What is it like in SA and other African countries? What percentage of the locals hunt? Is a PH required? Is there any public land like in the U.S.? Trophy fees or just a hunting license? Is it restricted to a season or year round? I am just thinking what it must be like to live in Africa and have access to that that much hunting.

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Thanks, ALF

Zambia allows locals to hunt at, by our standards, pretty reasonable prices. At certain times of the year (late in the season, I think) locals are allowed to hunt on GMA's that are leased by an outfitter. So you may be out hunting with your PH on his concession and run into some local hunters.

See this Zambian's Hunt Report

Regards,

Terry

Zimbabwe used to have "citizen only" concessions on government land but no longer, que up and by your big game hunting on the Zambezi valley auctions like every one else.

locals used to get a lot of hunting in on private farms, particularly of "non trophy" animals at very reasonable prices, but since there is so little private land left under any sort of management plan other than rape, pillage and burn, I would think that very few locals have had much in the way of hunting oportunities in the last four years.

Botswana has very cheep hunting for "locals" who can hunt in the big game concessions without consulting the safari operator. In some of the areas clos to settlement this makes for awkward moments and confrontaion as I have had first hand experience off.

And then there are the locals who "hunt" for other reasons. Poaching to aquire animal parts used in voodoo ceremonies and for witchdoctor "medicine". For example: If you pulverize a dried monkey skull, blend it with liquid and drink it, apperantly it'll make you smarter... I'm not so sure about that, and passed on the offer!

Of course many other locals hunt/poach for food, using snares.

I understand that you most likely meant white locals who hunt in your question, but it's best not to forget that a lot of wildlife is disapearing because of other "traditional" uses by the rest of the african population.



Erik D.

www.dunia.no

Right on the nail

Subsistence poaching is usually tollerable, commercial poaching is what is really endangering many of africas wild animals, and yes snares are common, but the AK47 is king!

Ganyana,



We also saw a lot of strange weapons used for poaching. Especially in west africa. Home made "shot guns" and "rifles" with barrels made out of pipes and whatever, with stocks held together with string and wire... Stuff I definatly wouldn't dare pull the trigger on! Some of them were just waiting to explode.



Snares were widely used in Togo, where the pictures are from, both for "bushmeat" to sell at markets and for all the voodoo shit. Some of it was pretty nasty! Needless to say, we didn't buy any bushmeat while shopping at markets for our daily food, since we never could tell if it was antilope, monkey meat or some other disease ridden putrid flesh! Not to mention the flys and maggots weren't that temping either!



If you look closly at this picture, you'll see behind my wifes left shoulder a small elephant skull on the table farthest away...









Erik D.



www.dunia.no

EricD

THanks for the nice pictures, you also have a lovely wife. As you rightly point out traditional muti has a big part to play in the slaughter of some species for witchcraft and other ceremonies and well being enhancement practices..

Poaching for food and other use was is and will proberbly always be the number one contributing factor to wildlife numbers declining to a degree, also the habitat shrinkage for the animals is a big factor as well. I strongly believe that the only relative effective way to stem the tide is private game ranches and private national parks management, we are seeing this develop in a number of Southern Africa countries and SA is where it is most visible.

You have had some varied and wonderful Africa experiences, long may it continue

Peter

RAC,
In Zambia we donot need a PH at all even for DG. We do all the organisation ourselves, and to me that is fun also the preparation takes a lot of time and I guess that takes care of pre hunt jitters.
I have a storeroom that is for bush trips only and it contains everything from freezers to cutlery, It has taken me a while to gather everything but I reckon I could set up a complete camp any time (including staff I have a crew of eight who also enjoy the bush as much as I do)
Our hunting season on government land for locals is as follows
Selected Game management areas June to December
Approved gma's September to December
We do not pay trophy fees as such but only pay a small fee per species.
We can hunt game ranches throughout the year in fact we can get some magic deals off season for non trophy animals.
In fact I have just got back from a wildeebeest hunt tied in with some culling for the ranch owner, keep an eye out in the hunting reports for more details soon.
I would not even consider migrating from Zambia, I actually lived in the states for about 5 years(Florida/Minnesota)and ran back home as soon as I got my degree.

I have relatives in Ethiopia where the licence fees are the same price for locals/foreignors....rip-off for any horned game. In addition, there are no licences given out for desirable species like nyala. The licences are handed out on a tribal basis so you are restricted in area....oh yeah it took my uncle nearly 6 weeks to get himself 1 warthog permit as it required a stamp from a guy who seemed to be reallll busy so they decided that someone else could do the sign/stamp. The guys in the forestry commission were surprised that hunting existed and why people go hunting etc so overall the situation isn't as rosy in the horn of Africa.

RAC,
In Tz it is called "Resident hunting" and that includes both citizens and foreign residents too. The hunitng areas for this are referred to as "Open areas" and some of these, particularly in Masaailand and Selous periphery are also hunting concessions for Tourist hunters.

You do not need a PH to guide you as resident hunter. Licenses are very cheap and you pay a fee for each animal you want to hunt in advance - non refundable i.e. whether shot or not you pay for it. A license is for a specific area only and valid for 2 weeks!

There are a lot of problems due to the lack of control by the authorities concerned. Over-shooting of licenses is predominant and as most trophy fees are extrememly low (especially if you are a citizen which are lower then foreign resident fees) there is an incentive to hunt and then sell the meat at slightly less than normal beef or goat at rural level. e.g. a buff costs $6 and gives you approx 600Kgs of meat and bone. A cow costs between $50 and $150 for 90 to 200 kgs (depending on cow) of meat and bone. Beef will cost you $.40 a Kg in a remote village and the buff meat will be sold at $.25 or $.30 a kg!

It is up to the individual to maintain his own discipline and code of conduct as the authorities are disenterested and unmotivated.....

Ethiopia also has non-refundable licences for all species. Oh yea I forgot, it is illegal to go hunting without a scout to supervise you....I think there is a daily fee for him, and you end up having to feed the git as well....
I think this reaction might be due to misguided conservation attempts, as Ethiopia could really do with more hunters. Apart from a couple dozen foreign hunters, that huge country is hunting only with the mighty AK or the even better SKS (10US cents for bullets, right next to the chickens in the market place....cost of meat-- up to 2 bucks a kilo!)
Hey Bwanamich, How long does it take to become a
resident
Quite apart from the hunting, how are the gun laws in Tanzania?? If it is anything like Ethiopia, people will be running around with combat weapons and sidearms, but gun permits are as scarce as hens teeth!

Boghossian,
Let's say they "exists". You need to register your firearms and get a firearm permit. No tests/eaxam either written or otherwise needed. Permits can take up to a year or two to obtain depending if you have a "contact" to assist you or not

You are not allowed to own more than 4 firearms and they must be of different caliber; so can't have 2 shotguns or 2 .300, etc.

The whole procedure can cost you between $100 to $500 depending on the situation. To renew your license (yearly) costs $5 for long arms and $10 for handguns.
I own 3 rifles and a handgun (.375, 7 rem mag, 22 LR and 9mm). One day i will own a Lott and transfer my .22 to my wife/daughter to make space for the license