I Want One - A Not So Occasional Series Pt21

On friday I spent the day with author, historian and storyteller The London Poacher. His opportunistic days of hunting the water corporation's lands are long gone, these days he's the groundsman's friend protecting east london's golf courses from green-eating coney's. He showed me round his battery of petite rifles including a very nice Anschutz in .22LR, with a barrel that seemed to have been bored from a locomotive axle, that has taken a rabbit at 168 yards. Obviously such a discovery lead me to the Anschutz site where I found this little jewel - their new Biathlon style 1727 hunter in 17HMR bunnywhacker.

Ohh ohh ohhh radial ball-lugs AKA the Fortner action, a la Heym SR30!
The price seems unconfirmed at this time but looks as though it'll Blaser money. Ouch, and Ouch again.  'Champagne tastes and a beer income' Bah!

Maybe ISSC will come to the rescue?

More soon
Your pal
SBW

Fathers Day Hunting And Fishing Book

A Sportsman's Library: 100 Essential, Engaging, Offbeat, and Occasionally Odd Fishing and Hunting Books for the Adventurous Reader 

Stephen J. Bodio

If you just found this post from its title and you need a book for dad, for a dad who likes Hunting, or Fishing, or Dogs or Birds of Prey you're done, Steve B's book will remind the old man of a few favorites, and leave him wanting to order a few of Steve's favorites. It's a witty book, and as the recommendations of each of the 100 books have amusing and insightful anecdotes about the authors,  he's bound to like it. I did.

For the rest of you.

I've never met Steve Bodio but I avidly read the blog posts he writes from his Querencia in the high country of New Mexico. Hunter and naturalist, a-firearms aficionado, and the author of some very very well written books. He's the kind of guy you would ask for a book recommendation, he's read most of the cannon of outdoor literature and knew quite a few of its writers too. So the idea of asking him to put together a list of favorites was a good one.   

I imagine visiting him in his study, seeking a book recommendation with the background reading to put the recommendation into context, Steve's eyes light up and he turns to his groaning book shelves levers out a couple of volumes and wittily invokes their authors and environments. Done. His 'A Sportsman's Library' is that in a box.

But enough of books, I'm off to flick some lures at the Pike in the canal. 

more soon

SBW

The DIY Diet: A Video

A couple of weeks ago a fella, R. called me (young and enthusiastic, so young and enthusiastic he sounds about 12 to me) and asked if I'd take him out shooting, he wanted to shoot some video for a vignette about alternatives to rising food costs, and wondered I would show him some subsistance hunting.

At the time subsistance was very much on my mind, I was twiddling my thumbs; diving my time between frantically searching for loose change down the back of the sofa, and writing talismans in my own blood hoping some atavistic god of the hunt would take pity on me and send some gainful employment my way.

So guessing that he's never been hunting before, and fancying a day in the woods, I tell him
"I'll take you, but you're going to have to be a sport about this, all I can promise you is a stunning location. This is hunting not shopping. "

Early one morning I meet R and his friend R in the street. They are both so young and cute I feel about 100 years old. We set off for the country, being journalists by disposition they politely listen to an interminable stream of anecdotes I've brought along to pass the time. Being journalists they have a most excellent line in gossip and salacious rumour, themselves. They are very good company.

Regular readers will remember that I have long and inglorious history of not being able to find 'the permission' when I get there, I've never arrived at the same time or in the climatic conditions twice, I know a few local landmarks so I can get near to near-ish to the place but usually spend a while scratching my head before the penny drops. This time was no exception.

As expected we've left the tarmaced road and are driving down a bridle-way, I'm just thinking 'That's not the house we're looking for' when the front wheels sink into a pool of mud and the Golf goes no further. Bugger.
Sunk it has, the driver side front wheel not only has no traction, but isn't even in contact with terra firma, the car is resting on its floorpan. In a cloud of clutch-smoke. Bugger.

There are sign's of life at the last house we passed, sign's of life like a 4x4 with a tow-bar parked outside, so I send the guys back to the house to ask for help. Where they receive the sour-faced "well you shouldn't have driven down there then should you" of rural scum. Bugger again.

