Pelea - December 2018

PELEAOfficial Publication of the East Cape Game Management Association Amptelike Publikasie van die Oos-Kaap Wildbestuurgenootskap DECEMBER / DESEMBER 2018OOR KLEILATGOOI& KETTIESKIETJAG…net ‘n bysaak

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PELEAOfficial Publication of the East Cape Game Management Association Amptelike Publikasie van die Oos-Kaap Wildbestuurgenootskap OFFICE / KANTOOR From the Chair 4 Tel: +27 (0)41 933 1394 Office News 6 Fax: +27 (0)86 544 7978 Club News 8 CHASA 16 P.O. Box 2987 True Green Alliance 18 Riebeeckhoogte WRSA 20 Who has been Hunting 24 6231 Juniors 28 PHASA 30 E-mail: [email protected] Oor kleilatgooi en kettieskiet 32 Jag...net ‘n bysaak 36CEO Bullet imbalance 38 Klipspringer 40Stappie Staphorst – 082 567 5199 Exim Namib Boerewors 41OFFICE SECRETARY https://www.facebook.com/pages/East-Cape- Game-Management-Association-ECGMANatalie van der Mescht – 060 528 9984 3EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE / UITVOERENDE KOMITEEChairman / Voorsitter – Neil DoddsVice Chairman / Ondervoorsitter—Johann RautenbachFinances / Finansies – Piet SwartGame Ranching / Wildboere – Neil DoddsLegal Matters – Frikkie CoetzeeProfessional Hunting / Beroepsjag – Stappie Staphorst(Acting)Recreational Hunting / Ontspanningsjag – JohannRautenbachSocial Media – Shaun ThompsonTraining / Opleiding – Leigh-Ann KantVeterinary Matters – Dr. Leon de BruynTAK VOORSITTERS / BRANCH CHAIRMENAlgoa Hunting Club –Rudi Beets 082 734 9707Cradock Hunting Club –Barend de Klerk 083 781 4888Glen Connor Hunting Club –Arthur Rudman 083 280 1335Kei Barrel & Bow Hunting Club –Gary Harvey 083 452 0883Noorsveld Jag & Skiet Klub –Sam Rudman 082 826 3418

F C U Srom the hair / it die toelAs 2018 comes to a speedy end one looks back at a year filled with challenges. ECGMA has met these head on and continue to do so to give the best possible service to you the members!Membership numbers have been steady and I appeal to all members to bring your membership fees up to date, more sothose with dedicated status. Your firearm licence renewals will not be granted unless your membership is in goodstanding.The past hunting season by all accounts has been a mixed bag. The drought has eased in certain areas and plenty ofanimals were taken. Once again I must express my concern about the number of kudu and size of the bulls being shot incertain areas. It is in all our interest manage and look after this resource for which the Eastern Cape is well known.Jag, hetsy trofee of plaaslik, bly die eindgebruik van wild en vorm gevolglik die ruggraat van die wildbedryf. Dit skepmenige geleenthede in die gedaante van werkskepping, voedselsekuriteit, toerisme en taksidermie om maar net enkelesuit te sonder. Daar is ‘n hernude dryf om kwaliteit wildsvleis op die winkelrakke te kry en dit sal nog vele nuwegeleenthede vir die bedryf skep.Once again 2018 was a big year for the game ranches with many of the top animals on the auction finding new homeshere. Although prices have been lower, trading has still been solid. In a buyer’s market many ranches have used thisopportunity to introduce better genetics and thereby improving their herds. The Eastern Cape certainly boasts some ofthe finest herds in the country and looks set to grow further. This bodes well for the future of game framing in ourprovince.Die Wildsfees wildsveiling was, te midde van die huidige omstandighede, suksesvol met meeste van die lotte wat teenmarkverwante pryse verkoop is. OKWBG vervul ‘n allerbelangrike rol in die bemarking en bestuur van die veiling.Congratulations are in order for the WRSA EC committee for an outstanding conference and gala dinner held in Octoberhighlighting the achievements of the role players in the industry. Under the guidance of Chairman Gerhard Heyneke,WRSA has a strong base in the Eastern Cape and ECGMA would like to express our thanks and appreciation for hisdedication and commitment to the game ranchers of the Eastern Cape.Die kantoor funksioneer steeds seepglad en ons ervaar standvastige groei met nuwe lede wat aansluit. Wapenopleidinggaan voort en is ‘n belangrike taak van die OKWBG. Ons finansiële posisie is gesond en ons het vermoë om ‘n diens aanons lede te verskaf. Ons waardering aan Tavcor Commercial Vehicles wat OKWBG op die pad hou met ‘n uitsonderlikeAmarok dubbelkajuit bakkie. Die borgskap stel Stappie en Natalie in staat om by die onderskeie klubs, veilings en funksiesuit te kom.ECGMA continues to have input on provincial level at SECSICOM, where all role players in wildlife industry, includingDepartment officials, discuss, debate and decide on the way forward on various issues that arise. A good relationshipwith the Department exists and we are grateful for this.On a national level, Stappie attended the CHASA board meeting in September and he stays abreast of all the relatedmatters.Thank you to Stappie and Natalie for your continued dedication to the ECGMA as well as my fellow Exco members. Youall contribute to making the ECGMA a successful organization that and we can be justly proud of!In closing, I wish all our members and friends a Blessed Christmas and hope that 2019 holds all that you wish for. 4 Neil Dodds ECGMA Chairman / OKWBG Voorsitter

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Postal Address P.O. Box 2987 Riebeeckhoogte 6231 A word from the CEOA word from the CEOMet 2018 wat tot ‘n einde kom en ‘n terugkyk na die jaar wat verby is, is dit verblydend om te rapporteer dat dievereniging ‘n goeie en aktiewe jaar gehad het.The number of motiviations for hunting firearm applications that were endorsed by the office is heartening andshows that the hunting and game industry is healthy and this stems well for the future.Dankie vir die artikels, stories en fotos tot hierdie uitgawe van die PELEA..A special word of thanks to our advertisers, without your support the PELEA publication will not be possible.Thanks to Natalie “the editor” for all her creativeness with the artwork and editing.Ons wens aan al ons lede ‘n gelukkige feesgety en voorspoedige nuwe jaar toe. Mag jul vrede en vreugde inhierdie tyd ervaar. Stappie Notice of the AGM of ECGMA / Kennisgewing van AJV van OKWBGNotice is hereby given of the 38th Annual General Meeting of ECGMA to be held on the 9 March 2019. All details will be circulated in due course. Hiermee word kennis gegee van die 38ste OKWBG Algemene Jaar -vergadering wat gehou gaan word op 9 Maart 2019. Alle besonderhede sal op ‘n latere geleentheid deur gegee word.MEMBERSHIP FEES 2019 R750 Banking details: R200Ordinary Members R990 ECGMAJunior/Student Members R380 Standard BankFamily Members Account no: 080774849Senior Citizens Branch code: 050416 Reference: Membership numberAlgoa Club Member Fee + R 40Noorsveld Jag en Skietklub + R 40 6

ECGMA would like to extend a special word of welcome to the following members who have joined us from 09 June 2018 to 30 October 2018ADCOCK RYAN HUMAN JACQUES A SMIT HANOADLAM THOMAS WJ HURR MICHAIL SMITH JAMES DBAKKER LUCIEN D KEMP ALFRED C STANDER LAUREN ABLEW DYLAN B LEO EDWARD J STRYDOM MARIUSBOTHA RUAN A LEMUE JEAN L P STUCKI ANDRIESBROMLEY-GANS PHILIP J MARAIS MALAN SWANEPOEL MAROBRUMMER JOHANNES H MEYER MEGAN TERHOEVEN CAREL JCOETZEE ZOE MEYER MELISSA THOMPSON MATTHEW JDE BEER WILLEM S NDIMA LUYOLO G UYS HANS JGDU PLESSIS CHANELLE NIEUWENHUIZEN VAN AARDT CHRISTIAANEHLERS MICHAL V BARTHOLOMEUS K VAN DER MERWE LOUIS DEVANS SIMON D POTGIETER LEON VAN NIEKERK RUDOLF MFERREIRA SUNELLE PRINGLE BENJAMIN M VERMAAK PETRUS JGRASSMAN ARNU H PURDON ADRIAN VOS IZAK LHARTLEY FRANK G RAUBENHEIMER RUSSEL WAIT JEANEHAYWARD GILBERT J RAUTENBACH JOHANNES A WASSERMAN ADRIAAN JNR SIMPSON RICHARD A WICKS JASON LIONELMeasured at the ECGMA Annual General Meeting. Trophies measured at Club AGM’s are automatically entered.Trophy DonorBlack Wildebeest JP Kleinhans Trophy DonorBlesbok Thomas BaileyBlue Wildebeest C&E Reabow Floating Junior—Best Kudu in E.C. Howard BallantyneBush Buck Willem de KlerkBush Pig Mike Bunge Junior—Best 3 Animals in E.C. Howard BallantyneCaracal / Lynx Roy Sparks Junior—Best 3 Animals in Africa Jacques GreeffDuiker Audley Vermaak Senior Trophy Chappie SparksEland Woods TanningFallow Deer Roy Hayes Hunter of the Year Bethavan TrophyImpala Graham Enslin Chairmans Cup Robin HalseKudu Frank BowkerMountain Reedbuck Eldrid Price Rockdale Ranches Floating Trophy Rockdale RanchSpringbuck Sandy Stretton - Best Trophy ProducedSteenbuck Ian LaingVaal Rhebuck Chappie Scott PH of the Year Bethavan TrophyVlakvark / Warthog Drostdy Arms Tracker of the Year Eldrid Price 7

