• Hey All! Lately there has been more and more scammers on the forum board. They register and replies to members requests for guns and/or parts or other things. The reply contains a gmail or hotmail address or similar ”anonymous” email addresses which they want you to reply to. DO NOT ANSWER ANY STRANGE MESSAGES! They often state something like this: ”Hello! Saw your post about purchasing a stock for a Safari. KnuckleheadBob has one. Email him at: [email protected]” If you receive any strange messages: Check the status of whoever message you. If they have no posts and signed up the same day or very recently, stay away. Same goes for other members they might refer to. Check them too and if they are long standing members, PM them and ask if the message is legit. Most likely it’s not. Then use the report function in each message or post so I can kick them out! Beware of anything that might seem fishy! And again, for all of you who registered your personal name as username, please contact me so I can change it to a more anonymous username. You’d be surprised of how much one can find out about a person from just a username on a forum such ad our! All the best! And be safe! Jim

Sako Rifles Afield (as intended)

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

Wow, that was a close call. Glad everybody is OK and the house didn't get hit. Pula! (That's the national motto of Botswana; it means something like "Pray for rain" in Setswana.)
Thanks! I think there were seven structures lost and the fire covered a total of a little over 1200 acres. Two close neighbors lost houses, and two other neighbors lost outbuildings and had smoke damage but the fire fighters were able to save their homes (they've got some pretty harsh smoke damage, however). I lost about 2000 feet of fence which had cedar posts, but it was old and greatly in need of replacement, anyway, so not crying any tears over that. The fences with all-steel construction were fine.

I did have JUST ONE LEG burn off of a deer blind somehow. But I just jacked it up with a tractor jack and scabbed on another 2x6 in its place. Before fixing it I told my son that "It might be a plumb bob or two off of center, but you won't notice it after you get inside":D

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You stonecreek were blessed, When the fire investigator showed up unannounced to check out my home and shop fire 10 years ago; he said so many times when he arrives the family is planning funerals. Glad you are still with us. Wayne
 
Spaher, You never cease to amaze me. All of this; and yet you are a bridge designer and builder too. I see that you have plenty of help also. We are having a hard time finding workers. Kudos, Wayne
 
Very fortunate Stonecreek as fire spares little. Rain in the forecast soon for you.
Yes, our fingers are crossed for a little rain.

Our fire problem is compounded by hot and dry weather, but the real underlying problem is, ironically, too little fire. In this part of the world (along with the rest of the Great Plains and much of the Mountain West) fire was a part of the ecosystem. Fires would start periodically from causes like lightening (or sometimes started by the aboriginal people) and burn off the small brush and undergrowth. There wasn't enough tinder to damage the mature trees -- in fact, the fire "trimmed" the lower limbs and made them into trees instead just bushes. But as civilized man suppresses all fires the load of combustible undergrowth builds to the point that devastating fires can occur.

My property suffered very little permanent damage because I have worked pretty hard to control the brush and invasive bushes like juniper. Dry grass burned off swiftly, but mostly was not hot enough to kill any of the Live Oaks -- but it did clear out much of the undesirables like small regrowth juniper sprouts and other noxiuos species. The pasture will recover quickly if it ever rains again!

There's nothing better for native pasture than periodic controlled burning. The problem is that most people don't understand it, and, like the tragic fires in Northern New Mexico this year, even "controlled burns" can be subject to miscalculation and turn into devastating wildfires.

But in the coming weeks and months I'll assure you that I'll be increasing the fire perimeter around my house by clearing more junipers and through regular mowing to keep the grass short and less subject to wildfire!
 
Yes, our fingers are crossed for a little rain.

Our fire problem is compounded by hot and dry weather, but the real underlying problem is, ironically, too little fire. In this part of the world (along with the rest of the Great Plains and much of the Mountain West) fire was a part of the ecosystem. Fires would start periodically from causes like lightening (or sometimes started by the aboriginal people) and burn off the small brush and undergrowth. There wasn't enough tinder to damage the mature trees -- in fact, the fire "trimmed" the lower limbs and made them into trees instead just bushes. But as civilized man suppresses all fires the load of combustible undergrowth builds to the point that devastating fires can occur.

My property suffered very little permanent damage because I have worked pretty hard to control the brush and invasive bushes like juniper. Dry grass burned off swiftly, but mostly was not hot enough to kill any of the Live Oaks -- but it did clear out much of the undesirables like small regrowth juniper sprouts and other noxiuos species. The pasture will recover quickly if it ever rains again!

There's nothing better for native pasture than periodic controlled burning. The problem is that most people don't understand it, and, like the tragic fires in Northern New Mexico this year, even "controlled burns" can be subject to miscalculation and turn into devastating wildfires.

