January 9, 2025
My son, Chris, had the 30-06 Ruger Hawkeye rifle steady on the sticks, with Robin giving extra support with his left shoulder, his well-worn floppy hat shading his eyes from the slanting sun rays. It was just after 10h00 and we had been following different groups of springbok since early morning.
January 10, 2025
Many times it doesn’t end this well for clients. Animals are wounded and lost or never seen. The professional hunter receives, and often accepts, the blame despite bearing none of its responsibility. The teamwork needed for success is the result of the PH and client giving one hundred percent. Hailing from around Southern Africa, I asked three of those who make their living taking hunters into the bush what clients can do to ensure they get exactly what they are pursuing on safari.
January 10, 2025
Sitting together on the low veranda wall in front of my wife’s office at Ameib Guesthouse in uncomplicated fashion so typical for Felix, dangling our legs and gossiping, of course talking about hunting, Felix mentioning that this time he would hunt a Bongo in Cameroon for himself as well, none of us could imagine that this was the last time that we would share time with this dear friend.
January 10, 2025
Every accolade credited to Africa is well earned. Perhaps William Burchell’s thought most accurately sums them all up: “Nothing but breathing the air of Africa, and actually walking through it, can communicate the indescribable sensations.” Words are a paltry attempt to raise images of buffalo charging out of the reeds or burning sunsets beyond brilliance in the minds of those who have not been favoured to set foot on the continent.
December 3, 2025
White-backed Vulture J151 should be an ambassador for Namibia to become the first African country to ban lead ammunition for the benefit of nature and humans. All vulture species known in Namibia are either extinct as breeding species (Egyptian Vulture), critically endangered (Cape Vulture), endangered (Hooded Vulture, White-backed Vulture) or vulnerable (Lappet-faced Vulture, Whiteheaded Vulture). Numerous factors have led to the decline of the vulture populations in Namibia, in the region and in Africa in general. Habitat loss, disturbance, poisons and illegal killing are the main reasons. Lead-poisoning through ammunition has only recently been discovered as another dangerous factor leading to the decrease of these valuable birds.
December 3, 2025
Sometimes you hear someone speak and their words settle deep inside you, reshaping the way you see the familiar. That happened to me when I listened to Kai-Uwe Denker’s reflections on hunting in Namibia at the previous NAPHA AGM. His words were not polished marketing talk, nor defensive arguments about why hunting matters. Instead, he spoke about wilderness, authenticity, and what it really means to portray Namibia to the world.
December 3, 2025
Namibia’s hunting community stands at a pivotal juncture. For five decades, professional hunters, trackers, operators, conservancies and rural partners have protected wildlife and ensured that land remains dedicated to conservation. Our model, grounded in ethical hunting and sustainable use, is recognised worldwide as one of the most successful conservation systems. Yet today, we face increasing external pressure from anti-hunting activists, misinformation campaigns, international policy interference and transport restrictions. These groups present a united front and do not distinguish between ethical and unethical hunting, between a conservancy and a freehold farm, or between a professional hunter and a conservation biologist. Their aim is absolute: to end hunting entirely.
December 3, 2025
Each year at the Namibian Professional Hunting Association (NAPHA) Annual General Meeting the spotlight turns toward those who uphold the country’s proud hunting traditions through quiet dedication, skill and humility. The 2024 awards once again reminded the industry that the heartbeat of conservation and safari excellence lies not only with professional hunters but also with the men and women working alongside them – in the camps, the kitchens and in the wilderness.