My son gave me a book for Christmas, The Comfort Crisis – Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self, by Michael Easter, published in 2021. This is essentially
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Articles
I have previously written about the importance of the five Ps – Preparation, Practice, Patience, Persistence and the most important P of all, PUP – Performance Under Pressure. Now I
One of my earliest recollections of my much loved Mom, is of her sitting at the foot of my bed reading to me before I went to sleep. And then
What do I mean by opportunity costs? I mean that, if you choose a particular course of conduct, whether on purpose or by accident, by commission or omission, in all
I have been reading a book by Justin Cartwright, an ex Cape Town boy now living in London, called The Song Before it is Sung, a fictionalized account of one
Lieutenant General Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell (1857 to 1941), later first Baron Baden-Powell, collected more honours from his own government and others than many people have had hot breakfasts. He
Disappointment. A simple, 14 letter, polysyllabic word hiding mountain ranges of experiences each one of us has had to deal with many, many times. Not so? The first time disappointment
As we came into land at Harare back in the 1980s I think it was, the stewardess handed out small squares of brown paper without any explanation. On closer examination,
I noticed it for the first time after Derek had shot his old, hard bossed, fully mature, 39 inch Cape buffalo bull. Up until then I had become progressively more
It was 1961. I was 13 years old. We were in Knysna for Christmas and staying at the Beach House Hotel near the Knysna Heads. When the tide came in,
For the last many years, I have tried to limit the ‘If Onlys’ in my life with greater and lesser levels of success but, more’s the pity, never entirely succeeding.
Despite hunting since I was a little boy, apart from one self-enforced absence of ten years as a young man, some things have remained constant. For example, after firing a
Some forty plus years ago, we were hunting on my then partner’s unfenced game ranch, Denstaadt, on the banks of the Limpopo River, out of a very rustic camp –
A few days ago, a good friend emailed me a photograph of an excellent, 12 year old bottle of cabernet we both enjoyed. He had found it in a village
I remember the only ultimatum my wife ever gave me. I was in my 30s, trying to build a legal practice. We had just had our second child and living
Over half the way through 2021! Seems even incarceration in your own home for months on end does not make the time pass any slower. Hunting the Hippotrages is still
Good afternoon everyone from a very chilly Henley-on-Thames, despite experiencing the hottest day in March for the previous 79 years just a few days ago, it was snowing as I
HUNTING THE HIPPOTRAGES – SUBSCRIBE HERE What has happened to this year? And what a year! About the only good thing which has come from it for me has been
It’s very unusual for me to produce two Newsletters so close to one another but one of my closest friends unexpectedly contracting inoperable, fourth stage, lung cancer has prompted me
A belated Happy New Year to all of you. I hope you have enjoyed a peaceful, restful and memorable festive season with family and friends. I know I have. I
I don’t think I have ever been this saddened and disheartened about hunting and conservation in South Africa. Last week someone WhatsApped me from Israel and asked, “Did you see
I owe Alison Littlejohn a debt of real gratitude. If she had not ordered my book, Hunting the Spiral Horns – Bongo & Nyala – The Elite African Trophies, for
When you’re in it. Up to your neck. Far from home. Turning back’s not an option. But nothing’s happening. The days start to tick by ever faster. And you can
It is almost two years to the day that I hunted my last animal, a Lord Derby’s eland in Cameroon. Along with me admitting that, in my 70th year, this
The question is a perplexing one. Why, if hunters and animal rightists are both passionate about wildlife and wildlife habitat, are they seemingly always at loggerheads? This question, of course,
A giraffe is a giraffe is a giraffe so you would think. Well, you may want to think again. Up until recently, there was one species of giraffe and nine
The answer to this question is a resounding and unequivocal, YES. At the risk of boring the reader with facts and figures as opposed to emotion and innuendo, let me
Referenced Articles: Kruger Lions: Who really cares about conservation? by Peter Flack Kruger Lions: Hunting for Skye and the truth By Smaragda Louw and Michele Pickover At the risk of
Sir, I refer to the recent articles by Messrs Vegter and Pinnock on the conservation of rhinoceroses and elephants. Referenced Articles: Don Pinnock: Calling out Ivo Vegter’s fractious fulminations Ivo
Last weekend, at a family wedding in Montagu, I was accosted by a proud father who told me his son had been chosen to give the class address at his
A few weeks ago I read a column in the Daily Maverick – an eNewspaper with a significant circulation in South Africa – written by an ardent animal rightist, Ian
