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By Jacob Barnett
Well here it is! The time of year all of you hardcore whitetail fanatics have been waiting for since the 2008-2009 season has came to a close back on the 15th of January. Today is February 5th, and the deer are starting to shed there antlers here in the Midwest. The passion and drive too find a monster set of sheds in this area is an addiction all hardcore hunters have this time of year!
Everyone of us has a drive to pick up antlers this time of year, some more than others ! My brother, Scott, and I have been shed hunting for quite some time know and we cover a lot of ground this time of year. Some of the bucks in the area are holding there wonderful headgear, but yet some are letting it hit the ground so shed fanatics like us can go around and try to pick them up before the squirrels do some damage too them. Scott and I were picking sheds up in Pike County on January 24th . The bucks over there seem to drop a little earlier than they do in the other parts of Illinois.
How do you find Antler Sheds? This is a question that I am asked over and over. There are guys and gals out there that ask me how I pick up so much bone (antlers) every Spring. They can walk there boots off and not pick anything up all year or maybe pick one or two up in a year. My theory is, you have to know your areas and the deer that use it. Eyesight is another major key to finding these magnificent pieces of antler laying in the grass or in a standing stalk field. For instance, my brother and I will train our eyes at the beginning of the year with some sheds we have picked up in the past . We will go to the woods or a grass patch and one of us will go hide the sheds in the area using the same scenario as it would be us out there looking along trails and bedding areas. This gets our eyes trained and ready to go out and look for the real thing. Shed antler eyes are like your morel mushroom eyes. You develop the same thing in your mind.
Walking Food Sources.
Another Key to our success is late season food sources. If you can drive around food sources, such as food plots, standing cornstalk fields, bean stubble fields, or even some hay fields. Go take a drive around those areas and see what is out there in the evenings feeding. A lot of bucks are rebounding from the rut and need to replenish there body weight. We walk a lot of trails from the food source to back to the bedding areas also. The trails that skirt the edge of the fields are also hot spots for picking up bone (antlers). Another spot we try and concentrate on are south facing hillsides with food somewhere close around. The deer seem to like these spots because they are out of the bone chilling north or northwest winds we tend to have this time of year and the southern sun can keep them warm. Concentrate on major trails that have fence jumps on them. Creek crossings are also good areas to pick up bone(antlers). We also spend a lot of time in waterways which are the low spots in the fields. The deer tend too like these spots because they are out of the wind and out of sight from us hunters.
Carrying a good pair of binoculars is also a key to our success in the field for picking up shed antlers. A good pair of binoculars saves you a lot of walking. I have done it many of times even with binoculars around my neck walking and glassing a stick , but still having to walk over too it just to make sure I was seeing it right. We like to use our binoculars glassing down cornstalk rows also. You will notice they will save you a lot of walking around in the cornfields.
I hope that I can help you put a little more bone on your fireplace with this article. Maybe even find the biggest shed antlers of you hunting career. Remember to pack a lunch and some water, and get you a good comfortable pair of boots. Memories in the field will last a lifetime. Good luck this year, and Happy Hunting!

By Chuck Hawks with Bob Fleck

I’d been sitting partially concealed behind the low branches of a small deciduous tree for over half an hour. I was waiting for the silver trophy class (estimated) cinnamon Dall ram that guide Shane Abbott and I had selected to work his way into the clear and present me with an acceptable shot. The small band of sheep of which he was part had endured a tough morning and were spooked. They were tending to stay closely bunched and were unusually wary.

The shooting position known to shooters and hunters as “sitting” is not the most comfortable to assume for an extended period of time. However, it is the unsupported field position from which I prefer to shoot and I was determined to out-wait the ram. I watched the flock both over and through my Leupold 3-9x40mm riflescope, which at that moment was set for about 5x magnification.

Shane and Guns and Shooting Online Technical Advisor Bob Fleck had taken Shane’s truck and driven off to execute a wide loop around and behind the sheep’s position. The hope being that the noise and disturbance created by the vehicle when it passed behind them would move them in my direction so that I could get a shot.

The plan seemed to be working as the sheep filtered out of the stand of small trees in which they had sought shelter and onto more open ground. They were also moving generally toward my position, but the rather brisk wind was steady and in my favor, so I wasn’t particularly worried about them getting my scent.

As the sheep slowly worked their way closer they nervously changed positions, but never in such a way as to give me an unobstructed shot at my prey when he was either broadside or facing in my general direction. I could not risk wounding another sheep, nor would I take one of Elmer Keith’s famous quartering away shots. My policy on the latter can be summed up as, “never shoot at an animal’s ass.” So I sat there, hunched over and as completely motionless as I could manage.

I had glimpsed this particular Texas Dall ram the previous day, and just after dawn this very morning, both times without an opportunity for a shot. I was hoping our luck would change, mine for the better and his very much for the worse.

The range from my position to the sheep slowly decreased as they moved toward me, nervous but not panicked, by the noise of the vehicle in the distance. The range dropped to 50 yards, and then to perhaps 35 yards, and I still hadn’t gotten an opening for the shot I wanted. Other sheep were constantly either directly behind or in front of my selected ram, or he was facing the wrong direction for a shot during the brief moments he was in the clear. Nor could I afford to move a hand to reduce the magnification of my scope to its lowest setting now that the sheep were practically in my lap.

At some point, and pretty quick, one of the flock would notice me and the jig would be up. My outline was partially blocked from their position by intervening leaves and branches, but I was not entirely concealed. Fortunately, sheep are not the smartest animals on the planet, and their sense of smell is not as acute as a deer’s, although the wind remained brisk, steady, and blowing directly from them to me. Nevertheless, the time that I could remain there undiscovered was rapidly running out. Sheep have good eyesight, particularly for motion, so I was careful not to move.

The range had gotten down to only 25 yards when, finally, the sheep blocking my chosen ram stepped forward and I had a full view of my target. He was at that moment pretty much broadside to my position. The scope’s crosshairs were steady on his body where I figured the bullet would go through both lungs on a course for the offside shoulder.

My finger took up the last of my Larry Brace built custom Husqvarna rifle’s 2.5 pound trigger pull and the 7×57 bucked against my shoulder. The cinnamon Dall ram simply collapsed where he had been standing, his front legs folded under his body. His back legs kicked a couple of times as I worked the bolt to chamber a fresh cartridge, so I drove a second bullet through his chest and all movement stopped. (For pictures and an article about this rifle, see http://www.chuckhawks.com/husqvarna_7x57_rifle.htm )

That second bullet was unnecessary, as I was sure that the first had gotten both lungs (it had). But, a cartridge is cheap compared to the cost of a Super Sheep hunt on the Double C Ranch in Texas and I was willing to waste one for insurance.

