African Hunting Expo – Scandinavia

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African Hunting Expo – Scandinavia
 
Sweden 8th – 9th March 2014
Denmark : Jutland 12th – 13th March 2014
Denmark : Copenhagen 15th – 16th March 2014

Friday ( 11:00 – 20:00 ) / Saturday ( 12:00 – 18:00 )

 

During the last year we have spoken to lots of hunting outfitters, and many of them want to explore the Scandinavian hunting market. We at the African Hunting Gazette have decided to host a road show targeting areas in Sweden and Denmark where most of the hunting communities live.

After visiting both countries we have come up with an idea that is a hassle-free way of doing three shows. Transport, food and accommodation is very expensive so we have decided to offer an all-inclusive package that covers these, plus the venue, banner production, Wi-Fi access, tables and chairs. Flights to and from Copenhagen and alcohol are not included.

 

To start with, four mini-buses will be hired.

Exhibiters will arrive on 7 March 2014 and be met at Copenhagen International Airport at the Information Centre in the main terminal building. The transport will depart for the Swedish town of Astorp for a stay at the Best Western Hotell Klippan.

After breakfast on 8 and 9 March 2014, exhibiters will be driven to VramsGunnarstorp Castle which is the venue for the two-day show starting at 10 a.m. and finishing at 6 p.m. This venue is on a famous hunting estate and has its own indoor video shooting range where we could have competitions for the best/luckiest shot. There is a lot of free parking space so visitors will not have a problem parking.

 

At 10 a.m. on 10 March 2014, the buses will leave for Jutland to the FuglsØcenter at Mols. It is a scenic seven-hour drive and we will stop off for lunch en route. We will be staying at this venue which has both the hotel and conference facilities. This centre overlooks a bay and has numerous activities on offer. On 11 March we are planning a dinner, cheese and wine evening on a nearby hunting estate.

 

On Friday, 12 March our expo runs from 11 a.m. till 8 p.m., and Saturday 13 March our expo runs from 12 p.m. till 6 p.m.

On the morning of 14 March 2014 we drive to Copenhagen and stay at the Hotel Østerport for the remainder of our visit. The venue for our expo is at the Charlotte Haven which is a 900 metre walk, or a short train or bus trip, from the hotel. Again, the expo runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on 15 and 16 March 2014.

On 17 March we leave Copenhagen for South Africa.

 

Notes :

  • Included is all food and beverage (excludes alcohol)
  • Included is all transport to the various destinations (except flights to and from Copenhagen)
  • Should you wish to hire your own car, Carhire 3000 is the best.
  • All destinations include free Wi-Fi and Internet
  • Suggested airline route – Emirates flight via Dubai – www.emirates.com

 

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Coming Soon !

 

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Download the 2014 Exhibitor Application Form here

 

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Coming Soon !

 

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Richard Lendrum
MD & Publisher – African Hunting Gazette
Mobile : +27 82 653 7185
Tel : +27 11 803 2040
Fax : +27 11 803 2022
E-mail : richard@thefuture.co.za
Website : www.thefuturegroup.co.za
9 3rd Avenue,
Rivonia, Johannesburg 2128,
South Africa

 

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African Hunting Gazette

From cover to cover and here, from click to click, the AHG brings you everything you need to know about hunting the great continent of Africa. From the southern tip of Africa to the northern reaches of Ethiopia, we go about pursuing our simple and unambiguous objective. Everything we do, be it the magazine we publish, or the marketing consulting we offer the outfitters, the African Hunting Shows we host, or the International Hunting expos we attend – it is for one reason – to promote hunting in Africa.

I hope this website helps you find out what you need to know about going on a hunting safari in Africa. We are financially and editorially independent. We recommend the use of registered outfitters in Africa and we also support all the country-specific hunting associations in Africa. Having attended international hunting shows for over 10 years, we are the only African hunting magazine that is based in Africa AND north America. We attend more international Expos than any other and are also the only African hunting magazine to hosts our own shows. By starting in Toronto and now expanding into Atlanta and soon to launch in Calgary, these boutique, ‘all & only’ African Hunting Shows are our next step to demonstrate how serious we are about hunting in Africa!

Folks, we have 1, 2, 3 and 5-year subscription options. The longer you subscribe, the more you save! Please take a look at our special promotions and also what our references have to say.

Finally, if we don’t live up to your expectations, we offer a money-back guarantee.

Thank you for your time and remember – you’re only a click away from Africa!

