Dont expect much from the Government departments. This is "Africa".
This is commonplace and bad for South Afica and our hunting industry. I started in the early 1980's trying to get South Africa "on the map" as a safari destination. Is was tough because those were the days of internatioanl sanctions against us and civil chaos. We eventually succeeded and it had become a major contributor to the economy and the only reason why we have abundunt game populations on our land today. First law of conservation - "If it pays - it stays".
We all know "one bad apple spoils the barrel" but this is becoming the norm. Bad news travels much faster than good, but we need to do something about it. Our problems are simple:
Any idiot who has never hunted in his life can become a "Professional Hunter" here in a matter of weeks. All he needs is some copper bangles, suntan, a 4X4, and attend a two week course on a beautiful game ranch (a well-healed father also helps) and "presto" our boy arrives at SCI representing our country and our industry!
We crank out hundreds every year. There are more PH's in a single province here than the rest of Afica combined. The term no longer has any meaning. PHASA attempts to mainatain some standards but the numbers are too great - and Dirk and John were not even PHASA members. The PH license should only be granted to those who have served a five year "apprenticeship" with an established outfitter. This move alone would stop 90% of our trouble.
Hell, next time you come to Africa add a couple of weeks on to your vacation for one of our many fun holidays at a "PH School" and you can be your own PH!
We need to clean up our act. We are not selling dead animals. We are selling memories and those skins and skulls, once mounted on the wall, are the memories of the African Safari to be shared with friends for years. Many trophies never arrive at all because the PH did not comply with the laws. We need a regulatory body which can provide hunters with a list of well established and recognised Outfitters and PH's -who must be members. I think the PHASA executive comittee should be responsible. "Screw Up" and you are blacklisted on a website acessible to hunters worldwide.