In response to a recent media article published by the Daily Maverick (“Outrage after Kruger lion baited and shot by trophy hunter in neighbouring reserve”, by Don Pinnock, 11 June
Kruger National Park is home to a growing population of 1 800 lions amongst a large array of other wildlife according to parks spokes people. In an article published last
As published in the Daily Maverick In an article by Mr. Ian Michler in Daily Maverick last month entitled, “Like the fossil fuel industry, trophy hunting is unsustainable”, the only
As published in the Daily Maverick I carefully read Mr. Michler’s Opinionista piece entitled, “Like the fossil fuel industry, trophy hunting is unsustainable”. Like almost all his writings on this
We received a response from Peter Gouws to our recent post – Custodians of Professional Hunting and Conservation. See his comment and my reply below. FROM PETER GOUWS I had
Since my last giant eland hunt in Cameroon last year, a number of you have asked me what I am doing with my time now that I have stopped hunting
I want to write about the new organisation, Custodians of Professional Hunting and Conservation (CPHC) (which has effectively replaced PHASA, the Professional Hunting Association of South Africa), for those who
“Human subtlety … will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple, or more direct than does Nature, because in her inventions nothing is lacking, and nothing is superfluous” –
I celebrated my 69th birthday recently and have been touched by how many people remembered and called and emailed to wish me. Wonderful to be remembered, especially at an age
Since my expulsion as a 30 year member and 20 year trustee of WWF Southern Africa for the crime of being a hunter, the controversy surrounding this matter will not
Did you know that the reason you hunted was solely to boast about it – ‘signalling’ is the word used in the above article – the size of the animals
Do you remember your first kiss? I mean a real kiss. Not one of those cheek grazing, lip brushing, air kisses into nothingness and nowhere. Do you remember your first
Last month a friend sent me an email he had received from a United Kingdom visitor in response to the DVD he had sent her entitled, The South African Conservation
I received the South African 2015 hunting statistics this week and was delighted to see that, after five years of steady decline – we reached our peak number of overseas
I received a copy of the WWF South Africa Constitution three days ago. I was in for an unpleasant surprise. Clause 8.2 states as follows: ‘The Board may at any
The sweat shiny, black face and dull black uniform of the huge Congolese policeman blocked out most of the weak overhead light from the yellowy street bulb barely illuminating the
In the last month I have become the poster child for Survival International in what appears to be a nasty internecine fight between them and WWF. I had never heard
When I was researching the chapter on bongo conservation in Kenya for the fifth and final book in the spiral horn series, Hunting the Spiral Horns – Bongo & Nyala
I like hunting roan, especially in West Africa. I think they are harder to hunt than Lord Derby’s eland, for example, because the big, lone roan bulls seem never to
It is sad but true. We have had a few hunters – or should I say "so-called" hunters – who visited us on our game ranch who had no love
It was my second visit to the 10,000 hectare game and cattle farm near Ellisras in the old Transvaal. The four of us hunters stood with our backs to the
English Translation: “Unbelievable! One dog gives birth to 11 subspecies in one day.” In recent days, two surveys have been brought to my attention which make sweeping and major statements
To be honest, there is so much twaddle written on this subject by so many people that should and often do know better that I normally ignore most of it
As told to Peter Flack by Ryan Cliffe I was 27. Been a PH for exactly three years and an appy for five years before that. Why five years? Firstly,
I am 67 and there are days when I seem to hear the ticking of Father Time’s clock especially loudly. All those things they told me would not be possible
Last night my attention was drawn to a speech by Namibia’s Minister of the Environment and Tourism at the NAPHA AGM last week and I thought it so important that
Three weeks ago I received an invitation from the Department of Environmental Affairs to present a paper to the SECOND NATIONAL DIALOGUE WORKSHOP ON THE INTENSIVE AND SELECTIVE BREEDING OF
I have never received a greater response than I did to my blog, “Amateur Hunting Bodies Have Failed Their Members” both in number and the emphatic views expressed, only a
In Response to blog post: Amateur hunting bodies have failed their members Dear Peter, Do you feel like Casandra from the Greek myths? I know I do. Read your blog
For 25 years my job was to help save failing organisations. A key part of the rehabilitation process was to ensure they had properly funded, professionally managed public relations strategic
Here are some negative comments I have received recently via Facebook and email: Date: 30 July 2015 From: Shauna Carroll Email: slc2106@gmail.com Comment: You are everything that is wrong with