Yours in good hunting,
Richard D. Lendrum
Publisher

African Hunting Expo – Atlanta

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African Hunting Expo – Atlanta
2015
Friday January 9th (11:00 – 8:00) – Saturday January 10th (10:00 – 7:00)
Adventure Outdoors (Smyrna)

 

Why Atlanta

  • Now in its 5th year and we have moved to Adventure Outdoors
  • Ideally situated in a dedicated expo area inside one of Georgia’s best known and largest gun shops
  • 80% of America is within a direct flight from Atlanta
  • Atlanta is arguably the USA gateway to Africa
  • The American southeast has a long history of hunting

 

Unique Qualities of the Show

  • A boutique, exclusive ‘African’ environment for the serious hunter who specifically makes the effort to talk business
  • Encouraging one-on-one time between buyers and sellers, in a relaxed, yet sophisticated atmosphere
  • Two day format where exhibitors can arrive literally with their brochures, reducing accommodation and travel expenses.

 

Why a show in the South East

Within a few hour’s drive or a short flight the south east of the USA right on our doorstep.

Neighbouring states are home to the following hunters:
•  Alabama 270,000 •  Mississippi 250,000
•  Florida 180,000 •  North Carolina 350,000
•  Georgia 380,000 •  South Carolina 200,000
•  Louisiana 260,000 •  Tennessee 590,000

 

Pre-register – Click here

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Venue

Adventure Outdoors (Smyrna)

Address : 2500 South Cobb Dr SE, Smyrna, GA 30080, United States Tel: (770) 333-9880
Website : http://www.adventureoutdoors.us
Click an image to enlarge

 

Accomodation

HYATT PLACE ATLANTA/COBB GALLERIA

Once you have clicked on link, please select arrival and departure date and search. Then proceed on to making your reservation. 

http://www.hyatt.com/hyatt/reservations/flow6/place/propCheckAvailability.jsp?pid=ATLZG&extCorporateId=G-HUNT

  • Reservations must be made before Dec 8, 2014 to get the rate.
  • The rate is for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
  • Any days outside of this block will be 109.00

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2015 Exhibitor Application Form : Click here to download it now.

 

MORE INFO COMING SOON

 

 

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Pre-Register now and receive a free Big Bore DVD
*while quantities last

 

 

Show dates : 9th and 10th January 2015

Show Times : Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. & Saturday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Cost : $20 per person for two days

Children under 16 Free.

Venue : Adventure Outdoors.

Address : 2500 South Cobb Dr SE, Smyrna, GA 30080, United States Tel: (770) 333-9880

 

INCLUDES:

  • 1 X 1 year subscription / renewal to the African Hunting Gazette (valued at $45)

 

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Nicole Kelly
Subscription/Distribution Manager – African Hunting Gazette
(1-855-528-3325)
E-mail : nicole@africanhuntinggazette.com
Website : www.thefuturegroup.co.za

Richard Lendrum
MD & Publisher – African Hunting Gazette
Mobile : +27 82 653 7185
Tel : +27 11 803 2040
Fax : +27 11 803 2022
E-mail : richard@thefuture.co.za
Website : www.thefuturegroup.co.za
9 3rd Avenue,
Rivonia, Johannesburg 2128,
South Africa

 

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African Hunting Expo – Home

2016 Exhibitor Application Form : Click here to download it now.

 

Next year will be our 7th year presenting Africa’s finest line-up of hunting opportunities to new markets in North America, Spain and Denmark.

Attending is a costly exercise, and in order for us to feel comfortable, it is critical you understand:

  1. How we promote the expos
  2. How we promote you over and above attending the expos
  3. What you get when you attend one of our expos

There is a lot of BS spoken in this world and, as competition grows, time and money becomes more precious. It is important you review the fine print when considering options. With us:

1. The expos are promoted through magazines, TV programs, and associate relationships, and through our social media platforms. This includes Africa’s leading international hunting magazine, the African Hunting Gazette, our association with Sports Afield, our corporate partnership with The Hunting Report, Alberta Outdoorsmen, Wild TV, SCI Chapters, our website which is on page one of Google with ‘African Hunting’ and on our Facebook page which has more ‘likes’ than any other African hunting magazine.

2. Over and above attending our Expo, you will be promoted in the CONVENTION issue of the African Hunting Gazette. There is no better vehicle. Not only does every attendee to the expo get a copy, every single subscriber and reader of that issue, worldwide, for months and years to come will see your profile. On the busiest hunting website in Africa, your profile has the chance to be seen by every visitor to the site – before, during and after the expo, for an entire year. At every show we attend we hand out our directory, Hunt Africa Direct, meaning that your profile in this directory will be handed out at the minimum of the following shows – Atlanta, DSC, SCI Vegas, Edmonton, Calgary, Spain and Denmark.

