The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting Sports AfieldGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Sports Afield | Login/Join |
| One of Us |
Anybody read the latest issue and noticed that apart from a Lion photo in Mahoney article and McIntyre s excllent article there was nothing about Africa? We lost Kevin Robertson s articles. Am I missing something or is now Africa coverage on the decline? | ||
|
| One of Us |
This was not my favorite issue either. It seems this issue is concentrating on the upcoming Fall hunting season and that's okay for this time of year. In my opinion Sports Afield is still one of the best. | |||
|
One of Us |
Notice that myself a few times. My guess is fall huntin is but around the corner and you gotta get em while their hot. That moose is a beast worth dreamin about. Was camped in the Bighorns last week and ran into a nice one. 10 feet from the out house. I went in the weeds | |||
|
One of Us |
Well Sports Afield runs each issue with a particular theme. This time it's "Falls Finest Hunts" which leans towards what people are planning for at this time. Moose, elk, and deer. I don't see any reduction in Africa coverage, it's just not done at this particular time of the year. Roger ___________________________ I'm a trophy hunter - until something better comes along. *we band of 45-70ers* | |||
|
one of us |
A couple of issues ago almost the entire mag was devoted to Africa. One issue does not a trend make. Still by far and away one of the best mags. BTW great article on Duane Wiebe. Have gun- Will travel The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark | |||
|
One of Us |
Also fine with me. I did receive two issues. I am a subscriber, but received the same with a cover on it saying it is a complimentary one. I suppose they did that to DSC members. I meant to be DSC Member...bad typing skills. Marcus Cady DRSS | |||
|
One of Us |
Received two issues too, this month. Could be DSC or their internal mail list, or Rowland Ward list, or who knows. But not very bright, not running the current subscribers list against whatever list they where using. I am fine if every month is not packed with Africa. If you want all Africa all the time, try African Outfitter, etc. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Exactly what I thought about checking the database. I meant to be DSC Member...bad typing skills. Marcus Cady DRSS | |||
|
| One of Us |
The Sports Afield issues that I liked best were those that had John Jobson as one of the writers and had stories by Russell Annabel. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Being an avid African hunter myself, (but only been there 7 times so far), it's the African hunting that sold me on Sports Afield in the first place. If I want to read about 'Fall Hunting', I subscribe to many other magazines for that fix. And that's about all they cover! I totally agree that Sports Afield is the best magazine on the market. But I feel that way, due to their African safari coverage. I don't mind an occasional article on hunting in other lands, but I too was disappointed in this months coverage. I think they should mainly stick to the party that brought them to the dance. I have witnessed the same thing in my other subscriptions with rifles/guns magazines. I am not interested in semiautomatic 'modern' rifles, but that is about all that they cover these days with a token bolt action thrown in or lever or single shot. They are 90% 'modern rifles' and the rest is divided among the other action types. So, all this tells us, is what is selling, and you can't blame them for that. BUT, I will probably eventually drop those subscriptions. I still love Sports Afield, and hope they don't stray too far from their African hunting roots. This month, they almost disregarded it totally. | |||
|
| One of Us |
I admit I did not think of fall hunts but Alaska is nearly over ( I did enjoy the moose articles) and I usually look to other magazines for especially white tail articles. I also get two copies and give the second to a friend. Sounds like that is fairly common. Great mag but hope it does not change. I bet some on this site could write some great articles on Africa guns , cartridges and bullets, apart from stories. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Sports Afield was one of the magazines I devoured cover-to-cover when I was in my teens (early 70's). Even then it was an ancient publication, well-established and well-known, along with its two similar competitors Outdoor Life and Field & Stream. Back then it was almost entirely devoted to North American hunting, with the odd African or other exotic article thrown in for good measure. Funny to hear the comment here about "their African hunting roots"...their roots are about as American (and Canadian...) as apple pie (with Canadian cheddar...).  | |||
