Apr 30, 2019 | News
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One for the Road
Maydon is not a name that is commonly grouped with Baker, Selous, Bell, and Taylor, although it should be. In 1935, Major H.C. Maydon published a book on African hunting that was completely outside the norm. It was not an account of one expedition into unknown territory, like some of Baker’s, or about a lifetime of hunting mainly one species, like Bell. Instead, it was the first, as far as I know, of what we might call a handbook on where to go, and how to get there.
Maydon’s Big Game of Africa was intended to be about the nuts and bolts of hunting in Africa for the man without connections or family money — the man who was “keen, mad keen” to hunt big game. In the course of it, Maydon’s own unquenchable enthusiasm shines through like a beacon.
Hubert Conway Maydon was not born into money, never became wealthy and, for that matter, did not enjoy what we might call a stellar career in the British Army. Although a professional soldier and Sandhurst graduate, who served through the Great War when sheer attrition often guaranteed promotion, Maydon only achieved the rank of major. I suspect, although I have no way of knowing for sure, that his devotion to big-game hunting and his penchant for taking long leaves to pursue rare animals in far-off climes, might have contributed to that.
Maydon was born in 1884 and raised in Natal, South Africa, where his father was a minister in the colonial government. He graduated from Sandhurst in 1904 and joined the 12th Lancers, a cavalry regiment. At various times he was stationed in India and parts of Africa, and retired in 1924 when he was just 40 years old. He married in 1930, had one daughter, and died in 1944.
Major Maydon’s literary career was brief. He was editor of Big Game Shooting in Africa, one of the volumes in the Lonsdale Library series, which came out in 1935. As well as editing that volume, he contributed two articles of his own — on hunting Barbary sheep and scimitar-horned (white) oryx in the Sahara. That same year, his own book, Big Game of Africa, was published by Charles Scribner’s Sons.
This book was quite unlike anything that had gone before. It was intended as a guide to hunting all over Africa, written specifically for young men who, like himself, were long on enthusiasm but short on cash. He included advice on what rifles to get, and how to get good ones for less money, but did not go on about it at length. He listed the camp equipment required, and how it should be obtained. From there, he dealt with individual species, countries (or territories, or colonies) and licences.
If this sounds like a tourist guide such as Europe on $5 a Day, it really was not. Although Maydon may not have intended it as such, it is almost the autobiography of a hunter who has outfitted himself almost exclusively, managed to get into remote and forbidding areas by hook or by crook, on camel-back or on foot, spending months at a time in the company of only a pal or two and his native guides.
Maydon’s advice is invariably both practical and pragmatic. For example, he emphasized the importance of having fresh-baked bread. This required yeast, which he advised the hunter to buy in England and take with him, as local yeast was unreliable. He also advised him to learn to make his own bread, ahead of time, otherwise he might find himself in a pinch trying to make bread by reading the instructions on the yeast tin.
By comparison to this advice on bread making, he gave scant attention to rifles themselves. He preferred a Mauser in 8×57 (7.9mm) and a .470 double of unidentified origin. He also admired the .303 British, but worried about the problem of importing ammunition into some jurisdictions. (The Sudan, for example, restricted the import of some calibers, which was partly the reason for the development of the .470 in the first place.) Like most experienced hunters and riflemen, he believed you were better off buying a best-quality rifle, second-hand, from a reputable dealer, than trying to save money with a cheap gun. Aside from these, the only rifle he mentions by name is a Mannlicher .355 (9×56).
While in India, Maydon hunted in the Central Provinces, on the plains, and in the jungles of the Terai. He hunted in Kashmir and the Himalayas, and developed a particular affinity for wild sheep.
Oddly enough, Maydon was not an enthusiastic elephant hunter, partly because even then licences were expensive. Black rhino he regarded as a nuisance to be avoided. As for lion and Cape buffalo, “you can’t hunt them forever.” Leopards were in a category by themselves — the “snakes of the big-game world.” He hunted them, but they held no fascination except in staying alive. And so much for the Big Five.
