Following Andrew’s post on meat hunting, I have been thinking of doing a kind of culinary safari to supplement the trophy safaris.

We recently hosted a team from Denmark that do a Danish TV show called “Whack n Munch”. There are two hosts: one is an older gentleman from the countryside and a hunter, the other is a (slightly) younger famous TV chef from the capital city Copenhagen.

The basic concept of the show is that, in each episode, they set out to hunt one animal; this animal is never a rare or endangered species and not always of trophy quality. The hunter shoots it and the chef then prepares the meat with a variety of common vegetables and some harvested from the surrounding wild/bush. The obvious themes are hunting and cooking but subtler themes include the comradery between the two hosts, conservation and biology of the animals they shoot, and how both hosts simply enjoy being in nature.

The fact that these guys do not hunt for trophies but for venison, despite the fact that they have no objection to trophy hunting, made me think there might be an opportunity to do something else with a hunting quota.

The great thing about this TV show is it has changed views on hunting in Denmark with marked increases in the number of people acquiring hunting licenses in the past 8 years since the show started. Not only that but the younger generation in urban areas is a large part of that shift, it’s now a social “thing” to have a hunting license and use it. I believe this is because of the “Whack n Munch” TV show. This is what the world needs if hunting of any sort is to survive.

The majority of hunting in Africa is for trophies with a small amount of local venison hunting in South Africa and Namibia where there are sufficient commercial markets. The problem with trophy hunting is that you have a limitation on how many individuals of each species you can harvest without damaging the quality or genepool. In many cases it will only be 1-2% of the population because you are harvesting animals past, or almost past, breeding age. For certain, easily breeding, species it would be possible to add younger animals to your quota without unbalancing the population.

At a place like Munyamadzi we struggle to make ends meet from income generated solely from trophy hunting, with running costs and the cost of sufficient anti-poaching not being low. Really, we use that as an excuse to keep hunting going in some countries – the cost of conservation is too high without it – but it is hard to combine consumptive and non-consumptive tourism in a place like Munyamadzi.

So, I have been thinking of advertising some culinary safaris if I may call it that. It won’t have too much to do with hunting.

We get a group of say 4 – 8 clients above 12 years old for a 6 – 8 safari. The purpose of the exercise may vary, depending on the group, but a bush survival course for a group of friends, quality family time doing something different or a kind of children’s bush survival trip are some ideas.

The team would fly into our main camp and spend the first one or two nights there learning firearm handling and how to shoot. After that the safari group will be packed up and we will walk to the next camp location carrying all of our personal kit ourselves but larger items will be taken by vehicle. Clients set up their own tents and plans for the next day made; this is when two of the clients will be chosen to do the hunting.

The following day clients will go out looking for venison animals to shoot, this will be impala and warthog as they are both delicious but also common and reproduce easily.

The clients then learn how to skin an animal and handle meat in the field before carrying it back to camp. Butchering skills will be learnt and methods of preserving meat in bush without cooling facilities.

During this period, clients also learn about the bush and how to behave around dangerous animals. They learn about survival and what they can eat from the bush and what they can’t. There would also be a bit of fishing on the Luangwa River. Learning how to cook world class meals on an open fire and how to bake bread without an oven are also part of the package.

After all this the group returns to the main camp for the two last nights of the safari to reflect on what has been learnt and to relax before going back out into the world.

What does everyone on AR think of this? Is there a demand for this type of safari? And would people get any good out of it?

This is not meant as a way to phase out trophy hunting. It is meant to compliment the trophy hunting and add to the sustainability of these areas that cannot do photographic safaris successfully. For us to justify what we do in these free ranging wildlife areas in Africa we need to prove that it is sustainable both to the wildlife and to us financially. But there must still be a place for every kind of hunter. Trophy, meat, bow or sport we all need to work together because at the end of the day we all want to continue doing what we are doing.

Good hunting season to everyone!

