, and I can shoot pretty much any type of rifle, shotgun, or pistol I want to, in a wide variety of situations. While I enjoy all types of shooting, my true passion is for airguns; it’s where I began my shooting career and it’s provided me with everything I need throughout my shooting life.

46 air guns

• FX Airguns - Air to a great tradition by Terry Joe • Air Pistols - The few best!

52 scopes

• Schmidt & Bender Riflescopes that make sure you see in order to hit it!

56 hunting knives

• Heckler & Koch

60 historical weapons

• The Luger P08 - A Historical Weapon • Nagant M1895 Revolver • The Boomerang The deadly weapon; not your park pastime

68 iconic off-roader

this month

big game hunting

Country Back

Hunting Elk Hunting

gunmaker legacies

Bending down to lift my pack, I could definitely feel the wear and tear of seven straight days in the wilderness. Sore muscles, blistered feet and a sticky coating of sweat seemed to cover every inch of my body.

We were here by choice, though. After years of hunting accessible lands that posed no difficulty for the average hunter, we had decided to head in a little further. I hoisted the pack, scanned the area and then began the long walk out to the trailhead, a mere 6 miles off. Success was with us too: my partner and I were packing out our second elk.

outdoor adventure

The Sands of Time

Belgium’s Most Excellent

LebeauCourally

As the hindquarter of the elk weighed heavy on my shoulders, I knew we had made the right decision to hunt deep in the backcountry. I’d been fortunate enough to bag an elk on the first day of the hunt, and my partner had just sent an arrow to its mark two hours earlier.

Red Dunes sing of the adventures of the past and present, in Jordan In 1865, a company was founded. The name of the company was one and the same with luxury, finesse and craftsmanship. The company is Lebeau-Courally.

The gun-maker, Auguste Lebeau Courally started the establishment in the gun-making center of Liege, Belgium. The Belgian based gun-making company belongs to a very select group of world-renowned, bespoke gunmakers such as Purdey and Fabbri, etc.

Photo by: Paciific Northwest Bowhunting

Where to hunt: It started a few years earlier on a finger ridge perched high in the Pacific Northwest’s Blue Mountains. At sunrise, I gave a long locating bugle and got a response from a receptive bull. Feverishly working our way towards the bugling bull, we cut the distance to a hundred yards. Instantly everything came alive as the herd bull finally broke the morning air with a spine-tingling scream.

Peeking through a small opening I could see a handful of cows and a decent raghorn. The wind shifted slightly and the herd started to move deeper in the “hole” that lay below us. I looked over at my hunting companion, Steve Scott of Medford, Ore., and without saying a word we picked our gear and jogged toward the sounds of the breaking brush.

We made our way down the center of the finger ridge. A few hundred yards later we broke into an opening and that was when it all became crystal clear: After many years

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of chasing bulls we realized we had been hunting the wrong areas. It was like someone had just pulled a great curtain back and all the secrets of elk hunting lay before us.

We were standing in elk heaven! We had bulls to left and bulls to the right, bulls below us and bulls behind us. We worked four different bulls that morning and finally sat down by a stream around noon to grab some lunch before making the long trek back up the hill. It would take us a solid two hours of climbing up a vertical ridge without stopping to reach the truck. As our quads burned from the climb, we made up our minds to get the gear we needed to be able to stay comfortably in the wilderness, and experience this type of elk hunting every day.

This is the only way we hunt for elk now, and many elk have fallen since that day. Just like the two mentioned above.

Photo by: Paciific Northwest Bowhunting

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The Wadi Rum, is a huge nature reserve that consists of arid desert and towering sandstone rocks located in the southern part of Jordan. This beautiful desert was made famous by T.E Lawrence, a British army officer who was instrumental in leading the Arab revolt against the Turkish Empire in 1916. Lawrence of Arabia was a hero to the masses and he loved the Wadi Rum with a great passion, describing his love for the desert so poetically in his book, ‘Seven Pillars of Wisdom’.

watching, botany and star gazing.

Archaeological ruins and wonders are also there to be discovered and admired, as well as the opportunity to learn and understand more about the Bedouin culture.

The adventure, knowledge and excitement that can be gained at Rum will satisfy your body, mind and soul for a lifetime.

Food and drinks are prepared at the Bedouin camps. Most tents will prepare traditional meals. One of these traditional meals includes chicken or lamb cooked under the desert sand. The Bedouin tea cannot be refused, so I suggest you do not even try to resist! So you can enjoy the refreshing brew at the end of the day while enjoying narrated stories of the Bedouin culture and history.

Things to see Lawrence specifically described the, ‘impenetrable silence’ of the desert’, which I have to say can only be understood and achieved by spending a few days and nights veiled in the desert’s cradle-like peace and serenity. Wadi Rum is the ideal place for camping in Jordan. The connection that is established with the outdoors is refreshing and if you are caught up in the hectic urban life that we all have to endure today, then it is the perfect escape!

Lebeau-Courally is one of the top names in a long line of quality and excellent Belgian gunmakers; however most of those gun-makers have vanished while Lebeau-Courally is still standing strong.

Ambassadeur

Becoming one with nature is an uplifting experience beyond imagination. The towering red cliffs, miles of rolling sand dunes and the rugged wilderness of Jordan salutes you in one of the most scenic deserts of the Middle East; the desert of Wadi Rum. It is home to the biblical realms of Gilead, Moab and Edom, not to mention the ancient red-stone city of Petra. Jordan is one of the most extraordinary historical countries in the world and it is often said, that the best way to experience and taste the history and beauty of the country is to delve into the enigmatic desert of Wadi Rum.

When Lebeau-Courally first started, their reputation was already excellent because of the high quality of their products; however, the outstanding reputation grew more when Lebeau-Courally became the preferred gun-maker of the European aristocracy. The company’s clientele did not only include Spanish and Italian royal houses but also the Russian Tsars.

Lebeau-Courally produces about 25 bespoke guns and rifles annually. Even though Europe is still represents the biggest market, LebeauCourally is constantly expanding its sales in the Russian, America and Asian markets.

The Belgian gun-maker focused on the production of handmade hunting guns and rifles. However, sales and production figures over the years were decreasing. Today,

Until now, Lebeau-Courally has produced around 20,000 weapons and also focuses on the maintenance and repairs of these existing guns and rifles all over the world.

Big Five

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Lebeau-Courally has always stood its ground by combining elegance with a superior technical design. The mechanical features of all Lebeau-Courally guns are superbly built into elegant and light game guns that are capable of enduring even the most intensive use.

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Rum’s climate is relatively cooler than the eastern desert which is another plus point which helps you to enjoy Nature’s wonders even more.

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Things to do There are many things to discover and enjoy in the unique and vast landscape of Rum. Some of the major tourist attractions are activities that include mountain climbing, bird

The water springs at Rum are renown for their ability to form small and tranquil spots, sometimes known as, “Hanging Gardens”.

Their mysterious beauty will mesmerize your eyes for an eternity. Lawrence’s Spring, (Ain Shalaaleh) has been a popular tourist attraction for a long time and was obviously named after the great man himself. It is one of the most famous and spectacular landmark in Rum and it is conveniently close to the rest house.

Just as Lawrence of Arabia needed to retire when the moon took control over the sky, so will you! So after a day filled with the adventures that can include; hiking, camel trekking, scrambling, and driving over the awe inspiring sand dunes, the time for camping under the stars has arrived. The night sky in Wadi Rum holds a beauty that cannot be described, therefore, it is best for the camper to experience it for themselves.

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Wadi Rum, also known as, The Valley of the Moon, is the land that T.E. Lawrence described as, “vast, echoing and Godlike,” and once you experience its aura, you will have to agree. The adventures that Rum has to offer are quests and challenges in the midst of its magnificent sand dunes. Its dramatic desert landscape and beautiful terrain allows you to become one with Nature and her poetry all at once. The destination is one of the most stunning in the world and its call must be answered, so don’t forget your sleeping bag!

“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream at night in the dusty recesses of their minds, awake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible.”

T.E. Lawrence.

By: Ylova Hamdan

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Duck Hunt in

Azerbaijan 90 70 exclusive interview

• Ziad Richa • Joe Edouard Debs

78 hunting season

• Goose Shooting & Wildfowling in Scotland

82 big game hunting

• Country Back Hunting - Elk Hunting • The Hunt in Germany • The Hunt in Turkey - Wild Boar

90 hunting experience

• Duck Hunt in Azerbaijan

98 cartridge legacies

• Eley Cartridges - The best of the best

100 gunmaker legacies

20

• John Rigby & Company • The History of Marlin Firearms

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• Belgium’s Most Excellent - Lebeau-Courally

111 hunting in luxury

• Land Rover

.

124 hunter's lodge 128 hunting packages

• Azerbaijan - South Africa

130 outdoor adventure

• The Sands of Time - Jordan • Desert Diamonds - In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia • Chossing your Tent

136 hunter's lounge 140 cook your hunt 144 directory

news hunt

The Jebel Ali

International Shooting Club Recreational and Competitive Shooting

The Jebel Ali International Shooting Club is an indoor and outdoor shooting academy, which brings the exciting sport of recreational and competitive shooting within easy reach of guests staying in both in Dubai and specifically at the Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa. Located just minutes from the Resort, the Shooting Club is built to international, Olympic standards.

The exceptional facilities of the Shooting Club have drawn top international shooting events to the venue. The club was proud to be the official host of Dubai Calibre 2005, the World Cup Shotgun Championships and Dubai Shooting 2007, the world’s richest shooting event.

Clay Shooting: Clay shooting is also available on the five outdoor floodlit clay-shooting ranges, which have been built to Olympic standards. The

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h&s Issue 04 l Februar y 2011

range is equipped to cater for all seven Olympic Clay Shooting Disciplines including Olympic Skeet and Trapshooting.

In trapshooting, contestants fire their twelvegauge shotguns at the moving targets from a series of five positions called ‘stations’ located 15 meters behind the trap. Skeet shooting offers a greater number of shooting angles, with two traps, located 36.58 meters apart, releasing the clay targets alternately or simultaneously along fixed intersecting paths.

Shooters bar and restaurant: The delightful Shooters Bar and Restaurant in the Shooting Club is not only famous for its flame-grilled steaks and American all wood furnishings and Western style décor, but also the uninterrupted panoramic views of the terrace and shooting activities below through the restaurant’s circular glass wall.

Nad Al Sheba Meeting Room: This private, intimate meeting room can be used separately or as an extension of the restaurant for private functions. Corporate meetings, private parties or incentive conferences are often held in the room, which is decorated, in Arabic themed solid wood and bronze.

Dubai Polo &Equestrian

The perfect choice for Weddings & Elegant Casual Dining

From wedding dreams to dream wedding, we make your special day truly memorable when you choose to host it at Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club. From grand events to private celebrations, we organise all the arrangements including creative themes, simple or lavish decorations, wedding cake, photographer, entertainment and menus tailored to suit your need.

Arrive by a romantic horse drawn cart capturing for first moments of togetherness against a backdrop of regal stallions. This inspiring scenery is matched only by the unrivaled catering, professional service and premium facilities; so you can relax and soak up the wonder in the knowledge that your fairytale wedding will unfold exquisitely from beginning to end.

Our experienced Event Management Team appreciates just how important perfection is, yet how stressful it can be to remember every detail. To ensure that your day is both flawless and relaxing, we are always on hand to offer expert advice and oversee the entire process.

Palermo Restaurant & Terrace At Palermo Restaurant, we create an elegant casual dining experience embracing a passion for tradition and excellence. Offering fabulous steaks, mouth-watering grills, seafood, seasonal game and impressive wines, you are guaranteed an enriched experience at every meal with the emphasis always being on good food and good times.

and atmosphere, offering a warm environment for drinks, food and conversation. Whether you are planning a family get-together, a private party or just a romantic meal for two, Palermo offers you something out of the ordinary. Besides the wonders created in our kitchen, the restaurant’s attached terrace overlooks the Polo fields, providing diners with pulsating views during their meal.

The ambiance is second to none for comfort

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news hunt

NST

Newco Safety Technologies GmbH, Germany

The Human Protection Company New developments on the non lethal market The common definition for non lethal technologies reads like this: Weapons and ammunitions specially designed and primarily used to incapacitate people without causing deaths or permanent injuries, as well as neutralize materials without causing damage to other assets or the environment. The demand for non lethal products is increasing over proportionally to fulfill the missions of the threats of today in the battle against terrorism. Special - and armed forces bring their ideas and experiences to the industry and institutes in order to get the right products to the right time. In the non lethal technologies there are three main streams: 1. Electric shock and irritation, sound waves systems and last but not least ballistic shock and pyrotechnic irritation.

NST concentrates on the last sector and offers a full range of products for operational and supporting use in order to protect the forces and the innocent parties during an attack. NST products are developed for the different ranges and number of people involved. Products to be used indoor in rooms or outdoor from 5 m to 150 m

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effective range. The irritation to stun the attacking party reaches from one bang 170 db over multiple bang to longlasting effects (up to 20 sec) like extremely loud whistle or strobelights with millions of candle power on each flash.

New threats demand for new products The new stun grenade NST product range offers three basic ejection systems and new effects. A stun grenade has to be safe in use and the application effect has to be effective. NST offers side vent, bottom vent and bottom vent ejection systems. The side vent design offers effective flash and bang features. The design allows the special forces to adopt modularly more bangs and / or other destructing effects like CS teargas, smoke, or even strobelight. The variation matrix is unlimited. The bottom vent design is safe to use and offers single bang up to 175 dB and whistles. The training unit trains the young soldiers to get them aquainted to the use of stun grenades. The training unit safes considerably cost. The bottom vent ejection product range offers one, two bang versions as well as whistle-bang and strobelight versions for the safe use mainly in hostage taking situations.

NST Stungrenade product range Side, Bottom and Bottom Vent Ejektion Systems To control hostile or aggressive groups it is necessary to reach the targets over a distance.

The distances are between 10 and 50 m for certain missions but the demand goes up to 100 and more meters. NST offers a full product range on 37/38mm and 40mm products with non lethal effects ranging from CS, Smoke, Marking, Muzzle blast, rubber balls for riot control and the famous baton round. The NST SAGE baton round offers an effective range of 25 m , 50 m and 100 m, depending on the propulsion charge. The baton has the best performance and target reliability in the market and has proven over 200 times in missions its non lethal features.

Supporting products for special missions

NST- SAGE 40mm product range.

NST new Launching Systems To design and develop a non lethal product is one task, but to launch the products is another important tasks. NST offers the new Active Vehicle Protection System B.O.N.D. for armored and unarmored SUV or VIP limousines as well as light armored vehicles.

The system is installed covertly and is fired from an inside control unit. The main use is to free cars surrounded by aggressive crowds or cover the escape route for attacked cars by roadblocks or other threats. The electronic features allow ammunition recognition and multiple launching programs.

For the support of the special forces NST offers screening- and colored smokes and signal cartridges in the calibres 1 and 1.5 inch for illuminating and signaling. Simulation devices for the intensive, realistic training of units to get prepared for the missions like Thunderflash, airbursts round up the non lethal programme of NST.

A new generation for explosives detection the Xdetect In cooperation with Crylas and Secopta GmbH, Berlin, NST has developed a new generation of an explosive detection device. The laser operating system recognizes particles of explosives with a diagnosis success rate of

100 % . The device is portable and usable for missions without recharging for up to 6 hours.

The unit is under final qualification process and will be available on the market in the third quarter of 2011.

Realistic and effective Training - a must for all units NST offers in its division ATC, training courses not only around NST products but also to be prepared for the missions. The courses are held in Germany on realistic training environments or in the country of the customer. The proven T-S-P method guarantees success with its combination of 20% theory, 30 % simulation and 50 % realistic Practice. The offered courses are among others for Personal Protection, Driver Training and Riot Control.

Another launching system is developed with the Krauss Maffei Wegmann Group in Kassel, Germany. KMW is the leading manufacturer of the 76mm launching system and armored military vehicles. KMW and NST offer a new 40mm light launching system to be installed on light vehicles. The ammunition camouflages the cars using visible and IR smokes.

The B.O.N.D. System installed in the STOOF Trojan 2 armored vehicle

ATC training course SWAT Team

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I Came

I Camouflaged I Conquered

Photo by: Hart Clothing

Learn how to stay hidden in the wild!

A soldier’s battle dress, or combat uniform are, in the main, made from camouflage material appropriate to the terrain they are operating in. In the animal kingdom camouflage is widely used for protection from a predator or for concealment by the animal doing the hunting. Chameleons are renowned for altering their colouring to blend in to the surroundings thereby confusing their enemies. Similarly, hunters all over the world wear camouflage clothing to

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What are Camo Hunting Clothes?

hunting clothes are garments that enable the wearer to blend into the surroundings so as to conceal themselves, as far as possible, from the animals that are being stalked.

Of all the hunting tips that you will be given one of the most important will be the one that suggest that the type of clothing you wear has to be comfortable, silent and camouflaged. This is a significant factor that can contribute to a successful hunt. Camo

Animals in the wild will usually become very weary and take off into the wilderness the minute they sense the presence of a human.

This, of course, is what a hunter DOES NOT want to happen but with the help of camouflage clothing this can be prevented

go undetected by the animals that they wish to track and hunt.

to a great extent. Therefore, camouflage hunting clothes are a must and should be kept in a hunter’s backpack at all times during a hunting expedition.

The significance Well, the importance of camo hunting clothes can not be over emphasized. If an animal sees the hunter it will greatly reduce the hunter's ability to take down the game he is after. It’s as straightforward as that! It is not only the gun that’s vital to a hunting trip but camouflage clothing has a great significance, because without it the chances of getting close enough to get a clean shot is greatly reduced; whilst the chances of going home without a trophy or meat for the larder is greatly increased.

Types of Camo Hunting Clothes It’s a known fact by all hunters that whilst out hunting, a blaze-orange vest, or cap should be worn at all times as a vital safety measure in addition to the camouflage clothing. It is an unfortunate fact that a lot of hunters do get accidently shot by other hunters and this happens more often than it should.

Therefore the item of orange clothing can help prevent such an unfortunate occurrence. Let’s take a look at some of the types of camo clothing that are available to hunters worldwide: Ghillie Suit - These suits break up the straight edges and sharp lines with textured pieces so that your body’s pattern isn’t as obvious. Many suits of this type are made with webbing and outdoor materials such as small branches, twigs, leaves and grass is attached to it. This type of suit is mainly used for stalking deer or game on moorland where the absence of trees and bushes prevent concealment.

Leafy Suit - These are made of cotton or cotton mix fabric and are worn for concealment in woody areas and the pattern mimics the leaf and branch shapes of the woodland foliage.

Blaze Camo - A Blaze Camo is worn for safety. Many large game animals are said to be dichromats. Experts believe that these animals see blaze orange as a dull color. A hunter must always wear some blaze anyway as, it is very important to be safe while you hunt and this will protect you from other hunters assuming that the movement in the undergrowth is a game animal, when in fact it could be another hunter.

Grass & Leaf Camo - These suits consist of greens, browns, reds and black patterns, to blend with wooded and grassy areas. If you do not want to wear the leafy camouflage then you should consider wearing subdues colours of nature, such as shades of green or brown. There are even specific woodland patterns that are produced to mimic as close as possible the type of woodland you are hunting in.

Where to find them?

There are many brands that are available on the market that specialize in camouflage clothing, so be sure not to rush into purchasing. It is always best to go for the well-made brands that are comfortable and quiet and that will last you almost forever.

The height of comfort is an important factor in the game of hunting. Listed below are a few brands that deal with selling camouflage hunting clothes:

• Realtree • Mossy Oak • Adventure Camo • Browning • Artic Shield • Bass Pro Some accessories that go with camouflage clothes are: camouflaged guns, of course; hats, jackets, pants, boots, vests and shirts.

Some have scent lock technology built into the fabric or you can buy scent lock sprays as animals are very sensitive to the smell of humans. Therefore, with the help of the scent lock technology that masks a hunter’s smell, the animal that is being tracked will not be alerted by the presence of humans.

For a hunter, a good hunting expedition can be made even more productive through carefully-selected camouflage clothing. In the wilderness, it will not only serve as protective gear but also as a very important hunting tool.

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SHOT Show 2011 Las Vegas, Nevada

The SHOT Show is an annual trade show for the shooting, hunting and firearms industry. It is the largest and most comprehensive trade show of this type in the world. “SHOT” is not only a general reference to shooting but it is also an acronym for the “Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade” show. This event is only open to professionals involved in the shooting sports and hunting industries as well as the press.

The event is the world’s premier exposition of combined firearms, ammunition, archery, cutlery, outdoor apparel, optics, camping and related products and services. Annually, the SHOT Show attracts buyers from all 50 states and more than 100 countries.

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The coming up 2011 SHOT Show exhibition will begin on January 18th, ending on January 21st. It will be held in the Sands Expo & Convention Center in the beautiful and exciting desert state of America - Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 2011 SHOT Show is expected to have 1,900+ registered exhibitors and draw 60,000+ visitors. The exhibitors will showcase a wide variety of latest products that include firearms, ammunition, reloading, custom manufacturing, scopes, sights and accessories, gun locks, gun cases and cabinets, telescopes, binoculars, shooting range equipment, targets, training and safety equipment, archery, crossbows and accessories, hunting accessories, eyewear, clay targets, tree stands, holsters,

camouflage, clothing and leather goods, footwear, gloves, game calls, decoys, paintball, etc.

The SHOT Show is owned and sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation and is produced and managed by Reed Exhibitions. Just as the previous SHOT Show exhibitions have been very successful; there is no doubt that the 2011 event will be even more promising. It is definitely a date to add into your calendar. Yes, the countdown to the event is going to be exciting, but the show itself will transform the word “exciting” to a whole new and different level.

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MP3

International

Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed with Mr. Khamis at the MP3 stand at A.D.I.H.E.X. 2010 MP3 INTERNATIONAL is the famous guns & ammunition supplier in the U.A.E as far as the Gulf region, Established in 2004 and based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, is a reputable nationally owned company handling military supplies for the Armed Forces and Police in the UAE and the Region. The company’s activities extend

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furthermore catering to specific need for the sporting fraternity, supplying equipment and accessories to hunting and shooting clubs and international Olympic shooting clubs.

The product lines cover Rifle and Pistol in addition to ammunition and specialized clothing,

Consistently, the company’s commitment to product quality and service excellence is reflected in its track record as a preferred supplier for various competitions even at the level of Olympic Games. To keep pace with the advancements in the industry they have established a branch in Germany, the hub of innovative product development. Moreover,

they regularly participate in leading industry events like arms & armaments and hunting & equestrian exhibitions to showcase their product lines and build closer with their customers.

In addition, The Company's Star Product is the highly in-demand “ONE-OF-ONE RIFLE” which is a customized weapon with the owner’s name and photograph. This true MASTERPIECE is manually produced by highly qualified and experienced professionals and comes with a certificate of the authenticity.

Our Rifles are made by one of the world's most famous German gunsmith and a gunmaker by the name of "Oswald Prinz", each of our fine quality guns is handcrafted and engraved to its sophistication, creating great masterpieces by our famous German engraver.

forces bring their ideas and experiences to the industry and institutes in order to get the right products at the right time. In the non lethal technologies there are three main streams: Electric shock and irritation, sound waves systems and last but not least ballistic shock and pyrotechnic irritation.

And also, we are an authorized agent for the world’s prominent pistol manufacturers including Sig Sauer, Heckler & Koch, Smith&Wesson and Beretta. We are also suppliers of some of the most reputable, international brands of ammunition, such as, Norma, RWS, Lapua and Jaguar.

Finally we are proud to say that we are suppliers of some of the best accessories in the world made by such companies as Zeiss, Leica, Bushnell and Schmidt and Bender rifle scopes; as well as first quality leather and wood gun cases from Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany and Spain.