Major Maydon’s lifetime bag in Africa is something to be envied. He hunted Walia ibex in the Semien region of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and mountan nyala farther south. In Kenya, he took a big bongo bull high in the Aberdares, and Lord Derby eland in Sudan. Other rarities included Nubian ibex, addax and scimitar-horned oryx, and a dozen others. The list of countries hunted includes Sudan, Somaliland, Abyssinia, Egypt, Libya, Kenya, Tanganyika, Moçambique, the Rhodesias, South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana.
Maydon was, in some ways, ahead of his time. Big bags were not his goal, and he scorned substandard heads. He always wanted he best one he could get, and would not shoot a lesser head just to tick it off the list. Nor did he believe in mowing down the game in order to feed a camp full of hungry followers. Ravenous for meat they might be, he wrote, but they wasted as much as they ate, and accommodating this was no reason to massacre animals.
As he wrote, he was a “still-hunter,” which suggests he may have read Theodore Van Dyke’s book, as that term was not in general use in Africa at that time. Still-hunting is very similar to stalking, but Maydon reserved that term for what happened after you had spotted an animal and were attempting to get close enough for a shot.
Interestingly, in his Mauser rifle, he used Great War military ammunition almost exclusively, but always made certain he was close enough for a sure, killing shot. Shot placement? “Just behind the shoulder, rather lower than higher.” He had his share of failures, of course, but took every possible measure to avoid them.
Local knowledge — familiarity with the game and the terrain that can only be acquired by living there — was of the utmost importance, and in every country he covers, he explains about local tribes, certain customs, and how to find genuinely knowledgeable men — shikaris, Wandrobo hunters, Bushmen, and the like — who knew how to hunt. Not one to limit his tales to his successes, he goes into some detail about his very first expedition to Africa. It was a three-month-long venture into Portuguese East in which he and his companions made every mistake possible, from hiring “townees” instead of real bush natives, to concentrating on the wrong game first, and, by neglecting map and compass, allowing themselves to be “guided” in a circle for the first month.
The account of hunting in the Semien massif of northern Abyssinia is a great story, combining danger, fear (of heights), larceny (by a local guide), and misfortune — a fine ibex that fell thousands of feet, destroying body and skull, and losing the broken horns. What parts of the ibex Maydon did manage to recover was through lowering skinners by ropes and sending up the bits, piecemeal. In the end, Maydon did shoot a 44-inch Abyssinian ibex (#1 in Rowland Ward, 1928, and #2 in the 1989 edition.) His companian, Gilbert Blaine, shot a 41-incher. On that expedition, simply coming back alive was an accomplishment.
Obviously, Major Maydon learned from his mistakes. He was nearing fifty when he wrote his book, long-since retired from the army and living in South Africa. If he had a favorite game animal, it seems to have been the Barbary sheep. He loved deserts and high country, and after hunting wild sheep in the Pamirs, Persia, and the Himalayas, he found the Barbary sheep the hardest to spot, the most elusive, and most cunning of them all. But, reading Maydon, one gets the impression he was as much in love with their country as he was with them.
As he wrote, in hunting big game, “you may be resorting to your natural state, the primitive; but if so, I say, give me the primitive. The game is merely an excuse to an end. You do not go to the wilds for the mere killing, but to win your freedom.”
It is an attitude of which we could use a great deal more.
Big Game of Africa is long out-of-print, but you can find it through the Internet. It is not cheap, and never has been, but if I could have only three or four books on African hunting, it would surely be one of them.
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Apr 30, 2019 | News
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Unique African Ceramic Art
For over 30 years Ardmore Ceramics has transformed the South African art scene by bringing together fundamental western ceramic techniques and the raw creative talent from Kwa-Zulu Natal. Working as the largest US distributor to bring these beautiful ceramics to the US for art collectors, wildlife enthusiasts, and others willing to help support the lives of these individual artists, Pascoe Gallery has continued to assist in Ardmore’s mission.
Here are a few of our most impressive pieces currently on exhibition.
King Cheetah Vase – – H. 13 in. x L. 9.5 in. x W. 9.5 in. – $6,500
Sculptor Senzo Duma | Painter: Thabiso Mohlakoana
Pascoe Gallery’s King Cheetah Vase is one of a kind, featuring a dazzling array of various cheetahs native to the Kwa-Zulu region. The vase pays homage to the very rare King Cheetah which has an unusual coat mutation of long black stripes along its back, instead of typical cheetah spots.
