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November 2023

Contents 

• Editorial by Richard Lendrum               (Scroll down to read)
• Rigby welcomes celebrated wildlife artist Zoltán Boros
• Local Cookbook Clinches Prestigious Award
• Book Review: Wato by Ken Bailey
• The Bow Hunt of a Lifetime, South African Style by Barry Parks
• Hyena Inspired Victory Dances by Kendal-Ray Kaschula
• Family Safari by Matt Blymire
• Campfire Thoughts & Reminiscences Ch 24 by Neil Harmse
• One for the Road by Terry Wieland
• African Dawn Catalogue Editorial
• African Dawn Outfitters 2023

Editorial: The Importance of November 25^th

November 25^th is a big day for us for two reasons.

As part of the new AHG Membership program, the Annual Rigby .416 Draw will be open for ALL members to win. Whether renewing (or ‘re-upping’ – an Americanism I really love) or signing up for the first time, you are in line to win.

As a Life Member sign up, you will have 10 tickets in the draw; 5 tickets if you sign up 5 years, and so on. So, every new and existing member will have a chance. The draw will take place on November 25^th. Aside from all the goodies that come with each subscrption, this beautiful Rigby is up for grabs. We really are excited with this new chapter.

The 25^th is also the second day of our inaugural Virtual Africa Hunting Expo.

This is a first as far as we know when it comes to promoting Africa.

We launched African hunting shows way back in 2009, in Toronto, Canada. A colleague was moving back there and we wanted to open up the Canadian market. Over the next 10 or so years, we expanded across Canada and also hosted shows in Atlanta, Georgia. Some were incredible, some were an utter flop. We certainly made a positive impact, with many still speaking about those events; one guest at Afton this year was at our first event in downtown Toronto.

One of my greatest business lessons was in Atlanta. We grew the show too quickly. Taking on too many outfitters because word got out how well the first one did. Naive me did not realize that our visitor numbers had to grow accordingly. It nearly killed me. 

Anyway – 10 years later, licking wounds, with lessons learned, the onboarding of social media and technology – we’re launching the first Virtual African hunting expo. Technology is on our side. And as we have all had to become acquainted with Zoom, Teams, Google and other online meetings platforms, the time differences mean little because African outfitters are ‘manning their booths’ from Africa. (Although in this day and age – I'm not sure I can even speak about men or women, but you know what I mean).

So, if you are seriously considering your next African safari, we are excited to present 400-plus years of African outfitting experience of these 19 reputable African Dawn Outfitters have, from across the continent. They are all African Dawn Members and if you are uncertain of the line up – just look at this list!

Change is constant. Time is precious. Distance is now a mere technical obstacle. Join this virtual expo – it's free! – and experience something new, from the greatest destination in the world – Africa.

Register for the inaugural Virtual Hunting Expo here.

All the best,

Richard Lendrum

The Bow Hunt of a Lifetime, South African Style​​​​​​​

It was late February 2023 when a friend called to cancel an August trip to Ireland. Determined to go on an adventure, I decided to honor my late wife, Kim. Covid pneumonia took her life on October 1, 2021. We were married for 25 years. She was 51… A South African Safari was on her bucket list. I called Carl Drake, a friend, to inquire. Carl is a member of the Eland Safaris Pro Staff. He told me that there were spots available in early or late June 2023. After checking my schedule, I opted for the late June Safari. Inspired by another friend, I decided to bow hunt. I had not shot archery in over 10 years and had never harvested an animal with a bow. With only 3 months to prepare, it would prove to be a tough personal challenge.

Hyena Inspired Victory Dances

If there’s a cattle rancher reading this book, then you’re about to understand this next story better than anyone.
 I lived on a cattle ranch from fourteen, and for as far back as my memories went, we were plagued by hyenas.
 And no, they were not just any old hyenas. They were professors…..they were graduates in avoiding a bullet. They were the holders of PHD’s in how to avoid a hunter. They were the kind of hyenas that could put a sane person in a mental institute, and in a place as tough as Zimbabwe’s Lowveld, the last thing anyone needed was another reason to go insane, but who said the weary get to rest?

Family Safari

I am a 40-year-old from Pennsylvania who grew up hunting whitetail deer with my dad.  I started hunting with him at the age of 12 which was the legal minimum age in Pennsylvania, and then continued hunting deer on my own.  Now married, with nine-year-old twin boys, I get to hunt whitetail deer with my wife and sons who can now hunt on a Mentored Youth program in Pennsylvania.

Campfire Thoughts & Reminiscences Ch 24

A number of guns were put up for sale by a retired hunter and among these was a very rusty, badly pitted sporting Martini Henry .577/450 made by Isaac Hollis & Son, an established British gun-maker. At first glance, the gun was in terrible condition and about all it was good for was a ‘wall-hanger’. Apparently the gun had at one stage been wrapped in canvas and buried inside an anthill. The reason for this was unclear, but it might have been during the Boer War when guns were being confiscated, or perhaps during WWI or WWII, for the same reason. At one stage, it had been a beautiful sporting gun made with pride by this prestigious Birmingham gun-maker.

One for the Road

Many years ago, a well-meaning friend gave me a copy of a book by a noted anti-hunting writer.  I don’t recall the author’s name, or the title of the book—long-since trashed—but one thing sticks in my mind.

Who are African Dawn Outfitters?

The African Dawn Program is about promoting hunting in Africa, not just through what we publish, but with the outfitters’ cooperation in this program… and it is for your peace of mind.

International travel consumes two precious commodities – personal time and money. And when you are a hunter, things can get tricky when there are further considerations like rules, regulations, details and differences between each country and their species. It is important to have a good outfitter, and whether it is your next hunting safari, or your first one, there are many outfitters to choose from. In fact, there are over 500, so how do you find a reliable one, the one that is right for you?

To help you, we decided to promote and work with approximately 10% of this continent-wide group of outfitters. We have listed a limited number of an esteemed group of established and reputable African outfitters and they can be found in this Catalogue. To familiarize yourself with this list, we also offer monthly publications, and monthly trophy gallery posts (Trophies Fresh from the Veld). To ensure you receive these updates, sign up www.africanhuntinggazette.com.

If you are an agent looking for an outfitter to represent, you’ll be safe contacting one of these outfitters.

If you are researching for your next safari, be sure to contact any one of listed outfitters directly. It will support them and save you money by booking with them. Please tell them that it was by them being an African Dawn Member that contributed to the decision.

Our website www.africanhuntinggazette.com has a detailed overview of them all, and you know where to contact me if you need to know anything more.

For now, just enjoy the read.

Richard Lendrum - Publisher African Hunting Gazette

[email protected]

2023 African Dawn Members

• Keibeb Safaris
• Ken Moody Safaris
• Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris
• Lake Albert Safaris
• Madubula Safaris
• Mashambanzou Safaris
• Mayo Oldiri Safaris
• Mike Currie Adventures
• Mokore Safaris
• Monterra Safaris
• Namibia Safari Corporation
• Northern Operations Africa
• Pete Barnard Safaris
• Richard Cooke Safaris
• Rob Lurie Safaris
• Rolling River Safaris
• Royal Karoo Safaris
• SB Hunting Safaris
• Spear Safaris
• Stone Hunting Safaris
• Strang Middleton Safaris
• Thierry Labat Safaris
• Watts Trophy Hunting Safaris
• Wow Africa Safaris