|
| One of Us |
Surefire7 I like Sports Afield for the same reason. But really enjoyed buying Man Magnum magazine when I was In Tanz. Wish I would buy it here. Some classic guns and rifles featured and great hunting stories. I also enjoy the Nth American large game featured in Sports Afield. The other stuff, not so much. Though they do have some nice "Ranches" for sale in there  DRSS | |||
|
| One of Us |
You're absolutely right JWM. I stand corrected on that point!  As I recall, the 'old' Sports Afield had little to nothing in African hunting way back then. In fact, it had a lot of articles on hunting & fishing, but also bike racing, swimming, mountain climbing, volleyball, etc.; just about ANYTHING one could do sports-wise afield! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it so much. But it wasn't my cup of tea back then and I never subscribed. I wanted guns and hunting. Then, it seems, they took 'time off'. Am I correct in this? It seems they were out of business or something. One day, I saw it on the newsstand again, and I opened up an issue. WOW! I couldn't believe the difference in the magazine from what I remembered so many years ago. And it was ALL about Africa. Having immersed myself in all things African (reading, guns, hunting, research, etc.), I was delighted and shocked with the 'new' SA. Yet, it seems as time has gone by, the African articles have lessened. Yes, there are still great articles of places and guns (and ranches too Rockdoc!) and even issues totally dedicatd to Africa, but not like it was in the 'new-old' magazine (does that make sense?). Well, as I said before, IMHO it's still the best African hunting/guns magazine on the market. I guess I just have a sense of it 'slipping away' each year. But nobody does it better so far... | |||
|
| One of Us |
Well, you're right about the "old" Sports Afield being full of articles for the Spandex-wearing tofu-munching new-age-man readership...but that was when I stopped reading it. The "really old" Sports Afield that I was remembering so fondly was strictly hunting/fishing/shooting/outdoor adventure stuff; not a mountain bike or a bungee cord to be seen! But your post certainly highlights how many reincarnations of this once-fine-old magazine have come and gone over the years. I think the current one is the truest to its original roots, and by far the best magazine of its type available today. But then, there are very few of its type against which it needs to compete, so... In any case, it's usually the first thing I grab before getting on a plane to fly out to work in the north. Not only do I get the visceral pleasure of reading actual words printed on actual paper, but I can then leave the completed copy on a lunch table at work and provoke some spirited...uh...let's call them "discussions"...with the Spandex set, which is ever-more populous as the years slip past. | |||
|
| One of Us |
I really enjoyed that stuff too. I still have a few boxes of old 1960's - 70's issues. My father subscribed to this and Field & Stream for many years. He was a fisherman, I am the only one in my family to hunt. I for one like that they were picked up, dusted off and remade into their current format. I also like the theme based issues. The world of hunting is far broader than just North America or Africa. For a magazine more than 100 years old they have done well in the current web based environment that has killed or radically changed most other publications. Roger ___________________________ I'm a trophy hunter - until something better comes along. *we band of 45-70ers* | |||
|
| One of Us |
As a freelancer, a few years ago I wrote 3 articles that Sports Afield used on the rifles used by 4 rather historically famous hunters: Bill Pinnell and Morris Talifson, the Alaskan brown bear guides, Hal Waugh, the first master guide in Alaska, and Wally Johnson, the famous hunter/outfitter from Africa. It took tons of time to hunt those rifles down, get permission or assistance to get them photographed, and do the over-all research on them. But I thought them unique enough that there would be an interest in learning about them and seeing pictures. Despite a huge amount of help from Joe Coogan, who used to work with Harry Selby, we were unable to get the American Rifleman to publish the article about Johnson's old .375 M70. But Diana Rupp, the editor of Sports AField snapped it up and did a fine job with publishing it. I wouldn't have considered sending it to anyone else as when you look at what's being published today re: traditional and historical bolt rifles such as those, no other outfits seem to have an interest in those types of rifles, and if they do, they give precious little space to them. So obviously, I think Sports AField is in a league of their own. Incidentally, those 4 rifles were pre-64 M70s: Pinnell & Talifson's were both .375s bought in 1949 & 1950, Waugh's was a re-barreled .300 H&H into a .375 Weatherby, and Johnson's a 1938 .375 that never had a scope mounted on it. | |||
