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Was it worth it?

March 2, 2012 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

Was it worth it? This question ran through my mind many times after the shot that killed the kudu. It isn’t as frequent any more, but still it pops up now and then. I’ve now been back in Sweden for a couple of days and things have settled a bit. I’ve been able to take it all in and distance myself from the whole event.

Came to learn about hunting

The final two days I had on the farm didn’t include any more hunting. I didn’t want more of it. I felt that I’d had enough of it and instead spent the days visiting a local Himba village, exploring this intriguing culture and also doing walks in nature with the camera as my rifle. It wasn’t that I didn’t want more hunting due to disgust, it was due to me having had the experience and I felt that I’d gotten what I came for. I didn’t go there to collect a bunch of trophies. I came to learn about hunting.

We took an early morning drive back to Windhoek, where the African roads almost kept my body and soul 10 km north of Windhoek, as aquaplaning lead a petrol truck to lose traction and suddenly it came sliding towards us at a police checkpoint. That was one of the scariest moments of my life, as I saw this huge truck come closer and closer only to get control 10 meters away from us and steer the vehicle in another direction, only to crash through the checkpoint with people dodging the rampaging beast. It felt like a Hollywood moment…

Bond with Nature

Back to the hunting and my experience from the event. As mentioned earlier, I have no regrets to what I’ve done. I’ve learned much from this experience and it made me grow as an individual. I now see a bigger picture of hunting, and most of my notions proved me right.

One needs to understand that hunting can’t be perceived as one general thing. There’s a difference between types of hunting, between the methods, between the people running it and their ethos and regards to what you hunt. The people I’ve met, who work with the farm that I’ve visited, are probably some of the most genuine people I’ve ever met, with a very strong bond to Nature and all her children. They live of what Nature has to offer, and as they say themselves, “We don’t want any high volume hunting tourism. We just want enough to be able to sustain ourselves and that would mean 10 – 15 hunters per year.”

They’re passionate about their land and want to keep it alive and healthy. That’s why they’ve transformed it back to what it once was – a wild place where Nature can roam free in harmony with mankind.

Emotions cloud judgement

Killing an animal is not an easy thing and it is a moving event, and I guess that’s what makes us human – our emotions. We’re more or less (depending on the individual) emotionally connected to all living things in Nature. This is also why I see and understand a lot of adversaries towards the concept of hunting. We mustn’t let our emotions cloud our judgment, which is a hard thing to accomplish. I know this, as I’ve done the transition myself. We must face facts – the facts of life and Nature.

My transition means that I still consider myself to have a sound approach to hunting, whereby I understand that not all hunting enterprises are run in the same way, where the bad ones give the whole industry a lousy reputation. I also understand that the reason to hunting also differs individually, where some do it to shoot exotic animals to collect their trophies, while others do it for food and survival. My understanding also tells me that we as human beings are more emotionally attached to certain animals, where the killing of some living creatures are more acceptable.

Hunting means killing

No matter what, all kinds of hunting comes down to one thing – the killing of a living thing and that’s what we must face, whether it is a moose, a leopard, an oryx, a trout, a guinea-fowl, a wolf, a manta-ray or a kudu bull.

As long as the methods and ethos of the hunt are correct and it is being controlled and sustained, the reason for killing is secondary, where some reasons, in my mind are more acceptable than others. Poaching is not one of them!

Listen to Nature

Individuals who engage in hunting and fishing are paramount to the health of the wilderness. Hunting generate funds for maintenance of the wild areas. Fishermen and hunters are often the first to alarm changes that indicate a tilted environmental balance that must be addressed. I know that my visit to the hunting farm means that the area can be maintained for some time. I also know that the beautiful kudu bull lived his life, roaming free in Nature and he gave his life, which provided the family and people of the local church with 208 kg of fresh organic wild game meat.

Blood on my hands

I’m not proud of having killed an animal, but I’m content with it. I don’t see why people congratulate me for it? In my mind they should thank Nature and the bull for what it has given. I guess that I’m still a fanatic bunny-hugger with a bleeding-heart, with the exception that I now have blood on my hands. I still prefer to see animals alive and my preference remains, to shoot animals with my camera, but this doesn’t mean that I’m against hunting tourism. As long as it is done in the way that I’ve experienced it, I give it my full support and I will promote this hunting product through the Green Guerrillas.

