My last Newsletter and Blog Post
19 April 2017by
Peter Flack


Blog
I celebrated my 69th birthday recently and have been touched by how many people remembered and called and emailed to wish me. Wonderful to be remembered, especially at an age when many people think you are increasingly irrelevant. It has been the end of a busy and eventful few days, weeks, months, year actually when I think about it. The completion of the five book spiral horn series and, a few days ago, the completion of the biggest book project I have ever attempted – Hunting the African Buffalo – Nature’s Debt Collector – The Six Subspecies – a 480 page, 735 photo monster; a fantastic last hunt in February in Cameroon for my favourite plains game animal, Lord Derby’s eland; and the end of my hunting career such as it has been.

So, family, friends and fellow hunters, this is my last Newsletter and Blog Post. I am busy selling my firearms and hunting books, clearing out my hunting cupboard, resigning from many of the hunting associations of which I have been a member and tidying up the rest of my hunting bits and bobs. The Buffalo Book, which will be out in or about September, will be my last hunting book and I will no longer write hunting articles other than for the odd friend who specially requests it and then only after I have given the request some serious thought.

I have reduced the print run of the Buffalo Book quite drastically to 1 000 standard editions, 300 limited editions and 30 Deluxe editions because I do not want to be tied to selling hunting books. I will maintain my website and the two Peter Flack Productions online shopping sites for a period of two years but will almost certainly then close them unless something, which is not currently on my radar screen, appears from over the horizon. Obviously, once the websites are closed, I will stop selling books and pulp the remaining ones.

The question I have been asked repeatedly by those who know me well and know that hunting has defined my life for 60 years, is why and why now? Well, let me start by copying here the note I sent this week to all those people who applied through me to join the Fair Chase Guild:

THE FAIR CHASE GUILD – SAHGCA DECISION

Good morning to those of you who have applied for membership of the Fair Chase Guild. Bad news I am afraid. I was informed on Friday 7 April by the president of SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association (SAHGCA) that, at the recent meeting of the 62 branch chairmen of SAHGCA, these chairmen, led by Mr Jan de Man, voted to cancel the association of the Fair Chase Guild with SAHGCA. I was told that the reason put forward for the cancellation was that all 40 000 plus members of SAHGCA were fair chase hunters and they did not need an association to prescribe to them how they should go about it.

Just to recapitulate for a moment. I proposed the formation of the Fair Chase Guild under the auspices of SAHGCA some 18 months ago at a meeting at the head office of SAHGCA attended by the president, CEO, Conservation Manager, a board member of SAHGCA and assorted other members and employees of SAHGCA. Thereafter, a number of further meetings took place, also at the head office of SAHGCA, to give effect to this proposal and which culminated in the formal announcement of the formation of the Fair Chase Guild under the auspices of SAHGCA at the official dinner immediately preceding their Annual General Meeting in November 2016.

Clearly, therefore, the decision taken by the branch chairmen is questionable from a legal standpoint – how can they summarily undo such a decision of SAHGCA’s? But that, I guess, is for SAHGCA to sort out.

No-one is compelled to join the Fair Chase Guild and the Guild has neither the authority nor wishes to prescribe anything to anyone, as has been stressed by the Guild in writing more than once. It is an entirely voluntary body for like-minded individuals and organisations who wish to conduct a public relations strategy designed to promote fair chase hunting. As such, there must be other reasons behind the decision of the branch chairmen. When I pushed for the real answer, I was told that this was “Boere (Afrikaner) politics” at work, whatever that may mean. Still later, I was told that a number of those most vociferously opposed to the Guild were those who shot game from vehicles (bakkie ‘hunters’) and they objected to an association which frowned on this behaviour.

The decision has taken me completely by surprise as I received no warning that the Fair Chase Guild was even on the agenda of this meeting and, I confess, has left me feeling perplexed, confused and not a little upset. It is worrying that I was ignorant of what a large number of SAHGCA branch chairmen think is the right and proper way to hunt, on the one hand, and that they did not want hunting promoted, on the other hand, or certainly not by the Guild.