Leopard Sculpture Female – $4,500
Sculptor Molapo Mokoena. Painter Bongekile Ntombela
Molapo Mokoena sculpted a wonderful female leopard, and rising Ardmore painter Bongekile Ntombela who delights in painting genet cats, leopards, and giraffes because of their unique animal patterns, colors the sculpture in rufous tones and with distinct leopard spots.
H. 10 in. x L. 16 in. x W. 7 in. – Rhino Sculpture Family – Male – 3,950
Sculptor – Molapo Mokoena | Painter – Elvis Bonginkosi Mkhize
Four countries, including South Africa, are home to 98% of black rhinos, and Ardmore regularly portrays these iconic animals. Elvis Bonginkosi is one of Ardmore’s top artists, and prefers to paint in realistic styles such as in the sculpture shown above.
LEOPARD URNS PAIR – $19,500 – H. 22 in. x L. 11 in. x W. 8 in.
Sculptor: Sabelo Khoza | Painter: Mickey Chanco
Our Leopard urn pair is one of the most impressive pieces currently in our gallery. It features two dazzling urns adorned with playful leopards. Ardmore painter Mickey Chonco is known for his extraordinary sensitivity for color as is shown in the beautiful combination of hues on the urns.
ELEPHANT RIDER TUREEN – H. 23 in. x L. 16 in. x W. 16 in. – $21,000
SCULPTOR: Senzo Ntshalinstshali | PAINTER: Mama Ntombela
The elephant motif is an integral part of Zulu culture, symbolizing wisdom, strength and power. Senzo Ntshalintshali is the son of legendary Ardmore artist Bonnie Ntshalintshali. His keen ability to sculpt the human figure is evident in the numerous Zulu figures surrounding the tureen.
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Apr 29, 2019 | News
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Facing Down (a different) Fear… a South African Chippendale in Reno
The Naked Truth at Harrah’s 2019 as related by Joe da Silva
I have been in the hunting industry for over 30 years and I have been in many different dangerous situations in my life, and just got on with it. But in all those times, and those of many other PHs who have also experienced similar situations of fear, normally you have been taught and trained how to handle them. And always you have something in your hand, like a firearm, to protect you. But when you have nothing to hold onto and no one to turn to, then this is “FEAR”, and you know you are in the biggest trouble of your life.
After a long flight from Cape Town into Reno in January 2019 for the SCI show, I arrived at my hotel at 7.30 p,m. This was my first time staying at the Harrah’s hotel in Reno. Normally I stay at Legacy, Circus or Atlantis but I had change of mind in staying somewhere different this time.
After booking in, I dropped into the little convenience store across the way to buy my supplies for my room – orange juice, bananas, and my bottle of Crown Royal. I do it every year, and I also go in search for the nearest Starbucks for my morning start before the show begins. After settling into my room, going through my emails, I poured myself a glass of Royal with ice, spent an hour working on emails, showered and got into bed. I didn’t switch on the TV as I don’t enjoy watching it in the US – 98% adverts and 2% movie. I prefer to read. The last thing I saw just before falling asleep at 9.15 was the bright red electronic clock
About 12.30 a.m. I woke up to do my usual early morning whiz in the toilet. Getting up, I felt like I had almost in lost my mind (not from alcohol, just lack of sleep).
As I opened the door, it did not register that I never open the toilet door as it is always open in my room – my brain was in slo-mo – and what I was opening was the front door of my room. I walked down a little way away from the door and heard it close behind me. That’s when my brain started to light up. I immediately went for the door handle and heard “click”, and I was locked outside my room. My mind was in wake mode now and the realization hit me like a lightning bolt. This person was totally naked as I don’t sleep with any clothing.