Thor, this is actually a great idea as far as an experience, unfortunately you are ahead of your time. There is a similar experience being developed in Europe and the US, most refer to it as "field to table". It is typically promoted and attended by a high end chef and a group of hunters. I have to be honest in saying though that it does not arm to be gaining much traction from the little I have heard. I have wondered if the answer might Be combining a trophy hunting camp with a more xperience/culinary based camp? I know some of my most memorable experiences in Africa have been consuming what I have shot, to enjoy it with friends and spouses not necessarily interested in hunting would make it that more memorable. Good luck and good job trying to find a better value added proposition.
Brad

Well, it seems there is a bit of contradiction here.

You call it a culinary safari - which to me would mean it is basically to try and eat different animals.

Then you suggest that families with young come along, and they get introduced to life in the bush.

Nothing wrong with this, but may be you should try to call it something else.

Of course, I could be totally wrong in my understanding.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Well, it seems there is a bit of contradiction here.

You call it a culinary safari - which to me would mean it is basically to try and eat different animals.

Then you suggest that families with young come along, and they get introduced to life in the bush.

Nothing wrong with this, but may be you should try to call it something else.

Of course, I could be totally wrong in my understanding.

Based on the Title I was expecting a hunt that focused on palatability rather than trophy size, go get the tastiest animal you can find, prepare, cook, and eat it, go hunt again tomorrow...

An interesting idea.
However, the safaris I have been on all had good accommodations and served excellent food and drink. We always ate some of the game we took with a few exceptions. Such experiences may cut into your market as the hunters are already getting much of what you discussed as product.
Good luck with your venture.

Thor,
I think this is a great idea....combined with pulling in big name Adventure-chefs like Andrew Zimmern on the US TRAVEL Channel, and Anthony Bourdain on CNN...where the Demolibs seem to be concentrated today. These two guys would add lots of zip to a TV show for the American market and perhaps start to crack the anti-view of wasteful hunting vs consuming what you shoot....in a gourmet surrounding of Africa just might start bending some or even change views.
This along with some good commentary about feeding indigenous people with culled game to curb poaching....just might be what we need. Ivan Carter did a great show on Giraffe which wrapped up by demonstrating the impact of providing bush meat to indigenous people which essentially stopped all poaching of the species!!
Hunting community needs to be creative and take the lead if we are to survive!!
Cheers,

Bourdain actually took an Eland on one of his programs and cooked and ate it with his South African hosts.

Sounds like a great idea.

quote:

Originally posted by Blair 338RUM:
Bourdain actually took an Eland on one of his programs and cooked and ate it with his South African hosts.

Sounds like a great idea.

+1

He also shot it from the back of a truck. But if one is hunting for meat who cares.

Mike

quote:

Bourdain actually took an Eland on one of his programs and cooked and ate it with his South African hosts.

Utilizing a few prime cuts is one thing, devouring the entire carcass is another and a suggestion which won't sell.

The only difference in this case being the possibility of having a gourmet chef capable of preparing/cooking venison in a grand variety of styles.

Any and all camps that I have known rely in great part on the cuts of game killed (oops, harvested) bar the rare one where the client advised in advance that he did not eat venison of any kind or form, including birds.

Thor, I like the way you are thinking.

Not sure about the market for it, but you won't know until you try.

Folks here are generally hunting for big, old males, which are not necessarily the tastiest of the lot. That is good conservation, and must be the main goal, I think.

Still, I have eaten all of the "trophies" I have shot that I have considered edible.

And what I did not consider edible, others did, and ate with great enthusiasm.

Interesting idea. If it works as you describe it you may be onto something.

“Whack n Munch” sounds a lot like a show here in the states called "Meateater". Instead of separate hunter and chef the host Steve Rinella hunts for whatever game then cooks the result. He has some pretty good recipes for each game he takes. But one advantage we here in the US still think very much about bringing meat home as a result of the hunt.

I think this idea would fill a very unique niche. Of course while you wouldn't be televising it (?) It would be very worthwhile to get lots of still and video footage to promote it.

First of all, I couldn`t be more happy that Jørgen and Nicolai have visited you Can`t wait for that episode to air. I have seen all of the seasons and have thouigh they should visit you after I saw them in both Namibia and Mozambique. Love that show!