Being a protected English countryside habitat there is agricultural crap lying around all over the place; so we drag a sheet of corrugated iron out of a hedge, dig away some of the mud, and use the sheet as a base for the jack, which lifts the car enough to put some rocks under the wheel. Traction restored we reverse out of the hole, and straight into the next one. About an hour later as we free ourselves from the third hole we end up turning the car around outside casa sourface, it's occupants staring gormlessly at us from the windows. Rural scum.

As we climb the stile the wood is at it's most photogenic, the bluebells are in full bloom, the whole place looks like it was laid out especially for filming. If you wanted to show someone english woodland stalking in the springtime, you'd show them the purple might of the Bluebell woods. Its the woods as we know them: Hornbeam, Yew, Oak, Brich, Beech, Hazel. Just with a carpet hovering 12 inches off the ground made of glowing purple flowers.

Every stalker has their own version of this, but I always remember it the way HunterX says it. "Close the bolt and close the gate" - as soon as you are on the land you have permission to shoot, be ready to take that shot. Your arrival might spook something and that might be your only chance at a shot. The guys are heaving a mini film crew's worth of stuff with them, I do the next best thing and leave them setting up at the hut to take an 'armed ramble'.

There are slots but no Deer, the warren is unoccupied and there's no sign of any Squirrels for the pot, its just as well the guys had bought themselves a Rabbit over the internet. This time is was shopping and not hunting, but the location was stunning.

More soon
Your pal
SBW

Bug Out Bag : Veteran Style

This contains important real-world advice for anyone who expects to be away from the comforts of home, whether that's on a hunting, fishing, bushcrafting trip or because it's TEOTWAWKI and you're living off the land. It's a must see for the 'middle youth' crowd and will serve as a 'what to except' for the younger guys.
Remember Proper Preparation Prevents .. Accidents.
Have a good weekend
Your pal
SBW

Kelly Kettle Review

I've always heated water in a billy balanced on two sticks or rocks, but the method does have its drawbacks. So when the chance to get a mini Kelly Kettle came up I bought one. Handy thing it is too.

As you can see its hard to imagine a method for having a greater surface area to heat-exchange with, and as a side benefit the fire is effectively wind-proofed.

E of SN tells me they originated in Ireland as the preferred brew making apparatus of profesional seaweed gatherers, and with the design's ability to be carried full of water and stay alight in wind and rain, its a highly plausible origin story.

A big advantage of the Stormkettle F1 is 

the neoprene cover which both retains heat and protects fingers.

I've seen and used quite a few Kelly's over the years, the Aluminium models are obviously slightly superior in their ability to transfer heat, and the stainless steel editions slightly better in their ability to resist dents. A lad on Kickstarter was claiming to have invented the idea and was making his out of Titanium. While there are very few titanium things I havent bought over the years, the model from thestormkettleshop.com is I hope the best of both worlds. Ti is light, strong, corrosion and stain-proof, but its a pretty crappy transmitter of heat and ofcourse carry's a price premium that I'm not able to stretch to this week.
This puppy is Aluminium with an anodised finish and so far it seems very good. The other thing I liked about the F1 Storm kettle is it's a brew-kit, just enough water for two cups and not going to take up too much real estate in my fishing bag. I would have bought one years ago, but I've never seen one this petite before: Capacity: 0.5 litres Diameter: 12.5 cm Height - with fire bowl in: 20 cm Weight - empty: 450 g. Most of the companies around the world making Kelly Kettles will sell you gadgets to balance a frying pan on top. Forgive my cynasism but I reckon I'm just too clumsy to cook my bacon and eggs on such a device. The whole kit and kaboodle would be on the ground before the water was boiled.

More Soon
Your pal
SBW
PS yes I'm embarrassed to admit I drank instant so-called coffee

Just a test post

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Tapas In Valencia: Tasca Angel

Sea Snails con Nails

I've not been posting much lately as other projects have been getting in the way, one of them had me visiting Valencia with Elfa.  

