Gerard Abrams's Blog
February 12, 2017
Social Media and Update
The gone hunting Facebook page is a great place to checkout what I've been up to in the mountains. The lastest youtube video has gone up. The podcast series is a once a month gig and I'm enjoying doing the recording when I'm holed-up in my tent.
Book two is coming along and whilst I'd love it to be quicker, it will take what it takes. Chapters one - five are nailed, then I had to do the backend of the book and now it's game on for chapter six. Seven, eight and nine are planned. Just gotta write them! The design work of book two is a challenge because the epilogue required that I work some of the structure from the rear. Designing a book that incorporates colour pictures and different paper types is a challenge to make it work economically. There are a number of variables... weight of end product and size because it has to be posted at the right rate otherwise postage costs are greater then the price of the book. Just all part of doing it yourself.
Thanks to all the people who have sent emails and reviews. The website has over 6,000 words dedicated to this alone.
Lastly, thanks again to Daniel Burke and the team at Wild Deer and Hunting Adventures magazine for publishing my hunting articles to help with the fan base.
Book two is coming along and whilst I'd love it to be quicker, it will take what it takes. Chapters one - five are nailed, then I had to do the backend of the book and now it's game on for chapter six. Seven, eight and nine are planned. Just gotta write them! The design work of book two is a challenge because the epilogue required that I work some of the structure from the rear. Designing a book that incorporates colour pictures and different paper types is a challenge to make it work economically. There are a number of variables... weight of end product and size because it has to be posted at the right rate otherwise postage costs are greater then the price of the book. Just all part of doing it yourself.
Thanks to all the people who have sent emails and reviews. The website has over 6,000 words dedicated to this alone.
Lastly, thanks again to Daniel Burke and the team at Wild Deer and Hunting Adventures magazine for publishing my hunting articles to help with the fan base.
December 5, 2016
podcast episode 5 'what makes a mountain hunting rifle'
Tipping the Tikka T3 Lite upside down the water drains out, leaning it against a tree, that is where it will stay tonight...
Go and find out... visit www.gonehunting.me or visit iTunes and search Gerard Abrams or gone hunting.
Enjoy.....
Go and find out... visit www.gonehunting.me or visit iTunes and search Gerard Abrams or gone hunting.
Enjoy.....
November 14, 2016
Mountain Hunting Footwear System
From the Wild Deer & Hunting Adventures Magazine:
Nov 2016, by Gerard Abrams
It’s another article on boots, ho-hum, I can just see your reaction. If you have read one article on boots, you have read a thousand. Why does he have to write an article on damn boots? Why can’t it be on something exciting like rifles or hunting some critter. Boots and boring have two things in in common. Both start with ‘B’ and boots are worse. They are on your feet, no one sees them and when you take them off they probably stink; mine do anyway. I’m at the end of a five-day of thar hunt and doing a mental calculation of just how important my ‘boring boots’ are to me. Six hours hiking in, ten hours per day on the mountain for three days and now I’m about to hike out which will take me about seven hours. That’s a total of forty-three hours. Other than my sleeping bag, I have practically lived in my boots.
Forget all the fancy accessories like rifles, binoculars, spotting scope, backpacks etc; the most important kit item is your boots. If your boots are unable to take the punishment of being out there in the mountains the rest of your equipment is redundant. You may as well stay at home and put your feet up on the couch, because that is going to be the only safe place for you. If you ever come hunting with me the first thing I do is check your boots. I don’t care about your rifle, because if it fails you can always use mine. But, boots you cannot, I’m not carrying a spare pair and since they are size twelve they probably won’t fit anyway. It’s all to do with the fit. Nothing is more important.
Browsing the hiking boot display at the local outdoor shop it is so easy to become confused. There are so many brands and different models. I think the thing that puts us off when selecting boots is the price. You can buy a second hand rifle for the price of some boots. I know what you are thinking; give me the rifle and they can keep the boots.
