Jun 30, 2021 | News
An African Dawn is the promise of a new day. The first rays and warmth of sunshine, with the sounds of Africa’s bushveld coming alive.
So, if you are reading this and dreaming of your next (or first) African safari, there is no time like the present to plan.
And here is something to think about. A collection of what we call the African Dawn Outfitters to select from, spread across the continent.
A group of established and reputable outfitters which, should you book, will give you peace of mind.
We accepted a limited number to join this exclusive club.
African Hunting Gazette started this for two reasons:
- To promote hunting in Africa WITH these outfitters and
- To aggressively promote the African Dawn outfitters
12 months, 52 weeks and ultimately every day of the year, to existing and new markets.
This is their Catalogue, and we hope you enjoy reading through it.
We invite you to contact the outfitters directly, or visit our website or theirs, to find out more. And if you need anything – you know where to contact us.
Enjoy the read.
Regards,
Richard Lendrum
Publisher African Hunting Gazette
Jun 15, 2021 | News
Dear African hunters, enthusiasts and outfitters
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?
Click here to read on.
Jun 10, 2021 | News
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. We had limited access or need to go to town as we were largely self-sufficient, so our livelihood and entertainment was from our farm, surrounding forests, lakes and rivers and the odd community get together.
Unsurprisingly, my chosen career path was forestry. I met my future wife, was married and entered forestry training at the provincial technology institute. My first job landed us in a remote (one road in and out) community where we quickly found our place camping, hunting, fishing and trapping as recreation. Our daughter was exposed from birth to the wilderness activities, and to this day lives in a rural community and enjoys fishing and hunting too. My wife is a nurse and now we are retired, each with over 40 years in our respective careers.
Growing up on a subsistence style of farming ones realises the realities of raising animals for food and supplementing that with wild game. We were taught respect and humane practices. As soon as I could carry a firearm, I was accompanying my dad or uncle on hunting excursions, pellet gun or .22 in hand. While success was limited, I could not get enough of the sneaking around, stalking and trekking through the woods.
As with most families, a job, mortgage, raising a kid and other distractions limited the hunting opportunities to that of my home province. We had 10 different big-game species to hunt, more than time allotted. Eventually I was able to book some hunts in the territories and also enjoy the fantastic fishing those areas provide. But my dream was to get to Africa.
I attended several outdoor and sportsman shows and soon focused on some of the African PHs that had displays there. I was very ignorant of the opportunities, species or processes of getting to and from Africa. After three years of chatting with one particular PH, I finally decided to get serious. Eldre from Lucca African Safaris, a likable young man, convinced me to take the leap. This would be a trip including a hunting safari and touring some of the highlights of South Africa as well as a few days in Livingstone (Victoria Falls), a month-long adventure for my wife and me. (By the way, my wife does not hunt!) While I was trying to decide over the safari package and stay within a budget, Eldre just asked for our flight itinerary! No deposit! Just get there, we can decide once we are there and work out the payments then, and he set up all the after-hunt tours as well.
Black Springbok at Sunset
With Eldre setting up the entire adventure, I wanted to keep it simple, so just rented his .375 H&H and 7X57. On the drive to the Limpopo area, I asked a lot of questions. In spite of google research, until you actually are there and drive and see, it is hard to grasp the reality of Africa. Eldre was entertaining and at one point he openly stated, “Kelly – I can see now you will be back!” We had a fantastic time with Eldre, Marley and the trackers and totally enjoyed the “overlanding tour” of Kruger, Blyde River Canyon, Pilgrim’s Rest and the guided tours in Pretoria. I’m a geology and history buff, and seeing the history and culture is what travelling is about.
And Eldre was true to his word. My second trip (a solo) with Eldre had me hunting in the mountains of the Eastern Cape, touring the Port Elizabeth, Addo Elephant Park and Jeffreys Bay areas. From there I flew to Windhoek, picked up my camp car, and spent 10 days touring Namibia. Trip 3 was again with my wife, hunting in the Kalahari region and again an extended camp car tour of Namibia.
Cape Kudu in the thick
As for firearms, I relate to a book I read years ago with the statement, “use enough gun!”. Hunt 2 and 3 were in terrain that dictated longer-range shooting, so I brought my own trusted .300 Win Mag – a Blazer R8. As for a favorite animal to hunt, well that is hard to determine. I like to walk and stalk, and my strongest memories of the hunt are of those animals for which we walked great distances; crawled through the thick; busted a leopard; cut my knees on sharp stones, and had thorns stuck in my legs and shoulders just to get into position or to retrieve an animal. All good!
