My true outdoor stories out of Africa....

[Observe]

I want to make a bold (controversial ?) statement :

THERE IS NO SUCH A THING AS A SO CALLED COMMERCIAL SURVIVOR KNIFE !!

Off course you can survive with any knife -that is different.

Throughout history different people has survived very different survival situations with a diverse amount of knives types.

The ONE thing all of these knives have in common , is not their looks or reputation or sales pitch as being the "best" survival knife under the sun, but the fact that the survivor had it mostly EDC on his / her person when the crises situation arises...



Do you recognize this cheap EDC (survival) butcher's knife, or know about the role it played about a 100 odd years ago in one of the most epic survival stories in South Africa's history?

[kickstand]

No...please, do tell. Most of us are but poor, ignorant Americans who know little to nothing about South Africa .

[W.Lynn]

But we like pointy things!

[Observe]

http://www.thekruger.com/stories/draggedoffbyalion.htm

[Observe]

I think you are fooling around with me Thad, but will post a link.

[kickstand]

Thanks for the greast read! That was one harrowing story!! My shoulder hurts just reading about it.

[W.Lynn]

I woke this morning with my right shoulder and arm aching.

[Observe]

Sunset deep in the bushveld of limpopo...

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[Observe]

Sunset in Oman

[Observe]

Cammo while walk -and -stalk hunting

[Observe]

Sunset while camping

[Observe]

Another sunset after a long,hot hunt on foot

[Observe]

Spear hunting Blue Wildebeest..

Here are some 20 odd of my personal lessons / philosophy learned previously and over my 23 + hours spread over 3 days from my Blue Wildebeest spear-hunting attempts this year at Aloe Rock for you guys [Viktor Gideon Kuhn, Henk du Plessis]..et.al.
[There are probably a lot more,like sharpening the spear blade to a razors edge etc--hope this can be of some help to somebody.... lol ]
1] Patience and Ethics... [LOTS OF IT!!]
2] Blue Wildebeest will sometimes just rest/stand out of spear reach or ruminate in the shade/sun for hours.
3] Blue Wildebeests are in a sense a lower order animal, and just don't understand telepathy and refuse to to be lured nearer by your thoughts....[-Willing them to stand up and come nearer just doesn't work---I've tried several languages in my thoughts and even psychoanalysis and hypnosis .....lol!]

4] Check the wind constantly!
5] Patience !!
6] Though they are grazers looking down most of the time, THEY DO LOOK UP INTO THE TREE AT YOU with those strange long irises in their big brown eyes with the long eye lashes...!!
7] If you sit motionless/camouflaged , they will not recognize your shape as a danger up there.
8] Guineafowl/Baboons on the other hand WILL immediately recognize your shape as dangerous up there no matter how still or camouflaged you sit or what you do you try to avoid them, and then sound the alarm!
9]Don't EVER look any animal in the eye if you want to hunt it or try to stay undetected!
10] Your muscles became stiff sitting still for hours--micro manage them by undetected stretching/moving/keeping your throwing arm and other muscles loose----HA !
11] Muscles go to sleep from inactivity---up there IT'S A HUGE SAFETY RISK for sudden movement like throwing a spear!
12]Have peace in your own mind--you are alone the whole day with only your own dreams/ thoughts/life up there, and stress/demons in your head can ruin your hunt !
13] Have a keen mind for detail and being aware and enjoy observing each and everything happening around you [birds,ants, movement far away in the bush etc].--continuous situational awareness and keeping busy with the minimum of movement.
14] Enough water [hydration] and cover by being keenly aware and prepare for your specific environmental conditions -sun/heat or cold/clouds.
15] Your [unnoticeable ?] shadow shift during the day with the movement of the sun and a perfect spot/tree in the morning can be a problem/dead give-away later during the day!
16] Oh yeah, AND HAVE LOTS OF PATIENCE !

17] Always remember to be part of the 10% in the world and not the 90% , because it's all about the HUNT and not the KILL !
17] The emotion of FRUSTRATION must never enter your mind.
18] Spear hunting is not a type of hunt for everybody, ENJOY it while you are putting yourself through this 'unusual' experience..
19] Self-- Discipline and be in control of the whole spear-hunting situation as far as you can !!!!
20] Patience and sitting still doesn't mean going into a sleepy coma !

[W.Lynn]

For number 8, there are plenty of guinea fowl in the States. Some people complain about the noise, without thinking about the numerous substantiated alarms they raise. And they're pure hell on insects!

For number 10, I suggest a martial artist's approach, learn to tense and release muscles without a lot of movement, the more I practice, the more I can do.

[Observe]

Some 'primitive' on the spot running repairs on a finger cut out there with a piece of 'white gold' [toilet paper] and camo duct tape carried on my custom ferro rod....like with ALL your tools/kit--think multi-purpose ! ��