We stayed with Mr & Mrs Spainglish a couple Elfa is friends with, "You're going to love them, they are like you about foodieness, just not fat. Like you"

Mrs Spainglish (the English half), who has lived in the city for about thirteen years, warmly recommends Tasca Angel for authentic tapa, and it didn't disappoint. Obviously we ate all the weird things on the menu, Eels: good but a bit expensive, Brains: the best I've ever had, likewise the Sardines, and the Snails con Nails were amazing, but they sell less carpetovetónica food too. It's only about five minutes walk from the Mercado Central, which if you're not visiting you may as well not bother going to Valencia. 

Carrer de la Puríssima, 1 46001 Valencia València, Spain‎ +34 963 91 78 35

Your host, I wish I could tell you his taste in music was as good as his tapas.
If you like 80's power ballads with your tapas you're in luck!

Enjoy

SBW

Hunting Gazelle With A Cheatah

Not something you see every day
SBW

Fishing The River Usk Redux

I once read an interview with Mel Brookes, where the journalist followed him around London for the day, Mel told the same un-funny joke to everyone he met, but Mel wasn't for giving in, by the end of the day it still wasn't that funny but it was at least funnier than the first time.
Or to put it another way 'great work isn't written, it's re-written'.

With that in mind I've been working on my travel writing and, although I'm still smarting over the offering they knocked back, Sabotage Times have accepted another piece.

Longterm readers will remember when The Lighthouse Keeper and myself fished the River Usk last summer, I've retold the tale, some details added and some taken away, let me know what you think.

Gonzo Fly-Fishing in the Brecon Beacons

Your pal
SBW

FIshing In Hastings - Round One

A while back I said that between blogposts here I was planning to try my hand at a spot of travel writing and indeed actually submitting some work. Well I did, writing up the story of one of my fishing adventures with Jonah in the picturesque seaside town of Hastings.
You can read it HERE at the excellent Sabotage Times.

More soon
SBW

DeerLand By Al Cambronne

Over the last few years of blogging I've noticed a few names coming up in the comments sections of the more literate blogs, Al Cambronne being one of them.

Always one of the more thoughtful and informed commenters he's brining out a fascinating book on the intersection between people and deer.

We live in Deerland. The U.S. is now home to 30 million hungry deer—100 times more than were here a century ago. When we see all those deer out in the woods, most of us believe it’s a measure of the forest’s health. It is, but in exactly the opposite way we think. All across America, overabundant deer routinely devastate ecosystems and alter entire landscapes. DEERLAND traces the story of how we got here, and asks tough questions about what it will take to restore the balance we’ve disrupted.

For a taste of his writing have a look at his excellent blog or order the book its released next week. 

Anyhoo off to work

SBW

Salmon On The Tay, With Andy Richardson

My old pal and mentor Andy has been up to his old tricks again, showing the TV folk how its done. This time he's guiding us for Salmon on the river Tay.
More Soon
SBW

Customising Fallkniven's TK6 Part 1

The deed is done!

I've had my TK6 for quite a while now and I've loved every minute of it. The blade is chunky without geting in the way, the steel holds an edge like a Lightsabre, it's worked its way though a lowland Roe deer like Luke Skywalker through a Tauntaun,  but you know how it is, I've always wanted to pimp one.

More news on this one as materials arrive and time permits

SBW

Big Shout Going Out to the chaps at EdenWebshops who made this project possible. Nice guys, low prices, deliveries by Millenium Falcon.

Spencer Angeltvedt: Dishonest or Stupid?

"It inspires me everyday knowing that paris hilton tweeted and follows me!"

Spencer Angeltvedt

I've recently been contacted by a young man whose opinions are both strongly held and weakly thought out, and it would apear I'm not the only one. All kinds of people are welcome guests on the comments section of this blog, some of you I'm broadly in agreement with, some of you hold dear opinions which I feel are erm, less than well thought out, but its usually interesting to hear what you have to say and hopefully by exposing myself to the learnings and opinions of others I'll expand my own thinking. Hopefully.

Enter Spencer Angeltvedt actor, model and blogger. I too was young good looking and stupid once, time took care of young and good looking, stupid has been, if not cured, put into remission by engaging in debate.

Spencer was bold enough to write a comment on my blog post about Andy Richardson's goose hunting video, claiming he had stumbled across the video and been upset by its content.