Chuck with Texas Cinnamon Dall ram. Photo by Bob Fleck.
That is the way our April 2007 hunt ended for me, as the cinnamon Dall ram was the second of my two allotted sheep. Here is how it started.

Guns and Shooting Online reader and contributor Dr. Jim Clary had booked a Super Sheep hunt with his wife and daughter late in 2006 (see “Return to the Double C” on the Hunting Stories and Articles Page) and had a great time. It sounded like a good idea to me, so Bob Fleck and I booked our own Super Sheep hunt for mid-April, 2007.

Last year at the Double C my guide had been Shane Abbott, who is a game biologist as well as professional guide, and I specifically requested his services again for this hunt. A guide who knows more about the animals than they know about themselves is a gem, indeed.

The basic Super Sheep package is for two hunters, three days and two nights at the Double C ranch, and includes one Aoudad sheep and any three among the ranch’s Jacobs (4 horn), Texas Dall, Corsican, painted, and Hawaiian sheep. In addition, two feral hogs are also included in the package. Since we had previously hunted with Jeff Myers (“HuntingWithJeff.com”) on the Double C ranch, we knew that our chances of seeing a rare and elusive Aoudad were minimal. So we had three sheep that we might realistically bag and two hogs to divide between us.

The two hogs were easy to divide, but dividing three sheep (not including the Aoudad that we, correctly, figured that we would never see) by two hunters doesn’t work real well, so we decided to share the purchase price of a fourth (non-record) sheep. That gave each of us a realistic opportunity to collect two sheep, and possibly a hog. Bob was particularly interested in bagging a black Hawaiian ram and a large feral hog, while I was focused on a Texas Dall ram and had no particular interest in a hog.

Jeff Myers owns the Double C ranch (named for his lovely daughters Carly and Courtni) near the town of Crystal in South Texas and has the hunting concession on neighboring ranches, so the total huntable area controlled by HuntingWithJeff.com amounts to something like 22,000 acres of lush land with plenty of water and vegetation to support a bountiful supply of game. 28 hunters–full capacity based on double occupancy–on 22,000 acres with some 60 available stands means that there is never a crowd. In fact, you rarely if ever encounter another hunter on the Double C except at meal times. There is a lower hunter density on the Double C than there is in the high Cascade Mountains during the Western Oregon deer season in my home state.

And Jeff just keeps improving his operation. He told me the business is his daughters’ inheritance, and the beautiful Carley is now the ranch’s office manager. (Last year when we were at the Double C she was a Hostess.) The Double C is an absolutely first class hunting ranch in every way. There are 14 three-star class hotel rooms designed for double or triple occupancy, a very nice recreation room, outdoor and indoor bars, gift shop, swimming pool, fishing pond, 25 yard pistol and 100 yard rifle shooting ranges, informal clays shooting, three meals a day included in all packages, and all of the amenities you would expect at a good resort. The best feature (beyond the hunting, of course), is the friendly and accommodating staff.

The Double C Ranch. Photo courtesy of Hunting with Jeff.
While on the subject I should mention that Jeff offers hunts for a wide variety of exotic animals year around, as well as hunts for native Texas game (in season, of course) such as feral hogs, javelina, whitetail deer, turkey, upland game and game birds, varmints and small predators (coyote, fox, etc.). For more information about the Double C, see the HuntingWithJeff web site at: www.huntingwithjeff.com

Bob and I arrived at the Double C ranch after two days of travel. Reveille for me the first morning had been 7:45 AM and driving from Eugene (Oregon) to Portland, flying to Dallas/Ft. Worth (Texas), and then on to San Antonio got us into SA at about midnight local time after interminable airline delays. On arrival at San Antonio we collected our luggage and took a shuttle bus to the Hertz rent-a-car emporium to pick up our reserved vehicle. Knowing that we would clear the San Antonio airport late, we had reserved a room for the night at a local motel; a wise decision, as by then we were tired puppies.

The next morning, after a leisurely breakfast, we drove generally south, departing San Antonio on I-35. A couple of hours and a couple of highways later we reached the town of Crystal, and shortly thereafter the nearby Double C ranch.

We checked-in about 2:00 PM and immediately hit the ranch rifle range to verify that the airline baggage handlers had not managed to knock our scopes out of alignment. (They hadn’t; kudos to Leupold and Redfield for building solid products.) After that we had time for a nap before dinner began at 6:00 PM, followed by an evening hunt from one of HuntingWithJeff’s many elevated stands.

The nearby Box Ranch is where most HuntingWithJeff clients are taken to hunt for sheep. That first night I saw plenty of whitetail deer, a couple of elk, and numerous blackbuck in the vicinity of my stand, but no sheep. We had gotten a glimpse of a glorious cinnamon Texas Dall on our way to my stand, but he did not put in an appearance that night.

Bob was luckier as the band we later ravaged paraded past his stand, but he held his fire, preferring to still-hunt the next day. He was treated to the sight of a couple of Corsican rams butting heads to establish dominance, just like you’ve probably seen North American Big Horn sheep do on TV nature programs. An impressive sight in person, as I was to discover the next day when I was treated to a similar show.

The next morning we were up early for a quick cup of coffee in the dining room at 6:00 AM and then off in the pre-dawn blackness to another pair of elevated stands on the Box Ranch. This time Bob’s stand drew a blank, but at first light sheep began wandering down the dirt road leading to the automatic feeder that my stand overlooked. (It’s both legal and common to bait animals to a stand in Texas.) Unfortunately, my only glimpse of a good Texas Dall–my primary objective–was at extreme range and moving away. In this group, however, was a representative, but not record class, 4 horn ram.

That “non-record” distinction was important, as I decided that this would be the “extra” sheep the price of which Bob and I had agreed to split. The difference in fee between a “trophy” and a non-record sheep is several hundred dollars, so it pays to be careful. Thus I passed-up two larger and possibly trophy class 4 horn rams, concentrating instead on my intended victim, easily identifiable due to his light colored coat.

This flock was relaxed and reasonably dispersed, having not been shot at recently. I let my intended ram wander as close as I figured that he was going to get–the animals seem to pay no attention to the elevated blinds–and when he stopped broadside to my position I let a 139 grain Hornady BTSP bullet fly. Hit through both lungs, he dropped at the shot and never got up.

Chuck’s representative Jacobs (4-horn) sheep on the ground. Photo by Chuck Hawks.
This might be a good time to mention that the airlines and the TSA require ammunition to be in factory packages, so factory loads are the easiest solution for the hunter who flies commercial. Both Bob and I had carefully zeroed our 7×57 rifles for their maximum point blank range using standard Hornady Custom ammunition, which claims a MV of 2700 fps for a sleek, 139 grain Interlock boat-tail spire point bullet. This is a fine load for all CXP2 class game.

