I wonder if anyone remembers the American Sportsman TV program, which claimed to show American celebrities on actual hunting trips. I remember one in particular, featuring then Texas governor John Connolly, on an elephant hunt somewhere in Africa. It began with a conversation around the camp fire where Connolly asked in effect, "Where is the rifle I'm supposed to use on this elephant?" and in response is shown a .458 Winchester Magnum Winchester Model 70. He then inquired where he was supposed to hit the elephant and was told in effect, "Right between the eyes."
The next day, Connolly confronts the elephant, takes dead aim, fires, and dust flies off the elephant's hide from right between the eyes and the elephant collapses and expires. "Piece of cake!" as my old PH, Dave Williams, would have said.
I wonder if anyone else remembers this program and if it might be possible to resurrect it on the internet.

I do; Bing Crosby was always being shown on an annual Pheasant hunt with one of his buddies.
Some banter and bluster around the campfire as well.

EZ

would be nice to see reruns of that show I really like it

Best outdoor program ever aired.
I remember Ernie Borginie (spelling ?)battling a huge marlin only to have it get free. Ernie was exhausted and hugely disappointed.

I REMEMBER THE SHOW. ONE OF THE FEW THAT I WATCHED.

Try YouTube

Sometimes one can find excellent old videos on there.

Can you imagine a Democrat governor elephant hunting today. That would get some panties in a wad.

Lots of American Sportsman shows on you tube, just looked.

quote:

Originally posted by eezridr:
I do; Bing Crosby was always being shown on an annual Pheasant hunt with one of his buddies.
Some banter and bluster around the campfire as well.

EZ

That would have been Phil Harris. The host was Curt Gowdy.

Watched it every Sunday afternoon with my dad, granddad and uncle. Never missed a show. Loved it! Curt Gowdy was the perfect show host!

I too remember it fondly. At that time those types of adventures were far beyond my imagination.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Watched it every Sunday afternoon with my dad, granddad and uncle. Never missed a show. Loved it! Curt Gowdy was the perfect show host!

Dad and I never missed it, even though Dad wasn't all that much into hunting or fishing.

My Dad, brother and I watched it all the time. It was like a combination of National Geographic and the hunting magazines when they went to exotic locations to fish and hunt.

As "eezridr" and "Outdoor Writer" posted, the bird hunts with Bing Crosby and Phil Harris were great! The banter and bird dogs never got old.

"Oh Mr.C", "What do you say Mr. H"? Then they would have a little impromptu song and shoot a few quail or pheasants.

I'm 61 and remember it like it was yesterday. The theme song "Follow Me" still gets me when I dig it up on Youtube.

Good times.

Back then people thought big game hunting was a good thing to do. Now we who do it are society's pariahs.

I remember these

https://youtu.be/FCWkegFqMC4

quote:

Originally posted by eezridr:
I do; Bing Crosby was always being shown on an annual Pheasant hunt with one of his buddies.
Some banter and bluster around the campfire as well.

EZ

I remember the show. If I recall correctly it was on Sunday afternoon and I watched it regularly. I think I was about 11 or 12 yrs old when it first aired. I would love to see the old episodes. It was factual and quite entertaining

I too remember it fondly, It had a formative effect on my life.

That show is what made me decide I would go on safari when I was an adult but I didn't do it until late in life. Could have done it many years ago when it was much less expensive but wasn't living in a house with proper space and ceiling elevation to hang big stuff and of course other things in life get in the way but the dream never went away.

quote:

Originally posted by RCG:
My Dad, brother and I watched it all the time. It was like a combination of National Geographic and the hunting magazines when they went to exotic locations to fish and hunt.

As "eezridr" and "Outdoor Writer" posted, the bird hunts with Bing Crosby and Phil Harris were great! The banter and bird dogs never got old.

"Oh Mr.C", "What do you say Mr. H"? Then they would have a little impromptu song and shoot a few quail or pheasants.

I'm 61 and remember it like it was yesterday. The theme song "Follow Me" still gets me when I dig it up on Youtube.

Good times.

The one show I remember was Bing Crosby and Phil Harris shooting sand grouse. Great stuff!

I watched it many times. I loved the show. I do miss it. I liked Curt Gowdy and also Grits Gresham but esprcially liked when Joe Foss was host: I'm Joe Foss. I especially like that phrase now as I was in an elevator with Joe Foss at the NRA Convention in Philadelphia, I think in 2000???? I acknowledged his presence and he just struck up a conversation. We walked and talked after we got off the elevator. A true American Hero, Patriot, and genuine Good Man!

quote:

Originally posted by drongo:

quote:

Originally posted by RCG:
My Dad, brother and I watched it all the time. It was like a combination of National Geographic and the hunting magazines when they went to exotic locations to fish and hunt.