3. You get a turnkey solution, which enables you to arrive with your brochures and do business. We set up the entire booth for you. Your booth banner will be designed, printed and installed, and power, internet, meals on each day, coffee, tea and water are provided – it is hassle free.

Our theme is going to remain focused and unchanged – Hunting for Africa’s greatest Spots, which essentially sums up what we’re about. You all have choices and we appreciate your business.

Calgary: Saturday January 30th and Sunday January 31st 2016
This will be our 4th year in Calgary located at the best venue in the city – The Coast Plaza Hotel www.coasthotels.com/hotels/ alberta/calgary/coast-plaza-hotel-and-conference-centre. This show started it all in Alberta and continues to be successful for hunters. We work very closely with the Calgary SCI Chapter to help you meet qualified hunters.
We also have an impressive array of guns, gadgets and taxidermy, setting us apart apart from the competition.
Compliments from visitors who attend this show just keep coming!

Saskatoon: Saturday January 23rd and Sunday January 24th 2016
Since our first show in Edmonton was such a success we just had to do it again! We work closely with SCI’s most successful international Chapter, Northern Alberta.
You get qualified hunters coming to your booth from this oil rich city. Alberta is the Texas of Canada!

Toronto: Saturday January 16th and Sunday January 17th 2016
Since our first show in Edmonton was such a success we just had to do it again! We work closely with SCI’s most successful international Chapter, Northern Alberta.
You get qualified hunters coming to your booth from this oil rich city. Alberta is the Texas of Canada!
The Nisku Inn www.niskuinn.com proved to be the best location as it is just off the highway, close to the airport and is the hotel chosen by hunters when they leave and arrive from their hunting trips. Every hunter knows this hotel.

If you have any questions please contact:
Birgit Johnstone- Birgit@AfricanEvents.ca
Richard Lendrum – richard@africanhuntinggazette.com

Talking Drums and Bongo Hunting from the book Campfire Tales

Volume : 19.2

 

 

Talking Drums and Bongo Hunting from the book Campfire Tales

I was on safari in the extreme north of what was then known as Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. My client and I were traveling by bicycle down a well-defined path that ran parallel with the border of Zaire and Sudan. This area was known as Azande, after the local Paramount Chief Azande, ruler of a vast area of northeastern Zaire. Our temporary hunting camp had originally been located in one of the guesthouses in the large village where Azande lived with his fifty wives — yes, fifty. And he had 109 children! I actually counted them on one occasion — the chief was celebrating some special event, and all of his living children were present. I counted the entire lot as they lined up to congratulate their father.

We subsequently reestablished our main camp some five miles down the main road toward Isiro. It was much quieter in the forest there, and it felt much more like a hunting camp than had our brief stay in the main village.

It was February 1972, and it is difficult for me to describe just how remote and primitive everything was in that part of Zaire. This entire area had been virtually abandoned by the world since the disgrace of the fighting between the Zaire government and the rebel forces that had ravaged the entire country. The main road from Isiro, the provincial capital, was a joke. It took an hour to travel six miles. There was absolutely no infrastructure for the local population. No schools, no hospitals—nothing. The whole country north of Isiro had reverted to the subsistence-level village life that existed before the coming of the white man and his colonial government. It was as if the entire nation had retreated one hundred years.

I jokingly called our company the Southern Sudan Bicycling and Bongo Association. The reason? We used bicycles as our main form of transport into the remote areas along the Sudan border. The roads put in during the colonial times had long since deteriorated into hopeless disrepair. There was, however, a good system of paths that connected the various villages. The villagers used these well-defined and cleared paths to travel from one small rural community to another.

The surprising number of bicycles in the area indicated to me that the people must have been quite prosperous at one time. I came from Zambia, and there, bicycle ownership and use were a sure indicator that the community was well off by current standards. Most of the bicycles were made in either India or China, meaning that they had been imported and purchased since the Congo became independent in 1961. These cheaper bicycles would not have been imported during colonial rule. Back then, only European-manufactured bicycles were imported.

Most of the paths were wide enough for a bike rider to speed along the low, sloping hills that led to the frontier. Here and there small rivers crossed the paths, and travelers had to ford the streams. Larger, deeper streams were crossed using large trees that had been felled across them. The top side of each crossing tree would be cleared of branches and then planed flat using a large adz. The traveler had to balance the bicycle over his or her shoulder and then carefully walk across the narrow “bridge.” These bridges were only twelve to eighteen inches wide and sometimes as long as forty feet, so balance was very important indeed!