The true and genuine hunter help ensure that wildlife has places to live and breed. We mustn’t forget this, and nor must we forget our presence and responsibility in the food chain.

The holistic view

How can we as omnivores say that hunting is wrong while we sink our teeth into a juicy steak?

How can we as omnivores say that hunting is wrong while we dip our tuna-sashimi into the wasabi?

How can tourism enterprises say that hunting is wrong while they proudly present fly-fishing trips?

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I shot it…

February 22, 2012 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

This morning we set out once again under the rising African sun. Yesterday Mother Nature showed us how easily she can outmaneuver humans and question was if she was to do the same today or if she would be more generous?

Baboons and birds

There was a slight overcast on the horizon, which soon came upon us, and provided a soothing cover from the scorching heat. It was a good walk, where we climbed a huge koppie in order to get a view of the area, but got nothing in sight and therefore continued along the dry riverbed. All was calm with the baboons giving us the occasional shout and the birds warning their surroundings of our presence.

We walked for about two hours as we approached an area where the remains of a once majestic Elephant lay spread out with bones and dried skin. Apparently this Elephant died on this spot, after it had been shot by a farmer or a cattle keeper in the area. Only wounded, it continued but eventually fell to the ground and died a slow and agonizing death.

Hunting the solution?

The issue and clash between humans and Elephants once again get evident when you see the effects of this, once huge living thing. The problem with predators and elephants on cattle keeping and farming is prominent in Africa, but little is done to find a sustainable solution. Yes, the predator numbers can be kept at bay through hunting, but Elephants that cause a lot of trouble is still illegal to shoot. Farmers do apparently often shoot at the elephants to keep them away from their grounds, only hurting them, which can lead to a slow and painful death, while also making them angry and hostile towards humans. Many say that permitting hunting of the elephants should be applied as part of a solution, as the numbers are far too great and the problem grows. Sooner or latter culling is necessary to be done, to sustain the population and to save natural areas destroyed by them. So why don’t apply a continuous cropping of the numbers?

The moment of truth

As we walked onwards from the fallen Ellie, our tracker suddenly spotted a Kudu about 200 m away from us, behind some trees. All of a sudden I froze inside and started shaking. I could feel adrenaline starting to pump through the system. Was this to be my opportunity? The nerves started to play tricks on me and I started to reflect whether or not I should go through with this or not? These thoughts were brief and an instinct kicked in and slowly and quietly we moved closer to the target. The one kudu was actually part of a group of four, one female and three males.

This was the moment of truth and we moved into position. I put a round in the chamber and removed the safety. I was shaking…Adrenaline was pumping in my body and thankfully I could rest the rifle on a steady branch of a tree to gain extra stability. The oldest bull was right in front of me with his back towards us. The wind was in our favor and I was told to hold the shot until the bull moved a bit, to uncover his side. I looked in the scope and I could see the bull starting to move with the rest of the group. With the rifle held firmly in my hands with the sight set on the triangle above the front leg of the bull, I was told that now was my chance, he was showing his side…

Ethical killing?

When I first was approached to try hunting, I was a bit skeptical to it, as I had no previous experience of hunting and nor did I have much experience of shooting a rifle. How can the ethical killing of an animal be upheld based on these criteria? Can I be taught enough in one day of practice and teaching, to make sure I can take out an animal without unnecessary suffering? These thoughts have been following me the whole time and even though the introduction was thorough and the books telling me exactly where to aim to provide an immediate killing shot, I had my doubts.

What had I done?

I couldn’t really remember the whole event right afterwards, but I’d pulled the trigger and the bang had sent my hearing into a dull ringing tone. I could see the group dispersing in every direction and the bull too, only to hit the ground after five-six meters.
I’ll be honest to admit that I wasn’t sure if I’d hit it at all or if I’d injured it. I knew that I had the sight set in the right area, but given the fact that this was my first time and that the bull was actually moving, I couldn’t be sure. All I knew at that time and place was that I was shaking like a leaf, the bull was down on the ground with his back legs kicking and I was filled with regret and guilt. What had I done?

We approached the bull and the tracker concluded that the bull was dead. It was apparently a perfect shot to the heart that had sent him to an immediate death without much suffering. Though this was a relief to hear, I still felt remorse for my action. This noble 300 kg kudu bull, the older of the group, was lying dead on the ground thanks to my actions. I had done this, no one else. The blood was and still is on my hands.