I received the Press Release set out below directly from PHASA on Friday last week: PHASA President Calls for a Review of Lion Hunting Pretoria, 24 July 2015 – Hermann
14/07/0215 | The following article was sent to me by the CEO of SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association, Fred Campher, for comment: NEWS24 | R440m spent but rhinos still
The article below, written by Mr Barry York, an intensive breeder of golden wildebeest, was sent to me for reply by Andre Degeorges, an American who has worked extensively in
In the March/April issue of African Outfitter (AO), arguably the best hunting magazine currently published in Africa, the half page advert set out below by Take Aim Safaris (TAS) was
The headline article in the business section of yesterday’s main South African Afrikaans Sunday newspaper, Rapport (3 May 2015), was entitled Doodskoot vir jag? Kunsmatige teel van wild “skaad SA
Well over 30 years ago, I was invited by a friend to acquire a minority stake in a Botswana safari outfitter. We flew up to inspect the main concession in
Canned Killings and other Unnatural Behaviour in the Game Ranching Industry II In January this year, the Boone & Crockett Club, the foremost hunting association in North America, came out
If you are a passionate eland hunter, then October in Northern Mozambique’s massive Niassa Reserve is where to be. It is the time and place when the huge – and
I think most hunters would agree that, the more they know about the animal they intend to hunt, the better are their chances of success. For years, however, when it
A good friend of mine, Peter Kennedy, the king of plus 60 inch kudu hunters, advises that whenever you seek permission to hunt kudu from a landowner, you should always
See Peter Flack’s response below. Kicker: It is unfair to target game farming as an “economic bubble”. This industry creates jobs and makes a very healthy contribution to the economy.
I attended the Cape Town premiere of the 90 minute documentary, “Rhino in Crisis – Blueprint for Survival” produced by the Conservation Imperative, a group of conservationists primarily from KwaZulu-Natal.
There are only three things you need to know as an amateur hunter about hunting in countries to the north of us – preparation, preparation and preparation. Preparation of your
I have often been asked, which do I think is the most special of all the spiral horns. Well, the first question to be asked is probably what constitutes a
There are four basic ways to hunt lions and, at one time or another, I have used them all, and more than once. By far the most popular way today
By: Paul Stones, a member of the SAMPEO Group, South Africa’s most professional and experienced outfitters. Websites: South African Outfitters | Paul Stones Safaris Africa How many times has it
What do Pyramid Schemes and the latest trend of intensively breeding and manipulating new colour variants and other unnatural freakish animals have in common with one another? Pyramid Schemes are
Why do I and my amateur and professional hunting friends detest the increasing number of incidents involving the killing of canned or put-and-take animals? Why do we also dislike so
Who shot the Donkey? It reminded me of the nursery rhyme song – "Who shot Cock Robin? I said the sparrow, with my bow and arrow, I shot Cock Robin.
This story takes me back many, many years. To about 1984 as I remember it. The time of a devastating drought that tortured our South African Lowveld for months on
Johannesburg to Addis Ababa – seven hours on the efficient Ethiopian Airlines. From there, two hours in a Cessna Caravan to the landing strip at Murulle Camp on the eastern
On 17 March I was called by Stafford Thomas, a feature writer at the Financial Mail, South Africa’s foremost weekly business magazine, to discuss the issue of canned lion killings
In January this year I was contacted by Robyn Maclarty, a feature writer from Fairlady magazine, one of, if not the, most popular and well established woman’s magazines in South
Over a dozen years ago, I attended the SCI Convention at which Zambian officials were also present promoting hunting in their country, when, without sufficient notice to or consultation with
By Gerhard Damm And Peter Flack More than a decade ago, representatives and leadership of organized professional hunting in South Africa condemned the practice of shooting canned lions in the
Watch interview below: Beneath is set out the lengthy question and answer session filmed in South Africa for the above TV program, of which less than 30 seconds was actually
If you had told me when I was growing up that, one day, I would be asked to make the keynote address at the annual dinner of the South African
Growing up in Cape Town in a strictly non-hunting, non-shooting family, my interest in wildlife and hunting began with a trip to what was then called the Cape Town Museum
Chad, Tchad or Tjad. A name to conjure with. I knew it was a poor country, torn by civil war, somewhere in the Sahara Desert. But where was it situated
Question: I noticed on Iziko Museums’ facebook page a few people were protesting against an apparent exhibition of your hunting trophies. So I googled your name and discovered that you’re
