With lots of time off around the holidays, it is easy to find one's self bored. We need to share a list of African hunting-related activities to overcome the holiday boredom. A couple of things I have done:

1. Read Pierre van der Walt's new book, African Dangerous Game Cartridges
2. Spend some time at the reloading bench loading up cartridges based on loads in the new book
3. A trip to the range to see the magic that you created at the reloading bench in action

Who else has some good ideas to shake off the holiday dolddrums?

I just finished Fiona Capstick's book, Between Two Fires, about the life of the first full time female PH in Tanzania, Margarete Trappe. That poor woman had triple the tragedy of Karen Blixen. I highly recommend it.

Today I am taking my wife and two year old daughter to Disneyland! I can admuse myself at the shooting gallery while they ride Mr. Toad's Wild Adventure.

Just bought a "new" second hand car(wreck) today after my earlier one got torpedoed in the side while I drove in a roundabout about a week ago.

Watching the great videos generously given by Saeed
And dreaming about my 12 days PG hunt in SA with a bow in 2012

Oh dear! So warm here. And wet. Finished Kevin Thomas's "Tracking the Memory," good stuff. Black bass in the next couple of days, and the butcher wants a couple of warthogs, such a chore. Oh such is Africa in the summer.

I got a new book too for Christmas-- Along the Hunters Path--by Kai-uwe Denker.

Its a pretty good read so far.

Ed

1) Re-watched my Zim hunting trip video from 2010
2) Read 'The Fear' by Peter Goodwin
3) Called in a coyote, Christmas morning
4) Day dreaming about upcoming hunt in Sept 2012 to Zambia.

Drove up 60 miles west to our land in Guffey Colorado this morning with my youngest son to see if we could ambush a sleepy elk cow. He brought his 270, I brought the 500 Jeffery. Saw lots of sign, but no elk, headed home at 8:00 AM. Should've stayed later, saw a cow elk on the road 4 miles from our land, then saw two more another few miles down the road. Never hunted this late before, seems like they're coming out later. We'll go again this week ...

Just finished watching Ivan Carter's Beasts of legend. A good watch.

Took new Searcy 450 for a walk in the woods. Must learn to limit amount of shots fired. Just a little sore today.

Now off to reload some ammo.

Still deer hunting here in the south.
I did load up some .375 loads in both the 235 & 300 grain varity. They both have the same point of impact at 100 yards which works out well for Buff practice.
Got Hunting Argentina by Craig B for christmas, good read so far.

I just got done visiting my parents, who will be gone long before I am done hunting. Caught some big trout ice fishing with my dad. Saw my daughter as well, who flew to Denver from MN.

Today I will head to the desert for some long range shooting practice and stop by to pick up my .416, which just had a muzzle brake installed.

But to me, the holidays are not boring. There is more to life than hunting, after all.

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But to me, the holidays are not boring. There is more to life than hunting, after all.

For sure. Spent Christmas Eve at Disneyland, had a ball with the family. BigBoreCore enjoy that daughter, Casey Jr., Peter Pan, and don't forget pooh. Through the eyes of a child it is priceless. Don't let it pass.

Had the grandkids over so there was no time for boring. Looked at all the mounts again in the game room and retold the stories. Looked at all the guns in both safes. Ate good food and shot the heck out of the .22. Plenty of fun for all.

I had a welcome and interesting reminder of my second favorite continent today.

I drive a vehicle which has the spare tire mounted on the rear door. There was snow pack built up on the tire cover when I went into the local Post Office. When I came out some of the snow had fallen off the tire cover and the shape left looked remarkably like the African Continent.

I thought that was pretty cool plus, it made me smile.

It must have been a sign from God that you are overdue for a trip.

Well, what I should be doing is finishing my hunt report, but the boys are home and there's football on!

My problem is that there is too much that I want to do and never enough time! In regards to hunting, I am looking fwd to watching a couple of videos that I got as gifts, and it's a nice time of the year for a walk or two in the woods (never too early to train for the next one!).

Oh yea, I'm also going thru my annual case of double-envy. Man the new Heym's look mighty sweet.

Whatever you do with your time off, enjoy!

perhaps a trip to CAR would cure the doldrums?

A trip to CAR would certainly be worth a try!

The Masailand ain't too bad right now either...

I think I will have to settle for a trip to DSC and SCI until later in 2012.

We spent Christmas eve and day with our daughter, son-in-law and our grandkids (they're 23 and 29).

I also read the first 200 pages of "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo," and wondered why it has gotten such good reviews, and visited AR off and on.

Retirement is a great time of life, but the only way I know what day of the week it is by looking at the letters on my pill box.

Bill Quimby

Bill, I should have mentioned that I also used the holidays to start reading The Mighty Nimrod. Very interesting book. Wouldn't it be something to share a campfire with FCS and listen to tales of Lobengula, Cecil Rhodes, the Bantu, . . .

Finished up my deer hunting but I've made a couple of trips to the range. STILL trying to get my Chapuis 9.3x74R to shoot correctly with the scope attached! Going backward now so it's time to start over, AGAIN.

