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.
Professional hunting schools – from humble beginnings to the quest for professionalism
by Mauritz Coetzee
Everybody agreed that the situation, out in the hunting field, had reached a point where swift action was required. On the one hand the demand for game species had risen substantially in South Africa. The worrying aspect was that basic rules for proper conduct when hunting with foreign clients were non-existent.
Stories about unsatisfied foreign hunters were rife and reached a climax with an article that appeared in a prominent American publication. Aptly titled "Shooting dollars away in South Africa" the insinuations of the authors were quite clear.
All role-players agreed that the regulation of this growing industry had become unavoidable and that certain standards had to be laid down. Standards in this context referred to basic and acceptable accommodation; recording the details of the hunt, including prior agreement on payment and price structures.
Changing the perceptions of local hunters who catered for the overseas market was at the centre of this drive for a more professional approach. This does not mean that all "professional hunters" of those years necessarily had bad intent or totally greedy mindsets with the foreign hunters.
"Roughing it" in the African bush with clients whilst living in a little two to four man tent proofed to be too much of a basic thing for many foreign hunters.
After the initial meeting with Lampies Lambrecht an inter-provincial committee was set up. This inter-provincial committee consisted of the then four provinces and their representatives. Lampies Lambrecht represented the Transvaal province, Kobus Jooste the Cape, Spud Ludbrook Natal whilst the Free State was represented by Hannes Hugo.
In 1980 the Nature Conservation agencies introduced measures to control this industry. The object of newly introduced legislation was simply to provide protection to foreign hunters visiting South Africa.
Kobus Schoeman of Nature Conservation in the Transvaal, started the formal testing of prospective professional hunters in 1980. Well-known professional hunters like Coenraad Vermaak and Bertie Guillome, as well as Piet Otto, were the first to be tested on these newly accepted criteria for professional hunters. This implies that they also had to pass a theoretical examination.
Testing in those days meant a man to man situation between the examiner and the student. Practical testing was done in an area or on a farm chosen by the candidate. The knowledge required from candidates centered on species identification, preferred habitat of game animals as well as tree and stub identification. The student's capabilities with regard to skinning, shooting and tracking were also tested.
As many a professional hunter who qualified during the years of 1983 up to 1990 can attest to, these practical testing sessions proofed to be difficult and nerve-racking. Going through the motions of identifying the spoor of different antelope, jackal and lynx to shooting impala and blesbuck and then caping the animal to the satisfaction of the examiner, proved to be a daunting task.
Other more subtle aspects were also highlighted during the practical testing. Candidates had to prepare food from breakfast to supper to the satisfaction of the examiners. The choice of wine with dishes consisting of fish to red meat was also covered to enhance the etiquette requirements when dealing with overseas clients. A written examination with a pass mark of 70% concluded the testing of professional hunters up to 1990.
In 1990, Nature Conservation decided that the testing of candidates for professional hunting had become too big a strain on their resources. Apart from this they simply did not have the manpower to deal with the ever-increasing demand of prospective candidates to complete the professional hunting course.
With this in mind a function evaluation was done during the second half of 1990. The decision from all four provinces was unanimous, namely that the training of professional hunters should be privatised. Strangely enough everybody agreed that the training of professional hunters was not the function of Government or Nature Conservation. The regulation of the industry must be governed by legislation, as has been the case from 1980.
This deregulation of the training aspect of professional hunting led tot the formation of many professional hunting schools in all of the four (old) provinces. Various directors of schools were later appointed in the different provinces to establish the concept of professional hunting schools.
At the present time the format or syllabus for the general examination paper is standardised throughout South Africa. The contents of the old examination papers for general knowledge are reflected in the general knowledge section of the present day section used by professional hunting schools. Species variety, preferred habitat, Safari Club International and Rowland Ward Trophy standards and trophy handling are equally emphasised.
Many schools spend extra time on the handling of clients, given the wide variety of clients who require, at times, special skills from the professional hunters. Client expectations, as they differ from America to Europe to South America, are also covered. This also ties up with marketing strategies for different clients worldwide.
The so-called second paper of examination covers the legal side of hunting in general and with reference to foreign clients. The basic classification of hunting animals referred to in CITES 1 and CITES 2 ties up with the legal requirements of hunting certain animals referred to in the Act.
A clear distinction is also made, whether from a functional or legal point of view, between a professional hunter and a hunting outfitter. This implies that the professional hunter and/or outfitter have a very clear understanding of what is required of the professional hunter and the outfitter respectively. This type of responsibility demarcation is deemed non-negotiable when dealing with foreign hunters.
Everybody involved with professional hunting and outfitting will readily agree that a 10 day course, although quite intensive, cannot produce instant professional hunters per se. Much of the acquired knowledge has to be applied by the professional hunter entering the somewhat volatile world of commercial hunting on a global scale.
It has been suggested that professional hunting is "a people's game" where a part of good hunting skills, the ability of the young or old professional hunter to deal with people, is paramount.
A professional hunter's licence is therefore often regarded as a mere ticket to participate in a specific activity. More often than not aspirant professional hunters do not make the grade on a medium and especially long-term basis. It is also not far-fetched to say that 80% plus of hunters who have completed a professional hunter's course will often pursue other work activities whilst doing a limited amount of professional hunting.
This does not take away the good job done by professional hunting schools in establishing a sound foundation for a career in professional hunting. All hunters who have completed such courses have no excuse in knowing exactly what is expected of them as South African professional hunters.
How they apply themselves out in the bush or veld is a question of fair business practices and keeping to the spirit of fair chase.