But in the coming weeks and months I'll assure you that I'll be increasing the fire perimeter around my house by clearing more junipers and through regular mowing to keep the grass short and less subject to wildfire!
One of the great things about this group is that we have people like Stonecreek and Spaher who understand ecosystems and know how to take care of the land. Right on, brethren! God loves those who love and care for what he has created.
 
Hi Stonecreek,
Sorry to hear of your near disaster, Happy you & your family are safe.
Natural disasters are never predictable, hope there is some good to come after an experience like that. All the best B/T
 
Mr. Spaher,
is there a good market for your Longhorn cattle? We had a few in some rural GA farms around Collins GA as a curiosity. Also, on our tree farm we were made to burn the understory 3 times during the 15 year CRP program @ 2-3 year intervals. The last burn went great until the wind got up the following night and wood embers blew across the barrier plowed field & set fire to our neighbors grass. Result was me having smoke inhaled & ill for 2 months.
Sorry to prolong the off subject post/ end. B/T
 
Returned a couple of days ago from our annual hunt in Southern Colorado. I had a bear tag but didn't come across any bruins; my son had a muzzleloader buck deer tag but found only smooth-headed deer; however, friend Bill had a cow elk tag and filled it within just a couple of hours of getting to our hunting destination.

The rifle is his Sako .300 H&H which I found for him. He has recently moved into a new house and couldn't find his .300 H&H ammunition amongst the packing boxes. So I invited him to try some of my handloads which shot perfectly in his rifle. The 180 grain Accubond was traveling about 2960 fps and took the cow in the shoulder at around 150 yards. It was one of those deals where the cow circled around for a few seconds trying to deny that it was dead on its feet, so Bill sent another into the thorax (I would have done the same thing). The elk was kind enough to fall where we could back right up to it and winch it onto the bed of my Kawasaki Mule.

Great hunt, great friends, and great guns!

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AV bringing home the bacon ( ahh Venison! )
Carting out a young eater from a gully in some farm fringe country, second one this year......
Young Nobby Sambar taken with the Sako AV in .30/06 using old Winchester 180 gn. Silver Tip bullets.
Jay
 

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About that time to snug up action bolts & get Sako’s sighted in. This season a larger variety of calibers to exercise are in order as just received 155 Buck, 155 Doe & 87 Javelina tags, but waiting on Alligator permit(s). Scouting starting as heat might subside & turns into a predator hunt if a coyote shows. Exciting period of each year with anticipated prospects of good hunts & well placed shots.
Cheers…
 
Beautiful buck Mr. Spaher!
As reported on another post my season ended @ 7: 10 opening day at our farm. I had to wait until It was light enough to make sure it was a mature deer. Ahh what a surprise! 10 point buck, 190 lbs. est.@ 5-1/2 6-1/2 years old. Jaw @ taxidermists. I never looked at his antlers, just the body size.
Hight shoulder shot with my lefty 25/06 @ 91 yards. dropped in his tracks, no tracking needed!! Not bad for an 84 year old man!!Blessings from above B/T
 

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Thanks icebear,
Pressure is off now I can relax and enjoy the view. Cannot eat more than one deer/ year. My wife hides the meat behind the potatoes in the stew I make & we all enjoy her tactics at the dinner table. In Georgia we are allowed 2 bucks & 10 deer, hope gunner 620 will come when he makes his trip to VA to hunt his old hunting grounds. He is most welcome! B/T
 
Outstanding deer! Outstanding Sako! Outstanding shot! Congratulations to Spaher on all! And the same goes to Bucktote.
 
Thank you Mr. stone creek.
Reflecting on 17 years of game management on our farm, I have killed 4 bucks, one doe, 2 Turkeys & 4 Coyotes. My sons, nieces, nephews, friends and, grand kids have taken many more. You might say I am a bit selective! and it is a labor of love!!
 
AV Deluxe 25-06 = 25x6 exercise (7x6)
9.5 yo @ ~210 yds, flat shooting caliber.
Beautiful Grey cape & black face almost as good looking as rifle stock.
 

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Gray Ghost indeed,
beautiful deer Mr. Spaher & what a set of antlers! We could grow them like that around here if our hunters would let them grow & reach their full potential. What is the load you shoot? I have hunted in South Texas and know that most often the shots are reasonably over 100 yds. Here most shots are 100 & closer, so we don't get a chance to test our skills except when we hunt over soybean fields but our neighbor's close borders make long shots a bit dangerous. When I hunted in South Texas the shots were long & I enjoyed the chance to stretch them out . I hunted around the salt fork of the Brazos near Post Texas, Amarillo, Clarendon Texas and in
Mc Mullan county. My 25/06 deluxe below, didn't have it then. Cheers!! B/T

P.S. Don't understand 9.5 yo @ -210 yds.??
 

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