Clint on Vehicle Defense:
The SOGfari machete with an 18" blade.
was at Popallin Ranch, where the landowner had carved a safari golf course out of the bush. One hole re- quired a river crossing. I hope to play a round of golf there someday, but you can bet I won’t chase a ball into the water hazard. The average croc runs 8' and has a brain the size of a golf ball. Another hole, they said, has a black mamba hazard with a snake reputed to be 9'. We stayed off the course. There were already enough hazards along this wild stretch of border. Hunting bushbuck
and nyala,
we chanced on a poacher’s snare: a length of wire cut from the border fence and fashioned into a loop, tied to a log drag. Mercifully, the animal that tripped it was able to escape. Af- ter the incident with the snake, every- one took a turn with the field utility knife. We employed it building blinds. We cut openings for the vehicle. With the chisel point, Lyn administered the last rites to a baboon. Back home, I handed the great
knife back to its maker. A true field utility knife; it was not perfectly suit- ed to the tasks I put it to, but it was good enough, sharp enough and car- ried enough weight with each stroke to overcome any deficiency. In short, it was too short to use against a 40" black mamba. The lesson was not lost on me. A
big knife is a welcome addition on any hunt, at home or abroad. It doesn’t have to be a safari in South Africa for there to be a snake on the trail. We have encountered rattlesnakes while hunting horseback in Idaho, at camp along the river here in Oregon, and out in the desert where I spend a lot of time each summer and fall. To that purpose and for the day-to-
WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM
day work of deer camp, I ordered a SOGfari machete. On my next hunt, indeed, on my next safari, the big knife I slip in my gun case will be 23.95", with an 18" blade. With a suggested retail of $33, it’s not a budget-breaker to buy a tool this useful. With a straight edge and a saw back, the steel is stainless with a rounded tip to bear the brunt of a downward stroke. As we expect from SOG, there is more to this tool than its cutting edges. Out of the back of the handle juts a spiked tang for scraping, gouging, pounding or worse. The designer left holes in the handle to accommodate a length of parachute cord for twisting, tying and pulling. On any hunt, there could be
brush to clear, trails to blaze or wood to chop. In the extreme, a long blade is easy to carry and stow alongside a rifle in a gun case. Also, it could be put to use to build a shelter or protect your- self in hand-to-claw or hand-to- fang combat. * Gary has a new book out on
hunting in Oregon. To order a signed copy of Gary Lewis’ new, Hunting Oregon, visit www.
garylewisoutdoors.com
www.threesistersforge.com (541) 382-7388
FOR MORE INFO: THREE SISTERS FORGE
SOG SPECIALTY KNIVES & TOOLS
www.sogknives.com
(888) 405-6433
“Either Drive Or Draw
... not BOTH!” Learn how to defend yourself from inside the car with help from Clint Smith’s Thunder Ranch DVD course.
Three Course
BONUS Carry Options
Includes: Concealed
Home Defense
Vehicle Defense
Two-disc set only $49.95 — Order Today:
(800) 628-9818 (M-F 8am-3pm PST)
www.americanhandgunner.com/TRvids
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