On my last hunt I was after lion. Now that the price was within my budget and we can still import, I figured it was time – now or never! As we tracked a maned male and zigzagged through the bushveld with very limited visibility, my PH put a halt to our progress. “No! We are not going ahead, too thick, too close and he knows we are on him.” We backed up a bit, called for the tracker to bring in the bakkie. After a brief wait, we clambered into the back of the farm truck and leaned up against the cab, me in the center, my PH on my right and the tracker on my left. We drove ahead maybe 20 meters when we spotted the cat crouched under a bush right in front of us and tapped on the hood to stop. We did, but were screened by the bush, so my PH told the driver to back up. A jerk backwards and quick stop had all three of us on our butts on the floor of the bakkie. I sat up to see the lion starting to move, and quickly shouldered and fired. Well, the shot was good and the scope kiss left a mark. All good!
Impala taken in Limpopo, South Africa
Whether you are a hard-core hunter or more relaxed, Africa has a lot to offer. Spend time talking to your PHs and if possible, meeting their families. A hunt means spending a lot of time with that person or family, and if you don’t click then it can make the trip difficult. We have been lucky, and for us it is more about the PH family, trackers, skinners and help. We have found them to be dedicated and easy to be with.
Setting a budget: Consider a long-term stay. Travelling that far is hard so set aside two days of travel each way. We go for at least a month so we can enjoy the hunt – transfers are easy – and see the country and culture in a more relaxed mode. Prior to the trip shoot your rifle a lot! Or, if you are going to rent/borrow, then shoot a lot at home to get used to recoil and handling. You do not want to make the trip only to miss shots or lose a wounded animal!
Castle time
My wife tells me we can go back to Africa. This Covid thing needs to end! But she also said that I can’t hunt anymore because there is no more room for mounts. Hmmm. My eland is still on the floor. Guess she is right about the room! As for the trip, well, I will look after the arrangements! Ha ha!
Jun 10, 2021 | Hunting Stories, News
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. The areas I hunted in South Africa are Limpopo, Thabazimbi and Barberton. I have also hunted in Namibia near Otjiwarngo and Okahandja.
The first thing I would like to mention is communication. Before my first trip in 2009 I read somewhere that a safari had three parts: There is the anticipation, the actual hunt, and the reliving it when your trophies arrive. Each phase should be enjoyable.
Outfitters are busy taking care of the hunters on site, responding to potential clients, dealing with business promotion and daily routines. However, you the outfitter, and the PH, should consider your hunter. Stay off your phone or computer when you are with the hunter. I expect all attention to be with me while I am hunting with you. When you talk with others in Afrikaans and I am present, please, translate for me so I am not left out of the conversation. I consider it rude for anyone to talk in a language that others don’t understand without explaining what the conversation is about. The other issue with communication is with emails or messages between clients and outfitters. We are aware of all the things outfitters have to deal with, but please read the entire message and answer promptly and completely. I have waited over a week to get a response from outfitters, and then when I asked four questions only one or two were answered. This wastes my time and yours, as I have to ask again.
Communicate with your clients (especially first-time hunters). Ask if they will be bringing anyone else with them – a son, daughter, grandchild, niece, nephew, neighbor? Plant the idea. Many US people do not realize that young people can hunt in Africa. Sharing the hunt makes it that much better, and it’s an opportunity to introduce someone to hunting. I brought my 10-year-old grandson to Africa where he killed his first animal – an impala. It was the best safari I have been on, and something he and I will share forever. The outfitter applied special rates for my grandson, appreciating the chance to build a relationship with a future client.
My 10-year-old grandson Pierce painted with blood after his first kill
Hunters need to communicate with their outfitter and PH. Make sure you explain how you want to hunt. If you want to spot and stalk make sure you maintain that attitude. Some outfitters will push you to shoot as
many animals in any way possible. More animals = more money. Also state what type of trophy you are looking for. Do you want a record animal or a good representative specimen? We will all shoot a record trophy if the opportunity presents, but do we want to hold out and come away with nothing? As they say: “Don’t pass up on Monday what you’ll shoot on Friday.” Inform your PH of your wish list, but also let the PH know if you might add or substitute another species if a great trophy appears.
On my second safari we were stalking hartebeest that were mixed in with some zebra. Following behind the PH I noticed a duiker that I thought was a rather large specimen. I thought that if the duiker bolted he might spook the hartebeest and zebras so I got the PH’s attention and pointed out the duiker. He waved his hand to let me know that we were not interested in duiker, but we were after hartebeest! A few days later in conversation, I said that I might be interested in a duiker if we found a nice one. The PH replied: “You should have shot that one we saw the other day. That was the biggest duiker I have ever seen.” Now there was a time that the PH should have considered the trophy animal presenting itself and informed the hunter (me) that it was a very nice specimen and given me the choice to shoot or pass. Communication!
