HUNTING
ABOUT
HUNTING AT BOSCHPOORT SAFARIS
Boschpoort Safaris believes in ethical hunting and culling practices as part of conservation and to aid in the game management plan of the greater Mabalingwe. Our game is free-roaming established herds that have been on Mabalingwe for over 20 years.
What is ethical hunting?
Obeying all applicable hunting laws and regulations is one thing, but being an ethical hunter or outfitter is another. All illegal acts can be considered unethical, but not all legal acts can be considered ethical. Ethical hunting encompasses respect for the environment and wildlife, where the individual has and follows strong moral principles guiding him/her to hunt in a responsible manner to ensure the conservation and protection of the hunted species. Our ethical hunting principles include:
-
Fair chase is applied to every hunt: Hunters walk and stalk their prey and no hunting from vehicles is allowed.
-
No tracking collars or any other electronic devices are used to give a hunter an unfair advantage.
-
With over 8000 hectares, animals are established in their natural habitat and no animal is placed within an enclosure, drugged, or moved from one habitat to another.
-
Ethical hunters have practiced their marksmanship before bringing their skill to the hunt. It is not always possible for a hunter to dispatch an animal immediately. If this is the case, the hunter should take responsibility and handle the matter immediately, ensuring that the animal is tracked and dispatched quickly and ethically.
-
Hunters never shoot beyond their capabilities or capacity.
-
We respect a dispatched animal by ensuring that every part of the animal will be used, leaving nothing to go to waste.
-
No alcohol is consumed before or during a hunt.
-
We respect the views of individuals outside the hunting community and handle each hunt with discretion. Firearms will be stowed away, and dispatched animals covered when returning from the hunt.
-
The Firearm Safety Act is always adhered to.
-
We make sure that hunting takes place in a safe environment, ensuring that all necessary roads are closed off and that there are no people or buildings in close proximity to the hunting grounds.
-
Setting an example for younger and novice hunters through acting ethically and responsibly, respecting each other, the animals, and the environment, and guiding them in the fundamental moral principles we have been taught.
WHY HUNTING IS CONSERVATION
Conservation can be defined as the preservation, management, and restoration of a resource in order for it to be sustainable and not become exhausted. Every country around the world has a different conservation model and unique fauna and flora, and because of cultural, economic, and educational differences, the concept of hunting varies in different parts of the world. How hunting contributes to this conservation model will also differ. South Africa is home to the world’s most iconic wildlife and also home to some of the world’s deadliest predators. Animals are kept in reserves and on privately owned farms to protect them from poaching and to protect their natural habitats from being destroyed. In return, urban and rural areas are safe from free-roaming predators, which would otherwise be killed to protect the human population. When animals are placed on a reserve, farm etc. the owners of the land take responsibility for the management and sustainability of the fauna and flora in the borders of that land. In order to be successful in preserving the balance and integrity of the land and all that inhabit it, a management plan needs to be in place.
WITHOUT PROPER MANAGEMENT, THE FOLLOWING WILL OCCUR
A piece of land can only successfully sustain a certain number of animals before vegetation loses its ability to recover, leaving the animals without a food source. If one species becomes overpopulated, not only will that species starve to death, but also leave others that consume the same food source or natural predators of that species to also starve. Lack of vegetation leads to erosion and inevitably permanent damage to the ecosystem.
If genetic diversity is not introduced into the gene pool, inbreeding among smaller herds can occur. This leads to poorer reproductive efficiency including higher mortality rates, lower growth rates, and a higher frequency of hereditary abnormalities.
HOW HUNTING ADDRESSES THESE ISSUES AND MORE
-
By effectively controlling the population of a certain species and preventing population explosions, especially where there are no natural predators, it allows time for the land to regrow and be self-replenishing, thus ensuring enough food for all species on the land.
-
When trophy animals are hunted (old males) it stimulates the gene pool and adds genetic diversity to the older male’s herd by allowing younger males from other territories to mate with the existing females. This is necessary to ensure healthy and genetically diverse populations.
-
Income generated from hunting can be reinvested in buying new game (young and healthy animals) to add to the genetic diversity and maximize breeding potential.
On Mabalingwe, hunting/culling forms part of our game management program and income received from hunting goes toward the costs involved in game management, and the protection and preservation of wildlife on the reserve.
