Print Reviews

“varmint_masters”

Varmint Masters Magazine

December 1997

This is the “Official Publication of Varmint Masters Association.” Despite that bold proclamation, the definition of “varmint” doesn’t seem to be explicitly defined in Varmint Masters. After reading a couple of articles and perusing the advertising here, I can only assume that a “varmint” is just about any animal whose hunt requires extra precision and care. With articles like “Gators Afoot,” “The .22 PPC – Varmint Cartridge Supreme,” “Straight Talk About Educated Coyotes” and “Florida’s Winter Hogs,” Varmint Masters seeks to answer just about any question you might have about hunting varmints, except what exactly categorizes a varmint.

I find the advertisers in VM provide a more coherent picture about what exactly varmint hunting entails. Specialized custom guns, loading your own ammo, using highly-developed bullets that do as little external damage as possible, long-range sights and scopes, hiding in damp and uncomfortable places using high-tech camouflage, devices for calling varmints that range from simple tubes you blow through to full-fledged digitally sampled mating-calls, “Make $40-$50 an hour bat proofing homes in your local area!” and (my favorite) a “Voluntary Recall Notice” from Connecticut Valley Arms, regarding its In-Line Muzzleloading Rifles of 1995 and 1996, which have caused some “very severe accidents” due to a “cause [that] is not yet known.” Maybe the scwewy wabbit plugged the end of the rifle with a carrot… Varmint Masters, P.O. Box 36056, Birmingham, AL 35236


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