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It’s a pivotal time for the sport of hunting, especially among America’s youth. Due to urbanization, endless activities for children, and the constant humming draw of electronics, kids are getting less exposure to the outdoors and showing even less interest in hunting.
Sadly, hunting has become a dying sport – and yet you can do something about it.
A tired crew in front of the cave with a worthy trophy.
By Ricardo Leone
This past January 2023 at the DSC Show, I was reunited with my Professional Hunter, Gamshad Gam, from a memorable Tanzanian Safari, nearly a decade ago. We had not seen each other nor talked since October 2013. As we sat in his booth to catch up on our respective life events, we immediately talked about our unforgettable Warthog chase – some things you just cannot make up!
So, what do you do with a Warthog in a cave?
This was not your usual vertically oriented cave that comes to mind – the type of cave one just walks into. The cave’s entrance was about half way up a rock cropping – almost suspended in air. Its’ shape was horizontal – only two to three feet high and twenty or more feet wide. The cave was likely home to predators based on all the old bones we found just outside the entrance. On the rocks above the cave, were Hyraxes just looking at us. At first the Hyraxes just sat and watched us try to solve the question of the day, then with a blink of an eye – they were gone. I am confident If they knew the forthcoming entertainment – they would have stayed to watch the antics.
The cave opening halfway up the rock outcrop.
We had to climb up a good ten feet slope to the entrance of the cave. While we believed the Warthog was in there, we could not see into the cave. I cannot recall whose idea it was, but either Gamshad or our tracker came up with the idea to light a fire in the cave’s entrance and smoke the Warthog out. The crew assembled a firepit on the ground below the cave and started a fire. They cut down leaf covered saplings, lit the leaves, and tried to stuff the burning saplings into the cave without the fire going out. In parallel, Gamshad positioned me at one corner of the cave’s mouth looking across the entrance – he asked me to sit ready with my rifle in hand for when the Warthog ran out. Well so much for a grand plan, the smoke found its way into everyone’s eyes, except the Warthog’s, and the saplings burned out without the Warthog or anything for that matter exiting the cave.
The last whisps of smoke after our failed effort to smoke the warthog out of the cave.
It was now past 2pm, some five hours after our first sighting of this Warthog. If the Warthog was not coming out – then we had to go in. However, we had a problem – we could not find a torch in the Land Cruiser. Gamshad sent our driver, Mushi, back to camp to retrieve both a torch and a rope. Mushi’s drive would take at least an hour. In the meantime, as the firepit still had embers – the crew decided it was time for lunch!
I was not really in an eating mood; however, I had to do something to pass the time as no one else was interested in my Warthog at that moment. While the crew settled in to cook a hot meal, I grabbed a cold sandwich from the cooler and found a rock to sit on to reflect on the events of the day that lead us to such an unusual predicament. This was only on my second African hunting safari – I was still climbing a steep learning curve. We were in the Kizigo Hunting Block in Tanzania, and it had been a hard trip to date and rough living. It was day ten or our twelve-day safari and I still had a Warthog on my wish list. I really wanted to harvest my first Warthog – so much so that when I had an opportunity at 8:30am that morning – I rushed a shot on a running Warthog and missed.
Ok, it was “game on” – I needed to find another Warthog. This was my sole goal for the remaining three days of the safari. Luckily, within the next thirty minutes, we found another worthy Warthog. This one was about 100 yards away off to our right. We were driving in a dried riverbed, so the Warthog was slightly above us up on a ridge. Gamshad had me steady my rifle on the cab of the Land Cruiser for the rising shot. I quickly took aim and shot. I knew the moment I fired, that I pulled the gun right. Sure enough, I hit the Warthog in the back leg or foot. The Warthog spun around and ran back behind the vehicle and away from us. While I was sure the Warthog was not happy about his foot, it could still motor along. Everyone except our driver, Mushi, got off the Land Cruiser and we started what was going to be a very long stalk. The best way to share our journey is to recall our timeline.
I shot this Warthog at approximately 9am. The injured Warthog ran onto a rocky area, so while not great for leaving tracks, we were able to pick up a blood trail. The heat of the day intensified shortly after 9am and was relentless until late afternoon. For the next two hours we tracked this Warthog in the open sun– at times it seemed we were going in circles. I really admire the trackers – between intermittent tracks and blood drops we were able to keep on the Warthog’s never ending winding trail. We had surmised that I must have shot the Warthog’s foot from the tracks.
By 11am, we were exhausted from the heat or at least I was. We all took a break to drink water and rest in the shade. One of the trackers went back for Mushi and the Land Cruiser so we could have a snack from the cooler – we needed a source of energy. After a thirty to forty-five minutes break, it was time to resume tracking. We assumed the Warthog was also resting somewhere – we just had to bump him.
