Inyathi Park News March 2022

February was hot and dry with regular mid-summer droughts in crop planting regions, causing considerable damage. We had rainfall during March with the cooler weather setting in in early evenings. This means it is time for HuntEx and the hunting season.

Structure of newsletter

We start with the new, essential information first, followed by the regular news.

Therefore, members can get up to date with fresh news first and read other information later.

New messages

Hunting affairs

As members are preparing for the hunting season, we start off with news around hunting affairs.

Hunting of elephant, rhinoceros, and leopard

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment announced the quotas for the hunting and export of elephant, leopard and rhino trophies for 2022. Meanwhile, the Humane Society International (Africa) filed an urgent application against to block Minister Creecy from implementing these quotas. The High Court in Cape Town granted an interim interdict against the Minister, which means that no elephant, rhino or leopard may be hunted for the time being. The case will resume on 8 April. The Humane Society International is pursuing its regular anti hunting agenda that is set to destroy the value of game. It will be a sad day in South Africa if the hunting of these animals are forbidden, in spite of viable populations. Only time will tell the outcome.

Provincial hunting packages

On 1 April 2022, Northwest Parks is holding a public auction of more than 100 hunting packages at the Kedar Heritage Lodge on the R565 near Rustenburg.

View the advert here.
The final catalogue of available hunting packages is available here.
Interested persons that want to bid at the auction, can pre-register online through the SwiftVEE mobile app. Please note, that no online registrations are allowed on the day of the auction.
SwiftVEE is a proudly South African mobile phone App that provides a platform for the online registration and bidding of livestock and game auctions. Download SwiftVEE

Provincial hunting proclamations

As the hunting seasons approaches, most provinces already published their hunting proclamations in the Government Gazette. These proclamations are crucial for farms without exemption or certificates of adequate enclosure. These farms are subject to restricted hunting seasons. The published proclamations are available as follows: Eastern Cape, here, Limpopo here, Mpumalanga here, Northwest here, Northern Cape here, and Western Cape here.

Proclamations for Gauteng, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal have not yet been published.

SA Hunters accredited hunting destinations

SA Hunters offers members that own hunting destinations the opportunity to market their hunting opportunities, which is available on a list that will be made available to members soon.

Hunting of sandgrouse

Due to a lack f interest, the hunting opportunity for sandgrouse has been cancelled.

Snake bite serum

There is a shortage of polyvalent anti snakebite venom in South Africa. Although provision has been made for medical emergencies, members are reminded to be extra cautious and to leave snakes alone in their natural environment. Most snakebites occur when people are interfering with or trying to catch or kill snakes. If a snake finds its way into your home, use a trained snake handler to remove it. Install the African Snakebite Institute’s App on your mobile phone for identification of species, list of trained snake handlers, and for emergency medical assistance. Visit www.africansnakebiteinstitute.com for more information.

Hunting in Namibia

Please take note of the Department of Agriculture’s notice that a permit fee of R250 is payable for every permit holder that imports meat and other animal products such as trophies and skins from Namibia. Members planning to hunt in Namibia should prepare for these additional costs. More information is available from Boetiek@sahunt.co.za

Shooting affairs

At the SA Hunters Congress in November 2021, Kobus Maree was elected as the new vice president for shooting affairs. He constituted a new shooting committee comprising an ad hoc committee for daily matters and a group of national shooting discipline coordinators to deal with relevant queries. With so many new and unfamiliar sport shooting disciplines around, these coordinators will provide essential support to the Shooting Committee, branches, and members. Contact details of the members of the Shooting Committee are available here.

HuntEx

Diarise the weekend of 22 to 24 April 2022 and visit us at HuntEx.

Conservation

Snare Busters

It gives us great pleasure to inform members about the Snare Buster project, one of the conservation initiatives in which several branches are involved with. It creates opportunities for members to work with other conservation partners in removing snares from specific wildlife areas. They also save animals that have been snared.

There has been a noticeable increase in incidents where animals have been trapped and injured by snares. SA Hunters and other conservation organisations are recording these incidents and all agree that there has been a sharp rise in these cases.

It takes time and effort to free captured animals and save them from a horrible death. Our members are often exposed to dangerous circumstances when they provide support in rescue operations. They also raise funds to pay the veterinary bills of animals that need to be darted and treated for their wounds caused by snares.

A hippo cow – with a calf – has been spotted in the Phalaborwa area with a snare around her mouth. The cow and calf must be darted to remove the snare. We are waiting for an estimate for the costs involved. With the increase in snare-related injuries, we call on members to donate money to assist us in continuing with this essential work in saving our animals. Donations can be made to Absa account number 4093220340 with Snare Busters as reference. Tax certificates will be issued on request.

Dedicated hunter and sport shooter status

Members with dedicated hunter and/or sport shooter status are reminded to log their activities on the online member administration system on SA Hunters’ website. You can also use the App that has been developed for this purpose to keep track of activities, which have to be logged by 31 October every year to maintain your status.

Repeated messages

Photography Club

The photography club is still gaining popularity. Read more about the club, training opportunities and monthly competitions and prizes here It also provides information about the Photographer of the Year competition.

Special offers

Doctari knives

The Doctari ivory knife project will end soon. There are only 25 knives left with ivory handles from elephants hunted by Nico van Rooyen. Place your order now for that special Christmas gift, to avoid disappointment.

Pay R5 500 in SA Hunters bank account no 01443990077; branch code 632005 and use the reference Mes and your mobile number. Send proof of payment to admin@sahunt.co.za

Memorial publication

Only copies of the memorial books with the hard covers are still available at R300 per copy. This is also the ideal gift for a dedicated member of SA Hunters. Place your order now to avoid disappointment.

To order your copy:

Transfer the correct amount (R300 for the ordinary version or R1 000 for leather bound version) in SA Hunters’ bank account at Absa, account number 01443990077.

Use your member number and Book as reference. Check that you enter your member number correctly to ensure that we can process your order

Buck knives

There are only 76 items left in this limited series of 500 Buck knives at R1 000 each. These knives have ivory inlays on the handle with the SA Hunters logo engraved. Transfer R1 000 by EFT into SA Hunters back account at Absa, account number 01443990077. Use your member number and Knipmes as reference. Send proof of payment, your member number and contact details to Realda Goosen at realda@sahunt.co.za

Humansdorp Koöperasie

In April 2022 Humansdorp Koöperasie offers 10% discount on all Hornady products to members of SA Hunters.

Support to members

Many people are still suffering from the economic effects of Covid 19 circumstances. Herewith information about opportunities by members to members.

Good quality, dry bushveld firewood available at reasonable price in Pretoria area. More information here.

Membership

Recruit members for commission

SA Members has 44 080 members.

The Board agreed that a member or a branch that recruits ten or more members per year, can earn commission of between R100 to R150 per member. More information is available here.

SA Hunters distributed membership application forms at various dealers. Any member that wants to receive the same material, can enquire with Dorothy Ras by dorothy@sahunt.co.za

The Board also agreed that branches that succeed in resigning up lapsed members, will also benefit from the commission. More information has been sent to Branch chairpersons.

10.Commercial matters

The complete list of service providers that offer special discount to members of SA Hunters, are available below