June 2021

• The hunt is on
• The Outfitter. The PH. The Hunter. My Thoughts…

• Condrad Miller
• Kelly Drolet

• Bergzicht Safaris
• Royal Karoo Safaris
• Strang Middleton Safaris
• Stone Hunting Safaris

Most deaths occur on the way down…

That is if you’re on Everest.

It’s to do with not enough understanding what the second half requires. When extreme fatigue sets in, not enough understanding of how this, along with problems faced turn to tragedy – and too much focus on summitting.

With hunting, the focus is too much on getting the trophy – but then after that?

At Afton this week, Greg from California had his first hunt – which was in Zim, and which is, still after two more safaris, his most memorable. But the buffalo and plains game dream safari – ended with trophies gone!

What can go wrong? Well depending on the species… here are some of the problems.

Poor field preparation, hair slip, trophies get lost, outfitter not licensed, no authority to hunt where he did, or he did something dodgy with the permits office and they help the approval process, taxidermist goes bust and or loses them, or sells the trophies, can’t export the animals because it could have been an illegal hunt, the species could be non-exportable. I kid you not!

These are ALL situations I have personally dealt with in just the last 12 months. Covid has thankfully given people more time to ask more questions.

And while it is extremely disheartening, at least we know about it and I am trying to do something about it. Aside from the utter disappointment for the hunters, it gives Africa and her hunting a bad reputation. We’ve worked hard, and most of the outfitters have worked, and are working hard to grow hunting in Africa and we just do not need this.

So please do your preparation.

There are a lot of great outfitters out there and this has to be your go to point to start with. We are here as a NEUTRAL, independent operation and can help.

So if you have any concern or need some help – please shout. If we can’t help, I am confident we can point you in the right direction.  

This month is that special month – when the days start getting longer in southern Africa. Our featured animal is the bushbuck, which has to be the most gorgeous and widely distributed small antelope and should be on every hunter’s wish list.

Regards

Wildlife column

Non-governmental organisation (NGO) African Parks has just released its 2020 Annual Report. By the close of 2020, AP had 19 parks under management in 11 countries, over 14.7 million hectares (56,757 square miles, covering ten of the 13 ecological biomes on mainland Africa. This is the largest and most ecologically diverse amount of land under protection for any one NGO on the continent.

Hunting bushbuck in Africa

The African bushbuck is divided into two species, the kewel (Tragelaphus scriptus) and the imbabala (Tragelaphus sylvaticus) The kewel’s distribution includes Senegal Ethiopia,Eritrea, and south to Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The imbabala, which is larger than the kewel, is found from the Cape in South Africa to Angola and Zambia in the west, and up East Africa to Ethiopia and Somalia.

The hunt is on

As the world knows, 2020 was unlike any year ever before experienced—and that was true for life at Eastern Cape Bowhunting. When the government implemented the lockdown, we refocused our efforts on our hunting grounds, staff, facilities and animals to elevate every experience for future guests.

The Outfitter. The PH. The Hunter. My Thoughts…

This article is not intended to offend anyone, but is merely an offer to inform – and possibly improve – the safari experience for clients, outfitters and professional hunters. I’ll begin by admitting that I am not an expert on anything other than my likes and dislikes I base my observations on five trips to Southern Africa hunting with five different outfitters and three professional hunters for a total of 101 days.

Hunter Profiles

Conrad Miller

I was a 30-year-old cop when I went to Zimbabwe in 1998, leaving a wife, five year old daughter and a one year old son at home. I spent about half of my yearly cop salary on that 12-day buffalo/plains game hunt with the late great professional hunter. Mark Ellement. I was SO blown away.

Kelly Drolet

From what I remember and that which has been told to me by my parents and grand parents, it is obvious to me that my love for nature, the wilderness and the outdoor life is based on being raised on what would be defined as a very remote farm.

African Dawn Outfitters

Bergzicht Game Lodge

Bergzicht Game Lodge offers guided hunting safaris on our exquisite game ranch just south of Windhoek, Namibia, with 25 species of plains game on 60,000 acres of privately owned land.

Royal Karoo Safaris

Set in a Karoo plain, the Boutique Victorian-style lodge – with its stand-alone luxurious cottages – is designed to meet the needs of a modern-day African hunt. The wide-open living areas, boma and gardens are designed 

Strang Middleton Safaris

SMS is determined to provide quality, ethical, and exciting adventures for the discerning hunter. Strang is a seasoned bowhunter with 20 years of experience in the field as a PH.

Stone Hunting Safaris

Stone Hunting Safaris was established in 1998 by two brothers, Jason and Clinton Stone, both with extensive experience in hunting dangerous game and plains throughout Africa.