Shortly after we resumed tracking, the government Scout and a junior tracker believed they found the Warthog in a burrow. The two of them were in front of the rest of us. Gamshad and the senior tracker were trying to signal to the Scout and junior tracker to just sit tight. While the Scout and junior tracker should have known better than to provoke the hiding Warthog, they either could not hear Gamshad or were just caught up in the moment. I was just behind the Scout and the junior tracker – Gamshad and the senior tracker were just behind me – we were spread out covering as much ground as possible. Before you knew it, the Warthog literally jumped straight up out of the burrow into the air. I could see the Warthog swing his head right, then left, trying to gore the Scout and junior tracker with his tusks – at the same time, the Warthog made a noise that sounded part snort part roar. The Scout and junior tracker leapt back as I shouldered my gun. I had a clear shot but could not fire with the proximity of the Scout and junior tracker. While clearly an exciting moment – there was also frustration towards the unhurt Scout and junior tracker for not being patient and taking advantage of their find. We all just sat back and watched the Warthog run a few hundred yards out of the grassland straight towards a cropping of rocks where it seemed to disappear into the center of the cropping.
The Warthog’s abrupt reappearance happened about 12:30pm. It took a good 30 mins to regroup and make our way to the rocks and cave. As we approached the rocks, the environment transitioned from the extreme heat of the open bush to a partially shaded rocky area that was thankfully cooler. I appreciated the shade while I sat there and finished my sandwich. The crew was totally focused on their lunch and had forgotten about our mission. Mushi returned just past 3pm – lunchtime ended abruptly as it was time to answer the question of what to do with a Warthog in a cave.
Mushi brought a large torch and a long winch strap. Seemed we had all the equipment for the extraction. Gamshad sent one of the crew into the cave with the torch to have a look. Poor chap slid in on his side and quickly retreated to tell Gamshad the layout. The tracker explained the Warthog was in the cave lying still in the back corner. Gamshad then sent the same tracker back in with the torch to keep the light on the Warthog. Gamshad grabbed his rifle and started to slide in. He quickly retreated asking for my rifle as I had a red dot in my scope and Gamshad’s scope did not. Gamshad later explained he could not see with his scope and needed my illuminated red dot to aim at the Warthog. The irony was my rifle, a 1960’s classic Griffin & Howe pre-64, model 70 .375 H&H, was going to finish the mission while I was asked to stand down for safety reasons. Trust me, the thought a bullet ricocheting around the cave did cross my mind. I did not vigorously complain being relegated to a spectator. Gamshad grabbed his ear protectors – something the tracker did not have and off Gamshad went again, sliding in on his side. The rest of us stood back and plugged our ears for what was sure to be a sonic BOOM!
Within a few seconds Gamshad fired – the noise was thunderous, and dust billowed out of the cave. Gamshad crawled backwards out of the cave with a smile on his face saying, “we have our Pig”. A few moments after Gamshad exited the cave, the tracker came out – poor chap had dust all over his face and body and he was shaking his head trying to stop his ears from ringing. The same tracker grabbed the winch strap and went back into the cave to tie one end to the Warthog. At 4pm, some seven hours after I made the initial poor shot, the Warthog was finally pulled out of the cave. After a thorough photo session, our exhausting Warthog hunt was complete. This was a true team effort.
Gamshad inspecting the cave and “making a plan.”
Gamshad and Tracker deciding how to enter the cave.
Gamshad going into the cave to shoot the warthog.
Literally everything in the Land Cruiser had been emptied out – it seemed we had set up a new camp in front of the cave. Even the firepit was still smoldering. At 4:30pm, it was time to pack up the Land Cruiser, load the Warthog and head back to camp. We made it back to camp before the other hunting party returned from their afternoon game drive. I showered, sat by the camp fire and sipped a gin and tonic as I continued to reflect on the day trying to organize my racing thoughts into a concise story – one I could share over sundowners. I was not sure if this was going to be an embarrassing story or a fantastic hunting story – the truth was somewhere in the middle.
In the end, the Warthog was the last trophy of my very successful safari. The last two days of our safari ended up being exclusively a photo safari – no more game worthy of giving chase, but plenty to admire. In hindsight, the Warthog hunt was a fitting end to what was a very hard, yet successful twelve-day hunt, as I bagged everything on my wish list – even my first Pig in a fashion that you just cannot make up.
A relieved hunter with Gamshad still wearing his ear protectors.
Our ten-year reunion – a real pleasure to spend time with an exceptional PH.
Written by Erich Mueller
Hardly a Wild West scene is as well known as the long-range shot in the film Quigley Down Under. The weapon used by Tom Selleck as the sniper, Quigley, in the Australian film was a Sharps 1874 with Creedmoor Diopter. It was this film and this weapon that gave birth to what I would call something of a crazy idea: Why not use this breech-loading rifle in an African antelope hunt? For those who are wondering why crazy, you must take a closer look at the history and the technical specifications.