Whatever the real reasons for and whatever the legality of the decision may be – and there were a number of chairmen who, after the meeting, apparently expressed opposition to the decision although not saying so in the meeting – the decision of the branch chairmen is clearly a vote of no confidence in the Fair Chase Guild and its aims and, as the original proponent, in me personally.

Looking back over the brief six months that the Guild has been an association of SAHGCA, I can honestly say that they have been neither a hindrance nor a help and the Guild does not need the association with SAHGCA to move forward, other than that it will no longer have access to the membership of SAHGCA, many of whom (it was thought) would be keen to join the Guild. How wrong this latter view was.

The question clearly is this, however, if the original proponents were so wrong about the appeal of the Guild to SAHGCA members, is there any point in going forward alone? Gerhard Verdoorn, the current president of SAHGCA and one of the original founder members of the Fair Chase Guild, has decided to remain on as president of SAHGCA for the remainder of his 18 month term and is still keen to continue to develop and grow the Guild as an independent body.

To do this will mean that, at the very least, the Guild will have to develop its own constitution, its own membership certificates and open its own bank account. Gerhard has agreed to complete the design of the membership certificate which he has started, his wife, who is a lawyer, has offered to investigate what will be required to open a bank account in the name of the Guild and I originally offered to redraft the membership forms and attempt a first draft of a new constitution.

In the sober light of day, however, I have asked myself three questions, firstly, can I stay on as an honorary life member of SAHGCA given my close ties to the formation of the Guild; secondly, is it worth pursuing the development of the Guild at all; and, thirdly, how does this affect me personally? In moments like these, I often think of the character in Dante’s Inferno who was condemned to push a boulder up a hill only to find that, when he reached the crest, the boulder slipped from his grasp, rolled all the way down and he had to start all over again. I do not want to be a boulder roller!

I have made my decision. I have resigned from SAHGCA. I will not pursue the goals of the Fair Chase Guild. I will not play an active role in any hunting association. I will stop hunting and become a non-hunter.

I have often felt that, in life, it was important to recognize when doors were opening and closing for you. To walk through the ones that were opening and not into the ones that were closing. For some time I have known that the hunting door was closing in my life but, because it was such an important one to me, I persisted in pushing at the closing door to keep it open. No more. I must accept that, for whatever reason, my time as a hunter has come to an end and move on with the rest of my life, however long that may be.

I am very sorry if this will disappoint anyone or, worse still, make them angry at me but I cannot see any alternative. Fortunately or unfortunately, I have never learnt how to run with the foxes and hunt with the hounds.

For those of you who still want to pursue membership in the Guild and its goals, please feel free to contact Gerhard Verdoorn – nesher@tiscali.co.za.

I have since had the matter explained to me by a lawyer active in SAHGCA circles. He said that those at the forefront of the move to cancel the Fair Chase Guild’s association with SAHGCA, despite professing to be ethical hunters, do not comply with the Fair Chase Guild’s Code of Conduct. They are worried that, if they join the Guild, they will be found out or exposed by their “friends” who know what they do. If they do not join the Guild, on the other hand, they are worried people will say that the reason for their refusal is because they are unethical and do not comply with the Guild’s Code of Conduct. In other words, they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. The Guild represented a threat to them and they had to find a way to put a stop to its activities. All the rest is window dressing.

The Code of Conduct, for example, which apparently became such a bone of contention for these opponents to the Guild is based, almost word for word, on that of Rowland Ward’s Guild of Field Sportsmen, which has been in existence for decades and was drafted by the Chairman of Rowland Ward at the time, Robin Halse and his friend Chappy Scott.

The voting mechanism suggested for the Fair Chase Guild, which also caused such hysteria in the ranks of these opponents, is the same as for the Special Rates Areas in the country, i.e. one vote for every rand contributed, although in the Guild’s case, non monetary contributions were also taken into account and the voting system was both open to debate and amendment by members.

Clearly, these opponents were determined to find fault with the Guild regardless and, in the end, after extensive lobbying, managed to do just that.

But let me return to the closing door. What gave my push back added impetus was the Cecil debacle when I realized there was not one hunting association worldwide that had a public relations strategy worthy of the name. As a hunter I was embarrassed, no, humiliated by the pathetic responses of the bodies to which I belonged and which I thought should be at the forefront of proactively representing us and promoting the critical role that hunting played in conservation.

