[lt dan]

we as hunters often get confronted by people that is anti hunting. i don't know about you guys but my experience about these people is that more often than not they are just misinformed.

i have adopted a policy of calm conversation with these people. i like to expose them to some facts that are kept from the general public. the result of such friendly conversations are rewarding to say the least.

here are some facts you can share when you meet one of the misinformed again.

today there still exist an animal by the name of a bat eared fox in africa because hunters on the hunt for jackal( a declared pest) noticed that the foxes numbers where decreasing. this was many years ago and at that time no African government had the means to cope with this problem. so it was left to the hunting community to help with this problem. thanks to the hunters self imposed responsibility today the bat eared fox is no longer a critically endangered animal. i went jackal hunting the other night and saw 19 foxes. some elderly farmers hasn't seen one fox since childhood. but recently they saw more in one night than in their lifetime. the hunters utilising their own funds knowledge and time, kept the local wardens up to speed with the mo of the remaining fox population.the hunters all so educated other hunters as well as the local population on fox conservation. today the hunters is seen as the bat eared fox's champion.

imho, the sheer existence of the sable antelope is thanks to the hunter willing to part with a lot of money, to be able to hunt the sable. to be more specific: the overseas hunter which in most cases would imply the American hunter. although more than 90% of hunts in s-africa are done by local hunters , the complete opposite is applicable to sable hunts. i will stand by my (this is also the belief amongst nature conservationists) belief that due to the fact that American hunters are willing to cover the costs of sable breeders to hunt a sable trophy, it became a financial option to breed sable. fyi the cost of hunting one sable is about $14 000. if someone wasn't prepared to pay that then someone wasn't going to go through the UGE hassle to breed them. and make no mistake it is a uge capital risk to breed sable due to the uniqueness that is the sable. i think you hunters would agree that the sable bull must be one of the Lords master pieces. i have clients that breed the sable and if you spend time in their presence you learn three things: there is a few more animals to breed with that is tougher to succeed with than the sable ,: they love their job/animals and they love the hunting fraternity.

one more thought: established more than 80 years ago the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) is the leading organisation in its field. at their last meeting in Paris they adopted (unanimously) a resolution, that states:"The CIC promotes, on global scale , sustainable hunting as a tool for conservation while building on valued traditions"

your average Joe can see the logic in this.

in short: there will be no conservation/wildlife without HUNTING as a sustainable utilisation.

THANKS TO THE HUNTER WE HAVE WILD LIFE. or as they say here in africa : " if doesnt pay it doesnt stay"