The rifles designed by Sharps were built especially during the American Civil War. Later, the Model 1874 was specifically designed for North American big game and given the nickname of the Buffalo Rifle. It was a rather sad chapter for America when professional buffalo hunters nearly eradicated the herds of millions of bison. The popularity of the rifle was due to its simplicity, robustness, and caliber. The cartridge .45-70 Government issue was used widely as a military bullet. Easy, and available nearly everywhere. It was issued to buffalo hunters free of charge to accelerate the extermination of the buffaloes and therefore that of the Indians. In my research I discovered the Italian weapons manufacturer Davide Pedersoli. Founded in 1958, this company has been dedicated to researching and manufacturing historical weapons since its beginning. Numerous awards are the best proof of the quality and precise ballistic properties of Pedersoli weapons, so it was not hard to find the Sharps 1874 I was looking for and decided on the 1874 Sharps Sporting No. 3 Extra Deluxe.
Polished frame and fittings, nickel silver front stock cap, a specially selected walnut stock with perfect fits, clean blends and gold inlays designed by Bison. When I first held the gem with a total length of 124 cm, I thought that the idea of this rifle on plains game was really crazy. I had a fantastic rifle in my hands, but with the massive octagonal barrel that alone has a length of almost 82 cm, it also weighed 5.2 kilos.
The next step took me to Ferlach, to my longtime friend Herbert Scheiring, arguably one of the best gunsmiths in the world. The Sharps case block closure, the forged main components, deep drawn barrel, elicited from Herbert an appreciative smile. The supplied Creedmoor Diopter was then mounted immediately and then injected. After only a few shots and thanks to many years of Herbert’s experience and the perfect combination of double set drigger, Creedmoor Diopter and tunnel front sight with interchangeable inserts, we had the desired result. The next step from Buffalo Bill in Africa was an unexpected call. A longtime customer and hunting client of mine, who was also part of the Royal Family in Dubai, asked me to organize a plains-game hunt in Namibia for him and his friends. Since I had already twice successfully hunted in Namibia with him, I already knew his wishes and prepared a safari in the Etosha area, where he was able to hunt the black-nosed impala. Knowing that he was an excellent shooter, I asked him if he wanted to go hunting with a Sharps for those antelopes in Namibia. After only a few YouTube studies came the happy confirmation: “That’s exactly what I’ve always wanted to try.” Said and done! The organization was completed quickly. I had known my outfitter and PH Marius for several years and quickly had the confirmation for the desired period – early July. I flew Qatar from Vienna via Doha directly to Windhoek. When checking in at the airline, in the gun case, next to the Sharps was my smaller custom-made .30-06 Mauser 98 alone weighed a whopping 17 kilograms. Additional payment was needed. After the normal entry formalities and the registration of the weapons in Windhoek we went on a five-hour drive north to our camp. The next morning it was time for a test shoot. We placed the paper disc at 150 meters. The first two shots were taken as usual seated, but the result was not pleasing. Too deep and too far to the right. Rashid just did not feel comfortable to shoot sitting and the next three shots were over sticks. The hit picture was immediately completely different. All three shots were only a few centimeters apart from each other directly in the middle, vertical about 5 cm deep. All top-placed shots. There was no need for readjustment. The difference in height was certainly because we had used a 405-grain bullet shooting in Ferlach, and a 325-grain bullet in Namibia. Dont forget that we have shot over an open sight and at 150 meters with the Sharps. Rashid had earned the first spurs. Paper is one thing, but what about hunting in practice?
Black-faced impala
Our hunting area bordered directly on the Etosha National Park, with varied terrain, rocky hills, dense bush and open savanna. The main roads lead only to the natural or artificially designed waterholes. From there it was hunting on foot, stalking on fresh track. Our PH Marius had previously told us we might see lions, and this was confirmed on our first hunting day. Not 100 meters in front of our hunting car we saw a group of six lions. Even when we came closer and no more than 30 feet separated us from the cats, they ignored us. There were only lionesses in this group.
Marius pointed to a herd of zebra approximately 300 meters away, the focus of the lionesses’ interest. Then somehow the situation changed, and it seemed the lionesses were not too pleased with our presence. They realized that we were attracting the attention of zebras to us and thus to them. They did not creep closer to the zebras. No unnecessary movment. They knew their chance would come. Sooner or later. This incredible experience told us one thing: To be careful when stalking. We saw large herds of springbok, blesbok, zebra, black and blue wildebeest but also medium sized groups of female Livingstone eland and Marius decided to try our luck with the springbok. The wind was in our favor, and we stopped the vehicle well camouflaged next to a group of trees, about 350 meters from the first springbok of about 110 animals and began stalking. Isolated bushes and smaller trees offer us enough camoflage to approach to 150 meters. Marius indicated the shooter and Rashid was ready on the sticks. At 125 meters the shot broke and was down. The remaining herd fled then stopped further away to watch. We waited a few minutes then went to find the buck. How effectively the Sharps rifle and the 45-70 cartridge brought down the target.
Marius told Rashid how in death the springbok’s white hair tufts stand up behind the tail root and smell of caramel, a scent that comes from glands under the white hair tufts, and that only a few minutes after death the glands close. Sometimes the springbok raise their hair tufts, arch their backs, jump stiff-legged into the air and thereby release this scent to attract females. After the usual photos with trophy and of course the rifle I could make out another buck. Alone, standing between two trees, tugging at some blades of grass. My guess was confirmed by Rashid and, of course, Marius. A very strong old buck. Short question to Rashid and a nod.