I will always remember many years ago a friend of mine Ron Crous shot a charging lion in Botswana with Johan Caltiz. One of Johan’s clients had wounded the lion and Ron shot it from a kneeling position, shooting it in mid-air between the eyes with his .458 Win. Mag. open sight rifle. He gave me the video, and when I saw him at Reno some years later, he said, “You will know you got balls as a PH when you face a charging lion… Ron, I am afraid you are wrong. I’d rather be facing the lion charge than standing naked at 12.55 a.m. on the 11th floor of my hotel.
What went through my mind at that moment as millions of neurons were sparking all over my brain? While standing naked in front of the door of my room I soon realize that I need to figure out help, hoping nobody would come or leave rooms near where I was standing. I spotted a fire escape sign about five doors down to the left side of my room and immediately ran towards it and opened the door into the fire escape. Just remember I still needed to go the toilet for a whiz – the urge to go and still to concentrate was not easy at all.
I walked down from the 11th floor to find something that I could possibly use to open my room door. On the 9th floor I saw a bunch of hard carbon cards on a wire ring which the Fire Inspection Officer adds on when he finalizes his checking that the fire hoses are in order. It was a bunch of cards from years back, and I struggled to remove the wire loose so that I could take a card off the wire. Eventually I did get it loose and took two cards to my door. (Many years ago I was fascinated by a person called MacGyver and I used to watch his weekly programs which were great for mindless thoughts and quite entertaining at the time, and I guess the Swiss army knife factory could not keep up with the demand – good marketing.) Unfortunately I did not find any Swiss army knife like MacGyver had, but I took his idea to use the card like a credit card to try to slide open the latch of my door, like MacGyver did in his movies. What I did not realize, I was outdating myself by 35 years – MacGyver could do it in those days, but now all doors on hotel rooms have a metal safety device to stop anybody from entering by using a credit card, so plan “A” did not work.
I ran back down the fire escape to put the cards back so that the next inspection of the fire chief would not be lost and he would not be worried about his cards missing. My urge of wanting to relieve myself increased, so a thought came into my mind – should I just whiz down the fire escape stairways? But I could not let myself to do such a terrible thing. As I slowly walked further down the staircase to the 8th floor I saw two empty Corona bottles on the stairway. I immediately grabbed one bottle and starting urinating into it, but one did not do the trick and I filled the other one…What a relief. One less thing less to worry about now. I left the two bottles in a corner well-hidden, hoping no one would see them and think he got himself two full Corona beers.
Walking my way down slowly I came to the 5th floor and I heard someone talking. It sounded very foreign but I could not clearly understand what language it was as it echoed up the stairway. As I went further down I saw a very young man sitting on the steel staircase and talking into his cell phone and enjoying a beer. He did not notice me at all.
I finally decided I needed to approach him. As I got nearer to him he glanced up and saw me one floor above him. He looked at me strangely and put his hand up, telling to me to stop. I froze, but he just continued talking on his phone and drinking his beer as if I did not exist. Maybe he was talking to his girlfriend, far more important than some crazy old man walking naked to him. I guess I was not part of the Chippendale group. I stood there waiting for his attention but he just ignored me and continued to speak on the phone.
I realized he was Spanish as I could hear a few words. I decided I needed to get some reaction from him and I walked down closer and he finally stood up, telling me to stop in Spanish. I asked if he could speak English and he said no. Then I had to work quickly on my Spanish as I do speak Portuguese. I tried to explain that I needed help from security – this took some doing as you can well imagine. With much persuasion I finally got him to go look for a security person of the hotel. After about 15 minutes I was standing there still waiting for him to come back to me, which felt like a lifetime. I was hoping he was going to return.
Finally he arrived back and said he had spoken to the security. How he got the message to security as he could not speak a word of English was another thought that went into my brain, and whether this security guy understood him and if he would come. After almost 20 minutes waiting I started to converse with him. He said he was from Salvador so I named him Mr Salvador, hoping he was going to be my savior. He said he had just finished working as a dishwasher at the kitchen of a restaurant in the hotel.
After some time I asked him to go and look for the security guy again. He hesitated, but I said I would pay him for his help. I don’t know what went through this guy’s mind when he and I were talking – he probably thought I was crazy. He asked if I was on drugs or drinking, and lastly enquired whether a woman had kicked me out of my room. I suppose these things happen in Reno hotels.