Shooting is easy from one of those little enclosed, fiberglass blinds. A chair is provided for the hunter and there is a shelf running around three sides of the blind’s interior, below the shooting ports. (The forth side is where the door is located.) I had even thought to borrow a face cloth from our room, which I folded and used to pad the forend of my rifle when I rested it across the sill of blind’s shooting port.

In the West this kind of hunting would be strictly forbidden, but I had learned last year during a hunt on the Double C Ranch (see “Texas Feral Boar/Aoudad Sheep Hunt”) that Texas hunting is very different from hunting in my home state of Oregon. I had also learned to go with the flow and adapt to the local hunting rules and techniques.

When Shane arrived in his treasured, 4-door, Ford F-150 4×4 pickup at about 9:00 AM to collect me and my 4 horn ram, I was ready for breakfast. A stop at the Double C’s barn sized cleaning shed, where Shane quickly dressed and skinned my 4 horn ram (customers do not field dress their kills when they hunt with Jeff), and we were off to the dining room for a hot breakfast and plenty of fresh coffee.

After breakfast Bob and I clambered back into Shane’s wonder truck (you should see the cool, remotely controlled spotlight he has on the roof) to cruise the ranch roads in the area Shane knew the sheep to hang out, looking for a Hawaiian and a Corsican for Bob and a Texas Dall for me. Once located, we would stalk these sheep on foot. This is similar to the way we typically hunt deer in Oregon and a more familiar method for Bob and I than shooting from a blind.

That South Texas country is green and lush in the Spring, offering plenty of cover for animals who wish to remain unobserved, so it took a while to find a mixed flock of sheep. This band included a very nice full curl Corsican, probably the best ram we were to see the entire time (Shane estimated him to be “silver”), and Bob decided to take him.

After a short stalk to within about 25 yards, Bob waited with his rifle supported by an impromptu rest for a clear shot at the heart/lung area. Then, as Shane and I watched from the cab of the truck, Bob’s 7×57 Mauser 98 based custom rifle spoke and the ram dropped. A second shot into the chest for insurance and the morning stalk was over except for loading, transporting, and cleaning the ram. We were keeping Shane busy (and bloody).

Bob’s fine Corsican ram. Note the typically thick vegetation in the background. Photo by Chuck Hawks.
We were back at the Double C by lunchtime. Best not to miss one of the excellent meals prepared by the Double C kitchen staff! Bob and I were feeling pretty good as we lingered over coffee. We had each collected a ram that morning and we had the rest of the day and the next morning, if necessary, to look for more.

So look for more we did. After lunch Shane took us back to the same area in which Bob had harvested his Corsican to see if we could find the flock again. After considerable cruising we spotted some sheep in a stand of low trees. A black Hawaiian was conspicuously present, so Bob began his second stalk of the day. This time the flock was understandably nervous about the presence of our vehicle.

A deadly game of hide and seek between Bob and the sheep ensued, with Bob eventually forced to take a standing shot at the black ram. The ram fell at the shot, but the bullet hit a couple of inches too far back, and he regained his feet and staggered off. Two more shots were required to put him down for good. These sheep are not very smart, but they are tough.

While all of this was going on the remainder of the flock had naturally quit the scene, but they did not have time to go far. So, with Bob’s Hawaiian ram in the back of the truck, we were able to locate the survivors in another stand of low trees not far away. Shane, knowing that I was primarily interested in a Texas Dall, pointed out an excellent cinnamon ram with a 3/4 curl. This was the same ram that I had seen before. Now it was up to me to outwit a sheep, and the stalk began.

As you read at the beginning of this tale, that cinnamon Dall’s luck eventually ran out and I was successful. We were back at the ranch complex in time for dinner that night, while poor Shane had to clean and skin our third and fourth sheep of the day. It’s a lot less work to be a hunter than a guide on the Double C ranch.

For me a very successful hunt was over. Theoretically I could still take a feral hog as part of my package, but I had no interest in so doing. Two big game animals in one day were enough for me. But Bob still wanted to shoot a good feral hog, something that we had not managed to do the previous year, although Bob had harvested a medium size pig at that time.

So, after dinner Shane and Bob departed for a stand on the neighboring La Espuela ranch where Shane hoped that Bob might find the boar he sought. These South Texas feral hogs are relatively intelligent and definitely wary. They are frequently hunted, and they know it. As a result they are almost completely nocturnal, especially the biggest (and therefore oldest and wisest) individuals.

Big feral hogs are almost always shot from stands near water and feed after sundown. There is a relatively short window of opportunity between when the hogs begin to venture out of hiding and when it is too dark to see the crosshair in your scope or clearly make out a target. There are a surplus of feral hogs in South Texas, but bagging a braggin’ size boar is an uncertain business at best.

On this particular night Bob got lucky, but first he was unlucky. A very large hog, perhaps 250 pounds or more, was the first to appear near his stand. Unfortunately for Bob, the owners of La Espuela maintain a pair of bison on their ranch. These animals are, you understand, not to be hunted or harmed. There are just there for atmosphere.

Bison are not only the largest animals native to North America, they are also notoriously unpredictable, as well as accustomed to doing pretty much whatever they please. No other animal dares to oppose them or stand in their way. On this evening the bison were lingering near Bob’s stand. One of the bison took a dislike to the large boar as soon as he appeared, and in an instant wheeled and charged! The big boar, being no fool, immediately bolted into deep cover to evade the bison, ending any chance Bob might have eventually had for a shot. The bison, clearly pleased with himself, walked over to Bob’s stand and looked Bob straight in the eye from a distance of only a few feet.

Fortunately, as darkness descended, the bison lost interest in both Bob and feral hogs and wandered off maybe a hundred yards. At the tail end of the available shooting light a group of four good sized hogs emerged from the underbrush. The largest among these was well worth taking, but for a time Bob couldn’t shoot for fear of his bullet passing through the biggest boar and hitting one of the bison, now wandering around behind the hogs.

Eventually the bison cleared Bob’s line of fire, the biggest hog turned broadside, and Bob dropped him with the first shot, which (we later found) blew through the boar’s lungs as intended. However, a hog that big is tough and Bob was taking no chances in the by then near total darkness. He put two more bullets into the front half of the big boar before it stopped moving.

From left: Bob, 216 pound boar, Shane. Photo by Chuck Hawks.
When Bob and Shane got back to the ranch it was after 9:00 PM, and poor Shane had a fifth big animal to clean and skin before his day was finally over. First class guides like Shane deserve every penny they make. At least we were able to give him the next morning off, as we had limited-out our hunting package except for a single hog that I had no intention of shooting.