As "eezridr" and "Outdoor Writer" posted, the bird hunts with Bing Crosby and Phil Harris were great! The banter and bird dogs never got old.

"Oh Mr.C", "What do you say Mr. H"? Then they would have a little impromptu song and shoot a few quail or pheasants.

I'm 61 and remember it like it was yesterday. The theme song "Follow Me" still gets me when I dig it up on Youtube.

Good times.

The one show I remember was Bing Crosby and Phil Harris shooting sand grouse. Great stuff!

I’d love to see those. Bing was probably our with Terry Mathews or Tony Seth-Smith. Bing would often make up songs and press albums for those who he was on safari with. There’s a great pic in Tony’s book of Bing and Tony seth-smiths kids with some birds they shot. Had the pleasure of a Safari with Tony’s son Martin and we chatted about those hunts. Good stuff

I remember that show as well. Loved it.

One episode I remember as a kid, a little gross, but it stayed with me because as a kid, I thought the exchange was hilarious.

Bing and Harris were in a duck blind, obviously cold and miserable on a very wet and frigid day. Harris had a little mucus running from his nose and Bing says "I see you have a little cold". To which Harris snorts, sucking it back in and says "How bout now"? Bing responds "it looks like you're cured"! Laughed my ass off.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:
I remember that show as well. Loved it.

One episode I remember as a kid, a little gross, but it stayed with me because as a kid, I thought the exchange was hilarious.

Bing and Harris were in a duck blind, obviously cold and miserable on a very wet and frigid day. Harris had a little mucus running from his nose and Bing says "I see you have a little cold". To which Harris snorts, sucking it back in and says "How bout now"? Bing responds "it looks like you're cured"! Laughed my ass off.

My memories of watching it with my Dad were, him eating Kippered Herring and Vienna Sausages on Saltines.

That intro song was awesome though...

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Watched it every Sunday afternoon with my dad, granddad and uncle. Never missed a show. Loved it! Curt Gowdy was the perfect show host!

+1

A reminder of a better day and time for sure.

quote:

Originally posted by RCG:
My Dad, brother and I watched it all the time. It was like a combination of National Geographic and the hunting magazines when they went to exotic locations to fish and hunt.

As "eezridr" and "Outdoor Writer" posted, the bird hunts with Bing Crosby and Phil Harris were great! The banter and bird dogs never got old.

"Oh Mr.C", "What do you say Mr. H"? Then they would have a little impromptu song and shoot a few quail or pheasants.

I'm 61 and remember it like it was yesterday. The theme song "Follow Me" still gets me when I dig it up on Youtube.

Good times.

Good stuff for sure.

Makes me ponder...What in Sam Hill happened to the world.

quote:

Good stuff for sure.

Makes me ponder...What in Sam Hill happened to the world.

I wish I knew. Watching the video from the link richj posted, it had 59 likes and not one dislike.

OK; how many of you mature... gentleman remember a movie at the theater in that era called Alaskan Safari?
Wish I had that on a DVD!

I am pushing 65 (My hair is turning platinum blonde: All the rage!) so I was a young teenager when it aired.

EZ

Just looked it up (1968) 11 years old at the time. It was available in VHS (LOL)

quote:

Originally posted by eezridr:
OK; how many of you mature... gentleman remember a movie at the theater in that era called Alaskan Safari?
Wish I had that on a DVD!

I am pushing 65 (My hair is turning platinum blonde: All the rage!) so I was a young teenager when it aired.

EZ

quote:

Originally posted by eezridr:
Just looked it up (1968) 11 years old at the time. It was available in VHS (LOL)

EZ

That film was originally shot on 16mm film. Sometime before its release as a theater film, the guy who produced it was in Phoenix to gauge how it would be received. He wound up showing it to a small audience of about 25 people at Bellow's Sporting Goods, one of my hangouts during my spare hours. At the time, I was in my early 20s working as a mechanic at my dad's service station, which was a mile away.

I used to love watching this show. One episode that really made an impression on me was one where a hunter, I don't remember who it was, was shooting flushed pheasants with a bow. He was very good at it. I was amazed that anybody could do that. I was so disappointed when the show ended.

quote:

Originally posted by scojac:
I used to love watching this show. One episode that really made an impression on me was one where a hunter, I don't remember who it was, was shooting flushed pheasants with a bow. He was very good at it. I was amazed that anybody could do that. I was so disappointed when the show ended.

There were Fred bear episodes where he shot pheasant with a bow.

There was also a video of Howard hill (arguably the worlds greatest archer) shooting flying fish off of Errol Flynn’s boat Scirocco.