Passatempo

“Caucasus Ascent” by John F. Cedarberg IV
The rough warm coat of the fallen tur feels like the most comfortable pillow I could ever imagine. It had been a torturous week of climbing and waiting for a break in the weather, but finally my perseverance had paid off.. Full Story

“Old Scarface: A Grand Russian Bear” by Mark Hoffman in Outdoor Edge
Seemingly out of nowhere, a bear with a head the size of my grannys old washtub, stepped out of the dark shadows that had already shrouded the edge of the timber. Full Story

“Mission: Impossible” by Jon R. Sundra in Safari
At least thats what it seemed at the time – impossible, I mean. Here I was, 67 years old, chasing Mid-Asian Ibex at 13,000 feet in the Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Full Story

“Bird Hunting in Russia” by Adam Radolinsky
Hand in hand at 4:15 a.m., in the middle of the Russian forest, we make two more steps towards the sound and freeze again. Pop! but nothing follows. For some reason the bird froze as well. There is no sound for several minutes. But he is close. Full Story

Too Old For Ibex? by Jon R. Sundra in Cabelas Outfitters Journal
Is there a hunter alive who at one time or another on a physically exhausting or miserable-weather hunt hasnt asked himself: What the hell am I doing here? I never asked that question with more seriousness than on a hunt I made last October in Krygyzstan for mid-Asian ibex.
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The Russia Rifle by Jon R. Sundra
Deciding on a new rifle choosing the model, caliber, scope, mount, and so on is an exquisite agony and one of lifes great joys. Being able to specify certain aspects of a guns specs as one would with a barreled action and stock is better yet. And when its done with a specific hunt in mind, well, it just doesnt get any better than that.
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Grouse of Another Time by Chris Dorsey in Sporting Classics
A gruff Russian voice rouses me out of my slumber at 2 a.m. like some sort of knuckle dragger sent to interrogate Francis Gary Powers. I am beginning to understand what Ruark meant when he wrote that it takes time for a soul to catch up to its body after a trans-Atlantic flight, a displaced sensation that he felt upon landing in Africa on safari. When traveling half way around the planet, time, indeed, becomes a relative term.
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Kings of Blade Swings from Blade Magazine, August 2002 issue
John Fitch won the Sharp Man Contest at the 14th Annual Batson Bladesmithing Symposium with the “Hog Body.” The 10-inch blade is two pieces of 1/4-inch-thick and 1 1/2-inch-wide 1084 welded together. This knife belongs to one of Fitchs customers and is the “test rig” model with the grip unfinished for enhanced handling. Johns list price to make a similar piece is $700. If you prefer the same model but with a finished handle of fiddleback maple, his list price is $800.
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