I was born in Edmonton, Alberta Canada in 1945. I guess that makes me a city kid, but we were never far from the country. Although Edmonton is home to almost 1.5 million people today, it was only 100,000 when I was growing up. When walking out the back door we were soon in the woods with a lot of small wetlands. Birds and small mammals were abundant. Many of my relatives were on the farm. My family spent a lot of time outdoors, hunting, fishing and camping. We were always learning new outdoor skills.
I have a Master’s degree in physical geography. My career of 40 years was committed to parks, land use planning and conservation – things I loved. I often joke that I never did get a job. In 2010, I reconnected with Carole, a friend from university days and we soon married. Carole, a true city girl had never participated in any of the outdoor activities that were part of my life. She was keen to try them all and learnt to shoot, and once we decided to visit Africa, she was committed to getting a zebra. Our shared love of Africa has resulted in five visits so far!
My first African animal was a good oryx in Grootfontein, Namibia, 2012
My fascination with Africa started when I was a child. I broke my collarbone when I was five and was taken to “Doc Cameron” who practiced from his house. His walls were adorned with spears, shields and other memorabilia from his time in Africa. I couldn’t take my eyes off the pig with the big teeth. In 2011, Carole and I had a chance to join a tour through Namibia prior to the World Veterinary Congress that my brother was attending in Cape Town. I fell in love with the landscapes that were new to me. Alberta’s landscapes are young, the result of glacial action. The province was covered in ice until 10,000 years ago. In Namibia I was seeing ancient landscapes, the result of the action of wind and water over millions of years. I was experiencing landscapes that I had studied in geomorphology at university but had never seen. Watching and photographing wildlife in Etosha National Park, I was hooked. On our four subsequent trips we hunted different areas in part for the different landscapes. We added a tour of the Garden Route in South Africa and visited the diamond mine and Boer Museum near Kimberly. How can I forget walking with the lions on my 70th birthday? A houseboat on the Chobe River in Botswana and Tiger fishing the Zambezi River were fabulous experiences. Victoria Falls was awe-inspiring. My love of Africa includes the scents – The Kalahari Bushveld, the smell of flowers after rain, the aroma of Sand Camwood. If the early morning smells of the camel-thorn dotted savannah grasslands near Kimberly could be bottled they would put the final touches on any trophy room!
I think hunting was in my blood. Dad and my uncles were hunters. In the days before television, storytelling was an important part of socializing. As a kid I would listen, enthralled by the hunting stories of my elders. I wandered the fields with Dad or sat in the duck blind before I started school. I was allowed to skip school for a few days when I was about seven. What a thrill to sleep in a wall tent in winter with the wood stove for heat. Though horses were no longer used on the farm, one of the uncles kept a team for the annual winter hunt. I vividly remember riding in the sleigh behind the trotting horses with the bells jingling. After that I was hooked and could not get enough.
In Africa, we hunted Namibia near Grootfontein in 2012. In South Africa, we hunted several properties near East London as well as the Queenstown area in 2015. In 2016, we hunted near Kimberly as well as north of Port Elizabeth. In 2020 we again hunted the Karoo, north of Port Elizabeth.
This is my caracal with the roundsmen, East London, 2015
In New Zealand we hunted chamois in the Lake Hawea area north of Queenstown and Himalayan tahr at Rata Peak, west of Christchurch. In the U.S. it was pronghorn in eastern Wyoming.
In Canada I have hunted extensively in my home province of Alberta over the past 60 years. Extended horse trips in the roadless areas of the Rocky Mountains were especially enjoyable, and we hunted mountain goat in the rugged coastal mountains of northern British Columbia near the Alaskan border. Our quest for caribou took us to the fringe of the tundra in the Ungava Peninsula of northern Quebec, while Great Bear Lake on the Arctic Circle in Northwest Territory was our destination for musk ox.
I had my favourite weapons, but on my African hunts I used the rifles that the outfitters provided. I shot .300 Winchester, 7 mm Remington Magnum, .300 Remington Ultra Magnum, .300 H & H and .375 H & H. All were bolt action and mounted with good scopes. I particularly liked the pre ’64 Winchester in .300 H & H, a bit heavy to carry but very steady on the sticks. In Canada I am old school. I only own one rifle, a Remington Pump action in .30-06 Springfield. I had a 4X Weaver scope for most of my life. A few years back I traded it for a Bushnell 3 -9 variable. I won’t say I traded up, as the Weaver was an excellent scope, but as I get older the higher power is occasionally helpful on longer shots. I currently shoot Hornady Superformance 150-grain SST bullets. With the higher velocity there is little need to correct for elevation under 300 yards.
My favourite African animal to hunt without hesitation is kudu. Following Joseph, a Bushman tracker, across the old sand dunes of the wooded Kalahari Bushveld in Northern Namibia was an experience like no other. Finding the track of a large bull, Joseph would unravel the trail even when it crossed paths with a herd of other animals. It was amazing. The “Grey Ghost” is a truly elusive animal; at times, Joseph would have us sneaking slowly, at other times almost running to try and head off a bull that we had not yet sighted. We occasionally saw horn tips, though seldom got a good look, but after days of getting close, and not connecting, what a thrill to finally outsmart one.