Finally a 6.5-foot tall security person came and I explained and said there was not anything sinister, that he could check at reception on my room number and my name to confirm. He was very understanding and said he’d help. “Just follow me,” he said. What a relief. I asked if “Mr Salvador” could come with us, as I’d like to give him a donation for helping me. “No problem,” said security, so Mr Salvador took an old black T-shirt out of his bag and gave it to me to wrap around my body. Unfortunately, it was so small it just covered my private parts.
From the 3rd floor we followed my security guard up the fire stairway. As we got to the 5th floor, he said we could now use the service lift to take us to the 11th floor, and pressed for it to arrive. It would not open. He then contacted his other friend via his two-way radio. “What’s wrong with the service lift not opening on the 5th floor?”
“It’s damaged,” was the reply. Wonderful. “We have a challenge now,” said security. “What challenge?” I asked. “For us to get into the 6th to catch another service,” he explained, “you have to get out the fire stairway and get into the passage of the hotel rooms and run to the other fire escape stairway and then catch the another service lift to the 11th floor.”
”Are you joking? Is there no other way?” He wasn’t. “OK, I have no option.” “But you have to cross the whole passage to get into the other side,” he added. Holy Moses I can’t believe this is happening to me. “Ok,” I said to him, “but you must walk to the end of the passage to see if anybody is going to come out of their rooms, and me and Mr Salvador will run together and meet you at the end of passage.” So we popped our heads out of the fire escape door and he gave us a signal to run to him.
Well, Usain Bolt would have never caught up to me. We managed to get into the service lift up to the 11th floor. Once we arrived there was another obstacle to conquer, another passage to run through to get to my room. I did another Usain Bolt run to my door – what a relief it was. The security guy took his master key to open the room… Guess what? It did not work and there I was standing, still naked, in front of my door, back to square one… Security had to radio his other friend to come and open the door as he had the wrong key. While waiting there he went out to the other side of the passage and managed to collect a used towel from the service room. Not naked anymore. Finally his friend came and opened the door. Before we entered the room he asked me to describe anything in the room to prove it was mine. I told him on my bedside table you will find a notepad written with word “Suitcase”, and my mobile phone is 7s IPhone with a black cover. He checked and said good to go. They got a nice tip from me to thank them for all their wonderful help.
The red light clock said 3.45 a.m. as I got into bed again. As I was lying down I wondered if it all really happened or was this just a dream. I phoned my wife as I could not sleep at all as the whole saga was running through my mind all over again and I needed just to talk to someone. She was quite surprised that I was phoning her at that time. “Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” “Yes,” I said, “but I just wanted to let you know there is a new member of Chippendale in Reno, and he is here in Harrah’s Hotel in room 1146.”
And every night for the duration of the show, I assure you that I put a chair in front of the front door to make sure I did not go through that door to the bathroom.
Joe was born and based in Cape Town, and is the owner of Cape Town Hunting Safaris and Tours. He has had over 36 years in the hunting industry, and has been an International Firearms instructor for over 25 years, as well as owning his own gunshop for 30 years. Joe is a qualified and registered tour guide and auctioneer, and conducts hunts into Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa. He is also a qualified knife maker in his spare time. [/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”View article in E-ZINE” color=”chino” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fafricanhuntinggazette.com%2Fapr-may-june-2019%2F%23africa-hunting-gazette%2F106-107||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_masonry_media_grid grid_id=”vc_gid:1556537866113-f0c16f8d-130c-5″ include=”21405″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Apr 29, 2019 | News
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Waterfowling Africa Style- Size Matters
In the big-game hunting world there’s a loose conglomeration of species collectively referred to as “charismatic megafauna.” These are the animals with special appeal, typically because of their physical size, their glamorous appearance or, in some instances, because of their unpredictable disposition and a willingness to demonstrate their displeasure. This list includes all of the Big Five, of course, as well as crocodiles, giraffes and the hippopotamus. It also includes those game animals revered for their regal beauty, including the kudu and sable. For the sportsman, hunting any of the charismatic megafauna has a unique way of inducing a racing heart, shortness of breath and sweating palms; in short, an excitement that underscores the very reason we choose to hunt them. We thrive on that adrenaline rush.
