Issue October – December 2018 ezine

The history of bird hunting – wingshooting – can go back to one of the greatest names in hunting: Frederick Courteney Selous. We see him in that classic picture, ensconced in a deck chair with an open book, and hung next to him is a recently shot Kori bustard. This majestic African bird is actually the world’s heaviest flying bird, weighing up to 40 pounds. Of course the ostrich is also the largest bird, but it can’t fly. However, it can run – and run fast! So while the ostrich does not belong in the wingshooting category, it is still a huntable bird and is featured in the issue. Africa offers a diversity of game birds and, like her game, the birds are varied, colorful, and numerous – and also a challenge to he (and she) with the gun. We have run features on wingshooting, even featured some with the legendary Rovos Rail, but have not made it much of a focus. That is about to change. And to herald the change, we thought it was time that a bird should adorn the front cover.