African Outfitter is an independent international bimonthly publication promoting
fair hunting and ethical business practices within the hunting industry.
From a hunting perspective, the preservation of biodiversity on the
African continent is the first and foremost priority. The emphasis
is however also on the sustainable utilisation of wildlife.

Herman Jonker

The Moment - Herman Jonker

To a dedicated, powder-in-his-veins, ticks-on-his-ass hunter, hunting is an all-round affair. It's about being out there; scouting, stalking, outwitting hairy things and getting himself a little dirty in general. It's about the whole craft of getting to the point where a shot can be taken. And then comes The Moment; the decisive final moment when the shot that will determine the outcome of the hunt, is taken.

So powerful is this moment that some folks, especially the inexperienced, see it as the be-all of the hunt. It is easy to understand why, for this is indeed an important moment.

It is the moment when the music stops, when the lights come on, when reality strikes. It is the one moment that may turn weeks of preparation and speculation into fact, and thereafter to history. Cliff hanger stuff: it is the moment of truth. Ironic actually, that such a serious moment is set in motion by the mere act of moving a small curved metal lever just a few millimetres with one finger. But even just that slight flexing of a digit is enough to make or break a hunt or cause any sort of havoc in between, for The Moment can result in any of a number of outcomes.

All parties involved should be grateful if the outcome is one of the common ones, even if it is a clean miss. It's the uncommon ones, sometimes bordering on the bewitched, that cause good men to talk bad. It takes a very level-headed, tolerant and socially balanced PH for instance, to say "good shot, old chap" to some asshole who's just blown the guts out of a wobbly little goat that happened to be grazing close to the old blue eland bull that had been the appointed quarry.

The Moment is fickle yes. It can deal anguish or relief, disappointment or success, disaster or triumph. True to its nature, it is also not experienced by everyone in the same manner. It is not even always the same to any one person either.

Sometimes The Moment is clear; crystallised by alert senses, magnified by mental focus. The trigger creeps backwards smoothly, your breathing is under control, your hold sure, calculated and calm. Then the sears break and you can almost hear the powder go whoosh!

It is at times like that, that you can swear afterwards you actually saw the bullet flying, saw it strike. Blessed is the man who is possessed of such cool. More likely the man of the moment will say afterwards that it all happened so fast, he hardly remembers a thing. Which is probably true since things do happen fast.

What he may neglect to mention though, are two things that he may remember all too well. In fact, they may have made an indelible impression on him. Firstly there's the frantic shake that had come over his aim and turned those tight crosshairs into bobbing jelly, and secondly; the almighty wallop the Weatherby gave him when he touched off the trigger. He has no idea where that bullet went. All he knows is that the great fear of The Moment that had taken root in him has been compounded.

Were he to come clean and admit his troubles, there is hope for such a man. Although he shouldn't have been out hunting if he wasn't able and comfortable with his rifle, it would still be a rather harsh PH who doesn't show some understanding for him. But if the man refuses to acknowledge his fears, if he chooses to continue the hunt with a charade of excuses and accusations following his bungled shots, the safari is likely to be an awkward one for all parties. Lies will breed doubt and distrust and the bullets will fly wider still, for this is a spiraling process. To such a man and his guiding crew The Moment becomes something to dread.

In other men, usually the old hands in the game, auto pilot sometimes takes over. The animal shows, the rifle comes up and loads itself, it finds a sure grip and aims itself, and the trigger slides to the boom position. Down goes the buck, since all the right decisions were taken and the calculations were good. Whilst it's good for a professional image and handy for survival, such a non-moment Moment takes some of the colour out of hunting.

Then, sadly, there are others who find their thoughts returning to a specific moment time and time again. Men who live their whole life with the haunting memory of a moment that went horribly wrong. Men who wish that the disaster that followed that ill-fated moment could somehow be undone, who wish that The Moment itself had never come about.

Such is the nature of the moment when the firing pin slams home: fickle and fraught with risk, but ever-compelling. And even if it is merely the finale of what may have been a drawn-out hunt that stretched over days, it is still a momentous moment.

Take a moment next time you lay your finger on a trigger therefore, and think about The Moment. Chew on it, check your feelings and tune in to your body and mind. Is the electricity there? Do you sense heightened awareness, focus and energy? Does your spirit, both mentally and morally, soar to a higher level? Do you fully realise what you are about to do?

Yes? Go ahead then and make the most of The Moment!