Wingshooters, by and large, don’t have a list of similarly compelling species to pursue. But if there’s one bird that can stir the emotions, at least for me, it’s the spur-winged goose, the largest goose on the planet. As a self-professed hardcore waterfowler, the prospect of dropping one of these oversized geese, with the namesake unusual protuberance on each wing, is something I’d lusted for since I saw my first spurwing some 30 years ago. So when the invitation came to help out a farmer whose crops were being decimated by geese, including spurwings, my pulse immediately kicked up a notch or two.
We’d be hunting near Baynesfield in South Africa’s Kwazulu-Natal province. My partners were Mark Haldane, a larger-than-life PH renowned for his Mozambique safaris, particularly for Cape buffalo, and Dylan Holmes, a PH who guides for Mark. Both enjoy bird hunting when the opportunity presents itself, and have been hosting wingshooting safaris for many years. While Dylan is quiet and measured, Mark is all personality and an eager and captivating story-teller.
We arrived at the farm after a seven-hour drive from the Eastern Cape where we’d enjoyed two days of hunting grey-winged spurfowl. Though the drive was tiresome, the anticipation of hunting spurwings had me alert and focused as we pulled in. After meeting the landowner, we surveyed the situation. His oat crop was just sprouting and being ravaged at its most sensitive stage by marauding geese staging on a large wetland less than a mile away. The waterfowl season wouldn’t officially open here for a couple weeks, but he’d received a damage control permit as a way of protecting his crop. If he waited until the opener to do something about the depredation, these geese would have his entire oat crop grazed to the nubs.
The geese’s route was a quick, direct path in from the lake. We could watch them as they lifted off the water, circle a couple of times, then fly arrow-straight to the field. Given the relatively short flight they weren’t gaining much altitude, so pass shooting them as they approached the field was the most obvious strategy.
Mark, Dylan, the landowner and I spread out along the fenceline bordering the oat field, 100 yards or so apart, each of us hiding behind a large straw bale. It was late afternoon and the geese were already flying as we scrambled into position. They were a mix of spurwings and smaller Egyptian geese that were easily identified by their brown and grey bodies and distinctive dark eye patches. As I watched flight after flight of geese rise from the wetland, it was obvious that Egyptian geese were the more numerous of the two species here.
The first birds that flew towards the field after we were in position were a pair of noisy Egyptian geese that glided 100 yards to my left, near where our farmer host was hiding. As the birds crossed the fenceline he rose and, with two practiced shots, folded both cleanly. Very impressive shooting, I recall thinking, though it put pressure on the rest of us to shoot as well. I didn’t have long to wait before it was my turn, as an incoming bird’s flight path would put it right in line with where I crouched behind the bale. From its dark colouration and massive proportions I knew immediately it was a spur-winged goose. It crossed the fenceline to my left, about 40 yards up, hell bent on the waiting oat seedlings. Mounting and swinging my gun in one smooth motion, I pushed my barrel in front of the crossing bird and hit the switch. The goose never so much as rustled a feather. A rapid follow-up shot had the same effect, or lack thereof – I’d missed cleanly! I shrugged it off, putting it down to getting the kinks out, and prepared for my next opportunity.
A few minutes later another spurwing flew over on a near-identical trajectory. Unfortunately, my results were identical, too. From down the way I heard the farmer yell, “Get out in front of them further,” or words to that effect in a not especially friendly manner. That was understandable as he was trying to save his crops while I was hunting recreationally; he clearly had more at stake than I did. As I was to learn later, missing is not an uncommon experience when hunting spur-winged geese for the first time. Their enormous body size and deliberate wingbeats make them appear to be much closer and flying much more slowly than they really are. As a consequence, shooting behind them is a frequent mistake for newcomers to the game. I swallowed my pride after the reprimand and vowed I wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
A short while later a flock of six Egyptians winged towards my position and, remembering the admonition, I forced myself to significantly increase my lead before pulling the trigger. Two shots and two geese crumpled to the earth! I smiled with newfound confidence and watched contentedly as Mark’s lab raced into the field to retrieve them. I had the sight picture now.