Offence isn't given its taken

If you see a blog post that is titled with the words 'Goose Hunting' is reasonable to surmise that it'll contain content about the hunting of geese, right? Seeing as Spencer had taken the trouble to start a conversation with me I felt it would only be a matter of common courtesy to read some of his writing and respond. What a treat awaited me. In his post Do Hunter's Love Animals? Spencer treats us to a glimpse into the depths shallows of his thinking

'Well until I hear a hunter say he/she is going to track down the sickest and thinnest dear to end its suffering by killing it, then I will continue to know that they kill for fun and use excuses to justify it'

I was of course happy to oblige and wrote to him, confirming that part of our management practice is indeed to shoot and animals that are suffering due to genetics or as a result of injury. Sadly this wasn't good enough for brave Spencer and after a couple of days he deleted my comment.

On the same post Spencer implies that a man who has shot a trophy mountain sheep is in some way less virtuous than a woman who is feeding what are represented as wild birds. Spencer let me spell this out for you. 

When an animal has reached the age and size where it would be regarded as a trophy it has passed its genes on several times, and is starting to decline in health, it will be forced away from breeding opportunities by younger males, it's worn teeth will limit its ability to gain adequate nutrition through browsing and its fate will be starvation, illness, being eaten alive by predators, or a mixture of the three. Meanwhile your claim that a woman feeding wild birds is a sign of her love of animals is misguided at best. By creating clusters of feeding animals she is also creating the ideal circumstance for passing disease from one bird to another. She's not evil, just thoughtless. Bit like Spencer really.

Spencer also likes to post ghoulish videos of animals being mistreated on cattle farms purportedly for the company Burger King, as regular readers will know my interest in hunting stems from my abhorrence of the industrialised food chain so I commented that this sort of behaviour was what had lead me to start hunting. Not inline with Spencer's already fully-formed opinions this too was promptly deleted. 

I was delighted to see that one hunter at least has passed muster in Spencer's eyes - Gordon Ramsey - celebrity chef and hunter has been campaigning against the killing of sharks for their fins and in doing so has earned Spencer's seal of approval. My guess is that Spencer doesn't waste any time researching his opinions before posting them and is unaware that Gordon has killed and eaten quite a few of the luverly cweacherz that Spencer believes he is standing up for.

Amusingly it turns out Spencer has 'form' for this kind of behaviour. A blogger called The Wandering American has awarded Spencer 'Douchebag of the week'.

"There’s a 99.9999999999999% chance you have no idea who this guy is but I think you should know about him anyway. Spence writes about animal abuse and climate-change and other issues along those lines which is fine and good. However, he’s a typical liberal in that if you don’t fully agree with whatever he says, he’ll attack you while claiming that he’s in the right. As you can see in the image below, I left a cordial comment merely pointing out some new research that has been stirring up some interesting debate. What is this guy’s first reaction? He calls me naive and then verbally abuses me, a guy who took time out of his busy day to read a site that had been recommended by a fellow blogger. There’s a word I’ve picked up in my time abroad for guys like that. Twat."

Harsh but fair.

We are all born ignorant, staying that way is optional.

Your pal

SBW

I'm On My Way, Really, Tomorrow, Or The Day After

You know how hard it is to get a plumber these days? Well just think how hard it must be for the poor plumber-hunter gatherer-blogger. So instead of the usual excesses 

1. van broken down,
2, been called to another job,
3. still awaiting delivery of parts

All of which happen to be true, here's just a quick note to regular readers.

I'm still alive, still having adventures afield, just not had much spare time to finish writing any of them up.

On the way:
Reviews of: More Kifaru goodness, and a tech-tro pack from Mystery Ranch
A look at pack frames, their history, development, and a back to the future moment
A 'fox drive' with my pal, and long term commenter The Bambi Basher
An English 'driven game' day [or two] with Shooter
Reviews of a particularly fine harvest of books about people, animals and their much misunderstood interaction.
At long last starting work on that pimped Falkniven TK6

and if that's not enough I thought I might try my hand at a little travel writing a' la Newby i.e on the road with the Bloody Lady Foreigner. So its a date more of the usual gibberish from yours truly, um er 'shortly'.