A good night’s sleep followed by a hearty breakfast and plenty of time to pack before setting off on our long journey home the next day turned out to be a wise precaution. Due to additional weather delays, we did not finally arrive home until about 4:00 AM the next morning. And American Airlines no longer serves any meals on domestic flights.

Being as we were about 2000 miles from home and traveling by commercial carrier, we donated the meat from all four of our sheep and Bob’s boar to a church in Crystal City with which the Double C ranch has an arrangement. The ranch butchers and processes the meat for them at no charge to help feed the poor. And that way we didn’t have to trouble the airline to check boxes of bloody meat onboard as extra baggage. Goodness knows what the TSA security people would have made of that!

A Super Sheep “Hunt With Jeff” on the Double C ranch is not inexpensive, but the experience and the memories are worth far more than the price!

Submitted by Crystal Davis

According to a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, roughly 23,000 African elephants were killed for their tusks in 2006. As a consequence of illegal ivory poaching, elephant numbers are dwindling in many west, central and east African countries. However, in southern Africa, where 58 percent of the elephant population resides, numbers are rising to problematic levels. Scientists are now beginning to explore alternatives to culling in order to sustainably manage expanding elephant populations.

The Problem of Overpopulation

South Africa’s Kruger National Park is famous for providing international tourists with the ability to view Africa’s “Big Five”: the elephant, rhino, lion, leopard, and buffalo. Currently, the Park is home to roughly 14,000 elephants, a 75 percent increase since culling was stopping in 1994. With a growth rate of six to seven percent a year, the population is expected to double by 2020.

Elephants inflict a heavy toll on surrounding vegetation, consuming up to 660 pounds of grass, leaves and twigs each day. As populations increase beyond the capacity of the land, both elephants and other important species are at risk of hunger and conflict over resources.

monster-deerBy Warren Potts

I am a Blackfoot Indian from the Peigan Nation and the Blood Tribe here in Alberta. I am 38 years old and have been hunting my whole life. For 10 years I have also successfully guided for trophy whitetail and other big game here in Alberta. Over the years a lot of trophy whitetails have been taken on our reservation. In fall of 2003 I had the permission and certified guides for a mule deer hunt in a prime area just outside the reservation.

I got my hunting gear together, cleaned my rifle, a 7 mm Remington Mag with iron sights. I also made my lunch, knowing it might be a long day. My nephew Jamie and I discussed the area where we would be hunting, as we had not been there before. All my supplies were ready to go by 10 p.m. I was not able to sleep well that night. Tossing and turning may have been a sign of excitement thinking about big bucks. However, I managed to get a few hours of sleep and was ready to go.

My alarm woke me up at 5 a.m., and I was up in a flash. I turned on the coffee, went downstairs, and woke up Jamie. Over breakfast we talked about the scouting that our guides, Jason Abery and Jeff Anderson, had done weeks prior in the area. They said they had spotted a lot of big bucks, five of which were about 180 or better. We planned to hunt in Southern Alberta, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, near Cardston, Alberta. This area had been known to house many monster mule deer and was familiar to my guides. I was excited because this was my first time in the area. I wanted to look at a lot of bucks; my goal was to settle on a 180 or better. As we hit the road, destined for Cardston, Alberta, we discussed our strategy. This was open country with a lot of coulees and open prairies. I knew wind direction, scent, and camouflage would be a factor, but we were prepared for all situations.

We pulled into Cardston at 7 a.m. to meet our guides. I introduced them to Jamie. After a brief visit we were on our way. As we drove to the area we would be hunting, we started to see packs of deer, which looked like little herds of cattle, in each field and coulee. We were able to park and glass the huge area with spotting scopes. For the first half hour we spotted 10 nice bucks. My heart was racing because of the number of deer in the area. I was looking at one particular buck in the herd that would have scored 180 or better. Jeff suggested I hold off, as we would drive to another area to glass the field for the monster buck he had seen weeks before. We stopped the vehicle, got out, and spotted about five nice muley bucks and 20 does. As we were glassing the area, Jason tapped me on the shoulder and said, “I want to show you something that will score 200 or better.”

I looked into the field close to an old dried up ravine and saw the buck of my dreams. Jamie and I started up the ravine downwind of the buck. As we got closer and closer I would peek over the edge every 50 yards. I was closing in on the deer. The last time I looked over the edge I was approximately 300 to 400 yards away. With my hands sweaty and my heart pounding, I almost decided to launch a shot from there. Then, crawling on my hands and knees, I decided to close the distance to 100 yards. About 200 yards from the buck I looked over the hill for the last time; the buck looked right at me broad side. I froze on one knee and within a split second I threw a bullet into the chamber, placed my iron sights on his front shoulder, and squeezed the trigger. I hit the buck through the front shoulder. The buck stood there as if the bullet did not phase him. I threw another round in and was ready to deliver a second shot when the buck started wobbling, ran backwards and dropped. I did not feel like celebrating just yet, until I knew he was down for sure.

As I approached, the first thing I noticed was the spread and points on the buck. He had such a big body I couldn’t believe it – the biggest mule deer I had ever seen on the ground! When I got him on the ground I looked at his teeth. All he had was just a couple of teeth left on the bottom right side. He probably wouldn’t have made it another winter with his age. We estimated him to be from 10 to 11 years old. His antlers may have even been on his downswing; who knows how big this buck really was in his prime a few years before. We brought him back to Jeff’s place and hung him up. All my friends and co-workers came over and admired him, and we took a bunch of pictures. We estimated him to be in the high thirties as far as spread, but it wasn’t until we were at Jeff’s that we had the chance to pull out the tape measure. We were amazed to find that this 10 x 9 buck was 41-inches wide!

After the drying period this amazing buck measured out to 40 ¾-inches wide with a score of 236 gross and 226 net B&C non-typical. He had a 32-inch inside spread along with 28-inch main beams to go with massive eight-inch bases. Bucks here in Alberta had scored higher, but not too many had been able to put together this kind of a package with amazing characteristics on the antlers and body size. Alberta usually grows them heavy and tall, but to get a legit 40-inch wide buck in 2003 was truly an incredible accomplishment. I would like to thank my wife of 20 years Joan, my daughter Kara, and my dog Macey for their love and support over the years.

Specs:
Gross score 236

Net score 226

40 3/4 greatest spread

Eight-inch bases

32-inch inside spread

28-inch main beams.