CHAIRMANS I t is with a sense of satisfaction that we can look back on a year that has REPORT in many respects been challenging, but positive. The 2018 EXCO again experienced numerous challenges and again made mistakes; but learned valuable lessons. The year has proven challenging in many aspects; we had to content with vandalism and burglaries resulting in damage to property, we also had to contend with the continued economic slump which caused a decline in our membership numbers (2018 [393] compared to 2017 [424]).Increased prices and government taxes compelled us to increase our bar prices, and our container for thestorage of the clubs equipment were irreparable and had to be replaced.Ten spyte was daar ook hoogtepunte; ons lede se volgehoue bywoning en ondersteuning van ons klub-byeenkomste, die vriendelike aanbiedinge deur ons gassprekers en hul promosie aanbiedinge en ons ‘Valentyns’aand wat weereens deur sowat 130 lede/besoekers ondersteun was.Ons eerste Boer & Brit skiet is op 17 Maart by Rangers gehou waaraan sowat 36 skuts deelgeneem het. Onsjaarlikse 3 Gun shoot was weereens ‘n groot trekplyster en ons poog om beide hierdie geleenthede in die nuwejaar uit te brei.THE FUTUREI am confident that the new leadership team for 2019 will continue to work on current and new initiatives, and thatthey will be doing what’s necessary to maintain and grow the club to the benefit of our members. We wish themall the best during their term in office.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSI would like to acknowledge the Members who served with me on the Executive Committee. Thank you for yourdedication, sacrifices and willingness in serving in your respective portfolios. To those who are stepping down wewish you all the best and we look forward to your ongoing involvement in the club.Ek self tree ook uit as Voorsitter. Dit was 'n opwindende tyd en my grootste les was dat (mense dink en doen niedieslfde nie). My opregte dank vir almal se ondersteuning en begrip. Dankie ook aan al die mentors, vir julleleiding, advies en ondersteuning. 8

Namens die EXCO, ons opregte waardering en dank vir julle as lede vir die getroue bywoning van klubaande,julle ondersteuning van ons steak verkope en die kroeg, en ook vir julle getroue ondersteuning van klubaktiwiteite en initiatiewe. Vir diegene wat op enige ander manier betrokke was, naamlik instandhouding,aankope, skoonmaak, vuurmaak, ens., dit gaan nie ongemerk verby nie en word opreg waardeur. Hierdiegesamentlike pogings is wat die ALGOA Jagklub die ‘great’ klub maak, waarop ons almal baie trots kan wees.To all our sponsors & advertisers throughout the year, a big thanks to you. We have great appreciation for yoursupport and generosity. Congratulations also to all our prize winners.Dan ook, namens die ALGOA Jagklub baie dankie aan Stappies and Natalie, ons het groot waardeuring vir aljulle harde werk, toegewyde ondersteuning, geduld en hulp.Lastly, may you have a special Christmas, not with presents that make it special, but with laughter, the feeling oflove, and the togetherness of friends and family. To all our members, on behalf of our Executive Committee wewish you and your families a Happy Festive Season and all the best for 2019. Sincerely yours Rudi Beets Chairman - ECGMA Algoa Hunting Club Tel: 041 581 4306 Cell: 072 262 4139 155 MAIN ROAD P.O. BOX 5998 WALMER WALMERPORT ELIZABETH PORT ELIZABETH 6056 6056 9

ECGMA Algoa Hunting Club 10 October 2018 Chappie and Christo receiving their CHASA measuring certificates from Oom Jannieto our SPONSORS Ambiton Bru Bar City Paint & Tool Continental Butchery Forest Hill Crown Spices Curves Walmer Danskraal Dheli Spices Exim Freddy Hirsch Ibhayi Casings Llew’s Auto Electrical Marina Seesout MI Therapy Neoderm Relay EMS Tiger Brands Vodacom Walker DriveBiltong Hunter R. Millar 27 9/16 Marksman of the Year D. Odendaal 10Black Wildebeest C. Ruytenberg 17 1/8 Most species by a junior R. MillarBlesbuck J. Jones 22 7/8 Most unusual species R. Fourie (Scimitar Oryx)Blue Wildebeest S. Neuper 13 1/4 Most versatile hunter R. MillarBushbuck T.Vosloo 4 7/8 Best photo taken by a hunter C. RuytenbergBushpig J. Coetzee (Cornell) 4 3/16 Stirrer of the year G. HoffmanDuiker J. Jones 26 5/8 Best Wingshooter J. JonesEland T. Vosloo 31 15/16 2nd Best Wingshooter C. StoltszFallow Deer S. Neuper 36 1/2 3rd Best Wingshooter R. MartinGemsbuck T. Vosloo 24 7/16 Most Improved Wingshooter R. MartinImpala R. Fourie 45 7/8 Most Spirited Gunner B. JacksonJunior Hunter M.J. Hayward 22 9/16 Wingshoot Night Challenge R. MillarKudu J. Coetzee (Johan) 6 3/4Red Hartebeest J. Hackney 13 7/16Rooi Ribbok C. Luckman 4 9/16Senior hunter C. Ruytenberg 11 1/2Springbuck R. CoetzeeSteenbuck J. JonesWarthog P. Smith

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PRIZE GIVING T. Vosloo C. Ruytenberg J. Jones B. Jackson R. FourieC. Stoltsz M. Hayward J. Hackney 1st Team —2680 points Top shot—Rifle Bronze Crocs D. OdendaalThe annual 3 gun shoot was held on 2nd Team — 2325 points Overall C. Stoltsz Saturday, 13 October 2018 at the B. Jackson Rangers Shooting Range. Rangers for Life Male R. Millar Female 3rd Team —2170 points Junior Dungbeatle 12

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From the beginning of the year the shoots have really been well attended, we have had many visitors on the range which have shown interest and are in the process of joining the club. With regards to our geese hunts. Throughout the year we all know the drought has been long and there has been no water on many farms unless they have a running river. For that reason our hunts in Humansdorp have been non-existent. Fortunately we still have our agreement with the Kirkwood prison where we help in season.The committee and I had some great events planned for later this year. We started the skeet range running withthe trap range every second month and the members where enjoying it, but unfortunately due to the break in wehad at the club and all the houses stripped of all their wiring and transformers we have been set back right to thebeginning again. We were able to replace our batteries that were stolen and Chad did some extensive work to thetrap machine so no wiring is shown which will hopefully curve future issues.We are busy doing the same to all the other houses and hopefully by the Christmas shoot we will be up andrunning again.Every year we try do a maintenance day where we can fix up anything at the club, we have recently beensponsored by Gavin Biggs from city paint and tool with some bonding liquid and paint so we can paint a lastingcoat on our houses.Lastly I would like to thank my committee for 2018. A job well done in running shoots and getting things organised.Thank you to all the members support and let’s make 2019 a success.LLEW IRELAND 14

Wat ‘n ongelooflike jaar vir die klub en wat ’n voorreg om aan die stuur daarvan te wees.Twee aktiwiteite wat uitstaan is die handwapenopleiding en die September ghongskiet, maarmeer daaroor bietjie later.Ons lede het vroeër vanjaar tydens ‘n vergadering hul gevoel gedeel dat dit weer tyd was omons handwapenvaardigheid en algehele veiligheid op te skerp. Ons het Mark Goggos gekry omdie opleiding te doen.Hy het vir ons baie goeie raad gegee oor hoe om ons omgewing op te som, wat om in sekeresituasies te doen en daarna het ons prakties geskiet. Almal het eers drie skote geskiet omMark kans te gee om elkeen te assesseer. Daarna het hy vir elkeen verduidelik waarop hullemoet let om te verbeter. Na die aanpassings gemaak is was dit duidelik dat elke skut, vanbeginner tot die mees ervare, se skootplasings en groeperings strate beter was. Die geheimtot sukses lê egter nie nie net in tegniek nie, maar baie in die volgehoue inoefening daarvan enom gereeld ‘n paar rondtes af te vuur.Die eerste jaarlikse ghongskiet was gehou op die 15de September op Cradock se ou Bisley-baan. Dit was baie goed bygewoon met 52 skuts in die twee afdelings: ope- en jagtersklas. Dieope-klas het van die deelnemers verwag om uit die lê-posisie ghongs op afstande van 350mtot 600m te skiet oor vier bane. Daar was geen beperkings op kalibers, loopdikte of teleskoopvergrotings vir die klas nie. In die jagtersklas was die skuts uitgedaag met ‘n staande baan oorskietstokke, ‘n tweede baan met ‘n lusern baal waar die geweer slegs aan die baal moes raak,‘n derde baan met houtsparre wat aanmekaar vasgemaak is uit en die skut vanuit ‘n sit-posisie moes kniel of staan en ‘n vierde baan met n lê-posisie. Afstande het gewissel van 80mtot 350m. Daar was weer geen beperking op kaliber of loopdikte nie, maar teleskope konslegs op 12-vergroting gebruik word. Al die bane het redelik goeie tellings opgelewer, maardie tweede baan, by die lusernbaal, het die skuts bietjie klei getrap met slegs een voltal. Ditwas maar ook toevallig die heel laaste skut op daardie baan wat dit behaal het.Wenners in die ope-afdeling 1. Frikkie Coetzee 2. Dirk Potgieter 3. DC BothaWenners in die jagtersklas Groep 1 laat 1. Riaan Ledoux die lood vlieg 2. Izak hattingh 3. Arnold Bekker Frikkie en Riaan op baan 3Baie geluk aan die wenners! 15Baie dankie aan al die skuts vir juldeelname. Sien julle volgende jaar weer!GoeteBarend De Klerk