Eastern Cape kudu near Queenstown, 2015
I couldn’t choose any particular trophy as my favorite – all rekindle memories of experiences, landscapes and adventures with the people I hunted with. In terms of my African trophies, the Eastern Cape kudu with its beautiful markings and long flowing mane is perhaps the most impressive on the wall. The musk ox from the Arctic Circle is a magnificent animal and I am still partial to the Rocky Mountain bighorn that I had mounted over 50 years ago.
Fortunately I don’t think I have had a close brush with death while hunting; danger perhaps. There were some tense moments when I shot my Cape buffalo. I got two good shots into a bull before he got into a herd of about 30 animals. They moved only a short distance and stood facing us. Several of the Dagga Boys had blood on their noses from rubbing on the wounded bull. As we got closer, looking for a final shot, the herd continued to stare us down; they had no intention of moving. At about 100 yards it seemed like a bad idea to get closer in the hopes of getting them to move. I was well aware that we were a long way from the trees. There wasn’t even a shrub big enough to try hiding behind. I got an open lane and finished the bull off. The others stood their ground. They did not move for the 20 minutes we waited while someone went for the bakkie and drove in their direction. I had three PHs backing me up and was not worried; perhaps I should have been. I have no idea what would have happened if the wounded bull or the others decided to charge as I have often read they do. Perhaps ignorance is bliss.
I would suggest potential hunters not to be deterred by areas with high fences. The properties are large and the fences never come into play. There is usually far more habitat to hunt than in the unfenced areas that are typically hunted in Canada. Consider using the taxidermist recommended by your outfitter. Even with the cost of shipping, they are competitive with prices in Canada and you get your trophies much sooner. I have used three different taxidermists in Africa. Their work compares favourably with the taxidermist I use in Alberta who has “World Champion” behind his name.
My advice to any first-time hunter is to be flexible. On your first safari pick a hunting package with a variety of animals where the company is prepared to trade for others. You may well change your list when you see some of the animals. Pick a longer trip rather than a short one. There is always a lot more to do around the lodge than hunt. Make it a family affair and don’t forget the side trips; Africa is a diverse and wonderful place. Adding a few extra days helps to defer the cost of the long flight. Pack light. With daily laundry you don’t need many changes of clothes.
And last, but not least – try not to leave your African adventures until you retire, like I did. You will want many years for return trips.
Company Name: Krugertaxidermy t/a Marakalalo (Pty) Ltd.
Contact: (Owner/Manage) Kruger Human
Physical Address: 21 Stormavenue, Bainsvlei, Bloemfontein, Free State Province, South Africa
Tel Office: +27 (0) 649382563 Mobile: +27 (0)834478132
Contact Email: kruger@krugertaxidermy.com Website: www.krugertaxidermy.com
Tell us a little about your operation. How it started & why you got into the industry.
Kruger Human is part of the fifth generation of the Human family in South Africa. His great- grandparents moved into the Kalahari region of South Africa after the Anglo-Boer war.
They settled in this thirsty, semi-desert area that is today known as the Kagalagadi Transfrontier Park between South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. They farmed with limited livestock and lived off the land, hunting wild game and birds. Their small farmhouse built with limestone and thatched grass, is today a museum in the heart of the Park.
Kruger grew up in a hunting and fishing environment and inherited his love for wild fauna and flora from this rich family legacy. As a child he hunted small animals and birds, and shot his first antelope at the age of six. Today he has 50 years of experience in hunting and fishing adventures. He has been involved in in wildlife management and conservation projects for 35 years, including 20 years as a Professional Hunter and Hunting Outfitter that includes a license in Botswana.
His artistic talent and passion for wildlife started the hobby of taxidermy in 1997.Krugertaxidermy is today a business, but Kruger still prefers to call it his wildlife art a hobby and does not want the business side to dictate his passion for wildlife art. With his vast knowledge of the Southern Africa fauna and flora, his wildlife and hunting adventures took him to Kenya, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana.
Kruger still hunts and fishes Africa’s wilderness areas, and he studies and conserves wildlife. His passion for hunting, fishing and conservation projects gives him a high level of knowledge of animals and birds to compliment his current full time profession as a taxidermist.
How many years have you been in the business?
Kruger started taxidermy art as a hobby in 1997. From 1999 to 2003, Kruger received training from one of the top taxidermists in the United States of America – Bill Mason, owner of Mason’s Taxidermy in West Virginia, USA. Bill made sure that Kruger received invaluable training in the finer points of the art of taxidermy
What are your favorite mounts & why?
I don’t necessarily have favorite animals as each is unique. However, the degree of difficulty to mount cats and small mammals to perfection is rewarding. Big cats like lion and leopard, and small cats like caracal and serval really test a taxidermist’s skill and talent. Kudu and eland are also favorites, and off course pachyderms.
