daverichey March 10th, 2008

TITLE: Aagaard’s African Adventures
AUTHOR: AAGAARD, FINN & BERIT
PUBLISHER: Safari Press

CONTACT:

Safari Press
15621 Chemical Lane
Building B
Huntington Beach, CA
92649-1506

WEBSITE: safaripress.com
COST: $70.00 + postage (Safari Press books are sold only by the company, and are not avalable in bookstores)

Finn Aagaard (1932-2000) was one of the exceptional African hunters who possessed an ability to put words down on paper, and arrange them in pleasing fashion that made others want to read their story. Aagaard did quite a bit of magazine writing on hunting African big game as well, and when he wrote, hunters paid attention.

He was a highly respected professional hunter in Kenya from 1967-1977, and went through the Mau Mau uprising made so infamous by Robert Ruark’s “Something of Value” and “Uhuru.” Finn hunted steadily until Kenya halted all hunting, and he moved to the United States where he became a Texas hunting guide.

This book is richly illustrated with photos of Finn on hunts, both he and Berit at home and on safaris, and he loved hunting Cape buffalo and elephant, and leopard and greater Kudu are covered in accurate detail.

One of the finest chapter for the Africa hunter is on cartridges and rifles for African hunting. Unlike many Dark Continent writers, Aagaard discounted the America theory that heavier than normal firearms are needed for African game. He writes that,

“what works on deer, elk, caribou, pronghorn, moose, and bears in America will do equally well under like conditions on similar-size game in Africa.”

This wonderful new book by one of America’s finest firearm writers. It captures its place in the history of hunting African game in wonderful fashion. As always, Safari Press titles are the finest titles in the limited edition field. This book is signed by Berit Aagaard, and it is a numbered copy of 1,000 in a slipcase. It’s a dandy!

Tags: "big game", "Finn Aagaard", "safari press", "scoops books", aagaard, africa, excitement, hunting, kenya, outdoors

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daverichey March 7th, 2008

TITLE: HUNTING THE FIRST STATE
AUTHOR: Steven M. Kendus
PUBLISHER: by Author

CONTACT:

Steven M. Kendus
1205 Glenside Avenue
Wilmington, DE 19803

eMAIL: skendus@comcast.net
WEBSITE: huntingthefirststate.com
COST: $19.95 + postage

OK, so what does a new paperback book on Delaware have to do with hunting in Michigan? Good question.

Many of the same species of wild birds and animals that are found in the author’s home state also are found here. The methods that work there should work here.

One thing I always look for is a new wrinkle. A new hunting trick, and going through this book is bound to provide you with some ideas. No one knows whether anything new will work until it has been thoroughly tested.

That’s the way hunting is. Too many sportsmen fall into lock-step with everyone else, and soon everyone is hunting the same way, using the same methods day after day without changing. I hope no one is naïve enough to believe that wildlife don’t get accustomed to hunter locations and their hunting methods.

Watch geese on a state or federal refuge. You’d think they were wearing waterproof watches on their skinny lower legs. They know when hunting hours stop and start, and if they decide to leave early, they rise and tightly circle over the refuge until they get high enough to avoid the firepower of nearby hunters.

So, my idea for reviewing this book is to look for new ideas. Any new trick that works somewhere else will probably pay off here. And that’s why I recommend this book. Read and learn. It’s the newest concept for sportsmen.

Tags: "first state", "scoops books", "self-publishing", "steven m. kendus", delaware, hunting, ideas, outdoors

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