CHASA se Raadsvergadering het op die 8ste September 2018 in Boksburg by die Birchwood Hotel enKonferensie Sentrum plaasgevind. Swartwitpens Jagtersvereniging het as Gasheer vir die vergaderingopgetree.Soos gebruiklik is hierdie ook die jaarlikse geleentheid waartydens persone of organisasies vereer word tydensdie Gala-Aand vir hul prestasies en bydraes tot die jagbedryf in die algemeen.During the Gala-evening function the CHASA Board presented a Presidents Award to Neil Jones for exceptionalservices rendered over the years to CHASA in respect of Firearm related matters, Shooting range specificationsand tariffs and serving on various committees where he made valuable contributions.Swartwitpens Jagtersvereniging wat sy 10de bestaansjaar vier het ook ‘n toekenning van CHASA ontvang virhul besondere bydrae tot die jagbedryf.Dates for Sport Shoot Competitions for 2019:The Board determined the dates for Sport Shooting Events for 2019 as follows: National Team Shoot Competition - 23 March 2019 (Standard and Open Class) CHASA Multi Discipline Inter Association 23/24 September 2019 Shooting Competition (Five Disciplines) - Inter Provincial Shooting Competition (8 Shottists per province to compete for Provincial Colours) - 26 October 2019Junior Jagter/Mentor Foto Gelukkige Trekking:Die Raad van CHASA het besluit om die beskikbare bedrag op die begroting sodanig aan te wend dat meerJuniors van die fondse sal kry. Dit sal meer Junior Jagters aanmoedig om deel te neem in die toekoms.Die eerste prys van R 6 000.00 is toegeken aan Noel Wewege(Mentor)/Luke Steele (Junior) –Noordkaap Jagters.7 Verdere trekkings van R 2 000.00 elk is gedoen en die wenners in hierdie kategorie was die volgende:2de Craig Graham (Mentor)/ Border Hunting Club Cadell Graham (Junior) ECGMA GHF3de Robbie Millar ( Mentor)/ Noordkaap Jagters Rob Millar (Junior) Noordwes Jagters Kalahari Jagters4de Louis Henning (Mentor)/ Noordkaap Jagters Matteo Henning (Junior)5de Johan Badenhorst (Mentor)/ Andrew James Nolan (Junior)6de Michael Edwards (Mentor)/ Bronwyn Edwards (Junior)7de John Louis Whitehead (Mentor)/ Leon Nonus Whitehead (Junior)8ste Johan Visser (Mentor)/ Dandre Oosthuizen (Junior) 16

CHASA gee Erkenning aan Studentein WildplaasbestuurDie Nelson Mandela Metropool Universiteit se Departement vanWildbestuur in Port Elizabeth bied 'n Kursus in Wildplaasbestuur aan watdeur studente van oor die hele Suider Afrika bygewoon word.Die Jaarlikse prysuitdeling van die Departement Wildbestuur het op1 November 2018 by die Rangers Uitenhage Kampus plaasgevind waardie Wildplaasbestuurskursus aangebied word. CHASA het 'n paar jaargelede besluit om by die jong studente betrokke te raak en erkenning tegee aan prestasies wat behaal word.'n Koopbewys is aan twee studente geskenk wat as die beste skut tydensdie CHASA praktiese skietoefening aangewys is asook die hoogste puntein die CHASA teoretiese kursus behaal het.'n Boekprys is ook namens Oos-Kaap Wildbestuurgenootskap aan diestudent oorhandig wat in beide afdelings die hoogste presteer het.* 17

I have a major gripe against hunters - ALL hunters - everywhere. All they are interested in doing is ‘hunting’ and I suppose one can’t blame them for that. BUT hunters are the sport’s custodians and its ambassadors. They are the people mostexposed to criticism by the anti-hunters (The Animal Rights Brigade); they have more opportunity, therefore, to expose and toextol the real facts about hunting, and about the principles and practices of wildlife management (a.k.a ‘conservation’) onwhich hunting and hunters depend; and in the presence of sharp-minded animal rightists and their fellow-travellingjournalists, however, our hunters cannot cope with the opposition. This is because most South African hunters haven ’t takenthe trouble to learn even the fundamentals about wildlife management.Let’s see if we can rectify that deficiency.Wildlife management is the action that man takes to achieve a man-desired objective. There is nothing ‘natural’ aboutwildlife management. It is an artefact of man. It is: Man conceived; Man designed; Man implemented; Man manipulated; and Man is the principal beneficiary.Man-desired objectives can be many things. The primary objective of a national park, for example, is - above all else - tomaintain the park’s biological diversity. In a national park nothing else is more important: not elephants; not tourists; notartificial water supplies; and not the president’s personal preference opinions or desires. The objective of a private gamereserve, however, can be, for example, to breed the biggest and the best sable antelope specimens in Africa; or to breedwhite rhinos for the purpose of harvesting their horns for the international rhino horn market. Whatever the managementobjective is, however, it must be the focus of all wildlife management actions in that private game reserve.Wildlife managers, however, must acknowledge the foundation requirement which is to create a balanced and stableecosystem. The manager must ensure that, to achieve his wildlife management objective, he must first establish a balancebetween the soil, the plants and the animals - in that order of priority. Nothing can be achieved without him first creatingthat balance. If the ecosystem is not properly balanced it will collapse, and everything that has been constructed on it, wi llcollapse, too. Our FIRST Environmental Responsibility, therefore, must be for the protection and the wise and sustainable ‘use’ of THE SOIL - because without soil no plants can grow; Our SECOND Environmental Responsibility, therefore, must be for the protection and the wise and sustainable ‘use’ of PLANTS - because without plants there would be no animals; and Our THIRD Environmental Responsibility must be for the protection and the wise and sustainable ‘use’ of ANIMALS. Animals come last on this hierarchical list of priorities not because animals are UN -important but because they are LESS-important than the soil and plants. 18

The soil and the plants in a game reserve represent the game reserve’s animal habitats - which makes the habitats more important that the animals themselves. This is something that the animal rightists do not understand or accept. If hunters wish to get the better of the animal rightists, therefore, they need to understand this state of affairs in its minutest detail. Let’s use the elephant as an example. A habitat’s (or game reserves’) elephant carrying capacity is: The maximum number of elephant that the habitat (or game reserve) can carry without permanently (or irreparably) damaging the habitat. This is a common sense wildlife management fact that is not being considered anywhere in Africa today. Why? Because the international animal rights brigade - through their governments’ interference in Africa’s wildlife management affairs - and/or because CITES has been ‘captured’ by the world’s animal rightists NGOs and they rule the roost within the convention - refuses to allow African wildlife managers to ‘manage’ their elephant populations. And neither the governments of the world nor CITES, understands these fundamental and scientific realities. If any of my readers think foreign governments and organisations like CITES offer constructive recommendations for wildlife management in Africa, they are living in a fool’s paradise. The results of this destructive influence has caused there to be 25 times too many elephants in Botswana today; 20 times too many elephants in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park; 14 times too many elephants in Zimbabwe’s Gonarezhou National Park; and 10 times too many elephants in South Africa’s Kruger National Park (to name but the most important examples). The destruction of the habitats in these prime national parks has been profound. Since 1960, for example, the top canopy trees in Kruger National Park have been reduced by ‘more than’ 95 percent; and the understory habitats that once thrived in the shade of those big trees has disappeared completely. The biggest eco-type habitat in Kruger National Park - its one-time vast and continuous deciduous woodland - has gone forever. And the destruction of the KNP’s biological diversity has been so huge, it will be impossible to list all the losses. Once the pride and joy of all South Africans, I list the Kruger National Park, now, as being one of the most MIS-managed national parks in the whole of Africa. It is by exposing these kinds of issues in the public domain that the True Green Alliance (TGA) is slowly educating the general public with regards to the realities of ‘conservation’. We cannot do it alone. We need YOUR help. We need members and we need membership fees, and donations, if we are to realise our vision and our mission. We invite all the members of the ECGMA, therefore, to become members of TGA. Ordinary membership costs just R500 - less than what you will pay for a night-on-the-town with your girlfriend or spouse. Surely you can sacrifice one night a year for this worthwhile cause? The TGA is not a safari outfitter organisation. Nor does it work as a professional hunting institution. We own no game ranches. So, we operate solely in the best interests of South Africa’s wildlife industry. In other words, we work for YOU; and we deserve your support.Ron ThomsonCEO: TRUE GREEN ALLIANCEwww.mahohboh.orgwww.ronthomsonshuntingbooks.co.zaFacebook: thetruegreenallianceCell: 072 587 1111 19

identify growth opportunities despite uncertain political climate by Riaan MaraisT op economists, ecologists and the province’s leading wildlife ranchers came together this past weekend to paint a positive picture of the Eastern Cape’s ever-growing wildlife industry.Wildlife Ranching South Africa’s Eastern Cape chapter (WRSA-EC) hosted its third annual conference in Graaff-Reinet, where the increasing importance of agriculture, and by extent the game industry, was explored.Keynote speaker Dr Roelof Botha, leading economist with the Optimum Group, gave his take on the emotive topicof land expropriation without compensation and the negative impact it could have on the economy. However, headded that the “Ramaphosa Effect” is changing the international perceptions of South Africa, and has increasedbusiness confidence of foreign investors.According to Botha figures released by Stats SA state that the agriculture sector only contributes 2% to thecountry’s economy. However, what is not taken into account is that South Africa’s largest expenditure – food andbeverages to the tune of R727-billion – would not be possible without agriculture.His studies showed that radical land reform in countries like Zimbabwe, Venezuela and Spain played a large rolein their economic decline and struggle to recover investor confidence. However, the appointment of CyrilRamaphosa saw foreign business renew its interest in South Africa’s economy.“We have an incredibly smart president, but at the moment he has to operate very carefully. Getting rid ofcorruption threatens the luxuries of many high powered officials.”“But I believe once Ramaphosa wins a national election we will see some changes that will have a positive impacton our economic landscape,” Botha said.He predicted a 5% economic growth in South Africa in 2020.National President of WRSA Tebogo Mogashoa said South African game ranchers should position themselves tobe globally competitive, and continue to develop all facets of the industry – consumptive hunting, game breedingand agri-tourism.“Why would 20-million people travel to Disney World to see Mickey Mouse, but only 3,5-million people visit us tosee the Big 5? We must continue to develop ourselves to become globally competitive,” Mogashoa said.Noluthando Bam, deputy director of biodiversity for the Department of Economic Development and EvironmentalAffairs, added to Mogashoa’s viewpoint, saying that diversifying the value chain of the province’s game industrycould lead to solid economic growth.“The Eastern Cape doesn’t have gold, but we have great biodiversity – that is our gold. We must find a balancebetween economic development and environmental conservation, and work closely with government to discusslegislation currently impeding on our effective development,” Bam said.She said one area of the value chain that has massive potential is the game meat industry and the growingconcern over food security and healthy meat. 20