The downwardly pulled lower lever, and down sliding case block showed the cartridge insertion into the barrel. The Hornady 45-70 with 325 grains slid into the barrel. Lower lever up and the massive block closed precisely. The target stick at the correct height. Aim at the buck. The light heat waves that you often feel clearly through a riflescope were not an issue here with the open sight. The calm breathing showed Rashid concentrated, already focused the target. Then the bang! Incredible. Open sight, 262 meters, not a big target and a clean shot. Handshakes and hugs to the hunter. Rashid and the almost 6-kilo Sharps have found each other here for life! What a start to a safari. In the evening the plan for the next days were discussed. Black-nosed impala, found only in northern Namibia, is at the top of Rashid’s wish list. All those who have experience in hunting impala know how hard it is to hunt this antelope species, and the fact that they belong to the favorite prey of lion and leopard, makes them particularly alert and shy.
Marius knows his hunting ground very well and guided us the next morning to a favorite place of black-nosed impala. We stop the vehicle about 400 meters from a waterhole and cautiously stalk in that direction. Somehow the wind seems to be allied with the impalas and kept swiveling. After two hours we were finally near the waterhole and saw some impala, but only a few females and young. We left the waterhole and I think in this situation, Rashid would prefer to have a short, lightweight rifle and not an almost 6-kilo Sharps!
Top: Black wildebeest. Bottom: Zebra
Suddenly I saw something brown between all the green, and binos confirmed my guess. Just over 300 meters away was our destiny. To make this one-of-a-kind trophy is one thing, approaching a good shooting distance is another. Rashid was already very familiar with the Sharps and perhaps adrenaline made him forget its weight. Carefully, step by step we stalked closer to 80 meters. This time, Rashid used a fork of a tree as a support and he and the Sharps had the prize of a big, black-nosed impala trophy.
Then we decided to do some wingshooting for sand grouse which flew to different waterholes. Fun factor high, effort low and the resulting taste just delicious and a welcome change between all the game meat. The sand grouse were slowly sizzling on the grill as we planned the next few days. We wanted to see if the Sharps would manage larger game species.
We started with a fantastic sunrise, hot coffee and eggs with roasted kudu meat strips, wonderful crisp morning. First, we drove to the waterholes and left the vehicle 300 – 400 meters away, stalking slowly and always against the wind. At the first two waterholes we only found fresh tracks of three eland bulls and a lot of zebras, but no game around, so continued. On the way to the next waterhole, we passed open grassy areas and Marius pointed to a group of zebras just over 500 meters away. We stopped in the shade of a tree offering plenty of coverage. The terrain and the wind were perfect. Using the bushes, we stalked to within 200 meters zebras. The herd consisted mainly of mares with half-grown foals and some young stallions. We watched them for a few minutes and were just about to start the way back when suddenly a splendid specimen of an old stallion came out behind two trees. We wanted to try to get closer.
Anyone who has hunted zebra knows how hard these boys are to shoot. But Rashid had proved several times that he was an excellent shooter and had the Sharps very well under control, but a full-grown zebra stallion is a different story from an impala, especially using a weapon 130 cm long and weighing about 6 kilos.
We were got to 80 meters from the stallion, which stood alone on the left of the herd watching over its harem. The small bush behind which we were lying on the ground was not big enough to shoot from with sticks. So, my backpack was turned into a rifle rest. While prone shooting may sound easy, it is significantly more difficult than when standing and shooting from the sticks. The stallion had somehow noticed that not 80 meters away from him something moved in bush. He stood directly facing us. We could see his teeth as he fluttered his upper and lower lips. Very clear for us. He would not turn broadside. His next movement would be to flee, and the zebras would leave us in a cloud of dust.
Marius whispered softly to Rashid: “Go straight on the chest.” This is exactly where the heart lies just behind it. I can hardly believe what I see next. The stallion reared up on his hind legs, a 90-degree turn, and he collapsed. That’s it. We were covered in dust by the running zebra herd. When the air cleared, we went to the fallen beast. The 45-70 projectile with a 325-grain load was literally a hit. After souvenir photos along with the Sharps we went back to the camp to watch the autopsy to see which path the projectile took. The bullet had gone straight through the heart. It passed through the pectoral muscle and even struck a bone before it pierced the heart. It was congratulations!
Above and left: Rashid in action
But as with any hunting safari, time always goes by way too fast and too soon the last day of hunting knocks on the door. An eland bull was still wanted. That morning we found tracks of the three eland bulls that Marius knew, an old gray-blue bull escorted by two mature youngsters which the Bushmen say are “askaris”, companions to an old, lone animal. The old bull benefits from the vigilance of the two younger ones and they in turn learn from the experience of the old bull. These three bulls were not half an hour ahead of us. Eland shooting is one of the biggest challenges for most hunters. Patience and endurance are vital. That zigzag behavior is typical of eland if they are looking for a suitable place where they can settle down. This hacking is of course not to our advantage because it keeps you in the wind.