Shortly after, a lone spurwing flew towards my position. I was fully prepared this time, and dumped it cleanly with one shot. It landed about 20 yards from where I stood, and I swear I could feel the earth tremble when it thudded to the ground. I ambled out to retrieve it, eager to hold the massive bird. It was even bigger in the hand than I had imagined, probably nearing 20 pounds, substantially heavier than even the largest Canada geese I hunt at home. I stood marvelling at its heft, its jet-black plumage, and the strange and dangerous-looking protrusion on its wings, before being jolted back to reality by Mark, who hollered down the line that another flight of birds was on final approach.
Over the next hour or so we enjoyed steady action. When we finished up we had two dozen geese on the ground, about a third of them spur-winged. After my initial misses I held my own in the shooting department, and the farmer appeared to sincerely appreciate what the three of us had done to help with his goose problem. As we packed up our gear, I took a moment to reflect on the hunt: you are too caught up in the moment to always fully appreciate it when the event is unfolding. I’d fulfilled a long-standing dream to shoot the world’s largest goose, and had done so with a great group of people in a glorious setting. All in all, it had been a helluva day.
My African waterfowling wasn’t confined to that one afternoon of goose hunting, however. Before we’d left the Eastern Cape the previous evening, I’d hunted ducks with local rancher and PH Robbie Stretton and a couple friends from Alberta, T.J. Schwanky and Vanessa Harrop. After a morning hunting grey-winged spurfowl, Robbie put the three of us in a series of one-person reed blinds spaced out evenly along a dammed section of a 10-mile long watercourse. A dozen and a half floating decoys rested in the shallow water along the shoreline. As we were getting our gear squared away and settled into our respective blinds, a pair of shelducks, a handful of red-billed teal and a dozen or so yellow-billed ducks sprang from the pond. They would be harbingers of what was to come, as over the course of the next couple hours we were treated to some wonderful duck hunting.
The teal and the shelducks never did return, but yellow-billed ducks spiralled into our decoys on a regular basis. Most often they came in twos, threes or fours, which is perfect. If they arrived in large groups there’s a risk of flock shooting rather than picking out a single bird; more often than not that results in a clean miss. T.J. and Vanessa took turns shooting and operating a video camera as they filmed a sequence for their popular Outdoor Quest television show, while I was free to shoot away. So I did. When we decided to call it a halt, we’d managed to drop about 18 birds.
Yellow-billed ducks are very similar in size and build to a mallard, the most popular duck in North America. In fact, they greatly resemble a hen mallard with a brilliant yellow bill.
In the days following our goose hunt we travelled north to Dundee, where we focused on hunting pigeons and doves. I did, however, spend one evening there in a duck blind. The season was not yet open in Kwazulu-Natal, so I carried a camera rather than a shotgun, and had a close-up look at several southern African duck species. These included white-faced ducks, southern pochards and Cape shovelers, along with the more common red-billed teal, shelducks and yellow-billed ducks. I would have loved to have been shooting that evening, but I know full well that a man should never have everything he craves, no matter how hard he wishes for it. It’s that unsatisfied itch, however, that ensures I’ll be back, and soon, to further explore southern South Africa’s underutilized waterfowl hunting opportunities.
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Apr 29, 2019 | News
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Choosing The Right Knife For Your South African Hunting Trip
Ripe with plenty of outdoor adventures and thrilling hunting experiences, 70% of land in South Africa is used for wildlife conservation, with the other 30% being government-owned national and provincial game reserves. While you’re likely no stranger to hunting, you can always improve your arsenal before heading to one of the nation’s top game reserves. From boots and the right clothes for the weather to a scope and even different types of safety gear, there’s one tool that can allow you to really take your experience to the next level. Just as important as other hunting gear, if not more so, the right knife can make the difference between a good hunt and a great hunt.