Your pal
SBW

Speed Thrills - .17 WSM For The Recessionista

The rimfire calibers have been in my thoughts lately, due to seeing some long range Conejo in Spain and being frustrated in my stalking of shorter range Bunnies here in ol' Blighty.

With the rising cost of ammo a reality everywhere Winchester have pulled what may prove to be a game-changer out of the hat. The .17 WSM.
Winchester may be best known for ammunition [sadly also knives and flashlights of dubious distinction] but they long ago diversified into 'powered fasteners' AKA 'Nail Guns' which happily gave the Recessionista's at their R&D lab an already up-and-running production facility for larger cased rimfire ammunition!

Launching a 20-grain pill at 3,000 fps, or a 25-grain one at 2,600 fps with energy at the 400 foot-pounds and 375 foot-pound mark. That's 150 pounds more than the 17 HMR and 60 foot pounds more than the phattest .22 Winchester Magnum load. Some pundits are claiming that when it comes to wind drift and drop, the .17 Win. Super Mag. will beat the .17HMR by 50%, and leave the wind-challenged .22 Win. Mag. flapping about in the breeze.

All together now:

"No honey I'm not 'spending' money I'm SAVING money, I'm a Recessionista"

Centrefire effects for rimfire prices? Sounds good to me.Whacha reckon?

More Soon

SBW
More at The Firearms Blog and Winchester's Site

Hunting Rabbits In The UK Pt1

I've always hated that 'coming home from holiday' feeling, so when my plane landed at Gatwick, (or Gay Wick as the spell checker on my phone calls it) I thought I'd use the opportunity to soften my landing by going rabbit hunting on the way home.McShug lives fairly near the airport, he and I have been trying to catch up for what must be about a year now. We've beaten Pheasants and Stalked Fallow deer together, but this time we're going for the most 'english' of shooting on the most english of 'permissions'.

Majestic 'Thetford Red' Stags on Lord Pushbarrow-Handcart's estate?
Nah!
Woodland stalking Roe Bucks with a David Lloyd .240's?
Nope
Sniping Muntjac from a golf course with a moderated .223?
Close
Parkland Fallow with a .275 Rigby?
Sadly not!
This time it's Rabbits with a sub 12ftlbs air rifle on the village cricket pitch! How English is that? There are loads of ways to take bunnies, James and I used Ferrets, but this is the way generations of English boys have honed their riflery and filled the pot.

The weaponry of choice for the day: McShug's rig is the Air Arms TDR in .22 and very nice it is too. Where most manufacturers give you a naff 'james bond' style briefcase from Air Arms the whole Take Down Rifle rig fits in it's own neat backpack with space for your 'pod and tin of pellets. I was encouraged to note that the moderator/silencer is a vast improvement on the one that came with my older Air Arms S400. AA rifles are fantastically accurate, and even with a hefty Harris bipod and a scope fitted the TDR is still a very light rifle, super short and point-able. Ideal for protecting a cricket pitch from the curse of the were-bunnies. One advantage of the takedown format is that if and when you need to leave the land you have permission to shoot on and use a public footpath to skirt round to another position, the rifle is easy to deactivate and conceal. I've often thought about getting one myself, but until my daughter made such a convincing start to her shooting career I didn't really have a excuse to buy myself a specially light, short air rifle. But now...

The ground is small but perfectly formed, lovely mown grass to entice the bunnies and hedgerow on all four sides for them to burrow under, with big open fields on all sides. Perfect.

We drive on to the rough stuff outside the oval and start setting up and glassing the hunting ground. Straight away there are two rabbits in a stalk-able position about 150 yards away, a little more glassing the hedgerow and we sight another only 50 yards away and in an even better position! As we take the first tentative steps, there's a rustle in the hedgerow and a chump walking a dog blows it for us! That 17HMR is starting to look like a good idea, but this is Rabbit hunting rather than rabbit shooting - the stalk to within 35 yards is the name of the game, sadly some vegetarianism sometimes comes into it. 

We breach the fence and getting on to the foot path that runs down one side of the oval make the trip round the outside of the permission, but by the time we're starting to stalk back the light goes and we head for the pub. Somewhere in my gear pile I have a gun mountable flashlight so next time Mr Bunny, next time.