Over three hours passed as we followed Marius till we saw the three eland in front of us. The old bull was almost completely behind a bush and we could only dimly see his head with the long big horns. The two askaris were to his left without cover. We may have been too close, or they got wind of us, but they made a 180 degree turn and stormed off. The strong old bull followed the two, and we could only watch as the whole effort of almost four hours of stalking disappeared in the dense bush. It should have been the culmination of this safari: A 900 kilo antelope from a Sharps 45-70 but it was not to be. But there was no sadness about the unsuccessful 10-kilometer stalk, just a kind of pride: We had done it with the Sharps Monster.
We still had a good seven kilometer walk back to the car.
Just before we reached the waterhole where we had parked, Marius stopped. His trained eye had spotted two gemsboks sheltering from the midday heat in the shade of two trees. The unsuccessful eland was forgotten, and hunting fever was rekindled. The gemsbok had not seen us, and Rashid was ready on the sticks in a few seconds. The bigger of the two gemsbok was standing broadside not 80 meters away. Take a deep breath and shoot. The buck jumped and dropped. Although not an eland, a great gemsbok now concluded our wonderful Namibian safari.
We had come to Namibia with a Sharps 1874 with an open sight to test it for its antelope-hunting capability. Yes, the Sharps is long, and it is heavy. It is a single action and has a rather unusual European caliber in 45-70. Thanks to the open sight with diopter and tunnel front sight and the excellent shooting performance and accuracy, we did not regret at any time the decision to hunt with this rifle. Tastes differ, but no one who got to see this rifle on this hunt could resist a whisper of wonder – a classic beauty! What more could one ask for? Now, the next thought is not so far away: Buffalo hunting with a Sharps 1874.
Written by Neil Harmse
As I approached my mid-60s, I decided I would ‘retire’ from game hunting and concentrate on wingshooting. I have a passion for vintage and well-made side-by-side shotguns, and it gives me great pleasure to step into the veld with a gun that is over 100 years old and still shoots as well today as it did when it left the gun-maker’s bench.
This is the epitome of the gun-maker’s art. I sold my hunting rifles and kept a selection of favourite shotguns with which to pursue my chosen sport.
Winchester Model 37 slug gun after restoration.
In the areas where most of my wingshooting takes place, I often come across warthog and feral pigs which do a lot of damage to farmers’ crops, causing a loss of income for the landowner.
This sparked an interest in me to hunt these problem animals, but I had no gun appropriate for the task. Carrying a few rifled slug loads in a pocket while hunting birds was not an ideal solution, as these are not at all accurate in my vintage side-by-side shotguns and could be damaging to them. My thoughts turned to a dedicated slug gun.
During a visit to the Krugersdorp workshop of my good friend and gunsmith, Hennie Mulder, I mentioned that I was looking for an old single-barrel 12-bore shotgun such as a Harrington and Richardson, Stevens, Savage or similar to convert to a slug gun as a project.
I noticed a faraway look in Hennie’s eyes as he walked over to one of his storage safes. Scratching around in the deepest recesses, he produced an old, very rusty Winchester model 37 which he had taken into stock many years ago. He offered this old gun to me, saying that if it would serve the purpose, I could work on it in his workshop and he would help where he could.
Despite the exterior rusty and neglected look, the gun was in sound shooting condition. On dismantling it, we found a lot of rust and surface pitting on the outside of the barrel and action, but Hennie assured me that this could all be cleaned up. So a project was born.
The first order of business was for me to polish out the barrel with ISSO bore paste, bore solvent and a piece of ‘Scotch’ pad using a long rod and a drill. With a bit of hard work and elbow grease, the barrel was soon shining again, with extraordinarily few signs of pitting, and appeared to be in quite reasonable condition. Next was using the lathe to cut the 32” (81,28cm) barrel down to a manageable 25” (63,5cm) and carefully crown and polish the muzzle. This also served to remove the extra-full choke and turn it into a cylinder choke, which is ideal for optimum slug accuracy.
Left: Restoration of the Winchester.
Above: The Winchester model 37 before restoration.
Right: Working on the stock.
I had decided to fit a ghost-ring sight which would be tter for my tired old eyes, so I searched for through my boxes of old Magnum magazines and found some articles by Gregor Woods and Koos Barnard covering their ideas and experiences with these sights. I started cutting them out and filing them, and I soon had a couple of prototypes to try out. Hennie had a low-profile, front-sight ramp and bead sight which would serve nicely, but the ghost ring rear-sights I had made were not quite suitable. Scratching among some spares in Hennie’s storage trays, I found a sling swivel ring that I thought would make an ideal sight. At around 4mm, the aperture looked right and if we could find or make a base to mount it on, it would be ideal. Also among the spares, I found a sight base that someone had cut down, which could be adapted. The biggest problem was cutting the radii of the front- and rear-sight bases to match those of the barrel round where the mounting points would be. This was where Hennie’s expertise came to the fore. He carefully worked these down on a lathe until the fit was perfect. He then fixed these onto the barrel with Superglue as a temporary measure until we could bore-sight and test-shoot the gun.