General features you’ll need in any hunting knife
A dependable knife is essential to any hunting trip, and you will find yourself in need of various different features depending on the game you are looking to hunt. However, there are a few things every hunting knife should have regardless of where you are or what you’re hunting. As is the case with the rest of your hunting gear, it’s a good idea to invest in quality craftsmanship that will stand the test of time and allow you to properly cut a variety of things even when not hunting. Aside from general quality, look for a fixed blade if you want a reliable knife that is easy to clean. And, unless you will be hunting really large game, you probably won’t need to look for a knife longer than four inches.
Smaller knives for smaller game
For smaller game, a smaller knife is always a great choice, as it will be easier to carry, sharpen and ultimately handle in order to work around the smaller game. If you plan to field dress an animal, you will want to have a knife on hand, and in this case, a smaller knife makes more sense as it can be held on your waist or in your pack. For these types of hunting experiences, you can check out an Opinel or Mora, but anybody who is going to take hunting seriously should own a C.T. Fischer Full-Tang Bushcraft knife at least once in their life. If you are going to be cutting the meat to consume, it’s also worth checking out a boning blade.
All-purpose knives for big game hunting
Some knives are designed to carry out a specific task, while others are constructed to serve as an all-purpose tool while hunting. A drop point blade is great for hunting big game as it is slightly sloped down to the point, allowing you to cut deep while still being strong enough for the biggest of game animals. High-carbon steel is a great choice as well for these types of knives due to the fact that the material often provides a sturdier knife overall. You might want to look for a wider blade, but one of the most important aspects of a big game hunting knife will be the grip and a hand guard to ensure you can use it effectively.
Staying safe around wildlife
Being equipped with the proper knife is only one component of a safe hunting experience. Ensure that you know how to handle all of your gear and equipment and that you follow the instructions of the reserve you are at. Take safety measures to ensure you are covered while you hunt, and enjoy the experience in one of the world’s top hunting spots.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”View article in E-ZINE” color=”chino” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fafricanhuntinggazette.com%2Fapr-may-june-2019%2F%23africa-hunting-gazette%2F126-127||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_masonry_media_grid grid_id=”vc_gid:1556527135254-39d7fed5-4364-0″ include=”21392,21393″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Apr 29, 2019 | News
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Krieghoff K-20 Victoria
Ask any woman about the challenges of clays shooting, and most will land quickly on the paucity of shotguns designed specifically to meet their needs and expectations. Krieghoff has addressed that challenge with the introduction of the K-20 Victoria shotgun.
Unlike many manufacturers who simply build a scaled-down version of their standard smoothbore, Krieghoff began by gathering insights from a wide range of women shooters, from novices to pros, to determine exactly what they wanted in a shotgun. The K-20 Victoria over/under is the culmination of those recommendations. To begin, the K-20 has an adjustable comb, allowing shooters to fine-tune this shotgun to their stature and personal preferences. Shotgunning is all about fit. If your gun fits you poorly you’ll never shoot well. To know that your cheek will be planted firmly on the stock when you mount your shotgun is fundamental to ensuring the gun shoots precisely where you’re looking. That, in turn, translates directly to more broken targets.
Weighing in at a comfortable 7 lbs, the K-20 is available in 20-gauge and 28-gauge models with either 30- or 32-inch barrels. The chokes are fixed at modified and improved modified, making it versatile enough to accommodate a wide range of field sports and shooting scenarios.
Of course, a shotgun wouldn’t fully reflect a woman’s needs unless it was beautifully adorned, and the Victoria meets that demand in spades. It features exclusive softly-pointed checkering on the oil-finished forearm and buttstock, all nicely accented by elegant scrollwork. A selection of engraving patterns on the receiver and tang safety are available, allowing the owner to customize the shotgun’s overall appearance to meet their personal style. Further, it comes in a specially designed and beautifully crafted Negrini case.
Women are as discriminating as men when it comes to their shotguns. They want a gun that fits comfortably, is well-balanced and responsive, and that reflects their feminine style. The K-20 delivers all this and more, and is certain to be popular with women who demand the finest in their firearms.
Krieghoff: www.krieghoff.com; 610-847-5173[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=”View Advert in E-Zine” color=”chino” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fafricanhuntinggazette.com%2Fapr-may-june-2019%2F%23africa-hunting-gazette%2F68-69||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