My clients and I carried our hunting rifles strapped under the seat, on one side of the bicycle frame. The straps were strips of rubber cut out of old inner tubes from bicycle and car tires. Above the bike’s rear fender would be a package containing a second set of hunting clothes, a toothbrush, and any other toiletries that we required.

Normally, three of our group rode bicycles. The bulk of our camping gear and food was carried by foot porters who followed us. The entire entourage would regroup later at prearranged village locations. The bike riders included the client and me, plus Jeeves, my Sudanese interpreter and general factotum. I never learned Jeeves’s real name, but his nickname suited him admirably. He really believed that he was a gentleman born to serve visiting sportsmen. His English and French were quite good, and because he had been born just over the border, he was fluent in Zande and Lingala, the local languages. Jeeves was a hilarious character. He never failed to amaze me with his pretentious airs and his intimate knowledge of the Zande people.

In the classic way of most Third World guides, if he did not know the real answer to any question, he would simply make up an answer that he thought the questioner might like. If the truth was not good news or Jeeves feared the questioner might not want to hear it, the answer would be modified to make it more satisfactory. Questions like “How far is it?” and “Is it nearby?” should never be asked of anyone like Jeeves. His untruthful but encouraging answers simply provided the basis for future conflict.

I found this especially true with the current client. Despite my warnings and requests not to do so, the client persisted in asking Jeeves how far it was to the next stopping point. Though Jeeves had never been along the path before, he would cheerfully reply that it was not far now or that we would soon be there. This cockeyed information had the immediate effect of making the client a bit happier. An hour later, when it became obvious that Jeeves had again lied, the effect was quite the opposite. What the client wanted was for the journey to end. I could not make the path any shorter, and misinformation from Jeeves just made the whole thing worse.

Of course, I never really had any idea how far it was either. The reason for this lack of information was twofold: One, I had never been there before; two, I did not know where we were going! We were following (or attempting to follow) instructions from Jeeves (who had never been there either) to the best, the greatest, the most famous bongo hunting area in the world. The bongo were as common as birds, and all had huge horns. They wandered about in herds in broad daylight among the forest fingers. We would hunt in this paradise just as soon as we arrived. This fantastic information came from Jeeves, who had obtained it from the other real character in our group, the tracker I named Mad Jack.

Mad Jack’s real name was Jacques something; I could not even pronounce his surname let alone spell it. He was the official meat hunter for Paramount Chief Azande. He was completely crazy—in a nice way. I finally discovered, after a month with him, that his craziness was due entirely to the prodigious quantities of pure hashish that he smoked every day all day.

Mad Jack was a runner—he hardly ever walked. As we rode through the forest edges on our bicycles, it was not unusual for Mad Jack to pass us on foot. He would streak by, and then we would catch up with him at the next place where he decided to rest. Jack’s ability to run was absolutely astounding. In fact, the question, “What makes Mad Jack run?” took on special meaning when I finally determined that what fueled him was the hashish. So there we were, finally, in the jungle, with Jeeves and Mad Jack as our mentors and guides. The vegetation was fascinating. For the most part, we were hunting along the edges of long, thin, fingerlike extensions of rain forest created when the vegetation followed the smaller river valleys out of the main watershed, growing along the permanent water. Each of these smaller streams seemed to create its own miniclimate.

The fingers varied in width from over half a mile at their juncture with the main forest to only a hundred yards or so just before they petered out for lack of water. Elephant grass grew on the low hills around the small valleys containing the streams. At the dry time of year, this grass was burned by the villagers or by naturally occurring fires. During the time we hunted there, it was only six to ten inches high. From time to time, however, we would come across a patch of grass that had not been exposed to the seasonal fires, and it was quite something to see—up to ten feet tall with stems as thick as a man’s finger.

It was called elephant grass because when it was mature, only elephants would have the strength to push their way through the stuff. I assumed that elephants were the animals that opened the pathways through this grass used by the other creatures that lived in the area.

A very well-defined edge marked the place where the grass met the forest fingers. Usually, a game trail ran just along the edge between the grass and the forest, obviously used by all the animals living both in the forest and out in the grasslands. The grassland antelopes would use the paths on their way to water in the valley bottoms, and the forest antelopes appeared to use the paths regularly when they ventured out into the open.