The stock was a bit short and needed lengthening, so I added a recoil pad to bring the length of pull up to my required 14½” (36,8cm). Once this was done, I tackled the stripping and sanding of the stock and fore end, which took a lot of elbow grease. I then started filling, sealing and oiling to bring out the grain and give it a durable finish. I used Birchwood Casey’s True Oil, which I rubbed into the stock in very thin coatings, leaving it to dry and set for a day between applications. This was done over a period of about a week. Once I was happy with the seal and finish, I hand-rubbed a mixture of Schaftol and walnut oil into the wood, repeating it several times. I then polished it with a piece of oiled sheepskin. This took days of hard work, but the wood turned out looking good. Well worth the effort.
Hennie again came to the rescue with his expertise, doing a wrap-around checkering pattern at about 18 lines per inch to provide a good grip, since we figured the lightweight gun would produce a sharp recoil with slug loads. Before polishing and re-blueing, we went to the range to carry out a rough bore-sight and preliminary firing to ensure the sights were correctly positioned before soldering them into place. Hot Power Guns in Krugersdorp has a convenient indoor range that allowed us to test-fire at 25m, which we felt would give an indication of where the shots were going. We used SP Brenneke slugs, as well as African Rifled Slugs loaded with Borra slugs from Italy. These were remarkably similar to the old SP Penetrator slugs. These slugs produced a three-shot group measuring 3,5cm x 5cm. This was the first time I had used a ghost- ring sight and I was impressed with the quick target acquisition it facilitated.
The next and most time-consuming task was removing the rust and grime from the outer barrel, action, interior and flats, as well as all the other nooks and crannies, and then preparing the metalwork for blueing. Fortunately, Hennie offered the help of his able assistant, Sam, who did most of this work. Among his other areas of expertise, Sam was excellent at preparing the metalwork for the bluing tank, so I left this in his capable hands.
When the metalwork was done to satisfaction, Hennie applied his special rust-blueing formula which he used for his custom rifles and shotguns. This produces a deep, rich and durable gun-blue finish to the metalwork which protects it from rust and corrosion.
Well, finally, the hard work and the long wait paid off. The old gun, which had spent years in the back of Hennie’s gun safe rusting away, now had a new lease on life and had been 96 transformed from a dirty, rusty old ‘sow’s ear’ into a functional, good-looking and working ‘silk purse’, which can once again be taken with pride into the hunting field.
My grateful thanks go to Sam, whose draw filing and polishing of the metal to remove the rust and pitting brought it almost to a mirror finish, ready for the bluing tank. Without his hard work, the finish would not have turned out as well as it did. And, of course, my special thanks go to Hennie Mulder for his expert advice and help in achieving the final result of this interesting project.
All that is left now is to arrange a pig-hunt for the ultimate test!
To order Campfire Thoughts & Reminiscences – the complete book with illustrations (US $15 excluding S&H), contact Andrew Meyer at andrewisikhova@icloud.com
The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, a short story by Ernest Hemingway set in Africa, was originally published in the September 1936 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, the same edition that ran another of Hemingway’s acclaimed short stories, The Snows of Kilimanjaro. Many consider The Short Happy Life… to be among Hemingway’s most successful artistic achievements. Whether you subscribe to that notion or not, and many don’t, it’s unquestionably an entertaining and deceptive read.
At face value it’s a tidy little tale of a man and his wife on safari, guided by a professional hunter. It opens with the trio returning from a morning’s hunt that saw a lion killed. Macomber initially wounded the lion. When the lion charges as they follow it up, Macomber turns tail and runs, leaving it to Robert Wilson, the PH, to sort out. This cowardly reaction is on full display for Macomber’s wife, Margot, to see. Her reaction is one of derision and revulsion for her husband, and she responds, in part, by slipping in to Wilson’s tent that night for a dalliance that she makes little effort to conceal from her husband.
Wilson, meanwhile, outwardly tries to downplay Macomber’s timidity while actually losing all respect for him. The following day they’re hunting buffalo. They come across three good bulls and drop them all. As they’re approaching one of the downed bulls, a tracker tells them that one of the other two has risen and slipped off into the brush. Another follow up is required, but this time Macomber is determined to show he has the nerves to do it right. And he does, standing up to the buffalo as it charges. His shots are a tad high, however, and at one point Margot, back in the truck, takes a shot, ostensibly to help kill the bull. Her shot, however, hits Macomber “two inches up and a little to one side of the base of his skull.” There ends the short happy life of Francis Macomber.
A simple tale, to be sure, but Hemingway leaves us with many unanswered questions. Foremost among them is whether Macomber was murdered by his wife or whether she shot him accidentally while trying to protect him from the charging buffalo. Love-hate emotions abound here, and the characters are all quite complex.