Action mounts are difficult and if you are not careful you can mess up the expressions. One of my favorite displays is this picture of a Cheetah chasing four Springbucks.It also excites me when I mount the ibex, wild sheep and antlered species of the world. It gives me a good idea of my position in the industry in comparison with top taxidermists of the world.
What are your specialty areas that you have in the business?
I sculpt or make my own forms and I am sure that is the specialty area of the business. Especially my cat mounts. Changing forms and styles all the time. I do however have taxidermy friends and we share manikins, but I make changes as to have my own ‘signature’ on the mounts.
I guess the fact that I receive trophies from hunters from all over the world is an indication that I am on par with some of the best. I don’t think many SA taxidermists receive trophies from all countries in Africa, Canada, Spain, Turkey, Alaska, USA, Krygystan, Azarbajan, Tajikistan, Greenland, to name a few. This makes the company unique as I do not specialize in African animals only, I can mount any species.
Current processes offered
Pick up & collect trophies? Trophy collection around SA and Import from any country
Maximum distance offered to collect trophies? We have a network of people and collect anywhere in SA
Own tanning facilities? Marakalalo only tan the skins/capes we use in the mount process, flat skins are send to a commercial professional company
Do you buy in forms or sculpt your own or both? 90 % of my forms have been sculpted/built by myself and every time we alter a form into a specific pose ordered by a client, I make a mold to save time for future mounts.
Delivery time (approximate):
Dip and Pack: 3-4 months European mounts: 4 months Shoulder mounts: 8-10 months Full mounts: 10 – 12 months
General Comments
I put my hand on each taxidermy piece, whether I personally mount it or if it is mounted by one of my taxidermists. Marakalalo is definitely not a speed service and the policy is that we would rather be three months late than sned out work of sub-standard quality.
Vultures are an ecologically vital group of birds that face a range of threats in many areas where they occur. Populations of many species are under pressure, and some species are facing extinction. The ‘IVAD’ has grown from awareness days run by the Endangered Wildlife Trust in South Africa and the Hawk Conservancy Trust in England, who decided to work together and expand the initiative into an international event.
It is now recognised that a co-ordinated IVAD will publicise the conservation of vultures to a wider audience, and highlight the important work being carried out by the world’s vulture conservationists. On the first Saturday in September, the aim is for each participating organisation to carry out their own activities that highlight vulture conservation and awareness. A website provides a central place for all participants to outline these activities and see the extent of vulture conservation across the world. Additionally, it is a valuable resource for vulture workers to learn about the activities of their colleagues and to develop new collaborations or exchange information. Learn more at https://www.vultureday.org/
Vultures have been placed under severe threat in recent years, particularly due to poisoning. Globally, 75% of all vultures are threatened with extinction, according to the IUCN Red List. During the 1990s, vulture populations in South Asia declined by 99% over a single decade due to poisoning by diclofenac, a Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug (NSAID) used to treat cattle. In 2006, veterinary use of diclofenac was banned by governments across India, Nepal and Pakistan and more recently in Bangladesh, Iran and Cambodia. However, it is still in use in parts of Europe and Africa, although there are alternative non-toxic drugs available such as meloxicam.
The first birds to be ringed (banded) on the African continent were Cape Vultures Gyps coprotheres. In August 1948 a group of enthusiasts climbed the cliffs of the Kransberg breeding colony near Thabazimbi in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, and ringed a number of Cape Vulture nestlings. One was later found dead near Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. The Witwatersrand Bird Club continued ringing Cape Vultures in the Magaliesberg mountain range, and as a student at Witwatersrand University, I joined the WBC ringing activities in 1963 and 1964 in the Magaliesberg and in Botswana.
In 1972 I met Peter Mundy, who was on his way from Nigeria to then Rhodesia, where he was to start a Master’s programme on ‘The Comparative Biology of Southern African Vultures’. In 1973 Peter co-ordinated a ringing exercise in the Magaliesberg, when we marked individual nestlings with unique colour ring combinations for the first time. His research continued for many years and Peter was ultimately awarded a Doctorate for his extensive studies of vultures in the field, in Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Cape Vulture chick
Fast-forward to 2021 and vultures are in dire trouble all around the world, most of them now on the endangered list. They have been decimated by humans and our intolerance and indifference to the creatures that share our planet. Toxins of one kind or another have wreaked havoc on vulture populations, while changes in land-use, electrocution and collisions with powerlines have added to the threats facing vultures.
The only book dealing with the vultures of a continent
The plight of these harmless and useful birds is now highlighted on IVAD, and I was invited to visit the Nyoka Ridge Vulture ‘restaurant’ for a recognition of the occasion. This vulture feeding site is an initiative of the local Rotarians, the local chapter of BirdLife and WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa). A shady lookout post has been constructed here, while a photographic hide is being built in a shipping container and will be installed later this year. The Magaliesberg Biosphere Reserve was recognised by UNESCO in 2015, giving the core area international status as a special place. However, vultures fly far and wide, away from the protection of the biosphere reserve.
Peter Mundy and I made a nostalgic trip out to Nyoka Ridge on 4 September. A column of wheeling vultures greeted our arrival, but showed no interest in the repast of dead livestock that had been laid out for them and disappeared from view. We chatted to the many people who had come out for the morning, hoping to see the great birds descend to the food.
