Hello from Kalifornia
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 10:43 am
Hello all! This site evokes fond memories of my childhood, especially all the fishing photographs of the kids as well as their air guns. A quick intro on myself, live in San Fran since moving from India 17 years back. Avid fisherman, hunter and as a result have the guns, ammo, fishing rods, tackle, knives and four wheel / camping equipment. Interests in the outdoors were a result of having uncles that were shikaris and my Dad who was in the army. Working in the tea estates near game reserves in Mysore and in Suranalli in south India insured an abiding love for the animals that I hope still roam those hills, elephants, gaur, cheetal, sambar, wild boar, jungle fowl. The guns we used for target practice included a Diane model 36, an IOF 12 bore – believe my Dad told me it was actually made in Czechoslovakia. Dealt with all the licensing issues and restrictions including the 50 cartridge restriction.
Moved to the US and it was another world. No restrictions, back in those days, Pre Pelosi, you could purchase and take away the firearm the same day. Even now it is hugely different from India. My gun collection is sizeable and includes, Anshultz, Brno’s, CZ’s, Browning, Whitworth, Mausers, Springfield and a sundry of others. Handguns include Glocks, CZ 75, Sauer, Springfield and Browning. Shotguns include Sauer, Baikal and a couple of Birmingham boxlocks and a drilling. Calibers I prefer are traditional so I do not have any of the new short magnums or wildcats, for Rifles start at 22 RF thru 458 Winchester (6.5 x 55 Swede, 7x57, 8 mm Mauser, 30.06, 7MM Remington Mag, 300 Winchester Mag, 375 H&H ), for pistols from 22 to 10 MM & 45 ACP. All shotguns are 12 gauge and the drilling is 12 / 7x57 R.
Not all rifles are scoped; the heaver calibers have express sights. Scopes include Leopold, Tasco, Burris, Springfield, Redfield and Ziess. Binocs are both roof and porro prism and include Tasco, Nikon and Ziess. Favorite hunting gun is a Brno 601 in 30.06 with a Leopold scope. This rifle has fired a few thousand rounds as I use at least 250 – 300 rounds of surplus 30.06 per session at the range. Of the bench and standing. Ammunition of choice is PMC 180 grain with Barnes X Copper bullet.
Fishing rods are mostly Shakespeare Ugly Stiks, a few Shimano’s and a couple of GR Loomis. Reels are a variety of Penn, Shimanos and others
Transportation is 4 Toyota 4x4’s. One Sequoia, two FJ 80 Landcruisers and my only for hunting & fishing rig a FJ 60 Landcruiser that is heavily modified using mainly Australian parts. My wife calls it her “sauten” it has a freezer, a CB Radio, an ARB Bull Bar with a 10,000 pond winch, a safe that is pry proof, a recharging system for a torch, an Australian Snorkel, gun racks, fishing racks, two tents, one that converts the SUV to a camper, food, cooking fuel, stoves, sleeping backs, first aid and game hoisting equipment, four rods, and a tackle box. It is raised and has a roof rack with attached containers and a Helton shower attachment that heats stream water by running it thru a heat exchanger that allows you to adjust the heat and the output is through the portable shower head.
Knives are Bokers, Benchmade, Al Mars, Remington, Camillus and a few custom knives.
Game we hunt for is mainly wild pig, turkey, coyotes, and deer. Belong to a hunting club that has access to over 200, 000 acres of private land including duck, pheasant and rivers to fish in. Fishing is mostly done in San Fran Bay via charter or party boats for Halibut, Rock Cod, Striped Bass and the massive Sturgeon. Off Golden Gate bridge and into the ocean for Salmon and Leopard Shark. Inland it is mainly for Trout, Bass, Blue Gill and Catfish.
