That would be a lot of fun for Prairie Dog hunting, you have not lived until you have plunked one of those little bastards at 600+ yards. One in our party got one at 820 with a .223... Took 17 shots, but he finally got it. That trip was hands down the best time I have ever had with a gun. We are going to make it a yearly venture.
Thank you for this teaser/photo opp! Hows-about adding photos of the other vehicles that you mentioned?(HAMB-friendly, of course)
that's neat! They put a lot of effort into those cars, from the looks of it. and it's reassuring that you can't tell a 3/4 ton truck chassis from a half ton
I miss hunting in Nevada and South Dakota, here in SoCal hunting is a four letter word. But the vehicles you have shown are amazing and totally kool,,, purpose built hot rods. But I have to ask, what is the hopper for on the front of the Cad? It looks like a seed/feed/manure spreader
Another thing I can tell from your pics... the rear wheel opening and rear body indicates that this is probably the more rare 60 Special model by Fleetwood. They had completly different bodies than a regular 41 Cad. The fenders were different, in the rear the fenderskirt comprised almost the entire rear fender (like a cruiser skirt) and the front fender had fade aways into the doors where regular 41 Cad front fenders ended abruptly at the cowl. I can't be sure from the pics you posted, but it looks like the front fenders are hollow in the end, like there should be a fade away on the non existant front door. 60 Special by Fleetwood: Regular 41 four door
You'll have to excuse my lack of knowledge of Texas history but, when I would see those King Ranch emblems on new Ford trucks, I thought they were in reference to the old Sky King TV show from the 50's that I would watch on Saturday mornings. If I'm not mistaken, it was based around a "mythical" King Ranch, although it was probably in Hollywood somewhere not Texas. Just for the record, here are a couple of shots from that show. If it helps to legitimize my post, those cowl scallops may have inspired those on the SoCal Speed Shop roadster (or probably not). Anyway, thanks for the history lesson, Ryan. Those are some cool-ass "abominations" of what once were great cars.
The hopper on the front is a corn feeder. Vehicle drives down ranch road and at selected spots turns on feeder and it slings out shelled corn across the road. In Texas it is legal to do this. This will create hot spots to hunt for whatever type of animal that is being hunted. As the ranch roads are private property it is legal to hunt along them as no public transportation is allowed. Bird hunting is mostly for dove or quail, also whitetail deer, javelin, all of which have regular hunting seasons. The ranch also has wild hogs and the African Nalgai Antelope and many predators all of can be hunted year round. Although the king ranch is a luxury type hunt both Texas the ranch hunting regulations are very strictly and severely inforced. the ranch regulations are usually more strict that Texas regulations. Jimmie
Nobody mentioned anything about not eating what you kill. No need to try to make something of this when it is not there. King ranch does not allow hunters to leave what they shoot in the field. There hunters take what they kill with them when they leave. Jimmie
I grew up in a family of hunters/fisherman/campers/out-doors-people; but NOT me. It was always something mechanical for me; tearing things apart to put them together again. Go-karts, minibikes, and cars, cars, cars. NEVER shot an animal, though I was forced to go hunting/fishing, until I finally had enough, put my foot down, and gave all my gear to my younger brother; that really ticked off the old man, but he had 2 other sons who loved to do what he loved to do. I was the black sheep in an all white flock, and still am. I can't stand the flavor of wild game, and I refuse to eat fish (everything flows downhill into the water, and fish live in their toilet). In some places, penned carp are used to eat crap (carp eating crap) as sewage treatment, fattened up, then sold to fish markets as human food (YUK!!!). I believe this King Ranch is what's called a "canned hunt'; the animals are literally provided, there's no where for them to really run to in order to get away, and they're "baited', as has been mentioned with the grain hopper on the front of the 41 Caddy. I do have firearms, but they are not for hunting; they are primarily for self defence purposes, and I'm a licensed concealed carrier. I think the old car theme is cool, but the updated to 4 X 4 chassis and powertrains are't what the original cars/trucks were; not even close. It's a good topic just the same, but not really for me; no gold chainer money here. BUT, for those who follow this sort of lifestyle, forge on. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
Just a reminder fellas... This isn't a thread about hunting really... and everyone has different opinions on the subject... so let be... be...
Those shooting platforms are really special. Love the Buick and the way they hid the winch. I'm sure there are other features that would be neat to see in person. Plus a little history on The King Ranch. My Grandpa Cox was one of those sportsmen and when my Mom and her sisters were little, he made his living as a hunting and fishing guide. Mom always told me that they lived 12 miles back from the main road and in the winter, used a horse and sleigh to get there. I have pictures of the hunting lodge were they lived, it must have been something! Thanks, Carp
I can't even believe that this post was allowed. That's a NON-TRADITIONAL milk crate on the front - mid 70's at the earliest, and the orange IGLOO cooler on the back is from the same POST 1964 cutoff. Shame on you.
I've got a friend who managed one area of the King ranch a few years ago and that was a serous drive from the main ranch. That Cadillac probably has a lot of stores to tell about who it hauled out for hunts over the years. Tradition speaks when they redid it with a newer chassis to keep using it rather than sticking it out behind the barn and using a newer rig in it's place.
What my pops did in Northern California back in the 30's or so....hunted those black bears....have the scrap book full of pics....funny I never knew why my mom would't let me have a Daisy BB gun....until I got the scrap book....
I used to feild trial English Pointers off of horse back. Those bird dogs are wonderful athletes. You would need buggies like that to keep up with them in open country.
Heads up: You can see the King Ranch Buick in person at the 2018 Amelia Island Concours: http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/news/new-classes-2018-amelia-island-concours-delegance I'll be there too!
Ryan, did your dad happen to leave you a 1911 pistol? Maybe a Colt. They are unbelievable when you think about it. Probably designed in 1910, and manufactured starting in 1911, and still state of the art today! Go to any magazine store and there will be one or more magazine with one on the cover! A Model T Ford was great engineering for it's time, but a very dated design today.....try driving one on your favorite freeway. There are literally dozens of companies selling their new 1911's in 2017! The only thing that isn't good is their weight, especially for everyday carry compared the polymer pistols available today. But the weight of the all steel 1911 is a definite advantage when shooting.....especially for target shooting competitions! They are sort of like the 1932 Ford of guns. Hope your dad had one.
You might remember President Lyndon B. Johnson, or maybe not(I try to forget daily), who maintained his birth place in the Hill country of Texas as his escape from the other assholes in D.C. He would have drunk/hunts frequently in that rugged country, and the car they hunted in was a '34 Ford phaeton with spotlights mounted all over it. It is still an attraction for visitors who tour the ranch all Summer.
Hey, Butch, I understand your mindset toward hunting being from Washington. I will say you have never had wild game properly prepared. Even a PNW native could learn to love it if you let it. As for the King Ranch hunts being "canned hunts", you are right if you consider many, many square miles of pastureland as "penned" land where the animals have no place to run. That place is as close to 19th century Texas as there is, a place where horses are still used as much as ATVs. Bring that beautiful sedan delivery down to Texas and let's fill up the rear with deer, turkey, eland, black buck, or maybe nilgai. That last one takes a bit of acquired taste, I will admit.