Feb 5thEDC

At work, I have to go through security on occasion, so I don’t literally carry any knives daily (save for my swiss army knife on my keyring).  If I did, it would be one of these:

Sanrenmu LB-763

I think I heard about this knife on a blade forum a while back.  Not sure how I even came across that.  Its got a bottle opener and has been very durable.  The best part about this knife though, is that its practically disposable despite being just about as good as knives 10 times the price.  I use this knife when tubing (because I need a knife for the cordage that keeps me tethered to the beer cooler).  I use it when I travel (because its replaceable if lost, stolen, or traded).  I’ve used it camping, hunting, tailgating, and just to open amazon boxes around the house.  It even has a bottle opener built in.  I highly recommend it.  For more details, go here, but know that I’ve only ordered them though ebay.  There are also tons of youtube reviews of the LB-763 out there.  I tried to find a pic of one of mine, but all I could find is another sanrenmu I’ve been carrying:

If you want something a little nicer, I recommend a Benchmade Griptilian.  I’ve owned the mini and the original (models 556 and 551 respectively).  I gave the original to my sister after an incident in Africa.  We were in Kenya, on Lake Naivasha in a thin little canoe shaped boat, with a guide at the rear working a small propeller.  We were watching some hippos (the animal responsible for more human deaths than any other large African animal), when our guide ran us though a submerged fishing net, tangling the propeller and leaving us floating towards the increasingly perturbed hippos.  I was in the front of the boat, but I threw my griptilian to my sister in the stern, who put half her body underwater to cut out the net.  The hippos submerged, the guide banged on the side of the boat like crazy (he didn’t speak english, but we later found out it was to try to scare the hippos away), and we were waiting to be capsized and chomped.  My sister freed the propeller, and we sped away, perhaps, just in the nick of time.   I’d recommend either I’ve owned.  Ultra high quality, lifetime sharpening, and American made.

If you don’t know which blade to pick, I’d go with drop point over tanto.  The half serrated gives you a bit more functionality, but its harder to sharpen yourself.  Google those points to make a more informed decision.

Jan 26thThe Browning Maxus, and learning to hunt Part II

I forgot to mention, on that first upland outing, I got to hunt with a celebrity:

Badger has pointed birds for me several times now.  I think thats him on the left.

Jan 26thThe Browning Maxus, and learning to hunt

I grew up around guns, but I did not grow up hunting.  Both my parents shoot guns, but neither hunt.  My dad did some hunting when he was younger, and I may get him to take it up again, but he never took me.  My papaw and an uncle of mine took me shooting almost every time I visited them, but outside of taking a few shots at squirrels in trees with an iron sighted 22 before I knew what I was doing, I didn’t do any real hunting.

In college, a lot of my fraternity brothers hunted, and I felt left out.  After I graduated, I decided to do something about it.  I’ll admit, going from a twice a year shooter to a hunter is no easy task, but its certainly possible.  The first thing I did was head to the internet for some research.  I decided to start with the shotgun.  I knew I liked shooting shotguns, and thought duck and upland hunting would be eventual goals of mine.  I started researching the best all around shotgun, so I could keep my options open as I learned more.  I’d shot the Remington 870 with my relatives, and at Goshen Scout Camp, where I got shotgun merit badge.  If you’re on a budget, its my opinion that you should look no further (I own one now, and will probably end up with a few more before all’s said and done).  That said, I read a lot about clay and skeet shooters saying that having to operate a pump is difficult, particularly for a novice, and that an auto or over/under is preferable.  I though I’d do at least as much sport shooting as hunting (I shoot clays pretty often now, and I’ve competed in tournaments twice) so I wanted a scattergat that could do it all.  After much research, I decided on the Browning Maxus as an all around shotgun.  Mine is the hunter model, 3.5 inch chamber, 28 inch barrel.  I picked the maxus because of all the positive reviews, but I’d say it was luck as much as anything else.  I’ve been quite happy with mine, and a buddy of mine got a similar one and likes his as well.  I’ll let an expert tell you more about it if you’re so inclined:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/browning_maxus_hunter.htm

Buying a firearm for the first time is a bit daunting, but it is not particularly difficult.  The following link describes a purchase from a gun store, but it is quite similar to purchasing from a gun show, or private FFL:

http://www.wikihow.com/Buy-a-Firearm-in-Virginia

I’ve purchased from a store (in the case of the Browning Maxus), a gun show, a private FFL, and via private sale.  As a first time buyer, I found it easiest to purchase from a store.  They helped walk me through the process, and answered all my questions.

As I mentioned before, I had some experience with firearms prior to buying my first gun.  Even so, I took an exam at the NRA range in Fairfax, which goes over the basic tenants of firearm safety.  I also took a learn to shoot class at Bull Run Shooting Center.  I found this to be particularly helpful.  The folks over at Bull Run Shooting Center are very friendly and helpful, and are happy to help novices in my experience.

After getting aquatinted with shooting again, and learning about my new shotgun, I took a lesson.  To find an instructor, I just called Bull Run Shooting Center, and they gave me a phone number to call.  I explained my goal to my instructor.  I wanted to hunt doves and/or quail the following year.  He taught me the fundamentals, and after maybe three one to two hour lessons, said he thought I’d be able to take some birds.

My next step was signing up for a Virginia Hunter Education class.  It looks like you can do the whole class online now.  I took the self study and learned in an actual classroom, which I found helpful, but I do admit that it was inconvenient to find an open class close to home.

With my own shotgun, safety knowledge, the fundamentals from my lessons, and my VA Hunter Education Certificate and License (they’ll teach you what you need and how to get it in the class), I was ready for my first hunt.

By searching online, I found a place that offers preserve (wild upland birds are hard to find in this area these days) quail, pheasant, and chukar hunting.  I explained that I (and the other members of my party, fraternity brothers I convinced to join my quest to become a hunter) was a first time hunter.  They said that would be no problem, and that they’d be happy to show us the ropes.  We had a successful hunt, a great meal, and an amazing and unforgettable time on our first hunt.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/pauls-bacon-wrapped-grilled-quail-with-bourbon-pepper-jelly-glaze-recipe.html

Stay tuned…  I’ll write up my first successful squirrel hunt (rifle hunting), and first dove hunt soon.