Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2017 - January 2018 i Petersen's Hunting

Just like Lucy’s footprints embedded in the Tanzanian dirt, my first steps onto African soil are just as indelible. In my mind, a set of size 11 Danners are still pressed into the mud along the Senegalese banks of the Gambia River, where I waited, shotgun in hand, in the fading orange sunset for the flocks of ganga, or four-banded sand grouse, to arrive. I’ve returned to Africa a few times since, notably wingshooting rock pigeons in the Free State and hunting in the snow for gemsbok and Cape kudu high among the Drakensberg mountains. Each trip has left a permanent mark upon me, and in my dreams, my tracks are still lined out across the landscape, leading the way for other hunters to follow. As mythical as Africa looms…

BULLET BASICS A very modern iteration of the polymer-tipped, boattailed big-game bullet, the ELD-X features best-in-class BC, a tip made of a proprietary “Heat Shield” material that withstands erosion caused by extreme velocities, engineering that allows it to mushroom reliably at a wide range of impact velocities (1,600 fps to 3,200 fps), and match-bullet consistency that enables it to shoot with extraordinary accuracy. The only traditional feature about it is the presence of an InterLock ring around the shank to minimize core/jacket separation during high-velocity impacts. TESTING GROUND Hornady’s Neal Emery hit the vitals of a 55-inch Alaska bull moose with the bullet shown from 611 yards. Fired from his custom 7mm STW, the bullet exited the muzzle at 3,120 fps and impacted at an estimated 2,350 fps. FIELD PERFORMANCE…

Welcome back, Zumbo! I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE JIM ZUMBO MAKE A COMEBACK IN PETERSEN’S HUNTING. I AM GLAD HE HAS FOUND A RETURN TO HUNTING JOURNALISM DESPITE AN UNFORTUNATE, POORLY CONCEIVED COMMENT ON FIREARMS YEARS AGO. WHILE WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES, FORGIVENESS AND REHABILITATION ARE THE AMERICAN WAY.IT IS FITTING THE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY IS IN SYNC WITH THAT MINDSET. JOHN STUCKER Via email Thank you for your letter and kind words. We believe you’re right. Jim Zumbo has “served his time” (10 years, in fact) and openly acknowledged and apologized for his “blog heard around the world.” Jim was one of the first people I met when I entered the outdoor industry, and he was quick to welcome me and treat me like an old friend—something I will always…

WHERE: South Africa WHEN: May 2017 OUTFITTER: S.H. Safaris Swaershoek RIFLE: Mauser Voere (.30-06) HUNTER: Jose-Luis Sagripanti “The Poaching Restitution Act requires judges to impose the specific fines set in the act,” says Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police Public Information Officer Candy Thomson. If you illegally kill a buck over 150 inches, you will pay at least $5,000 in restitution, plus other costs. Judges don’t have any flexibility. “In most other instances, it is up to the judge, and they are often reluctant to impose heavy penalties.” That’s partly because some judges and prosecutors view poaching as victimless crimes, says Cenci. “It can vary from county to county and how well our officers are at networking with judges and prosecutors. I’ve seen judges hand down maximum penalties in locations…

DESPITE THE SPACE-AGE fabrics and computer-aided design that make up modern outdoor clothing, many hunters still opt for traditional lines. This sartorial selection leans on more than nostalgia, though the nod to the old ways is certainly one reason for donning such classic duds. Another is the fact that a set of sporting clothes stitched with American-made pride will last through generations and get better looking with age. While there are still a few of the big names that make this style of gear, frankly, they don’t cater much to the outdoorsman anymore. Instead, opt for smaller tailors who support and care about the people who wear their gear in the field. One of the best is Tom Beckbe, a consortium of craftsmen who grew up along the banks of…