Newco Safety Tecnologies (NST)

NST concentrates on the last sector and offers a full range of products for operational and supporting use in order to protect the forces and the innocent parties during an attack. NST products are developed for the different ranges and numbers of people involved. Products to be used indoor in rooms or outdoor from 5 m to 150 m effective range.

Is the one of Famous Pyrotechnics Company from Germany Partner of MP3 International in U.A.E. The demand for non lethal products is increasing significantly to fulfill the missions of the threats of today in the battle against terrorism. All branches of armed

As partners, we also have business association with some of the biggest international monopoly rifle manufactures such as Blaser, Anschutz, Beretta, CZ and Browning.

Being a reputable international company, ARMINUS TACTICAL CENTER (ATC) is one of the MP3 INTERNATIONAL’S partner based in Germany. ATC Offers services in the fields of training and consulting for antiterror forces. ATC further offers technical and personal support for Police Special Forces and Military in addition to security.

Support is given in the fields of planning, coordination and attendance of operation,

MP3 contact person MP3 International - Abu Dhabi - U.A.E. Al Buteen, P.O.Box (60613) Tel: 02 6679798, Fax: 02 6679970 Email: mp3intl@mp3group.ae

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Buying your first

Trap Gun

So you want to buy a trap gun? Hmmm, when you look around and see so many shooters buying and selling guns - often selling at a loss from what they paid just to get rid of it - you become confused as to what to buy. Join the club!

Let’s demystify the process so you will buy the gun that is right for you… the first time… and save yourself a measure of disappointment, poor shooting scores and money to boot!

Photo by: Australian Clay Target Associations First off trap guns are built differently to sporting or skeet guns for instance and yes, you can shoot trap with these guns but if you want to shoot trap seriously then a trap gun is what you should use. The main difference between trap and other discipline guns is that the ribs are higher, as are the combs, and you can obtain stocks with adjustable combs to fit exactly your cheek profile. These two important features of a trap gun are there to ensure that, with the raised rib, the shooter has the barrels under the target to allow for the target dropping relatively quickly, and the raised comb ensures the shooter has his

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head up at all times enabling him to keep his eyes more easily on the going away dropping target.

Also, you can not shoot trap effectively if you try to shoot by conforming to the gun. The gun must conform to you. So you must, after buying your gun, or before the purchase, visit a stock fitter and have the gun altered to fit you. If you are like most shooters, you won’t do it. But I hope you will.

So, you think you are not interested in shooting registered tournament trap? Don’t

kid yourself… you will eventually. It may not be this year or next, but you will. I’ve seen dedicated shooters who have shot for years at the local gun club swear up, down, left and right they would never, ever, shoot a registered shoot. Then a miracle happens…

I see them at an ATA shoot. So this means two things; first, if you buy the proper gun you will shoot better, have more fun and be able to shoot registered targets when that miraculous day occurs. (Which it will). And second, you will get more money for the gun when you wish to sell it. Enough said. Let’s look at the guns.

Which Is The Best Trap Shotgun To Buy? The gun that breaks the most targets!

So which gun is that? It could be the gun you own now, with a few modifications to ensure it fits you, and with the right combination of tight chokes you may have the golden goose and not know it. Let’s assume you don’t, and you don’t even have your first trap gun.

Where do you begin?

The autoloader shotgun is arguably the best all-around trap gun for the first-time beginner. The reasons being is that recoil is lower than that of an over and under gun and that makes it ideal for everyone, especially the women and young people. The drawback is; autoloaders require extra cleaning and worst of all can jam. In trap shooting singles and handicap you only fire off one shot so jams are not a concern, but in doubles events you will be penalized and may lose if your gun jams too many times… though rules do appear to be changing to forgive such incidents… it will still disrupt the squad and yourself. More moving parts require more maintenance and repairs. Overall, the autoloader is a good first choice for the novice.

The dedicated single-barrel break-open trap gun is predominant in American trapshooting. This does not mean it is the best gun to own… it only means it is favored in America at this time. Though the trend has been long-lasting we are seeing a gradual shift away from these guns to the over & under, but don’t get me wrong… the single barrel gun will be dominant in the US for sometime to come. The drawback is; you have to change to another gun or purchase another set of double barrels to shoot double-trap as the gun will obviously only fire one round. This would require you to get used to the new gun or additional barrel set. Now you have a duel learning curve… and that is not a good idea for the average shooter, but for the accomplished shooter this is not a problem. If someone sees a top gun shoot a single-barrel gun successfully he is likely to want to use the same. People do the same thing in golf; buy the club the pro uses. That’s okay, but for the individual is it the best weapon to use? Is it practical? Will it increase your scores? The answer is, not necessarily.

Yes, it is true that each discipline; singles, handicap and doubles are completely separate and no one can argue the point that to have a specific gun designed for the discipline you shoot may be best, but it is

RECOMMENDS

CALIBER BARREL LENGTH (CM) CHOKES TOP RIB(MM) WEIGHT (KG) CHOKES INCLUDED

not practical for the non-professional to have more guns than necessary. Remember, when you change you gun completely or by changing barrels the characteristics of the weapon is different. It will point differently, swing differently, balance and weight will be different and even the shot patterns will alter.

So, for all economical and practical purposes, the single barrel guns should be left to the pros’ to shoot. When you become professional and can shoot with such accomplished shooters you can then use a specific gun for a specific discipline because this is how you make your living and the difference between taking home the cash prize is usually down to one target, so you need all the advantage you can get. Shifting from one gun to another can be a problem even for the pros, but they should be able to handle it. Can you? Be honest. Look at your scores.

The point is this. The new or up and coming shooter should be shooting “one gun” not two or three guns. One gun! Not only is this the best and fastest way to learn to shoot, it is the most financially economical. So, all you new shooters out there living paycheckto-paycheck listen up… you only need one gun! Don’t let anyone try to convince you otherwise. Just talk to some of the pros ›

BROWNING B525 HUNTER ,12M,76 INV+

12M 76 INV+ 6 3.2 5 Invectors+: Cyl, 1/4,1/2, 3/4, Full

WOOD FINISH LENGTH OF PULL DROP AT COMB DROP AT HEEL PACKAGING ACCESSORIES

Oil finich 375mm 36mm 56mm ABS case Gun lock, choke key

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RECOMMENDS

GAUGE BARREL LENGTH (CM) CHOKES CHAMBER (MM) RIB (MM)

12 76 FIXED 70 10 X 10

Beretta 682 LTD Shotgun Limited edition Over-and-Under

This exquisite shotgun is immediately recognizable by the oil- finished, upgraded EELL walnut stock embellished with fine-line hand checkering. Special gold-filled engraving adds a distinctive accent to the sides and bottom of the matte-silver receiver; also gold-filled are the special-range serial numbers (1 of 1500 through 1500 of 1500).

As with all Beretta fine shotguns, the looks of the 682 LTD take nothing away from its performance: the crisp single-selective trigger and the over-bored Optima-Bore barrels with Optima-Choke tubes. Three models will be available: Sporting (30"), Sporting (32") and Trap Top Single Combo (32").

who shoot for a living and they will tell you the same thing. That old proverb still holds true, “Beware of he who shoots one gun.”

Daro Handy is living proof of that fact. He shoots a custom modified Remington 1100 autoloader.

Autoloader guns with a shell catcher works fine with single shot targets but will eject the second hull at other shooters during double trap events. This annoys shooters on the squad and if you reload shells you’ll have to perform the Easter egg hunt when finished shooting to retrieve shells, and do so quickly so as to beat the dreaded hull thief. At competition shoots you lose the hull. Rules are you can’t retrieve them.

Also with an autoloader, no matter what discipline you shoot, it is customary to fit a breach block with a colored ribbon attached so that other shooters and spectators can see that the gun is empty and therefore safe.

On the other hand one always carries an O&U open when not actually on the firing position so it is evident to everyone that it is empty..

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The over & under trap gun is a fantastic weapon and you should give serious consideration to buying one. You can shoot all trap disciplines with one gun, as you can with the autoloader, but there are some benefits to the O&U that you may find attractive for your style of shooting. For instance, there is less maintenance due to fewer moving parts and the spent cartridges can be directed away from your opponent.

The likely hood of jamming is negated as well. At a push, you can even take the gun to sporting clays events and perform quite well with it… many accomplished sporting clays shooters are using trap guns now due to the raised rib which gives a clearer view of the targets. But beware; as this can take some getting used to. If a firing pin fails you can continue shooting singles or handicap with the alternative barrel… two guns in one!

They will most certainly break the targets just as hard and fast as a dedicated singlebarrel gun. The double barrel gun is usually heavier than an auto loader, but this should not present too much of a problem with a well balanced O&U. Recoil will be less on an auto loader due to the gas blowback system

of ejection compensating for the recoil, but if the gun fits correctly this should not be too noticeable. The O&U is suitable for all trap disciplines and it is really a matter of personal preference, it is what you feel most comfortable with. Maintenance on an O&U means simply swabbing out the barrel and applying the necessary lubrication from time to time. Most guns today, be they O&U or auto loader, come with removable chokes so you can customize the shot pattern spread for the clay discipline you choose to shoot or the type of game you wish to hunt, so they are pretty versatile and cover a number of different requirements. As mentioned above though, a professional will have a dedicated gun for the discipline he is trying to excel in.

The special trap gun comes with a high rib and ventilated barrels, the high rib gives the shooter a clearer view of the target, and as it will be going away and falling quite rapidly the barrel should be held below the clay. With the raised rib you can keep the front bead on the target and the barrel will automatically be below it compensating for the fall of the clay. Ventilated ribs and barrels

also dissipate heat quicker which reduces heat haze distorting the view of the target.

You would normally select to shoot the lower barrel on a O&U first as this is more in line with your shoulder and reduces the barrel flip that occurs. This means that the second target can be acquired quicker, as the gun tends stay on line of the target rather than flipping above it.

Bottom Line On The First Trap Gun To Buy If you intend to shoot trap and only trap, then buy a trap gun. Whether this is over and under or semi auto is a matter of personal preference. Try the gun before you buy. Most good gun stores will let you try a gun out on their own shooting ground. If this is not available, then go to a private shooting school and get some professional advise and try both types of guns before spending your hard earned money.

If you prefer an over and under shotgun but find recoil a problem you could consider having a mechanical or hydraulic recoil system fitted to the butt stock, or by having the barrels ported. Porting is achieved by having small holes machined into the end of the barrels drilled at such an angle as to direct the spent gasses in the opposite direction to the recoil, thereby reducing the bruises on your shoulder as well as enabling you to concentrate on the second target.

Porting also reduces barrel flip which also helps you to acquire the second target better, as already mentioned above.

A Word This recommendation is basically for the novice and is based on economic factors. It is not to say that it is a mistake to purchase a discipline dedicated trap gun. We are recognizing the fact only of economy. You can learn to shoot two-guns but keep in mind that for each different gun you bring to your shoulder you will have to fire at minimum 1000 rounds just to get aquatinted with the gun. It will require about 5000 to

become engaged and around 10000 to be married to that gun. Many shooters keep changing guns‌ looking for that magic weapon that will take them to the top ranks.

But if you do not have the natural ability, or the will to acquire the ability through hours and hours of training and box after box of cartridges, no matter how good or expensive the gun, you will not become proficient. It’s skill, not the gun that gets the job done!

Now whilst most American shooters will prefer to use the semi autos, or auto loaders, the British and European shooters generally agree that the O&U is the most versatile and reliable; and is therefore the most commonly used guns in that part of the world. This is mainly down to convention, but in the right hands both will get the job done with remarkable precision.

There are a percentage of shooters, (many who just shoot for the money) who only shoot the handicap events and nothing more.

If this is true in your own case it is highly recommended that you purchase the singlebarrel auto loader trap gun as the extra barrel and weight of an over and under is not necessary and the dedicated single-barrel guns can be purchased in a wide array of price ranges.

So, when you really look at the situation, with all things considered, the O&U gun is still the best all-around shotgun one can buy for it can be used for different disciplines. It is highly reliable, requires low maintenance,

and most of all; you only need to learn the characteristics of one gun.

Who’s Shooting What?

The most popular gun manufactures at this time, particularly in the USA; are: Browning, Perazzi, Remington, Beretta, Ljutic, Cole Arms, Golden Seitz, and In Europe it tends to be Browning and Beretta that take the lead with Perazzi becoming very popular.

Last Shot. Finally just a reminder that whatever gun you buy and for whatever you intend to use it for, be it clay or game shooting, you will not achieve your potential unless the gun fits you. This can be particularly important for trap disciplines as there tends not to be as much movement of the gun as with other disciplines and consistency is all important. You need to have the gun fit you perfectly and it needs to be so comfortable that it becomes an integral part of your body. One can argue that all disciplines need a well fitted gun, and I would agree, but I would also say that due to the intense concentration required it is more critical in trap guns than say a sporting gun. So consider all the critical measurements, such as length of pull, drop at comb, drop at heal and height of rib. A gun that fits well will shoot well. So make sure yours fits you perfectly. And remember to practice as often as you can. Its bullets through barrels that makes you a good shot.

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St. Etienne

A gun-making center

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St. Etienne is one of the oldest gun-making cities in the world. It is located in eastern central France, in the Massif Central which is 60 km southwest of Lyon in the Rhone-Alpes region. The city is named after Saint Stephen.

The city is the capital of the Loire department and has a population of approximately 178,500 in the city itself, expanding to over 317,000 in the metropolitan area.

supervision of the General Inspector of the Royal Arms Manufacture of Charleville.

At the start of the French Revolution the company was producing around 12000 weapons per year, this quantity increased significantly to meet the demands of the Revolutionary Army fighting at the boarders against the Royalists supported by some European families.

The city developed an arms manufacturing industry in the sixteenth century. Although the city also became a center for the manufacture of ribbons and passementerie starting in the 17th century, it was the production of arms that made it famous and during the French revolution; St. Etienne was briefly named Armeville because of this activity.

In 1838, the annual production was well over 30,000 firearms. In 1864, the modern factory was built, new steam-powered machines were installed and in 1866 the first military standardized bolt action rifle the, Chassepot, was produced and in 1874 the improved Gras rifle was put into production.

The Manufacture d’armes de Saint-Etienne (MAS) was created in 1764 under the

The history of the city is a very brief one but a very important one none-the-less. There are many gun-making cities and towns that have had such a great impact on the modern

world of firearms and hunting and St. Etienne is one of these cities. One of the most renowned gun makers of all times originated from this French city - Verney-Carron.

Verney Carron has been making firearms since 1820 in St. Etienne. Besides VerneyCarron, there have been many other famous gun-makers such as: Siauve Bonchard, Darne Fils, Zavattero, Mural L’Aine, Vacher, Gonon & Portofaix, Serre, Neel and many more great names.

St. Etienne, the center of gun-making later on became known for its coal mining industry and today it is renown for its bicycles.

However, we cannot forget the remarkable achievements that the gun making fraternity contributed to its history and which continues to the present day.

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IWA & Outdoor Classics

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h&s Issue 04 l Februar y 2011

IWA & Outdoor Classics has been the world’s leading exhibition for hunting, sporting guns, outdoor activities and accessories sector for over 35 years. This international exhibition is organized by NurembergMesse GmbH, Germany.

Following the exhibition in March 2010 which hugely exceeded all expectations, the IWA and Outdoor Classics 2011, is definitely going to be bigger and better.

show for visitors at the exhibition in 2011.

The product displays will range from, Target Sports, (guns, gun components, ammunition and reloading for hunting and competition shooting, as well as optics), to Nature Activities, (knives, clothing, shooting sports accessories and trade information), to Law Enforcement and Personal Protection, (guns and components, ammunition, optics and equipment for official agencies).

The exhibition will run for four days in March, in Nuremberg, Germany. You will have the opportunity to see all types of new and classical guns being showcased. IWA & Outdoor Classics, Exhibition is renowned as the best exhibition of its kind in the world for all outdoor leisure activities.

The City; Nuremberg’s history of trade and commerce goes way back into medieval times. It was renowned at that time as a marketplace in the middle of Europe. It certainly hasn’t changed as business still flourishes in the metropolitan region of Nuremberg today.

Besides the already extensive range of guns for official agencies, the law enforcement segment is rapidly gaining importance with a large selection of special products for Special Forces, Security Companies and Official Agencies. All of these selections will be on

The exhibition has always been regarded as the best of its kind and it is truly a multinational occasion for the industry hence ensuring IWA & Outdoor Classics will continue its successful growth with every exhibition in the coming years.

FURTHER INFORMATION Venue & Date: Nuremberg Exhibition Centre - 11 – 14.03.2011 Opening Times: Daily: 9 am – 6 pm / Monday: 9 am – 4 pm Exhibition Halls: 1, 2, 3, 4A, 5 and 6 Exhibitors: Approximately 1,141 exhibitors from 55 countries.

Trade Visitors: Approximately 32,214 trade visitors from all over the world. h&s Issue 04 l Februar y 2011

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International Championship

of New Zealand

Pistol Shooting

Target pistol shooting was introduced in New Zealand in the 1960's. By 1972, New Zealand had a pistol shooter at the Olympic Games. Since then, target pistol shooting has developed in numbers and the types of events shot.

IPSC, The International Practical Shooting Confederation, was formed in 1976. It now embraces 69 regions. Competition includes National and Continental Championships with the pinnacle of IPSC competition being the tri- annual World Shoot.

Practical Pistol Shooting is not purely about being stationary and taking aim at targets and seeing who can get closest to the bull’s-eye; it is more dynamic than that. A shooter has to shoot a course with a number of stands which present a variety of target situations.

Each stand is different from the previous and the shooter has to move, as quickly as possible, from stand to stand shooting at set targets along the way. These may be paper targets or metal targets, or targets illustrating the human anatomy, and some stands presents targets that give the shooter a choice.

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EVENT

CHAMPION

OPEN DIVISION

P PIJACEK (CZE)

STANDARD DIVISION

J LOFTES (AUS)

PRODUCTION DIVISION

M ZAPLETAL (CZE)

REVOLVER DIVISION

E SHARP

SINGLE STACK

A THOMPSON

That is, there may be a, “Good Guy”, and a, “Bad Guy” on the same target, and points are lost if you hit the “Good Guy”. Firing positions are also varied, with shooters standing, kneeling and laying down and in some cases shooting from behind a wall or standing on top of a wall or shooting through a door which the shooter has to open first.

IPSC competitions are shot throughout the country. Diversity is the cornerstone of the matches - the same courses are never shot twice and so the challenge always changes.

The event was held over three days, November 18th 19th and 20th 2010, and was conducted under IPSC rules. The participants of this Championship had to shoot through 18 demanding and very dynamic shooting stages.

The Championship was held in ideal weather conditions at the world class Rotorua Shooting Ground, located on the shore of the lake bearing the same name. Below you will find the names of the champions along with the event in which they won.

h&s Issue 04 l Februar y 2011

41

news hunt

Ammunition Count

Can You Carry Too Much?

Well the short answer is, yes of course you can. But you can also not take enough. What is best? Is it better to take just what you need to cater for what you intend to shoot, or is it better to take a few rounds extra for those unforeseen circumstances. Me, well I would rather carry rounds back home than have to borrow ammunition, or miss an unexpected golden opportunity, or not have the ability to put down a wounded animal.

That would be the worst case scenario.

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If I am wing shooting in the UK, for instance, and have joined an organized shoot the day will be sold to eight or nine guns, on average, and there will be a number of birds specified.

It could be a 150 bird, one day shoot; or a 500 bird, two day shoot. A good average number of shots per bird taken will be in the region of three, so we can do the math’s from that. 150 birds divided equally by nine guns is 16/17 birds per gun. Times that by three shots per bird and that give you about

50 cartridges per gun, per shoot on average that you will need. Having said all of that and after spending time going through the mathematical formula above, I would ignore it.

For anything up to a 300 bird single day shoot with nine guns I would drop a carton of ten boxes of 25 shot gun cartridges in the boot and set off. The reason for having plenty of ammunition on a wing

shoot is manifold. The first thing is that it is less expensive to buy your cartridges in bulk. They do not deteriorate over time if stored properly, so you will always use them at a later date. They are carried in the boot of your car so not a problem with transportation. You will fill your cartridge bag with 50 or so and carry those with you on a drive. After each drive you will go back to the cars for a break and can replenish your bag. If it is not intended to go back to the cars through out the day, drop your box of cartridges in the vehicle that will transport you from stand to stand. Finally if the Shoot Captain realizes that you have run out of cartridges part way through the shoot he is likely to call off the shoot on the basis that as you have used all the cartridges you have bought you must have shot at all the birds you expected to see on that day. This would be quite severe but I have seen it happen, to the chagrin of the other shooters.

For big game taken with rifles the situation is considerably different. You would not expect to take 150 Cape buffalo per day in South Africa or 150 Red Deer stags per day off the mountains of Scotland. Depending on the capacity of your magazine, which will typically be three for larger caliber, or five for the smaller caliber, or if you are using an express rifle then two is what you will carry in the gun. I am always looking on the cautious side in most things, so myself, I would carry with me in the field, in addition to the bullets in the gun, an extra ten bullets depending on what game I am hunting, with an extra box of ten or spare clips/magazines totaling ten extra kept in the car.

There are considerations of course; if you expect to shoot different game then you will probably need the same amount of spare ammunition per caliber you are using. And if the game is in abundance you may take two or three animals per day. You may miss, or you may wound, all of which necessitates additional ammunition. If you have traveled far with your rifle or the rifle scope got knocked then it may take a few rounds to resight in the gun. Notwithstanding all of this

twenty rounds for a three day stalking shoot should suffice.

The amount of ammunition one should realistically expect to keep at home in your own stock obviously depends on the amount of shooting you intend to be doing each season. Also, if you are living close to a local gun store where you can jump in the car and restock in short order then you do not need to carry a large inventory. However, if you are miles away from a retail outlet then you have to bare this in mind; in this case you do not want to be waking up on the day of the shoot to find that the cartridge box in the gun safe that you thought contained 250, 12 gauge, number 6 shot cartridges actually contains your spare cleaning kit. So always check at the start of the season and estimate what you intend to shoot and keep enough ammunition to cover that plus about 25% to 30% extra.

What you don’t use that season you will use the next and you will not be embarrassed whilst out in the field. I used to clay shoot every weekend so I would always be able

to pick up a box of ammunition from the shooting ground, and my hunts were normally arranged through the shooting ground as well; so I had a good idea of what I would be using throughout the season and so did the owner and hunt organizer, so I had him as a back up. If you do not have this advantage just make sure you carry enough to do the job you are undertaking without loading yourself down. Turning up with too much ordnance can be almost as embarrassing as not enough. Turning up to a shoot with double bandoliers of cartridges or bullets strapped about your person will encourage the comment from fellow shooters such as, “Do you not intend to leave anything for us to shoot, then.”

Or, “I was not aware that world war three had been declared.” A few extra shells discreetly placed in the boot or glove box is a good thing, and if you find one of your less organized shooters turns up with less ammunition than he actually requires, you can then discreetly pass him a few rounds, out of sight of the other guns of course, and you have made a friend for life.

h&s Issue 04 l Februar y 2011

43

hunting tips

Commandments of

Gun Safety

I have deliberately not put a number to the title of this article because I am sure that whilst ten would be the most common number where commandments are concerned, I am sure that were I to write, Ten Commandments, someone will undoubtedly come up with a few more.

So let’s see how many we can realistically come up with and count them up at the end of the article.

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Check the indentation in the primer to see if you have a damaged firing pin.

Well that’s ten. And I am sure that we could come up with many more but the above would seem to cover most things and if you adhere to those any others will, hopefully, come automatically to you. Anyway we do not accept any liability for omissions.

I suppose we should add number eleven as: 11. Do not mix alcohol with firearms.

OK! So we have a twelve as well: 12. Always be sure that actions and barrels are clear of any obstructions.