In my arrogance, I resolved to try and change things and I have failed. I have learnt, yet again, the truth of the old maxim: You can take a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.

Secondly, those who have read my recent books and, particularly, the Conclusions, will also have noted my growing despondency at the failure of almost every African government to recognize that, if they only used their wildlife and wildlife habitats sustainably, they could provide opportunities for all their people in perpetuity and thereby conserve both the wildlife and its habitats. But no, the politicians, army and police personnel who should be at the forefront of these efforts are the very ones leading this short sighted destruction and for the basest reasons.

My recent hunting trips to Mocambique, The Republic of Congo and Cameroon have only confirmed and strengthened this view and I have been taken aback at the increasing pace of destruction, the depths to which it has sunk and the hold that bribery and corruption has gained over the very fabric of society in Africa. It is now the accepted way of doing things at all levels. When I expressed my dismay to a local Congolese recently, his reply was a surprised, “But don’t you know, we Congolese lie all the time?”

To this must be added my disappointment that people in South Africa, who call themselves hunters, can be equally short sighted and also for base reasons. Both groups would rather jeopardise the future ability of their children and grandchildren to enjoy these wonderful, renewable natural resources than change their ways, which they know in their heart of hearts to be wrong. And here I am obviously not just talking about the opponents of the Fair Chase Guild but also those who offer canned killings, domesticate and/or genetically modify wildlife to produce unnatural colour variants and the like.

I do not want to inhabit this kind of hunting world any longer and so, instead of tilting at windmills and continuing to push in where I am not wanted; instead of seeing my energies gradually dribble away and, ultimately, founder to a futile halt, I want to redirect my energies, such as they are, into other and different channels. I hope you will not be angry with me or take me to task for abandoning the good fight but I think it is now time for younger, braver, better men and women to either step up or continue the good fight. Totsiens!

Mr. Flack has contributed more to Africa than most will ever and is the word of wisdom relating to Africa hunting. Perhaps his sobering words were not to the likings of the unethical hunter who is in truth wishing to be called an ethical hunter.

A huge loss for the African hunting community and one can only hope someone else can rise to his absence.

Hopefully some day I will get to shake his hand and buy him a beer to thank him for all the wonderful stories that spurred my interest in African hunting over the span of my life.

I hope he continues to hunt and if not that he enjoys his life.

Here Here!

The only people that have ever made me consider hanging it up or worse, voting against hunting, have been "hunters".

What a huge loss for hunting, and in particular, African hunting. Mr. Flack has done much and we should all be grateful for his contributions. After reading this blog, it is not that difficult to understand his decision.

Thank you, Mr. Flack, for all that you've done for hunting and for your writings that have enriched all of our lives. You'll be missed and appreciated always.

It seems to me that, of all people who could possibly pick up the torch Peter Flack is laying down, the original poster of this thread may be the most likely and capable steward of this significant legacy.

Peter spent many many good years in the bush and was rewarded with some excellent adventures.

I was fortunate to spend a few weeks hunting with Peter in Zambia when he was researching for African Hunter II.

His departure from the hunting scene will be a great loss but I fully understand & agree with how he feels.

The way the world of big game sport trophy hunting has gone in recent years (including it's politics) has been a big disappointment to me also & is one of the reasons I post far less nowadays.

I do however thank Peter Flack for his enormous contribution to the good side of the sport.

It is very sad that we have lost such a voice as his in our hunting world.

While I certainly understand your frustration, please NEVER forget the positive contributions that you have made to the sport and most importantly the positive influence that you have been for hunters!

He got old, probably is somewhat depressed, he got his panties in a wad, and decided to hang it up, rather than fight it out in the trenches. Happens to many of us. Does nothing to distract from his contributions, but he is, in effect, pissing on his past positions and abandoning the future. I would hope that he will reconsider and continue to contribute, even if on a reduced scale.

happens to most of us - you get old, tired of fighting and and arguing and just want peace and quiet

When things are bad, and getting steadily worse, in any situation, we all do get tired of fighting. I get that.