By Stafford Thomas, Financial Mail, 16 August 2013 SA’S wildlife industry is seeing a boom in prices paid for superior breeding animals — but it is a boom subject to deeply divided
When I awoke to the first ominous signs at midnight, I knew immediately it was something I had eaten or drunk at supper. I also knew it was going to
Early morning. The grey of early dawn is lifting over the two and a half kilometre long glade on either side of the Batou River in the north central region
Cape Times – 9 July 2013 I read the articles by Melanie Gosling and Tony Weaver on the legalisation of rhinoceros horn trade in the Cape Times on Friday 5
It all started many, many years ago. There were four of us. Amongst other things, we hunted together and, because I was the anally retentive one, I got the logistics
A debate entitled, The Elephant in the Room: The ethics of collecting natural history specimens and their role in today’s society, was hosted by the Iziko South African Museum in
Question: I respect your charter in favour of respectful hunting but can you explain to me why why I find it disgusting to see all these dead animals, notably the
I received an unpleasant surprise concerning some of the responses to the donation of the some 300 mounted animals from my museum on our old game ranch to the Iziko
Last week I was reading the book of the earliest recreational hunter to visit South Africa, Captain (later Sir) William Cornwallis Harris, originally called, Narrative of an expedition into Southern
In May last year I was asked to organise a meeting of the major South African hunting bodies to discuss public relations and how necessary I believe it is for
About a dozen years ago, Colin Bell, the then CEO of Wilderness Safaris, an exclusive, luxury photographic safari business catering to the very wealthy, told me and the other guests
English Translation Package for you! Wonder what it can be? A mounted rain forest elephant being delivered yesterday at the Iziko South African Museum in Cape Town. It is one
The late Dr. Lucas Potgieter read and commented on many of my articles before they went off to editors or publishers. He was often my litmus test as to whether
Written by Marinda Groenewald as told to her by Dewald Joubert and translated by Peter Flack with permission of the author If a person wakes in the middle of the
Have you ever had a premonition? I have. The strongest one was on the way to catch a plane to Tanzania – the plane was going to crash! The feeling
I came to elephant hunting quite late as, for about ten years or so, I was stuck in a rut. Buffalo were my passion – some said obsession – and,
Many years ago I accompanied a man that was to become my boss on his first buffalo hunt. He was not as fit as he should have been nor as
I met Geoff Smith, for the first time, when I returned from Wall Street to take up my position as the youngest and most junior partner at Bowman Gilfillan &
Is there an animal that you dream about hunting? Can you see yourself in the dream? There you are, exhausted, sweat stained, unshaven and burnt a rough, raw, reddish brown
I am not a fundi on hunting rifles. I did not have a grandfather, father or older brother to teach me so, on the one hand, most of what I
There are no rules, or so it may appear. That’s right, when it comes to establishing whether an animal is a new species or subspecies, there are no comprehensive, hard
We had been on the tracks for over two hours. Only Martin and I. The rest of the hunting team remained at the salt lick. It hadn’t rained for three
I and four of my friends have hunted with French professional hunter, Christophe Morio, on a number of occasions in both Benin and CAR. In our opinion, he is not
I stood as still as a statue in the deep, dappled shade of the miombo woodland scarcely daring to breathe. Exactly 174 metres away, through a latticework of thin, brachystegia,
October. Suicide month in Tanzania. Especially this year. No rain to speak of last year. No rain at all this year. The big Kigosi River, which joins the Gombe, which
Almost everyone knows that a region of KwaZulu/Natal is called The Valley of a Thousand Hills. Some of these hills are so steep even the baboons use walking sticks to
I resigned this month after five years as chairman of Rowland Ward. There are many reasons for my resignation and one of them comes from the first book on management
Soon after buying our game ranch 20 years ago, I knew I wanted, no needed, a horse. Although it had been many, many years – 29 to be exact –
There are at least six separate skills involved in hunting. The fours – shooting, spotting, stalking, survival – flora and fauna knowledge and, finally, game and trophy handling. All of
Rowland Ward’s Records of Big Game contains the following reference to Island Sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii sylvestris), "Distribution – the Sesse Islands of Lake Victoria (Uganda). The validity of this sub-species
I stood in the dining room of our farmhouse, with my arm around the shoulders of my wife as the tears streamed down her face. Our house had been wrecked.
I looked at the magnificent, old – no, ancient – animal as it lay stretched out at my feet. I could not speak. I had a huge lump in my
