Ripp
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Reged: 19/02/07
Posts: 16072
Loc: Montana, USA
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http://huntforever.org/2015/03/19/wally-johnson-the-last-ivory-hunter/
Wally Johnson (r) discusses his Winchester Model 70 with
Wally Johnson’s Winchester Model 70, .375, serial no. 13997, was produced during the first week of December in 1938. When Winchester first introduced the Model 70 in 1937, it became the first American rifle manufacturer to include the .375 H&H Magnum caliber in it’s line-up. From 1937 to 1939, only 438 .375s came out of Winchester’s New Haven factory. However, no. 13997 would go on to have a hunting career that few, if any Model 70s in any caliber, could match. It is likely that no other Model 70 was ever used to take more head of game, and especially dangerous game, than Wally Johnson’s Model 70, .375. In 1928 the 14-year-old Johnson began his lifelong hunting career. By the mid-1940s, he was primarily hunting ivory, often taking friends and acquaintances who wanted to hunt along with him. In 1956 Johnson began conducting profes-sional hunting safaris and in 1960 joined Mozambique Safarilandia. During his professional hunting career, he guided Warren Page, Fred Huntington of RCBS, Peter Barrett, Fred Bear, Arthur Godfrey, Jack Lott, Robert Ruark and many other notable hunters of the day. Many of these, including Ruark and Lott hunted with Johnson numerous times. Johnson also hunted professionally in Botswana, Zambia and Central Africa into the early 80s. In 1982 when he was over 70 years old, Johnson conducted his last professional safari in Zambia with his client Hank Williams Jr. In 1988 Peter Hathaway Capstick authored the book “The Last Ivory Hunter” about Johnson’s life of hunting in Mozambique.
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ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..
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Rockdoc
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Reged: 07/12/06
Posts: 1213
Loc: NSW, Australia
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Thanks Ripp. I have really enjoyed reading about Wally.
Sad how he was driven out of Moz with virtually nothing.
Cheers,
Chris
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Ripp
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Reged: 19/02/07
Posts: 16072
Loc: Montana, USA
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Quote:
Thanks Ripp. I have really enjoyed reading about Wally.
Sad how he was driven out of Moz with virtually nothing.
Cheers,
Chris
There is a really good article in this months SPORTS AFIELD about Wally and the model 70 he had in .375 H&H..give a brief history of Wally's life and really focuses on the Winchester as to how it withstood years of HARD work in the field..at one time spent about a week in the river until one of the locals finally found it for him and yet worked without so much as s hiccup for about 40 years..stated Wally had literally taken 1000's of head of game with the rifle..interesting piece..
Ripp
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ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..
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Iowa_303s
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Reged: 22/03/13
Posts: 1016
Loc: Iowa, USA
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I received "The Last Ivory Hunter" as a gift last Christmas.
Its a good read. Quite the interesting life Wally lead.
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Matt
formerly known as Iowa_303
"Once your reputation is ruined you can live your life quite freely."
"Enkelkinder über alles"
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Ripp
.577 member
Reged: 19/02/07
Posts: 16072
Loc: Montana, USA
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Quote:
I received "The Last Ivory Hunter" as a gift last Christmas.
Its a good read. Quite the interesting life Wally lead.
Going to have to get myself a copy..have to longer flight coming up, will be a good distraction..
http://www.amazon.com/The-Last-Ivory-Hunter-Johnson/dp/0312000480
Ripp
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ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..
Edited by Ripp (28/04/15 11:46 PM)
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