Margot is a predatory, dominant wife who demeans Francis, in large part, because she can. She would happily divorce him, but fears she couldn’t find another man as wealthy as Francis. Like all predators, she preys on the weak, but you get the sense that down deep she loves Francis, or would, if only he would “man up.” At her worst she cuckolds her husband as a way to show her revulsion for his cowardly actions while lion hunting. At her best, she finds newfound respect for him when he faces down the charging buffalo. Or does she? The reader must decide for themselves.
For his part, Francis loves Margot, while concurrently despising how she treats him. He would probably divorce her, but fears he’d never find another woman as attractive as Margot, who’s a former model. He acknowledges his own timidity, but the lion incident and the subsequent loss of respect from his wife, his PH and the safari staff seems to light a fire under him and he wants to redeem himself, to become the man he wants to be. Hence his eagerness to get after the wounded buffalo.
Wilson, meanwhile, a competent, respected PH wavers greatly in his admiration of Francis. He goes from being an admirer of Francis’ to viewing him with little esteem after the lion hunt, but also feels a little sorry for how he’s treated by Margot. Of course, he’s got a little cad in him, too. He sleeps in a double cot in camp just to be able to take advantage of opportunities like the one Margot presented, and he’s not totally above bending and breaking the rules as we learn on the buffalo hunt. In fact, he leverages his potential witness statement about the shooting of Francis to protect himself against Margot’s comments regarding the illegal nature of the hunt.
The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber is an easy read in one sitting. But, as perhaps few do better than Hemingway, you’ll be thinking about it long after you’ve turned the last page. Most good African hunting literature is non-fiction, but this is one piece of fiction that everyone who appreciates the safari experience should read.
On 17 March 2023 a Private Member’s Bill to ban the import of hunting trophies into the UK passed its third reading in Parliament. It was approved by MPs after this reading, but required further scrutiny in the House of Lords before being passed into law. A strong African response has now been submitted for the Lords to consider.
I wrote about this iniquitous piece of proposed legislation in African Hunting Gazette January-June 2023, with the following pertinent extract: ‘It is bitterly disappointing MPs have succumbed to an emotive but misinformed animal rights campaign’, said Amy Dickman, an Oxford University professor who is an expert on lion conservation. ‘This bill will kill more animals than it will save. Hopes for a rational, evidence-based debate now rest in the House of Lords.’
A comprehensive and constructive briefing paper has now been prepared by a group of well-informed and experienced Africa contributors. You can find the full document here: https://www.resourceafrica.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/The-Hunting-Trophies-Bill-risks.pdf. We can but hope that sanity will prevail and that the Bill will be revised along the lines suggested by concerned Africans, who will be severely impacted if it is not. The full title of the document is The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill – The risks to conservation, rights and livelihoods. The authors make the following plea:
“The ban as currently proposed carries substantial risks for conservation and livelihoods, as outlined in this briefing paper. These risks have been corroborated by hundreds of experts, including many leading conservation scientists and community conservationists.
It is important their Lordships understand the problems associated with this Bill, in the hope they can improve it and make it fit for purpose. They key problematic areas are:
conservation.
The suggestions made by the African group of conservationists make abundant sense, and surely members of the House of Lords will give these proposals the thoughtful consideration they deserve. We must remember that much of the impetus that drove this proposed Bill through the readings in Parliament was driven by animal rights and anti-hunting activists motivated by emotion and not facts. The media, predictably, added fuel to the fire by largely reporting only one side of the issue.
“The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill has been driven by extensive misinformation from animal rights groups, backed up by celebrities and the media. This misinformation has been highlighted in the UK media, in international media, and in the scientific literature. An analysis led by Oxford University of over 150 statements made in the second reading of the Bill found that around 70% of statements made by MPs supporting the ban were factually incorrect.”
Dr John Ledger is a past Director of the Endangered Wildlife Trust, now a consultant, writer and teacher on the environment, energy and wildlife; he is a columnist for the African Hunting Gazette. He lives in Johannesburg, South Africa. John.Ledger@wol.co.za
Blaser is pleased to introduce the new B2 riflescope line. Featuring world-class German optical performance designed to accommodate thermal clip-on devices, these all-purpose hunting scopes are made in Germany and available in 1-6×24 iC, 2-12×50 iC, and 2.5-15×56 iC models.
Featuring a 6x zoom and 30mm main tube, B2 riflescopes are extremely compact, robust, and engineered to handle the additional weight and stress when shooting with a thermal unit attached. The shorter length ensures the clip-on device can be comfortably operated from the shooting position, and that the rifle’s center of gravity is not shifted too far forward. This design also requires a shorter range of motion of the zoom system’s movable lenses which results in improved mechanical precision and a more stable point of impact when changing magnification.
All B2 models feature fine, daylight bright, illuminated fiber optic 4C reticles in the second focal plane and the illumination setting is lockable. External lenses are coated with Blaser’s Smart Lens Protection (SLP) hydrophobic coating to repel rain. The B2 scopes are also available with or without an inner rail for mounting on any make and type of rifle.