|
| One of Us |
 Jwm, You're a good writer. That is funny stuff! That is exactly what I remember about Sports Afield. But I now see you were talking about the 'old-old-OLD' SA, which I never read. I am 66 yrs. old, so by the time I stated reading SA, it was into the 70s style you so humorously penned. Well, as you said, the magazine has had quite a varied history of coverage. I am glad to see what it morphed into and hope like others, that it does not lose it's neo-new "African roots" of the 21st century. | |||
|
| One of Us |
"Funny stuff"??? Whaddaya mean? I'm as serious as a heart attack! | |||
|
| One of Us |
Sports Afield does try and do (specific area)or seasonal pieces in an issue. The do dedicate an entire issue to African hunting, usually in the early spring. I do some freelance writing, and was fortunate enough to have a piece published in the the 2016 African edition on a buff hunt, and have a piece accepted to the 2018 African issue on a tuskless elephant hunt. I enjoy reading Sports Afield and learning about animals and areas I may never hunt. The danger of civilization, of course, is that you will piss away your life on nonsense | |||
|
| One of Us |
Very good articles too. I hope you will find other similar projects to publish in the future.  Roger ___________________________ I'm a trophy hunter - until something better comes along. *we band of 45-70ers* | |||
|
| One of Us |
Yes, it is the African Hunting Forum, but it has me interested in moose hunting. I could get interested in caribou, but a bear would be better. My passion is upland hunting. Quail had me growing up, but then we had a die off until a few years ago. "Covey Rise" is a top notch publication, but covers hunts in areas where the "proper" attire and arms could break me. I digress, but we are lucky to have these publications. The NRA magazines which come with membership are boring (except the "Armed Citizen"). However, they are great surrogates when I can't be in the field. I meant to be DSC Member...bad typing skills. Marcus Cady DRSS | |||
|
| One of Us |
Have we confused the old "Sports Afield" with "Outdoor Life" by chance? I recall more of the camping, biking, etc. from the latter. However, I remember the old "Sports Afield" covers being like the old Nocona boot advertisements. "Sports Afield" may have starters those types, but I will always remember them. I meant to be DSC Member...bad typing skills. Marcus Cady DRSS | |||
|
| One of Us |
REALLY?? We are Life members since the early 80's and several years back we got a notice that first: they were cutting back the magazines from monthly to some lesser amount; secondly we'd only get one of their magazines, then thirdly, we had to upgrade our membership to get any magazine. So while I support the NRA, Friends of NRA and other such groups, I haven't read or even seen a recent American Rifleman or American Hunter magazine in years. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Sports Afield was a pretty good magazine in the 1960's and 70's but a little thinner (less pages) than Outdoor Life and Field & Stream. In the late 1990's, early 2000's time frame, Sports Afield did indeed suck, being full of mountain biking, back packing etc. It is now head and shoulders above them all featuring big game hunting as it base. I am again a proud subscriber thanks to meeting James Reed in Harrisburg this year. PA Bear Hunter, NRA Benefactor | |||
|
| one of us |
I remember those articles and they were excellent. Really enjoyed them. Have gun- Will travel The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark | |||
|
One of Us |
I wouldn't subscribe if it was only or mostly Africa... I like the balance with Asia and North America too. Steven Dodd Hughes's articles on fine gun making are nice to read, but I have less interest in the shotgun articles. Have been receiving it for years now, so they must be doing something right! Most of the others (Gray's is good too, for different reasons) have long since fallen by the wayside... | |||
|
| One of Us |
That is rather surprising. Well, you're not missing too much. I meant to be DSC Member...bad typing skills. Marcus Cady DRSS | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia