Surprise Encounter

[Richard S]

Aglifter:

As an old "Africa Hand," I would simply urge you to insure that you know all of the the legal requirements which the two countries impose on importing firearms for hunting.  I would also urge that you avoid taking any firearm along which you value highly.  When you're in Africa, the maxim "Travel light, travel far" acquires real meaning.

[theirishguard]

Aglifter, You also need to go to US Customs and fill out forms on all your firearms and valuables, so that you can get them back into this country.
Tom

[Aglifter]

Thank's for the advice -- I'm planning on taking a CZ sxs... I guess I'll take a 12... I really like my 410, that's what I usually use, but the 12 is easier to get ammo for/easier to replace...probably should really just take the Benelli or an 870.  I've decided to order the scandium 44 mag, since I want something light to carry in SC for black bears and feral pigs anyway, and it's light enough that I won't be tempted not to have it on me -- depending on what I think of the recoil of the 44, I may go ahead and buy the 454 alaskan as well -- Some of my thinking is that a 44 should be able to handle a lioness, black bear, or leopard, and I don't think a 454 or even a 500 would really stop a mad Cape...

[theirishguard]

Aglifter, What are you going to hunt in Africa-Zambia? Is it mainly a bird hunt? Or are you going to hunt big game/Buffalo & etc?
My suggestion for bird hunts- 12 gauge double, most countries there don't allow or like semi autos and maybe pumps. 12 gauge for the larger birds is a must.
If you are going to hunt plains game take a bolt action rifle in .300win mag or .300 wsm or maybe a .338wm.
Buff and the like a .375 H&H, will work for everything.
Again some countries there don't like hand guns. Remember you can only carry so much weight in the field and on the plane.
I would ask your PH what his suggestion is and follow his advice.
Also it is wise to keep things simple.
Tom

[Aglifter]

Just birds... We're really going over to look at trying to start a ranch over there.  If we go for something else, I'll just borrow a rifle from my buddy -- but I feel like I need to be comfortable with a shotgun and a pistol before I'm very effective w. them.

[MountainMan]

I wasn't planning on revisiting this thread I started but thought of something that may be of interest.  I was watching the movie "White Fang" this evening filmed in 1991 in Alaska and realized something that I forgot to mention.  On the first part of this thread is a picture of Trapper Jack and his cabin.  I mentioned the trouble with wolves attacking his dogs.  

Almost all of the dogs in the White Fang movie came from Trapper Jack's place.  Someone visiting him took some pictures of his dogs and published them somewhere.  The film producers where looking for the right type of dogs for the movie and saw the picture in a local paper.  I was in several areas where the filming was done.  A little piece of film history.

[Michigunner]

I'll watch it next time it's on TV.  Thanks, Dave.

Since you are in  western PA, did you ever go to Fallingwater?

I enjoyed it very much.

Bill

[MountainMan]

Been there several times Bill but not for awhile.  Nice and peaceful.  The Kaufmann family that had it built had some wild parties there in its hay day.

[Michigunner]

Dave, that would have been a real party to attend!

I knew my wife admired Frank Lloyd Wright, so one time I took her on a secret vacation (to Fallingwater).

From Michigan, we went through Ohio, northern West Virginia, and then Pennsylvania.  She had no clue.  

It was a wonderful surprise.

****  I apologize for telling this story to every single person in Pennsylvania

Bill

[R9SCarry]

[size=13]I apologize for telling this story to every single person in Pennsylvania[/size]

Bill - you are forgiven

[sslater]

Fallingwater trivia:
(I'm a PA native, but have lived my adult life in Michigan. I never visited Fallingwater until about four years ago.)

The Kaufmanns were ultra wealthy for the times.  Their single department store in Pittsburgh made a profit of something like $30 million in 1933!  The Kaufmanns owned 10 homes besides Fallingwater.  

Edgar Kaufmann married his first cousin, Liliane.

Liliane took a rifle behind Fallingwater and committed suicide there in 1952.  

Fallingwater is a beautiful place and is less than an hour's drive south of the PA Turnpike.  It's near Seven Springs Resort, a ski lodge / hotel.  The Fallingwater tour costs $12.  You can take your very own photo of the place - just like 10 million others.

[Michigunner]

Thank you, Steve.  That is most interesting!

It anyone decides to visit Fallingwater, please remember that you can take the in-depth, two-hour tour.  That's the way to go.

It's a remarkable place to see.

My only regret is I wanted to continue to York, and visit the Harley-Davidson facility, but they were closed because of model change-over.

Bill

[Calvin Cooledge]

I was born and reared in Uniontown, PA, the closest real town to Falling Water. I always brag about being from there, but I'm ashamed to admit that I've never visited the landmark. And it's only about 15 miles away from my home town. Now I live in Atlanta, so it might as well be in Timbuktu.

I do go home once a year to visit my father's grave. Perhaps I'll finally go. It is in the process of being renovated, though (Falling Water, not my fathers' grave;^) I don't know when it'll be finished. Folks, Southwestern PA is one of the great places to own and ride a Harley! And own and shoot guns...

Tim Buck II

I'll watch it next time it's on TV.  Thanks, Dave.

Since you are in  western PA, did you ever go to Fallingwater?

I enjoyed it very much.

Bill

[sslater]

Calvin C.,
We swung by Fallingwater late last April on the way to Philly for a family reunion.
The place is in pretty good shape since the structural rehab.  If you didn't know what was done, you'd never know they had lifted the floor out, etc.
Check out http://www.paconserve.org/ before your next visit to the area.  

[R9SCarry]

[size=13] Folks, Southwestern PA is one of the great places to own and ride a Harley! And own and shoot guns...[/size]

Calvin - true - very true,  tho in my case ''poor man's Harley'' - a Honda VTX!  I am lucky to have two small local ranges and a big one 40 mins drive away - where BTW Wednesday I was doing RSO duty to help out with what was in effect a company outing - shooting oriented.

I took some vid of later on when I had finished range duty and managed to play with some full auto's - ammo supplied!!!

If you or anyone wants a 2 minute bit of fun -Download this small vid I put together (5.3 Mb)

Second item in is a G18 - Glocks wonderful full auto pistol - I rather liked that - but liked the SAW too.  You'll also see an HK MP5 SP and also a 50 cal being excercized.