Dr Peter Mundy (left) and Dr John Ledger at the Nyoka Ridge Vulture Restaurant on 4 September 2021
Alas, as midday approached their human patience wore thin, and an exodus ensued until only three observers remained. At 1:30pm the Cape Vultures started dropping out of the sky, and we were treated to the magnificent spectacle of around 100 or more birds circling, landing, feeding and fighting as they have done since time immemorial. What a wonderful sight!
It is 58 years since I first ringed vultures in the Magaliesberg and 49 since Peter and I met and became vulture soul-mates. We are both gratified and moved that there is a new generation of vulture custodians who care about these great birds, and are trying to ensure their survival in a world where humans and their trappings of civilisation, prosperity and greed are inexorably encroaching on the space that vultures need to survive.
Hunters can play an important part in vulture conservation by using non-lead ammunition to hunt animals that might later be consumed by vultures.
Dr John Ledger is a past Director of the Endangered Wildlife Trust, now a consultant, writer and teacher on the environment, energy and wildlife; he is a columnist for the African Hunting Gazette. He lives in Johannesburg, South Africa. John.Ledger@wol.co.za
Q:Tell us about your family, how they originally got to Africa.
A: My great-great grandfather came to South Africa around 1850. He was a doctor, and he married an Afrikaans Boer woman. My great-grandfather also married an Afrikaans Boer woman and they fought against the English during the Boer war. Their family farm was destroyed in the scorched earth policy at the time, and the family spent some time in one of the concentration camps. After the Boer war they emigrated to Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, and worked for a company that was in the beef business. My grandfather was born in Bulawayo in 1912, and was educated in Rhodesia. He met my grandmother who had emigrated to Rhodesia from Scotland as a radiographer. My grandfather was a carpenter by trade which held him in good stead in later years when he started his own farming venture. He joined the Rhodesian Royal Air Force for the duration of the Second World War. On returning to Rhodesia he bought a farm at Balla Balla, approximately 70km south of Bulawayo on the Beit Bridge road, and did beef cattle and limited cropping under irrigation.
My father was one of four children – three boys and one girl. He was a twin, the youngest. He had a great upbringing on the farm where the hunting of plains game and game bird was freely available. On leaving school in 1965 he joined the Department of National Parks and Wild Life Management as a Cadet Ranger, and was fortunate enough to be transferred to Mabalahuta in the Gona-re-zhou National Park where he worked under Richard Harland who was an experienced elephant hunter.
Richard taught him the basics of elephant hunting. Added to this the Sergeant Game Scout was a man named Machavana who himself was very experienced with elephants. My father worked for the Department of National Parks and Wild life for nine years and gained a tremendous amount of experience in all aspects of big-game hunting, namely elephant, buffalo, lion, and leopard. There was a tremendous amount of control work to be done in those days.
Today this is not the case, as safari hunting has placed a big value on all these animals which are now hunted by safari operators with their perspective clients. So whereas in the past a farmer would destroy a lion that was eating his cattle, these days the farmer would sell the lion to a safari operator. While stationed at the Main Camp of Hwange National Park he met and married my mother, Bertie, who had come to visit her aunt in Bulawayo. Bertie came from Holland, but as a child, till she was 16 years old, lived in Indonesia and New Guinea where her father was an administrator for the then Dutch Colony. This I am sure prepared her for the bush life that they have lived since then.
Q: When and where were you born?
A: I was born in Bulawayo in 1975.
Q:How did you get into hunting – what was it that influenced you?
A: It was growing up on the farm in Mbalabala, and on the various hunting camps where my parents operated, and just generally having a passion for wildlife and wide-open spaces influenced my career decision.
Q:With whom did you train, apprentice and learn from?
A: I mainly learnt from my father Barrie Duckworth and company PHs Pete Fick and Hilton Nichols.
Q:What was the most important thing you learned during those early years?
A: Hard work ethic, honesty and that your word is your word. Obviously growing up hunting I learnt a lot about the bush and wildlife long before I started my apprenticeship.
Q:The early years of professional hunting – where were they?
A: I did pretty much all of my apprenticeship in Chewore South in the Zambezi Valley, Matetsi River Ranch near Victoria Falls, and the Save Valley Conservancy in the South Eastern Lowveld of Zimbabwe.
Q:What was next?
A: On leaving National Parks in 1974 we decided to go farming on our home farm at Balla Balla. Our internal war was on and I felt that my aging parents needed support on the farm. However, I soon was missing big-game hunting, and when my former boss in National Parks who had also left the Department and had now started his own Safari company, phoned me and asked if I would do some pro-hunting for him, I jumped at the opportunity. Due to several factors I eventually left A B&M safaris and went on my own in 1978. We called ourselves Hunters Safaris. I was then joined by Roger Whittall and we formed our own safari company in 1982 which we called Zinyela Hunters Safaris (Pvt) Ltd. In 1998 we dissolved Zinyela Hunters Safaris and each formed our respective companies. Roger’s became Roger Whittall Safaris and mine became Mokore Safaris. These are the companies by which we still operate today. Obviously, growing up on the family farm and on all the hunting camps where my parents operated, my brother Neil and I grew up loving wildlife, hunting and the bush. We both went straight into the business as soon as I finished University and Neil finished Blackfordby Agricultural College.
