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  1. Ryan

    Flat skins

    Mine did. I have a black and a blue wildebeest skin on the floor, no sign of creases. If you aren't putting all out I suggest rolling extra's in a tube while they wait. That ought to take any creases out
  2. Ryan

    Safari shirt?

    Check out Duluth Trading Firehose shirts. I still have one in dark brown. Worked great. The other I had was a long sleeved Cabela's canvas shirt. It was, I think, light green, I gave it a dye job to a darker OD drab green. Perfect for all of my hunts. I see some Redhead Flex canvas shirts in...
  3. Ryan

    2024 Deer Season

    Yes, you caught me. Please butcher, package, freeze and return all the meat. You can keep the rack as a souvenir.
  4. Sitka Blacktail Deer Hunt Prince of Wales Island

    Sitka Blacktail Deer Hunt Prince of Wales Island

  5. Ryan

    .30-06 for Feral Hogs

    Barnes Vor-Tx 168 grain 30-06 ammo was my go to for my first trip to Namibia on five animals from warthog to kudu and zebra, and a couple caribou. I started handloading the same bullet for later hunts with my T/C Encore. It will take any hog out there. I honestly wouldn't hesitate to use the 150...
  6. Ryan

    You want to buy something special, you want to treat yourself, what rifle do you buy?

    I honestly have what I need plus a few I just enjoy. So for me I'd upgrade something I already own. My Ruger African M77 in 375 Ruger is a great practical rifle with a laminate stock and Leupold VX2 1-4X,which done it's job admirably. But high grade walnut stock and a Leupold VX6 1-6X would be...
  7. Ryan

    2024 Deer Season

    Filling the freezer southeast Alaska style on Prince of Wales island. Dropped him yesterday, eating tenderloin with breakfast today.
  8. Ryan

    49 years ago...

    I was a single digit midget growing up in Michigan when this came out, so I know it well. And then I worked out on the Bering sea for a few years and we actually played it on one boat during some insane weather out of respect and a bit of resignation to our situation. It was a roller coaster night.
  9. Ryan

    Do you use a 7mm STW in Africa?

    If I owned one I wouldn't hesitate after researching it due to my coworker using one for everything in Alaska. If reloading, The 150 gr Barnes TTSX or 168 gr LRX would drop any plains game with authority.
  10. Ryan

    How well seasoned are you?

    I booked my first At 40, went on the first one at 42 and the last of four at 49. It helped I am single. The next will be a few years down the line. I have other ideas for hunts and some life goals needing that kinda money.
  11. Ryan

    View out the window- Post your pics

    Good mornng from the east side of Anchorage
  12. Ryan

    Is the Gemsbok coming back to Limpopo?

    There's plenty of other great places to hunt a wide range of species. If you have another hunt in the future in mind think Namibia or somewhere else in South Africa. I know my outfitter in the East Cape (KMG safaris) had access to them and plenty of other species for a reasonable price. And my...
  13. Ryan

    Has anyone actually lost ammo?

    Four trips to southern Africa and everything showed up there fine be it luggage, bow cases, and rifle cases. Last trip my rifle case was delayed coming back by a day. It got to LA fine, but Delta oofed up getting it on my plane to Alaska. Also plenty of trips to and from the lower 48 from...
  14. Ryan

    Plains Game Ammo

    The shot is the same and so is the bullet to me. The heart is straight up the leg and just above the joint in both the eland you pictured and an elk or most any other game animal. Thus the best shot is the same in my book. Straight up the leg 1/3 up from the bottom is a good rule of thumb to put...
  15. Ryan

    Plains Game Ammo

    The OP is asking about ammo. Gents, whadya say we don't take this on a tangent about shot placement. The best answer there is African animals have a more compact vital area than North American animals, with less margin for error. For most species regardless of continent the heart is still in...
  16. Ryan

    Plains Game Ammo

    Interesting, but Barnes actually states on their website the 165's ogive is meant for the 300 WM and the 168 is more for the 308 and 30-06. I suggest the 165 more for preliminary testing since they have it in boxes ammo. Does it shoot well? If so, then handload and fine tune between it and the...
  17. Ryan

    Plains Game Ammo

    And now that I think about it. Before dropping down to the 150 grain, try 165 grain Vor-TX ammo in your 300 WM. The 168 grain is a go-to for plains game in 30-06. So the 165 in the 300 WM ought to deliver just as well. And I agree with someone earlier, clean the heck out of the barrel before...
  18. Ryan

    Plains Game Ammo

    While I have had great success with the 168 grain TTSX in my 30-06 for plains game, I wouldn't hesitate to use the 180 grain Scirocco 2 if it was more accurate out of my 30-06 or 300 WM. They're bonded and have a great reputation for weight retention. Heck, my eland was taken with a rental 300...
  19. Ryan

    30-06 Rifle for Plains Game - How Big?