Firearm manufacturers, associations, and gun clubs will no doubt have their own set of rules but I think the following four “rules” should be the least that a user of lethal weapons should adopt as a mantra.

1. Always treat a firearm as if it were loaded, even if it is not. This is the first, and most important, rule in my book.

2. Never point the gun, loaded or unloaded, at anything you are not willing to destroy.

3. Do not touch the trigger until you are ready to fire.

4. Always keep your gun unloaded until you are ready to use it, and especially when cleaning it.

Over and above these the following are just as important as well.

5. Following on from 4, when taking a firearm into a clubhouse or other publicly occupied building, a car, camp site, your home or walking in a populated area at a shooting ground or shooting lodge, always carry it unloaded with the action open, or in the case of semi automatic

weapons fit a flagged breach block. And never put a gun away loaded.

6. Never shoot at anything you can not see. Dick Cheney can be used as a good example of this rule. Or should that be, a bad example?

7. Never climb a fence, hedge, or tree, or negotiate other obstacles with a loaded gun.

8. Never rely on gun safety catches.

9. If you hand over a weapon to another person make sure they are aware of the state of the gun by simply stating either of the following: a) open and empty, or, b) closed and loaded 10. If a gun misfires, wait at least three or four minutes with the weapon pointed in a safe direction before removing the cartridge or shell. Hang fires, where there is a delay in the cartridge detonating, are rare nowadays but can happen. After a suitable period of time carefully remove the misfires cartridge and discard it in a safe manner. Never tamper with it or try to use it again.

And a thirteen: 13. Always wear eye and ear protection.

Thirteen is an unlucky number so: 14. Take care of your gun. Clean it after every use, and have it serviced on a regular basis.

Finally, always stay calm and use good old fashioned common sense and if you see anyone acting in an unsafe manner, politely advise them of the error of there ways.

Without getting into a fight about it. That would be pretty counter productive.

That’s all I am going to say on the subject; and for the novice shooter it might seem a lot to remember, but after awhile these things, and others that you will pick up for yourself along the way to becoming a true, sporting gun, will become second nature and will be just a part of your way of life when shooting. Just like putting your pant on. You would not forget to do that would you? If you would you have no right handling a gun anyway.

Shoot safe, stay safe. h&s Issue 04 l Februar y 2011

45

air guns

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h&s Issue 04 l Februar y 2011

FX

Airguns

Air to a great tradition by Terry Joe A former European, U.S. and U.K. Field Target shooting champion, a prolific author on airgun-related subjects and a consultant for many of the U.K.’s airgun companies.

I’ve been shooting since I was four years old.

I’m 50 now, and I can shoot pretty much any type of rifle, shotgun, or pistol I want to, in a wide variety of situations. While I enjoy all types of shooting, my true passion is for airguns; it’s where I began my shooting career and it’s provided me with everything I need throughout my shooting life.

As I grew and improved my range of shooting skills, my airguns grew with me and I became ever more fascinated by how they worked, how they could be improved and how I could improve the way I used them.

My shooting became a passion, and airguns were the focus of that passion.

From those early times, all the way to the present, I’ve shared my sport with some remarkable people, who also shared my passion. Inventors, engineers, world-class marksmen, hunters of all descriptions and a whole range of experts and enthusiasts have inspired me and increased my enjoyment of shooting. Among these remarkable people was a young man from Sweden, who was

introduced to me by John Ford, the founder of Sportsmatch UK. As I exchanged pleasantries with Fredrik Axelsson that day, I couldn’t have known that I was shaking hands with someone who would go on to change the face of modern airgunning.

After our first meeting, Fredrik and I went our separate ways, but I would receive regular updates from John Ford about the discoveries made by Fredrik and how much the young man’s industry and inventiveness had not only impressed John, but had inspired new directions in his own developments. John Ford once told me that he consid ered Fredrik Axelsson to be the most talented airgun engineer he’d ever met. Praise indeed, from a man respected throug - hout the airgun industry, not just for his achievements, but for his honesty and integrity. John Ford spotted something special in Fredrik Axelsson and that faith was well founded. The potential of Fredrik’s early years has now come to full fruition via FX Airguns.

Like John Ford, Fredrik Axelsson and every airgun hunting expert I’ve had the pleasure to meet throughout my years of shooting, I use air rifles because I appreciate their quiet, efficient, precision. Modern air rifles, and especially those produced by companies with the worldwide reputation of FX Airguns, are capable of total accuracy, extraordinary consistency, and a variety of power outputs to suit an even wider variety of hunting and pest-control situations. The modern air rifle is a precision hunting machine that will translate the skills of its owner into success in the field. But there’s more to hunting with airguns than their pure efficiency.

Air-powered hunting rifles from FX Airguns can be used where no other rifle would be suitable. The ability to adjust the power of these rifles renders them safe, silent and extremely efficient when clearing rats and pigeons from buildings and other shortrange situations, after which the rifles can be instantly adjusted to cope with small game at greater ranges. Few, if any, hunting rifles offer the versatility of an FX Airguns sporter. ›

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air guns

Experience and the encouragement of success have added even greater direction to the quest for ultimate performance, and, at FX Airguns, innovation is now part of the process. This is a company that makes fine airguns, and then strives to make them finer still. There is a genuine commitment to excellence, here, and it’s certainly reflected in the products.

These virtually recoilless rifles can easily place their shots inside a 20mm circle at 50 metres range, and the auto-reload capability of an FX air rifle can have the next shot ready in less than a second, with the semi-automatic models even faster. Fit a silencer to the ready-threaded barrel and you instantly add stealth to your hunting armoury. The modern air rifle opens a vast new world of sporting potential.

On several occasions, I have personally taken over 100 rabbits in a single night, using an FX Airguns hunting rifle. I have also used the very same rifles to clear infestations of feral pigeon from premises where only the precision culling capabilities of my FX rifles made the job viable. With nearsilent shooting at my disposal, and the ability to take shot after shot without the disturbance of loud muzzle-blasts, my air rifles equip me like no other piece of shooting hardware possibly

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could. Air-power is one of the most practical and versatile systems of them all, and FX Airguns takes that system to a new level.

Having enjoyed the use of FX Airguns over the years, I wanted to find out more about them and to see how they were made. In June of 2006 I visited the FX Airguns factory and saw for myself what Fredrik Axelsson had built from his ideas and inventions. No shooting man could fail to be impres sed by the degree of research, pre-production testing and quality control involved in the production of FX airguns. Like the airguns themselves, the emphasis is on quiet precision and performance to the highest standards.

For me, it was gratifying to see the drive and passion that so impressed those that met Fredrik Axelsson when he began his career, had not only been maintained, but increased.

Since meeting up with Fredrik Axelsson and spending time studying his methods and products, I now realise that the key to the success of FX Airguns is an extremely simple one. Fredrik is passionate about what he does and the airguns his company produces reflect that passion. Only the very best is good enough for Fredrik Axelsson, and he applies that standard to the needs of his customers. Therefore, whilst the products may be hi-tech and clinically efficient, the philosophy behind them is refreshingly traditional. I think that’s just about the perfect combination, really.

There has never been a better time to own a high quality airgun. Thanks to pioneering inventors like Fredrik Axelsson, airguns and their related products have progressed as never before. These are genuine sporting arms, and fully capable of true hunting performance. I’ve enjoyed a lifetime of pleasure, challenge and satisfaction from my airguns and I know that FX Airguns can provide the same for you.

This is the latest creation with a robust mechanism and a new smooth operating side lever cocking system. To guarantee maximum performance there is an integrated pressure regulator available as an option. This specific model comes with a big 400 cc bottle in front to assure many shot in every charge. Luxurious woodwork in walnut or high quality synthetic. Shrouded muzzle assures quiet and non disturbing shooting. Recoil free.

As with other FX rifles, owners will benefit from the patented three stage power adjustment (12, 9 or 7 ft lbs) enabling you to select the most appropriate velocity for your shooting environment - all without having to re-zero your scope. The straight pull cocking system with auto return ensures you can empty the eight-shot magazine very quickly if required. Accuracy comes courtesy of the Lothar Walther match-grade barrel.

The synthetic stock provides a comfortable pistol grip together with an adjustable (for length and angle) bottle cover/cheek piece. Thanks to it's very large capacity, this is an ideal rifle to upgrade to FAC power.

Removable air bottle, capacity 400 cc

Thumbhole stock

Luxurious woodwork in walnut or high quality synthetic.

Side lever cocking system

Model

Shot Count

Power

Velocity

Length

Weight

.177

280

12 ft lbs

800 ft/s

1030mm

2.9kg

.22

350

12 ft lbs

580 ft/s

1030mm

2.9kg

h&s Issue 04 l Februar y 2011

49

air guns

Air Pistols The few best!

In this article, we are going to explore some of the different brands that have been producing some of the world’s best air pistols.

However, first things first – what are air pistols?

An air pistol comes in varying calibres, with the two most common being .177(4.5mm) and .22(5.5mm) calibre. Two other pellet calibres are .20(5mm) and .25(6mm). Then there is the BB which is a ball baring type projectile rather than a pellet. The size of a BB is .17(4.1mm). In the early days an air pistol tended to be a single shot weapon but now with the popularity of air gunning on the rise air pistols are made to look like their more

leatyhal counterparts and can have a circular magazine of between eight or ten pellets and the BB airguns can hold many more.

In terms of appearance they can replicate any hand gun from a Colt cap and ball revolver, to a Sig semi auto, to an Uzi automatic pistol.

The selection is and manufacturers such as Smith and Wesson, Walther, Berretta and Colt all manufacture air pistols based on their range of lethal fire arms. is huge and It is quite normal that an It is a compressed air or gas pistol that may only be loaded with one pellet at a time.

Air guns, whether pistols or riles have two

Gamo Gamo is another popular airgun manufacturer based in Spain. The company is also the largest producer in Europe. The company was founded in 1959 and airgun production first started in 1961. Gamo produces mostly high powered, high end air guns.

PT-85 Blowback CO2 Powered Air Pistol The PR-85 Blowback CO2 air pistol features the innovative Blowback feature. This new technique provides a realistic action and an authentic look and feel when shooting. This is achieved by utilizing a small portion of air to move the slide backward when firing. A rifled steel barrel and textured grip are also features of the air pistol that is capable of up to 450fps with Gamo’s PBA Platinum Pellets.

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main sources of prolusion. As the name suggests compressed air is the driving force and this can be derived by compressing and releasing a spring with a valve to create the pressure; or by compressed air released from a cylinder. This can be a pre charged throw away cylinder or by hand charging an integral cylinder on, or, in the weapon. In the main pistols use throw away pre charged cylinders.

The history of airguns is a very interesting one, and you will remember that we featured an article on it in H&S’ first issue. However, this time around, we are going to look at a few of the well known brands of air pistols on the market today and review a product of each..

Beretta Beretta is an Italian manufacturer and also one of the oldest active firearms manufacturers in the world. The firearms that they produce are used worldwide by civilians, police and armies. Beretta is also known for their shooting clothes and accessories.

Beretta Air Pistol-Berreta M92B (FS92) .177 cal This popular air pistol is a polished blue version of the M92 FS. It features a fast action magazine system with an 8 shot capacity. It also features a CO2 loading system for convenience and speed.

Daisy Daisy is one of the most reputable manufacturers of inexpensive BB guns and other air guns. The company has been around since 1882.

Daisy Powerline Model 15XTP This is another air pistol that is highly popular. It is identical to Daisy’s 15XT. However, this model includes an Electronic Sight to put shooters on target in a snap for fast, accurate shooting. The sight operates on three-volt lithium battery.

Crosman Crosman is a major manufacturer of airsoft guns and BB guns in the United States. Crosman products are usually inexpensive and targeted at a youth audience. The products are solid and dependable.

Crosman has also produced a paintball maker, and has recently begun production of airsoft models.

Crosman 1008 Repeat Air The Crosman 1008 Repeat Air is a single or double action semiautomatic pistol. It is great for fast-action fun. It fires eight shots as fast as the trigger can be pulled. It is also perfect for teaching and learning shooting skills. The Crosman 1008 Repeat Air is a C02 power unit with a velocity up to 430 FPS. The 1008 Repeat Air is a single or double action trigger that includes to easy loading 8 shot pellet clips.

Well, there you have it - if you are looking for a great air pistol, the above mentioned ones are highly recommended. There are many more brands that produce great air pistols so if you are looking to go ahead and purchase one, but make sure you know exactly what you want it for, vermin control or target shooting, for instance and check every aspect and detail of the gun from the design and style to the specifications so that you go home with the air pistol that is right for you!

h&s Issue 04 l Februar y 2011

51

scopes

Schmidt &Bender Riflescopes that make sure you see in order to hit it!

What would a hunter be without his trusty scope? There are many brands in the world today that provide hunters with the necessity of a scope and in this article, we look into one of the most remarkable companies that does just that!

Schmidt & Bender is a German company that specializes in producing high end telescopic sights for hunting, sports, law enforcement and military arms. S&B prides

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itself on the fact that all they are interested in making is scopes so as to not distract themselves from their commitment to the hunter and shooter.

The company was founded in 1957 by instrument maker Helmut Schmidt and master instrument maker Helmut Bender.

They started off with producing telescopic sights for large German hunting equipment sales chains under various brand names.

Gradually, S&B started to produce telescopic sights under their own brand name. In a few short years, Schmidt & Bender became one of the most respected names in hunting optics.

Much of the assembly process is done by hand which is why only a limited number of scopes are manufactured annually. This does not affect the company nor the loyalty of their customers. Even though there are other companies that build as many scopes in a week as S&B builds in a year - they do not concern themselves with the fact.

Schmidt & Bender have always been and are concerned more with the quality rather than quantity: a hunter’s need for the best scope after he’s traveled for days on end through the steepest of hills and the dark of night to indulge in the perfect hit and kill of their stalked prey.

Schmidt & Bender scopes were originally designed for hunting from a stand by moonlight in Germany where night hunting

is legal. This explains the exceptional light transmission and brilliance for which Schmidt & Bender scopes are known. That being said, let us take a look at some of their various excellent scopes:

S&B Classic Fixed Power Scopes These scopes are rugged, simple and practical. They allow you to hunt with the world’s finest optics at a reasonable price.

• Fixed Power 8 x 56 This scope has an incredibly high twilight factor of 21.1 hence making it particularly well suited for the poorest light as well as night-time hunting from a high seat or blind.

Classic Variable Power Scopes These scopes offer exceptionally wide magnification ranges thus allowing the flexibility of hunting in a forest or an open prairie. These scopes are very precise, with no shift in point of impact across the entire magnification range.

Classic Variable Power Scopes 1.5 - 6 x 42

• 1.5 - 6 x 42

Specifications:

An extremely versatile riflescope, adaptable to a wide range of hunting situations. It is slender and mounts low on your rifle, with excellent light transmission for a medium-power scope. Ideal for all but the very longest shots.

This is perhaps one of the most versatile scopes offered by S&B and it is applicable to most hunting situations around the world.

The optics performs as well as many other scopes with larger objective lenses. It is perfect for close-in work on dangerous or moving game at 1.5x and at 6x, it is very suitable for all but extremely long shots.

This scope is available with standard and illuminated reticles.

Zenith The Zenith riflescopes earned the prestigious international IF Design Award. That’s got to count for something, doesn’t it? They were also selected by Field & Stream magazine as the “Best of the Best”. These are efficient scopes that complement any rifle. The full ›

A B C D E F

3.30" 2.70" 1.10" 2.20" 1.80" 2.00"

G H I J K

6.00" 1.61" 1.89" 13.2" 1"

Weight Twilight factor Eye relief Click value Field of view

18 oz.

15.8 3.27" .360" 21 ft @ 100 yards

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scopes

magnification range can be covered in just one 180 degree rotation - a mere half turn - of the adjustment dial. Eye relief is safe a safe and comfortable 90mm. The POSICON system provides a graphic indication of the reticle’s position and remaining travel within the scope. It facilitates mounting, sighting in and insures that you retain as much elevation and windage adjustment as possible.

• Zenith 1.5-6 x42 This is another one of S&B’s most versatile scope. It is excellent for close-range hunting on large game while its 6x upper limit allows precise bullet placement at all but the longest distances. A large objective lens provides outstanding low-light performance; a large filed of view makes it highly efficient for driven game, stalking and high seat or stand hunting.

Precision Hunter Scopes These riflescopes are based on three of S&B’s most popular Classic series scopes.

They are each equipped with a top-mounted

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h&s Issue 04 l Februar y 2011

bullet drop compensator and reticles designed to let you place an accurate shot at long ranges.

The elevation and adjustment knob has graduations and numbers that allow you to create custom distance chart for your preferred caliber. Blank elevation rings are also available with markings you can record after sighting in your rifle. All Precision Hunter scopes are equipped with 30mm tubes.

3-12 x 42 Precision Hunter with P3 reticle This riflescope is highly versatile and brilliant scope. It is equipped with a broad magnification range for close or very long shots. It is perfect for flat-shooting rifles. The design encompasses of a slim silhouette. It has more flexibility in mounting and the use of lower mounts.

Varmint Scope This is ideal for long-range shooting of small

targets. It has exceptional light transmission as well as a wide magnification range. This allows the scope to perform double duty as an all-around hunting scope.

4-16 x 50 Varmint This scope has brilliant optics, high magnification and convenient parallax adjustment this making it deadly on small game anywhere in the world. It is also excellent for target shooting competitions.

And there you have it, the above are some of the most remarkable scopes by the exceptional establishment of Schmidt & Bender. The scopes work beautifully and do their job remarkably well in any light and this is what makes them so special to any hunter. Once you’ve tested a Schmidt & Bender scope, your loyalty to it will never stray. Today, nearly 50 years later, Schmidt & Bender is still a family enterprise, intent upon quality, not quantity.

h&s Issue 04 l Februar y 2011

55

hunting knives

Heckler &Koch

For over half a century, Heckler and Koch has been a leading designer and manufacturer of military, law enforcement, and civilian firearms. HK’s reputation for quality, innovation, and safety make them a recognized leader in technologically advanced products.

This dedication to innovation continues with HK® Knives. Created and manufactured

by Benchmade Knife Company, these superior edged tools combine leading technology with artful and practical design.

Patented functional technologies like the AXIS® locking mechanism, push-button autos with an integrated safety and the lightning fast Nitrous™ assist opener are deployed throughout the product line.

Plus, manufacturing processes adhering to tolerances usually reserved for the aerospace industry provide a go-together fit and finish.

FEATURES Blade Length Blade Thickness

0.125"

Handle Thickness

0.350"

Blade Material Blade Hardness

HK 14320

Snody Design

Blade Style Weight Clip Lock Mechanism

Monolock Drop Point Utility with Ambidextrous Thumb-Studs N690 Stainless Steel (58-60HRC) 420J Stainless Steel; Removable Steel Carry-Clip 56

h&s Issue 04 l Februar y 2011

3.04"

N690 Stainless Steel 58-60HRC Drop-Point Utility; Ambidextrous Thumb-Studs 3.84oz.

Black, Removable, Tip-Down Monolock

Overall Length

7.37"

Closed Length

4.35"

Sheath Material

Sold Separately

FEATURES Blade Length Blade Thickness

0.123"

Handle Thickness

0.120"

Blade Material

HK 14536

INSTIGATOR® Modified Wharncliff AUS-8 Stainless Steel (58-60HRC), BP-1 Coated AUS-8 Stainless Steel, Skeletonized, Full Tang Handle Snap-Fit Molded Kydex®/ Thermoplastic Sheath with Tether Imported

3.28"

Blade Hardness Blade Style

AUS-8 Stainless Steel 58-60HRC Modified Wharncliff

Weight

2.30oz.

Clip

Sheath

Lock Mechanism

Fixed

Overall Length

7.38"

Sheath Material

Snap-Fit Molded Kydex®/ Thermoplastic with Tether

FEATURES Blade Length Blade Thickness

0.123"

Handle Thickness

0.120"

Blade Material

HK 14412

MINI-PIKA II ™

Modified Wharncliff AUS-8 Stainless Steel (58-60HRC), BP-1 Coated AUS-8 Stainless Steel, Skeletonized, Full Tang Handle Snap-Fit Molded Kydex®/ Thermoplastic Sheath with Tether Imported

3.28"

Blade Hardness Blade Style

AUS-8 Stainless Steel 58-60HRC Modified Wharncliff

Weight

2.30oz.

Clip

Sheath

Lock Mechanism

Fixed

Overall Length

7.38"

Sheath Material

Snap-Fit Molded Kydex®/ Thermoplastic with Tether

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hunting knives

110H20 Fixed Our new water knives offer great corrosion resistance, cutting ability and edge retention.

AXIS速 locking mechanism on folder; Blunt tip on fixed blade N680 (57-60HRC) highly corrosion resistant blade steel 110H20: Santoprene速 handle with plastic molded sheath with single push-button lock release and PFD compatible clip

FEATURES Blade Length

3.43"

Blade Thickness

0.116"

Handle Thickness

0.47"

Weight

551BK-101 With a black coated CPM-M4 tool steel blade and carbon fibertextured handles, the popular Griptilian速 has now become a collectible item.

AXIS速 locking mechanism Modified drop-point blade style with ambidextrous thumb-stud opener CPM-M4 tool steel with black coating (60-62HRC) Carbon fiber-textured handle with black G10 back spacer and reversible black nickel carry clip

FEATURES Blade Length Blade Thickness

0.115"

Open

8.07"

Close

4.62"

Weight Handle Thickness

58

3.45"

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3.25oz 0.64"

3.10oz

Overall Length

7.56"

Sheath Weight

1.10oz

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historical weapons

The

Luger P08 A Historical Weapon

The Luger P08 semi automatic pistol is one of the best known guns in the world attached to which is, some would say, iconic status. A German semi-automatic pistol that was designed by Georg J. Luger in 1898 and manufactured by Deutsche Wiffen Und Munitionfabriken (DWM) in 1900.

The pistol was an evolution of the 1893 Hugo Borchardt designed C93. The P08 however features several modifications and enhancements to that of its predecessor including a leaf recoil spring that, when moved into the butt, significantly improved the balance of the weapon.

The Luger P08 pistol was widely used by the Germany military during World War I, and World War II, as apposed to the Browning designed, Colt M1911A1, used by the allies.

The round developed for the M1911 was the heavy.45 ACP or, Automatic Colt Pistol, whilst Luger originally produced the pistol chambered for 7.65mm ammunition but this was found to be too light for serious combat; so the ubiquitous 9mm Parabellum

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was developed which has become a standard throughout the world. Incidentally, Parabellum is taken from the Latin, “Si vis pacem para bellum, “ which translates into English as, “If you wish for peace, prepare for war” which seems appropriate.

One reason that the Luger was popular was that because it used the relatively lighter 9mm round as compared to the .45 ACP round , the Luger magazine capacity was ten rounds as opposed to the Colts capacity of seven. The argument still carries on as to whether it is better to have three extra rounds or to have the extra stopping power that a .45 will give you. Another reason for its popularity was due to its mechanism and lighter cartridge which made for a softer shooting gun, with less recoil and muzzle

flip, as compared to the more powerful Colt 1911, which produced a pretty hefty kick.

It remains down to personal preference I suppose as there are arguments for both cases.

be very effective in trench warfare.

The Germans then began to conduct experiments in order to create machine pistols that were capable of firing bullets continuously. This would make the pistols similar to the submachine guns. The P08 was then converted into a machine pistol and had excessive rates of fire but only a small number of them were converted to machine pistols.

As mentioned, the P08 was the standard sidearm of the Germany Military during both World Wars. In the 1900's, the Swiss Army also adopted the pistol. The United States even considered using the P08 and carried out many military trials in limited numbers. However, DWM withdrew supply after a while and thus the trials had to cease.