The manner of hunting in Africa where you do not purchase a license for a particular species in advance is a concept completely foreign to US hunters. In the US you need a license for every big game animal you wish to hunt. Each state has its own regulations and fees associated with each license, and a license is not a guarantee of success. African Outfitters and PHs need to make sure the client understands the trophy fee system, and that a client can shoot any species he finds acceptable – as long as he has the money to pay for it.
HEAT. What is it with no heat in Africa? Hunters from the US and Europe leave the heat of summer to hunt Africa in the winter. Our bodies cannot adapt to the temperature change overnight. I do not mind putting on layers of clothes to go out hunting but I do not want to wear those same clothes to bed in order to keep warm. But taking a shower in a room that is just slightly above freezing is NOT enjoyable. My wife will never travel to Africa again after freezing for 10 days on a concession that had no heat in our bungalow or in the main lodge. Any future trips for me will include the understanding that my accommodations will have heat. I have seen mornings when the dog’s water dish was frozen solid, the staff were bundled in woolen hats, scarves and coats, but the windows are wide open while they cook breakfast. Why? Is it some macho standard that makes a warm room unacceptable? I slept on plank floors in a lean-to during the dead of winter when I was a young man, but I am well past that now. Think about your client’s comfort.
Understand your client’s overall interests. Some clients’ only interest is killing animals, while some are interested in the entire experience. I find each trip as a means of learning something about a culture, the geography, the politics, the flora and the fauna. My favorite PH is great at spotting game, identifying tracks and getting me on the sticks for a shot. He is also knowledgeable about the flora and native culture which enhances my experience and leaves me with something more than a trophy on the wall.
Make all-inclusive the standard for your clients. There may always be some ‘extras’ that require additional compensation, like side trips or even special diets. Transport from the airport? How else would they get there? Your promoted low price tag may attract their attention, but the add-ons can sour the relationship when you hand them the bill. Believe it or not, not everybody reads the fine print. Don’t forget what they have to spend just to set foot on the continent.
My experiences in Africa have given me a great many positive memories and very few negative ones. Much of that has to do with my bonding with a PH that I trust and enjoy being with. Spending time with him is now more important than just another trophy. Build relationships. Consider your client as more than a paycheck and they will keep coming back. Often the quality of the finished product is in the details.
Be safe and keep on hunting!
Jun 10, 2021 | News
Tell us about your background…
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. There were no African hunting shows back then, so besides the few books I’d read and Discovery Channel, I had little idea of what I was in for. I was hooked from day one! Mark walked my ass off from dark to dark. We hunted for seven days before I shot my first African animal, my buffalo. The trip wrapped up with kudu, huge impala, Egyptian geese and tigerfish on the Zambezi. My wife never wanted to hear the word Africa from me again, and I cried when I left camp because I really thought I’d never return. I tried to give Mark my rifle in addition to the tip I had budgeted for, because it didn’t seem like enough for the experience he’d given me. He refused because he said I’d be back!
What is it that you love about Africa?
Naturally, its diverse wildlife, beautiful sights like Victoria Falls and Table Mountain, the wonderful people I’ve encountered in Zimbabwe, many of whom I still keep in touch with. I love the wide open spaces. Hunting on a million acre concession in Zambia, bordered by another million acre concession, both bordered by a national park of four million acres gives one the feeling of freedom to go anywhere un-restricted.
Took five trips to get a trophy eland
What influenced your love of hunting?
Mostly natural drive. My dad exposed me to small game hunting as a child and as I got of high-school age I began seeking out my own hunting grounds. Ducks and deer were the only hunting I’d done prior to going to Africa.
What countries have you hunted and where?
Twice in of Sidinda camp in Hwange communal CAMPFIRE area of Zimbabwe. Once in the Makuti Safari Area in Zimbabwe. Once at Mr. Roger Whitall’s Humani Ranck in the Save Valley Conservancy in Zim, and once in Zambia in the Mulobezi Safari area of Chief Moomba.
Sun sets on a Zambezi fisherman
What guns, scopes, and ammo are you using?
Still have the same Winchester Mod. 70 in .375 H&H from 1998 that my son used on his first buffalo in 2011. Also a Mod. 70 in 300 Win. Mag. which only shoots Federal ammo well for some reason. Haven’t had anyone explain that to me.