Americans think they have the market cornered when it comes to dried meats. After all, just look at the rows and rows of jerky at the local truck stop, as new companies compete for shelf space with dozens of different types and flavors of dehydrated beef, turkey, and pork. Jerky is big business in the United States, but there is something better out there. It’s called biltong. The name is Dutch, a combination of the two words bil (rump) and tong (strip), but the origin is purely South African. A product of necessity, biltong is an adaptation of dried meat that has been eaten in Africa for centuries. It was created by Dutch settlers immigrating into the interior during the mid-1800s. Needing a shelf-stable protein that traveled well without spoiling,…

WE ALL REMEMBER the days of flipping through the Sears Wish Book, circling the Stormy Kromer cap and Red Ryder BB gun in bright red marker for our parents to see. Now, as we’ve gotten older, all we really want for Christmas is a bull elk standing broadside, a bolt-action rifle stocked in Turkish walnut, and a good knife that stays sharp from the first cut to last. Honestly, we all still get a little excited when the PETERSEN’S HUNTING Gift Guide hits the mailbox every year. So grab your red marker and start circling—here are some of our top picks for the ultimate sportsman ’s wish list. TENPOINT ECLIPSE RCX Add a lightweight and deadly accurate crossbow to your favorite hunter’s pile of presents and you’ll make their Christmas…

When investigators uncovered a massive poaching ring in Oregon and Washington in September, the hunting community did exactly what you might expect: It demanded swift and severe justice. Why not? In possibly the largest poaching case in Oregon’s history, at least 100 bears, elk, deer, cougars, and bobcats were killed over a span of more than two years. Many of the animals were left to rot. At least seven people have been charged with as many as 60 counts each so far, and authorities are expected to make more arrests. A decade ago, the men might have paid a fine of a few hundred dollars, suffered some public humiliation, and lost their hunting privileges for a few years. And then they would have been back out doing it again. Not…

HISTORY Introduced in 1912, the .375 Holland & Holland features a belted, generously tapered case. The first ensured consistent headspacing and the second provided easy extraction when tropical climes caused pressure spikes in the cordite gunpowder of the day. Engineered to shoot a heavy-for-diameter 300-grain bullet, the “three-seven-five” quickly earned its spurs on heavy dangerous game. APPLICATION While it can’t compete as a true stopping cartridge with the big bores, the .375 generates far less recoil and, as a result, is much easier for most sportsmen to make carefully placed shots. Across much of Africa, the .375 is the minimum legal bore for buffalo. Loaded with a stout 300-grain projectile, it hits hard and penetrates marvelously. Put lighter, pointed bullets in the magazine and the .375 acquits itself commendably to…

ONTARIO KNIFE COMPANY BUSHCRAFT FIELD KNIFE This American-made carbon-steel blade measures five inches long, with a full tang, to stand up to tough tasks. It’s deft, too, for smaller jobs. Includes a striker-ignited fire-starter fitted into the DeSantis sheath. $126; ontarioknife.com PLANO LARGE RIFLE AMMO CASE & SHOT SHELL CASE To keep your ammo organized, turn to Plano and its hard cases made specifically for rifle cartridges and shotgun shells. The Large Rifle Ammo case holds 20 rounds and is made of hard, durable plastic with a flip-top lid for easy access. $4–$9; planomolding.com RITE IN THE RAIN NOTEBOOK Each archival-quality page is specially coated to shed water, dirt, and mud, ensuring whatever is written stays legible no matter what it’s exposed to. The top spiral pops back into shape…

IT WAS 1964 when I walked into the electrical supply store that sold everything from clothing to mousetraps to outdoor gear, including guns. It was a rifle I was looking for; my father-in-law wanted to buy one for me as a college graduation/ Christmas gift. Like many hunters in that era, I was a Jack O’Connor fan. His signature gun was a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight in .270. That was the gun I wanted, and I hoped one was in stock. The clerk told me there were no .270 pre-’64 Model 70s in the racks, but he had a couple that were post-’64. I wasn’t interested in the new version, so the clerk showed me a pre-’64 Featherweight Model 70 in .30-06, topped with a 4X Weaver scope. I bought…