Second, I would love trip like that. Even though I would love to go on a trophy hunt. Cost is always and issue. A trip like this could be more cost effective and easier to bring more people that are not traditional hunters. Some people hunt, some cook, some drink beers Would love to have this as an option!! We have already talked about a trip where I do a photo safari and hunt a couple of days. To expand it to a hunt like this would be so much fun

Hopefully people who are not hardcore hunters could do hunts like this. The same people you are talking about in regards to loving "Nak og Æd" and getting a positive frame around hunting Good luck with starting something like this

Lets see,
Camping, hiking, hunting, fishing and cooking over a camp fire. Sounds like an adventure to me.

I like it. Maybe you could market it as a adventure safari.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Well, it seems there is a bit of contradiction here.

You call it a culinary safari - which to me would mean it is basically to try and eat different animals.

Then you suggest that families with young come along, and they get introduced to life in the bush.

Nothing wrong with this, but may be you should try to call it something else.

Of course, I could be totally wrong in my understanding.

True Saeed, the thing is it is all just ideas at the moment. The idea is to create a bush, hunting and cooking experience. Not sure what to call it Culinary was the first that came to my mind.

Still need to work on name and how best to do it. Hope the great AR folk can give me some idea.

quote:

Originally posted by Thunder Head:
Lets see,
Camping, hiking, hunting, fishing and cooking over a camp fire. Sounds like an adventure to me.

I like it. Maybe you could market it as a adventure safari.

Adventure safari could be a very good name for it. One will be walking amongst elephant and hearing lions raw at night while laying behind a thin sheet of canvas.

quote:

Originally posted by Thor Kirchner:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Well, it seems there is a bit of contradiction here.

You call it a culinary safari - which to me would mean it is basically to try and eat different animals.

Then you suggest that families with young come along, and they get introduced to life in the bush.

Nothing wrong with this, but may be you should try to call it something else.

Of course, I could be totally wrong in my understanding.

True Saeed, the thing is it is all just ideas at the moment. The idea is to create a bush, hunting and cooking experience. Not sure what to call it Culinary was the first that came to my mind.

Still need to work on name and how best to do it. Hope the great AR folk can give me some idea.

Could you have a "nak og æd" safari special. Check with the tv company if that`s ok. A lot of danes/scandinavians would be interested after the show. I always check out the outfitters when they have been to a new place Probably not the only one!

For the international crowd you could do a adventure/meateater safari Get the guy from meateater to do an episode from your place!!

quote:

Originally posted by Svinejakt:
First of all, I couldn`t be more happy that Jørgen and Nicolai have visited you Can`t wait for that episode to air. I have seen all of the seasons and have thouigh they should visit you after I saw them in both Namibia and Mozambique. Love that show!

Second, I would love trip like that. Even though I would love to go on a trophy hunt. Cost is always and issue. A trip like this could be more cost effective and easier to bring more people that are not traditional hunters. Some people hunt, some cook, some drink beers Would love to have this as an option!! We have already talked about a trip where I do a photo safari and hunt a couple of days. To expand it to a hunt like this would be so much fun

Hopefully people who are not hardcore hunters could do hunts like this. The same people you are talking about in regards to loving "Nak og Æd" and getting a positive frame around hunting Good luck with starting something like this

I agree with what Svinejakt said and I would love to do this type of trip as well.

Thor I am partial to a good fillet of Lion or Leopard and so lets talk.

Thor,

keep working on the idea and business model. The safari business is overdue for some development.

Morten

Andrew Zimmern is actually a hunter, and has taken a few animals on his travels and has had them prepared and eaten, during some of his show's episodes.

Hi Thor,

Just opened a bag of biltong, a couple of cold beers and saw both of the episodes with "Nak og æd" Good fun and beautiful area! No doubt this is good PR for your place Seems like a must visit kind of place!!

Buhbuck will be on my list either I go on a culinary safari or a hunt safari
For the americans I guess this is direction of meateater programs with as more focus on the cooking aswell as hunting

The episodes are free to watch on:
Impala
Bushbuck