The Blaser QDC+ (Quick Distance Control+) feature is available as an option and allows you to adjust shooting distance up to a range of 500 m directly on the elevation turret of your B2 scope. For optimal adaptation to your own rifle, 10 interchangeable engraved rings are included, covering a wide range of hunting ammunition. Individual markings can also be applied to a blank ring. As with all Blaser riflescopes, the turret can be locked at the zero position and also at a second preferred point of impact to prevent unintentional adjustments in the field.
The optional Blaser B2 Ocular Flip Cover is sold separately and activates the illuminated reticle in the Blaser B2 scope on all rifles without an iC cocking slide. The ingenious design of Blaser riflescopes allows activation of the illumination through the magnet integrated into the flip cover. Simply open the cover and the illumination turns on.
Zoltan Boros was born in Szabadka, Hungary in 1976. Nature and animals fascinated him since his early childhood. Zoltan began drawing at a young age, developing his talent by drawing the local wildlife. Later, he began to paint with oils and watercolors and continued to draw using graphite pencils and chalk. After grammar school, Zoltan attended the Agricultural University of Gödöllő. There, he received a degree as a Certificated Agricultural Engineer of Environmental Management with a major in Wildlife Management.
Zoltan spends as much time as possible in the outdoors, observing nature and the behavior of animals in their natural environments. Through his art, Zoltan is able to capture the uniqueness of his subjects, and the situations of their existence.
His time in nature stirs his imagination, and his creations reflect a close relationship with his subjects and their habitats. “The movements of animals, the breath of ancient nature, original state, those are the things that I want to introduce with my artwork,” he says.
Zoltan has received international recognition for his wildlife art, with pieces appearing in exhibitions around the globe. These include the Weatherby Auction in Reno, Nevada, Holt’s Auction in London, and exhibitions in Spain, Germany, Austria, Canada, the Netherlands, and his native Hungary. In 2020 he got one of the most prestigious awards (Mr. Peter Balogh Grand Prize for Art) for his wildlife art in Hungary.
Find him on www.borosart.hu, or connect on Facebook and Instagram.
Enjoy a selection of Zolton’s African animal portraits.
Written by Tom Murphy
The Black wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou) is sometimes referred to as the white-tailed gnu. Its average weight runs between 250-425 pounds. Shoulder height is four feet. Overall length 65 inches to 90 inches. The black wildebeest has a dark brown to black coat with a rather incongruous white tail. Males are darker than females. Both sexes have forward-curving horns up to 30 inches long, with the female’s horns being shorter but similar in shape to the male’s.
They are herbivores, existing almost exclusively on grass and while they like to drink daily, they can survive if water is scarce. They are active during the early morning hours and after the heat has gone out of the day. They are capable of speeds up to 55 miles per hour. Life expectancy is 20 to 22 years in the wild. They are prey to lion, hyena, Cape hunting dog, leopard, cheetah, and crocodile, the last especially during the wildebeest migration when the animal is forced to cross rivers. Crocodiles wait for a sick, old, or young black wildebeest to cross, then rise out of the water and drag the unfortunate animal under. Lions hunt the mature black wildebeest, while hyenas hunt calves.
Black wildebeest belong to one of three distinct groups. The all-male herds consist of young males or those past the breeding age. The female herds consist of adult females with their calves. Then there are the mature males that establish their territory and maintain it throughout the year. Males become sexually mature at three years; females at one or two years. They breed yearly.
A dominant male will control a number of females and not allow other males to breed with them. Gestation lasts eight and a half months on average, with births taking place from mid-November to the first week of January. The calves weigh about 25 pounds at birth. They are able to stand and run shortly after birth – necessary for survival.
Wildebeest hunting at first glance, looks fairly simple. The animal, sometimes nicknamed “the poor man’s Cape buffalo”, lives on the open plains in vast herds. Easy to locate, he is anything but easy to stalk. As the hunter tries to close with the black wildebeest, the animal will turn and run in the opposite direction. Sometimes it will run a short distance, then stop and look back. Sometimes it will run, jump, gyrate, spin, and leap into the air seemingly all at once. Sometimes it will do all this for no discernible reason whatsoever.
Expect shots to be long, up to 250-300 yards, unless the lay of the land allows stalking closer. Look for a fold in the land or some trees that will give some cover. Some success has been seen by approaching the black wildebeest at an angle, not looking directly at the animal, and seeming to walk parallel while actually closing.
Determining sex when hunting the black wildebeest will require good optics as the female and male are very similar. However, males have heavier horns than females. Rely on your Professional Hunter for advice. Using shooting sticks helps when shooting at black wildebeest distances.
Choice of caliber is very important for two reasons: distance and toughness of the animal. They can be dangerous when wounded. The minimum caliber should be a .270-7mm with a premium 150-grain bullet. A better choice would be any of the .300 Magnum – .338 Magnum family of cartridges, with a bullet weight between 180 and 225 grains.
Scientific name: Connochaetes gnou
Male weight: 250-425 pounds
Shoulder height: 4 feet
Gestation period: 8 1/2 months
Mating season: March-May
Horns: both sexes
Birth: 1 calf
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