ALABAMA
7 millimeter bullet selections would be
adequate for most any animal that i might
hunt. in his opinion, there was just a “little
bit of magic” in the caliber.
Jim shopped around and found a 7 x 57
Steyr-Mannlicher. i tried it and loved it!
thus began a third passion, hunting with
my “little Seven!” little did i know how
many adventures my “little Seven” and i
would have!
it traveled with me from africa (Zimbabwe,
Botswana, Zambia, South africa, Central
african republic) to north america
(alaska, texas, new Mexico, Wyoming,
Colorado, alberta(Canada) and, of course,
alabama). From antelope to zebra, it has
never failed. all the failings have been mine.
While i have many fond memories of trips
to africa, not all of my trips have been for
hunting. My sister, lee and i ,had a mutual
love for the outdoor adventure. i believe
we are born with a spirit that tugs on our
heart strings to step outside; to explore
the outdoor adventure with passion and
vigor. the thirst is never quenched. She
and i seemed to share that philosophy
as we hiked into the Veranga Mountains
to see one of the gorilla families habituated by the late Diane Fossey. We stood
in awe, heads down and lips closed over
teeth (exposing teeth is a sign of aggression in the gorilla world) as instructed,
quite a few successful hunts! the first day while a large silver back male watched
i walked beside my grandmother, with protectively as several females and a tumher 410 clinched tightly in her delicate bling baby passed within a few feet.
hands, i knew then i wanted to grow up
and be “just like her.”
However, some of my most memorable
Bobbie Wallace Parsons
G
rowing up in the small southeastern town of Clayton, alabama,
Saturday afternoons were usually
spent at the movies. My two favorite movies were tarzan and roy rogers. i think
that’s where and when my love affairs
with, hunting, africa and horses began. i
have been blessed to have been able to
pursue these passions.
My earliest memories of the outdoors
were my days shared with my grandparents on the farm in tuscaloosa, alabama.
My maternal grandmother introduced me
to the sport of squirrel hunting and fishing the Warrior river. We would spend
all day on that river and, later, clean the
fish and cook our meal on the river bank.
Fish and hushpuppies were one of my
favorite combos. those were days when
a woman’s invitation to hunting/fishing
camp was limited. However, my grandmother did not seem to mind.
aware of my young age and eagerness
to learn, my maternal grandmother was
cautious about putting a shotgun in my
hands till i became more familiar with
the predator/prey concept. Becoming the
best squirrel dog in the county, gained me
these were days when hunting and fishing were a means of providing food for
the family. i loved the outdoors and
enjoyed exploring the rivers, hills and valleys of Green County, alabama.
When i met my husband, Jim Parsons,
we were students at the University of
alabama. We were first introduced on a
blind date by a mutual friend. Our second
date, we were at the shooting range!! Jim
became my mentor in shooting sports
and nurtured my skills. My confidence
and self reliance challenged my abilities
to try new outdoor adventures.
africa was calling! in 1982, Jim and i
began planning our first african safari. Our good friend Judge John Bryan,
a well known gun expert, suggested i
should use as my all purpose gun a 7
x 57. Judge Bryan felt it would provide
enough “knock down” power while keeping the recoil tolerable for me. He felt the
outdoor experie