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Retirement is a great time of life, but the only way I know what day of the week it is by looking at the letters on my pill box.

Bill, that is not all bad. I keep track by remembering the last day I fished with my buddy who can only get away on Sunday.

Finished reading "The Temptress", about the Alice de Janzen of the Happy Valley set in Kenya and the murder of Lord Errol, not a bad read. Kind of like "The Bolter' about Idina Sackville. Reading Elspeth Huxley now, again about Kenya in the 1920s and a bit later.

Tried to read a book by Brad Thor but after 50 pages realized I didn't care about anyone in the book so why finish it. Also read 'Burmese Days' by George Orwell, not a bad book either.

Have been duck hunting every chance I have and resorted to shooting the O/U 12 gauge sideways. Did not affect my shooting much.

Looking forward to being with my friends mostly AR members on new year's eve,busy with remodeling plans for part of my business,anticipating Dallas so I can shake all the friendly hands,and I keep asking myself why do I need another DR? and where do I go to hunt next in Africa?and why do I have to wait till next season?

Almost finished "Into the Thorns". Good book!!

5 months and 26 days to go for the next trip, but who's counting.

Keep getting these odd pictures via email from this guy in Zambia of Land Rovers with body parts cut off.

Gave these to my wife for Christmas. They dropped dead when she pointed a .22 at them. She didn't know I kept the skins and had them mounted. Best part!! They are "allowed" to go in the great room instead of the TV/trophy room because she shot them.

Gotta love it!!

Leaving his morning with Emmy for a short deer hunt about 2 hours away and a good supper with an AR friend (and my host) tonight.

Found a tick which left a round inflamed spot! Will be taking doxcycline twice a day for 21 days.

Getting packed for my move back to the Mainland and dreaming about my next African hunt.

Trying new venison recipes. I have a freezer full of meat to experiment with. Curry is next on the list.

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Found a tick which left a round inflamed spot! Will be taking doxcycline twice a day for 21 days. Eeker

Hey Judge
Is it standard practice in the US to go straight onto the meds or were you starting to feel out of sorts.
We dont normally get onto meds until we feel like hell.

All the best to all on AR for the festive season.
My entertainment for the boring season is Jackal and Bushpig hunting.
Got to love Africa
HQ

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Who else has some good ideas to shake off the holiday dolddrums? Wink

Spend more time at work.

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Bill, I should have mentioned that I also used the holidays to start reading The Mighty Nimrod. Very interesting book. Wouldn't it be something to share a campfire with FCS and listen to tales of Lobengula, Cecil Rhodes, the Bantu, . . .

Mike

Yes it would, Mike, especially if we could get up the next morning and go hunting as he did -- without daily rates and trophy fees, and only a tracker or two to keep us from getting into trouble ...

Bill Quimby

The one thing they didn't teach me in vet school: "ain't no such thing as a holiday!"

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Originally posted by ledvm:
The one thing they didn't teach me in vet school: "ain't no such thing as a holiday!"

You ain't kidding ...

But at least we are on "this side" of the scalpel!

Got 5 books on africa,

Men for all Seasons and legendary Women - Dyer
Mzee Never Miss - Pritchard
Buffalo - Craig (already had the DVD)
African Experience - Craig
African Sunsets - Grasselli

In the process of reading the Blackbeards, so I guess I'll finish it before starting one of the above, but I have read a couple of different books at the same time - does take some concentration.

Will have Craig sign his two books next week.

Also bought a Ruger #1 in Ruger 416 and a Cooper .22 LR.

Did save some money for Dallas, got to oggle some classic big bores and book a hunt.

Well, Saturday I received my mounts (lion in charging position, 3 buffalo, etc...) and put them in my office. Sunday finished reading Harland's book on Paul Grobler and started "Killing Lincoln".

Today I'm sitting in my office looking at my mounts waiting for that Wilkes .475 No.2 to be delivered by UPS and....wait....is that the brown truck pulling up to my office door?......


Dutch

Still deer season in Texas,, My son came in for Christmas,, took him to my place and he filled out all his deer tags. We spent untill late last night butchering deer. I taught him when he was young how to butcher and we make our own sausage and summer sausage. Nothing better than fresh venison in the fridge. His future father in law gave him the "judge" rifle,, 45 long colt/410 combo so we spent some time shooting at the range as well,, plus he is a good shot, with great eyes and shooting skills. He made his old man feel good about teaching him to shoot,,enjoy and respect the outdoors,, and fully utilize the harvest and process all the venison. It is hard to get bored chasing a 27 year old over the southwest Texas landscapes,,,

quote:

Originally posted by Dutch44:
Well, Saturday I received my mounts (lion in charging position, 3 buffalo, etc...) and put them in my office. Sunday finished reading Harland's book on Paul Grobler and started "Killing Lincoln".

Today I'm sitting in my office looking at my mounts waiting for that Wilkes .475 No.2 to be delivered by UPS and....wait....is that the brown truck pulling up to my office door?......


Dutch

So Mike, what's the report on the Wilkes???