Price should not enter the equation. It is all about suitability and fit. Sure, el-cheapo boots are just that, but from my observation the majority of boots in the mid-range price upwards are generally good quality. The boots I would regard as probably the best on the market I don’t own. They are made too narrow for my beetle crushers and one try on was all I needed to work this out. This explains why there are so many different ones to choose from; one size does not fit all. The key is to test lots of different boots to determine which suits the contour of your foot.
My boots must have stiff cores and the sole MUST be replaceable. Lots don’t allow you to replace the sole. I generally wear two, maybe three soles flat before I wear the actual boot out. The advantage of this is when you have perfectly fitting boots it saves the pain of going through the selection process again. It is also a fifth of the cost. Most of my hunting is in high rocky alpine country, but I also do regular sambar hunts down in the Victorian alps country and I use the same boots. I have not found them to impede quiet stalking through the bush. I find boots with ridged soles give support when there is only a toehold and tend not to roll under your feet. They can take some getting accustomed to and this is only overcome by regularly wearing to condition your feet. Plus, I like my boots to be ankle high for added support and I have found boots with rubber protection around the entire boot above the sole protect from rock damage.
Before you start the fitting process it is important to have an understanding of socks. New generation hiking socks are the only way to go, once again price is an issue as they can cost around $30-$40 a pair. They have been especially designed to work in your new expensive boots. There is a whole technical list on what they do for your feet and how they help your boot perform. Essentially, they let your foot breathe and wick away moisture. They are an absolute must and I wouldn’t even consider anything else. When you read the technical jargon it becomes obvious that you should only be wearing one pair of socks if your boots are fitted correctly.
Most shop attendants will not have a clue about how to fit your foot to a boot. If the shop does not have a metre long plank on a steep down hill angle than they definitely don’t know. This is the only way to check your fitting; get on a steep downhill surface putting all your weight towards the front of the boot, just like carrying your backpack down a steep incline. Your toes should be firm, definitely not tight and there should be a 5mm space between your heal and the back of the boot. How do you work out 5mm? Just so happens, that is generally the size of a ladies’ little finger and technically it should slide in nicely. Make sure you are wearing hiking socks when doing this test.
When I was getting fitted in the mountaineering shop, in my early days, I was lucky to have someone with real experience. Though I didn’t appreciate it as much as I should have at the time, when they asked me how I tied up my boots, I thought I was about to get a lecture in how to suck eggs. A couple of months later I was out hunting with my brothers and asked them the same question and I received exactly the same reaction. Do at least one knot just above the first cleats (this should be about the middle of the boot). This is where laces will start to work loose towards the bottom if this is not done. Some boots come with vice like grips here to hold the laces firm. I was amazed at the difference it made and how much more snug my boots felt as it kept them in place all day.
Don’t laugh, I have gone through this entire process and had one pair of boots that were perfect at the shop end up on ebay. They were excruciating to wear on the mountain. I tried several times to remedy the problem and in the end gave up. I sought several suggestions to fix the problem including filling them with water and putting them in the freezer to slightly expand them. The problem I can see with this stretching process is potentially a total destruction of the boot as it is forced out of shape. Like wise, you should not have to soak them in water to mould to your feet.
Your boots fitting nice and snug is only the beginning of the footwear system. Your boots will only perform as good as the feet that walk in them. Mine feet get horrible and because I backpack I don’t have the luxury of new soxs everyday. If possible I try to wash my soxs at the end of each day, but it is nothing to have wet soxs for several days and it doesn’t take long and there is a clammy feel. There are all sorts of powders and potions to help keep your feet feeling fresh. I always carry a tube of Lamisil and smear some between my toes the moment I get a whiff of pong. It works wonders and prevents and cures athletes’ foot.
I always bring my boots into my tent at night. I’m happy for my rifle to sleep out under the stars, but not my boots. That doesn’t stop them from getting frozen sometimes, but at least I know I have tried. I never dry my boots near a fire. You don’t see it at the time, but about a month later the affect of drying them in this manner begins to occur and become evident. Generally the stitching deteriorates from my observation.
