Hunting [antikvár]

When my great-grandfather came to South Africa in 1850 and FflIPUIflIVllanded at Port Natal, hunting was a way of life. Every family living rUICWUlUon a farm relied on the rifle. Wildlife was prolific and provided foodand skins. My grandfather and great-uncles were transport riders,taking goods from one side of Natal to the other, and the rifle wasnever far from their side; they hunted to supplement their foodsupplies or to keep predators away from the draught oxen.As a child I grew up in the Transvaal highveld and in Natal. I have early memories of being given, successively, a catapult, an airgun and a .22 by my older relatives. The big herds had gone by that time but there were birds and small game to hunt. Stalking doves on the edge of a mealie field or grey duiker in dense coastal bush gave me an understanding of and a deep love for wildlife. I read every book I could lay my hands on, from Fenimore Cooper's Last of the Mohicans to books on identifying birds.It was as a result of my hunting that I became a game conservationist and my early hunting experiences helped me when I was a young game ranger in Zululand. In later years, when I started the Wilderness Leadership School and travelled to America, it was hunting-orientated organisations that gave me funds to teach people about the real value of wildlife and wild country. The true hunter in the modern context knows better than anyone how important it is that there should always be something for his sons and his grandsons to hunt. In Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States and other countries, wildlife continues to exist because it is the hunters who have helped to preserve the species and, more importantly, the habitat.In recent years it has become fashionable to denounce hunting. Albert Schweitzer's reverence for life ethic is cited as the main argument against hunting, but people do not really understand what this great man meant. Schweitzer kept a gun while he was in Africa and used it to shoot the snakes and predators that threatened his domestic stock. I believe that his reverence for life statement is not a contradiction, and that on some mornings or evenings on the African river near Lambarene he had intuitive insight into what today we call ecology. Hunting has always been and will continue to be a vital part of the conservation scene. But there are some hunters who can only be termed pathological, and one bad egg is enough to give the whole clutch a bad odour.This is why Aubrey Wynne-Jones's book is so worthwhile an addition to the hunting literature. It sets out in a clear manner exactly how the prospective hunter to Africa should behave and plan his trip. Practical details, ranging from getting feet into proper condition, to suitable vehicles and food, drink and medical requirements, are dealt with precisely. The choice of rifle for use in Africa is most important, because there is nothing worse than wounding an animal. This book provides the basic information on rifles as well as where to shoot an animal and how to track it.It is a worthwhile book not only for the first-time hunter to Africa but also for those employed in wildlife conservation. Every game ranger starting his career could profitably spend time reading it.Mention must also be made of the drawings of André de Villiers. They are excellent and enhance the book immensely. In time to come the book will be valuable Africana.