And I agree that, in terms of wildlife policy and policing, the level of corruption, criminality, lack of stewardship and short-sightedness of African governments is at an all time low.

But I am still saddened, and disappointed, that someone with Peter Flack's stature in our community has decided to give up entirely.

Very sad to see. His books are excellent, his videos thoughtful and he more than anybody highlighted the tremendous strides that were made in South Africa in growing wildlife numbers to some 20 million by giving farmers wildlife ownership. This restorancy of farms to wildlife game farms was critical but sadly because of quick money grabs in South Africa, lazy "shooting galleries " style hunting from vans / trucks, canned hunting, and genetic manipulation the whole industry built around wildlife is threatened. With the Zuma problems and greed problems over making quick bucks in a Ponzi scheme the future is uncertain. Cry the beloved country.

This is what we need from our leaders, not withdrawal and surrender, but this:

Cold Dead Hands

Peter, don't give up.

Sad to hear. I met Peter for the first time at last year's DSC convention. He was kind enough to share a considerable amount of time with me recounting his vast experiences. I share his frustrations. And while his reaction is understandable, he has made a tremendous contribution to ethical hunting and Peter if you're lurking at all, I hope you will reconsider.
Yes, younger hunters need to step up, but they would be greatly benefited by your wisdom and experience to help them carry on.

I find this very sad, not only for him personally but for all he has obviously worked so hard to achieve.

It's an unfortunate fact that the end of any way of life isn't brought about from outside forces rather its from fighting for the last scraps from within.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
This is what we need from our leaders, not withdrawal and surrender, but this:

Cold Dead Hands

Peter, don't give up.

+1

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
Sad to hear. I met Peter for the first time at last year's DSC convention. He was kind enough to share a considerable amount of time with me recounting his vast experiences. I share his frustrations. And while his reaction is understandable, he has made a tremendous contribution to ethical hunting and Peter if you're lurking at all, I hope you will reconsider.
Yes, younger hunters need to step up, but they would be greatly benefited by your wisdom and experience to help them carry on.

+1

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
When things are bad, and getting steadily worse, in any situation, we all do get tired of fighting. I get that.

And I agree that, in terms of wildlife policy and policing, the level of corruption, criminality, lack of stewardship and short-sightedness of African governments is at an all time low.

But I am still saddened, and disappointed, that someone with Peter Flack's stature in our community has decided to give up entirely.

+1

What can I do to support the Fair Chase Guild?

Ivan, thank you for posting this disheartening blog.

I hope that Peter continues to challenge South African hunters, those who make a living from hunting, and the so called biltong hunters. We live in an increasingly "anything goes" environment. The contribution he has made to this wonderful sport of ours is significant, and hopefully he will continue to be the much needed concience this industry needs. "non illegitimus carborundum est" - or - "don't let the bastards wear you down!

I looked up the code of conduct for the Fair Chase Guild. I have no problem with it.

This is sad piece to read by someone whom I consider a very worthy individual.

I have met Peter only once when we attended a function of Rowland Ward to which my wife was invited after listing a monster klipspringer in the book.

However, I can still remember being inspired as a school boy by his articles. In a sense he has shaped my whole life by inspiring me enough to actually pursue a decent career to finance some hunting with.
My school boy dream of hunting Lord Derby will probably never materialize but at 42 I have collected enough worthy hunting adventures to be satisfied with life thus far....
Having a wife as a hunting partner has narrowed the horizons of possibility somewhat but on the other hand has brought immense pleasure, love and happiness into our shared experiences.

Regarding his experience with SAHGCA I am not surprised, had he asked my opinion I would have predicted spot on.
I am a member of 3 hunting and shooting associations in South Africa including SAHGCA.
SAHGCA does pursue some worthy causes and I feel they need all the support they can get, however I am not an active member (unlike the other 2 associations), because I get what we call locally the biltong and brandy feel - the quality of a hunting trip is defined by the amount of alcohol consumed, nonsense spoken around the campfire, distance at which the buck was shot and the amount of meat collected.

There is little appreciation for bushcraft and tracking skills, the pleasure of stalking an impala closely and admiring the blunt horn tips and worn hooves of an old animal you have selected to shoot.
You are blamed for shooting an old huge bull because the horns are big and it is a trophy, but the critic have shot the youngster who still need to grow up, procreate and be allowed to age before killed by a hunter.