Once I return from the mountains I do a detailed inspection and clean of my boots and put them out into the sun to dry out and kill bacteria. There are several products to help revitalise and protect them all specifically tailored to the ones you have purchased. Don’t neglect them and toss them into the back of the cupboard till next trip. But, just before you do, hit them with a spray of Glen 20 to help kill the bacteria.
Finally, I always make sure I have a spare set of laces. I was sitting on the side of the mountain and a very ‘famous’ person told me how he had no ammunition left to finish off a sambar hind and had to jump onto it and use his spare laces to do the job. I’ll leave you to work that one out, because he also loves being out there living the adventure of gone hunting it in the mountains.
www.gonehunting.me
Nov 2016, by Gerard Abrams
It’s another article on boots, ho-hum, I can just see your reaction. If you have read one article on boots, you have read a thousand. Why does he have to write an article on damn boots? Why can’t it be on something exciting like rifles or hunting some critter. Boots and boring have two things in in common. Both start with ‘B’ and boots are worse. They are on your feet, no one sees them and when you take them off they probably stink; mine do anyway. I’m at the end of a five-day of thar hunt and doing a mental calculation of just how important my ‘boring boots’ are to me. Six hours hiking in, ten hours per day on the mountain for three days and now I’m about to hike out which will take me about seven hours. That’s a total of forty-three hours. Other than my sleeping bag, I have practically lived in my boots.
Forget all the fancy accessories like rifles, binoculars, spotting scope, backpacks etc; the most important kit item is your boots. If your boots are unable to take the punishment of being out there in the mountains the rest of your equipment is redundant. You may as well stay at home and put your feet up on the couch, because that is going to be the only safe place for you. If you ever come hunting with me the first thing I do is check your boots. I don’t care about your rifle, because if it fails you can always use mine. But, boots you cannot, I’m not carrying a spare pair and since they are size twelve they probably won’t fit anyway. It’s all to do with the fit. Nothing is more important.
Browsing the hiking boot display at the local outdoor shop it is so easy to become confused. There are so many brands and different models. I think the thing that puts us off when selecting boots is the price. You can buy a second hand rifle for the price of some boots. I know what you are thinking; give me the rifle and they can keep the boots.
Price should not enter the equation. It is all about suitability and fit. Sure, el-cheapo boots are just that, but from my observation the majority of boots in the mid-range price upwards are generally good quality. The boots I would regard as probably the best on the market I don’t own. They are made too narrow for my beetle crushers and one try on was all I needed to work this out. This explains why there are so many different ones to choose from; one size does not fit all. The key is to test lots of different boots to determine which suits the contour of your foot.
My boots must have stiff cores and the sole MUST be replaceable. Lots don’t allow you to replace the sole. I generally wear two, maybe three soles flat before I wear the actual boot out. The advantage of this is when you have perfectly fitting boots it saves the pain of going through the selection process again. It is also a fifth of the cost. Most of my hunting is in high rocky alpine country, but I also do regular sambar hunts down in the Victorian alps country and I use the same boots. I have not found them to impede quiet stalking through the bush. I find boots with ridged soles give support when there is only a toehold and tend not to roll under your feet. They can take some getting accustomed to and this is only overcome by regularly wearing to condition your feet. Plus, I like my boots to be ankle high for added support and I have found boots with rubber protection around the entire boot above the sole protect from rock damage.
Before you start the fitting process it is important to have an understanding of socks. New generation hiking socks are the only way to go, once again price is an issue as they can cost around $30-$40 a pair. They have been especially designed to work in your new expensive boots. There is a whole technical list on what they do for your feet and how they help your boot perform. Essentially, they let your foot breathe and wick away moisture. They are an absolute must and I wouldn’t even consider anything else. When you read the technical jargon it becomes obvious that you should only be wearing one pair of socks if your boots are fitted correctly.