Thinus Jurgens, from Hellspoort Game Meat, said the public perceptions of game Keynote Speakermeat is changing and the opportunities within the industry are steadily growing. Dr Roelof BothaThere is great potential for farmers to grow their game business as long as theyhave the right systems in place to supply quality meat to the market. WRSA National: President Tebogo Mogashoa“If you put inferior product on the market you are not just hurting your ownbusiness, but the entire game meat industry. Farmers take pride in breeding greattrophies. They should take the same pride in all the products they produce,including the meat they send to market,” Jurgens said.Adding to what Jurgens said, economist Dr Danie Jordaan gave a brief analysis ofthe different types of game meat Hellspoort had on offer, to paint a bigger pictureof the value that can be added to game operations by selling meat products. Healso welcomed other ranchers to supply his team with information about differentspecies, to determine the profit margins when taking into account the financialinput through buying and feeding, as compared to the selling price of the meat.Well-known conservationist Ken Coetzee added to the conversation by detailinghow the introduction of game can affect the vegetation and environment on a farm.He explained the importance of selecting between grazers and browsersdepending on the type of vegetation available, and shared information aboutrehabilitation projects they have launched in the Eastern and Northern Cape.Many of the attendees also had a range of questions for Stephen Palos, CEO ofthe Confederation of Hunting Associations of South Africa (CHASA). While theirresponsibilities stretch across a wide field of topics associated with hunting, mostquestions were centred on firearm legislation. He confirmed that government islooking at making some amendments to firearm laws, and that CHASA is focusedon keeping their members informed of any changes as they happen. ** 21

wish to inspire through awards by Riaan Marais“Every day I ask myself: Do I love my neighbour? We are in the fortunate position to help our community, and I think thisaward is testimony to that,” said Irvin Tam, founder and owner of Tam Safaris, after winning the Eastern Cape’s WildlifeRancher of the Year award.The award ceremony took place during the third annual gala dinner hosted by Wildlife Ranching South Africa’s Eastern Capechapter, where the province’s leading game ranchers are awarded for the roles they play in the development of the localwildlife industry.The 57-year-old Tam started his wildlife venture in the 90’s purely because he had a passion for nature, and steadily grewthat passion into a 18 000 hectare hunting ranch, outside Cradock, that has seen him win multiple international awards.(2016 Dallas Safari Club Outfitter of the Year, 2017 Houston Safari Professional Hunter of the Year)Tam’s grandfather came from China to South Africa in 1899 as a 16-year-old mineworker. But through generations of hardwork Tam is now a respected businessman and property owner in his community and along with his sons, Peter andStephen, has established a number of community projects to assist the less fortunate people, especially children, in theCradock community.Through their Amy Bell Initiative (named after the late daughter of a family friend) the Tams provide daily meals to morethan 100 children, they operate a school for children with various learning disabilities, and have made bursaries available formore than a dozen high school learners and six university students.Their next project is another school for about 120 learners from underprivileged backgrounds in their community.“Initially when I heard we were a finalist for Game Rancher of the Year, I didn’t expect to win the award.” The Tam’s are verymodest, and don’t seek accolades for their contribution to the community.“However, I saw the potential this has to further our community projects. These initiatives are not just ours. Everyinternational visitor contributes to these projects. Our projects are global initiatives, we are just the facilitators,” Tam said.The Newcomer of the Year award went to Nonkqubela Mayatula, 45, and her luxurious Miarestate, near Haga Haga in theeastern region of the province.The relatively small 740 hectare farm has been operating for close to a decade, and in recent years introduced rare game,while providing safe environment for endangered species of wildlife. Mayatula, originally from the small town of Dutywa,saw it as an opportunity to return to her Eastern Cape roots after establishing herself as a successful businesswoman inGauteng. “This award is a huge honour for me, but I also see it as a challenge. I am a perfectionist. I strive for excellence in everything I do and I am always looking for the next big opportunity to tap into,” she said. As a black woman Mayatula believes her award is “breaking the mould” of game ranching in the Eastern Cape and she hopes it serves as an inspiration to others to achieve greatness in other fields. “In xhosa we have a saying: I am because you are. And I hope my story can be the catalyst for others to strive for excellence.” Tam also won the award for Outfitter of the Year, while Mark Cotton of Bulela Wildlife was awarded the Game Breeder of the Year. Mark Fetting, of Sipton Manor GameBreeders, won Young Wildlife Rancher of the Year, and Walter and Jenny Currie, of Kasouga Game Breeders, walked awaywith the Conservation Rancher of the Year award.National President of WRSA Tebogo Mogashoa congratulated all the winnerson their various awards and said their excellence forms an integral part of thevision for WRSA’s future.“To quote the great Martin Luther King: I have been to the top of the mountainand I have seen the promised land.”“We want future generations to be proud of the decisions and achievementswe make today,” Mogashoa said. 22

he Wildlife Rancher of the Year Awards serve to honour pioneering spirit & outstanding effort, innovation, and commitment to the enhancement of the wildlife industry at large. Candidates from across the province are nominated by fellow farmers. An independent panel then selects the finalists based not only on the quality of theirT product, but also their contribution to the enhancement of the industry through social & environmental responsibility, and leadership. This year’s winners truly are “Proudly Eastern Cape” and exemplary ambassadors of our industry.CHAMPIONS OF INDUSTRY 2018Members’ Order of AppreciationIn honour of selfless dedication to the Eastern Cape Wildlife IndustryAwarded to Gerhard HeynekeLifetime Achievement AwardIn honour of a lifetime dedicated to the Eastern Cape Wildlife IndustryAwarded to Noel RossTROPHIES 2018Young Wildlife Rancher of the YearThe Young Wildlife Rancher of the Year is “Proudly Eastern Cape”, and represents apositive contribution towards excellence for the future growth of the industry.Winner: Mark Fetting (Sipton Manor Game Breeders)Outfitter of the YearThe Outfitter of the Year is “Proudly Eastern Cape”, committed to sustainable & wiseuse of wildlife, and shows outstanding commitment to setting new benchmarks forexcellence in the safari hunting industry.Winner: Irvin, Peter & Stephen Tam (Tam Safaris)Newcomer of the YearThe Newcomer of the Year is “Proudly Eastern Cape”, represents a progressive forcetoward growth & sustainability in the Province, and serves as an inspiration to all newentrants in the wildlife industry.Winner: Nonkqubela Mayatula (Miarestate)Game Breeder of the YearThe Game Breeder of the Year is “Proudly Eastern Cape”, and represents top qualityrare game produced by a breeder of impeccable integrity, through managementsystems of the highest standard.Winner: Mark Cotton (Bulela Wildlife)Conservation Rancher of the YearThe Conservation Rancher of the Year is “Proudly Eastern Cape”, and representsresolute commitment to the enhancement of socio-economic development andsustainable conservation practice in the wildlife industry.Winner: Walter & Jenny Currie (Kasouga Partnership)Wildlife Rancher of the YearThe Wildlife Rancher of the Year is “Proudly Eastern Cape”, engaged in multiple levelsof the value chain, and shows outstanding commitment to setting new benchmarks forexcellence across the industry. The winner is an extraordinary ambassador,representing the essence of the Eastern Cape wildlife industry in the Global arena.Winner: Irvin, Peter & Stephen Tam (Tam Safaris) 23

James Hackney with a Red Hartebeest—Venterstad AreaLambert van Straaten met ’nKoedoe bul gejag met ‘n .270in die Kirkwood areaLötter van Niekerk met sy Koedoe bul Llew Ireland with an(+- 52 1/2”) gejag in die Graaff-Reinet Egyption Goose huntedarea met ‘n .243 in the Kirkwood area 24

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James Beale with a Springbok hunted in StetlervilleChris Ruytenberg with a Giraffehunted in the Uitenhage area witha .375 H&H Llew Ireland with a Warthog hunted with a Sako 30.06 Sean Harris with a Blesbok hunted in Molteno 26

The ECGMA Algoa Hunting Club trophy for the “Photo taken by a hunter” winner—Taken by Chris RuytenbergCarl Foxcroft with a KuduJordan Harris with her first animal Robbie Millar with a Mountain— Duiker Reedbuck hunted with a SAKO .243 in Tarkastad 27

Algoa hunt club junior tripDuring the school holidays on 3-4 October we took 6 kids and 3 dads out to Longhill Private Reserve (owner GavinBiggs).Talks were held on snakes/spiders, safety, shot placement, species identification, gutting/skinning of an impala andfollowing a bloodspoor. We took everyone on a night drive and saw lots of animals. We ended the evening with abraai and all relaxed around the fire.Thank you to the dads for attending with the kids and a big thank you to Gavin for once again hosting Algoa huntclub’s juniors. Thanks must also go to my wife Lizette, who acted as camp mom.Enjoy the holidays and always be safe.CornelFUNNIESQ: What do you call a fish without an eye? Q: What is a cheetahs favorite food?A: Fsh! A: Fast food!Q: Where does an elephant pack his luggage?A: In his trunk! Q: What goes tick-tock, bow-wow, tick-tock, bow-wow? A: A watch dog.Q: What is the snake’s favorite subject? Q: What was the first animal in space?A: Hiss-story A: The cow that jumped over the moon! JohaneVrydag middag 9 November het ek en my pappa naLonghill gegaan om n duiker te jag.Ons het eers sowat 2 km geloop en nie n duiker gesiennie. Ons is terug bakkie toe en het na n ander deel van dieplaas gery om verder te jag. Ons het n nyala ooi gesien endaarna met n fluitjie die duiker probeer inroep, maar nikshet gekom nie.Ons het weer geskuif na n ander deel en stilgestaan enkyk of ons nie n duiker kan sien nie. Net toe ons wouterugloop, sien my pappa 3 vlakvarke nader aan ons kom.Ons het agter n bos gaan staan en reggemaak metdie .223 om oor die skietstokke te skiet. Ek het op die bladgemik en geskiet. Die vark het tussen bossies ingehardloop en my pappa het agter hom aangegaan. Onssien toe dat hy onderdeur die draad gegaan het en netanderkant dood neergeval het.Ek was baie bly en dit was vir my baie lekker gewees. Ek het patties en wors laat maak vanmy vark. Ek het baie trots gevoel toe ons dit gaan optel het by die slaghuis. 28