Undoubtedly a blessed existent, do still miss the days of catapults, air guns, my Enfield Bullet and the memories like the mock charge of a female elephant in Bandhipur game sanctuary or the leopard in Nagarhole or dropping the bag containing our liquor and beer stash when we stopped to enjoy that ultimate freedom, an air cooled wizz and seeing a Gaur watching us with a great deal of interest from 25 yards. Fishing in Gobind Sagar for Mahasher, catching fish in Hyderabad lakes and in the river in Kamtptee and going to sleep in an army tent near the Jhalum near Uri and fishing for Trout, leeches and all in Munnar.
Moved to the US and it was another world. No restrictions, back in those days, Pre Pelosi, you could purchase and take away the firearm the same day. Even now it is hugely different from India. My gun collection is sizeable and includes, Anshultz, Brno’s, CZ’s, Browning, Whitworth, Mausers, Springfield and a sundry of others. Handguns include Glocks, CZ 75, Sauer, Springfield and Browning. Shotguns include Sauer, Baikal and a couple of Birmingham boxlocks and a drilling. Calibers I prefer are traditional so I do not have any of the new short magnums or wildcats, for Rifles start at 22 RF thru 458 Winchester (6.5 x 55 Swede, 7x57, 8 mm Mauser, 30.06, 7MM Remington Mag, 300 Winchester Mag, 375 H&H ), for pistols from 22 to 10 MM & 45 ACP. All shotguns are 12 gauge and the drilling is 12 / 7x57 R.
Not all rifles are scoped; the heaver calibers have express sights. Scopes include Leopold, Tasco, Burris, Springfield, Redfield and Ziess. Binocs are both roof and porro prism and include Tasco, Nikon and Ziess. Favorite hunting gun is a Brno 601 in 30.06 with a Leopold scope. This rifle has fired a few thousand rounds as I use at least 250 – 300 rounds of surplus 30.06 per session at the range. Of the bench and standing. Ammunition of choice is PMC 180 grain with Barnes X Copper bullet.
Fishing rods are mostly Shakespeare Ugly Stiks, a few Shimano’s and a couple of GR Loomis. Reels are a variety of Penn, Shimanos and others
Transportation is 4 Toyota 4x4’s. One Sequoia, two FJ 80 Landcruisers and my only for hunting & fishing rig a FJ 60 Landcruiser that is heavily modified using mainly Australian parts. My wife calls it her “sauten” it has a freezer, a CB Radio, an ARB Bull Bar with a 10,000 pond winch, a safe that is pry proof, a recharging system for a torch, an Australian Snorkel, gun racks, fishing racks, two tents, one that converts the SUV to a camper, food, cooking fuel, stoves, sleeping backs, first aid and game hoisting equipment, four rods, and a tackle box. It is raised and has a roof rack with attached containers and a Helton shower attachment that heats stream water by running it thru a heat exchanger that allows you to adjust the heat and the output is through the portable shower head.
Knives are Bokers, Benchmade, Al Mars, Remington, Camillus and a few custom knives.
Game we hunt for is mainly wild pig, turkey, coyotes, and deer. Belong to a hunting club that has access to over 200, 000 acres of private land including duck, pheasant and rivers to fish in. Fishing is mostly done in San Fran Bay via charter or party boats for Halibut, Rock Cod, Striped Bass and the massive Sturgeon. Off Golden Gate bridge and into the ocean for Salmon and Leopard Shark. Inland it is mainly for Trout, Bass, Blue Gill and Catfish.
Undoubtedly a blessed existent, do still miss the days of catapults, air guns, my Enfield Bullet and the memories like the mock charge of a female elephant in Bandhipur game sanctuary or the leopard in Nagarhole or dropping the bag containing our liquor and beer stash when we stopped to enjoy that ultimate freedom, an air cooled wizz and seeing a Gaur watching us with a great deal of interest from 25 yards. Fishing in Gobind Sagar for Mahasher, catching fish in Hyderabad lakes and in the river in Kamtptee and going to sleep in an army tent near the Jhalum near Uri and fishing for Trout, leeches and all in Munnar.
