There seems to be no better place to put this as Mike loved hunting in Africa.

Mike was a wanderer, a man of eclectic tastes, a world traveler who wanted to see foreign sights and taste foreign winds, and walk on foreign soils. He was a self-contained man as few are, being comfortable in his own head without the need for constant social engagement or idle chatter. Those few he reached out to were lucky indeed, for they would soon discover an intelligent man of exceptional charity and good will. In him, I found a kindred soul who could look out upon the vastness of the western prairie and see not a desolate empty space, but a rather a place of hills, rills and little gullies, each filled with hidden wonders. One had but to walk with open mind and open eyes. I choose to remember those times and if I could speak to Mike again now, or in the moment of his passing, I would say, "Walk on, Mike. Who knows what's over the next ridge."

I am sorry to hear this.

I met him a few years ago in Zurich. We spent the day together at a range.

What happened?

Sorry for the loss of your friend.
He was a rare breed.

You are a good writer, well said.

God speed. Keep the wind in your face and shoot straight.

quote:

Originally posted by ilw:
I am sorry to hear this.

I met him a few years ago in Zurich. We spent the day together at a range.

What happened?

Esophageal cancer. Diagnosed on 10/24/2012. Mike was prolific on AR...posts must number in the thousands under mho.

Very sorry to hear the bad news. I always enjoyed his posts.

My condolences to the friends and family he left behind. He was a man of experience who conveyed that in his posts. We, and this Forum, will be poorer for his loss...

I am saddened to hear of Mike's passing.

A well written tribute.

He was the first person that I met via AR. I thur out a post that I was going to be in Zurich. He contacted me and pick my son and I up from our hotel. We spent the day at the range shooting and shooting the 'breeze'. It was just a great day. Sad to hear of his death.

Thanks Rod.

Ian

I didn't have the pleasure of knowing him, my sincere condolences to his family and friends. Sounds like a good guy.

I only knew MHO from his posts, including a few which were in response to hunting reports I posted that to this day when I re-read them makes me smile.

He seemed like a very fine man.

Weidmannsheil Mike!

Sorry to learn about mho. I always enjoyed his modest but informative posts.

Sad news - I enjoyed reading his posts. Very nice tribute Rod. He will be missed.


Phil

from his posts, Mike always struck me as a man of above average intellect but below average modesty. he will be missed.....

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
from his posts, Mike always struck me as a man of above average intellect but below average modesty. he will be missed.....

So sad to hear this.

Wishing him the best in the Happy Hunting Grounds, where we will all hopefully meet.

A terrible loss, beautifully expressed, Rod.

Another brother gone alone, over the next ridge, where we all are headed.

Lets put a face to his name - from AR Zambia hunt with Andrew Baldry in 2011



Rest in peace my friend...

Very sorry to hear this and Mike had hoped to return to Zambia. RIP mate.

Really sad news. Met him a couple of times in the UK. A very nice man!

Condolences to family and friends

Well written reminder of the type of man that Mike was, Thanks Capt. Rod.

I will miss him a lot - we were planning to introduce his teenage son to hunting here in the Free State in 2014!

RIP Mike!

Sorry to hear this. RIP Mike.

David

I was fortunate enough to hunt with him in Zambia, on to better things, eh Mike?

Sorry to hear about this. I was on the AR hunt with Mike and as luck and circumstances would have it ended up shooting my lechwe with his rifle.

RIP Mike

George

God bless his soul. I will miss his posts.

Fair Winds, and Following Seas, Mike

Condolences to his family and friends.

Very sad to hear, I met Mike my first night in Zambia on the AR hunt. He was immediately friendly and ready to meet new people.

I wish him well on his new trails.
Chris

a moment with Mike...

I never met him in person, but I considered Him one of my AR friends.

I am saddened by his death.

My condolences to his family.

My condolences as well. We will meet again on fiddlers green. Best wishes to those he left behind.

Mike worked not too far from where I live. A few times every year he stopped at my place on his way home. We had a good piece of meat and a bottle wine together and enjoyed it very much. He was unique and a great character! We also hunted a few times together and had a lot of fun. I will miss him sadly.

quote:

Originally posted by pagosawingnut:
I didn't have the pleasure of knowing him, my sincere condolences to his family and friends. Sounds like a good guy.

+1
RIP

+1 RIP

Sorry to read about Mike's passing. Only knew him from his posts here on AR, and he did seem like a great fellow.

We should all be so lucky as to have a friend write such a nice obituary. Well done, Rod.

I had an 8 year e mail correspondance with Mike who had an incredible knowledge of rifles, smithing and shooting. I learnt a lot from him and still have the vast majority of his mails.

He was very generous with his time and knowledge. My 7-08 wears a Jewell that he bought in the US and sent to me from Europe and he sourced and purchased my RWS 8X60S brass.

In 2008 or 2009 he came across to the UK for the AR hunt organised by 'Fallowbuck'. We agreed it was time we met up so he came to me at the end of that hunt. On arrival he gave my son a swiss army knife and some Tintin books. He then gave me a very nice knife (sadly lost) and treated me to dinner. Our hunting was busy and Mike got to use his beloved R93 a few times. Not all was straightforward (what is) so after we parted I got a present through the post. Mike had seen my dogs trailing 'lead' (a long piece of baling twine!) and sent me a top notch continental trailing lead. I use it a lot (it's great for dragging too!).

Mike had a partner and a young son. He was an avid collector of rifles for his son who he had been immensely looking forward to teach to shoot. He was a member of boar hunt in Alsace and had recently bought some land/a plot/a house in Hungary - I think for his retirement.

I cannot tell you how sad this news makes me feel. He was a true gent. If there is one lesson to learn it's that life is for living NOW not later. I would imagine that Mike was able to feel that he had really packed a lot in.

Mikes strap line

The rifle is a noble weapon... It entices its bearer into primeval forests, into mountains and deserts untenanted by man. - Horace Kephart

Weidmansheil Mike