Q:What were some of the more embarrassing, fun and interesting experiences?
A: My first few hunts as a qualified PH where I had to lead the charge had plenty “learning” experiences. The poor clients ended up getting walked a lot harder to try and get an animal as my inexperience (even after a three-year apprenticeship under some of the best PHs out there) lead to me passing up an animal or not getting the client in the right position, etc. It was sometimes embarrassing but always fun for the most part. There were a few difficult sections with clients where my inexperience allowed them to “bully” me, but I soon learnt how to deal with all these things, making safari even more fun, not only for our guests but also for myself.
Q:Any specific client experiences that stood out?
A: My first leopard hunt was in the save valley conservancy. I had set up a bait on the banks of a small stream on our Angus ranch. Tracks told us (before the advent of trail cameras) that we had a tom and female hit. In the blind early because of overcast weather and at 4:30 p.m. we saw movement by the bait. Soon we had two leopard cavorting and playing around in the river sand, one male and a female. You would have thought that being in daylight I would have seen that although the male was bigger than the female it was not an old cat. I am not sure if it was because I was shaking so much that could hardly hold my binos, or was just too excited to have a male in front of us that I instructed the client to take him. All that remains to be said is that the cat was not of the required age. Valuable lesson learnt!
Q: Any other valuable lesson?
A: The second valuable lesson I learnt was when i was conducting anti-poaching patrols on the same ranch.
A large job in the early years consisted of ridding these areas of huge numbers of snares that were remaining from the cattle days, as well as fighting the ever-present new poaching gangs. As an apprentice working on the property, I spent many hours patrolling with the game scouts. Due to the very low numbers of dangerous game back then, we normally just patrolled with shotguns loaded with either birdshot or buckshot…for shooting dogs and as an intimidation factor when confronting poachers.
On the day in question I was patrolling along the Chinchindwe River on our newly acquired Angus Ranch. We had been patrolling for maybe an hour, when we came across a snareline of about 30 wire snares along the edge of a mopane forest and an open area. We spread out searching for other snares and removing the ones we found. Whilst untying a snare, I heard a sound in a small Ilala palm thicket behind me in the middle of the open area. I asked the scout nearest to me if he had heard anything. He hadn’t, and so we just carried on removing snares. I heard the sound again and alerted the scout to this fact.
He was immediately convinced that it was the owners of the snares hiding in the thicket, and wanted to rush in and arrest them as the first guy to lay a hand on a poacher arrested got the biggest bonus! I cautioned him to hold back a bit as there were tracks of a buffalo herd that had passed near the snareline, and that this could be a snared buffalo. Taking the bird shot out of the Benelli shotgun I was carrying, I replaced it with slug, buckshot, slug, buckshot in that combination.
Once done and now better armed, I suggested that we proceed into the thicket and see if it was indeed the poachers. The ever-eager scout forged ahead with the snares he had removed over his right shoulder. We hadn’t gone but a few meters into the thicket when he hurriedly started trying to back out past me, but the snares on his shoulder were catching on the palm thorns. Trying to step to the side to see past him, I questioned him, “Chi, chi?” (“What, what?”). By then he was free from the thorns and made himself scarce. I then saw what was troubling him coming at me at full pace: An angry buffalo bull!
My first shot with a Rottweill slug at about eight paces, hit it in the right eye but had absolutely no effect on the bull! By the time I could pull the trigger a second time he had already dropped his head to toss me, so I shot him into the top of his skull with a charge of buckshot. Fortunately, this killed him outright and I was able to jump aside allowing his body to fall past me. I quickly put two 9mm bullets into the back of his head with the handgun I had as insurance, but these were unnecessary as the shotgun had killed him.
My biggest concern then was to try and explain to my father how I had killed one of his precious buffalo that the Conservancy was trying to breed up. Of course, when I got him on the radio his only concern was our safety. I was extremely lucky that this was a soft-bossed bull, as I think if he had had a hard boss the buckshot would not have penetrated and I probably wouldn’t be here writing this story. In hindsight, I appreciate the follies of youth. I would NEVER go into such a situation again now if I had only a shotgun with me. The Lord sometimes protects the dumb!
That being said, thus far in my career, the two closest incidents with trouble from dangerous game I have managed to sort out using a shotgun. The other was a leopard.
Q:Anything you leant about what not to do?
A: Don’t go into thickets where there are wounded buffalo, only with a shotgun!
Q:Which countries/areas have you hunted since then?
A: I have only hunted Zimbabwe and Mozambique. We started operating in Mozambique in 2001 when the Zimbabwean government embarked on their fast-track land reform policy and started acquiring all our properties. We lost three properties in late 2000/early 2001 and so decided to look in neighboring countries for work.
Q: What were some of the interesting things that happened there?