On the drive to the pub where we pass though the flint villages of East Sussex. Where the chocolate-box cottages are built from 'faced' flint and McShug drops a most excellent local history fact. We pass, the now sadly closed, Hungry Monk restaurant that was the birthplace of the Banoffi Pie. Not something you see every day.

No rabbits were harmed during the writing of this blog post. Bah!
More soon
SBW

True Banoffi Pie Recipe HERE
PS Air Arms make some very sweet rifles, and are the UK seller of the S200 which is made with CZ and available in the US as the CZ S200. Very sweet especially for the price.

Conversations In Gun Shops Pt2

Myself and the BLF (bloody lady foreigner) have been in spain for the past few days visiting her folks for Navidad and Año Nuevo. It's been a lot of fun being brand-new, stuffing my face with all kinds of delicious pork products and trying to learn to speak Spanish. There hangs a tale: I've been learning my Spanish from BLF (bloody lady foreigner), which has weighted my vocabulary in 'certain directions' as she swears for the Spanish national team.

One afternoon having eaten all kinds of wonderful things she suggests we walk off a few calories with a visit to the Armeria. I'm fascinated by gun shops and the strange nonsense you hear from characters on both sides of the counter. Gun shops are also the first port of call to learn about the local hunting culture, and as so much about hunting is numerical or made up of familier concepts, it could also be the chance to practice my Spanish, so we wander down there.

Gun Shops the world over all follow certain themes, and they are also a window into the local conditions and traditions. In Alicante the clothes are a bit lighter for the rainless plains of Spain, the locals favor a lightweight boot over our warm and waterproof boots but mostly its the same kind of stuff you'd see in your local gun shop from London to Loudon county.

Unlike the green north this Spain is a land of long dry plains and dusty jagged ridge lines - only just greener than the set of a spagetti western. Hunting here takes place over large distances; running Hares down with rapid longdogs called Galgo, an extencive tradition of Falconry, they are serious about hunting conejo (rabbits) but the real obsession is the Red-Legged Partridge, or 'Perdiz'. The rich guys use the same driven game tactics as in the UK, the country folk or 'campesino'  hunt them over dogs during very long walks. To reduce the distances walked, and as Partridges can't be eaten after they've been shot with a high velocity rifle, the locals hunt them in a style of hunting I'd not seen before.

If you can't get to the prey, you must get the prey to come to you. 

The armeria stocks the kit for 'Reclamo'; hanging above the counter were several models of 'Reclamo' a sort-of 'Judas Trap' for Partridges. The plan is to capture or breed a mature male bird, house him in a portable birdhouse, which you can take to the hunting ground and have him call the girls to your waiting gun. Saves on all that walking.

By the time all this had been explained to me the BLF's patience with being my personal google translate was wearing a little thin, so I resorted to talking cartridge choices with the shopkeep. Pretty easy in any language, numbers are numbers, Remington and Winchester are the same in any language, even for people who are in the habit of adding or missing out vowels from words. I dont know my letters yet so I wrote on the back of a business card, remembering to start the question with the upside down question mark, enquiring after the whereabouts of the bunny-whacker of choice the 17HMR, "22 minimum" came the reply to which I thought I said "that's unfortunate in England we use them to hunt rabbits" Elfa and the gun shop guys blushing faces told me I'd actually missed out the 'e' and said "that's unfortunate in England we use them to hunt c***o" which sounds similar-ish, but means something very different.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

More soon

SBW

Piers Morgan: 2nd Amendment Scholar

Sorry guys but a deal's a deal: You bought him, you're keeping him.

SBW

Twitter feed is HERE

Vintage Firearms: Krico Stutzen .243

Myself and our pal Shooter are off out for the day tomorrow so all the unfinished blog posts will have to wait until next week's 'Horse and Fish day' is over and slept off.
In the meantime Roestalker is selling this rather nice woodland stalking rifle a
Krico in .243, being Roestalker he's made a little video. Myself; being a bit lazy and having a growing appreciation for old rifles I'm reposting it.
Keep warm
Your pal
SBW
PS Eat like a Horse and Drink like a Fish - my birthday!