The Luger P08 series is an extremely reliable and strong handgun even though the locking device had a sort of complicated design. Because of this, the P08 was difficult to produce in the numbers that were required during wartime. However, reports concluded that the firing action of the system allowed an easy use in the point-and-shoot department.

Unlike the slide actions of most other semiautomatic pistols, the Luger uses a togglelock action which uses a pointed arm to lock.

After a round is fired, the barrel and toggle are locked together and travel rearward due to recoil. After moving around onehalf inch rearward, the toggle strikes a cam built into the frame. This causes the knee joint to hinge and the toggle and the breech assembly to unlock. At this point, the barrel stops its rearward movement. However, the toggle and the breech assembly continue moving due to momentum, extracting the spent casing from the chamber and expelling it. The toggle and the breech assembly accordingly travel forward and the next

round from the magazine is loaded into the chamber. This entire sequence occurs in a fraction of a second. The mechanism worked well for higher pressure cartridges but when it came to cartridges loaded to a lower pressure, the pistol would malfunction as they did not generate enough recoil to work the action completely. This would usually result in either the breechblock not clearing the top cartridge of the magazine, or becoming jammed open on the cartridge’s base. This is one reason why the improved 9mm Parabellum round was developed.

During the First World War, submachine guns were used widely and proved to

Today, the Luger is still coveted by collectors for its sleek design and accuracy and because of its connection to Imperial and Nazi Germany. The Luger was highly prized by Allied troops. They confiscated the handgun as a trophy of their exploits throughout the war. The P08 has certainly stood the test of time. It has resurfaced every now and then under production by some companies around the globe.

This Luger semi-automatic pistol is one of the most recognizable firearms in German history. It was once taken home during both wars is still in circulation today and many are available as remarkable collector’s items. It is experienced by people all over the world in many video games, movies, etc. That is how popular and extraordinary it is!

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Nagant M1895 Revolver 62

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The Revolver Systemy Nagana obr 1895g, aka the Nagant Model 1895, is a pistol that might have been designed by Dr. Seuss. It doesn't look all that strange but trust me, it is.

The design goes back to the late nineteenth century, when the super-conservative Russian military finally and grudgingly agreed to modernize their arsenal. The standard sidearm of the Tsar's forces was a big .44 revolver by Smith & Wesson, a powerful and effective though old-fashioned weapon. (If you saw Doctor Zhivago, that's what Lara shoots Komarovsky with.)

Why they chose this particular replacement is still a mystery, but the Nagant brothers of Belgium had good connections in St. Petersburg, and it is very likely some

palms got greased. In any event the Imperial brass decided on the Nagant double-action revolver which had already been adopted by various countries (Sweden, Belgium, Serbia, etc.) - but in a new version, incorporating a principle the Nagants had more or less ripped off from a fellow-Belgian named Pieper.

moves forward on its axis, until the front of the cylinder almost touches the rear of the barrel. The front of the cylinder is also recessed, so that it partly encloses the end of the barrel; and then, to complete the seal, a special cartridge is used, that protrudes from the cylinder and closes the tiny remaining gap.

The result is a classic example of over engineering applied to a largely imaginary problem. A revolver, even a top-quality one, has to have a slight gap between the cylinder and the barrel; otherwise the cylinder won't be able to turn once it heats up from firing.

A certain amount of gas therefore escapes at this point with each shot; and Pieper's idea, taken up by Nagant and sold to the Russians, was that this needed to be eliminated in the interests of power and efficiency.

All of which, of course, adds some complexity to the mechanism - although not as much as you might think; it's really impressive how they managed to accomplish all this with such a modest number of moving parts - and tends to make the trigger pull hard and rough. In fact most Nagant owners nowadays fire single-action only, finding it impossible to hit anything with the stiff DA pull.

The Nagant mechanism is ingenious. As the hammer is pulled back - either by the thumb or by double-action trigger motion - the cylinder not only rotates, but also

(In the old Tsarist army most Nagants were single-action only, with double-action models issued only to officers - who presumably were considered to need a firepower advantage over the troops. Most of these

were converted to double-action, however, by the Communists after they took over.)

The Nagant was obsolete even when it was adopted; much better designs were already being made by Colt, Webley, and others.

All the same, it became very popular in the Russian and then Soviet forces, for its accuracy and its rugged reliability. In fact "nagan" became a common generic term for "revolver" in Russian, as "Colt" had earlier done in American English.

And even though it was supposed to be replaced in the twenties and thirties by the excellent Tokarev semi-automatic pistol, it soldiered on clear through World War II; and even in postwar years was often seen on the belts of cops, prison guards and the like.

It was also supplied to various Communist allies; quite a few Nagants turned up in Korea. Even today I understand it is occasionally carried by night watchmen and security guards in its native country.

With the fall of the USSR, the old Nagants ›

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began to show up on the US surplus market, often at amazingly low prices. In recent years the 1895 has become the bargain of the handgun world; I got mine for $75 plus shipping, which is less than you'd pay for one of those damned Jennings suicide specials.

Despite this, the Nagant hasn't sold very well (which is probably the main reason prices have remained so low). Partly this is because it looks funny; partly people are put off by the poor DA trigger pull and the slow reloading process. Mostly, though, it's the

ammunition situation. The only commercial loads for the weird 7.62 x 38mm. round on the current US market are imports from Fiocchi and Prvi, and their loads are not only excruciatingly expensive but seriously underpowered. There is also some Russianmade ammo around, a bit more powerful but still strictly target stuff, and not easy to find.

In an effort to get around the problem, various outfits sell a Korean-made replacement cylinder to adapt the Nagant to

the .32 auto cartridge. Unfortunately these don't always work well and often need to be hand-fitted by a gunsmith. And the .32 ACP is if anything even more pathetic than the 7.62 x 38 imports.

Up until recently there have been useful if controversial alternatives. The Nagant will cheerfully digest ordinary American .32 S&W Long cartridges, or the considerably more powerful .32 H&R Magnum. This last puts the old pistol back in the running as a serious weapon; there are commercial hollow-point loads for the .32 Mag that are not too far behind the standard .38 Special in effectiveness. (The round is in fact quite similar ballistically to the old .32-20, praised in song by the great Robert Johnson.)

Unfortunately the .32 Mag round seems to be on its way out, if it hasn't already left the building; at least it's become extremely difficult to find anyone with even a few boxes for sale, and it's possible H&R may have quit loading it. (It never was all that popular for some reason.) Certainly it's not a dependable answer to the ammunition problem at present.

The .32 S&W Long is still around - though no longer a standard over-the-counter item but it's not much of an answer either; in my experience it performs poorly in the Nagant, and tends to split cases and dirty up the chambers. Since it's also too puny for social shooting and too inaccurate for anything else, why bother?

As for the imported loads, Fiocchi is ridiculously overpriced and underpowered.

Prvi may be an improvement or it may not; so far I haven't been able to find any ballistic numbers from a reliable source, and I haven't tried it yet myself, though I intend to. It's unlikely to be as powerful as the old Soviet service load, though, and that was a pretty marginal combat round. Perhaps the Prvi cases could be reloaded to more effective specs; I know nothing about hand loading and can't say.

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Luckily I bought up a supply of .32 H&R Magnum while it was still available. It's getting low, though, and if I can't find a decent replacement I'll have to settle for hanging the old piece on the wall; I'm definitely not going to use up any more of those at-presentirreplaceable Mag loads.

My own Nagant is nothing special, in collector terms; some people have gotten lucky and scored old Tsarist pieces, including some real rarities, out of these grab-bag clearance sales. The one I got, however, is a very ordinary model made in 1945 - the last year of production - at the Izhevsk arsenal, and refinished before going into storage.

But in one respect I got an authentic rarity: a Nagant with a good clean double-action pull.

Only twelve pounds, which is comparable to most ordinary modern police weapons, and quite smooth; in fact it's a better DA pull than the Chiefs Special I used to own, and comparable to the old Police Positive that was my first handgun. I can keep all seven rounds in the boiler room of a standard humanoid-silhouette target at twelve feet, point-shooting one-handed from waist level, with double-action rapid fire; and I've got arthritis in my hands and nerve damage in my trigger finger.

So for me the Nagant is a valuable defensive weapon as well as a fascinating bit of military and engineering history. But I wouldn't recommend that anybody else buy one for that purpose, because of the ammunition situation and because the odds are heavily against getting one with a decent DA pull.

Oh yes. Reloading. In order to reload the Nagant revolver you have to: 1. Flip open the loading gate on the right side of the frame.

2. Unscrew the rod underneath the barrel till it comes loose, pull it forward, and then rotate the housing in front of the cylinder

so that the rod lines up with the chamber next to the loading gate.

3. Use the rod to punch out the empty cartridge case.

4. Rotate the cylinder by hand to bring the next chamber in line and use the ejector rod again.

5. Repeat until all chambers are empty.

6. Swing the ejection rod back into position under the barrel, push the rod to the rear and screw it snugly into place.

7. Push seven fresh cartridges into the chambers, one by one, via the loading gate.

8. Close the loading gate.

Obviously not something you'd want to do under pressure. But I don't plan to fight any wars with mine so what the hell.

And apart from the awkward loading procedure this little gun is more fun than a Fredericks of Hollywood catalog. For all its weird appearance, it actually balances and handles very well indeed; it fits my hand nicely - which it shouldn't, the grips are small and my hands are big, I don't understand that at all but I sure appreciate it - and it's light and handy to carry. All this for less than a hundred bucks. You gotta love it.

Caliber

7.62x38mm

Capacity

7 rounds

Length

9 1/4"

Weight

1 lb 12 oz

Barrel

4 1/2"

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The Boomerang The deadly weapon; not your park pastime

How many of you out there remember playing with a boomerang as a child? I am sure we all do. At least, I know I certainly do! I’m pretty sure that as kids, we all used to think that the boomerang was a stick that possessed magical powers. I mean, it would return to you after you’ve actually thrown it way into the distance.

Fascinating sticks, aren’t they? Indeed, they were fun toys to play with in our childhood years but today it is widely know that the boomerang definitely did not start out as a toy. And for those of you who are oblivious to this fact - well, read on! Boomerangs are believed to be the first flying objects invented by humans that were heavier-thanair.

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They were originally wooden instruments that have been in existence for centuries and can be divided into two basic types returning boomerangs and non-returning boomerangs. The former, as the name suggests travels in a curved path once thrown and will ultimately return back to the thrower. (These are the boomerangs that we have been familiar with since childhood) The latter, does not come back and is mainly used for the purpose of hunting, as once it has hit its target then its trajectory is interrupted.

Today, most people who are familiar with the history of boomerangs associate them with the Australian Aboriginals. The oldest aboriginal returning boomerang of Australia has been found to date back over 10,000 years. However, there have been findings

of hunting sticks throughout the world and boomerangs in various forms have been found in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America; some even used during the Stone Age, thus tracing their origins back even further than 10,000 years..

The reason why the boomerang is often

associated with Australia is because the nonreturning throwing stick is an ideal weapon to use for hunting upright prey, such as the kangaroo or emu. Perhaps because of this, Australian Aborigines used the boomerang more than the bow and arrow. Boomerangs were not fully understood or discussed until 1822. There has been a lot of confusion throughout history about the boomerang and how long it has been around but let’s leave that part for the historians to figure out, shall we?

Hunting boomerangs were almost always made from the roots of mulga or wattle trees. Usually, it would be quite difficult to find the perfect piece of wood so at times, larger pieces were taken and the boomerangs were carved to save time searching for an existing ideal shape. The aerodynamics of the boomerang were such that to make it fly properly, and in the case of the returning boomerang, come back to the thrower; the bottom side was carved so that it was flat, while making the top side curved and one arm needed to be longer than the other. This elliptical shape, when thrown properly meant that the boomerang flew in a curved flight path.

The edges of the hunting or war boomerang were then sharpened to make it a deadly weapon. The arms had to be between 90 degrees and 160 degrees for the boomerang to work correctly. Most individuals might not see the significance of the Aboriginal boomerangs, but these tools were one of the most cherished in Aboriginal societies.

Not only was the boomerang used for the purpose of hunting for food, they were also used as weapons for protection against enemies.

The boomerangs were highly effective for hunting but they were also very versatile and used as hand-held weapons during combat, musical instruments, sport, during religious ceremonies, digging, un-earthing ants and

lizards, etc. In the 17th century, the explorers who arrived in Australia reported that the natives carried “wooden swords” in their belts as the boomerang was completely alien to them, never having seen one before.

Now that we know the history of the hunting (non-returning) boomerang, what they were made of and how they were made, let’s find out about the returning boomerang. It is assumed that the returning boomerangs were an accident. It is said that a hunter threw his throwing stick and it later returned to him. Can you imagine the shock on his face when this happened?

Well, the hunter must have seen the advantages of a throwing stick that would return to him, and so it continued to be made in that form. Accidents aren’t always bad, huh?

Today, commercially made boomerangs are not only made of wood but composite materials like CFRP, carbon fibre reinforced plastic, are also used and they can be very beautifully adorned, the owner taking great pride it the appearance of his boomerang.

The most common use for a boomerang today is in sports, as well as toys. However, the native Aborigines will still be found hunting with them in the remote forests of Australia and they are very skilled in their use which is passed down from one generation to the next.

It is true that these tools have come a long way since the first hunter found his stick coming back to him by accident. Aren’t we glad? I am sure he was. What continues to be a favorite toy to many children around the world carries the history of an exotic and deadly weapon. The famous pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, Tutankhamun was also said to own a vast collection of these powerful hunting tools.

Are you now searching frantically through old boxes looking for your childhood boomerang?

Yes, I have to admit that I did that too, because it really doesn’t matter if your young or old - the possession of a boomerang and the knowledge of its history would fascinate anyone no matter what age you are.

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iconic off-roader

The® Iconic

Jeep Brand

Celebrating 70 Years of the Authentic SUV • Jeep® celebrates with distinctive, premium special Anniversary Edition models • Entire Jeep vehicle lineup significantly enhanced for 2011

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1984

January 10, 2011 , Detroit - Jeep® - one of the world’s few, true icons - is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2011. To mark the occasion, the Jeep brand is creating distinctive, unique 70th Anniversary Edition models of each vehicle in its lineup.

“The Jeep brand’s legendary heritage and capability have made it iconic - well-known and loved throughout the world,” said Mike

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1977

Manley, President and CEO - Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “Since they were first produced in 1941, Jeep vehicles have been the authentic benchmark for off-road capability, having mastered more terrain, led more adventures and provided drivers more freedom than any other vehicle before or since.

“As part of our celebration of the 70th

2002

Anniversary of the Jeep brand, we are creating stunning, premium special-edition models of each vehicle in our lineup that pay homage to the history of the legendary Jeep brand,” Manley added. All Jeep 70th Anniversary Edition models will arrive in showrooms in the first quarter of 2011, and all will be available in a unique Bronze Star exterior paint, in addition to Bright Silver and Black.

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 70th Anniversary Edition

2011 Jeep vehicle lineup Jeep builds on its tradition of providing unique, iconic, versatile and capable vehicles for 2011, with its next-generation, premium flagship vehicle - the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee - and with significant changes across the Jeep vehicle lineup.

With the greatest range of SUV's under one brand, the Jeep vehicle portfolio consists of: • Compass: A compact SUV with a new sophisticated, premium design for 2011, the Jeep Compass delivers unsurpassed 4x4 fuel economy, freedom, utility, and Jeep 4x4 cachet and capability, all at a terrific value • Grand Cherokee: The most capable and luxurious Grand Cherokee ever, balancing legendary Jeep capability with sophistication to deliver a premium driving experience for all adventures • Liberty: The mid-size SUV from Jeep that offers Jeep Trail Rated® 4x4 capability combined with on-road refinement and numerous innovative features, including the

industry-exclusive full-length Sky Slider® open canvas roof • Patriot: A compact SUV delivering the fun, adventure and value only Jeep can offer, with unsurpassed 4x4 fuel economy and segment leading capability • Wrangler: The icon of the Jeep brand, it remains true to its heritage as the original fun-and-freedom machine. For 2011, it boasts an all-new interior, and an available premium body color hardtop for Sahara models • Wrangler Unlimited: The only four door convertible SUV on the market with room for five adult passengers, Wrangler Unlimited receives an all-new interior for 2011 and an available premium body color hardtop for Sahara models

Jeep Brand Built on seven decades of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic sport-utility vehicle (SUV) with class-leading capability, craftsmanship and versatility for people

who seek extraordinary journeys. The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a full line of vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence.

Whether identified by their ownership of multiple Jeep vehicles, or their regular attendance at branded events, or by their abundance of Jeep gear - branded products from clothing to baby strollers - Jeep owners all have one common trait: a Jeep vehicle delivering benchmark, all-weather capability that allows them to go anywhere and do anything. It’s not unusual to see Jeep owners sporting a bumper sticker that reads, “It’s a Jeep thing…you wouldn’t understand.”

To meet consumer demand around the world, all Jeep models are sold outside North America - and all are available in right-hand drive versions and with gasoline and diesel powertrain options. Chrysler Group LLC sells and services vehicles in approximately 120 countries around the world.

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exclusive interview

Ziad Richa

Lebanese Skeet Shooter Extraordinaire

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By the time Pascal and I reached, Ziad Richa’s, office around 9.30 am I was ready for my first coffee of the day. Pascal, our office manager from Beirut office, had arranged the meeting a few days earlier and I had made the trip from Dubai to Beirut to meet with Ziad, plus a number of other interesting people related to the hunting and shooting fraternity, who we could cameo in the H&S magazine. Ziad did not disappoint, and as is usual with Beiruti hospitality, after the initial introductions coffee was offered and gratefully received.

As the meeting progressed I was to find that this consideration is a hall mark of Ziad Richa. His personal achievements in the shooting world are significant, one might even say, outstanding, as not only did he represent his country in the 2008 Olympic Games, an event where only the best of the best compete, he was given the additional honor of being the standard bearer for Lebanon and leading his countries team into the stadium.

Instead of expounding his own achievements Ziad started by giving me a comprehensive background into shooting in Lebanon, both game and clay shooting. He said that most Lebanese men are hunters. It is handed down from one generation to the next, but in 1995 a law was introduced forbidding hunting in all forms mainly due to the over shooting by some hunters which resulted in the significant reduction of the quarry to such proportions as to make the extinction of some breeds a distinct possibility. Whilst a lot of hunters abided by the law, some did not, but Ziad was not one of them and whilst going about his day to day business of selling high end prestigious automobiles he was introduced to clay shooting by a friend who happened to visit Ziad’s showroom.

So Ziad took up clay shooting to compensate for the lack of game shooting and soon became addicted. He tried all of the clay disciplines but ultimately decided to focus on Olympic skeet as this was the one that interested him most. And after a relatively

short while he found that he was pretty good at it and his involvement made him more interested in becoming part of the federation that worked with the government to promote the interest of shooters throughout Lebanon. So in 1995 the, Federation Libanaise de Tir et de Chasse, was founded with Ziad being made General Secretary. Ziad explained that the Federation works with the Government to promote the interests of all shooting enthusiasts and in 2004 new legislation was introduced and a new hunting law was put on the statute books, but whilst this law was signed in principal by the then Prime Minister and President, the details, to this day, remain to be agreed. However proposals have been produced and discussed and it just remains for the final “I’s” to be dotted and the “T’s” to be crossed for it to become a working law that everyone will understand and be able to comply with.

Ziad went on to explain that one role of the Federation was to work with the Ministry of Interior and the Minister of the Environment to professionalize the sport by controlling the activities of the hunters and shooters in such a way as to ensue that proper procedures are followed when hunting and shooting. For instance, it is being put forward that the new

law will require that every hunter shall carry two licenses, one for the fire arm, a gun license, and one to be able to hunt, a hunting license. The firearms certificate is a one off document that you will be required to obtain each time you purchase a firearm and will remain valid for the lifetime of the weapon.

The hunting license, however, will need to be renewed at the beginning of each hunting season and to obtain the licenses you must prove that you are of good character and be in good health. An insurance policy covering third party liability will also be a requirement of the new law.

To obtain the hunting permit, Ziad went on to explain, that as well as complying with the above conditions the person would be required to take both written and practical tests which would be carried out at certain Federation registered gun clubs under the guidelines and standards set out by the Federation. Once these tests of competency are successfully completed and the certificate received this then forms part of the documentation that is passed on to the Ministry when applying for the gun license. There is still a little way to go before completion but Ziad would hope, along with others that the final draft will be signed off before too long. ›

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exclusive interview

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Ziad’s commitment to his sport and to the Federation and the experience he gained from speaking to other competitors and team managers competing at the Olympics in 2008, enabled him to devise a realistic and workable plan for the Lebanese team, and this vision contributed to him being voted to the four year term Presidency by the, General Assembly. He continues to work tirelessly with others to ensure that the hunting and shooting fraternity in Lebanon presents its case to the government to implement practices that comply with international standards, and as well as his duties in respect to the Federation he is currently the treasurer of the Lebanese Olympic Committee.

I then asked Ziad about his Olympic experience and as one would imagine he confirmed that it was one of the highlights of his life. It enabled him to mix with other shooters from all over the world and he was able to see how they conducted themselves and to discuss with them what preparations they went through to reach this high point in their lives. Ziad found that the pressures they experienced were, by and large, the same no matter who he spoke to, but he found that there was a huge difference in what shooters received in terms of government support and sponsorship, especially from a personal standpoint.

With Ziad’s efforts the Lebanese National Teams budget went, in two years, from $10,000.00 to $60,000.00; he also worked at soliciting sponsorships, both corporate and individual in terms of clays, cartridges, guns and travel, all of which were increased significantly. It should also be mentioned that Ziad’s commitment is such that he has contributed his personal sponsorships to supporting the National Team. However this significant increase in Lebanon’s budget palls into insignificance when he became aware that the National Teams from India, Kuwait, Europe and the United States for instance, have team budgets in excess of $1.5 million.

Despite these glaring differences in resource

the Lebanese National team has achieved some pretty impressive successes. Ziad explained the team competes in three Olympic disciplines, Skeet, Trap and Double Trap and until Ziad’s efforts increased the budget to $60,000.00, most expenses were born by personal contribution and the enthusiasm of individuals to become good enough to reach Olympic standards. The National team now consists of ten people who are chosen from the best of the best, with one lady representing the fairer sex.

In 2009-2010, in Kazakhstan, the lady, Ray Bassil, won a silver medal and Joseph Hanna, took gold in the West Asian Championship in Tehran, Iran. Also in 2010 Kuwait Arab Championships they achieved silver in the individual event and in the overall team event they took silver. In the 2010 Asian Games Lebanon took 3 medals, two of which were for shooting disciplines with Joe Salem taking bronze in trap and the Team taking the silver medal losing out of the gold by one target.

The third medal being in Taekwondo.

Ziad is now on the Lebanese Olympic Committee and trains the shooters qualifying for the Olympic team.

It was not that easy to get Ziad to speak about himself, but I was able to ask him about the tools of his trade, his guns and which guns does he currently own. He told me that he has a number of guns and two of his favorites are his, Berretta SO5 trap gun,

and his, Berretta SO5 Sporter. But the one he takes to work, not selling automobiles of course, but the one he does the business with on the skeet range is his, Perazzi MX2000, with 70cm barrels, choked skeet and skeet. When asked why he chose this particular gun he explained that the Perazzi Company is still owned by the founder, Daniele Perazzi, who started the company back in 1957 when he was 25 years old and who is still president of the company to this day. The service given is always personal and Ziad explained that if you need advice or spare parts they are always willing help as much as possible. He also said that this gun now fits him like a glove, when he is shooting it feels like an extension of his body and is so comfortable. Just as a gun should feel.

Ziad Richa; not only is he passionate about his own shooting but he is passionate about getting a regulated shooting and hunting law completed in Lebanon and is actively working to professionalize the shooting environment in his country. He states the fact that this will be to the benefit of all shooters, be they clay shooter or hunter and it will also mean that the environment will also benefit by ensuring, that if it’s game you are after, there will be game available season after season. This can only be good in the long term.