What is your favorite African animal to hunt and why?
Gotta be buffalo. First hunt in 1998 at camp Sidinda in Zimbabwe was the hardest hunting I’d ever done and thus the most rewarding. I went back with my son Asa in 2011 where I was the ‘observer’ on his buffalo hunt in Makuti Zimbabwe, and it was equally rewarding.
What is your greatest trophy?
Not due to inches but due to the hunt is my first African animal, a buffalo. I took my daughter Taylor to Zambia in 2009, where she killed a 49″ sable at 7am on the first day of a 12-day hunt! That’s definitely the most beautiful trophy of the family.
My daugter Taylor with 49″ Zambian sable
What was your closest brush with danger/death?
Must be hitting a canal bank then tree in a small fast aluminum boat with a tiller handle motor while duck hunting in my home state of Louisiana.
Any lessons learned that you’d like to share? What do you suggest a fellow hunter can do to prepare for his or her safari?
Read some books – old and new – about African safaris and familiarize yourself with some customs and history of the country you’ll be visiting. Don’t skimp on the trip of a lifetime. A ‘good deal’ is usually NOT a good deal. No matter what the cost, you will feel as though it was worth double.
Use a reputable booking agent, preferably referred to you by a friend. Go to the Safari Club shows and absorb all you can. The planning and anticipation is part of the trip. Seek out the advice of many others.
Try your best to go to a tribal concession as those wide open free-range areas will be the first to go. I’m not a ‘ranch hater’ because the Save Valley Conservancy is truly one of the most amazing places and a benchmark for conservation. However, I think the ‘wide open places’ will be the first places that hunting will disappear from. Hate to sound negative, but things/areas/politics change fast in Africa and it is my belief that the future of African hunting will be on private ranches. Not a bad thing, but take advantage of the truly wild areas while you can and hunt hard.
Also, hunt an area where you can hear lions roar. It’s the most amazing sound in the world and may not be around forever.
DO NOT miss Victoria Falls while you’re in the southern part of Africa! It’s a MUST SEE. Take your time and be a tourist for a few days before or after your safari. If you fly in or out of South Africa, try to fit in a couple of days in Cape Town. They have incredible vineyards with very affordable tasting tours. Table Mountain is also a very cool tourist thing to do.
The value of having an experienced photographer/videographer along for great photos. (Note Jay the tracker lying behind the eland to hold it in position)
If possible, hire a qualified videographer to tag along. Most of these guys are like having a second professional hunter along. They will take pictures of things you may overlook as well as provide you with a recording and pictures that will last a lifetime. I like keeping a detailed journal of each day, then elaborate on the notes and make a book of text and pictures once I return home. There are several sites like Snapfish, Shutterfly etc. that are very user friendly to do this. After all, this is an investment in memories.
My kids and I have used Zimbabwean taxidermists on six hunts. The taxidermy cost is less than in the U.S. but shipping mounted trophies is more expensive than just shipping horns and hides to a U.S. taxidermist. I’m NOT knocking state-of-the-art U.S. taxidermy, but it has been my choice to have my trophies done where they came from. So the people of your host country benefit fully from their wildlife. Usually (in a non-pandemic year) Zimbabwean taxidermists have a very quick turnaround. All of mine have been top quality. Mounts from 1998 are still up and looking new. Your American booking agent will lead you to American taxidermists and your professional hunter will likely try to sell you on one of their local taxidermists. Either way, their advice will be good. Don’t let a beginner do them at a budget price.
Any last words of wisdom?
No, but one good story. So while hunting with Mark Ellement on my first safari in 1998, we took an afternoon off after we got my buffalo and drove into Vic Falls where his home and family was. I did the touristy thing while he picked up supplies, then we picked up his wife, Karen, and his kids, Sian and Brian, who were toddlers. Mark and I stayed in touch and he’d offer me late season deals to return at minimal cost, but I was still a cop then and couldn’t even afford the airfare. Never got to hunt with him again although it was my goal as he quickly succumbed to cancer in 2014. Upon booking a leopard/plains game hunt for my son and myself in 2018, booking agent Michelle Buchanan told me of a leopard on quota at Sidinda camp. The camp I hunted with Mark Ellement on my first trip 20 years prior. Lo and behold, one of the available professional hunters was a young man named Brian Ellement! The son of Mark, whom I’d met when he was about 5 years old! I got a Whatsapp message from Brian with a picture of a copy of the journal I kept on my first hunt that I’d mailed to his father so long ago. He told his mum that he was lined up to hunt with one of his dad’s clients from 20 years ago. When Karen heard my name she remembered me and retrieved the copy of the journal that I kept every detail of. It gave me chills! Was a pretty cool ‘full-circle’ story.
