Latest mag is out and I do enjoy Errol Masons articles about Sambar. But can someone give me an answer to this? In the article on the African hunt, how come when a local hunts animals its called poaching? I mean they (the locals) have been there for awhile. They must be starved for protien. Why is it that when a local hunts meat to feed his family, either with the meat or with money made buy selling bush meat, its poached?

I have hunted in that particular area with one of the trackers in the pictures and know the hunter and his PH.
This area is communal land where they have a quota on the taking of wild game of which most of the meat goes to the community.
Obviously if some one takes it upon him self to kill game out side of this government controlled quota it is considered poaching and this would be the case in any country.

I think the locals should get to hunt first then the outsiders get the chance.

The locals don't have US$ to help fund communal medical centers, schools etc.
Oh, and certainly no $$ for the Council leaders Black Merc.
Don't forget these are poor people which hunt via the use of cruel wire snares where a big percentage of the kills often are rotten by the time they return to check the snare.
With the meat that paying hunters shoot, there is absolutely nothing wasted.

Nyama.

Give the locals open access to the wild life and they will eat the lot in a year.