A: Developing the beautiful areas we have in both Zimbabwe (Mokore and Angus in the save valley conservancy) and Mozambique (coutada 9) have been some of the most interesting and exciting experiences I have had. Save valley was, when my parents first bought these properties, under cattle ranching. Because of this and the terrible drought in 1992, there was minimal game in the area. Taking down all the cattle fences, putting in water holes, and bringing in huge numbers of game was very exciting. As a young apprentice this was a time of hard work but a lot of valuable lessons from some of the best game managers in the world. Working with the likes of Clem Coetzee, my dad Barrie, Roger Whittal, Clive Stockhill and others was a great experience for me.
Q:Tell us more about the Mozambique experience.
A: Our Mozambique concession was wild and huge when we first went in with very few roads and water. Game was severely depleted after 24 years of civil war and the poaching thereafter. Going in and opening up this area was very exciting and form some of my best memories of my entire career. Just taking a pack and walking off into the bush for a week to ten day patrol in an area where you have never been, where you do not know what is over the next hill is very exciting and pushes you on every day to go further in and discover new places. The excitement of getting water from the first boreholes we put in, the first dams built, new roads opened and camps built. Every project is exciting, often difficult but very gratifying. To be able to do this together with my parents, brother, wife and sister-in-law as part of the team has been a blessing.
Q:If you could return to any time or place in Africa, where would it be?
A: Chewore south in the early days. I still love every trip to the save, sengwa and coutada 9. I have been lucky to hunt in great areas. Unfortunately, being so busy close to home has kept me from exploring the rest of Africa so I am sure there are plenty other wild and beautiful places I have missed. I would love to see some of the other countries with big concessions like Zambia, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Uganda. However, I still feel that by having been involved in the resurrection of most of our current areas they are a lot dearer to me.
Q:Which is your favorite trophy animal to hunt? And why?
A: I used to love hunting elephant bulls in big areas when there was a chance to find a big trophy bull. Now this desire has waned as there are very few big wild areas with huge bulls left. Now my favorites are buffalo (especially old dagga boys) and eland. These three are my favorites, as to hunt them is usually physical and a lot of time spent out on tracks. When following in the tracks of these animals they lead you to beautiful springs, pans and also some hellishly horrible thick thorn! Always interesting places though. Also, when on these hunts ones sees and hears all the other aspects and creatures of the bush. This is very different to hunting plains game on smaller areas and mostly spot and stalk from the vehicle.
Q:What is the best trophy animal one of your clients ever took?
A: Probably a 93 lb elephant with John in Ngamo/Sikumi area. There have been many, many great ones though with great memories. Some of them not the biggest measurement wise, but just old and tough.
Q:Tell us about two of your most memorable hunts, without naming names.
A: when I was an apprentice we did a mini-cull in the Dande communal area. Culling is never a pleasant job, but as a first-year apprentice this was extremely exciting. The fact that it was very hot and we ran out of water was probably the most lasting memory! I was sent with Magocha (father’s head tracker and hunting legend) to fetch the vehicle, and was hard pressed to keep up even though I was young and very fit. The heat and thirst were tough. Eventually we found a mostly dried-up pan with some small puddles of water in the places where elephant had sunk into the mud. I sucked some through my cap as a filter. Not tasty, but moisture!
On my first lion hunt in Mozambique, there were only a few nomadic lion in the area when we first started there. Now there are plenty, but back then it was extremely challenging to locate and hunt them. I was on a late-season hunt with my very good friend Dan. We had a big male hit our bait, but he was very leery and we couldn’t get him to come in when we were in the blind. All my strategies that I tried, failed. Eventually, we tracked/followed his calls very early in the morning after spending all night waiting by the bait in the blind. He led us to the base of a small kopje and i had a feeling he was up on it. I called, “roared” to him using my cupped hands. We heard a grunt and he appeared about 60 yards away on top of the rise. The early morning sun was shining from behind him and his mane was flared. What a magnificent sight. Unfortunately, the shot was blocked for Dan by a small bush. The lion started trotting down the slope diagonally past us. When he was about 40 yards from us I grunted, and this stopped him. A good shot from Dan and it was over. What a hunt. This lion only had one full paw left. Three had been damaged by poachers gin traps.
Q: Tell us about any disaster of a client and what you had to deal with.
A: one of my worst (thankfully only a couple that I have had to experience) clients was an Englishman hunting with me out of mkanga camp in dande area. He was a whiner, and whined about everything. Just an unpleasant person and impossible to please. Unfortunately, I was young and allowed him to “bully” me. Now it would be different.
Q:What are your recommendations on guns, ammo, or equipment for the first-time hunter to Africa?
A: For a first time hunter for plains game I recommend any of the .300 calibers. Trophy bonded bear claw and swift a-frames are probably my favorite expanding bullets. For buffalo hunters i recommend the .375 h&h. This caliber is fantastic and has stood the test of time, and can be used on anything from an elephant to a grysbok. Accurate out to 250 yards if the need arises, and you can find ammunition almost in any hunting camp. If a client comes with one of these, I recommend a mixture of solids and softs. Usually the first shot a soft and the rest of the magazine solids.
