Editorial

Enough telling….

Consider two statements you could hear from your potential outfitter:

• Our area has the conditions to produce large kudu; and
• Our clients shot three kudu, over 55 inches last year.

The first encourages thoughts on how to find them and the enjoyment of the hunt: the second focuses more on collection than enjoyment and could lead to speculation on whether there are any left when three were taken so recently.

There is so much ‘telling’ in this world. Some of us have had enough. Our governments have told us too much in the last two years and by all accounts, this may not change.

Some hunters freely admit to shooting animals from vehicles, or at least have owned up to it. Some contributors send in articles describing this as part of the hunt. Not because they were physically disadvantaged, not at all. Simply because they wanted to. Some shot their animals from helicopters. Some followed up wounded animals in a helicopter. Telling the story, the thrill in both was palpable when they described it.

One of our African Dawn outfitters specializes in hounds on leopards and just today sent me a felled leopard pic, over bait. To bay or bait I asked? He said baying, every time. Who am I judge. I recall massive debate with Namibia’s hunting hierarchy at their AGM.

Speaking of AGMs – Year end is a time when the African hunting Associations gather for their AGMs. A changing of the guard for some. A time to re-open old points of contention and raise new ones. Should hounds even be used to hunt an animal? Or, perhaps they can if the animal is wounded. Or, not at all. What about shooting at night? Is it 5 minutes or 30 minutes after sunset that we allow? Who sets such rules? Why? And that’s even before considering if it’s a cloudy day. Splitting hairs is what comes to mind.

So, while impossible to cover much, I hope to this helps stir up your own thoughts and emotions on the subject and all I ask is reflect on what is important to YOU. Then, do what promotes African Hunting, in a positive light.

Here’s to a peaceful year end.

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

You have probably heard some environmental activists going on about how air travel is ‘bad’ because it might cause global warming? And were you starting to think that perhaps your trip to Africa to hunt on the great continent was a bit of a naughty thing to do? Forget it! The World’s leaders in their hundreds and delegates in their thousands  recently flew from all around the globe to Glasgow in Scotland to attend a conference on how to fight climate change. As they are clearly not worried about the impact of their air travel, why should you be?

Return to Namibia’s Otjozondjupa District

It’s 31 May 2021, about 2.30 a.m. somewhere over the north Atlantic bound for Frankfurt, Germany on the first leg of my trip. I’m sitting here wide awake and can’t sleep. I started thinking about what had led me to this point in time, going back to the end of an incredible hunt with my youngest daughter in 2019. I had made plans to return to Namibia in 2020. Travel arrangements were made through a trusted travel agency I’ve used before. Once again I would be flying through Doha on Qatar Airways. 

Frank Zitz Taxidermy

I got into the industry when I was quite young as I had worked for a furrier when I was just a boy.  I had always been interested in taxidermied animals, and first started when I used a mail order from the back of a hunting magazine for a booklet on taxidermy. It was quite accurate though I think a little tough to understand for someone not trained in taxidermy. However, the illustrations and the tools they used for tanning were correct.
Just as I was getting ready to go to college, I worked for a famous local taxidermist, Louis Paul Jonas, from the American Museum.

Fourth leopard at 80

The leopard cannot be seen if he does not want to be seen, and that makes hunting him the perfect hunt. If you want a realistic chance to shoot a leopard, you must make him come to you, which means hunting over bait, or following a pack of hounds.
An occasional chance encounter does happen – but getting a shot this way is a gift of the hunting gods and never proof of your own skill or determination. My chance encounter for a leopard was in Namibia a good many years ago. I was actually looking for a cheetah, although then (as now) cheetahs could not be imported into the United States.

Respect

The dust swirled in the midday heat of the Zambezi Valley, as we lay motionless behind a small outcrop of black rock that reflected its heat towards us. Shade was sparse apart from a clump of green about 15 meters ahead.
This was directly in line of the two Dagga Boys bedded down in some jesse 40 meters further. Just a small patch of black and a flick of an ear gave them away.The day had started with a cup of freshly brewed coffee hot off the campfire. The staff were jovial as they loaded the Cruiser with Cokes, a couple of beers for the trip home later that evening, and a whole lot of water. Our ‘scoff box’ was filled with sandwiches and biltong, apples and some crisps– a five-star meal for the field.

An encounter with black-backed jackals

It is 4 o´clock this morning when my alarm clock jolts me out of my sleep, my dreams, and makes me aware to get up, take a shower, and slip into my Sniper Africa Camo clothes. Outside it is still dark, quite and peaceful when I close the door of my nice and cosy room. We have reached the end of August and I am luckily back to Africa, staying on a wonderful family-owned farm called Okapunja in Northern Namibia, close to the Etosha National Park. Around the house, under the lapa, I meet Gustav, my Professional Hunter and a real good guy. 

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.

Adroda Safaris

Adroda Safaris provides its clients with the opportunity to hunt across southern Africa in large, diverse habitats and free-range concessions offering true fair-chase hunting.

Rob Lurie Safaris 

Rob Lurie Safaris is a family owned and run business. Rob Lurie has been in the Safari industry for 25 years guiding hundreds of clients on successful, memorable safaris.

Makadi Safaris

Makadi Safaris has been owned and operated by the Metzger family for three generations. Not only have we maintained our vast hunting areas but also expanded them with a sensible and sustainable game management program in place. 

Quality Hunting Safaris

What makes Quality Hunting Safaris unique from other is that we provide top quality trophies, and a lifetime experience to our clients. We don’t only hunt, we enjoy nature and we enjoy the experience nature allows us.