    Barnes TTSX 168 Grain on 8 animals in Namibia on two trips. Smallest was a springbok, largest was 2 kudu and a zebra. One shot each and nothing went more than a couple feet. I was prepared and confident in using that load for eland with the right shot, it just never happened on those two trips...
  20. Ryan

    Giraffe caliber?

    I used my Ruger M77 African in 375 Ruger with 270 grain Barnes TSX to drop mine. Base of the spine closer to the shoulders as suggested by my PH, instead of up top. One shot, dropped, very little noticable damage. Honestly with that shot, my 30-06 would have done the job. So, use the 375 Ruger...
  21. Ryan

    Anyone interested in my Kuzey .22cal airrifle

    Read the requirements of Classifieds, which is where this should be. Be more transparent and complete your profile. Where are you and the rifle? How do you want to transact payment?
  22. Dung Beetle Road Warning Sign

    Dung Beetle Road Warning Sign

    Addo National Park South Africa
  23. Ryan

    Road sign in Africa

    Addo National Park, don't run over the dung beetles. Thank you.
  24. Ryan

    SPAM

    One of the great episodes of MASH Radar ships a real lamb out as "Private Charles Lamb" . And they replace it with the SPAM Lamb
  25. Ryan

    SPAM

    I'm going to guess that my beloved state of Alaska has such an attachment and history of SPAM consumption due to both it's non perishable nature and the large military presence in the state. As the OP mentions, you can keep it on the shelf in any temperature, which sums up so many cabins and...
  26. Ryan

    The normal first timer questions

    I'm going to contradict a few folks. For the most part my clothing is not specialized . Since I realize I'm going to wear these clothes back in my normal life I go with normal clothing manufacturers. My shorts came from Duluth Trading and Rothco BDU shorts. My T-shirts were from Duluth Trading...
  27. Ryan

    The normal first timer questions

    Clothes are your own preference. I grew up in Arizona, used to avoiding or ignoring thorns, so yes on that. I will add go with darker colors than you often think. Avoid khaki, it's too light. Think OD green, mud brown, dark gray, etc. this includes your hat. You don't want a light colored head...
  28. Ryan

    Going it alone.....

    You Only Live Once
  29. Ryan

    Going it alone.....

    I have a friend who I have hunted with a few times and fished with plenty including only one group charter. His philosophy is the chances he will be frustrated on a trip increase exponentially by the number of people in the group. I've tried doing a few group fishing trips including one with...
  30. Ryan

    What did you reload today?

    Hmm, would a longer barrel advantage of the slower powder? T/C made my barrel in 28" for the Pro Hunter I have.
  31. Ryan

    What did you reload today?

    Bob, I gained a 25-06 barrel for my second Encore. I happened across H4831 SC and will be testing that out first. But damned if I didn't already have H4350 around. I'll try this out too, for my 300 WM. Thanks
  32. Ryan

    What did you reload today?

    Finally got my new T/C Encore barrel from EABCO. So I loaded up some 150 grain Barnes TTSX to break it in and see if this load is as accurate in this rifle as my Ruger#1. Adjust as necessary since this rifle will head to Prince Of Wales island for blacktail deer in November.
  33. Ryan

    Taxidermy Question

    Dern it, I was typing and half my post loaded. So let me continue. Local US shops are usually run by one person, maybe two or three, but mostly one. But all dealing with one or two animals per client. That allows for close attention to detail, if they are good. My local guy is great, but I...
  34. Ryan

    Taxidermy Question

    The short answer is, or perhaps was whe I did it between 2013 and 2021 when I did four trips, it's cheaper and faster to have it done over there (in Africa) for both the work and the shipping. yes, the shipping was more for completed heads, but the cost of the work was cheaper and overall ended...
  35. Ryan