Most shop attendants will not have a clue about how to fit your foot to a boot. If the shop does not have a metre long plank on a steep down hill angle than they definitely don’t know. This is the only way to check your fitting; get on a steep downhill surface putting all your weight towards the front of the boot, just like carrying your backpack down a steep incline. Your toes should be firm, definitely not tight and there should be a 5mm space between your heal and the back of the boot. How do you work out 5mm? Just so happens, that is generally the size of a ladies’ little finger and technically it should slide in nicely. Make sure you are wearing hiking socks when doing this test.
When I was getting fitted in the mountaineering shop, in my early days, I was lucky to have someone with real experience. Though I didn’t appreciate it as much as I should have at the time, when they asked me how I tied up my boots, I thought I was about to get a lecture in how to suck eggs. A couple of months later I was out hunting with my brothers and asked them the same question and I received exactly the same reaction. Do at least one knot just above the first cleats (this should be about the middle of the boot). This is where laces will start to work loose towards the bottom if this is not done. Some boots come with vice like grips here to hold the laces firm. I was amazed at the difference it made and how much more snug my boots felt as it kept them in place all day.
Don’t laugh, I have gone through this entire process and had one pair of boots that were perfect at the shop end up on ebay. They were excruciating to wear on the mountain. I tried several times to remedy the problem and in the end gave up. I sought several suggestions to fix the problem including filling them with water and putting them in the freezer to slightly expand them. The problem I can see with this stretching process is potentially a total destruction of the boot as it is forced out of shape. Like wise, you should not have to soak them in water to mould to your feet.
Your boots fitting nice and snug is only the beginning of the footwear system. Your boots will only perform as good as the feet that walk in them. Mine feet get horrible and because I backpack I don’t have the luxury of new soxs everyday. If possible I try to wash my soxs at the end of each day, but it is nothing to have wet soxs for several days and it doesn’t take long and there is a clammy feel. There are all sorts of powders and potions to help keep your feet feeling fresh. I always carry a tube of Lamisil and smear some between my toes the moment I get a whiff of pong. It works wonders and prevents and cures athletes’ foot.
I always bring my boots into my tent at night. I’m happy for my rifle to sleep out under the stars, but not my boots. That doesn’t stop them from getting frozen sometimes, but at least I know I have tried. I never dry my boots near a fire. You don’t see it at the time, but about a month later the affect of drying them in this manner begins to occur and become evident. Generally the stitching deteriorates from my observation.
Once I return from the mountains I do a detailed inspection and clean of my boots and put them out into the sun to dry out and kill bacteria. There are several products to help revitalise and protect them all specifically tailored to the ones you have purchased. Don’t neglect them and toss them into the back of the cupboard till next trip. But, just before you do, hit them with a spray of Glen 20 to help kill the bacteria.
Finally, I always make sure I have a spare set of laces. I was sitting on the side of the mountain and a very ‘famous’ person told me how he had no ammunition left to finish off a sambar hind and had to jump onto it and use his spare laces to do the job. I’ll leave you to work that one out, because he also loves being out there living the adventure of gone hunting it in the mountains.
www.gonehunting.me
October 21, 2016
Testimonials building up on the website...
The Gone Hunting book has opened up my mind to a fascinating world that I never would have considered interesting. As an animal lover I could never understand someone enjoying taking an animals life. After reading this book I find it's more a story about having a passion in life and devoting everything to achieve your dream.
This is the story of a young boy who overcame the criticisms of teachers, followed his dreams and is now an accomplished author who is still Out there 'do' in it'.
Well done Mountain Man!!!
Can't wait for the next book AND "What's in the box"????
Annette Blinco
NSW, Australia
www.gonehunting.me
This is the story of a young boy who overcame the criticisms of teachers, followed his dreams and is now an accomplished author who is still Out there 'do' in it'.
Well done Mountain Man!!!
Can't wait for the next book AND "What's in the box"????
Annette Blinco
NSW, Australia
www.gonehunting.me
gone hunting... living the adventure
The challenge is to describe the adventure of being in such a place and to do it justice. Sometimes I sit on a big old rock for hours and suddenly the words begin to flow, the images and feelings are captured fueling my passion because my aim is to inspire others to live the adventure of gone hunting...
living the adventure while you can...