“Ziad Richa, Lebanese SHOOTER Extraordinaire” h&s Issue 04 l Februar y 2011

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exclusive interview

Interview with

Joe Edouard Debs If you walk north down, Rue Gouraud, in Gemmayze, about 100meters past the police station and the shop where you can rent out bicycles you will come to, Edouard Debs & Cie, shooting sports goods shop. It is like all the store fronts on that street, the window is not large but it is full of items of interest to the sportsman. Upon entering the store one has to go down a flight of stairs and the first thing you notice is the hundreds of cartons of shotgun shells stored on one side. This should give the first time visitor an idea of what to expect when they get inside proper as it is an Aladdin’s cave of all things for the hunter, shooter and outdoor enthusiasts.

To say that Joe has a good stock of merchandise is a bold understatement; it’s the sort of place where you can spend a good deal of time just looking around. The shop itself is divided into different rooms and is very compact but every nook and cranny is filled with essential objects for the outdoor sportsman. He stocks cartridges for all calibers of shotguns, the boxes on the stairs are testimony to this, as well as literally every kind of shooting apparel you would ever need; from shirts to hats to camouflage suits, to individual jackets and trousers, as well as

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hiking boots, sport shoes and wellington boots.

He has a selection of rucksacks to carry your equipment and even folding stools that you can take on your hunt with you on which you can sit whilst waiting for those birds to fly over your gun.

In terms of hardware, Joe stocks hunting knives and multi-tool knives, as well as a selection of around forty rifles and shot guns. You can choose from semi auto, over and under and side by side shotguns in all of the popular calibers. He has a selection of hunting air rifles as well for those that are seeking this type of weapon. And one thing that is noticeable is that the shop may be compact but it is neat and tidy and the goods on sale are of the best quality.

Asking Joe about the brands he represents he confides that he only sells quality product as he has an eighty year old reputation to protect and whilst he accepts that there are cheep products in the market, an intelligent person knows that when purchasing items for the hunting and shooting sports one can not compromise on quality and reliability as, in the extreme case, your life may depend on it.

So let’s look at the brands, Joe represents.

First off, his shotguns are made by that famous French manufacturer of superior quality firearms and accessories, VerneyCarron, which Joe, and his father before him, has the sole agency since 1931. Joe also told us that Verney-Carron is now able to supply just about any type of hunting and shooting accessory and a full range of clothing that you can wish for. So if you are looking to kit yourself out with all you need for shooting, Joe Debs, can supply it in one stop.

He also stocks two brands of air rifles one is, BSA of Birmingham, England; the other is Weihrauch, of Germany; boots and clothing by Le Chameau, of France; and multi tool Swiss Army knives by Victorinox; as well as shotgun cartridges by Tunet, of France. Joe does stock locally produced cartridges as they are less expensive, as they carry no import duty or VAT, and whilst they are good enough for everyday shooting some competition shooters require a more consistent cartridge which Tunet do provide.

I asked Joe if what was in the shop was the sum total of his stock in trade, because he has a great verity of goods on display in a ›

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exclusive interview

Mr. Joe E. Debs with H&S Senior Editor, Mr. Richard Camm

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relatively small area, but he told me that he had a large warehouse full of stock in Beirut just waiting to be delivered to his new shop and showroom which he will move to just a couple of kilometers down the road, in the area St Michael. He has been aware for sometime that he has outgrown the current shop and his new premises is in the process of being fitted out and he will move to it after the end of the hunting season when things get a little quieter.

I asked Joe to tell me a little bit about the history of Edouard Debs & Cie, and he told me that his father started the business in 1931 in a premise in the Down Town area but, unfortunately, his father was killed in the war and in 1977, at the age of 18, he moved the business to Gemmayze. And now it is time to make another move.

I then asked him about his own shooting experience and he said that he started shooting at an early age with his father during the school holidays, as well as helping in the shop. He now tries to shoot each week, business and other commitments allowing, and he shoots mainly game these days, as apposed to clay shooting. However, in the 80's he was a champion skeet shooter, winning numerous trophies, but now he tends to hunt birds and always takes them for the pot not just purely to kill. One of his favorite recipes is woodcock breasts wrapped in bacon and cooked in wine and fresh cream. He promised to give me the recipe for inclusion in a later edition of the magazine. He has been numerous times to shoot in France, just close to the Spanish boarder where wing shooting, he says, is very good. Due to his close association with the shooting and hunting fraternity he has been extended VIP invitations on occasions to hunt in Syria where the duck, geese and pigeon shooting is particularly good.

Being the sole agent for, Verney-Carron, since his father’s time in 1931, he uses his own, Verny-Carron, side by side and over and under shotguns when out shooting.

As we had been speaking about hunting the conversation turned naturally to the hunting law in Lebanon and along with other interested parties, Joe, as Vice President of the Syndicate of Munitions and Guns, is actively involved in working with the government through hunting and shooting affiliated associations to bring onto the statute books a workable law for the mutual benefit of the shooter, the government and the environment. As already mentioned in the magazine the law forbade hunting in 1995 and a new law was signed in 2004 but this is yet to be formalized and this is what Joe, and others like him, is working towards.

A draft has been written, which Joe had a copy of, which details the things that need formalizing with regards to hunting and shooting in Lebanon. It denotes the shooting seasons and the bag limits for various species.

It stipulates that a license is needed for any guns you purchase or own and a permit to hunt is required to be obtained each hunting season. As a firearm dealer, Joe is able to fill out all the necessary paperwork for obtaining the gun license from the Ministry.

It will also stipulate designated hunting areas, where one can shoot and where one is prohibited from shooting. Agricultural land would be an area that is approved to shoot over but land close to populated areas would be restricted for instance. As we all know things can take a little while to get finalized in Lebanon but it is hoped that this law will soon be brought in so that all hunters and shooters in the land know exactly where they stand.

So, if you need to know about the impending law or if you need to purchase anything to do with hunting and shooting drop into see, Joe Debs, in Gemmayze, he has just about everything you will ever need, and if he hasn’t got it right then I am sure he will be able to get it for you, and if you catch him before he moves, you never know, he might just be able to give you a good deal on your purchase.

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hunting season

Goose Shooting & Wildfowling

in Scotland

My intention was not to go wildfowling and goose hunting in Scotland. Really. It was however my intention to clear out the garage so that it might be used for the purpose it was originally intended. That being the hosing of our family cars. My wife had gone to visit her mother for a week and I promised that

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when she returned she would be able to park her car in the garage. However, as I was planning the strategy for the task I received a phone call from a good friend of mine, who had been invited by a wildfowling club to write an article extolling the virtues of wildfowling in Scotland. He said that we would visit some

of the best wildfowling locations in Scotland, one of which would be the Orkney Islands.

This group of small islands is located a few miles off the northern most coast of Scotland and is renowned for the large number of wildfowl wintering in and around the region.

It took me all of ten seconds to answer in the affirmative: the garage would have to wait; this was an opportunity too good to miss.

Following a brief conversation with an ever understanding wife, I packed my gear in the car for the long drive to Edinburgh airport where I was to take the flight to Kirkwall, the major town on, Mainland, the largest and most inhabited of the Orkney Islands where I was met by my friend, Gordon Baxter, who transported me to the hotel where we would be staying for three days.

We would be a party of four guns, Gordon, and me; Grant, a Journalist for a Scottish newspaper and Tim, a Travel consultant from Norwich, in East Anglia. Our guide and host was Roland Kay, a Scott who owns a company organizing hunting and shooting trips mainly in the Scottish region. The season for geese starts on the 1st October through to the 31st January and we were there the last week of November, so the weather was pretty cold at that time of the year especially the early mornings and evenings which require some good warm clothing.

We started out at 6.30 am, on a clear frosty morning after an early breakfast, and traveled about 20 kilometers to the salt marsh estuaries of East Mainland. The Orkney Islands have a total population of around 20,000 inhabitants and cover just a little under 1000 Km and more than half of this area is taken up by Mainland. As we approached the salt marches we could hear the cries of what sounded like thousands of geese coming off the sand banks and marches waiting for the sky to brighten so they could head for the feeding grounds further south.

meters inland of the marches themselves.

The other three guns were spread at distances of about 20 meters either side of me with Roland and his two black Labrador dogs walking slowly between us. In this light the dogs were hardly visible and Roland was clad in dark camouflage, his movements slow and deliberates so as not to expose himself to the birds ahead of us. The hide itself was a semi permanent affair located behind, and into, a natural grass covered sand bank that ran for about 100 meters. There were five or six locations made up of additional timber boarding that rose about a foot or so over the top of the bank so that one could sit and look through the gaps without exposing oneself to the flight but when you stood you were able to shoot over the top. A wooden plank had been installed which served as a seat whilst waiting for the geese to come over.

Roland told us that the geese start to move as it gets lighter at around 8 o’clock and sure enough as the sky started to brighten from the east the first geese stared their flight to the feeding grounds in land. I had not done a lot of wild fowling myself, only going on two

other specific wildfowl shoots and one goose shoot which was included in a pheasant and duck shoot last season, so nothing really prepared me for what was about to happen.

As I looked to my left and right I was able to see quite clearly Gordon, and Grant to my left and Tim to my right looking in an increased state of awareness as myself. The flights were sporadic and there were many gaps between the birds and whilst there were chances of a shot or two Roland had told us not to be too eager and wait till he gave us the signal. As I watched in mounting awe at the developing scenery and the cacophony of noise that was the sound of the awakening geese I was undecided whether or not to take advantage of this brief wait to warm myself up with a flask top of steaming coffee. As I was deciding what to do, Bess, Roland’s Lab trotted passed followed by her hunting companion, Bob. Black Bess and Black Bob, how appropriate, and just behind crouched below the sand bank came Roland. A sharp low whistle stopped the dogs immediately and brought them back to him. As Roland sat next to me looking out over the marsh I said, “Do I have time for a quick sip of coffee, or what? ” “Eye”, he smiled, ›

We all disembarked from the 4x4 and quickly organized ourselves; taking our guns and ammunition from the back and as silently as possible headed to the blinds that had been set up earlier to await the goose flight that would shortly be starting. The sky was still dark but the light was just creeping over the horizon when I settled myself down in what was a relatively comfortable blind about 40

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“I think you just might if you are quick, as yon birds will be eager to get to their breakfast very soon. I will start to call them anytime now and when you hear me calling them you should put away the coffee and get yourself ready.” With that and a friendly pat on the back he and the dogs moved off down the line to the others.

I had not given much thought to how I was going to hear Roland’s call above all the real goose call going on but sure enough after I had just emptied the coffee cup, I was able to make out Roland’s call from the rest and so loaded my trusty Berretta, which I had choked improved cylinder in both barrels, with a couple of 36 gram, No 3 shot, and laid out another ten on the ledge in front of me and with my cartridge bag open at my side I was optimistically ready for the shoot.

The flights were now coming over pretty thickly and in the cold air it was not to difficult to hear Roland’s Scottish accented call for us to, “Take them”. With this the four of us stood up and commenced firing.

The geese were well over us and to either side, so as I shot and dropped two the rest veered to my left which sent them over Gordon and Grant. These were followed by others coming over me from Tim’s direction.

Birds were dropping from the sky but there were so many flying that it was hard to focus on the downed birds as you had to reload as quickly as possible to take a bead on your next two. The skeins of geese kept coming over and as it was now as light as it was going to get; I could see that the geese were of the three legally shoot-able species, Pinkfoot, Graylag and Canada, with a mixture of cormorants and ducks. Roland told us that we would see a number of mallard, widgeon, and teal mixed in with the geese, but it was not the ducks we were after today and I could hear shot after shot from my left and my right and the number of geese in the sky made it somewhat difficult to pick out a good quarry. Not being an old hand at wildfowling I did find myself on occasions picking a target only to change my mind at the last minute and go for what looked like a more promising

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target only to miss both.

My last shot was a confirmed kill. I knew this instantly. This particular bird was coming directly in front of me having been diverted over to my hide by the shooting of my companions to my left. It was about forty meter out when I picked him up and flying straight; about thirty meters high. I like driven birds, I seem to be able to take them easier than crossers, something to do with judging the lead, however as he got closer he was pulling for altitude and calling all the time. I had enough time to touch his belly with my front bead, pull onto his break and then as I pulled in front fired my bottom barrel and kept the gun moving upwards.

I could see that I did not need the second barrel as the Canada had folded his wings and was falling to earth…… Directly towards me! He was coming like a train; slowly rolling over as he dropped but still in my direction.

For the moment I was mesmerized as I watched him, in his last flight in this world, try to take me along with him. I dropped down behind the protection of the sand bank

and the wooden hide, which at this moment looked increasingly inadequate to stop the 6kg or so of dead goose from knocking me off my feet. In fairness he landed about five meters behind me just to my right hand side, but believe me that was close enough. The ground seemed to shake as he thudded into it, rolled over a couple of more meters, and lay still.

Bob and Bess, along with Roland, were busy dragging in the shot birds from here, there and everywhere; the total count was 17 geese. My personal bag was four. With the last one the most memorable. Roland had watched the skeins of geese as they flew inland and marked where they were heading so that he would know where we should be positioned for the evening flight and we were all in high spirits as we drove back to the hotel for a spot of early lunch and an afternoon nap.

A few hours later found us back out on the foreshore again, spread out on a line a little longer this time, and further to the west.

Roland said that the flight path coming in would be to the left of the roosting ground as the birds would fly out over the water and come back in from the north. It was about three thirty when we spread ourselves out along the line, there was no immediate rush as it would be another half an hour or so before the geese would be coming back over us to the roost. But we wanted to be prepared. On this occasion decoys were not necessary as the birds would follow their instincts to roost where they had always roosted.

Roland had set up hides again, this time they were made up of branches with artificial foliage woven into netting and draped over the branches, following the contour of the land as much as possible. As before Roland and the dogs walked up and down the line giving advise and encouragement where needed. As I had a prime spot in the center of the shoot this morning I was positioned at the right hand end this afternoon and the sun was getting low in the sky behind me as the first few geese flew overhead. They were not calling but I could make out that they were graylags, smartly followed by another mixed group and it was only a few minutes after they had passed that I heard the geese calling in the distance but not over me. However, it was not long before the noise of their calling got louder and louder indicating that at least some of the flock was heading in my direction.

Once the sun starts to set in the Northern regions it sets pretty quickly and my concern was that it would be difficult for me to pick out a target or two. However, the calling of the birds got louder in direct proportion to the adrenalin being pumped into my blood stream and so with my gun loaded and closed, and with a pocket full of extra shells, I saw what must have been hundreds of geese out in front of me seemingly spread out over our guns with a good few heading directly in my direction. As the light was fading fast the first birds winged their way over me and I lifted my gun to shoulder height looking for the perfect target. Is there ever such a thing?

Well, maybe not, but there is such a thing as a good one and it was coming my way. It was in a group of ten or so but slightly out on its own, which sealed its fate this day. The light was fading fast but the bird was coming towards me and as it started to veer off the right it came well into range and I gave it a few centimeters of lead and let it have both barrels. I thought I had missed as it flew on for what seemed an age then all of a sudden its head dropped, quickly followed by the rest of it. I watched as it fell to mark it, as it would be difficult to find it later in the dark.

I downed another to my left and missed three more as my shooting had split the skein and I did not have a realistic shot after that.

But I was not unhappy as the two I took were good birds; and neither of them tried to kill me this time. My colleagues faired better than me, getting a total of twelve between them, so after making sure that all the downed birds were accounted for and marveling at the accuracy of Roland’s assessment of where ALL the birds fell, we loaded up the 4x4 and headed of to the hotel for a hot shower and a hearty dinner,

some good conversation, a few beverages and not a little banter in the lounge before taking ourselves off to bed for a good nights sleep.

Wildfowling is not for the feint hearted.

What I have not portrayed here is that it means cold wet early mornings and equally cold and wet late evenings. It is the sort of cold that creeps up on you and can chill you to the bone. Dress accordingly in weatherproof camouflage and a number of layers that you can take off if it gets a little warmer later on in the morning, or that you can put on as it gets a bit chillier as evening draws on. Compensating for this, though, is the adrenalin rush, that I am assured never ceases no matter how long you have been hunting geese, that you get when the sky starts to brighten in an early morning or when the light starts to fade late afternoon and you hear the sound filling the whole world around you of hundreds of geese heading in your direction. Just remember to keep your head down and watch where they are going to land.

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big game hunting

Country Back

Hunting Elk Hunting

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Bending down to lift my pack, I could definitely feel the wear and tear of seven straight days in the wilderness. Sore muscles, blistered feet and a sticky coating of sweat seemed to cover every inch of my body.

We were here by choice, though. After years of hunting accessible lands that posed no difficulty for the average hunter, we had decided to head in a little further. I hoisted the pack, scanned the area and then began the long walk out to the trail head, a mere 6 miles off. Success was with us too: my partner and I were packing out our second elk.

As the hindquarter of the elk weighed heavy on my shoulders, I knew we had made the right decision to hunt deep in the back country. I’d been fortunate enough to bag an elk on the first day of the hunt, and my partner had just sent an arrow to its mark two hours earlier.

Photo by: Paciific Northwest Bowhunting

Photo by: Paciific Northwest Bowhunting

Where to hunt: It started a few years earlier on a finger ridge perched high in the Pacific Northwest’s Blue Mountains. At sunrise, I gave a long locating bugle and got a response from a receptive bull. Feverishly working our way towards the bugling bull, we cut the distance to a hundred yards. Instantly everything came alive as the herd bull finally broke the morning air with a spine-tingling scream.

Peeking through a small opening I could see a handful of cows and a decent rag horn. The wind shifted slightly and the herd started to move deeper in the “hole” that lay below us. I looked over at my hunting companion, Steve Scott of Medford, Ore., And without saying a word we picked our gear and jogged toward the sounds of the breaking brush.

We made our way down the center of the finger ridge. A few hundred yards later we broke into an opening and that was when

it all became crystal clear: After many years of chasing bulls we realized we had been hunting the wrong areas. It was like someone had just pulled a great curtain back and all the secrets of elk hunting lay before us.

We were standing in elk heaven! We had bulls to left and bulls to the right, bulls below us and bulls behind us. We worked four different bulls that morning and finally sat down by a stream around noon to grab some lunch before making the long trek back up the hill. It would take us a solid two hours of climbing up a vertical ridge without stopping to reach the truck. As our quads burned from the climb, we made up our minds to get the gear we needed to be able to stay comfortably in the wilderness, and experience this type of elk hunting every day.

This is the only way we hunt for elk now, and many elk have fallen since that day. Just like the two mentioned above. ›

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big game hunting

Gear Getting away from roads and people will boost your odds of harvesting an animal with your bow or gun. I can honestly say that every year we venture into the back country, we have an opportunity to harvest at least a cow almost every day. Most people are not willing to venture too far away from their comfort zone and will not walk more than a mile from their vehicle. Many times when you commit to venturing into the great unknown, count on at least a 12-mile jaunt. It sounds crazy until you experience the sights and

sounds of being in elk everyday.

Having a mature bull come to your calls rather than turn away at the sound will get your blood pumping, and this kind of excitement will push you further than expected. Below are few items that have really turned my hunting around. With these things, I can hunt long into the day while most other guys head back to camp.

Whoever said that hunting is the best in the morning and the evening never hunted the back country. The hunting is good all day!

So what would be the essentials to take with you. I have found that the following items are pretty indispensible and make life much easier and in some cases might even save your life.

• A good frame pack should be first on your list. Find one that fits your body. Look for a snug waist belt that helps manage a heavy load, and comfortable straps to rest on your shoulders. Personally, I like the moose type bag that I can fit an elk quarter into.

These attach easily with some pins and can be rinsed out easily.

• Alaska game bags are a must have. They’re light, compact and don’t take up much room. Hunting with a buddy is a good idea.

You can carry two game bags and your partner can carry two.

• Carry a good knife and a stone. No reason for carrying three knives and a multi-tool, which may add unneeded weight.

• A hydration pack and a water filter can save weight too. Be sure never to drink from a stream no matter how clean it may look. Unless I’m dying of thirst, I’ll use a filter. If you do plan on drinking from a stream, Imodium AD is very lightweight and there are plenty of leaves to help clean up.

• A Therm-a-Rest self-inflating pad has been the best investment I’ve made for backcountry elk hunting. It not only makes for a softer bed, but also keeps in muchneeded body heat.

• Another necessity is a quality sleeping bag. Look for something lightweight, 3 to 4 pounds. A good mummy bag with a built-in hood is like a condominium in the wilderness. A good stocking cap will conserve body heat at night too.

Photo by: Paciific Northwest Bowhunting

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• A good windproof lighter can greatly increase your odds of making a fire.

Matches are good, but once they get wet, you’re gambling with your ability to survive.

I do carry a small pack of matches that I wrap in a Ziploc bag. A fire serves a dual purpose, warmth and security.

• Cooking can be done easily with a small butane stove that lights easily and can boil a quart of water within a few minutes. When hunting with a friend, one should carry the stove and the other a lantern that is also compatible with the fuel container.

• A small water pot that will hold about a cup and a half of water is all the dishes I carry. I can boil water for coffee singles and freeze-dried meals. The meals are not the tastiest, but between those and MRE's

(Meal Ready to Eat), that’s about all you need. No canned good - too heavy.

Pack hunting Hunting with camp on your back will keep you mobile and in the hunt if done correctly.

Don’t overdo it, however. Too much weight will ruin your hunt and make for a miserable time. Find out what you can sacrifice to be comfortable and prepared. Granted, I know guys who are more serious than me. They count the ounces of what goes into their packs, and I don’t blame them.

The first time I ventured into the wilderness to hunt from my pack, I was so overloaded I stopped and stripped it down to the bare

minimum. A well-equipped pack should weigh about 40 to 50 pounds. This will hold you over for two to three days. Remember, when you’re loading your pack to head into the woods, you only want it heavy on the trip out. The main benefit of backpack hunting in the wilderness is that you don’t have to hike in and out every day.

We get ourselves into a great area, move off a few hundred yards and settle down for the night and then in the morning, we are right in the middle of all the action. Back country hunting is definitely not for every one, but for those who have thought about it, give it a try. It’s a true hunting experience you’ll never forget.

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big game hunting

The Hunt in

Germany

Photo by: Simon Leech

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Hunting in Germany Hunting is a very popular sport and profession in Germany and it is carried out all across the country. The activity is widespread with strict yet fair laws that have been established with respect to the environment and wildlife.

Is a hunting permit required?

To be allowed to hunt in Germany, a valid hunting license is required. Once you are in possession of the license, hunting throughout Germany will be permitted. In order to obtain a hunting license, one must have knowledge of different species of game, basic animal biology, game damage prevention, farming and forestry, firearms laws and techniques as well as the wildlife, nature and landscape conservation laws.

Once you are in possession of your hunting permit, the forests of Germany automatically become your oyster! However, in Germany you will not be able to find many outfitters or hunting lodges that will be able to arrange your entire hunting trip. Instead, hunting

areas are usually privately owned or part of a hunting co-operative or state forests.

Hunting rights may also be leased to a third party. The different sorts of hunting methods in Germany fall under three categories Shooting, Trapping & Falconry.

What guns am I allowed to bring?

In Germany, there are no calibre restrictions for shooting, although 12, 16 and 20 bore shots are the usual. Automatic or semiautomatic weapons with space for more than two cartridges in the magazine are not permitted.

What game should I expect?

Germany is very well known for its very high and well managed population of Roe Deer, Russian Boars, Fellow Deer, Mouflon Sheep and Red Deer. The most common and successful animals to hunt in Germany are the Roe Buck and the Russian Boar. Traditional hunting is done from a tree stand in the morning and evening hours - for Roe Bucks especially

The different animals available for hunt are: Wild Boar (Shoats) • All year round.