When all is said and done hunting is a pursuit for gentleman, with the said commodity being in short supply.

I don't blame Peter for his decision - his life and his choices.
I do however mourn the loss to the hunting community of a role model and inspiring figure.
Youngsters need role models from where they can learn the fundamentals of honest and ethical behaviour, to learn to question, and go in search of the qualities of a gentleman and worthy individual in themselves.

The sportsman who remain committed to hunting shouldn't allow the flotsam of society to influence their behaviour and goals.

Shit I'm nearly 66 years old and enjoying my hunting more than ever especially when out with two of my sons who have a great passion for the sport.

I'm glad my grandfathers and all their gallant comrades didn't think like that when on the beaches of Gallipoli.

I can understand cutting back as the body ages and don't I know it, but giving up a lifetime passion completely!!!!!!

Of course each to his own but I can't praise it.

Thank goodness that I still have my great passion for hunting. I can not even imagine how dismal the outlook for me would be if I lost that ...

While I am saddened and disenhearted by Peter's decision, I think we should respect his decision. I have met Peter on numerous occasions he has always been a gentleman and an embodiment of what a true sportsman should be.I will miss his blogs and I hope another hunter will continue the Spiral Horns Club as well as Fair Chase. I have already reserved my copy of what may be his last book and look forward to seeing Peter at DSC. Jerry Hoover

His call. No one else's.......

And you have to acknowledge his contribution

quote:

Originally posted by scruffy:
Thank goodness that I still have my great passion for hunting. I can not even imagine how dismal the outlook for me would be if I lost that ...

Good attitude mate.

quote:

Originally posted by scruffy:
Thank goodness that I still have my great passion for hunting. I can not even imagine how dismal the outlook for me would be if I lost that ...

Amen brother!

Have not seen his videos or his books, but I'll look at this whole scenario in positive way - nothing lasts forever and there is others who are just as good at what he was doing
African hunting will continue
Understanding the frustration, life can be brutal, so let's just go and hunt some more
Hang in there Pete, all is good

quote:

Originally posted by Balule:
This is sad piece to read by someone whom I consider a very worthy individual.

I have met Peter only once when we attended a function of Rowland Ward to which my wife was invited after listing a monster klipspringer in the book.

However, I can still remember being inspired as a school boy by his articles. In a sense he has shaped my whole life by inspiring me enough to actually pursue a decent career to finance some hunting with.
My school boy dream of hunting Lord Derby will probably never materialize but at 42 I have collected enough worthy hunting adventures to be satisfied with life thus far....
Having a wife as a hunting partner has narrowed the horizons of possibility somewhat but on the other hand has brought immense pleasure, love and happiness into our shared experiences.

Regarding his experience with SAHGCA I am not surprised, had he asked my opinion I would have predicted spot on.
I am a member of 3 hunting and shooting associations in South Africa including SAHGCA.
SAHGCA does pursue some worthy causes and I feel they need all the support they can get, however I am not an active member (unlike the other 2 associations), because I get what we call locally the biltong and brandy feel - the quality of a hunting trip is defined by the amount of alcohol consumed, nonsense spoken around the campfire, distance at which the buck was shot and the amount of meat collected.

There is little appreciation for bushcraft and tracking skills, the pleasure of stalking an impala closely and admiring the blunt horn tips and worn hooves of an old animal you have selected to shoot.
You are blamed for shooting an old huge bull because the horns are big and it is a trophy, but the critic have shot the youngster who still need to grow up, procreate and be allowed to age before killed by a hunter.

When all is said and done hunting is a pursuit for gentleman, with the said commodity being in short supply.

I don't blame Peter for his decision - his life and his choices.
I do however mourn the loss to the hunting community of a role model and inspiring figure.
Youngsters need role models from where they can learn the fundamentals of honest and ethical behaviour, to learn to question, and go in search of the qualities of a gentleman and worthy individual in themselves.

The sportsman who remain committed to hunting shouldn't allow the flotsam of society to influence their behaviour and goals.

Very well state, thank you!