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PHASA calls for amendment of wildlife laws to stimulate economy Barry York, Vice President of PHASA, gave a presentation on transformation in the wildlife sector during a meeting of the Wildlife Forum in October 2018. Barry raised concern on behalf of PHASA that the current environmental legislation wasnot designed to stimulate the wildlife economy. PHASA calls for the establishment of a national task team to transform the existing legal framework and create an enabling environment.Meaningful transformation in the wildlife sector towards stimulating the biodiversity economy, can only happen ifenvironmental legislation is transformed, says the Professional Hunters’ Association of South Africa (PHASA).The current laws, rules and regulations that apply to the wildlife sector as implemented by the Department ofEnvironmental Affairs (DEA) were NOT designed to stimulate economic growth through the sustainable use ofrenewable natural resources, but to give protection to wild animals found in our State managed parks and gamereserves or on open areas where wildlife is classified as res nullius.PHASA fully supports statements made by President Cyril Ramaphosa at Biodiversity Economy Conference on 25 August2018, when he emphasised that “… the urgent need for sharing the land and the creation of an enabling environmentwill facilitate economic growth of the wildlife sector,” but is convinced that this objective will remain a pipe dream inthe current legal framework.The wise and sustainable use of wildlife, through responsible hunting and tourism as well as the legal trade of wildlifeand wildlife products, is a powerful and legitimate means for transformed land to become economically viable, toreduce poverty, create jobs and to stimulate economic growth in rural areas.“At this stage, over-regulation is a hinderance to conservation and the wildlifeeconomy. Government needs to eliminate as many government fees and bureaucraticregulations as possible to allow wildlife to compete fairly with other land use options,”says Barry.He emphasised the three pillars that secure ecologically sustainable development, PHASA fully supports the right ofnamely: our people to create wealth from the Economic development sustainable use of wildlife. Conservation of natural resources Social development“Rural African people are best motivated to conserve wildlife on their land when the sustainable use of this renewablenatural resource, gives greater socio-economic rewards than other land use options. Meaningful transformation of ourlegal system requires an enabling environment that stimulates economic growth of the wildlife sector, for the directbenefit of our rural people that carry the cost of having or living with wildlife”, he said.An enabling legal or regulatory environment depends on five main factors, namely:Game ownership: Conflicting legal framework on the ownership and legal use of wildlife hampers the wildlifeindustry and the rural community. PHASA believes that the cumbersome permit requirements of the TOPS regulationseffectively remove ownership rights of wildlife from legitimate game farmers.Value of wildlife: Rural communities and the wildlife economy will benefit once meaningful game ownership rightshave been established and the free market economy can take its course.Wealth from wildlife: Preservation ideologies are preventing African people from creating wealth through thesustainable use of wildlife. 30

Trust and respect: Meaningful partnerships among government, private sector,and previously disadvantaged individuals must be built on trust and respect forthe wildlife economy to prosper. PHASA proposes that responsible game farmers,wildlife managers and hunters establish wildlife management and conservationcommittees at local or municipal level to administer their own affairs.Remove over-regulation: During the Biodiversity Economy Lab in 2016, over Barry York with a rhino calf. PHASA callsregulation was identified as a hinderance to conservation and the wildlife for an enabling legal framework to replaceeconomy, yet little or no progress has been made to removing it. PHASA believes unjust and outdated laws that prevent peoplethat sound biodiversity conservation and socioeconomic management principlesmust take priority over preservationist ideology. A national task team should be from benefiting from sustainable use ofestablished as a matter of urgency to transform our existing legal framework in wildlife.order to create an enabling environment that stimulates the biodiversityeconomy.Adapt or diePHASA believes that government departments are sincere about transformation and developing the wildlife economy.“However, we need to act efficiently and quickly because we are running out of time. We cannot allow transformationprojects where workers now own 50% of the land and 25% of the wildlife to fail as a direct result of over-regulation that ispreventing economic development.We cannot allow the poaching and senseless slaughter of our wildlife to continue because we refuse to allow peoplewho have paid for, feed and risk their lives to protect their animals day and night to obtain any legal benefit from theirinvestment in wildlife.We cannot run the risk of having more honest hard-working or poor people turning into poachers and criminals becauseunjust or outdated laws prevent them from legally benefiting from their constitutional right to the sustainable use ofrenewable natural resources.”PHASA calls for the establishment of a national task team to transform the existing legal framework and create anenabling environment that stimulates the biodiversity economy as a matter of urgency.** 31

I n my kleintyd het jong seuns wat in die platteland opgegroei het, of ‘n oupa en/of ouma “op die plaas” gehad het, begin kleilatgooi hier van Standerd 3 (Graad 5) se kant af. By daardie tyd was ‘n seun se oog/handkoördinasie al redelik goed ontwikkel, en die arm sterk genoeg vir ‘n goeie gooislag uit die skouer uit.Vir kleilatgooi is ‘n deurswaai soos by gholf, of in sommige krieketkolf houe, ongewens. Die truuk is juis om die latso vinnig as moontlik vorentoe te laat versnel en dan skielik te stop sodat die klei wat aan die punt van die latvasgebrei is, van die lat moet los glip en teen dieselfde momentum waarteen die lat geswaai is, in die verlangderigting moet trek.Ek het kleintyd vas geglo dat die doel van kweperlanings, tipies aan baie plaaswerwe in die area waar ek opgegroeihet, slegs tweeledig van aard was. Die eerste (en beste) was om kleilatte te verskaf, want daar’s min boomspesieswat by die soepelheid en sterkte van ‘n lat van ‘n kweperboom kom. Die lat moet genoegsaam kan buig om dieoptimum “sweep” aksie vorentoe te aksentueer. Wanneer die arm se voorwaartse beweging stop, moet die lat sevoorste derde nog soepel genoeg wees om onder momentum te versnel, vorentoe te buig en van die klei ontslaete raak, sonder om te breek. Verder moet die lat aan die handgreepkant dik genoeg wees vir ‘n seuns-hand omgoeie beheer daaroor te kan uitoefen. Ek het altyd my kleilatte se bas met my Best sakmes afgestroop, aangesienek geglo het dat die bas die lat se soepelheid kon benadeel. Neef Boesman (eintlik Dirk) het egter weer verkiesom die bas aan die lat te los. Die tweede (minder aangename) doel van ‘n kweperboom was vir die verskaffing van‘n kweperlat as Pa of Oupa ‘n rede gesoek het om hul jong dae se kleilatswaai te laat herleef – op die horisontalevlak en op ons sitvlakke! ‘n Kweperlat was gewoonlik effens dikker (en heelwat langer) as ‘n kleilat. Om beter tekan slaan, my kind!Daar was myns insiens g’n verdere doel vir ‘n kweperboom nie, want die kwepers wat dit dra het altyd ons kindersse kiewe op ‘n knop laat trek – amper so erg soos wanneer mens ‘n suurlemoen probeer eet. In later jare het ekegter ‘n smaak vir kwepers begin ontwikkel, veral as dit met ‘n knypie sout daaroor gesprinkel, geëet word. Oumase kweperjellie op ‘n skyf koue steenbok of –springbokboud was natuurlik ook ‘n lekkerny! As mens deesdaekwepers soek, is dit skaars en duur. Lanings wat lei na hedendaagse plaashuise word met uitheemse sipres,Brasiliaanse peperbome of iets dergeliks en onbruikbaar begrens.Om sekuur met ‘n kleilat te kan gooi, is daar nie werklik sprake van “mik” of aanlê betrokke nie. Die teiken wordeen kyk gegee, en dan word daar laat waai. Dis meer ‘n geval van instink, of arm/oog koördinasie (soos met dieskiet van tradisionele boë, of ‘n krieket veldwerker wat soos Jonty of Abie net die bal in die hardloop opraap, diepaaltjies een kyk gee en dan met die bal paaltjies toe laat waai). Dit alles kom natuurlik net met oefen, oefen ennogmaals oefen. Neef Boesman het feitlik nooit gemis nie, en menige tortelduiwe of bosduiwe het in ons 5 pondjemblik kastrol beland as gevolg van sy goeie slag met die kleilat. Met ‘n ui of twee, vars uit Ouma se tuin, ‘nknypie growwe sout, ‘n paar naeltjies en ‘n skeutjie asyn was daar min veldvleisies wat by saggestoomdeduiweborsies kom. Ek kry vandag nog heimwee na daardie spesifieke aroma as die stuk nat goiingsak, wat asdeksel oor die jemblik gegooi was, afgelig was om ‘n steekproef te doen. Ons het geglo dat as ‘nvoorhoutjiestokkie maklik in die borsvleis ingesteek kon word, die vleisies gaar was. 32

Kleilat “gevegte” het natuurlik gereeld tussen ons en die volk of arbeiders se kinders uitgebreek. Ons was oor diealgemeen goeie maats en het saam donkie drolle agter die kraalmuur in ‘n tuisgemaakte pyp gerook, wippe vir dietarentale gaan stel en albaster en tolgooi gespeel. Van tyd-tot-tyd egter, veral wanneer daar ‘n verneukspul (metrede!) van enige kant af vermoed was, het die twee nasies slaags geraak. Daar was die “kleidammetjie” naby dieplaashuis, waar daar altyd ‘n vars bol klei verkrygbaar was, net ingeval.Dawie, die seun van die skaapwagter, Mintoor, was ‘n yster met ‘n kleilat. Hy kon gooi! Ons het – soos in dieAmerikaanse Noord versus Suid Oorlog, sowat 30 treë uit mekaar in twee linies stelling ingeneem, en dan was dit‘n “free for all”. So ‘n stuk klei teen die arm, been of bors het ‘n gevoelige blou kol gelaat (nie a.g.v. die kleur vandie klei nie!). Na ‘n paar ongevalle in die verlede, waar ons gesig- en kopskote uitgedeel en ontvang het, het Oupadie kweperlat ingelê en ons die leviete voorgelees oor die gevolge van ‘n kleipil in ‘n teenstaander se oog. OnsWittes het gevolglik by die Geneefse Konvensie probeer hou, met slegs skote onder skouerhoogte toelaatbaar. Sodan en wan het die Gekleurdes, veral as hulle begin swaar trek het, gerieflikheidshalwe vergeet van die Konvensieen dan het die klei pille om ons ore gezoem. Ons kon nie anders as om te vergeld nie. Dat niemand daai tye in dieoë getref was nie, is net as gevolg van die oortydwerk van die engeltjies!Ek het eenmaal agt-van-die-bestes by Oupa gekry nadat ek in ‘n onbesonne oomblik van die systoep af ‘n langgooi na Mintoor-hulle se kaia, sowat 100 meter weg, probeer het. Dit was vroegoggend in die winter en my doelwas slegs om Dawid se aandag te trek met ‘n skoot op die volkshuis se sinkdak, want ons wou die dag dassies indie Bergkamp met behulp van Biltong, die foksterriërkie, gaan aandurf.Ou Mintoor het so pas op 33die stoep gaan sit met syblikbeker pasgemaakte,stoomwarm koffie. Asgevolg van die lang gooihet ek so ‘n veertig gradehoek probeer om die trajekso ver as moontlik te rek.Ongelukkig werk die ouduiwel ook so tussen dieengeltjies deur, want mykleipil het binne-inMintoor se blikbeker koffiebeland, wat natuurlik diewarm koffie in sy gesig laatspat het, en hom in sy skrikdie res van die koffie op syskoot te laat omkeer het!Gevoelige brandwonde isopgedoen, maar nie sogevoelig soos myne op ‘nkoue wintersoggend nie!Oupa het my eie kleilat opmy sitvlak gebruik, en hetnet by die agste hougestop omdat die latgebreek het! Ek het daaren dan besluit om kleilatte(met verdrag) af te sweer.

