At CITES 1989 the delegates were told that it would cost US $ 200 per square kilometer to protect Africa’s elephants in their natural... »
Field Notes Blog
TO FILM OR NOT TO FILM? (Part 4)
A good cameraman is one who is easily forgotten; that is not to say that he must be boring, but rather he in no way impinges upon the smooth running of the hunt, and yet manages to get all the footage required and is a useful helpful member of the team. In this way... »
TO FILM OR NOT TO FILM? (Part 3)
What qualities should one expect in a professional wildlife videographer? What constitutes a good cameraman? Aside from being conversant with his/her equipment a hunting videographer needs to be personable and have the ability to remain calm and steady in times of stress. Those who are methodical, some call it anal, in their approach to... »
TO FILM OR NOT TO FILM? (Part 2)
Most hunters toying with the idea of having their prospective hunt filmed are worried about the extent that a cameraman will interfere with the success of the hunt? Are potential trophies lost because of a cameraman moving and making too much noise? Are these concerns off set by the prospect of getting a professionally... »
TO FILM OR NOT TO FILM? (Part 1)
Before man developed the skill of recording events by writing them down he relied upon story tellers to remember the details and pass them down from generation to generation, an oral tradition. The memories of these story tellers were vast and well developed; they were able to accurately relate verbatim information given to them,... »
Grey Ghost of the Bushveld. (Part 2)
Kudu are most active in the early morning and late afternoon, lying up during the heat of the day in woodland or in thickets. Where they are subject to disturbance, as in farming areas, they are nocturnally active. They are shy and retiring animals and in crossing open areas or when approaching water to... »
Grey Ghost of the Bushveld.(Part 1)
The mere whispered, wishful thought of hunting kudu sends hunters’ heart rates racing. What is it about Kudu and kudu hunting that can cause ‘buck fever’ like no other antelope? If anything Kudu are the antipathy of excitement; they are the masters of calm restraint, and ‘hide and seek’. Their camouflaged inactivity stretches with... »
Outdoor Photography.
Everything in nature happens in cycles. But the way light falls on a scene changes with each moment. While the basic elements of photographic composition haven’t changed, low-cost digital cameras make it easier than ever for amateurs with no special training to take quality outdoors photos. Whether pointing the point-and-shoot camera is the whole... »
The dreaded tinnitus.
Every serious hunter, who has not protected his\her ears while shooting, is at huge risk of varying degrees of hearing loss, and suffering from tennitus. You don’t believe me? Next time you are sitting around the fire in a safari camp count how many times the professional hunter says, ‘ excuse me what was... »
Water Divination for the thirsty.
Finding water when lost in the African bush can mean the difference between life and death. One can last without food for considerably longer than without water, particularly in the relentless African heat. There are areas where surface water is abundant and one’s only concern is to filter the water to ensure that it’s... »
Truffles.
A truffle is the valuable and highly sought-after edible body of a group of underground fungi. Truffles are held in high esteem in continental cooking and have, because of the high price they command, been called the ‘diamond of the kitchen’. All truffles have a symbiotic relationship with the roots of several tree species... »