I have not posted anything on here that is serious, well, probably in years. The honest truth is I just got to busy!

But I have to speak my piece on this.

Our business boomed since 2012, and I was always looking at a good Dangerous Game area with GREAT potential. I had some good, and bad experiences in Mozambique. The lack of PROPER hunting areas (the good ones were all taken by top outfitters that still has them today) made it too challenging and the politics and hand out BS got to me. So on the advice of some very respected Zimbabwe Professional Hunters, and other friends in the industry, my eyes turned north. To that wonderland of African hunting....Tanzania.

Here is my take on Tanzania, after just investing a ton of money there over the last two years.

The old way of doing business there has passed. The way Safaris was sold, and conducted, simply cannot work anymore. Also, an operator will struggle to operate and maintain more than two hunting blocks if they do not border each other.

During my visits and countless meetings in the Sena and Sea Cliff Hotels in Dar, I could not help but notice the VAST difference in the approach of the "young" company Outfitters, versus the older "Duggaboys". Respected names, which I hold very high in regard, had not more than 50 days hunting the previous year, wanted a way out or help, but they simply COULD not adapt to a new way of doing business.

Now the cracks start showing.....is it the start of the end? I do not believe so.

This year we sold out all our Buffalo (18) and all our Leopard (4). We also sold a Lion hunt to a European Hunter. We have a full season, paying for our AP team, employing our people, and supporting the community in Kalulu.

Last week our partners delivered 4,000 bags of cement to start the construction of the much needed infrastructure of buildings in the community. A school, a clinic, etc.

So community support through sustainable, legal hunting still works, and we must cherish that. One thing that makes Africa special....you CANNOT plan 5 years ahead. Tackle the opportunities now, seize them, and do what you can do, to the best of your ability! So, if it does not work out, you will always have somewhere you can call home, and cherish the wonderful memories of that wonderful, wild land. Everyone that has done this long enough knows getting rich out of a Safari business simply "aint happening". We do it for a different reason. Our Friends, the joint pursuit of wild game in a wild land. I get to hunt with 4 of my best American friends in Tanzania this year. Working with TOP Professional Hunters. What will you pay for that experience? I will also make new friends, that share the same passion. What is that worth?

Asante Sana Tanzania......The Future is bright if we do not give up, and adapt to the challenges!

We, as a collective community can get on that band wagon and SUPPORT those Outfitters. We know them......The Vincents, Michelle Matiakes, Paddy Curtis, Dylan Cloete, Luke Samaras, Pierre van Tonder, Jaco Oosthuizen, Wayne Grant, Harry Charambolous, Danny McCullum, Wikus Groenewald, Mike Angelides, and also now us......The list goes on.....

Safari Njema!!!!!

Africa will be totally gone for hunting.within.20 years or less .I see hunting ending here in US in.30 years or less too many people and too much habitat loss .The bunny huggers out number us and not enough hunters too kids Hunting to make it last !

Charl,

I sort of agree with your insight. Maybe the future here will be the smaller hands on companies or individuals who can make a profit here and who are passionate about wildlife.

However the Tanzanian Government needs to make some quite drastic changes and the current pricing structures simply does not work. In addition they need to dramatically address poaching and the current elephant crisis to compliment efforts such as yours.

quote:

Originally posted by dgr416:
Africa will be totally gone for hunting.within.20 years or less .I see hunting ending here in US in.30 years or less too many people and too much habitat loss .The bunny huggers out number us and not enough hunters too kids Hunting to make it last !

Agree 100%. I always hoped hunting could keep a reasonable amount of wildlife available to repopulate if something ever came along to cull the human infestation.

In the US we cannot afford more hunters on federal land as it is. So we are not going to retain let alone maintain hunter numbers long term. Many hunters will hang it up long before they accept a "Texas" definition of hunting confined to private land. The ultra rich hunters will be the last hunters. Very much like Europe today. Like everything else, hunting too shall pass.

Charl,

Well done on taking on TZ and not giving up. We need more people that do the best they can to keep a dying industry going. We need to fight now more than ever to delay the inevitable end in hope that something will change before it's all gone. Who knows it might not be too late to and things can always change, hopefully for the better.

But if we continue to give up then we will make our own nemesis.

I wish you the best of luck and success in your endeavours.

What the future holds is a very simple fact that we will continue to hunt, as long as we are physically able, and hunting is available.

The self serving, clueless, ignorant politicians in the West can bloody well stick it where the sun never shines!