Johnson Into Africa

A Hunter's Safari
1. Auflage 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5439-5121-9
Verlag: BookBaby
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 324 Seiten

When was the last time you thought of doing something for the first time? Into Africa: A Hunter's Safari was written about and for a first-time African safari adventurer, with the sense of wonder that only comes with first times. At the same time a personal memoir and how-to guide, it explores what professional hunter and author Peter Hathaway Capstick referred to as 'the greatest adventure remaining on Earth.'

Autoren/Hrsg.

Johnson, Wayne P.

Leseproben

Devil’s in the Details

Chapter 1

General Dwight D. Eisenhower once commented, “The plan is nothing. Planning is everything.”

As the Supreme Commander responsible for the overall plan and planning of Operation OVERLORD – the Allied invasion of Nazi Europe in WWII – he both appreciated and understood the criticality of planning as the precursor for success. His words are no less true today, regardless of the endeavor.

Each year millions of sportsmen spend billions of dollars to hunt at home and abroad. And each year some of those same sportsmen return from an experience they’d sooner forget. I’ll wager that, in most cases, the difference between a wonderful experience and a fiasco lay in good planning or lack thereof. The devil’s in the details, as they say, and the more complex and distant the goal, the more planning is necessary to achieve success. At the end of the day, only results count!

Part I – Prelude to an Adventure – addresses the planning involved for an enjoyable and successful safari experience. I emphasize the word ‘experience’ because a successful African safari – from the KiSwahili meaning “journey” – is about a great deal more than squeezing the trigger. Success, however it’s measured, can never be guaranteed. But a good plan, combined with detailed and realistic planning will likely lead to a safari worthy of Africa, sport hunting, and the sportsman or sportswoman.

Planning involves six essential elements which answer the questions: What, Where, When, How, Who, and Why. I began with why because it set the stage for the other five questions.

Why Africa? After all, there’s no shortage of big game in North America, it’s much closer and, one would think, easier and cheaper to obtain … right? Well, not exactly.

If the sportsman’s hunting interests are limited to putting venison on the table, where sex is irrelevant and good public land is readily available for hunting, then, yes, it’s cheaper and easier to hunt near home. But as with most things in life, you get what you pay for, or earn in the case of fair chase hunting.

The relative ease and expense changes when the sportsman’s interests involve more than just food. The meat tastes pretty much the same, whether it’s from an SCI record bull elk or 5-year old cow, but the underlying motivation in taking either is quite different and the downstream importance to conservation in general, and sport hunting in particular, is huge.

Hunting in North America for trophy whitetail or mule deer, elk, goats and sheep ranges from $6-35K for one animal. For that price, you’ll often hunt private land and needn’t draw a tag to shoot the game sought. In comparison, you can hunt 7-12 days in South Africa for five or six trophies and, including the daily rate for one hunter and one observer, expect to spend $10-12K … a bargain any way you cut it and you’re in Africa! You cannot bring the meat home, although you’ll probably dine on some of everything you shoot. However, with the exceptions noted in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) appendices, properly-treated horns/skulls and skins may be legally imported into the U.S. for taxidermy and related purposes.

Generally speaking, South African plains game are not listed in the CITES restrictions and may be legally imported into the U.S. If you encounter something exotic or unusual and are uncertain about its CITES status, check the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) website and be sure, before you take the shot. Also understand that rules are subject to change and the Professional Hunter (PH), although quite knowledgeable about their game laws, may not be aware of an animal’s CITES status and that could be embarrassing and expensive for everyone concerned. If you kill or merely wound an animal, you’ve bought it – period!

What is in the bag? In terms of plains game, it would almost be easier to ask what’s not available in South Africa. In the antelope family, the field is wide open. South Africa’s national symbol, the ubiquitous springbok is available in four color variations: common, in my view the most attractive; white, though not an albino; copper, very pretty but expensive; and black. Some hunters may wish to try for a Grand Slam and take all four! Blue & black wildebeest are beautiful open-country herd animals, as are blesbuck, bontebuck, impala, springbok, sable and roan, and many other species. Oryx (gemsbok in Afrikaans) are abundant and beautiful, especially when running, and both sexes have horns, although it’s generally frowned upon to shoot the ladies, even if their horns are often longer.

Plains game is wary and adept at staying out of range; making every stalk a fair chase proposition. And, of course, let’s not forget the iconic kudu – as majestic an animal as ever walked the land. There’s no shortage of kudu in South Africa, although getting a shot at a big fella is no easy task. At the large, economy-size end of the spectrum, we’re talking eland … a ton, and then some, for a mature bull.

Where to? Take your pick; it varies greatly from dense bushveld near the coastal areas to the sparsely covered high plains and mountains of the Karoo, but it’s all good and there’s something for every hunter’s taste. To some extent, what you’re after will determine where you’re hunting. Kudu, nyala and bushbuck prefer cover; wildebeest, impala, springbok, blesbuck, sable, gemsbok, and zebra like open space where they can see trouble coming; mountain reedbuck and vaal rhebok haunt the high places; giraffe are generally above such considerations; and rhino and Cape buffalo are too big and ornery to care … going wherever they damn well please.

Size matters, particularly when talking about anything that’s likely to find its way into SCI’s or Mr. Rowland Ward’s book of who’s who in the proverbial pecking order. If you’re interested in such lofty goals as nailing a 17+ inch springbok, be prepared to pay the piper. Trophy fees for Greater Southern kudu are often significantly higher than for Eastern Cape kudu. Although Cape kudu are about 10% smaller, they are, in my opinion, the more handsome of the two. When hunting Cape buffalo, trophy fees are usually related to horn spread, not the animal’s age, body size or weight. If in doubt, ask before you line-up the crosshairs and slip the safety off.

When is the hunting season? South Africa is in the southern hemisphere. As such, their seasons are opposite ours; summer months are in Nov-Feb, and winter months are May-Aug. Generally speaking, the hunting season runs from March through November, with kudu in rut late April through May. Hunters seriously interested in kudu tend to orient on the rutting season, so you should appreciate that competition for dates during that period can be fierce. Although mature kudu bulls are more solitary and less likely to congregate with cows and young bulls outside the rutting months, they’re not scarce … just hard to find. If you’re a hunter who values the stalk, truly wants to earn your trophy bull and are patient, Africa will almost certainly reward your perseverance. Priorities are fine but have a go-to list and don’t pass up a golden opportunity for an “Oh my God!” nyala or gemsbok just because today was supposed to be springbok day.

Discuss your trophy goals with the PH and make your intentions clear. My guidance was simple: “I don’t expect a record book trophy but I’m not interested in shooting just any kudu or other plains game for that matter. Form and symmetry are at least as important to me as size.” I made it clear that I was only interested in taking a trophy the PH would proudly hang on his wall … and if it didn’t happen, I was okay with that too. I never second-guessed or regretted my position, and left Africa well satisfied with marvelous memories and beautiful trophies.

Hunting in the winter months can be challenging, particularly in the morning when it can be quite cool and windy. But by midday, African winters are generally pleasant, requiring only a long-sleeve shirt and light jacket or vest. If booking a safari during winter months, plan to dress in layers that can be easily shed after the sun and temperatures rise. I shouldered a small, lightweight fish-net backpack to carry extra stuff – camera, batteries, SD Cards, lens cleaner, granola bars, water, insect repellent, socks, small memory-foam seat pad, etc. – or clothes shed as it warms up. If you find yourself needing to make a prone shot, that small backpack and seat pad really comes in handy as a gun-rest.

Even in spring and autumn months, gloves are excellent travelling companions, and will spare your hands from the endless thorns. One advantage of winter hunting is that you’re highly unlikely to encounter venomous reptiles; however, biting insects are another matter. On the other hand, there is much less cover to conceal your advance from the countless ears and eyes that are always on alert for unnatural sounds, movement or anything out of place. When startled, springbok whistle, kudu bark, and Cape buffalo snort, perhaps from both ends; then everything starts running and you’re back to square one. Did I mention this is called “fair chase” hunting?

How much? The answer to that question is driven by trophies sought, number of areas hunted, non-hunting activities desired, and everyone’s bottom line – budget. Some outfitters have a kilometer limit for inter-concession safari travel; beyond which additional charges may be due and payable. Remember, they’re running a for-profit business and they...