Canat, the Soldier: RIP

Canat Cheriyasdaa, sometimes known as Canat the Soldier, died suddenly in Bayaan Olgii, Mongolia, a couple of months ago.o. He was 67. He was my friend and my guide. Without his guidance I would not have succeeded on my Mongolia trips. He was 67. He was my friend and my guide. Without his guidance I …

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R. I. P. Mark Fanning

I just learned  that my wild old falconer friend Mark died in a car accident returning from hunting in Texas to Maine. He was 76. Hs wife survived  the crash. Mark was virtually the founder of falconry in Maine. He was a wild man, a teacher of science but also a happy barroom brawler who …

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Rude Thoughts about Australian Fauna

From a letter to Jonafhan Hanson;  That was me talking, not Tim Flannery (who found a big one full of personalty and ideas in his marvelous Throwim Away Leg, which i discovered Tim  in when I reviewed him, when i was first- string reviewer for the Minneapolis Star Trib,  under Chris Waddington, one of the …

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Tom McIntyre RIP

I’m still feeling a bit rocky and am unable to type, but Tom deserves better than excuses, so let’s go. My friend Thomas McIntyre died in his sleep at his nome in Sheridan Wyoming last week at 70 years of age. As far as I know he had no premonitions.. He had talked to me …

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The Bogd Khan’s Ger

This beautiful ger, or yurt as the Russians would say, may be the only evil building I have ever seen. The Bogd Khan was the last king- emperor of a great  Buddhist people, the Mongols.He was blind and fat in his elder years, and was said to have had  an appetite for very young girls …

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On Accidental Publishing

I accidentalLy published a post on Turksh pigeons last week called Urfa Guvercin. iI was  totally incomprehensible, and probably hastened  my image ås totally demented. It is off now.

Chthulhu’s Clock

Ulan Bataar is a long way from any  ocean. but who else could have inspired such a clock?  It is outside a bank in  UB,   And for extra credit, you get a  Latimeria … .

Big Fish

Cap’n Rick Rozen, with his biggest fish, a great bluefin tuna, in Brant  Rock, Mass, ?, ? No ‘little footballs’ of   pounds  back in those days. This one was nearly one thousand pounds.  My machine doesn’t show numerals today. Of course the careless fishing of those those  days  became the mess we are  still recovering …

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Briar Patch

Trotsky shooting birds over one of his dogs in exile in Alma Ata, or as we know it, Almaty… Fitzroy MacLean liked it, too

How I almost got shot by the cops

“The regulations” Part 2  John’s John lives at the end of our street for half the year; the other half is in Idaho. He is the best independent gunsmith I know. I have learned more  handling his immense collection, full of good working Winchesters and British boxlocks..  than from just about anyone.  My current gun …

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