Soos dit maar gaan in die grootword van ‘n seunskind, het ons later die kleilatte ontgroei en na ketties toe oorgeskakel. Kleilatte met hul ammunisie was nie meer geskik vir enige prooi groter as bosduiwe nie, en ons wou aanbeweeg. ‘n Kettie kon vir heelwat groter prooie gebruik word. Dié wat met stroke trekkerbinneband gemaak was, was goed genoeg vir duiwe, en met die regte projektiel, selfs fisante. Maar vir ‘n lyfskoot op ‘n tarentaal, dassie of haas, selfs met ‘n aainie (‘n albastergrootte staal koeëllaer), was ‘n kettie gemaak van sogenaamde “haasrekke” ‘n moet. Selfs met ‘n haasrekke kettie was ‘n lyfskoot op ‘n haas of dassie gewoonlik net genoeg om die slagoffer vir ‘n halfminuut of so bewusteloos te slaan, maar dit was gewoonlik genoeg tyd vir die foksie om die finale nekslag met ‘n paar kopskudte toe te dien. Haasrekke kon natuurlik net by sekere hardewarewinkels in die groter dorpe gekoop word, en was maar duur. Swaarverdiende sakgeld verdien met die verkoop van aalwynsap en klipsweet (gekristalliseerde dassie urine – ook by apteke in die handel bekend as “Hyrax”) wat ons geoes het, is skelmpies daarvooraangewend, gewoonlik deur ‘n “order” opgedra aan een van die volk wat een maal ‘n maand dorp toe kon gaan virinkope. Oupa wou niks weet van haasrekke nie. Ek wonder nou nog of die koffiebeker episode enigiets daarmeete doen gehad het.Vir ‘n haasrekke kettie moes daar natuurlik ‘n spesiaal uitgesoekte mik wees. ‘n Kettie wat sulke duur rekke het,kon uit die aard van die saak nie uit kommen bome soos ‘n Wilge- (uitstekend vir binneband ketties), bloekom-, ofselfs taaibos afkomstig wees nie. In ons kontrei was die keuse gevolglik beperk, naamlik soetdorings, of miskien ‘nkareeboom. Vir die “velletjie”, waaruit die projektiel (gewoonlik ‘n ronderige klippie) geloods word, het ons geglonét steenbokvel was geskik. (Daardie tyd was daar nog nie koedoes in die kontrei nie). Die jakkals/rooikat vangerop die plaas het gelukkig ‘n goeie voorraad daarvan gehad, aangesien steenbokkies ongelukkig gereeld in diestrikke beland het waar hulle oudergewoonte onder die jakkalsdraad probeer deurkruip het.Ek het ook my regverdige aandeel van moeilikheid gehad oor die maak van ketties. ‘n Skoen se tong was ‘n goeietweede keuse aangesien skoene van daardie tyd gewoonlik uit beesleer (of soms koedoeleer) gemaak was. Goeie,bruikbare skoene het onverklaarbaar hul tonge verloor, totdat ek eenmaal die vermetelheid gehad het om eenvan Pa se ouderlingskoene vir daardie goeie doel aan te wend. Die rottang het amper net so erg as die kweperlatgeproe. Aan Ma se kant het ek ook – in terugblik – die onvergeeflike gedoen. Sy was baie lief vir tuinmaak, eniemand het as spesiale geskenk vir haar ‘n vla-appelboompie van iewers af saamgebring. Sy het dit in die tuinaangeplant en vertroetel, totdat dit sy eie voete gevind het. Ek het na so ‘n jaar of twee terloops begin oplet datdie boompie ‘n reguit stam met een mik gehad het. Die mik was egter absoluut perfek simmetries en net die regtedikte. Maar ek kon dit mos nie aan Ma doen nie! Na nog ‘n jaar of twee het Ma begin kla dat die boompie netblomme maak en nie wou vrugte dra nie. Daar was natuurlik geen ander bome van dieselfde spesie in die heledistrik nie, m.a.w. daar was geen kans op bestuiwing nie. 34

In ‘n onbesonne oomblik het ek eendag, toe Ma by ‘n vriendin gaan kuier het, die mik netjies afgesaag ennatuurlik in die proses die boompie vernietig. Om die saag merke weg te steek, het ek dit verinneweer en metgrond besmeer en, met angs, besef ek’s in vir nog rottangswaai. Dit het Ma sowat ‘n week van my angs geneemvoor sy eendag besef het haar boompie was geskiedenis. Sy het my nooit verdink nie, of miskien het sy dit maarweggesteek. Die mik was ook ‘n miserabele faling. Met die eerste trek ná ek die nuutgekoopte haasrekkegeïnstalleer het, het die mik gebreek! Ek voel nou nog skuldig oor daardie selfsugtigheid van my en die feit dat eknooit by Ma daaroor gebieg het nie.Op my gunsteling kettie, wat ek seker tot Standerd 8 gebruik het, se handgreep het ek kruisies en merkiesuitgesny vir elke slagoffer vanaf bosduiwe en groter. Mossies, vinke, spreeus en daai goed het nie getel nie. Daarwas nie meer plek vir kepies vir bosduiwe op die linkerkantste arm van die mik nie, terwyl 7 merkies vir tarentale,5 vir fisante, 4 vir dassies, 8 vir hase, 2 vir kraaie en een vir ‘n blouaapmannetjie, almal een-skoot doodskote metyster aainies verteenwoordig het.Wat sekuurskiet met ‘n kettie aan betref, was daar twee volgelingskole. Die een groep het daaraan geglo om deurdie mik te mik, met die gelaaide velletjie net onder die oog of teen die wangbeen, “geanker”, nes vandag semoderne boogskutters. Die ander groep, waaraan ek behoort het, was die ouens wat “van die heup af” kon skiet,of probeer skiet het. Amper soos met kleilatgooi het jy die teiken een kyk gegee en hier op borshoogte met ‘ndwars kettie “laat waai”. Al moet ek dit nou self sê, kon ek nogal meer gereeld my teiken raak skiet as andersins.Van kleintyd af kon ek nie genoeg kere daai kinderbybelstorie wat Pa of my ouer broers tydens stiltetydvoorgelees het, hoor nie. Dit was die een oor Dawid wat met sy slingervel die reus, Goliat, met die eerste gooi indie klein gaatjie in sy mondering op die voorkop getref en neergevel het. Dawid moes baie geoefen het. Ons pelDawid van die plaas se oom, Ou Dawid, het ook met ‘n slingervel in die veld agter die skape aan geloop, en hy hetby geleentheid sy vaardigheid aan ons kinders gedemonstreer. Ons het almal probeer, maar na een van dieskeerhok se venstertjies in die slag gebly het (Die teiken was minstens veertig grade weg van die rigting van dieskeerhok af), het ons maar weer met ons ketties geoefen. 35

My gesin was lief vir toer, en tydens een van ons een-keer-in-‘n-skrikkeljaar toere, het ons die Etosha Panne in diedestydse Suidwes gaan besoek. By een van die ruskampe (Tydens ‘n later besoek met my gesin het die ou kasteeldie herinneringe opgewek, en het ek besef dit was Namutoni), was ‘n veldwagter wat namiddae, ná die hekke algesluit was, die toeriste kinders vermaak het met sy kettie. Ons kinders moes drie koeldrankblikke na mekaar indie lug gooi en hy het dit dan een na die ander met sy kettie “gepluk”. Ons was beïndruk! Tuis het ek daai truukknaend geoefen en kon darem een keer twee uit die drie blikke tref. Meestal was al my skote mis, maar dit hetmy geleer om instinktief te skiet deur op my oog-hand koördinasie staat te maak.Ongelukkig ken die meeste van vandag se kinders nie meer ketties en kleilatte nie, en kweperlatte nog minder nie.Hulle skiet met laser wapens op die rekenaar, of wat hulle ook al daai “games” ding noem. Dan begin baie van diejong laaities , selfs 7 of 8 jaar oud, sommer hul jag loopbaan met ‘n blesbok of selfs ‘n koedoe, sonder om eersdeur die range te beweeg vanaf voëls met die kettie, dan dassies en hase met die .22 en daarna eers “regtebokke”. Waarna kan ‘n 10 jarige uitsien as sy eerste prooi sommer ‘n koedoe of eland was?Ek blameer nie die kinders nie. Dis meestal die pa’s wat met hul seuntjies se “prestasies” in die jagveld by anderpa’s wil spog. Dikwels is die seuns emosioneel nog heeltemal onvolwasse om ‘n besluit oor lewe en dood, al is ditvan ‘n dier, te kan neem. In ons tyd het ons gekruip voor ons geloop het, en in die proses het ons die veld, syinwoners en hul maniere leer ken.Kleilatte, slingervelle en ketties sal seker op die lys verskyn wat deur die beoogde Wet op Gevaarlike Wapensgepubliseer gaan word. Dankie tog! In my jong dae kon ons nog die basiese beginsels van mik en skiet, dieverantwoordelikheid oor die neem van ‘n lewe en die noodsaaklikheid om alles te benut wat gedood word, op dieregte manier (na my mening) leer!My kleinseun se kettie is klaar gemaak vir sy 8 ste verjaardag. Hy’t nog ‘n klompie jare om hand/oog koördinasieaan te leer. Ek het ook ‘n bron van kweperlatte op ‘n plaas nie ver van my huidige woonplek af nie, ontdek. Disbedoel vir een of beide die deugde van ‘n kweperboom!** (Previously published in Wild & Jag Magazine) 36