Q:Which guns and ammo are you using to back-up on dangerous or wounded game and tell us why?
A: I started my career using a .458 lott and now use a .505 gibbs. I would use my .458 more than I do currently but have had stock issues. I am confident in any situation with either of these two weapons. Both are accurate and hard-hitting. I only use solid ammunition (usually woodleigh) except for following leopard. I then use a soft point.
Q:What was your closest brush with death? If more than one – go for it and explain!
A: The buffalo with a shotgun explained above was one. The next closest was a leopard charge that ended up pretty close. I have had numerous close encounters with bad driving and blow-outs on the way to our areas that scare me more than most things!
Q: How has the hunting industry changed in your opinion over the past number of years?
A: It’s way more fast-paced, and many clients now are more interested in their phones than just sitting back and enjoying the bush. One of my pet hates is people looking at their phones when around the camp fire or at the dinner table. Unfortunately, this is the modern way!
Q: If you should suggest one thing to your hunting clients to improve their safari experience, with you, or with anyone else for that matter – what would it be?
A: Prepare, prepare, prepare. Shoot as much as you can and from as many different positions as you can. Get fit, and if you have time try read up on the various animals you may pursue, the country you are going to, and its customs and traditions. Go and relax. Hunt opportunistically and do not stress about the tape measure. Take plenty pictures, keep a daily diary and ask plenty questions.
Q:What can the industry do to contribute to the long-term conservation of Africa’s wildlife?
A: Try and educate the ignorant people overseas who keep trying to shut down hunting. They need to understand that hunters are not the enemy. In fact, they are the ones saving millions of hectares of habitat from being destroyed, and are continually fighting poachers.
Q:What would be your ideal safari if you have one last safari?
A: it would be a multiple buffalo and plains-game safari for 21 days in any of our current areas.
Not sure how they first got the reference to being clowns of the savanna, but some refer to them as such.
The blue wildebeest is not high on the wish list of first timers, nor is it the most majestic. Yet, think about it, when it comes to Africa’s main wildlife attraction it is, bar none, the Great Migration, where these animals are joint leading performers.
Hunters who have had the privilege to hunt leopard over hounds or over bait will know the anticipation and excitement of the hunt, from the day you book it, to the day you start hanging baits or dragging roads, through to the day you first lay eyes on your leopard. For Todd this all started in 2017 when he and his hunting mate John booked a double leopard hunt with us and our hounds in the Lowveld of Zimbabwe. A coin was flipped, and John was first up. On Day 9 of 14 the hounds closed in on John’s leopard and, after a very exciting ground fight, a superb, old, trophy tom cat was harvested. We rested the hounds on day 10 and then spent the next 4 evenings being blown off the tracks by the August winds. Long story short, we did not manage to connect with Todd’s leopard on that hunt. Unfortunately, that is leopard hunting!
Fast forward to 2019 and Todd was ready to return to fulfil his leopard hunting dream. This time he booked for May 2020, braving the heat in return for some moisture and greenery for the scent to stick to. With everything booked the countdown began. In March 2020 our season was just getting under way when we were knocked with the Corona Virus, a lockdown was implemented along with strict traveling restrictions. I remember thinking to myself that this would all blow over in a few months and we would get this hunt in before the end of the season… well, 2021 is here and so is Covid! We stuck to the same dates for 2021 and had our fingers crossed we could make this happen.
Thursday May 6th, my alarm was set for 02:00, 02:05, 02:10 and again for 02:30 just in case my snooze button was hit by accident. Before the 02:30 alarm I was forced to get up as the hounds had seen and heard Sakkie (my tracker) heading towards the vehicle to load the final bags. It’s incredible how the hounds know when it’s their turn to hunt. We opened for the 12 hounds that were coming on the hunt for a quick run around in the yard to clear their stomachs before the long journey ahead. Our plan was to drive 15 hours from Nottingham Road, Kwa Zulu Natal, through Beitbridge Border and on to Mbalabala where we would spend the night before collecting Todd in Bulawayo on the morning of the 7th. As most things in life, things didn’t quite go to plan. The trip to Johannesburg ran smoothly but once there we were delayed for 4 hours trying to sort out dog harnesses as I was told a few days before that “Oh I forgot to tell you, camp is right on the Zambezi River which almost makes it an island when the water levels are high.” So extra precautions were taken to make sure no dogs could get off their chains and end up swimming in the Zambezi. Anyways, we managed to get the harnesses and let the dogs off for a quick stretch and water before continuing through to Zimbabwe. We arrived at the border at around 7pm and sailed through the South African side and started with the Zimbabwean side at around 8pm. Everything was looking good until we were held at the border for 5 hours due to us not having an original stamp on the dog permits. I tried explaining that it was sent via email from head office in Harare so I couldn’t have the original, but it was a losing battle. Eventually we were allowed to leave, we had been on the road for nearly 24 hours and still had another 4 hours to go. Sakkie took over the wheel and I still don’t know how he knew where we were going, but he is an expert tracker after all. We had only stayed there once before, but needless to say he woke me up and asked if we should let the dogs off to run around before driving into the yard. After getting the dogs fed, watered and onto their chains we had 3 hours to sleep before leaving for Bulawayo.