300 lbs. plus

10 x 9 non-typical

Estimated 10 – 11 years old

Shot with 7mm Remington Mag., iron sights

One shot

150 grain shell

Shot by Warren Potts

Guides: Jamie Eagle Bear, Jason Abery, Jeff Anderson

“Have you ever sat around the fire and not had smoke in your eyes?” The shadowy face across the campfire asked, with a hint of humor in his voice. I blinked, trying to clear away the tears that blurred my vision. A swirl of smoke circled the campfire, then again drifted in my direction. Once again I moved to the other side, trying to avoid the eye-burning residue of scorched wood.This time throw on some dry wood so the fire will burn instead of smoke, and then I’ll tell you how he got his bear.

The calm night air was warm, but we kept the fire burning high anyway. Embers were glowing bright red as the flames fought their way upward, struggling to spread their light into the darkened night. We had no need of a lantern. The reddish glow illuminated the faces of the strangers near the fire. Each hunter had brought out his favorite bottle of bush juice, so the camp table was well stocked with refreshments. It rested in the shadows behind someone, I didn’t know who. I was still putting names to the faces of our new hunters.

I popped the top off a beer and found a chair on the upwind side. I could see the hesitation in their eyes as these new hunters questioned bear hunting techniques. Many hunters unfamiliar with the habits of bear believe that baiting is the only recourse for a successful hunt. When asked, it took me only a moment to think of a story that would describe a past hunter’s success.

We were on an early May hunt, and before the end of the first day I was faced with an unsettling reality. My guide, Heather, had produced two black bears, one a chocolate brown weighing 350 lbs., and the other a black, about 250 lbs., (while I, the omniscient outfitter, still had four bear to produce.) Her hunter Bo Andersson, from Sweden, had finished his hunt two hours into the first day, taking both bears off legumes on an old oil lease.

Hans Andersson, no relation to Bo, shot a raggy yellow bear of 200 lbs. on his second day, after sitting on a stand until his butt was sore. Not being particular about killing a second bear, his ambition dwindled when he thought of his calloused behind, but at the mention of driving back trails, spotting and stalking, he was sitting on the truck seat before I could pack a lunch. We loaded our gear and set off to fill his second tag, herding the pickup down an old pot-hole-filled road that led us into a chain of logging blocks.

Almost slipping the clutch in first gear trying to sneak even more slowly up the small hill that emptied onto the side of another logging block, we crept forward. Straining every vertebra in our spines, we stretched forward over the dash trying to see the other side of the hill before the pickup reached it. We held our breaths as we silently reached the apex of the ridge. In one glance I caught sight of a monster bear feeding on grass on the opposite bank.

“There’s a bear” I blurted out in a rush of words, and pointed out its direction to Hans, using my index finger as a guide. I had no doubt it was well over 300 pounds, a mature bear that made few, if any, mistakes. I hit the brakes, stopping all movement toward the unwary animal. The black bear hadn’t seen us. Hans, taking one look at the huge bear, reached for his rifle and a handful of shells.

Hans’s eyes twinkled at the prospect of bagging this large black. With a rush of adrenalin he shifted his look from the moving animal, to his ammunition, to me, then again back to his trophy. “What are we going to do? What are we going to do?” he questioned in a subconscious voice, barely hearing his own words.

By now the time was nearing noon and the sun poured down its spring heat . A swirl of dust spiraled along the road in our direction, telling us that the bear was upwind. We were lucky. The wind gave us a great advantage. It covered any sounds the truck may have made, and since the bear was upwind, it would not smell us. I considered visual contact between the bear and the pickup equally important so I did not wish to discuss strategy until we were out of sight of the unsuspecting animal. Almost without thinking my foot came off the gas pedal and I slipped the pickup into reverse. As silently as we climbed the ridge, the truck reversed it’s direction and retreated from the bear’s sight.

I had barely parked the pickup when Hans sprang from the vehicle, his rifle in one hand and his monopod in the other. Excitement had truly overcome Hans, and he fumbled, trying to load his rifle with ammunition. I scooped up my binoculars and camera off the truck seat and leapt out to join my hunter. In only a few seconds we reached the crest of the hill, where we could again see the bear and plan a stalk with some degree of strategy. The bear was a pleasant sight to see, and for a short time we studied the animal’s movements and the terrain we would have to traverse.

In a methodically slow manner, the black bear walked away from us, heading up the embankment toward the tree line bordering the far side of the logged block. It seemed that, at every other step, a tender shoot of young vegetation caught it’s attention, and the dark figure stopped to nibble. The bear seemed in no hurry, yet I knew time was of the essence. Eventually this trophy would leave, and I needed to get my hunter into a position close enough for a clean kill before this happened.

When the bear reached the treeline we held our breath, expecting Hans’s trophy to vanish in the darkness of the forest forever. To our surprise, the bruin browsed along the edge of the timber for a short time, then slowly turned and walked in our direction. Each step brought this bruin closer to us. As if suddenly tired, the black bear stopped beside a large stump and sat on its haunches facing us. Like the many black stumps that dotted the vastness of the clearing, this bear looked like just another remnant of the logging industry. Camouflaged against the backdrop of evergreens and stumps, we marked the location at the base of a lone pine, then carefully began our stalk.

This was the break we needed. It had been feeding on this hillside the entire spring, and this terrain seemed to be home. There was shelter and protection in the nearby forest whenever it was needed, and this omnivorous animal had a smorgasbord of vegetables in the openness of the logged valley. Contented, it sat on its rump, perhaps planning on sun-bathing for an hour or two. This would only be a short break from its feeding, and we needed to take advantage of our good fortune.

Hans had set up his monopod and had his rifle resting over it, waiting for the word to fire. In the past I have seen many bears missed or, even worse, merely wounded, and I wanted to take no chances with this one. Although I had full confidence in his shooting, I felt a 250 yard shot was just too far for that type of shooting stance. Tension had peaked in my hunter and he was tempted to take the shot anyway, but the wiser decision to move closer overruled.

In a half squatting, half stooped position, trying to stay out of sight of the bear, we worked our way down the dry washed-out ditch toward his trophy. Even the slightest movement from us would arouse the senses of this aged bear and perhaps put an end to our stalk.

Carefully we picked our way closer, avoiding the tangle of dead willows that sometimes layered the floor of the ditch. One snap from these tinder-dry sticks and this hunt could be over. Finally we reached the last embankment that offered a clear shot for Hans. Ever so carefully, I peeked over the wind-blown bank to double-check our position with the black bear. We were dead-on with the bruin. The distance was near one hundred yards, and I felt more comfortable about Hans taking his shot.

