Golden Era Hunting Equipment

[Derek WC]

Thanks, "Skeet". I've been thinking of WWI surplus but haven't been able to find a source of low-cost high quality reproductions, which made me think "Well why not just get the real thing?" being WWII. Also, I've looked at a lot of reproductions and found that few really look 'truly' WWI, there's always something different such as the weight of the cloth being not heavy enough, not to mention the price.

I've had my moments where I honestly thought I was in the good old days, I wouldn't mind being schizophrenic in that sense, after all, what harm would it do?

 

[MikePotts]

Setting out for Axis at 85F

I was much more bedraggled on the 95F return *yucky* (sans Axis btw)

Ancient W&G shirt, modern Columbia shorts, 'Safari' gaiters, leather & Gortex boots.

MP

 

[Oldsarge]

This has been a wonderful thread! I did not grow up in a hunting family and have had to blunder my way around the bush with little guidance for my entire life. There was a time when I followed Orvis religiously until it finally got through my thick head that the California desert quail country isn't New England grouse hunting. I was also handicapped by the fact that my chose profession was elementary school teaching and when everyone else went hunting, I had to go to work. So until I retired I had far more experience in the Arctic and in Africa than I did in the U.S. As was mentioned before, hunting in Africa is still much like the Golden Era, except that everything is done much faster than before. Today's tourist hunter has much less vacation time so a fourteen day safari is a long one and twenty-one days will break the bank. Today, I am finally starting to hunt like an American, of sorts. We drive to Texas for whitetail. I wear a Woolrich jacket and surplus Army wool pants in the blind, and a fedora, just because. I have two vintage Africa rifles, a medium (.318 WR) and a light heavy (.404 Jeffrey) but I hunt North America with custom built black bolt guns in 6.5x55 and .375 H&H. I am due to acquire a Jeffrey SLE from a friend in the UK that was made in the '30's and when I get a chance to start bird hunting again, that will be my "good" gun. I will not take it waterfowling . . .

 

[Derek WC]

I'm glad you like the thread, Oldsarge. I hope it's helped you as much as it has I.

I've always rather liked the idea of the safari and whatnot, which you really capture in your outfits, MikePotts. It reminds of of a short story I read once, which the name escapes me.
There was this influential, rich Cossack captain I believe it was, who owned this island where ships would crash, and he would basically invite them into his mansion on the island and explain to the 'guest' that he had hunted everything, and started hunting man, so to speak, for the thrill of the hunt. It would be a battle of wits and stamina between the captive and the captain.

 

[Oldsarge]

The Most Dangerous Game. It's a classic of the SS genre. I believe it was written by the same chap who penned the Father Brown stories.

 

[Derek WC]

Ahh, yes. That's what it is, thanks. I've always wanted to watch the film.

 

[Oldsarge]

Someone made a film of it? I'm not surprised. There would have to be lots of scenes of running through the jungle to pad out a rather short tale but the heart-pounding excitement should be intense. Who starred?

Ah! Joel McCrea, Fay Wray, Leslie Banks and Robert Armstrong, in B & W. Classy!

 

[Derek WC]

Ye answered yer own question! I just thought to look on TCM the next time they have it.

 

[StewartU]

I was much more bedraggled on the 95F return *yucky* (sans Axis btw)

Ancient W&G shirt, modern Columbia shorts, 'Safari' gaiters, leather & Gortex boots.

MP

Great look for you.

 

[Chasseur]

If you are on facebook you should check out the photos of friend of mine:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.503523862193.2016971.21204510#!/pages/Hunting/268871353537

Look under "Old Hunting Photos" and should get much inspiration.

 

[Oldsarge]

Gosh, do you know Mehul, too?

 

[Chasseur]

Hey Old Sarge, its Chasseur from Nitro and AR. Same nom de net!

 

[Derek WC]

Thanks for the link Chasseur, I do in fact have a facebook account.

 

[Oldsarge]

Hey Old Sarge, its Chasseur from Nitro and AR. Same nom de net!

Well, good to see you again. I haven't been around the shooting sites much because I haven't had much itch to shoot. But I just heard that my vintage British double 12 bore is in transit and the fever is growing again. I'm going to start shooting seriously with the hope to take my .318 WR to Wyoming for mule deer and bison. The challenge will be to hit a deer's vitals in excess of 200 yards with peep sights. Doable? I'm sure!

 

[Chasseur]

Same for me until a month or so ago I was not active at all on the hunting and shooting forums. Work and familly life were just too busy past couple of years. However, like you I am getting back into it!

 

[Mangrove]

These were not designed for a hunter but rather for Finnish foresters in 1949. However I still would imagine they would also serve perfectly fine other users. The trousers came in three different forms; straight, riding and golf trousers. Jackets were also available with raglan sleeves and two different hats. Though the designs are post-war as far I can see they closely follow the pre-war Finnish fashion and materials.
Trousers
Jacket
Vest
Boots

 

[Oldsarge]

Very nice! I especially like the coat with the half belt. If I ever have the chance to attempt and elg I will most certainly have to get one.

 

[Mangrove]

Very nice! I especially like the coat with the half belt. If I ever have the chance to attempt and elg I will most certainly have to get one.

What I have read from period Finnish hiking and hunting manuals, the recommended jacket is very close to the design above but maybe a bit less bulky. The choice of hat for this setup was either a felt hat or wool ski hat. Actually when I browsed through my vintage book collection it seemed that these clothes and wool fabrics were recommended up to late 1960s and only then replaced with "superior" synthetic fabrics. This might have something to do with the fact that us Finns have always been quite traditional folk, we even did not want to replace spear with a rifle in moose (fi: hirvi) and bear hunting until the late 1800s.

However the colour has not been changed during the years; grey along with black is still perhaps the most popular winter colour here.

 

[Flipped Lid]

I have always wondered... what did people in the Golden Era hunt with? I'm going hunting this coming October, and I'm tired of Gore-Tex camouflage. I want something more substantial. And before you say it, no I cannot afford Filson (drat).

So that's my question to you, what did they hunt with back then?

I'm curious about your objection to Gore-Tex. I'm not a hunter, but I make a fishing trip to Canada every year in September and the weather runsw the gamut from temps in the 80's down to the 20's. We've been snowed on twice. I love my Gore-Tex rainsuit. The key to Gore-Tex is to layer properly underneath it depending on the temperature. I've used almost everything over the last thirty years and in my experience nothing beats Gore-Tex for keeping you warm and dry.