https://ke.opera.news/ke/en/bu...=14b5e00c200705en_ke



Hunting permits extended by 6 months



business thecitizen.co.tz

2020-07-05 08:18:05


Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (Tawa) has allowed hunting companies to carry out their activities for six more months to serve tourist who have started tricling in slowly as countries around the world begin easing their Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the hunting companies were given only six months to do their work but this year the firms will enjoy twelve months of operations.

Tawa said yesterday that wildlife hunting business opened this month and would run for one year to allow traders to tap into the slowly recovering tourism business that has been disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The international travel bans aiming to contain the spread of the coronavirus have had a negative impacts on tourism business in Tanzania and the world in general where hunting and photo-tourism industries provide a chief motivation for wildlife conservation and much of the funding that sustains it.

Speaking yesterday during the ongoing 44th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF), the deputy commissioner for tourism and business services Mr Imani Nkuwi said: “We have decided to extend the permit for six months to allow them cope with the slowly recovering tourism business. A country like the United States where most of the hunters comes from is still under a lockdown.”

He explained that even as airlines have started to land in Tanzania, there is still a need to allow more time for hunting business as the number of hunters is expected to increase.

As of March 20, there was limited movement of tourists, including those entering Tanzania from regions with known Covid-19 cases, including the United States. When the number of Covid-19 cases rose, the restrictions became tougher, thus affecting Tanzania’s tourism market, popular with photo-tourists and hunters alike.

Yesterday, players in the hunting business were upbeat about the business in the coming days with the Tawa Mr Nkuwi calling for traders interested in opening up game meat butcheries to visit their offices and obtain permits.

“We allowed the sale of game meat following instructions from President John Magufuli. We have already formulated regulations, prepared licenses and set procedures to be followed by interested people,” he said.

Hope it is enough...

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
Hope it is enough...

It is not.

I doubt that many people will be hunting Tanzania this year.

A few may be, but not many.

I thought because of seasonal rains that much of TZ was unhuntable from late November to early April?.

Generally, yes but some areas in Masailand are available if you choose to risk the severity of the "short rains". Risk reward factor in full affect.

quote:

Originally posted by Dahav:
Generally, yes but some areas in Masailand are available if you choose to risk the severity of the "short rains". Risk reward factor in full affect.

Yes, it can be done but as my son and I found out last December in Maswa North (Bushman Safaris/Mike Fell’s area), it can be incredibly wet and muddy. We only got stuck 100+ times during his 10 day buffalo hunt. We had several days where we spent 3-5 hours of The day getting the truck unstuck. Had a great time but I doubt we’d hunt that late again.

quote:

Originally posted by DLS:

quote:

Originally posted by Dahav:
Generally, yes but some areas in Masailand are available if you choose to risk the severity of the "short rains". Risk reward factor in full affect.

Yes, it can be done but as my son and I found out last December in Maswa North (Bushman Safaris/Mike Fell’s area), it can be incredibly wet and muddy. We only got stuck 100+ times during his 10 day buffalo hunt. We had several days where we spent 3-5 hours of The day getting the truck unstuck. Had a great time but I doubt we’d hunt that late again.

Yes, thats not good and its impossible to "time" those rains. I was in Masailand once in late November and the rains started. Not hard rains, but just showers every other day- so we were very lucky.

The bottom line for operators is that the extension of the season will not help them much as some don't have access to areas in the North and the uncertainty of the rains.

If this year is anything like last year in the rainfall department, best that you bring a raft and leave the rifles at home.

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
If this year is anything like last year in the rainfall department, best that you bring a raft and leave the rifles at home.

We could have, literally, white water rafted the river that runs along the boundary between Serengeti National Park and Maswa Game Reserve.

So, in other words this season extension is just much ado about nothing.

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
So, in other words this season extension is just much ado about nothing.

The Wildlife Authority needs a reason to get The Full Block Fees from the Outfitters. There is No other income ... TIA

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
So, in other words this season extension is just much ado about nothing.

Still leaves May - July in 2021 as a huntable period. I could see doing a June hunt there.

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
So, in other words this season extension is just much ado about nothing.

The "short rains" are indeed short, can come with a vengeance which will make for a miserable hunting experience. but can also show up in a mild form like a damp squib.

To stay on the safe side, one would be better off eliminating the dates starting mid-November to mid-January from the Tanzania hunting program.

Mid-January onward and especially in the Masailand areas, it is "hunter's heaven on earth" and an experience not to be missed.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
Hope it is enough...

It is not.

I doubt that many people will be hunting Tanzania this year.

A few may be, but not many.

Yours might be the only extensive hunt report we'll read here this year.

It seems a lot of African government expect people to just flock back to them once they open their borders and airports, and don't really factor in any other parts of the equation.

quote:

Originally posted by BushPeter:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Opus1:
Hope it is enough...

It is not.

I doubt that many people will be hunting Tanzania this year.

A few may be, but not many.

Yours might be the only extensive hunt report we'll read here this year.

It seems a lot of African government expect people to just flock back to them once they open their borders and airports, and don't really factor in any other parts of the equation.

Mike Fell is there now. Seems to be having a great trip. Glad to see some new pics after all the s l o w d o w n.