With his eyes fixed on his trophy, Hans set up his monopod, rested his rifle over it, and took careful aim. The bear took a 180 grain bullet in the chest at little more that 150 yards. The animal instantly bolted downhill, throwing dirt and grass in the air in an effort to gain more speed. In less than a moment the animal disappeared in the willows. Whether he was dead under a shrub, or was wounded and escaping through the undercover of willows, I couldn’t tell. We were too low in the valley to see into the shrubs. In a desperate attempt to spot the fleeing bear, I ran as fast as I could back up the hill to where we had started our stalk. Still, I could see no sign of this powerful animal.

Puffing from the climb, Hans caught up to me on the ridge. “It was a good shot!” he said, in his Swedish accent “The cross hairs were right on the middle.” and he pointed to the center of his chest, indicating where the bullet should have hit.

I needed to double check, to be certain of what happened, so I asked, “Are you sure, you didn’t pull the rifle when you fired?”

With little to no thought, he answered sharply, “Absolutely not”.

Not knowing if the black bear was dead or wounded, I thought it would be wise to let some time lapse before tracking what could now be a very dangerous animal. If the animal was wounded, extra time would allow the bear to stiffen, and perhaps increase our chances of tagging this trophy. An hour passed as we anxiously walked back and forth on the road. As it always is, the wait was painstakingly long. Suspense was gnawing at us, and finally we could wait no longer. I left Hans on the ridge to watch for movement while I worked my way to where the bear had been sitting.

The evidence that I found told me that the animal had not gone far. The tracking time was short, and I found Hans’s trophy piled against the first group of willows that lay in it’s path. The bear’s last efforts had been in vain, and he had collapsed within 30 yards.

An array of photos were taken, and then the work began. I had planned to move the animal toward the truck, but after taking one look at the bruin lying on the ground at my feet, I knew I had seriously underestimated the female’s weight. The truck would definitely have to be moved toward the bear! Hans and I could do little more than turn her onto her stomach so we could take the photos we wanted.

Flames burst higher and sparks twisted their way upward, eventually disappearing in the blackened sky. The red glow illuminated the relaxed expressions on the faces of the new hunters. Someone slowly stood and stretched his tired traveling muscles. “Did you see any other bear?”, he said. He turned as I began to answer, and made his way through the shadows to the refreshment table.

“We lost count of the number of bears spotted, but between the four hunters and two guides we saw 25 to 30 bears in six days. Most were decent sized bears that the average bear hunter would be happy to tag. Hans was looking for something special. He already had a yellowish-coloured bear and was satisfied, so unless the animal had some special characteristic, it would be left alone. The other group of hunters had seen their fair share of bear too, but they were more concerned about tagging a wolf.”

The hunters smiled as they mentally visualized the game they might see on their hunt.

To book your hunt or if you have any questions regarding our services please contact owner, outfitter-guide Louis Shilka by telephoning 1-780-685-3815 or faxing 1-780-685-3300 or by e-mail at outfitting@telusplanet.net

