Editorial

2021 – and that is a wrap

Why would you hunt in Namibia? Well, for a start – and I am not even going to talk about the game – it’s the people. I was reminded of this in the beginning of the month when I visited the professional hunters’ AGM. Aside from their few squabbles, which seems to change little every year, what hasn’t changed is how wonderful the people are and how incredible that country is. The feeling of wide-open spaces, sunshine, fresh air and so few people! If you have not visited this African destination, I cannot say enough about how wonderful this country is. We have a number of African Dawn Members in the country if you are thinking about it.

On to the cover pic. Sure it’s a buffalo. But no ordinary one. Part of our mission is to get content and stories from travelling international hunters. It’s a way to share what they have experienced with our audience, hear more of their personal accounts. What is more of a challenge is getting our professional hunters to write! We have been fortunate to have a few masters of the keyboard as well as being hunting professionals. But it is great to get fresh input. This month’s hero picture is from Zimbabwean PH, and African Dawn member; Thierry Labat. The story is about this buffalo in the picture, that his client hunted. Do me a favour and make a point to comment on his Facebook or drop him an email ([email protected]). PH’s do not seem to understand how their day in the office is actually pretty incredible, even if only to read about - let alone experience on a safari!

On that note – have a wonderful Christmas. Treasure the special times with family and friends. If we meet at the shows, or on African soil back in 2022 – it will be a real pleasure.

Richard  [email protected]

PS if you love what we stand for, what we produce and think you could play a role – we invite you to sign up, spread the word. and help build African hunting.

Wildlife column

In my role as an editor and a writer, I get to read many interesting things, and some of them are so good that they need to be shared with others. Such is the case with a wonderful essay called ‘This Land of the Ligers’. Kartik Shanker is an evolutionary ecologist and professor at the Centre for Ecological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He is also the co-founder of Dakshin Foundation, a coastal and marine focused NGO, and founding editor of Current Conservation, a magazine bridging conservation and art.
This Land of the Ligers was published in the ACU Review, the initials standing for The Association of Commonwealth Universities, based in London. 

Hunters Heart Taxidermy

Hunters Heart Taxidermy founder and CEO Ruan Viljoen is an avid hunter and conservationist with a passion for securing the sustainability of hunting in South Africa. Ruan has been a professional in the industry for many years, hunting his first African Buffalo at the young age of 13, and growing up admiring his father’s impressive collection of over 66 trophies.
It is because of this extensive background in the hunting industry that we appreciate and understand the significance of expressing each client’s memories with our custom craftsmanship, and why we focus so greatly on delivering a superb customer experience.

On Safari with Charles Price

I was born in Queenstown in 1967 and grew up on the farm, Bowers Hope, in the Tarkastad district.
My father, Murray Price, pioneered the hunting business in the Eastern Cape, with the first clients arriving in 1963. As children we were to be seen and not heard, so we used to hide under the table to listen to all the hunting stories passed around between legendary hunters from across the globe. That must have been the early influence resulting in my hunting career!
I grew up in the field in the Eastern Cape, mainly on our fifth generation-owned land, with my father and various PHs and trackers who taught me through experience.

Mayo Oldiri news

We started to hunting the Savannah again in January and actually it was only July that we finished our forest season – with the same (and in some cases, better) level of success as always. We saw to it that our areas were not abandoned during the pandemic. And although fewer hunters than normal, all of our usual PHs were guiding. However, where we could, we deployed them to different areas in order that everyone could at least get some work during the season.
Having fewer hunters gave us more time to give attention into the important areas that in busier times sometimes get less attention. Renovating camps, and for some, even moving the entire camp to brand new areas. 

Book review – Horn of the Hunter

An admitted novice big game hunter, Robert Ruark went on an African safari for the first time ostensibly on medical orders; his doctor advised that a year’s rest would serve him well and Ruark decided that recommendation would be the impetus to fulfilling a long held dream of hunting Africa. So in the early 1950s, accompanied by his wife, Virginia, he embarked on a two-month safari across what is now Kenya and Tanzania. The tales of their exploits are captured in Horn of the Hunter. Ruark booked his safari with the Legendary Ker and Downey Safaris, who assigned a young PH, Harry Selby, then 25, to guide their hunt.

Bobby Hansen Safaris

Bobby Hansen Safaris has been operating now for 22 years and is a privately owned and operated business with a reputation for value for money and exceptional quality animals, whether the Big Five or plains game.

Byseewah Safaris 

Byseewah offers a total African experience for hunters, fishermen, and photographers. Accompanied by professional guides, hunters stalk game on foot, following the tracks of antelope, hyena, and the occasional leopard. 

Daggaboy Hunting Safaris

Exclusive hunting for you alone or you and your group with Dawid ‘Daggaboy’ Muller himself as your PH and host as no other hunters will be in camp except you. 

Elandpro Safaris

Elandpro is owned by Gerrit and Janneman Breedt, both professional hunters with a shared experienced of more than 50 years in Namibia.