Wild Boar (Male adults & non-dominant females) • June 16 - January 31 Wild Boar (Dominant Females) • October 1 - January 31 Deer (Fawns) • September 1 – February 28 Deer (Young does & does) • May 1 - January 31 Deer (Bucks) • May 1 - October 15 Foxes • All year round Partridge • January 1 - December 15 Mallard • September 1 - December 15 Pigeon • July 1 - April 20 This beautiful European country is dotted with beautiful cities and a vast amount of cultural offerings and wildlife of course. It is one of the most amazing places in the world where one can enjoy an adventurous hunting expedition.

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big game hunting

The Hunt in Turkey

Wild Boar

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The historical land of Turkey is one of the richest countries in the world when it comes to fauna. A large portion of Turkish fauna is occupied by wild boars and some areas of the country permit hunting all year-round.

This is the reason many hunters venture out into the wilderness of Turkey.

Turkey has a lot of dense forest and vegetation which appeals to boars. The reason why these animals proliferate is because they breed twice in one year.

Also, another reason why is because the Turks follow Islam and as the religion states, consuming the meat of a wild boar is strictly prohibited causing the species to be well protected.

The boar lives in the dense forests of Turkey and can be found in the mud in hot weather.

One can hunt wild boar in any of the traditional ways; driven hunts, stalked hunts, or from blinds or tree stands. Even though hunting is allowed all year round in some area the best time to hunt would be from the beginning of June to the end of September.

The best time to hunt for the animal is during the evening as it is more active. Keep in mind that boars have a keen sense of smell so hunters must be very careful not to smoke

or wear cologne so as to not scare the animal away. Camouflage is the key!

The most popular hunting areas are located in places such as Marmaris, Alanya, Kas, Bolu and many more.

To hunt in the country, you must be in possession of a Hunting Tourism Permission Certificate. You can obtain the document

that is issued by the Ministry of Forest at tourist agencies.

In this exotic country, you will have the opportunity to combine your hunting trip with many more activities that involve discovering the traces of the oldest civilizations of Turkey as well as the natural picturesque beauty and lovely traditions and cultures.

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hunting experience

travel

Duck Hunt in

Azerbaijan Organized & by H&S Travel

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Azerbaijan, a country whose north-south coast line faces east on to the Caspian sea running up to Russia in the north and down to the Iranian boarder in the south. To the west lies Georgia and Armenia. Azerbaijan’s main source of income is from oil and gas due to the huge new fields discovered in the mid nineties. However, when H&S went to Azerbaijan in November last year it was not in search of oil, but in search of wildfowl, duck in particular and we were not disappointed, although the abnormally cold winter did effect the numbers of duck available, as it has in most parts of the world, but we took four local UAE hunters and one Lebanese to try their luck.

All New NISSAN

PATHFINDER

Traveling with them and looking after their needs throughout the trip was Hisham Sawaya, H&S’s General Manager, from Dubai, and the five hunters, Obaid Mosabbah, Abdulla ›

Saudi Arabia:

Alhamrani United Co., Jeddah, Tel: 02-6696690, Alhamrani Trading & Import Co., Riyadh, Tel: 01-4747777, Al-Jabr Trading Company, Dammam, Tel: 03-8324300

Dubai & Northern Emirates:

Arabian Automobiles Co., Main Showroom, Tel: 04-2952222

Abu Dhabi & Al Ain:

Al Masaood Automobiles, Tel: 02-6811118

Kuwait:

Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al Babtain Co., Tel: 1 804 888

Oman:

Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, Tel: 24560111

Qatar:

Saleh Alhamad Almana Co., Tel: 4441334

Bahrain:

Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons BSC(C)., Tel: 736060

Lebanon:

Rasamny Younis Motor Company S.A.L, Beirut, Tel: 01-273333

Azerbaijan:

Nurgun Motors, Baku, Tel: 12-4308141

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hunting experience

travel

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Tashed, Salem Mosabbah, Saeed Mohammed and Rafic Kazhaya, met up with him at Dubai International Airport for the relatively short, two hour flight to Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan.

Once our intrepid hunters arrived in Baku they were met by the local professional hunter from our local hunting outfitters whose experience ensured that all customs entry forms were filled in without delay and visit visas stamped into their passports.

They then had their baggage loaded into the transportation that would take them due west inland on the four hour drive to the hunting grounds on the Kura Lowland Lake, Sari Su. As mentioned earlier the number of wild fowl on the lake was down from normal numbers despite the lakes of northern Europe being frozen which caused what birds there were to migrate to the slightly higher temperatures and unfrozen lakes of Azerbaijan. However there were still sufficient birds to give some exciting shooting even if the bags were not huge.

The hunts would start after breakfast, from around 6 AM, as the ducks start their daily search for food. As our guides had arrived at the lake earlier the decoys were already put out and three of our intrepid hunters were put into small boats with the remainder spread evenly along the reed beds to catch any birds that flew off the lake in their direction. ›

Saudi Arabia:

Alhamrani United Co., Jeddah, Tel: 02-6696690, Alhamrani Trading & Import Co., Riyadh, Tel: 01-4747777, Al-Jabr Trading Company, Dammam, Tel: 03-8324300

Dubai & Northern Emirates:

Arabian Automobiles Co., Main Showroom, Tel: 04-2952222

Abu Dhabi & Al Ain: Al Masaood Automobiles, Tel: 02-6811118 Kuwait: Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al Babtain Co., Tel: 1 804 888 Oman: Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, Tel: 24560111

All New NISSAN

PATROL

Qatar: Saleh Alhamad Almana Co., Tel: 4441334 Bahrain: Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons BSC(C)., Tel: 736060 Lebanon:

Rasamny Younis Motor Company S.A.L, Beirut, Tel: 01-273333

Azerbaijan: Nurgun Motors, Baku, Tel: 12-4308141

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hunting experience

travel

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The ducks that can be found on the lakes are; coot, pintail, widgeon, whistler, teal, tufted duck and occasionally, shoveler and pochard.

The ducks that were encountered were not skittish and the boats could get fairly close before they started to fly. The punt-man, the guide who propelled the boat with a long pole from a standing position at the back, are very experienced in this regard and moved the boats slowly towards the floating ducks. Once the duck start to come off the lake then that is the time to take them. The shooting was from the boat and the ones that were driven off the lake were directed over the guns waiting in the hides in the reeds.

The guides know that once the birds come up off the lake they would tend to turn into the wind to gain height and so the shore bound hunters were stationed up wind waiting for the birds to fly over them. The first bag was good with everyone taking at least two or three birds, the hunters on the lake fairing slightly better as they managed to

get closer to the birds before they took off.

After the first drive the hunters would take to the boats in turn to go in search of the disturbed ducks. Once they were feeding they would not fly too far and there was definitely an opportunity to take more birds.

However this was a little bit like, hide and go seek, as the lake was pretty large and the reed beds were high so it was not easy to see exactly where the birds had landed.

However, this was to the hunter’s advantage as well as it meant that the ducks could not see them approach until the hunter was quite close.

All New NISSAN

ARMADA

This activity continued until just after mid day when the hunters would go back to the lodge for a well deserved lunch provided by the professional cook who is always on hand. Not only is he a good cook ›

Saudi Arabia:

Alhamrani United Co., Jeddah, Tel: 02-6696690, Alhamrani Trading & Import Co., Riyadh, Tel: 01-4747777, Al-Jabr Trading Company, Dammam, Tel: 03-8324300

Dubai & Northern Emirates:

Arabian Automobiles Co., Main Showroom, Tel: 04-2952222

Abu Dhabi & Al Ain:

Al Masaood Automobiles, Tel: 02-6811118

Kuwait:

Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al Babtain Co., Tel: 1 804 888

Oman:

Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, Tel: 24560111

Qatar:

Saleh Alhamad Almana Co., Tel: 4441334

Bahrain:

Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons BSC(C)., Tel: 736060

Lebanon:

Rasamny Younis Motor Company S.A.L, Beirut, Tel: 01-273333

Azerbaijan:

Nurgun Motors, Baku, Tel: 12-4308141

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hunting experience

travel

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he is a talented one to, managing to cook a variety of cuisine to cater for all tastes. Our hunters were not disappointed, tucking into rice, salad, cheese, soup and meat kebabs as well as copious amounts of soft drinks and sweets; and of course home baked bread.

After lunch there is time for relaxing, one can take a nap or read or just sit and talk until about 3 pm. when it is time to get ready to go back to the lake to catch the ducks coming in to roost for the night. By the time the hunters are back on the lake it is around 4pm and the hunting continues in a similar format as the morning until 6pm, when it becomes too rather too dark to see properly. When hunting incoming water fowl it is always a good idea to watch there legs.

If they come in with their legs down they are going to land on the water. If they fly towards the water with their legs up, even if they are flying low, they are just having a look and do not intend to land. They will fly round again if they think that all is in order and approach the lake legs down, this time ready to slow them selves as they hit the water.

Once the hunters arrived back to the lodge

they were ready for dinner. Once again a the food was hot and inviting and after being out in the cold, fresh air, most hunters were ready to take to their beds after a jovial discussion about the days activities.

The hunting lodge is very comfortable and warm; it comprises four large bed rooms, each with two single beds. As well as the dinning room there is a comfortable lounge area with a large screen TV and comfortable settees and arm chairs to relax in. It would be very easy to just sit with your own thoughts and doze in the comfortably warm atmosphere of the lounge.

Naturally there is a reliable electricity supply, constant hot water, showers and modern toilets. All the comforts of home. At the end of the 4 days hunt the hunters were transported back, safely, to the airport in Baku, and assisted with departure formalities and on to the flight back to Dubai. Just two hours away.

Our group took a five day four night trip and whilst the number of ducks taken may have been down compared to some other locations, the cold winter weather across

the whole of Europe reduced the number of game birds across the board. Some European countries even brought in a hunting ban for a certain time and asked all responsible hunters not to over shoot this winter. Having said that, Obaid and Rafic, did particularly well accounting for a good number of birds between them. But that’s how it goes, one time it is your day the next it will be another’s. This is the way of hunting, it’s the luck of the draw, and how the birds fly. It does help, though, if you point the gun in the right direction.

Azerbaijan does not only offer duck shooting.

If you are of a mind you can find good hunting of Wild boar, Bear, Wolf, Bezoar, Ibex, Fox, Jackal and Hare. Also there is plenty of inland wing shooting as well in the forests and meadows, with such game as Stone Partridge, Quail, Woodpigeon, Dove, Pheasant, Woodcock and Partridge all to be had. So if you feel like shooting in Azerbaijan, just get in touch with us and we will be happy to arrange a hunt that you will surly enjoy.

If you would like more information about how you can arrange your safari of a life time, just contact, Mr. Joe Balesh, at Hunting&Safari, or e-mail us at : hsmagazine.travel@gmail.com

Saudi Arabia:

Alhamrani United Co., Jeddah, Tel: 02-6696690, Alhamrani Trading & Import Co., Riyadh, Tel: 01-4747777, Al-Jabr Trading Company, Dammam, Tel: 03-8324300

Dubai & Northern Emirates:

Arabian Automobiles Co., Main Showroom, Tel: 04-2952222

Abu Dhabi & Al Ain: Al Masaood Automobiles, Tel: 02-6811118 Kuwait: Abdulmohsen Abdulaziz Al Babtain Co., Tel: 1 804 888 Oman: Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, Tel: 24560111

All New NISSAN

XTERRA

Qatar: Saleh Alhamad Almana Co., Tel: 4441334 Bahrain: Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons BSC(C)., Tel: 736060 Lebanon:

Rasamny Younis Motor Company S.A.L, Beirut, Tel: 01-273333

Azerbaijan: Nurgun Motors, Baku, Tel: 12-4308141

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cartridge legacies

Eley

Cartridges The best of the best

A Brief History The history of Eley Cartridges began in the 1820's when the two brothers, Charles and William Eley founded it all. The Eley Brothers first manufactured firearm cartridges at the Eley Cartridge Factory which was located in Edmonton and bordered by the, River Lee Navigation, and the, Great Eastern Railway, at Angel Road.

The Eley Brothers bought the patent rights to the, Wire Cartridge, in the spring of 1828.

This consisted of a wire cage which held the

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shot together during the first stages of its flight. Soon after, the brothers established a factory in Charlotte Street, London, later moving on to Bond Street, London.

During the mind-1830's, William Eley reinvigorated the company and began to sell the improved patent Wire Cartridges. By 1837, the company added percussion caps to their range and though William Eley was killed in an explosion in 1841, his three sons helped carry on the business.

In 1874, they went public to fuel expansion

but lost momentum after 1881. Innovations included smokeless powder, and in the 1890's, 400 types of cartridges were produced and today, Eley persists as a brand name synonymous with top quality shotgun gun cartridges.

Eley is one of the best known brands in the business and it is now owned by Maxam which is a large Spanish corporation that also makes Rio cartridges. It now has the support to continue and expand its great cartridgemaking business. Similarly to Rio cartridges, Eley shells are loaded with components

sourced within the European Union and driven by Maxam powders. Eley is also the only manufacturer that offers a complete .410 and 28-bore range with a fibre wad.

A huge range of products across the board are sold, incorporating all mainstream loads plus some fairly vague ones to cover every eventuality a shooter is likely to come across.

That being said, let’s take a look at some of the products: • Competition Cartridges

Eley VIP Sporting It is probably the finest fibre wad clay cartridge available today. The VIP Sporting Fibre employs the unique Kleena II Wad to develop extreme speed without the heavy recoil associated with other fibre wad loads of a similar type. The pattern develops very well to achieve distance breaks normally associated with plastic wad loads.

• Game Cartridges

Eley Classic Game It is one of the finest Paper Cased Game Cartridge today. The Classic game optimises performance with the use of the most traditional of manufacturing techniques and the most modern components, powders and materials. The specially selected propellant and the hand-coated copper shot gives remarkable performance coupled with the optimum of patterns to ensure the game shooter’s complete confidence.

• Custom Loads These cartridges are available as clay or game loads in bismuth, lead, plated lead and steal, paper case or plastic case, fibre or plastic wad. Eley Hawk has the materials and ability to load cartridges to suit all requirements in all gauges. Keep in mind that custom loads are not only ideal for promoting retail and corporate business but they are also popular with groups and individuals who like to personalise their sport.

And so there we have it, a truly remarkable range of products. Clearly, Eley offers a

complete range of good quality and high performance products at a very reasonable price.

For over 180 years, the name of Eley has been at the front of quality and improvement in the world of shotgun ammunition. From the beginning of production of 1828, Eley cartridges have earned a stunning worldwide reputation amongst all shooters for being the highest quality and reliability and it continues till this very date!

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gunmaker legacies

John Rigby &Company

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As I was doing some research into the company of John Rigby, I came across some information that interested me somewhat.

It seems that a good deal of controversy is currently flying around the world with regards to who owns the name, John Rigby & Co (Gunmakers)Ltd. Well we will come back to that but let’s look at John Rigby & Co in a bit more detail.

It is widely stated that John Rigby Company was founded in Ireland in 1735 by, Mr. John Rigby, but it turns out that this is not the case and it was actually founded in 1775, but due to an error in the original documentation this has been the stated year of incorporation for well over two hundred years. However, this still makes it a pretty well established company and if it is not the oldest in the world what does it matter? What is not in dispute is that during its time it has made some of the finest rifles and shotguns that money can buy.

The quality and reliability is second to none and the name is synonymous with big game rifles of large caliber where confidence in your firearm is of paramount importance. A Cape buffalo, for example, can be a pretty mean creature if it is being hunted and a, .416 Rigby, will not be found wanting. Calibers in the big/dangerous game category range from, .375 Holland and Holland, up to, .577 Nitro Express; as well as popular calibers in between, such as .416, .450, .458 and .500.

As well as the above rifles almost any caliber can be found bearing the name, John Rigby, both single barrel bolt action and double rifle selective ejector.

Rigby also make some of the finest side lock shotguns you can buy, in all the usual gauges, 12G, 16G, 20G, 28G and .410, for all types of shooting, from clay disciplines to game shooting. You can purchase off the shelf Rigby’s and pre-owned, but the ideal is to have your very own Rigby made to your very own specification which, this being a characteristic of the Rigby firearm ever since the company was founded, back in 1735; or 1775. You are able to choose the caliber of the rifle or the gauge of the shotgun,

the length of barrel, the type and quality of engraving as well as the type of wood and style of the stock and fore-end. The gun will of course be fitted to you and you can provide your own stock blank to be finished at the factory but the quality of wood has to be approved by Rigby. Normally the wood used will be exhibition grade, English walnut, or equivalent. You can even choose the type of checkering you would like to have.

The type of engraving you can choose from is limitless and one can select game scenes with buffalo or lion for instance, or field scenes with hunting dogs and game birds.

Precious metal can be used to enhance your engraving even more making you gun even more of a work of art; but all this comes at a price. But a price well spent. A small caliber rifle or shotgun might set you back around $16,000.00, with a best quality large caliber rifle, or best quality shotgun, anywhere up to $100,000.00 plus, depending on specification and requirements.

To emphasize the original quality of Rigby guns a number of Royal warrants have been granted, from H.R.H. King George IV, who was king of England until his death in 1820, through a number of monarchs up to, H.R. H. Queen Elizabeth II, the present Queen of England. As well as royalty a number of famous people have owned and hunted with Rigby guns, for instance, Kermit Roosevelt, the son of the US president, Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt, used a .450 Nitro Express, on the famous British East African safari of 1909, which was led by that most famous of big game hunters, Fredrick Selous.

Rigby guns have been renowned for quality and innovation since the beginning and the company has gone through some significant changes during its history as one would expect of a company that has been in existence for so long. In 1865 it opened its London office and in 1900 it acquired the Mauser agency. In 1912 the renown .416 Rigby caliber rifle was introduced and is today one ›

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of the foremost big game calibers around.

In 1997 the company was acquired by an American investment group headed by Mr. Geoff Miller of Paso Robles, California and this is where the Rigby legend becomes quite interesting as some conflict has arisen between the California company and a company which has been formed in London under the name of, John Rigby & Co, (Gun Makers) Ltd. The problem appears to have arisen due to the fact that when the US company acquired, Rigby UK, it failed to register a trademark or to incorporate the company in England, this being the case another UK company can take the Rigby name and incorporate it in the UK, and this is what has happened. Also the US company has had a few challenges since it took Rigby to the States in 1997, but it now makes guns under the Rigby name out of Rouge River Rifleworks, in California.

As the US Rigby allegedly failed to register the company in England, the name of, John Rigby & Co (Gunmakers) Ltd., lapsed and ceased to be a corporate entity in 2002,

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so this enabled a gentleman by the name of, Mark Neal, to register a company under the name of, John Rigby & Co (Gunmakers) Ltd., and he has started to make guns on what is regarded as one of the finest double rifles actions ever built by the original Rigby company, that being the, Thomas Bissell, rising-bite action. Mark Neal has stated that he, along with colleagues who are all avid shooting enthusiasts; want to bring back the Rigby name to England with the intention of providing what they would term as, the traditional Rigby gun, and make it available to the shooting public.

There are a number of disclaimers going around and it appears that the legality of each others claims is being considered. What is not, apparently, in dispute is that the US Rigby owns the original “R” trade mark but the London Rigby has registered a traditional looking “JR” trade mark for their new Rigby Company thereby not contravening the US Rigby mark.

It would appear that the guns made in California, under the Rigby name, bare no resemblance, in terms of quality, to the

original guns that have made the name famous for hundreds of years, but the London Rigby is making firearms to the best London Gun standards by using latest technology and CNC machinery so that they can offer, what one might term, a real Rigby at a very reasonable price.

I would contend that there is room in this world for both companies and if one wants to make better guns and keep the name of Rigby synonymous with quality firearms then so be it, as at the end of the day it will be the shooter who buys the guns that will decide how successful each company will be.

It is not the only item manufactured in this world that has the same brand name but made in different countries, and we will all know which will be the true Rigby. However I would not like to see the name, John Rigby, be attributed to any gun that is of such a standard as to bring disrespect to the name.

It is names such as, John Rigby, that have been in existence for so long that deserve to be honorably retained and it does not do the manufacturer of poor quality products any credit to bring the name into disrepute.

Finally, I had not wished to take sides as I have not personally seen either company or their products, but I can not help but think that the, London Rigby, is trying to carry on a very noble tradition. How can I say that, you say? Well, read these statements which I have taken, in part, from their website and what is printed at the end of their guarantee and maybe then you will agree with me.

“When we decided to recommence making John Rigby & Co. (Gunmakers) Ltd. rifles and shotguns again in London, we committed ourselves to making guns the way they used to be made, for individuals, by Gentlemen.”

“From the moment you buy your new John Rigby & Co. (Gunmakers) Ltd. Gun you are part of a tradition of shooting excellence. Whatever else that may change, we will remain constant.”

THAT IS OUR HANDSHAKE, THE WAY IT USED TO BE. SIMPLE, IS IT NOT?

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gunmaker legacies

The History of

Marlin

Firearms

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John M. Marlin was born in Connecticut in 1836, and served his apprenticeship as a tool and die maker. During the Civil War, he worked at the Colt plant in Hartford, and in 1870 hung out his sign on State Street, New Haven, manufacturing his own line of revolvers and derringers.

The outstanding team of inventors he was able to attract developed breakthrough and enduring models, such as Models 1891 and 1893. Today known as Models 39 and 336 respectively, they are the oldest shoulder arm designs in the world still being produced. The lever action 22 repeater (now Model 39) even became the favorite of many exhibition shooters, including the great Annie Oakley.

When John Marlin died in 1901, his two sons took over the business and began a diversification program. In 1915, during World War I, a New York syndicate bought the company and renamed it the Marlin Rockwell Corporation. Marlin became one of the largest machine gun producers in the world for the US and its Allies. After the War, the sporting firearms part of the business became a new corporation, which staggered until 1923, when it went on the auction block.

The story is told that the auction of the old Marlin Firearms operation in 1924 was attended by several curious children, a small dog and a lawyer named Frank Kenna. Kenna bid $100 and the properties were his - along with a $100,000 mortgage. The Marlin Firearms Company has been owned and run by the Kennas ever since, and has seen constant change and improvements. Kenna re-introduced several of the models famous before World War I, and in 1936 established the Marlin razor blade business. His eldest son, Roger Kenna, assumed the presidency in 1947 and Marlin enjoyed steady growth until his death in 1959. When his brother, Frank Kenna, Jr. took over as President. Razor blade production was gradually phased out in order to focus attention on sporting firearms. Frank Kenna, Jr. became Chairman in 1995, and Roger's son, Stephen Kenna, formerly Vice President of Operations and General Counsel, became President. In 1997

he left to pursue other interests. Robert Behn assumed the presidency in May of 1997 and continued in that role until the end of 2007 when the company was sold to the Remington Arms Company. Upon Frank Kenna, Jr.'s retirement in 1999, his son Frank Kenna III, became chairman and stepped down from that role with the sale of the company.

(called the "Marlin Safety") in 1889, to the 1953 introduction of the Micro-GrooveÂŽ rifling system for improved accuracy, and through to the 2004 introduction of the T-900 Fire Control System for bolt action rimfire rifles, Marlin engineers have always made extraordinary effort to raise the bar in the firearm manufacturing industry.

Seeking constant improvement became a hallmark of Marlin engineers from day one, and that philosophy has been carried on and demonstrated throughout the 19th-21st Centuries. Beginning with the development of the first side-ejecting, solid-top receiver

The company John Marlin founded still remains dedicated to his original principles.

Be assured that you can continue to look for dependable, long-lasting products bearing the name "Marlin." ›

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gunmaker legacies

1894 Centerfire Carbines 1894 Cowboy rifles

Model 1894 Built in the tradition of one of Marlin´s oldest lever-action designs, the Model 1894 is an elegant carbine chambered for pistol calibers. Its handy size is punctuated by a quick-pointing, straightgrip stock design and traditional Old West-styled adjustable semi-buckhorn sights. The Model 1894 is chambered for 44 Remington Mag/44 Special, with its superior knockdown capability. Featuring finely checkered American black walnut stocks and fore-ends.