By Alex Cote
For one reason or another, some of us will decide to take a vacation/hunting trip in the future. For many of us, this will be a first time adventure. Knowing where to look and some basic questions to ask, hopefully our first trip of this type will not be the last. With the 2006 sportsmen show season prepares to get underway, now is the time to look in earnest.
Be Patient in Your Search
First and foremost, don’t jump at the first outfitter that you come across. NO MATTER HOW GOOD THE DEAL SEEMS TO BE! This is not to say that you won’t choose that outfitter in the end, but exhaust all of your other options first.
Once you have a plan, a deer hunt, elk hunt, bear hunt or fishing trip, begin to collect your information such as, season dates, license fees, transportation restrictions, lodging and meals. Then, pick a date that suits you and your group. If you are going with family, time most likely will not be a huge factor. But with a group it becomes a consideration.
Determine How Much to Spend Early On
Next, talk cost. Skim through each brochure with the cost in mind and weed through the pile. Don’t discard the higher priced outfitters, set them aside. Now, decide what you want for accommodations. Many times, here is the place that substantial savings can be found. A Hotel/Motel can usually fill most needs. If traveling in a group, housekeeping units are even better. Many of the trips that I have put together have been in this type of atmosphere. We have had everyone be responsible for one supper. We have stayed in contact with each other so not to duplicate the meals. One person becomes the trip/menu planner. The planner purchases the rest of the needs and the cost divided among the group. Toilet paper, paper plates, lunchmeats, breakfast needs, all of this is included. We have always included hot lunch meals for nasty weather days such as soups. We have gone as far as whole turkeys and 10 pound hams. When you can arrive a day earlier than your time begins, it’s useful to get organized. Cooking a turkey will give you a supper that night and will give you lunch meat for a few days. The ham can double as breakfast in the form of ham and eggs and supper in the form of ham and beans. Both usually readily available at reasonable prices. If you are planning a late spring or early summer fishing trip, and are camping out, this perhaps wouldn’t be particle open fire table fare. This isn’t to say that it can’t be done. Some trips that I have been on, depending whom are doing the cooking, nothing is impossible over an open campfire. During past experiences where I have stayed in a Motel, I have taken small propane stove and managed to cook up a few smaller meals. This combined with home-style meals (all you an eat type) available in most parts of the country, you can make due and pack on a few pounds if not careful.
Check the information that is with in your price range now and see what is offered for the type accommodation that you are interested in. On a recent trip to the south, we stayed in a house owner by the outfitter 7 or 8 miles from the main hunting lodge. We were put into a mix with 5 other hunters. Our guide gave us meal tickets daily for a local restaurant a short drive from where we were staying. We left the house daily at 5 AM or earlier. We were on our own for any breakfast. When we returned from hunting between 11 and 12 o’clock, the first thing on the agenda was lunch/breakfast. The first day at the local eatery, they had southern barbecue. That night for supper, southern barbecue. Day two, southern barbecue for lunch and southern barbecue for supper! For those of you that haven’t experienced southern barbecue before, for a couple of meals it is fine but it grows old fast. It consists of fried chicken, fried fish, pulled pork, salisbury steak, mashed potato, corn bread, and a vegetable that changed from corn to green beans. I was told by our new found southern friends that the salad bar offered was a real treat; usually they don’t have them with barbecue. The last day that we were there, we realized that there was a take out menu offering a variety of hot and cold sandwiches including burgers and dogs. Had we only known this after day number 1! The folks that we shared the house with got desperate and tried out the local Chinese and Mexican dining facilities. They came back for barbecue.
Finally, Pick Up the Phone
Once you have narrowed the selection down to five or less outfitters, it probably isn’t a bad idea to start making telephone calls. Before dialing the phone, make a list of questions. Make a form type list asking each outfitter the same questions. Some of the questions that should be asked would include: How many animals per square mile. How long has the season been going on at your time of arrival? How is the hunting done? Clothing needs and expected weather conditions. If no game is present, will you be moved? Game care, is it done for you or do you take care of your own. If it is done for you, is there an extra cost. If meals are part of the package, are special diets taken into consideration. If any type of medical conditions exist, how far is the nearest hospital and how long will it take to get there. What type of facilities is close by if there isn’t a hospital to handle your medical concerns? Game limits and tag availability. When are tags applied for and if a tag is not drawn or available, what happens to any required deposit monies? What is the cancellation policy? Ask for a list of references and ask for satisfied and dissatisfied customers alike. Then, CALL THEM! Don’t hesitate to contact any and all state agencies governing fish and wildlife information. Some states even offer a list of outfitters. Much of this information is readily available online. There are maps showing game densities for a given county. Harvest information by date for previous years is also available. It is even possible to purchase hunting and fishing licenses online. Permit availability is also accessed online.
The Importance of Booking Agents
The computer age is upon us. Using the services of a booking agent can be invaluable. Most often, you will not save a penny by talking to the outfitter yourself. Typically, the outfitter pays all cost associated with the booking agent. But, buyers beware, there are some less than honest so called booking agents out there. Case in point, a friend of mine answered an add in a small sporting type paper booking caribou hunts. He made the call and the person that he spoke with only had limited opening for one week. When my pal asked me, I was skeptical, something was out of sorts. After making several calls on my own, I found out that the add was placed by another hunter looking for a buy 6 get 1 free deal for himself and his brother. Another words, for every 6 hunters that were booked that week, 1 went free. This cat was offering the world to my friend. No weight limits in, free food, free fishing and free game care. Right or wrong, these things happen all the time. Ask the booking agent the same questions that you would ask an outfitter. Then, go one step further, ask the booking agent if he minds if you contact the outfitter directly. After, it is your hard-earned money, you want to know up front what to expect with out hidden costs and surprises.
On a recent trip to South Carolina, things that seemed too good to be true, were just that, to good to be true. It was at a notable Southern Plantation at a late season discounted rate. The daily bag limits were increased due to the lack of does that had been harvested. The trip was mid December. The generous daily bag limits were one buck, one doe and one boar per day. My nephew was elated. I told him that I had a feeling that if we took two deer apiece, we probably would be doing well. Well friends, he took a doe the first evening and I never saw a deer for the entire hunt. Not bad for 36 hours of driving! All was not lost, we did have a good time out of 7 hunters in one lodge and 14 in the other, only 5 deer and 3 boar were taken during the three-day hunt. That’s hunting. We saw plenty of deer sign, but I didn’t take into consideration that these deer had been hunted for three months already. And, on plantation property, over 6oo deer had already been taken. My bad!
How Much, or When, to Tip
Guide tipping is another area of confusion. If a guide goes the extra, and spends time with your party, does the little things well, a tip is in order. Don’t confuse going the extra with doing what is expected of him. Case in point, the prior mentioned trip. Our guide was young, he seemed to be on top of what he was doing and where. However, two things jumped out at me. The first, after the day’s hunt, we never saw or heard from him at all. After the second night, I mentioned this to him and he just shrugged it off. The next thing was him taking us into an area that was to be off limits to him and us. I actually recognized the area as a spot he had put me in on a prior mornings hunt. Then, he told us that the party that was leaving as we arrived had complained to the boss that they had been taken in there too, getting him into a little hot water.
I don’t consider myself cheap, ask guides that have benefited from parties that I have put together in the past. Needless to say, he performed his duties on the low side of adequately. To me, after what had already been paid, not worthy of extra funds.
As far as guides and outfitters going the extra, I have some of my fondest memories from the Canadian boys. They go the extra with out being asked. New Brunswick deer camps, Labrador fish camps, Quebec caribou and remote Quebec fishing lodges, the gents of the great white north do things right. I will also attest to this, where meals have been included, they don’t do barbecue!

by Benton F. Iles

I am a retired Soldier of 25 years in service. After spending many hunting seasons deployed to places like Somalia, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, one of my goals upon retirement was to try and make a hunting trip out of state somewhere every year or so. So to honor my service to my country, in November 2008 near Excelsior Springs, Missouri my great friend, Matt Hartwig, invited me for a muzzleloader hunt on one of his farms. My wife approved the purchase order and issued the kitchen pass so off I go.

Matt had sent me trail cam pics of his deer and obviously Missouri being home to many record book deer, I had to say yes. My brother-in-law and I made the long drive from central Louisiana to west central Missouri. The weather was supposed to be cold and snowy, perfect for deer hunting!! We arrived on a Friday, the day before season opened. Since we did not know anything about the way the land was laid out or the deer patterns, we were completely at the mercy of Matt and his research. Obviously being from Louisiana, I had to cook up a pot of camp gumbo for all of us. With the heater on in the cabin and food on the stove, we started off opening morning at one of Matt’s farms and saw some does and little bucks, but no big one. Matt had shared his trail cam pics as I said and I noticed that some of the pics looked like they were in the same place. Now understand, Matt had already had 4 or 5 good bucks killed on his farms the week prior during gun season. So the deer were being shy and nobody had seen a couple big ones that we knew were in the area.

One big deer in particular that nobody had seen in two years except on trail cam was ole “Crab Claw”. So when Matt told me that the pics had been taken within 600 yards of his camp house, I had to try it out. I made my way to the stand about 1 pm opening day. We thought it might be a little early but since the deer were spooked and not acting in a typical manner, maybe I could get lucky and see a mid-day buck! I had only been in the stand 45 minutes or so when I see a good buck jump a fence and start running almost directly toward my ladder stand. I could not tell for certain how good a buck he was but I knew he was a shooter outside the ears. It all happens so fast when you see a big one as most of you know; so I grunted in hopes of stopping the buck to get a better look. Sure enough he stopped about 35 yards from me but he stopped directly behind a mock orange or hedge apple tree. I could not see his antlers completely but he was a shooter. I almost did not shoot because I am a bow hunter at heart and never take a shot unless it is a completely open one. I remember telling myself, “What are you doing? You have a gun in your hands, not a bow, shoot that deer!!” So I took careful aim with my Knight Disc .50 caliber and squeezed the trigger. That Knight jumped and smoke blew everywhere!!! The buck immediately started running in circles in the field and tearing up the ground. I could hear him sucking air like a stuck pig and I knew that I had hit him but I was not sure where. He made two circles in the field and headed down the draw behind me. I turned to watch him go head over tea kettle into the woods and could not hear anymore movement.

I decided to stay in the tree and get my breath back. My heart was in my throat, my breath was labored, my knees were weak and I just knew that I had gotten extremely lucky by killing a nice buck on day one of a 7 day hunt!!! WOW, does life get any better? Well after what seemed like an hour, probably only 10 minutes, I managed to get down out of the stand. I almost fell while climbing down as my knees were still weak! The moment I hit the ground, it started snowing. I walked over to where I had shot the deer only to find a bunch of white hair and no blood. Oh no! I thought. I did not hit him well. White hair is not a good sign and no blood was even worse. I called Matt and told him I thought I had it a good 8 point and him and Benjamin immediately started to my location. About an hour had passed and the three of us found ourselves walking through the woods looking for my buck. We searched until almost dark to no avail. By now we had three or four inches of snow on the ground. I was heart broken. Matt was giving me the, “well it is not the first time that has happened” story. In case you are wondering, the story did not lift my spirits. We made our way back to the cabin and relayed the story about a hundred times to my brother-in-law and all of Matt’s hunting buddies.

Hunters are relentless you know. You think I got any sympathy from them? Oh no! I got the, “maybe we should straighten that barrel Ben” routine. And the, “maybe you should go back to the range”, line from them. I was heart broken. We looked again the next day and again, no luck finding my deer. Well we hunted several other areas and nobody had seen a buck. On the third day I made my way back to the ladder stand where I had the initial encounter. My plan was to hunt for a few hours then walk around and look some more for my buck. My brother-in-law was not convinced we had looked hard enough. He kept telling us that the deer would have made his way to low ground and tried to find a creek if he could. So Marc, my bro-in-law decided to look himself. While I was in the stand, he made a huge sweep around the area. About three pm I heard something behind me and looked to see bright orange making its way up the hill. Marc was whistling to make sure I did not think he was my wounded buck! He looked up at me and said, “I don’t appreciate you lying to us.” I said how did I lie brother. Marc said, “It is a 10 point not an 8 point brother and I found your deer!” I almost fell out of my tree.

We walked back to the cabin, got a couple other buddies and a four wheeler and made our way to my deer. The ole boy had sure enough found his way to a creek about 250 yards away, the creek had two huge “S” curves in it and he had gone as far as he could go and collapsed. There he was my 135 class Missouri Muzzleloader prize! And to make it even better, it was ole “Crab Claw”. It took us a while to drag him out of the creek and the coyotes had feasted on his rear hind quarters but he was in tact and still salvageable. I guess I should re-think my shot placement when shooting through a hedge apple tree but we found my buck! My brother-in-law has become one of my many heroes! What a great trophy and great hunt. I am now hooked on Missouri deer hunting and will always take Marc to find my deer for me!

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism says Namibia has more elephants now than at any other time in the last 100 years.

Growing at a rate of 3.3 percent per year, the country’s elephant population is more than 20000, up from 16000 in 2004.

Minister of Environment and Tourism, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, said on Monday the entire population especially that of the Kunene Region was healthy and growing, with the levels of consumptive off takes being very conservative and being below the sustainable off takes.

Nandi-Ndaitwah was reacting to an article that appeared in a local English daily recently about three elephants that were allocated for trophy hunting.

The article said there were fears that the action could reduce the number of already endangered rare desert bulls.

She said the north-west including Etosha National Park has 4000, while the north-east has a population of more than 16000, with the increase attributable to immigration from northern Botswana and north-west Zimbabwe.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said the conservation status of elephants in Namibia was more than satisfactory because their numbers exceed what is considered desirable on the available habitats.

She said although elephants are classified as specially protected game under Namibian law, they have also been identified as a possible threat to other rare and valuable species, which Namibia is trying to conserve.

Since the country enacted legislation to allow the formation of communal area conservancies, Kunene alone has 18 registered conservancies with trophy hunting quotas.

The three elephants are part of game utilisation quotas for three conservancies in the Khorixas district, namely Torra and â‰Khoadi //Hôas, Huab and Doro !Nawas and Sorris Sorris and Otjimboyo conservancies.

The ministry decided to award the three elephants for trophy hunting based on the approved elephant management plan, existing policies and legislation and the game census conducted in June last year, she said.

The quotas include problem animals involved in human- wildlife conflict, which has increased over the years. In 2006 alone, 5637 incidents of human-wildlife conflict were reported to the ministry, while elephants killed seven people last year.

Director of Parks and Wildlife Management, Ben Beytell, said there are 360 elephants in the areas where the three were allocated for trophy hunting and the three were seen as elephants that need to be removed for the sake of peace in the area. The elephant allocated for Torra and â‰Khoadi //Hôas was already shot, with the community benefiting N$115000.

According to Namibia Nature Foundation Executive Director, Dr Chris Brown, the quotas pose no threat to the elephant population in the Kunene Region.

But he said: “Countering this quota does pose a threat to Community Based Natural Resource Management, CBNRM, to rural farmers being tolerant of elephants and other wildlife on their land and thus to long-term conservation in Namibia.”

Brown said the people living with the elephants in Kunene were local farmers who have the right to decide which wild animals they are prepared to tolerate and which they are not.

“One cannot force farmers to co-exist with wild animals if they choose not to. The views of urban people and tour operators become irrelevant. Farmers will only be prepared to live with wildlife if their value exceeds their costs,” he said.

In the interest of conservation, Brown said, farmers should get maximum sustainable returns from wildlife and experience minimal costs.

Brown added that a package of wildlife use that includes tourism, trophy hunting, game meat production, own use, live capture and sale that optimises sustainable use and economic returns was essential to make wildlife management an economically viable and competitive form of land use.

Failure to achieve this will make farmers to not tolerate wildlife on their land, particularly species that come at a high cost, such as elephants, he said.

While the cause of loss of wildlife over the past century was from competing land uses as farming displaced wildlife, farmers are starting to earn more money from wildlife and tourism, which has reversed and wildlife is recolonising vast areas where it was locally extinct, said Brown.

Source: New Era Namibia

Please post some tips to hunting small predators, such as jackal.

I have been trying to hunt jackal on my farm, but they have become very smart over the years. I have been thinking of useing calls and/or decoys, but i dont know which ones to use. Please let me know what you have used or are using.

I Also have bought some trail cameras to take pictures of the leopards on my farm, but i have not gotten any usable footage. Let me know what kind of cameras you use.

Thanks,

Oli

In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University …
On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Peter approached it very carefully.
He got down on one knee, inspected the elephants foot, and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Peter worked the wood out with his knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Peter stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away. Peter never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.
Twenty years later, Peter was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Peter and his son Cameron were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.
Remembering the encounter in 1986, Peter could not help wondering if this was the same elephant. Peter summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing, and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Peter legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.
Probably wasn’t the same elephant.