Close your eyes for a moment and imagine that you have taken fifty paces and the ache in your legs is like a sharp knife attack. You try sucking in oxygen, but you can’t, you gasp with shallow breath. Your lung capacity is a mere 50% and at 30% it's lung transplant time. At three hundred paces, after half a dozen stops the coughing fit begins and your breakfast creeps up your throat as you buckle over uncontrollably. Its sunny, a slight breeze and you are rugged up like the Michelin man as your body tries to use all of its energy to keep the vitals working, not much spare in the batteries for warmth, let alone hiking. Your binoculars you try to focus but your eyes are so out of balance that the focus adjustment just doesn’t quite have enough in it to make everything crystal clear. Welcome to cystic fibrosis... My hunting friend on this trip, young Jed, is an inspiration. Once a year we do a hunt and he introduced me to the world of pano pictures... great trade I reckon...
www.gonehunting.me
www.gonehunting.me
September 15, 2016
Book Two
My editor Suzie reckons chapter one in book two gone hunting out there 'do'in it' is the best set of work produced... I laughed, saying "I'd better start getting it right". I'm handing her a chapter at a time to kick my butt so it's not so much work in one hit. Being a self publishing gig, including getting the printed version done, is like running a fulltime business. Sorry, I do go to work in-between... forgot, YUK....
Book two is coming along nicely as I'm getting mountain time and the pen is scribbling along when it's not too frozen. There has as been a few blizzards and my tent has been getting a rattling by the wind. The vistas afterwards have been spectacular... so lucky to have been able to escape and spend time doing what I love... out there 'do'in it'.
For all those who cringe with the spelling of 'do'in', well you have to read book one to discover why it's spelt like that.
Go to my facebook page 'gone hunting' for a stream of pictures or take a look on instagram... gonehuntingme the links are on the website www.gonehunting.me
Well, back to transcribing the notes from the mountain.
Book two is coming along nicely as I'm getting mountain time and the pen is scribbling along when it's not too frozen. There has as been a few blizzards and my tent has been getting a rattling by the wind. The vistas afterwards have been spectacular... so lucky to have been able to escape and spend time doing what I love... out there 'do'in it'.
For all those who cringe with the spelling of 'do'in', well you have to read book one to discover why it's spelt like that.
Go to my facebook page 'gone hunting' for a stream of pictures or take a look on instagram... gonehuntingme the links are on the website www.gonehunting.me
Well, back to transcribing the notes from the mountain.
August 31, 2016
Podcast Series
Have completed the recording of a podcast. You can access it at http://gonehunting.me/feed/podcast . Adding this to writing book two its been amazingly busy. Yeah, that reminds me I must keep working, but getting excited because I'm heading across the the ditch to New Zealand. Time to get some more pictures for the upcoming articles going into the Wild Deer & Hunting Adventures magazine.
Did a clean out of all the old slides and photographs from years ago and have converted then to electronic files... amazed how many there were in that shoe box... enough for two years social media without any newbies. Follow the gone hunting facebook page or instagram to see a string of what I reckon are pretty good pics.
Did a clean out of all the old slides and photographs from years ago and have converted then to electronic files... amazed how many there were in that shoe box... enough for two years social media without any newbies. Follow the gone hunting facebook page or instagram to see a string of what I reckon are pretty good pics.
July 30, 2016
More Shops
Been an amazing response with another twelve shops taking gone hunting out there 'do'in it' onto their shelves. The number is growing and it's a big job being your own author, publisher, marketing consultant and distributor. But, kicking goals whilst trying to get my head into book two.
This week have a podcast interview Tuesday evening and off to Melbourne to give a presentation.
This week have a podcast interview Tuesday evening and off to Melbourne to give a presentation.
July 5, 2016
Book Two
Heading back to the mountains soon to hangout in my writers hovel... my tent. Lots of ideas and the feed back that has been coming is really helping. Going to be a challenge as I would love to have book two out by Christmas. Go to my website to see the reviews www.gonehunting.me
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