Friday May 7th, with Todd now in the vehicle we set off on a 5-hour drive to our final destination, Sidinda Conservancy in Hwange. I booked this hunt through a good friend and PH Pierre Hundermark. We met up with Pierre in Hwange town to fill up with diesel before heading to camp. About 30km from camp we opened for the hounds to run around and get some water knowing that when we reach camp, they will have to be taken off one by one to make sure none get close to the water’s edge. With the fading light we quickly got Todd familiar with the rifle he was to use as tomorrow morning we were getting up before daybreak to check some baits. We arrived in camp and got settled in and discussed our plans for the morning. A big male leopard had been feeding the nights leading up to the hunt and last night he ate, but lightly.
Day 1 of Todd’s 14-day Safari started with our 3am wakeup call followed by a quick cup of coffee and then collaring and loading up the hounds. The night’s sleep wasn’t the best as all I could think about was one of the hounds getting off their chains and whether the cat had fed again. We drove for an hour to the bait where the cat had been feeding, but it felt like forever! The anticipation of not knowing how the next few hours is going to play out will kill anyone. We arrived at the bait site just as the sun was coming up. The walk to the bait was about 400m down into a valley. Todd, Pierre, and I got all our things together and started the walk to the bait. As we walked up it was clear that he had been back and had fed last night. Although he hadn’t eaten a lot a decision was made to drop the dogs and see how they pulled the track. I radioed Sakkie to drop my 4 start hounds. I checked on my GPS and saw they were on their way; I called a little bit and before I knew it, they were at the tree. Without any idea of the times he fed and how many times he came to and from the tree we gave the hounds time to work out the correct line to take. Within a matter of minutes, they had worked out what seemed to be a solid line. I went along the river whilst Pierre and Todd walked higher up on the ridge, which proved to be the smarter route. With the incredible rainfall that Southern Africa received this past season the bush was lush, green, and extremely thick. The hounds were quickly getting out of hearing distance when Pierre radioed to say he thinks they may have jumped the cat. At this point I was stuck in the bottom of the valley trying to wriggle my way through the thickets. I radioed Sakkie and asked him to drop the rest of the pack if he could hear the other dogs and to start heading towards them. I managed to get out of the thickets and onto the side of the mountain wearing a new designer ‘crop top’ due to it being ripped off when trying to run to the dogs. I met up with Pierre and Todd, and we checked the GPS and saw that the radio collars were not picking up, so we immediately started heading up to get a better connection. As we got on top my GPS showed the dogs were standing. I quickly ran towards them and as I got close to the edge of the hill, I could hear the hounds followed by the growls of the leopard. I signalled to the trackers to tell Todd to get to me fast as the cat was bayed on the ground in the bottom of the valley in grass taller than me! With the rest of the pack on their way, we tried to get into a shooting position as we knew that the minute the rest of the dogs joined in the cat was going to explode from the pressure.
The rest of the hounds arrived and as predicted the cat started to feel the pressure. The hunt intensified as the cat had chosen fight over flight. Those that have heard a leopard in this situation or similar, will understand the feeling of having hairs standing up in places you never thought hairs existed. We started moving slowly down the steep incline towards the cat: he rushed the hounds a few times and knew of our presence, but he stuck to the thick grass. As we got into position, I heard Todd say, “my glasses are misted up”. As he said that the cat rushed the dogs and came straight our way, stopped, and stared straight into our eyes. “There he is, shoot him” ………. “shooooot”….. Bang! The shot rang off and the cat retreated. Todd’s glasses had misted up and he had shot just over the cat. The dogs chased up the opposite bank where the cat found some more extremely thick grass to bay in. I hear the cat give one “brrrrrpppp” and again he came straight towards us, the dogs turned him and, as he ran through the smallest of clearings heading back up, Todd shot. It was one of the best shots I have seen on a running leopard. He hit the cat right between the shoulder blades dropping him in his tracks. I ran down towards to the dogs to make sure the cat was dead and not about to give one last bite. “Whoooowhoooo…. Whoooowhooo” rang out throughout the valley, this is my way over praising my hounds for doing well. Todd arrived at the cat and the emotion behind the smile could be seen from a mile away.
We moved the huge cat into a more open area. This is where it all started to sink in for Todd. It was an absolute giant of a Valley cat. His teeth had started to wear down and, with prominent dark yellow staining, this is a good indication of an older leopard. For Todd, this was Day 1 of his 14-day leopard safari, and we had got it all done within the first 2 hours of the hunt. It’s funny how these things work, I always tell my clients, “We will do everything humanly possible to get you your cat but if it’s meant to be it will be” and this was definitely meant to be.
The leopard hunt dream was fulfilled and, with 13 days left of the safari, we sought out more of Todd’s bucket list animals. We were very fortunate to take an ancient elephant bull, which was nearly through his last set of molars, a beautiful Dugga Boy and to test our fishing and drinking skills whist celebrating and catching vundu on the mighty Zambezi River.
