WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER 1..1961 The Ouftloorsman • 'Big game hunting can be expensive, but it doesn't have to - be. Today I'd like to dispel some miscalculations which Many people make about the initial and continuing cost of local big game hunting. The first and .usually the biggest headache is buying a high-powered rifle. Any good new rifle will cost nearly $lOO and even used rifle bargains are in the $5O - $6O range. Besides the atavism solution of using a shotgun with rifled slugs, there is another way to cut this initial cost. In almost- every sports magazine are found numerous advertise ments proclaiming the sale of various foreign and domestic military rifles. To an informed buyer, who knows what to buy and what not to buy, these sales provide an opportunity to obtain an accurate, serviceable high powered rifle at a very low initial cost. Many of these rifles can be used with little or no adaptation, and will serve the average deer and bear hunter's needs. Others may require minor or major alterations. The rifles listed below can be used with no alteration. Even on these,' a little sawing and/or , filing on the stock can be a big help in reducing the rifle's weight. All require at least minor sight adjustments. Those suitable "as is" include (with condition and current standard prices in parentheses): U.S. Model 1917 Enfield, caliber 30-06 (very good-430.00);, British' S.M:L.E. Lee Enfield jungle carbine, caliber .303 (very good-425.06); G3 3 / 5 0 Model 95' Swedish nurser carbine. caliber 6.5X55 mm. (excellent-430.00); and Steyr Model 1930 Mann licher Schonauer carbine, caliber 6.5 mm. Mann.-Schon. (very g00d— 53.5.001. - Good rifles which can be used with only stock and/or sight changes include: Late Models of the British Lee Enfield rifle, caliber .303 (very g00d. 7 -810 - $20); WWII Model 98 Gerfnan Mauser rifles, caliber 8 mm. (good—$30.00); and pre-war Jasianese Ariska rifles and carbines, caliber 6S or 7.7 mm. (very good—s2o .. $35). Good Japanese rifles are becoming scarce, however, so be wary of "bar gains." Of the second group of rifles, most can be made into a 'suit able sporting arm with the addition of a -sporterized stock, and a set of open sights. A good quality semi-inletted stock can be purchased for about $7.00. By finishing and fitting the stock yourself, additional money can be saved. . • Sights, too, are relatively inexpensive. A good outfit for woods shooting will'cost about $lO - $l5, installed. • Here are rifles which I don't recommend for sporting purposes: Italian Terni rifles and carbines, Spanish and Mexican Model 93 and. 95 rifles and carbines, Italian Carcano carbines, Canadian Ross rifles, Swiss straight-pull rifles, Austrian Model 88/90 Mannlicher; and French Model 1174 rifles. All are obsolete, or use ammunition which is not readily available. So, by wisely buying . and converting military weapons, an economy-minded hunter can obtain a suitable deer and bear rifle for $25 - $35. If you are interested in doing an extensive conversion job on any popular military weapon, there is an excellent book on the subject. It's called "How to Convert Military Rifles," and can be purchased from the Williams Gun Sight Co, Davidson, Mich., for fifty cents. The book gives details on problems and draWbacks plus the advantages of converting many military rifles to sporting weapons. Converting military rifles is an activity which can be enjoyable as well as profitable. Ammunition, toe, can become a financial burden to the unwise buyer. Alert, economy-minded hunters know that most areas have several local gun enthusiasts who reload and sell common calibers of ammunition. This is done at substantial savings to the buyer. Dealers who sell military rifles usually sell both jacketed =and hunting ammunition for the rifles they stock. Many bargains can be found among the offerings of these firms. Reloading your own cartridges can be, in the long run, a money- raving venture. But, the initial cost of reloading equipment is often prohibiting. The point is, that if you are interested in big game hunting the cost should not discourage you. Fancy rifles, specialized hunting clothing, pocket warmers, electric socks, etc., are convenient at times, but not at all necessary for an enjoyable hunt. A rifle, warm, brightly-colored clothing, a pair of boots, and a desire to go hunting are all you really need. A few :totes on the first days of small game season: Rabbits are scarce. Most hunters rve talked with report that the number of rabbits seen is small in comparison to other seasons. Pheasant population, however, is high. In most areas, stocking programs and a good spring weather situation helped provide an unusually large flock. - Turkeys, too. are comparatively plentiful. The° state's program for increasing the turkey population has been a remarkable success tha far. Fifteen years ago, wild turkeys were practically non existent in Pamsylvania. Today the state'i flock rivals any irithe nation. Hunting Costs Analyzed By Don Macelady o • • THE,D4ILY CO LEGIAN, ,UNIVERSITY PARK.„ PENNSYLVANIA Liberty Bo d wliCovear s Begi n CO BULI nu) Collegian Cowards. still mrnitment ' Not Trues , judging , from an- innocent little paragraph hidden away in an article concerning pros- Ipective bowl, • teams on page 'three of Sunday's New York, Times sporti section, Penn State is going to the Liberty Bawl again this year. The article, which ha&an Asso-1 ciated Press byline but no date- 1 line, dealt with possible choices for the Gotham Bawl scheduled for New York City Dec. 9. It ruled out the - Lions as a pos-1 sibility because "Penn State . . . is committed to the Liberty Bowl, where it has played for the pint two years."' But according to three sources, close to the Liberty Bowl scene s ! there are no grounds for such a statement.. - 1 Penn State Athletic Director'. Ernest B. - McCoy "Whoever! wrote that story is full of nonsense It's definitely not true. We haven't= been contacted at all. We have four real tough ball games left and i. I haven't even thought about it."! Associated - Press, sports .writer Ralph Bernstein "You're ,orii Isafe ground in assuming that no team has been committed to the!. ; Liberty Bowl. Liberty Bowl Publicity, Direc tor_ Hal .Freeniarc '-`There's tainly no truth in that. -Right now, nobody's committed to any bowl. Just like everybody else, we're _waiting to _get the best teams available. It just so happened that the last two years we felt you were The best team available and we were happy, to get you. Pe:OlC seem to think that because you're; a Pennsylvania - school there is! some - kind of tie-in with Penn . State, and - ,the Liberty Bowl, bur . -that's ,not true. - "We have in noway committed'. ourselves to any team. Of course, we feel that Penn State has one; of the best teams in- the nation and they'll certainly ,be con sidered.- In fact, should you de-, feat Maryland this - Week; yetti. would knock Maryland out of the race and put yourselVes near the top of the list." —Jim Karl I Matslade. :'sniffing over last year's 344 victory over Pitt, will make their initial appearance of- the sea son Saturday, traveling to Mary land • to meet the staff of the Terrapin student nerispaper in the lidlifter for both teams. Su:Maass Manager Waya• ski 'announced' that the squad =will fly to Collage Park Friday- evening and work out under the lights in preparation for the big opener.. Due to , the- Importance of the battle, the team work out twice daily this week, with both morning and evening drills scheduled. ' Publicity agent Joel Myers an nounced ' that tomorrow the Cowards will hold a closed scrimmage against another FROTH AD STAFF MEETING TONIGHT at 7:00 Froth Office - HUB Basement All members must be present • - Practice Grind ETIN highig rated power, the Col legian Culies, - The outcome of this= game should give head coach, manager. and 'quarter back John'' Slavic an idea of what his team really has. , Any ono interested in joining NEWNAN CLUB BASKETBALL TEAM meet at 201 Chapel Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 P.M. PAGE SEVEN
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers