South Africa to ban Hunting??

Philwilk

Well-Known Member
I am in Joburg at the moment on business. Yesterday I was out with a guy who hunts occasionally and he told me that since Botswana has banned all hunting the South African government is considering doing the same.

Is this old news, no news or just the rumour mill at work?

All being well I will be hunting in the Eastern Cape in July.

Phil
 
........ there was quite a lot of money involved in Botswana...............

You're making the mistake here of applying logic to African politics - never works, never has.

I do know that last year I was in Zambia (not hunting) and there were horror stories of dying, starving elephant south of the Chobe - over population, no licenses issued.

How has this ban come about?
 
Phil,

No, what can they ban, its all private land...to much money involved. Botswana doesn't have as much in-fenced game farms as S.A. that is why they only banned the free roaming areas. In-fenced areas in Botswana is still huntable...your 'guide' who hunts occasionally must come more out to hunt...lol

regards,

Patrick
Bushwack Safaris


I am in Joburg at the moment on business. Yesterday I was out with a guy who hunts occasionally and he told me that since Botswana has banned all hunting the South African government is considering doing the same.

Is this old news, no news or just the rumour mill at work?

All being well I will be hunting in the Eastern Cape in July.

Phil
 
How has this ban come about?

1. A small but extremely vocal and politically connected community of mainly ex-pat dominated conservation NGOs who put enormous pressure in the right places.

2. An antipathy toward hunting that is common across Africa because it is so strongly associated with rich white people who do very few favours for themselves in terms of thier attitude toward and treatment of Africans.
 
1. A small but extremely vocal and politically connected community of mainly ex-pat dominated conservation NGOs who put enormous pressure in the right places.

2. An antipathy toward hunting that is common across Africa because it is so strongly associated with rich white people who do very few favours for themselves in terms of thier attitude toward and treatment of Africans.

1. No doubt we are talking about WWF, FZS and various UN agencies here? Oddly, and contrary to their manifesto, I found when living in Tanzania that WWF was broadly supportive of tourist hunting - because it provided vital income where otherwise there would be none and because the presnce of hunting camps prevented (more) widespread poaching.

2. To an extent you are right - but I think things are changing here with more African PH's coming in. A great deal of the blame (if that's the right word) for this must be laid at the door of the self same rich white Americans and Europeans who come to Africa with unrealistic expectations and prejudices fueled through those well known "Nitro-Express" videos and the like. I had a whole gang of these SCI-types round to my house in Dar one evening and it was an eye opener - one was very proud to have shot a porcupine ffs.


I have never been to Botswana but can only speculate that, like Kenya, a ban will only lead to more poaching. Across the border in Zambia it is rife - National Parks with no animals.
 
1. No doubt we are talking about WWF, FZS and various UN agencies here?

As you say, WWF can actually be quite pragmatic, and have moderated their stance over the years. The real culprits are people like IFAW and the wackier single-country NGOs (the problem one in Botswana is called CARACAL, I think).

A great deal of the blame (if that's the right word) for this must be laid at the door of the self same rich white Americans and Europeans who come to Africa with unrealistic expectations and prejudices

Very much agreed. It can be very hard to explain to desperately poor farmers why they can't shoot animals to eat on land which they quite rightly regard as theirs, while at the same time being seen to encourage foreigners with questionable attitudes to help themselves.
 
I think its all extremely sad....

From Lusaka we drove for five hours if i remember correctly to Komolo.

Apart from some scabby looking dogs we did not see one animal enroute

Even the tree's have all been chopped.

Unbelievable.
 
This is all rumours as far as i am concern, as Bushwack said it is all private land where hunting is taking place, where Botswana and also Zambia that have hunting bans now, was hunting on state land. It is a pity though as to me Botswana is one of the best places to hunt.

​African politics can be difficult to understand, but i don't think we are close to banning hunting in SA

​ Best Regards
 
I am going back to South Africa later today and will be meeting the guy I was talking to last week so I will convey the consensus of opinion displayed here.

Thanks for the comments!

Phil
 
Back
Top