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Caliber

44 Rem. Magnum / 44 S&W Special Order Online from Gallery of Guns

Capacity

10-shot tubular magazine

Action

Lever action; side ejection; deeply blued metal surfaces; solid top receiver; hammer block safety.

Stock

American black walnut straight grip stock; cut checkering; rubber rifle butt pad; tough Mar-Shield® finish; blued steel fore-end cap: swivel studs.

Barrel

20" with deep-cut Ballard-type rifling (6 grooves).

Twist Rate

1:38" r.h.

Sights

Adjustable semi-buckhorn folding rear, ramp front sight with brass bead and Wide-Scan™ hood. Solid top receiver tapped for scope mount; offset hammer spur (right or left hand) for scope use.

Overall Length

37.5"

Weight

6.5 lbs.

INNOVATION SINCE 1889. Marlin developed the first flat-top, sideeject receiver and has been leading the way ever since. We took the original look and feel, then combined it with our best rifle technology to create a gun that looks like history and shoots like the future.

NEW Model 1894CSS Model 1894CSS is our new stainless steel, chambered for 357 Mag./38 Spl., and is the natural sidekick to the 357 Magnum or 38 Special revolver. An 18.5" barrel with deep-cut Ballard-type rifling, and superb balance, together with five machined solid steel forgings and a checkered American black walnut straight-grip stock, make this an extremely quick-handling little carbine.

The Model 1894CSS is our new stainless steel offering in this line.

Caliber

357 Mag. / 38 Spl.*

Capacity

9-shot tubular magazine

Action

Lever action with squared finger lever; side ejection; stainless steel receiver, barrel, lever, trigger guard plate, magazine tube and loading plate; hammer block safety

Stock

American black walnut straight-grip stock; cut checkering; rubber rifle butt pad; tough Mar-ShieldÂŽ finish;nickel plated steel fore-end cap swivel studs.

Barrel

18.5" with deep-cut Ballard-type rifling (6 grooves).

Twist Rate

1:16" r.h.

Sights

Adjustable semi-buckhorn folding rear, ramp front sight with brass bead and Wide-Scan™ hood. Solid top receiver tapped for scope mount; offset hammer spur (right or left hand) for scope use.

Overall Length

36"

Weight

6 lbs.

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gunmaker legacies

Belgium’s Most Excellent

LebeauCourally

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In 1865 a company was founded with a name that has become synonymous with luxury, finesse and fine craftsmanship. The name of the company is Lebeau Courally The gun-maker, Auguste Lebeau Courally was established in the gun-making center of Liege, Belgium. Being based in Liege puts Lebeau Courally in some pretty august company along with the likes of, Fabrique National and Auguste Francotte, as well as being the city that houses the oldest operational Proof House in Europe, which was established in 1672.

Lebeau-Courally is one of the top names in a long line of quality and excellent Belgian gunmakers; however most of those gun-makers have vanished while Lebeau-Courally is still standing strong.

Big Five

When Lebeau-Courally first started, their reputation was already excellent because of the high quality of their products; however, the outstanding reputation grew more when Lebeau-Courally became the preferred gun-maker of the European aristocracy. The company’s clientele did not only include Spanish and Italian royal houses but also the Russian Tsars.

production of handmade hunting shotguns and rifles. However, sales and production figures over the years were decreasing.

Today, Lebeau-Courally produces about 25 bespoke guns and rifles annually. Even though Europe is still represents the biggest market, Lebeau-Courally is constantly expanding its sales in the Russian, America and Asian markets.

The Belgian gun-maker focused on the

Until now, Lebeau-Courally has produced

around 20,000 weapons and also focuses on the maintenance and repairs of these existing guns and rifles all over the world.

Lebeau-Courally has always stood its ground by combining elegance with a superior technical design. The mechanical features of all Lebeau-Courally guns are superbly built into elegant and light game guns that are capable of enduring even the most intensive use. ›

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Below are a couple of Lebeau-Courally models: Boss “Verrees” Boss O/U This model has Liege style flowers and ribbons on an Old English tapestry background. The barrels are made of Poldi Nickel Steel, classical or rounded body, sliding lock, lateral locking lugs, diminished straight line recoil. It also includes Lebeau-

Courally’s double safety sears, an articulated front trigger and a luxury heart of walnut stock. It is available in 12 and 20 calibers.

82 CP The Model 82 CP comes in 12, 16 and 20 calibers with false side plates. The barrels are in Leugram steel and they are bored 3/10 & 7/10.

Sidelock Express This model has a classical or rounded body with renaissance deep relief game scenes, the barrels are of Bohler Antinit steel. It also has Lebeau-Courally’s side locks with safety sears and choice of sighting rib.

Boss Verrees

Lebeau-Courally has always been admired for the finest of engravings on their products.

The engravings are available in a wide selection of styles to suit the individual wishes of customers. The seasoned woods are selected from the best quality and most exquisite walnuts. The color, grain and beautiful figuring blend wonderfully with the sculptured sweep of the steel. All parts of the gun are hand machined from single forgings, minutely fitted, and joined by gun-makers trained in our own factory. The finished gun is unique and perfectly built with extraordinary engravings.

82c.p.

For a century, Lebeau-Courally sporting guns have been the answer to every hunter’s dream but besides their exceptional sporting guns and rifles, the company also uses the same high-standard to produce high quality hunting knives. All knives are unique as well. They are designed and engraved to the specific taste of the client. LebeauCourally’s value is second to none and their performance is absolutely impeccable.

Any collector or hunter would be proud to have one of the spectacular guns produced by the Belgian gun-maker.

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Photography by

Fares Jammal

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SPECIAL THANKS TO:

SHADOW PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY P.O. Box: 49644, Dubai, UAE Email: mail@faresjammal.com Mob: +971 50 5045745 / +961 3 700317 Tel. No: +971 4 340 7713 Fax No: +971 4 341 4771

BRESCIA MIDDLE EAST - LEBANON Dbayeh Highway, +961 4 541844 Jounieh Highway, +961 9 636896

SWAROVSKI OPTIK MIDDLE EAST Abu Dhabi, UAE, Mob: +971 50 4543221 email: khaled.saba@swarovskioptik.at

Mana Automotive S.A.L Verdun - Saeb Salam Boulevard - Helena Bldg.

P.O. Box: 11- 5800, Beirut, Lebanon Local numbers: +961-1-800001 / 1292 International number: +961-1-771 000 Fax: +961-1-785204

hunter's lodge

In the Rumble of

Argentina

Hambare Lodge The topography of Argentina is one of the most majestic in the world. It is rich with unique flora and fauna which guarantees the country an extremely fascinating character of its very own and situated in the heart of this remarkable country are four of the hottest hunting lodges imaginable.

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Hambare Lodge Hambare Lodge, is located in Esquina, a city in Corrientes Province, and it boasts one of the best atmospheres for hunting and fishing in Argentina.

The lodge is situated amidst picturesque rivers and luscious vegetation and the sole purpose of the lodge is to offer absolute

comfort, exclusive personal dedication and attention to every guest.

Hambare Lodge consists of two buildings; the original main house, and a recently added modern extension. Both offer single or double bedrooms with private bathrooms.

Each of the nineteen guest rooms cater for the most discerning quests, including the following facilities. Satellite TV, air

conditioning, full maid services, fireplaces, balconies, etc.

For the Hunting Spirit: Wing Shooting - Argentina is well known for being one of the best wing shooting locations in the world and is considered a Mecca by many bird hunters and the Hambare Lodge offers top quality wing shooting of doves, partridges and ducks.

When going duck shooting hunters are taken in the early morning to a stand along with a guide and a dog for the recovery of the downed birds. Dove hunting is usually done by sighting the guns in and around the fields where the birds feed off the grain. The best season for wing-shooting is from April 15 through August 31.

Big Game - Buffalos and wild pigs are found in their natural habitat close by the Lodge.

The hunting area covers in excess of 10,000 hectares. Mediterranean water buffalos are the biggest animal that can be hunted in Argentina and can weighs up to 2,200 lb.

A typical hunting day at the Hambare Lodge starts very early when hunters leave for fields located 22 miles away. Guides will already be waiting at the hunting locations with horses and hunting gear.

Catch and release - fishery is also provided at the lodge so hold on to your fishing rods!

The Hambare lodge also provides stupendous activities for non-hunters that include horse-back riding, polo, skiing and wake-boarding and boat tours.

wake-boarding and boat tours.

Poitahue Hunting Ranch The Poitahue Hunting Ranch is located in La Pampa, a place where nature has accomplished an ideal environment to develop rich, wild fauna for the most demanding of hunters and as a consequence it is able to offer some of the best free range full-service hunts in the region.

The Poitahue Hunting Ranch offers one of Argentina’s best spots for hunting Red Deer, Puma and Wild Boar. The accommodation provided at Poitahue is world class. The main lodge has been totally refurnished and prepared to accommodate more than ten hunters.

The accommodations consist of a main lodge house with three private suite rooms, a living room and a main dining room with a fire-place. A separate club house is provided which consists of a large lounge with a fireplace along with a lovely saloon bar which tends to be the spot for late reunions and post hunt appetizers.

Following are the names of some the big game that are available for your hunting pleasures: Red Deer, Puma and Wild Boar; plus ten exotic trophy options these being: Axis, Mouflon, Buffalo, Blackbuck, Fallow Deer, Dorset & Four Horned Sheep, Scottish Black Face, Peccari and Wild Goat.)

Besides big game hunting, wing shooting can also be indulged in at the Poitahue Ranch as the La Pampa region is becoming a hot spot for the sport. Doves and Pigeons continually fly back and forth between fields and provide guests with excellent non-stop shooting. ›

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Pica Zuro Lodge Pica Zuro Lodge (David Denies Lodges) The Davis Denies Lodges are amongst the best in Argentina. Piza Zuro is located in the province of Cordoba, Central Argentina.

It is 60 miles north of the Cordoba City International Airport. Cordoba has for long been considered as the dove shooting capital of the world. The area surrounding the lodge is annually inhabited by over 40,000,000 doves. The lodge boasts 55 shooting fields all within a picturesque drive through the region’s rich farmland.

At the lodge, a normal day will start at 8 am with breakfast and a short drive to the shoot. You will be assigned a pick up boy and a main guide on the fields. Depending on the time of year, the shoot goes on till noon.

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La Dormida Lodge La Dormida Lodge La Dormida is another David Denies Lodge.

It is located in the province of Cordoba, in central Argentina. Cordoba is considered the dove shooting capital of the world.

About 40,000,000 million doves inhabit the surrounding fields of the lodge annually.

The lodge boasts 55 shooting fields all within a scenic drive through the region’s rich farmland.

The activities present at the lodge will relax you after your day at the shoot which is normally till noon time, depending on the time of the year. The only thing that could be better than these amazing lodges is the country they are situated in - the country that is filled with abundant wildlife and mysterious woods, rivers and jungles.

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travel

Azerbaijan Duck Hunting in Azerbaijan 2010

Comfortable accommodation, fine cuisine, helpful staff, professional hunting organization, and an amazing number of game are waiting for professional bird hunters in Azerbaijan.

It is not a rare case when skilled hunters can get up to 150 ducks at one morning. We have a records man among our hunters who managed to get 400 ducks in a day.

Hunting area: Hunt is organized on shallow lakes, perfect feeding place for ducks. Transfer from Baku to the hunting camp takes 3 hours 220km.

Hunting terms: 15 of October 2011 - 20 of March 2012.

Accommodation: Comfortable hunting house with all modern conveniences. Inside the house there are three rooms based on doubleoccupancy. Professional cook from Baku will serve you with the fine national and European cuisine.

Hunter

Trip/Hunting days

3x3 Hunting including trophy

$ 2,950

4 days / 3 days hunt

4x5 Hunting including trophy

$ 2,750

4 days / 3 days hunt

Additional hunting day

$ 450

THIS PRICE INCLUDES: Meeting and drop off at the airport; All transportation to and from the hunting region; All transportation in the hunting area; Accommodation and food in the camp during the whole tour; Service of professional guide; All serving staff including one interpreter per group/ camp; hunting license; Trophy care and packing for shipment.

THIS PRICE EXCLUDES: Airline ticket to/from Baku; Visa; Insurance; Personal items; Hotel and meals in Baku before and after the hunt if needed (approx. $250); Excess luggage payment charged by airlines; Sightseeing program; The cost of any extra hunting days; The cost of additional trophies; Gratuities to your hunting guide and staff; Gun to rent if needed (30 euro/per day, 18 euro per box)

BOOKING AND PAYMENT:

Hunting schedule: Day 1

Arrival in Baku, custom formalities, transfer by car to the base camp

Day 2-4

3 days of hunting

Day 5

Back to Baku, departure

The quoted prices are subject to USD currency fluctuations. H&S travel reserves the right to change the price with preliminary notification of the client. A 50% deposit is required to hold your hunt date. FINAL PAYMENT is due 30 days prior to safari starting date.

South Africa South Africa Experience

4 HUNTING DAYS 5 NIGHTS IN SINGLE ROOM PACKAGE INCLUDES: • Board and lodging (4 nights) starting with dinner during arrival evening until breakfast in the morning of departure.

• Lodging in single room with bathroom (4*/5*).

• Beers and wine included, any other spirits will be extras.

• Shooting license during the whole hunting time with official invitation card.

• Professional hunters(PH) / trackers with hunting dogs.

• Transfer airport-hunting farms.

• Hunting set-up.

• PACKAGE WITHOUT KILL LIMITS. • Head game preservation in cold storage room.

PROGRAM PRICE $ 2,375/-

At your disposal: • Guns Beretta cal 12, - .30$ /day • Rifles for game shooting • Guns bullets 12 caliber, lead 00/0/2/3/8/9 - $14 per box (25shots) • Taxidermist available on request with extra charge • Photographer on request with extra charge

The package does not include: • Out and home airplane/bus ticket/visas/travel insurance • International veterinary certificate

IMPORTANT! • Counseled fowling time from 01/05/11 to 31/08/11 Game shooting available, pricelist on demand.

Reservations must be done 45 days prior departure, with our acknowledgment • Advance at reservation 50% • Outstanding amount (other 50%) payable before departure • Additional hunting day $ 500

For more information about Hunting Packages please contact:

Mr. Joe Balesh, at Hunting & Safari

Mr. Marc Aaraj

Tel: 00961 71 768211 • Mob: 00971 50 551 5957

Mob: 00961 70 424666

Email: jbalesh@mailme.ae / hsmagazine.travel@gmail.com

Email: m_aaraj@hotmail.com

outdoor adventure

The Sands of Time

Red Dunes sing of the adventures of the past and present, in Jordan

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Becoming one with nature is an uplifting experience beyond imagination. The towering red cliffs, miles of rolling sand dunes and the rugged wilderness of Jordan salutes you in one of the most scenic deserts of the Middle East; the desert of Wadi Rum. It is home to the biblical realms of Gilead, Moab and Edom, not to mention the ancient red-stone city of Petra. Jordan is one of the most extraordinary historical countries in the world and it is often said, that the best way to experience and taste the history and beauty of the country is to delve into the enigmatic desert of Wadi Rum. The Wadi Rum, is a huge nature reserve that consists of arid desert and towering sandstone rocks located in the southern part of Jordan. This beautiful desert was made famous by T.E Lawrence, a British army officer who was instrumental in leading the Arab revolt against the Turkish Empire in 1916. Lawrence of Arabia was a hero to the masses and he loved the Wadi Rum with a great passion, describing his love for the desert so poetically in his book, ‘Seven Pillars of Wisdom’.

watching, botany and star gazing.

Archaeological ruins and wonders are also there to be discovered and admired, as well as the opportunity to learn and understand more about the Bedouin culture.

The adventure, knowledge and excitement that can be gained at Rum will satisfy your body, mind and soul for a lifetime.

Things to see Lawrence specifically described the, ‘impenetrable silence’ of the desert’, which I have to say can only be understood and achieved by spending a few days and nights veiled in the desert’s cradle-like peace and serenity. Wadi Rum is the ideal place for camping in Jordan. The connection that is established with the outdoors is refreshing and if you are caught up in the hectic urban life that we all have to endure today, then it is the perfect escape!

Rum’s climate is relatively cooler than the eastern desert which is another plus point which helps you to enjoy Nature’s wonders even more.

Things to do There are many things to discover and enjoy in the unique and vast landscape of Rum. Some of the major tourist attractions are activities that include mountain climbing, bird

The water springs at Rum are renown for their ability to form small and tranquil spots, sometimes known as, “Hanging Gardens”.

Their mysterious beauty will mesmerize your eyes for an eternity. Lawrence’s Spring, (Ain Shalaaleh) has been a popular tourist attraction for a long time and was obviously named after the great man himself. It is one of the most famous and spectacular landmark in Rum and it is conveniently close to the rest house.

Just as Lawrence of Arabia needed to retire when the moon took control over the sky, so will you! So after a day filled with the adventures that can include; hiking, camel trekking, scrambling, and driving over the awe inspiring sand dunes, the time for camping under the stars has arrived. The night sky in Wadi Rum holds a beauty that cannot be described, therefore, it is best for the camper to experience it for themselves.

Food and drinks are prepared at the Bedouin camps. Most tents will prepare traditional meals. One of these traditional meals includes chicken or lamb cooked under the desert sand. The Bedouin tea cannot be refused, so I suggest you do not even try to resist! So you can enjoy the refreshing brew at the end of the day while enjoying narrated stories of the Bedouin culture and history.

Wadi Rum, also known as, The Valley of the Moon, is the land that T.E. Lawrence described as, “vast, echoing and Godlike,” and once you experience its aura, you will have to agree. The adventures that Rum has to offer are quests and challenges in the midst of its magnificent sand dunes. Its dramatic desert landscape and beautiful terrain allows you to become one with Nature and her poetry all at once. The destination is one of the most stunning in the world and its call must be answered, so don’t forget your sleeping bag!

“All men dream, but not equally.

Those who dream at night in the dusty recesses of their minds, awake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible.”

T.E. Lawrence.

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Desert

Diamonds In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 132

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Saudi Arabia. This forbidden kingdom was considered closed to outsiders for centuries except of course to the bold and the brave, such as the 19th century British scholar and explorer, Sir Richard Burton, and Lawrence of Arabia who penetrated into the beautiful kingdom by risking their lives. Fortunately today, the country is beginning to permit travellers through its grand portals.

Camping in the bronze heat of the desert can be one of the greatest adventures you’ll ever experience while in the country, not to mention, in your life. On your adventure, you will come across old forts, desert foxes, vultures, Bedouin camps and of course, lots and lots of camels. When the sun has finally decided to depart and make way for the moon, you will be able to lie on your camp bed and look up at the desert sky. The constellations are mesmerizing and you may even be fortunate enough to see a shooting star or two.

A desert camping adventure in Saudi Arabia can offer plenty of excitement as well as mystery; from palm lined oasis and wadis, to corals and caves.

However, keep in mind that while in Saudi Arabia, permission may be needed to travel to some of the areas but it is well worth the time and effort.

Grab your sleeping bag, because we’re heading out to…

The Desert When you think of Saudi Arabia, your mind automatically jumps to the word ‘desert’.

And yes, there is plenty of it from its moving sand dunes to its flat rocky landscapes. No matter what, you will always find yourself surrounded by the vast desert landscape with all its glory.

The Empty Quarter The name just calls out to you, doesn’t it? It is as if this place is just longing to be explored and therefore - you must. It is the greatest sea of sand on the planet and it is also home to sand dunes the size of the Titanic.

Camping in the Empty Quarter, known as Rub’ Al Khali in Arabic is a great way to quench your thirst for excitement and adventure since there isn’t any time for boredom at all. You can ride on camels, sand board down the dunes or just relax and enjoy the vast tranquillity and mystique mirages that the shimmering golden orb gifts you with.

The Arabian Oryx is one of the most beautiful creatures on earth and it lives in the Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia. Don’t forget to carry a camera. These creatures definitely possess photo album worthiness. In order for you to drive through the sands of Rub’ Al Khali, it is necessary to first get permission from the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development since the Empty Quarter is a protected area. The permission is easily obtained and there are no fees required.

While camping, you should always take advantage of the desert’s unique environment; make time to see the rare

wildlife and listen to the mystical songs sung by the howling winds. The experience is something close to a story out of the exciting pages of an adventure book. The perfect silence of the morning and the clear night sky of the desert are two of the many great things yearning to be experienced. It is said most of the time by many Bedouins that the desert can and will change a person. Well, I am telling you now, that it would be a wise move to surrender to the desert and let your heart be captured by the burning sense of freedom and wilderness when you camp underneath the desert diamonds of the kingdom’s night sky.

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Choosing

Your Tent

There can be few things nicer for a true nature lover than to get out into the wild camping. We are talking about tent camping here not mobile home camping with all the comforts of a fully equipped caravan. To make your tenting as pleasant as possible we have detailed below a few tips that we have gained over a number of years experiencing the outdoor life. We made a few mistakes, so hopefully these few tips will help you from making the same.

• Tents that are advertised as one person are rarely big enough for one person. Lay down in it before you buy and see if you can fit in it for yourself.

• Two person tents are usually comfortable for just one person; a three person tent is comfortable for two people and so on.

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• If you do not pick something large enough, you will find yourself cramped, claustrophobic and uncomfortable.

• Pick something that will give you room to move around and also allow some space for your gear as well.

• Each person needs about 3 by 7 feet to stretch out. You will need extra room to dress and probably to eat.

• Remember, if the weather is not good, you will be stuck in whatever you have picked.

You don’t want to be sitting cramped and hunched over feeling miserable.

• When considering what tent to buy decide whether you will be summer or winter camping, and whether you will be backpacking.

• A lot of tents are not waterproof. They are made of breathable ‘Ripstop’ nylon which

allows your sweat and breath to evaporate.

If this is the case you will need a rain fly.

These are waterproof. It is in essence a second roof that fits over the roof of the tent; and as well as keeping water out of the tent from falling rain: due to its overhang, it will also carry away rainwater from the tent sides.

• Make sure the fly is large enough to substantially cover the tent walls.

• Applying a sealant to the tent seams is a good idea. Apply the sealer as needed throughout the tents life.

• Most tents have a fine mesh screen over the entrance and windows designed to keep out insects.

• All netting is not alike. Standard netting is made of nylon. Dacron is a finer mesh to discourage even the smallest bugs.

• Make sure the entrance flap and window have strong zippers fitted for privacy.

• Because of the nature of the fabric used in making tents, very few tents are designed to keep you warm. They are designed to protect you from the worst of the weather and from insects. The protection you get from the wind and rain, snow and sun depends on the quality of tent you decide to purchase. Remember it is not a log cabin.

• When caring for your tent, remember that whilst nylon is virtually maintenance free, always try to pack it away dry. If it has to be packed away wet remove it as soon as possible to dry it out to prevent mold forming. A tent that has been put away for the season wet can smell pretty unpleasant as well. After this the main thing that needs to be done is for it to be sealed occasionally with a proprietary sealing product.

• Sponge off any dirt or mud from both outside and inside using a very mild liquid detergent or a baking soda and water solution.

• Be sure to make any repairs before you store it for the season if you have had the misfortune to burn or damage your tent in some way. You can buy repair kits that come in various colors and are easy to use.

Store your tent in a cool, dry place in its storage bag.

Dome Tents The basic style of the dome tent is hexagonal. The fabric usually used is nylon.

The weight is about two and one-half to seven and one-half pounds depending on size. The tent is usually free-standing or self supporting. This means no stakes or lines are needed under normal circumstances.

However, you should never leave it unoccupied without staking it down because the wind can send this lightweight tent tumbling off.