No trophy photo

I refused to take any trophy photo of the bull. That just isn’t what I want and I see no glory in it. In fact I see it as a great disrespect towards the animal. But I guess it is all up to the hunter to decide on this. The killing has been done and that’s the end of what really matters. I sat down next to the bull and thanked him and Pacha Mama for what they had given to us. This bull will feed many people in this area. Today Pacha Mama decided that this was my turn. I’m not a religious person in any way, but at that moment I thanked for what was given.

Flood of emotions

After a few silent moments with the bull I came more and more at ease with the situation and the remorse was turned into gratefulness for having been given this opportunity. The regret and guilt was still present, but I would say that this shows that you’re emotional and in tune with reality and nature.

I realized later on that the moment before the shot was fired, that I relied on my instincts. You get one opportunity to take that shot and this I’d been told, but I still can’t remember thinking about taking a shot or not. An instinct acted and pulled the trigger.

Feeling disgusted

I’m not trying to glorify this whole episode in any way. I did do it. I fired the shot that killed this magnificent living creature and I’m to be held responsible for it. I admit feeling disgusted about it, when I saw him lying there in a puddle of blood and mud. It wasn’t pretty and there’s no glory in it. At least not from my point of view. But I don’t regret doing this and nor do I feel any shame in it.

Hunting is a fact and mustn’t be perceived that all types are the same. There are different types of hunting, where some are better and some are worse.

No regrets…Rest in peace

I did my hunt by foot under the same sun as the animals. We tracked them and tried to outwit them, but as the majority of times, we were in fact outwitted by Nature. There were no cars only feet walking and the fact that we got lucky today was the fact that the wind was on our side. The animal was killed in an ethical way, from an ethical hunt.

With the outmost respect for Nature I know that what she gave us today was a gift that will benefit many. I know that every part of the animal will come to good use and I also know that it will feed those in need, both the family and staff of the farm, but also others, as it will be donated to the church in Kamanjab this coming Sunday.

No regrets, but sadness for this fallen majestic creature. I write this post in honor of the male kudu, whose life I took today. Rest in peace…

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Nature vs Hunter 1-0

February 21, 2012 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

The first day of hunting and the first day ever as a hunter!? It was with mixed feelings that I set out with the hunter and the tracker this morning, with the sun rising in the east behind the thick and green vegetation and numerous koppies in the distance.

A tough day

The area is without a doubt incredibly beautiful, especially now in the rainy season, with the lush green vegetation. It is thick with the grass growing high and the hunter told me that hunting in this period is very hard, as the animals are well hidden with a great advantage on their side. I was prepared for a tough and long day, as there was no overcast in sight and the sun would soon come down on us hard and hot. Though it was only the wee hours of the morning I could already feel the heat striking my winter-pale body. It was gonna be a tough day.

Koppie after koppie

The farm has frequent numbers of oryx, zebra, kudu, warthogs, baboons, klipspringer, dik-dik, jackal and elephants together with an abundance of birds. The leopard also frequent the area and it didn’t take long before we spotted tracks from the leopard.
The heat was really taking its toll on me, and with the thick vegetation that we had to work our way through together with the heavy climbs up on koppie after koppie, I was already sore in my body. Is all hunting this tough? We climbed the koppies, which is a massive rubble of giants pieces of rock that form tall hills. These are tough to climb, but a necessity in order to get a good overview of where you might spot wildlife. It was quite a windy day and it was nice to feel the breeze, blowing through your sweat soaked clothes, cooling you a bit in the boiling heat. The wind was however not a good thing from a hunting perspective.

Tracking oryx

We managed to spot a herd of oryx in the distance between two koppies. We made our way down the koppie and tried to approach the location where we’d spotted the oryx, without having the wind reveal our presence. The tracker found the tracks, but as we arrived to the area, the oryx was gone. The wind had apparently notified them about our presence. We fought our way through the dense vegetation to the next koppie and climbed it in order to get an idea of their whereabouts. The wind was really telling on us and this procedure continued until we had to give up with exhaustion and a bit of frustration.

Outclassed by Nature

We made our way to the farm and finished our 20 km walk. It had been a tough morning, but I really enjoyed it. Tracking the animals, trying to find them, fighting the elements of wind, heat and earth. The animals was in full control of our whereabouts and moved without sound as we approached. Nature was clearly a worthy winner today and it shows that the animals are smart and very aware of their surroundings.

I hail Mother Nature for her win over the hunter today. She completely outclassed us. We didn’t stand a chance as the elements were against us.