I often wondered what grassland antelopes such as waterbucks and hartebeests did when the elephant grass was fully grown. Perhaps there were patches of shorter grass well away from the forest fingers. This must have been the case, for no ordinary antelope can live for months on end in a sea of ten-foot-high grass. I never saw any of these shorter-grass areas in Zaire, but I was to see many of them years later along similar forest fingers in the Ivory Coast and in the Central African Republic.

On this particular safari, my client and I had finally passed through the larger forest fingers and were well up on the watershed toward the Sudan border when I decided to stop and take a rest. We were just outside a small village, so I suggested we carry on into the village, where we would try to talk to the locals about the animals to be found nearby.

We walked our bicycles slowly into the village and soon found the large center-round, thatched-roofed mud house that belonged to the headman. It was midday and the headman was napping under the eaves of his house. He woke and cordially greeted us. I have often wondered why these native folk never seem to show any surprise. Here we were, two white men on bicycles in the middle of nowhere, and this chap acted as if we were the norm for his midday visitors. I would be surprised, indeed, if ten white men had entered that small village since the beginning of time.

The headman asked where we were going. Fortunately, Mad Jack had appeared and was able to give him some vague idea of our destination. I could just make out his comments that the area we were heading for was crawling with bongos, and apparently was not very far off. Both the headman and Mad Jack insisted that it would be less than one hour’s travel to our hunting place, so I felt safe in telling the client that it would be two hours. If I was wrong, it would be a pleasant surprise.

After a short while we decided to get on our way. We had explained our mission to the headman, and he had said we could sleep in the next village. He added that we could also hunt from there—it was the last village before we would reach the uninhabited border area.

As we were leaving the village, drums started to sound very loudly. The Azande forest drums are simply sections of hollowed-out tree trunks. There is a slit in the top about four inches wide, and both ends are plugged with large wooden stoppers. The drum lies on two wooden trestles, one at each end of the cylinder. The local folk beat the hollow drum with short, hard sticks to make a very loud reverberation. I was impressed by just how loud the drums were.

We were still walking next to our bicycles when my client asked me what the drum noise was for. I replied I really didn’t know but had understood that the Azande people were able to communicate using the drums. The client scoffed and said, “Sure they do. Then ask Mad Jack what they are saying.”

I shouted for Jeeves, who was still back in the village, and as usual he came running up. I asked him to carefully inquire of Mad Jack why the drums were making all the noise and what they were saying. Jeeves appeared to carefully translate my question into Zande. Soon Jack began to talk. He carried on for a few minutes, stopping now and then to listen to the drums.

Jeeves turned to the client and me and translated what Mad Jack had just told him: The drums told the story of three strangers (two of them white men) on bicycles traveling toward the next village. These strangers are followed by a small caravan of porters who are carrying the bulk of their supplies. The strangers intend to sleep in the next village and hunt for m’bangana (bongo) the next morning. The drums, Jeeves went on, then said that the white men want to buy some eggs for their breakfast.

My client promptly said “Bulls—!” and began to get on his bicycle. I asked what he meant, and he answered, “There is no way these primitive folk could have developed a drum code that would let them communicate such details. If you believe all this nonsense, you are just as bad as they are! How could you think people who can’t even draw a straight line could develop such a message system using hollow logs?” I decided not to argue, even though I knew he was wrong. We both mounted our bikes and off we went toward our next campsite and bongo heaven.

Strange as it seemed to me, Mad Jack and Jeeves were correct about the distance to the next village. In just under one hour I saw some smoke ahead in the forest—this could only mean that a village was nearby. We rounded a corner and were gratified to see a neat, small village perched atop a small rise. It was near the edge of a forest finger—in fact, I could see patches of open grassland through the trees. We were still some three hundred yards from the village when the drums announced our arrival. At least, that’s what I assumed the drums were saying, so I did not ask Jeeves about it.

The drums were still beating as we walked into the village square. I asked Jeeves what the drums were now saying. He pointed to a middle-aged woman who was approaching us with a basket and said, “The drums say that your eggs have arrived.” I turned to the client and told him to look into the basket before he said another word about the talking drums of Azande. The basket was full of fresh eggs!

The hunting area was about one hour farther north toward the Sudan border. We left early the following morning just before dawn. On that first day of hunting from this village, it began to rain lightly. In my diary, which I still have, it is noted that during the course of that day I saw forty-seven bongos! One herd of thirty-two animals was actually frolicking in the light rain, in the burned area between two forest fingers. I watched them long enough to count the herd, and noted in my diary that bongo look much like forest eland. Unfortunately, this client was too excited and mistakenly shot and killed a female. That sounded the death knell for this bongo hunt.