The dome tent is great for backpackers and canoeists. It’s the choice of winter campers and mountaineers in larger sizes. The reason is because of its aerodynamic shape.

It resists gusts of wind well and is easy to set up and dismantle. The only problem with this type of tent is that it is not well ventilated.

Moisture tends to gather at the top of the dome.

Tunnel Tent This type of tent is primarily a backpacker’s shelter. It can weigh as little as one and

one-half pounds. The type of material used is generally nylon. It is not very spacious but the advantage of this tent is how compact it becomes and is therefore useful for one or two day trips. It can be rolled into a tight bundle no larger than a football. It is a free standing tent, not needing any lines or stakes unless a fly is added.

It is lightweight, which makes it ideal for the backpacker or canoeist. Because of its design the wind flows off of it easily and makes it great for winter camping. It has a screened opening at one end and can be closed against severe weather. It is easily erected and dismantled. It also ventilates well.

The A-Frame Tent This tent is used primarily by the backpacker.

The frame of this tent can be either fitted into sleeves sewn into the tent fabric or it can stand independently of the shelter. They are generally made out of nylon and weights vary from about 3 pounds to about 6 again depending of size.. These tents are ideal for canoe trips, climbers, fishermen, and hunters.

They are relatively lightweight and spacious.

A vestibule can be added to the front opening adding very little weight and adding an extra 10 to 20 square feet. This makes it ideal for storing your gear and giving you extra sleeping area.

As mentioned above a tent is not by itself warm. It keeps out the worst of the weather, so if you are intending camping in cold weather always take a good quality sleeping bag with you with a thermal rating suitable for the temperatures you will encounter.

Naked flame heaters are to be seriously discouraged inside a tent as most tents, unless specifically designed, are flammable, and in any event even if the tent fabric is flame retardant, you will have flammable item in the tent that you have brought along with you, such as clothes etc. If you manage to escape serious personal injury from your tent catching fire, your tent will undoubtedly be destroyed; and that will obviously leave you without the protection from the environment that it would otherwise provide.

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Scotch Whisky

So said that great American comedian, W. C. Fields, who was known to take a dram of scotch from time to time. A Scotsman is just that; or a Scot, or Scottish but never Scotch, this is reserved specifically for the amber nectar, Scotch whisky. The name is even spelt differently in different parts of the globe, but Scotch is always, “whisky,” not, as some Irish, Canadian or Americans would have it, Whiskey, with an “e”. No one really

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We frequently hear of people dying from too much drinking. That this happens is a matter of record. But the blame is always placed on whisky.

Why this should be I never could understand.

You can die from drinking too much of anything; coffee, water, milk, soft drinks and all such stuff as that. And so as long as the presence of death lurks with anyone who goes through the simple act of swallowing. I will make mine whisky.

knows why, and in the great scheme of things it matters very little, except to a Scotsman, that is.

As you will no doubt be aware there are numerous types of whisky in this world; Scotch, Bourbon, Tennessee, Rye, Canadian to name a few and even Indian whisky, but the whisky we are looking at here is, Scotch.

The origins of Scotch whisky go back well

before records were kept and whilst there remains some discussion as to which was the original whisky, Scottish or Irish, there is no doubt that there has been evidence found by archeologists that a Scottish brew made from barley and malt dates back to before 2000 B.C., this in fact was an ale, rather than a spirit but the brewing process was the forerunner of the distillation process that produces whisky.

Where the claim by the Irish comes from and which seems to provide an element of credibility, is that in the 9th century monks came over from Ireland to spread the word of Christianity and along with the word they bought with them a few primitive stills, which they in turn found during their missions to Europe during the Dark Ages, during the fall of the Roman Empire, when cultural and economic deterioration took place in Europe.

But if they sent whisky stills to Scotland the Age cannot be all Dark, can it?

So what is Scotch Whisky? Well the term is rather like beer, in as much as it is generic and there are a number of Scotches’ produced all with different characteristics and flavors but there are some aspects of “Scotch” that has to be adhered to, to be able to embrace the name it first and foremost must have been distilled and matured in Scotland. This would seem fair. Also the Scotch Whisky Act of Parliament, 1988, states that it must be matured in oak wood barrels.

Scotch gets its distinct smoky flavor from the fact that the grain used to make the spirit, primarily, malted barley, is dried over peat fires and the smoke from the peat comes

into direct contact with the grain thereby imparting its flavor. Also the water used in the process is derived from the peat bogs and moors which again adds it own distinctive flavor.

The aging process is carried out in oak barrels with a maximum capacity of 700 liter and these can be old barrels that have been used for aging cognac, sherry or port for instance, all of which adds to the specific flavor of the distilling process and thereby the brand.

There are a number of Scotch whisky types as we detail below.

• Blended. This type is by far the most popular and blended whisky is produced, as its name implies, by the blending of many different malt and grain whiskeys. A typical combination would be 80% grain and 20% malt and there can be as many as twenty different malts being used but this is not normal as the average would be less than 15. There is a good deal of skill required in blending whisky as the finished product has to be consistent in its flavor and a good blender of Scotch is highly regarded in the industry.

• Single Malt. When distilling a Single Malt only malted barley can be used, no other grain is allowed and it should be from one distillery only. The single malt is produced in a number of areas in Scotland and each area has its own distinct flavor, and a true whisky aficionado can tell you what part of Scotland a given single malt has come from purely by its flavor.

• Single Grain. Single grain is the product of a single distillery and is made from unmalted barley, corn or wheat, water and barley. Single grain whisky’s can be hard to find as most are used in the blending process of other whiskey’s so you will have a difficult, and probably quite expensive, job in finding one on the shelf of your local liquor store. Interestingly there are only seven grain distilleries in Scotland and these seven produce all the single grain whisky to the other companies for blending purposes. The fact that the process has to be continuous enables the seven to cater for the needs of all the blending distilleries in Scotland.

• Single Cask. As the name implies this whisky is bottled from a single barrel. Single cask whisky is very exclusive and the ›

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consistency of flavor can not be guaranteed as the flavor is the flavor that comes from its specific cask and as no blending is involved it means that the recipe can not be adjusted to get the same taste each time. The single cask is also known as, single, single malts, and some are bottled directly from the barrel with out water being added. This can mean that the alcoholic content can be as high as 50% or 60% and it is recommended that these whisky’s be drunk at the ratio of three parts whisky to two parts water thus allowing all the natural flavors to be savored as some of the pure alcohol is diluted in the water.

• Pure Malt. Sometimes known as vatted malt is a blend of malts from different distilleries. The term Pure Malt gives one the impression that it is something exclusive when in fact it purely means that the bottle contains no grain whiskies. By definition all Scotch Malt whiskies are pure malts, but this does not mean there are inferior as the Master Blender can produce a very good whisky by the careful blending of numerous malts which will then have its own distinctive flavor.

So there you have the various types of whisky and each will have a number of different flavors and as mentioned above the taste of

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a particular whisky is not only produced from the grain used but from the area or region of Scotland that it originates from, rather like wine, the grape variety, location and even soil type distinguishes one wine variety from another, the same can be said of whiskies.

They say that even the air can affect the taste.

The classic Scottish whisky producing regions are: • The Lowlands. Whisky from this part of Scotland tends to reflect the softness of the malt used.

• The Highlands. This is the largest area and covers huge parts of the Highlands, and due to its sometimes remote locations has only a few distilleries but none the less they do produce some remarkable whiskies. Due to the soil and the heath-land one tends to notice a flavor of the peat and the heather giving it a spicy texture. Within the Highland region you will encounter contrasting flavors from a light smokiness to the big sherry style. Whilst the Highlands have been known as the center of the whisky production in Scotland there are maybe two areas that are most famous and historically important as to have been named regions in there own right.

Those being: • Campbeltown. Located on the peninsular called, The Mull of Kintyre, also famous for the song by, Paul McCartney, of the same name. Once having 30 distilleries it now can only boast three but the whisky it produces is of such quality that it is still considered a separate region.

• Islay. Whisky produced on the, Isle of Islay, which has the honor of being known as the greatest whisky producing Island in the world, has a distinct flavor of salt and seaweed from the sea surrounding it.

Located in the group of Islands known as the, Inner Hebrides, it is only 25 miles long but has eight distilleries and whilst all are not working most are. Because of its distinct flavor a lot of blended whiskies use whisky from the Isle of Islay.

Now let’s consider how to drink whisky. I would say that it is personal preference which should dominate every time and if someone tries to tell me that I should only drink red wine with red meat, and white wine with fish and white meat, I would tend to say that person is pompous and has no right to tell me how I lead my life. It will not hurt anyone if you add water or a mixer to very expensive single malt. But I accept that there is little

point in spending lots of money only to add a can of ginger ale and a dozen cubes of ice to it, but that is for the drinker to decide.

However, there are some accepted traditions that are particular to drinking whisky.

The Whisky Glass Now here we have a dilemma. Most people consider that the traditional glass to drink whisky from is the heavy bottomed tumbler.

After all, for goodness sake, it is called a whisky tumbler. This is used so as to presume you will be taking ice with your whisky and therefore requires a wide mouth and a thick bottom. (No not the mother-in law). Adding a single malt to a stack of ice can alter the unique flavor and aroma of the spirit and should be avoided.

Tumblers of any kind should be avoided and definitely any glass that contains color should not be used. A tumbler will just spill the aroma out of it and a colored glass will, well, it will take away the beautiful amber color so beloved of whisky drinkers.

Don’t put it in a brandy glass either. This might sound obvious but I have seen it done on the basis that the pourer thinks that he is doing the whisky a favor by comparing it with a cognac. This cannot be further from the truth.

In fact the brandy glass is considered by some

to be; “invented by Americans to drink a French spirit”. I personally can not vouch for it but they do say that the distillers and the master blenders use a tulip shaped wine glass with a bowed bottom and a straight top. Looking at the shape it seems that it is a good idea as it will keep the aroma in, it’s not colored so you can savor all the elements of a fine single malt, the taste, the aroma and the color. If the distilleries take the time and trouble to produce what they consider a spirit work of art then I suppose one should do them the courtesy of appreciating it in the most appropriate container.

Does and Don’ts OK that’s the glasses, now for some do’s and don’ts. And we are speaking of top quality whiskies. Don’t add ice as this reduces the aroma and by the time the ice has reached your mouth the flavor of the whisky is lost, as the ice desensitizes your pallet. Mixer drinks should be avoided. Again, what’s the point of spending good money on an expensive spirit to have its taste masked by a coke or lemonade?

Water can be added as it can actually bring out the flavor of the whisky. Whisky has a very high alcohol content, which some might find rather harsh, so adding a little water can soften the flavor and add to the enjoyment.

The amount to add is down to personal taste and should be arrived at by trial and error, adding a little at a time until the right mix is right for you. If you want to look as though you know what you are about, or if in fact you do know what you are about, these are the steps you should take when being offered your very expensive well aged single malt.

First the whisky should be given to you in a clean clear glass. If you’re lucky you will be given it in the “tulip” shaped glass mentioned above. Hold the glass, and its contents, up to the light and note the amber color nodding appreciatively. After looking at the color, swirl the whisky round gently, do not make a whirlpool, just enough so that it leaves some traces on the glass which is caused by

the viscosity of the whisky. Because of the shape of the traces they are called legs and the distance between them denotes the age and the type of barrel used for maturing the whisky.

Next, taste it. Just a small amount, hold it in for a few seconds, but not less than ten, then swirl it around the mouth making sure it reaches all parts of your mouth and tongue and every taste bud. Then you can swallow it. After this stage you should again give it a gentle swirl and raise it to your nose again and breathe in through the nose and mouth to experience the delightful aroma.

If after proceeding through the above ritual you find the flavor a little too harsh for you then this is the time to add water, a little at a time, until you have the perfect balance for your pallet. As I have mentioned at the start of these, do’s and don’ts, they are for the really expensive whiskeys, just as you would savor a fine wine or fine cognac, treat a great whisky in the same way.

If you want to get drunk, a state I would wholeheartedly suggest you don’t try to achieve at any time, or if you just want a drink with friends, or your thirsty and feel as though a taste of alcohol would taste better that just water, then mix your coke or ginger ale or whatever soft drink you prefer with copious amounts of ice and; a cheaper whisky, what I would call cooking whisky. There is a place for all types of drinks but for the true whisky drinker, the connoisseur, a good quality aged whisky should be savored on its own. Or as a maximum allowance, with a little highland spring water. As we started with a quotation let’s finish with one:

“There are two things a Highlander likes naked, & one of them is malt whisky.”

(Scottish proverb.) And drink responsibly!

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cook your hunt

Cook your

Hunt

In our last edition I suggested a couple of seasonable dishes of varying complexity. In this edition I am giving you a couple of menus that I feel will be suitable for any occasion, it may be dinner with friends or just a quiet dinner at home with your spouse. They are seasonable dishes none the less and are ideal for the cooler temperatures we can expect at this time of year.

Both menus include game birds as the main ingredient. These can be whatever you have in your larder or freezer or whatever meat you enjoy most. They are both well flavored and I hope that you agree with me that they both make for a delicious meal.

Game Bird Pie Ingredients

• Six birds ready for the oven • 500ml of chicken stock • 2 tsp of Herb De Provence • 2 bay leaves • 1 large leak. Sliced • 1 large brown onion. Sliced • 2 large carrots. Sliced • 2 good sized potatoes • Diced into about 2cmtr cubes • 200g of button mushrooms cut into fork friendly sizes • Salt and pepper to taste • 75ml of double cream • 100g all purpose flour • 50ml of olive oil • 1 knob of butter • 1kg of short crust pastry This can be made up to your mothers secret recipe or you can get very good results from frozen pastry from the supermarket.

As mentioned above the meat can be whatever you have harvested yourself or you can get it from the butcher or even the supermarket. You might want to use just one variety of bird or you could mix the meat from more than one. So, pheasant, partridge, or pigeon are ideal, either collectively or individually. The recipe will serve up to six people so if you have more or less revise the quantities accordingly.

Method: You will need a cast iron casserole dish to cook the birds and vegetables. (Cast iron is preferred as this can be used on the

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stove top as well as in the oven. If you don’t have a cast iron dish you can use a saucepan as well as an oven proof casserole dish, but this just makes more washing up. You will also need an oven proof pie dish to combine the ingredients with the pastry to complete the finest game bird pie you and yours have ever tasted.

First, pre heat the oven to 175 deg C. Then place the oven ready birds along with the carrots and the onions, potatoes, the bay leaves and the Herbs Du Provence into the cast iron casserole dish and cover with the chicken stock.

Bring this to the boil on the stove top and when it is boiling, carefully, transfer it to the oven for about 40 minutes or until the birds are nicely cooked.

When the birds are tender remove from the oven and, discarding the skin, take the meat off the bones and cut it into fork sized piece and put on one side. Pour the stock and juices through a strainer into a jug and add the delicious tasty bits, along with the vegetables that remained in the strainer, to the meat.

Now add the oil and butter to a large frying pan and heat this up till the butter just melts and then drop in the mushrooms, leaks, and onions until the onions just start to go translucent. Now add the flour and stir till it has absorbed all the oil and butter and is nicely coating the vegetables. Once you have reached this stage add the stock that we set aside earlier to make the gravy that will accompany the birds in the pie. Bring the gravy to the boil and let it simmer until it starts to thicken. If it needs to thicken a little more add a little corn flour mixed with water or a stock cube or granules. The amount of flavor you need to add depends on your taste. When you are satisfied with the flavor add most of the double cream, making sure it does not curdle, along with the rest of the vegetables and, of course, the meat. Add some salt and black pepper and put it on one

side to cool. Save a couple of tablespoons of double cream for brushing the piecrust prior to baking.

Now very lightly grease the pie dish with a little butter all over. Not too much, or it will cause the pastry to burn. Roll out the pastry until it is 3 or 4 mm thick, this is not an exact science, and some people like thicker pastry than others. Now drop the rolled out pastry into the pie dish lining the bottom and bringing it up the sides. Now spoon the cooled ingredients into the pie dish and trim the pastry around the edge. Add the trimmings to your remaining pastry and, after combining, roll it out to make the pie crust.

Dampen the top edge of the pie base with a little water to make sure the pie crust sticks to it, and then place the pie crust on top, squeezing all around the edges to make a tight

seal. If you have a lot of pastry hanging over the side of your dish you can remove this but I do like to see it looking a little rustic so try to leave a bit of a ragged overhang if possible.

Make a slot in the shape of a cross in the center of the pie crust to let out the excess steam caused by the cooking process and brush the crust with some of the remaining double cream and a beaten egg. Now pop this into your pre heated oven and cook for about 40 minutes until the pie crust is nicely golden brown. Serve it on its own or you could include additional mash or boiled potatoes if you wish. I am sure the flavor will be exquisite and your guest or guests will be well impressed. Or you could just save it for yourself. No, something this good has to be shared. Enjoy.

Game Bird Soup Ingredients • 1kg of game bird breasts and thighs cut into soup spoon sized pieces • 700ml of red wine. I always use a reasonable wine in my cooking as I feel that if you are using good ingredients then why cheapen the meal with cheap wine. But you don’t have to go over the top of course • 250g of beef stock • 250g of vegetable stock. (I tend to use the two types of stock as game birds have a stronger flavor than chicken but if I use all beef stock the soup can be too “meaty” • 2tblsp of cranberry sauce. The one with whole cranberries • 2 Bay leaves • ½ Handful of finely chopped parsley • 3 Sprigs of finely chopped rosemary • ½ Handful of finely chopped basil • 3 sliced medium brown onions • 350g Garden peas, frozen are fine.

• Salt and Peppe • Olive oil • Plain flour

As with the pie you can use whatever game birds you have to hand or whatever your favorite game bird meat is or combine more than one type of meat. It is up to you to be creative. The soup will be sufficient for six people and it is a hearty meal, served with fresh crust bread, you may find that with a nice glass of red wine it is a meal in its self. I would suggest a medium red, like Cabernet Sauvignon or a Shiraz.

Method: Put a little oil into a large frying pan and fry the onions till they start to become translucent.

Add the cranberry sauce and fry for a further couple of minutes till the sauce and onions are nicely blended but not totally combined. When ready take off the heat, remove it from the frying pan, and set aside in a separate dish. Now put a couple of tablespoons of flour in to a bowl and season with salt and pepper then add the meat to this making sure the meat is fully covered.

Now add a little more of the olive oil to the frying pan and heat it gently, then add the meat to it and cook until the meat is browned all over but not over cooked. Now add the stock and bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and add the red wine bringing the soup to a boil once more. Let it boil for a minute or two then bring it back to the simmer. Add the peas, the onions and cranberry sauce, and the herbs and cook for about fifteen to twenty minutes to let the meat become tender and the alcohol from the wine evaporate. If you like your soups a little on the thick side then mix a little corn flour or gravy granules with warm water and stir it in to the soup. Serve piping hot with fresh crusty bread, and as final touch drizzle a little of the double cream on the top just before you serve to the table. Just the job for a cold evening with the warm red wine I mentioned at the start. Bon Appetite.

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directory

Carry-Lite

Hunting Decoys

Mother Nature is their only competition Fortunately, for every hunter, Carry-Lite continually innovates with hunting decoys made with new materials, with new techniques and designs.

A successful hunting expedition calls for many things - camouflaged and comfortable attire, first aid kits, a mobile phone, a GPS, a multi-tool; and of course your trusty rifle, plus many more item too numerous to mention here? These are all very important and need to be taken seriously when you are out hunting in the wild.

One other item that you need if you are on a hunt is your, hunting decoys, for instance.

Back in the days, decoy items were used mostly for bird hunting for such game as ducks, geese and other waterfowl, as well as doves and pigeons. Today, decoys are used to attract deer, antelope, moose and other species of larger game than just birds.

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The technique that goes into setting up the decoys can be a little tough but it is all worth it in the end when you’ve finally managed to take your afternoon lunch or your living room trophy piece.

In this article, we are going to look at one of the best suppliers of hunting decoys: CarryLite Hunting Decoys.

Carry-Lite is one of the oldest and probably the biggest company that specializes in producing quality hunting decoy items. The company has been around for 80 years and during this time has had the satisfaction of producing the most detailed, realistic and durable hunting decoys in the world.

All hunting decoys produced by Carry-Lite are true-to-life and as natural as can be. True hunting enthusiasts; they spend countless hours out in the field, testing the hunting decoys and thinking of ways to improve them for all hunters the world over. This is the reason why the company’s hunting decoys are some of the most preferred by discerning hunters worldwide.

The hand-painted decoys are designed, manufactured, and tested by waterfowl hunters and wildlife artists who really know their stuff concerning wildlife and the environment. Another good thing about Carry-Lite decoys is that they are very easy to assemble and their materials are tested under the most extreme conditions.

Most hunting decoys back in the day were just static decoys. But now they are more sophisticated and modernized and the new technology allows hunters to be in possession of electrically hunting decoys that are able to mimic the movement and sounds of the quarry being hunted. Let us browse through a few of, Carry-Lite’s, newest hunting decoys from their catalog.

Their new products showcase their latest development in decoy technology so that hunters can enjoy cutting-edge realism on their hunting trips.

Pretty Boy Junior Semi-Strutting Jake Decoy This product is new to the Pretty Boy Series. The mold for Junior was individually carved to display a unique semi-strutting position. The Jake Turkey hunting decoy is sure to get the dominant toms running into your sight for a challenge. To ensure realism and attention to detail, each decoy is hand painted and features an incredibly realistic paint scheme. The head of Junior is molded from a real freeze-dried turkey head for exacting realism.

Junior features a synthetic beard that adjusts for length to go from Jake to mature gobbler in seconds, or can be replaced with a real turkey beard. Made with soft and pliable material, this turkey decoy is easy to carry in and out of the field. A stake is also included to set up Junior.

Duck Commander Mallard Duck Decoys The, Duck Commander, line of duck decoys is the latest innovation in duck decoying. In each decoy, distinguishable mallard features such as white neck rings and purple speculums can be seen. While some duck decoys just have painted feathers, the Duck Commander Mallards actually feature ridges and grooves in the shape of feathers for realistic shadow effects.

They are crafted from high-quality materials which resist fading, won’t crack when frozen, and the paint won’t come off.

EZ-Buck Deer Decoy This new deer decoy features everything that you could possibly want; ease of transport, fast setup, versatility, and stunning realism. The, EZ-Buck Deer Decoy’s, legs are attached with bungees. It also features a one-piece, easy-to-drive, foot-operated stake system for better stability. The EZ-Buck deer decoy has an incredibly lifelike paint job, firmly attached ears, and a tail that looks more real than ever, thanks to a new material that moves easily in the wind.

And there you have it, just a few of some of the greatest hunting decoys in the world. Whenever your next hunting trip is due, make sure to browse their catalog in order for a truly successful hunting expedition.

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directory

Harry Winston Introduces

Histoire De Tourbillon 2 The collection launched in 2009 combines technical sophistication and fine design in a daring and distinctive manner, expressing an original vision of horological history and asserting a new signature style. This year, for its second edition, the House of Harry Winston is paying tribute to the undisputed star of complications with an exclusive new timepiece issued in a 20-piece limited series. Featuring an ingenious construction that makes light of established conventions and includes a bi-axial flying tourbillion, Historie de Tourbillon 2 offers its very own interpretation of time measurement. An avant-garde interpretation in which technology serves design and confirms the pioneering spirit of Harry Winston.

Scuderia Ferrari A new challenge, a new fragrance, only for audacious, allow you to experience the vibrant and cool lifestyle of a Ferrari driver, live the unique passionate moments of a indomitable spirit.

Red Light!

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The new fragrance is the special factor of the incredible Driver’s personality.

The beautiful fragrances in every note are meant for a real sportsman, who loves high performances. Scuderia is a fragrance that reflects the DNA of Ferrari Racing.

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