Jag... net ‘n bysaakEk Rudi Beets maak my dikgeslaapte oë oop, eers die een, dan moeisaam die ander een. Ek gooi die stapel beddegoed af en die Karoo koue slaan my soos daar by die bottelstoor as ek ietsie vir die Saterdag middag braai uit die yskas loop haal.Eers ‘n geurige beker koffie om aan die gang te kom, en dan die gewone oggend ritueel. Die heeltyd is daarso ‘n opgewondenheid in my gemoed, vol afwagting vir wat die dag my gaan bied.Ek maak die agterdeur oop en dis stil, dood stil en koud, baie koud. Ek stap sommer so in die donkerte in diepad af; ek ken die plaas soos die palm van my hand. So 2 kilometer verder swaai ek deur die hek diebergkamp in maar hou op die pad al teen die bos waar dit teen die voet van die berg kronkel. ‘n Entjieverder swenk ek uit die pad en stap tot bo op die kransie. Van hier het ek ‘n lekker uitkyk oor die bos envlak.Dit is nog half donker; te donker om enige iets uit te maak. ‘n Koel luggie begin stoot uit ‘n naby geleë klofie.Ek skink vir my koffie uit ‘n fles en die geurige aroma trek op in my neus. So sit ek en luister na die onsigbaregeluide. Verlangs in een van baie bergstroompies, kabbel die water saggies oor die klippe. Iets beweeg daarin die onsienbare, tasbare duisternis. 'n Takkie kraak. Dan stilte. Oorverdowende stilte!Skielik breek die lig op die horison en die dag se eerste sonstrale raak bo-aan die bergtop, net om oor teklim en stadig af te sak en die oorkanste hang te verlig, en dan tussen die doringbome in te val.Dan begin die veld rondom my te lewe. Ek sit en luister, en dit verstom my wat ‘n mense als kan hoor so indie stilte van die bos. Al die geluide, die kolganse wat babbel, die eerste voëltjies wat roep, tarentale watdoer van die lande af skel.Skielik gewaar ek beweging, ‘n rooijakkels kom verbygedraf, sommer so deur die oopte en suiker teen dierant op.‘n Silhoeët trek my aandag en die krom rug en manier van wei bevestig my suspisie: n’ bosbokooitjie, waarsy uitstap om die vroeë sonnetjie op te soek vir ‘n bietjie hitte. Bo teen die kranse ego die bulderboggomsvan die bobbejane wat lui-lui van hul slaapplek afklim. Op die klipkoppe hou ‘n familie dassies tuseen die losklippe. Langs my skarrel ‘n akkedis in die sonnetjie.Skielik verskyn ‘n koedoekoei asof uit die niet, stap van boom tot boom en pluk aan die blare. Nóg ‘n dosynkoedoes tree asof van nêrens uit die bos na vore.Soos hulle gekom het, so verdwyn al die koedoes weer soos skimme. ‘n Plooigesig vlakvark paartjie loopsnuffel-snuffel op soek na kos. Die bleek stokkiesbene van ‘n duikerram wat vroegoggend drentel-drentel opsy rondtes neem vorm aan.Ja, so leef die natuur rondom my. Om in die veld te wees, êrens stil te sit en te kyk hoe diere en hul dingeinmekaar steek, spreek tot die gees van die jagter.Ek bly alleen oor met my gedagtes. Alleen? Nee! Die Skepper van dit alles wat ek beleef het, is hier by my!Hoe asemrowend God se skeppingswerke! ** 37

Bullet Imbalance and the Target Shooter by Chris Bekker As important as other factors, if not more so!A s an introduction, I wish to break the ice with a bit of history on jacketed bullets. In 1882 Eduard Rubin, a major at the Swiss Military Laboratory, began testing the first small-caliber copper-jacketed bullet which could successfully withstandhigher velocities than lead cast bullets that were commonly in use at the time. Also, it could now withstand the high flametemperature as the base of the bullet was enclosed with copper and the hassle of 'leading' was eliminated. Then in 1885, thisbullet was used in Rudolf Schmidt's (7.5 x 55 mm) first straight-pull action, which was officially adopted in 1889 as theSchmidt-Rubin Model 1889 by the Swiss. This bullet was the first full metal jacket (FMJ) bullet, just like we have it today. Thiswas essentially a bullet for military use on humans.During 1889, a Major General in the British Army, William Tweedy developed a similar copper jacketed bullet, save that itfeatured a protruding lead point. This bullet was intended for the .303 Br service rifle (Lee-Metford). This was the first 'SoftPoint' bullet as we know it today. It was designed to mushroom to a bigger caliber in a controlled way as the copper jacketwas designed to thin towards the tip of the bullet. Please note that this controlled expansion was as a result of the velociti esthat ruled at the time. The Schmidt-Rubin achieved 1,935 fps and the 303 Br achieved 1,850 fps at the muzzle with resultantlower impact velocities down range. The 303 Br propelled a 215 grainer at 1,850 fps with Black Powder and when theyswitched to Cordite propellant in 1892, it could push the same bullet at 2,060 fps. With much higher present day velocitiesdue to the use of modern propellants, conventional soft nose bullets do not exhibit controlled expansion any more butshatter instead. It was the Germans who developed the spitzer-shaped bullet and in 1905 the German Army adopted it fortheir new service cartridge, the 8x57JS, and the other major powers quickly followed suit so as to extend effective ranges.When World War I broke out, the British used a lighter and spitzer-shaped bullet of 174 grains to gain velocity to 2,440 fps.Target shooting, as a pastime, really developed as a sport much later on and the quest for extreme accuracy was on since themid 1930's. Then varmint hunting emerged and so varmint bullets and match bullets became the focus of manufacturers.This was the beginning of changing the shape of the bullet to a more streamlined aerodynamic design and ultimately thehollow point design emerged. The hollow point bullet is of even more frangible construction than a conventional soft pointbullet, and will thus expand rapidly and shatter making it undesirable for hunting of game, as penetration is very shallow.However for varmint hunting like they do in America, it is ideal as on small animals with frail bodies that do not really providemuch resistance. As I will be focusing on long-range accurate shooting, where bullet imbalance is more of a factor, I will notdwell on other bullet designs such as for hunting purposes.Bullet imbalance or a bullet that is not perfectly concentric, will exhibit an 'out of balance' condition. The faster theunbalanced bullet is spun the more pronounced the unbalance becomes. Naturally, the further we shoot, the morepronounced the lack of precision would be. Bullets are not created equal in terms of concentricity, consistency in wallthickness, consistency in weight and length. Variations in jacket thickness cause bullet unbalance; precision-cut jacketsare consistent in length, and so are the finished bullets and is by far superior to standard factory jackets. Often, moreemphasis is put on measuring the weight of the propellant whilst the differences in case weight and bullet weight is ignored,as we generally view them as something we cannot change and so we just have to live with these differences. Benchrestshooters are not too worried about small velocity differences of around 20 fps, caused by the varying charge weight of thepropellant or case capacities that differ slightly. However, they place a lot of emphasis on the bullet when it comes toprecision shooting. Not that they ignore good case selection and preparation and other sound reloading practices, but theydo focus heavily on the bullet - the quality of the match bullet and that it is seated in the case perfectly straight witha minimum of run-out (.001 and less). Competition shooters do weigh their bullets and inspect their bullets for concentricityor any other flaws it might have to eliminate yet another variable, so as to enhance accurate shooting. 38

Concentricity is an issue right from the beginning, when the bullet engages the rifling, that the bullet does not get deformedduring its travel through the barrel, a square exit, so its travel through air can be as stable as possible. That means amongstother things, that the bullet must keep its centre of form till it exits the barrel. So another cause of imbalance is a chamberthat is not 100% in alignment with the axis of the barrel. The effect will be that the bullet enters the rifling misaligned andthus deforms the bullet somewhat and a very small amount of imbalance will cause dispersion on the target.A bullet is gyroscopically stabilized by its spin, which is imparted by the rifling in the barrel. If a bullet is perfectly stabilized,then its longitudinal axis (which is also its spin axis) is exactly aligned with its direction of flight. High-speed photographyrevealed that an 'over-stabilised' bullet flies with its head up instead of point on, creating an overturning action and more airdrag will be encountered (suffered), which will assist velocity decay. Astute competition shooters will match the bullet to thebarrel's twist rate to eliminate an over spin condition and thus a yawing of the bullet, which comes into play the momentthere is a slight imbalance or imperfection in bullet design. In .308 caliber the 1 in 12 \" twist have an excellent and wellproven record with the 168 grain bullet. Imperfect stabilization can actually be caused by a variety of physical factors;examples are a small centre of gravity offset from the bullet longitudinal axis, a small aberration in point shape or tail shape,and an uneven escape of high-pressure gases around the base of the bullet.Mass-produced factory bullets, mostly do not qualify for competition shooting. I refer here to conventional lead core bulletsthat are mostly used for hunting purposes. Why is some factory ammo so bad? Because they are made against stringentbudgets so a profit can be made in a competitive market. More particularly, hardened lead cores, a mixture of lead andantimony, are used in hunting bullets so they won't expand so fast, but since they are not homogenous it may cause an offbalance condition. Pure lead cores on the other hand are homogeneous and thus their use is preferred in match bullets.Standard copper jackets are made from gilding metal (90/10 mix of copper and zinc) and is not so consistent in thickness asthe higher grade J4 metal, which Olin Corporation (parent of Winchester ammunition company) developed for Sierra. J4jacket material is also used by other top bullet makers such as Nosler and Berger. Match-grade jackets vary only a few ten-thousandths of an inch in wall thickness, whereas hunting bullets vary about 2 to 3 times as much. The uniformity of thejacket wall thickness, determines how the bullet is balanced and any non-uniformity in wall thickness will put its lead coreoffset from its centre of form. When spun at hundreds of thousands of revolutions (150,000 to 180,000 rpm), any offset thecentre of gravity has from its centre of form will cause the bullet to wobble just like a wheel on a car that is out of balance.However, most factories today make match bullets with much greater care for the target shooter - Sierra, Speer, Hornady,Nosler, Lapua and others. The quality of these bullets are very good and they are widely used. 39

