On a recent family trip to Europe we had a stop over in Dubai to catch our breath. My womenfolk wanted to do a desert sandhill drive and night time desert camp visit so I shelled out some hard earned folding and away we went.

It was a classic tourist trap but I did get to meet one seller of 'predatory bird holding'.



This particular bird was very tame and I doubt could have put a scratch in wet paint. I did manage to get the handler to come out of tourist mode for a while and have a chat. I knew falconry was big in the U.A.E. but the prices they pay for a good hunting bird are astronomical. More than for a good racing horse or exotic European car. Being one of the oldest forms of hunting it would be a fascinating sport to actually participate in.

As I have recently enjoyed culling feral camels in the outback of Oz so I couldn't help but demonstrate a high shoulder shot placement in the Dubai mall.



It was on to the UK to meet up with good mate Ghubert who came camel shooting with us last August and who had kindly organised some reciprocal hunting. Roe Buck stalking. After a five mile hunt, success was had with a two year old buck still in the velvet with a borrowed .30-06 Blaser R8 and 150 X-Bullets. Entry hole shown.



We later met up with Boghossian (another camel hunter from last August) and with a 3am finish celebrated my success.

A visit to the H&H showroom was included. This was a H&H .375 with a hot blacked barrel selling off the shelf for UK18,000 pounds. There must be a lot of wealthy Arab, Russian and US buyers happy to pay that for a name on a barrel. I thought a rust blue would have been included.



A week in Rome and a week on the Amalfi coast rounded off a great trip.

The girls enjoying the view at the start of the Amalfi Coast. (post shopping in another tourist trap, Sorrento Italy).

Nice photos. Nothing like mixing a little hunting with a vacation

Good one mate!

Good one John.

A somewhat different background to when you were last looking at correct shot placement on a camel.

Nice pics John. lookas like the women folk enjoyed themselves for some of the trip Wonder how many others have discussed shot placement on that camel:-)