This magnificent Bongo provided much-needed protein to the five Baka trackers’ families and a lifetime of memories to this proud hunter. 

By Ricardo Leone

Attention all hunters, PHs, guides, outfitters, and magazine editors – STOP posting and publishing photos with the hunter’s face blurred or blacked out! Basic logic says that if you are trying to hide, you must be guilty. If you are guilty, then the rest of us hunters are guilty by association. I am a proud hunter, and I personally reject the notion that I am guilty of anything. In fact, I am a proud conservationist who takes great pride in knowing the money I pay for my hunts pays for conservation.

In the US, where I live, hunters and anglers pay 75% of all conservation. Smart federal legislation like the Pittman Robertson Act, the Dingell-Johnson Act, the Federal and State hunting and waterfowl stamps, and license fees collect billions of dollars each year exclusively for conservation. This funding, combined with science-based methodologies for quota leads to optimal wildlife management.

In Africa, our dollars also support smart conservation. We all know what happens when hunting is closed and conservation dollars stop flowing. I recall back in 2012, when I hunted in the Lower Lupande, a world-renowned Game Management Area in Zambia’s South Luangwa Valley. The animals were plentiful, hunting helped provide jobs and protein to the local villages, and poaching was well controlled. In 2013, new elections led to hunting being closed for three years. I returned to the same hunting concession in 2016 when hunting reopened. The concession was almost unrecognizable. What struck me most was the elephants that were truly spooked by any human sightings. It was clear that most game was terrorized for the three years when the outfitters were sent home and no longer responsible for the safekeeping of the land. I retuned again in 2019, and the concession felt more normalized. Keeping hunting open matters – most of all to the wildlife.

I totally understand why some people would not want their picture in the public domain. There was a time when I worked for a public company when I would not share my picture in articles. Now that I am retired, I proudly share my picture. If you do not want people to see your picture, then step out of the picture. By blurring or blacking out your face, you are demonizing all hunters. If you want to preserve your hunting rights, then find a way to stand proud either in front of the camera or behind it. There are enough antis out there, and you are helping their cause by looking guilty. Either stand proud with your face up or step out of the picture – period.

By Alessandro Cabella

March 30, 2026 will remain etched in my memory as one of those rare days in the bush where nothing goes according to plan, yet everything falls perfectly into place.

The morning began with quiet confidence, the kind that comes from experience and familiarity with the land. But despite our efforts, it offered no real opportunities. The wind was already restless, shifting unpredictably and making every approach difficult. Animals were alert, unsettled, and always just out of reach. By the time we broke for lunch, we knew it had been one of those mornings where patience was tested more than anything else.

But the bush has a way of changing its mood without warning.

Right after lunch we headed back out, determined, but grounded in the reality of the conditions. The wind hadn’t improved – in fact, it seemed even more inconsistent, forcing us to constantly change direction. One moment it worked in our favor, the next it betrayed us, carrying our scent ahead and scattering whatever game lay in front.

The animals were equally unpredictable. Wildebeest moved in restless waves, each group reacting differently, running in all directions as if unsure where safety lay. Zebras cut across the landscape in sharp, nervous bursts, while impalas and springboks darted and regrouped in a constant state of alertness. At times, it felt less like a hunt and more like standing in the middle of a migration – chaotic, alive, and impossible to fully anticipate.

The humidity added another layer to the challenge. Thick, heavy air clung to everything, slowing movement and sharpening every scent and sound. It was the kind of afternoon that demanded persistence, where success felt increasingly unlikely with each passing hour.

Hunting with Ryan Beattie in the Eastern Cape of South Africa makes even days like this memorable. The land itself is breathtaking – rolling hills, dense bushveld, and open stretches that seem to carry life in every direction. Ryan’s understanding of this terrain, and his ability to read both wind and wildlife, kept us adapting, never giving up on the possibility that the day might still turn.

By mid to late afternoon, we began to accept that the hunt might end without success. There was no frustration – just the quiet appreciation of having experienced the raw, untamed rhythm of the bush.

And then, just as we were preparing to call it, everything changed.

Two massive kudu bulls appeared in the distance, 560 meters out, their silhouettes unmistakable even at that range. Instantly, focus returned. The wind, though still shifting, gave us just enough to work with.

We moved carefully, using the terrain to our advantage.

Then, one of the bulls began to approach.

Closing the distance to roughly 200 meters, he moved with calm confidence, unaware of our presence. It was a rare and perfect moment, the kind that comes only after a day of persistence and patience. The shot presented itself downhill. The .300 Win Mag felt steady despite the long, demanding day. Breath slowed. Focus narrowed.
The shot broke clean.

The kudu dropped on the spot.

Silence followed, then the realization of what had just unfolded. A clean, ethical shot. A magnificent animal. And a moment earned through a full day of adapting to everything the bush had thrown at us.

Ryan’s steady guidance throughout the day and Juan’s sharp eye in spotting the bull made it all possible. It was teamwork, experience, and respect for the land coming together in a single, unforgettable moment.

Set against the magnificent backdrop of the Eastern Cape, this wasn’t just a successful hunt.  It was a reminder of why we return to the bush – for the challenge, the unpredictability, and those rare moments where everything aligns.

Back at Malweni, the experience only deepened. The green, thick beauty of the vegetation surrounded us, lush, alive, and rich with the same energy we had felt throughout the day. We were welcomed back to a charming stone cottage, a place that felt both rustic and warm, where stories of the hunt could be relived in comfort.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, we celebrated in true South African fashion, with incredible local wines and a traditional braai. The fire crackled, laughter carried into the evening air, and the success of the day settled into something even more meaningful: shared experience, camaraderie, and deep appreciation for the land and its wildlife.
Another unforgettable day with Dubula Hunting Safaris, one that will not soon be forgotten.

Thank you, Ryan and Juan, for this wonderful kudu trophy and an experience that will stay with me forever.