Devil’s Cataract at Victoria Falls
Jun 10, 2021 | News
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]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.
Roland Wards Records of Big Game list eight different species of African bushbuck as does Safari Club International. For descriptive purposes and hunting information, only the above two will be mentioned. The kewel is more related to the nyala, while the imbabala shares traits with the bongo and the sitatunga.
The bull bushbuck stands about three feet at the shoulder and weighs between 100 pounds and 130 pounds. Ewes are considerably smaller at sixty to eighty pounds. The ram is the only sex to have horns. Horns continue to grow throughout the bushbuck’s life. A large set of horns will measure 16-17 inches. Coloration of males and females run from reddish brown to almost black brown with the male being darker than the female. Its legs and flank are white. These colors work well to camouflage the bushbuck. When in danger, the African bushbuck will lie down and not move, making it very hard to spot. Its warning call sounds like the bark of a small dog.
An impressive, not yet fully mature Masai bushbuck ram in excellent condition in Arusha National Park, Tanzania, where the living is relatively easy due to the lack of large predators. McCallum Safaris (Photo Courtesy of Karen Seginak)
Menelik’s bushbuck
African bushbuck prefer living in thick bush along river banks where they can stay well hidden. Cover and fresh water are the main requirements of the bushbuck. They are browsers, but will consume most any other vegetation they can reach. Bushbuck are active around the clock, except when they are near human settlements where they become nocturnal. The ewe will give birth to a single lamb between October and January. For the first sixteen to eighteen weeks of life, the lamb is hidden by its mother until it’s strong enough to survive.
African bushbuck are solitary by nature, the adult males work at staying away from each other. Sometimes a buck and a ewe are seen together during breeding season. There have been sightings of small family groups consisting of a female with a young faun and an immature male, although this isn’t very common. African bushbuck live within an area of about 60,000 square yards and it is very uncommon for them to move out of that area.
Mature African bushbucks are prey to lion, leopard, caracal, wild dogs, and hyena. The young are hunted by pythons. The greatest danger to bushbucks is snaring and hunting with dogs. Habitat destruction also contributes to their decline. African bushbuck come out of their bushy daytime layup during the cooler hours of the morning, and browse along the edges. However, the slightest noise, or movement, will send them back into the shrubbery barking furiously while disappearing from sight.
Hunting the African bushbuck can be a real challenge as it is such a solitary, evasive antelope. The traits necessary to hunt deer in the United States will work well when hunting the African bushbuck. When tracks are found one way to hunt would be to set up a blind along the trail. A hunt can happen quite rapidly as the bushbuck can seem to just appear and disappear, so the hunter must be ready and react instantly.
Sometimes the African bushbuck can be found out in an open spot in the morning trying to shake off the cold night by basking in the warmth of the sun. Hunt along a river bank during early evening while there’s still good shooting light, or in the morning’s first light, and if you are quiet, careful and lucky – very lucky – you might get a shot. The evening is the best time as the African bushbuck is very active at that time.
The most common, and most successful method of African bushbuck hunting is by the stalk. For this, a very good pair of binoculars is a necessity. Binoculars by Zeiss, Leica, Nikon, Swarovski, Doctor and others, in 8X42 or similar are usually the best. Stronger powers, like 10x, reduces the field of vision and are harder to stabilize.
Pick a hill with a good field of view, and check feeding spots. Again, early morning or late afternoon are the best times. Shots will tend to be long, so an accurate rifle in a flat-shooting caliber is best. The .30 magnums like the 300 Weatherby, 300 Winchester Magnum, 300 Remington Ultra Magnum, or any of many similar calibers can reach out 300 yards if the hunter does his part.
One caveat about African bushbuck hunting. This little antelope can be extremely dangerous. Wound him and he will become quite aggressive, with a charge possible. Those foot and a half long horns are very sharp at the pointed end, and more than one careless hunter has had the dubious pleasure of meeting a pair at a high rate of speed. When you shoot, aim for the chest cavity. If he runs, give him a fair amount of time to stiffen up before doing a follow up.
Seven Bushbuck Facts
- Scientific name: Tragelaphus sylvaticus
- Male weight: 100-130 pounds
- Male shoulder height: three feet
- Male horn size: 11-17 inches
- Gestation: 180 days
- Hunting: April – October
- Territory: 60,000 square yards
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