Cheetah project

After a delicious lunch and a good rest we set out in the afternoon by car, climbing koppies and hunting for wildlife and birds to shoot, but this time with the camera. We also took the opportunity to visit a cheetah project in the area. Apparently there’s an abundance of cheetahs in Namibia, with numbers bigger than what can be handled. This creates conflicts like so many others between man and larger predators. Cattle keepers and farmers often shoot cheetahs to protect their own and these aren’t always deadly and instead wounds the animal.

This project takes care of injured cheetahs and detains troublesome individuals, taking them to their grounds in order to try to rehabilitate them. This doesn’t always work.
It was a nice experience to see these big cats up close. They really are majestic creatures though their bodies certainly are a bit out of proportion. I can tell you that being licked by a cheetah is a weird experience…It’s like sandpaper being rubbed up and down your leg. But then again…Who can turn down a full grown cheetah this privilege?

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The Killer Shot

February 20, 2012 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

We continued northbound at 3:30 in the morning. Our next stop was the farm, just outside of Kamanjab, and as we pulled in at around nine in the morning I can conclude that it was a long journey without doubt and with almost 35 hours of travel in a car, you feel quite rough afterwards. That is a fact!

Cattle farming or hunting

More or less the whole of Namibia is divided into private farms where many of them then are divided into smaller farms. The hunting farm that I’m visiting is a 12 000 hectares unfenced farm that borders with two other farms of similar proportion and setup, providing a huge area for the wildlife to roam free. It’s amazing to see the difference between the vegetation of a cattle farm and a hunting farm. Even though we’re currently in the rainy season and the vegetation is green and lush you see a very evident difference between the two. Cattle really do destroy the vegetation. One should take this aspect into consideration when you look upon hunting tourism and hunting farms.

Low volumes

The farm is owned by a private family who takes care of the area and lives off, together with their staff, what it has to offer in terms of wild meat, tourism and own grown crops. The owner makes it very clear that this farm doesn’t want big volumes of hunters coming to their farm, in fact, they wish to keep the number low. This is what they believe in and this is how they will run their farm.

Find my aim

After a cup of tea and with a delicious lunch in between, the basics of hunting was taught, with a majority of the time was spent to test fire the rifle and set the aim in order to become as comfortable as possible with the rifle. Much emphasis was put upon where to aim in order to drop the animal with minimal suffering.

Though this part was the skeptical one in my eyes, on how a first time hunter was to be given the option to hunt without any previous experience or license, I felt more and more at ease as the afternoon went along. I got comfortable with the rifle and I put the shots where I aimed, while the whole time being told about factors like movement, wind and the importance to aim in the right area. I’m not sure if this feeling and confidence will be present when the moment occurs, but for now I felt I had got enough. I spent the evening before falling asleep, reading a very descriptive book on “the killer shot” in order to make sure that the possible suffering was to be kept to a minimum.

Macho and chauvinistic?

The assumption I brought with me from home, that hunters are all macho and want to show off in a chauvinistic way was quickly erased. The amount of passion and respect that was shown and told by the hunter was touching. It was genuine and I don’t doubt that it was all a show. It was real.

Tomorrow we’ll be heading out early in the morning for my first real hunt. I have no idea how I will react, but I do feel quite comfortable at the moment.

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Back to Africa

February 15, 2012 By Jeppe Leave a Comment

I’ve been invited to come and experience and see a small-scale sustainable hunting farm. I want to empower my knowledge further and therefore I will travel to Namibia to check it out. The farm is a former cattle farm where cattle has wrecked the balance on the 12 000 ha of fenced grounds. Now the balance is being restored and after all cattle was removed, the fences were torn down and nature was invited back into the area to take over and to put it all back in balance. By removing the fences the natural migration patterns of the wildlife has been restored and they are free to roam the area.

Hunting to sustain life

Here in this area a family is trying their best to survive, far away from civilization, off what Nature has to offer and by inviting hunters to participate in hunting of herbivores on foot under the hot sun. The income generated by hunting is giving the farm the finances to be maintained while giving the family a livelihood.

I’m not sure how I will react to this or if I’ll be able to take it all the way and actually kill an animal. I don’t have any urge to do so, and nor do I have any fantasy of bringing home a trophy to put on the wall in my living room. I’m doing this to learn and to open my mind in order to see the bigger picture of our presence in Nature.

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