    Input on your .375 Ruger rifles and loads, please

    I own a Left=handed Ruger M77 African in it that I purchased in 2011 barely used on Gunbroker (Interesting story of how little it was previously used, another time). Not exactly sure of the price anymore but it was under a grand with a low end scope I took off of it. I improved it with a...
  36. Ryan

    Namibia revokes visa free entry to 31 countries

    You haven't looked at our non resident license fees lately have you. I suggest your put your coffee down first. And then the cost of fly outs. Oh boy, it's almost doubled in a few years.
  37. Ryan

    Birds to hunt in Limpopo

    My last trip was in the Limpopo. One morning going up a track into a wooded ridge we spotted some crested guinea fowl for a fleeting moment running across an opening. I immediately noticed they were not the far more common helmeted guineas I saw by the bushel in Namibia around waterholes. My PH...
  38. Ryan

    How many species should I hunt?

    With what you have initially you will probably have to travel to different areas. So find out what is in each area and go from there. Right now, the number is three, interest and time in the area will tell you more as you go along.
  39. Ryan

    Collapse Coming?

    If you can't take the downs with the ups get out of the stock market. My retirement fund is an S&P index fund. I hope for 10% increase over an entire calendar year, and it was nearly 20% a couple weeks ago. That's phenomenal but not normal. So now it's cooled down a bit. It's still 9.3% for the...
  40. Ryan

    If you’ve gifted knives to your trackers/skinners…

    My skinners in Namibia had a small collection of random pocket knives and a few basic Victorinox paring/kitchen (AKA Vicky") knives. They used the Vickys the most. They kept them all sharp on whetstone similar to a Norton India I have. The skinner I had in the East Cape had several similar to...
  41. Ryan

    30-06 165 grn TTSX fast enough

    We're at the splitting hair stage these threads, but what the hey, let's keep going. I'm with @Ontario Hunter, a 165 or 168 will cause "bang flop" results. I witnessed it using 168s with my own two kudu, a gemsbok, a red hartebeest and a zebra on the bigger side of plains game. All the animals...
  42. Ryan

    Planning My first African plains game hunt

    Kudu is probably on everyone's first safari list, with good reason. To me a zebra is so iconic I jad to asd it to my first safari. So many other choices it's tough to say. Personally I really appreciated red hartebeest more than I expected on my first hunt. A very distinct animal.
  43. Ryan

    Planning My first African plains game hunt

    In the beginning.... I'm sure everyone will throw something in. Sounds like you're after the basic first time plains game hunt I'd guess the majority of us do. Mine was to Namibia, 5 species that turned into 7. Smallest was warthog, largest aside from the less than normal giraffe was kudu. I...
  44. Ryan

    African Black Buck

    Amazing how many folks don't realize there are antelope in other continents aside from Africa. The eland is a truly impressive screw up. And along these lines I noticed there is a Lord Derby eland labeled common eland in the Cabela's in Dundee Michigan. I'm guessing it's been like that for the...
  45. Ryan

    Springer Spaniel Puppies

    Just a heads up if anyone in the US wants one of these pups. The US CDC has changed their requirements starting the end of this month. https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/rabies-free-low-risk-countries.html Long story short, after 1 August they'll need to be six months old, microchipped and...
  46. Ryan

    Rare/expensive plains game species

    Lesser kudu. Far less common, and none too cheap to hunt.
  47. Ryan

    What broadheads is everyone bringing to Africa this year?

    Were I to pack my bags right now Slicktrick Magnums would always be there. Dropped my blue wildebeest on my first hunt, and they are tough as nails. Then on my last hunt passed through on a blesbok like it wasn't there. Worked wonders on a nyala too. They are tried and true, the 30-06 of...
  48. Ryan

    Betram Brass Options - Feedback Requested

    Another vote for 375 Ruger.
  49. Ryan

    Which scope

    I have an old VX2 in 1-4 on my 375 Ruger I used for buffalo and a few plains game. No frills, but worked great. I'm guessing the latest Freedom 1.5-4 is the essentially the same scope with a new name. The only thing I'd like a bit more is an illuminated dot reticle to stick out a bit more on a...
  50. Ryan

    Fishing Addiction Group

    A little hiking and fishing therapy today on the Kenai peninsula. A few nice grayling in the 14-16" range. Love the colors on their dorsal fin.
 
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