September, 1960, saw such varied events as the Denver Broncos defeating the Boston Patriots in the first game of the American Football League, as well as the debut of The Flintstones on television. _Outdoor Life'_s September issue, complete with a colorful, snowy cover, hit newsstands and got sportsmen ready for the approaching hunting season.
The issue opened with some letters from readers--one of which was about an albino pheasant. This, of course, leads us to a question: If the photo was printed in black and white, how could anyone tell whether the pheasant was albino or not?
Knee pads have never really caught on with the masses of hunters, despite the fact that we undoubtedly spend a lot of town scrunched down trying to stay hidden, or crawling through prickly brush on our hands and knees. They may not be the most stylish accessories, but we still think these look like a good idea.
Handcuffs have about as much to do with hunting and fishing as ballet slippers do with football, but that didn't stop this advertisement from appearing in our September 1960 issue.
The "Quickie," a rear sight.
Spindly supportive legs. 15-feet high. Would you trust your life to this Portable Hunter's Stand?
We're still trying to figure out exactly how this "Katchmaster" works. It seems to set the hook automatically once the fish takes the bait, which would mean there's some sort of spring mechanism. But there's also a reference in the ad to "whipping action," and the picture shows some type of trigger device. Needless to say, it looks a little too complicated to be fun, and it never caught on with the masses.
Check out this ad. Tomatoes and cigarettes. An interesting combination, to say the least.
An article from the issue discusses the possibility of having to actually pay for a hunt. How the times have changed!
There was a sizeable article about hunting in western Tanganyika, Africa (present-day Rwanda and Tanzania), and the photos--like this one--are impressive.
These massive tusks, according to the photo's caption, weighed nearly 100 pounds each.
A nice leopard trophy.
When was the last time you and your buddy went on a weekend hunt and only spent $11?
This interesting ad shows a waterproof, compass-like device. We're intrigued, but unfortunately, there's no detailed description of how exactly it works, or how exactly it differs from a normal compass.
Jack O'Connor wrote an interesting, rather scientific article on what happens to animals once we hit them. Read on for some interesting examples.
What does a woman in a leopard-print bikini have to do with selling scopes? Good question, but we're not complaining.
An air matress that fits perfectly in the back of a truck seems like as brilliant of an idea in 2010 as it did in 1960.
Sure, it's probably a quick way to dry your dog, but how do you get your dog to stay standing in front of it?
Look, rifles are cool, standing in front of your mounted trophy is cool, and long underwear is cool in the sense that it's very useful and necessary on frigid days. But, just because all of those things are cool doesn't mean you need to combine them into the same, single advertisment. For heaven's sake, put some clothes on, man.
Feel like hunting Bengal tigers?
The September 1960 This Happened to Me, titled "Harem Scarum," came from Nelson Blain, of Bicknell, Utah. Click ahead to read the story.
While working Utah's Manti National Forest, I rode into a clearing and was suddenly confronted by a huge bull elk.
Showing open gashes made by a rival in a bloody fight for a harem, the elk defiantly blocked my way. I set my dogs on him.
Instead of moving, the elk lunged at the dogs, driving them off. This scared my horse, and in turning, he threw me off.
The fall dazed me, and when I looked up I saw the elk looming nearby--his huge rack looked like an express train's cowcatcher.
Suddenly, one of my dogs ran in front of me and nipped at the menacing elk's flank.
Grateful for the distraction, I crawled frantically for safety among the aspens.
The elk was still in the clearing as I got up shakily to look for my horse.
Let us know what you think about the August, 1960 issue, and my umbrella. Leave comments below!