The following sentence comes out of the Nosler advertisement - \"Nosler® blended the accuracy of J4™ bullet jackets with itsprecise lead alloy cores to create a new performance standard for the popular .30 caliber match bullets. The hollow pointprovides a small meplat for reduced drag and increased aerodynamic efficiency. These bullets have a concentric, J4™ jacketfor unmatched accuracy and a form-fitted lead alloy core for maximum bullet stability and balance.\" Match ammunition isdesigned for use in match-grade rifles such as long-range competition or sniping. However, most serious target shooters buythe components and load themselves. Remington Arms was the first to introduced bullets in 1930 with a hard, pointed tip toincrease the ballistic coefficient (BC) and to eliminate tip deformation with their Bronze Point bullet. Later on the tip materialwas replaced with an easily moulded plastic. Many years later Nosler adopted the idea and incorporated it into their Ballisti cTip bullet line. Nosler successfully promoted the idea and suddenly the tipped bullet, which had been largely ignored fordecades, became extremely popular. Plastic tipped bullets like the Nosler Ballistic Tip have a good reputation for accuracy.Along the same lines, Hornady designed their A-Max bullet. Here is an example of the construction of Hornady's A-Maxbullet.Every aspect of the A-Max, from its Ultra-Low Drag tip to its special secant ogive design, was engineered to provide stabilityand accuracy. Most match bullets are designed with what we call a 'secant' ogive shape. A secant ogive is a radius based on atrig function and not an arc. Secant ogives are an attempt to fool nature by introducing a slight enough angle so that theairflow does not break away and form a shock wave. The turbulence and drag of a shock wave generated from an abruptjunction would negate the value of the longer nose, but by carefully pushing the angle until it just starts to generate thisshock wave, and then backing off until the shock wave goes away, the secant design can improve the BC. Therefore thesecant ogive, like in VLD bullets, is ballistically superior for long-range competition shooting. Most bullets have their ogive asa true arc, whose radius is typically measured in calibers, or bullet diameters. For example, the Krupp bullet (Standard bulletdesign for his mathematical model) is 3-calibers long with a 2-calibers long ogive:Then there is the question of why hollow-point bullets are so accurate and commonly in use amongst benchrest shooters. Itwas not until Sierra seriously started to investigate what was really the best manufacturing method for making accuratebullets that they found out. Designs included several boat tail angles and ogive shapes, and after shooting several thousandbullets from barrelled actions, clamped in machine rests, they found the answer. Bullet jackets drawn from the base forwardand once the lead core is added, then the bullet is run through a pointing machine to form the final boat tail shape andogive. This method makes the bearing surface to the base junction more uniform. Thus, hollow point bullets and those withcavities that are filled with plastic tips are able to be made more uniform in this critical area as the base of the bullet is thelast part of the bullet that leaves the muzzle and any irregularity at the base junction will cause the bullet to go skew as itexits. Incidentally, that is why a perfectly square crown at the muzzle of the barrel is also so important. We thus need boththe bullet and the barrel to work together to more cleanly deflecting muzzle blast so the bullet doesn't get kicked offbalance, invoking yet another factor to play havoc. Sierra pioneered the HPBT bullet and many other bullet makers followedthe same method - there is no more dispute as to its superiority. Sierra's first hollow point match bullet was their 168-grInternational, followed by their 190-gr Match King. Sierra has a tradition of precision since 1947 and their bullets are winningplenty competitions. Extensive tests have proven that a bullet's tip can be somewhat imperfect and they will stillproduce tiny groups at all ranges, but the base junction with the bullet's body, or bearing surface, must be dimensionallyuniform for superior accuracy. 40

Some serious shooters though, prefer custom made bullets, such as those made by Bergers and a few others. Berger Bulletsare hand-made custom bullets for the competition shooter, the dedicated varmint hunter, and those searching for that extraedge in shooting performance. The Berger bullets are made by Walt Berger's family owned business. They are famous fortheir reputation of unparalleled accuracy and to set the pace for the world’s most accurate bullets. Berger Bullets onlymakes match grade bullets. You will also notice that Berger VLD bullets have more pronounced boat tails than other matchbullets so as to lessen the wake of turbulence behind the bullet and to increase the BC further. It also moves the centre ofgravity point forward to be better balanced. All of Walt’s bench rest records were set with his own production line bullets.Berger starts with the J4, the finest jackets available with near perfect wall concentricity - less than .0003\". Cores are cutfrom lead that is 99.9% pure, shaped and swaged through specially built dies, round to .0001. Here is an example of Berger'svery popular VLD bullet (VLD = Very Low Drag):Whilst a high BC is preferable for long-range shooting, it does not tell us anything about its potential imbalance and lack ofconcentricity. The BC by itself has nothing to do with accuracy. The BC only tells us how fast a bullet's velocity will drop as itgoes down range - thus its efficiency through air. (Ballistic coefficients are calculated by time of flight between two points,using chronographs.) High-BC bullets exhibit less bullet drop and are less wind sensitive - that is what makes them moreattractive to benchrest shooters. The emphasis is on lowering the bullet's air drag by giving it a long sharp nose, a boat ta iland a smooth surface with no crimping grooves. The lack of the crimping groove is to avoid an unnecessary air shock wave toform, which will slow the bullet down.Making long sleek bullets with boat tails concentric is much more difficult and requires the utmost care and high-precisionequipment. For this reason, some competitors still prefer flat base custom bullets at ranges of 600 yards and less. The boattail really only starts to make a practical difference for shots longer than 400 yards and so 1,000-yard competitors shootmostly boat tails. Commercial bullet companies have found that in factory barrels, flat-base bullets may well shoot moreaccurately than boat tail bullets, whereas in true match-grade barrels, boat tails generally do the best.** 41

Featured AnimalMAIN CHARACTERISTICSThe klipspringer rests during the midday and at late night; theanimal tends to be more active on moonlit nights. It basks in themorning sunlight to warm itself. The mates tend to stay as close aswithin 5 metres of each other at most times; for instance, they taketurns at keeping a lookout for predators while the other feeds, and face any danger together. The klipspringer willhop a few metres away from the danger. Other social groups include small family herds of 8 or more members orsolitary individuals. Klipspringer greet one another by rubbing cheeks at social meetings.Males form territories, in which they stay with their partners and offspring. Males are generally more vigilant thanfemales. Klipspringer form large dung heaps, nearly 1 metre across and 10 centimetres deep, at the borders ofterritories; another form of marking is the secretion of a thick, black substance, measuring 5 millimetres across,from the preorbital glands onto vegetation and rocks in the territories. The main vocalisation is a shrill whistle,given out be the klipspringer pair in a duet, as a means of communication or anti-predator response. Predatorsinclude the baboon, black-backed jackal, caracal, eagle and leopard.HABITAT & DIETThe klipspringer inhabits places characterised by rocky terrain and sparse vegetation. It migrates to lowlands attimes of food scarcity. The klipspringer occurs at altitudes as high as 4,500 metres . The habitat is typically rockyover long stretches and grassy terrain is discontinuous.The antelope occurs in significant numbers across eastern and southern Africa; its range extends fromnortheastern Sudan, Eritrea, northern Somalia and Ethiopia in the east to South Africa in the south, and alongcoastal Angola and Namibia.Primarily a browser, the klipspringer prefers young plants, fruits and flowers. Grasses, eaten mainly in the wetseason, form a minor portion of the diet. Some plants, such as Vellozia, may be preferred seasonally. Klipspringerdepend mainly on succulent plants, and not on water bodies, to meet their water requirement. They can stand ontheir hindlegs to reach tall branches up to 1.2 metres.BREEDINGThe klipspringer is a seasonal breeder; the time when mating occursvaries geographically. Females become sexually mature by the timethey are a year old; males take slightly longer tomature. Gestation lasts around six months, following which a singlecalf, weighing slightly more than 1 kilogram, is born; births peak fromspring to early summer.Births take place in dense vegetation. The newborn is carefullyhidden for up to three months to protect it from the view of predators;the mother suckles it three to four times a day, the visits graduallylengthen as the offspring grows. Males are protective of theiroffspring, keeping a watch for other males and predators. The calf isweaned at four to five months, and leaves its mother when it turns ayear old. The klipspringer lives for around 15 years. 42

EXIM NAMIB Boerewors with VenisonINGREDIENTS 10kg warthog 1kg water 10kg venison 1kg EXIM Namib Boerewors spice pack 10kg fatty pork (50% meat/50% fat) 500g EXIMWORS SauceMETHOD Combine EXIM Namib Boerewors spice pack, water and EXIMWORS Sauce in a suitable meat tray. Lightly mix ingredients and allow to stand for approximately fifteen minutes. Whilst the spice is hydrating, cut all meat into 20mm cubes. After the fifteen-minute hydrating of spice, add all meat to wet spice. Mix as little as possible, just enough to blend spice and meat well. Do not over mix. (Less is more.) Place spiced meat into a mincer, ensure mincer has a sharp knife and plate. Mince the mix into the same wet spice dish. Mix again lightly, mopping up any left-over spice and liquid from the sides. Do not over-mix. Over-mixing creates a very tight, stiff boerewors. Place spiced meat mix in the sausage filler. Choose stuffing horn as large as possible to fit appropriate casing. We recommend a cal 28 sheep casing. 20mm stuffing horn (take caution not to stuff too tightly). Pack and freeze any boerewors not required immediately. Cook boerewors on a braai not too hot. Cold start is best, cooking boerewors away from the coals, gradually turning it towards the hot coals. When juice starts to “boil” in the casing, remove from coals and ENJOY! 43

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