Editorial
Choices Abound
It’s Wednesday, 1 February…
I was having dinner with Jeremy, a guest at the Afton. He’s in his 40s I’d say, father of four, lives in Oregon, USA, loves hunting (is actually nuts about hunting) and is out on a specific hunt. He had to come now because of all sorts of commitments.
His hunt included a 49-inch sable, 60-inch kudu and four buffalo. Two are 47 inches. Now some will say ‘ordering’ such trophies is akin to a restaurant menu, and maybe they are right. But it happens everywhere, from New Zealand to the USA. Rightly or wrongly, the moment a tape measure was brought into the world of hunting – rather like using a scale in the world of fishing…things have changed. That is another long discussion altogether – and not for this month.
(As it turned out, after the first week, the sable had died. Let’s see about the rest of the hunt).
South Africa takes a lot of flak for offering these types of hunts but hear me out. Here’s a gent who is not interested in run-of-the mill hunts; they need to stand out and be memorable. And for him, size matters. It was those social media posts that started it all off for Jeremy – and now he’s following about 30 outfitters. By the end of the night, we spoke about getting to the Congo or Cameroon for the two mega antelope – bongo and Lord Derby, and of course the mountain nyala. Leopard was of no interest until he has got his own cougar or mountain lion first!
Two different outfitters he was going with – and two very different experiences.
I find it fascinating what triggers the obsessions of different people. Here’s a chap with age and money on his side, and a huge passion for hunting, and is now officially hooked on Africa. And he is just starting out. How fantastic.
How many more are there like him? I bet thousands!
We have animals to hunt, jobs to create and an industry to protect – and most importantly – to grow. We are on a mission.
And talking of choices… we have helped you with our African Dawn Outfitters catalogue on THIS LINK.
In this select group that we promote, you have everything you’d ever need to select a hunt in Africa: From Cameroon, across to Uganda (the Pearl of Africa), Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe (It’s great but I am biased having grown up there), beautiful Namibia and into South Africa. Go mad! Enjoy the read, not only of the African Dawn Catalogue, but also, this edition of AHG Monthly.
See you in Nashville.
Richard Lendrum
