Good article to ponder.

https://www.farmersweekly.co.za/opinion/by-invitation/use-lose-hunting-key-conservation//

Article on values

It is an honour for me to represent professional hunters of South Africa and have a place on the PHASA executive committee for 2018. I was asked to write an article for the hunting magazine, Wild and Jag and they published this artilce earlier this year.                                                                 

 Values and PHASA

Universally we define values as principles or standards of behavior our judgment of what is important in life. Many synonyms can be attached to these values or standards, words and phrases such as moral code, morals, moral standards, code of behavior, rules of conduct, standards of behavior and ethics are all applicable. To what we apply these principles and standards is as important as the principles themselves. Our principles when treating people can without a doubt not always be the same when treating our animals, especially when we consider that humans consume (eat) animals, and have exploited them for millennia. There is no denying this fact, animals are not moral agents. Subjectivity plays a big part in the outcomes of personal decisions with regards to our principles and values when dealing with our relationships with animals, especially the ones we own. Rightly so, we are all entitled to our own decisions and preferences with regards to values and ethics. The great German philosopher, Immanuel Kant, who argued that the human mind creates the structure of human experience and that reason is the source of morality, interestingly maintained that with animals, humans have no direct duties towards them as sentient beings and only indirect duties towards them.  Animals lacking rational wills cannot themselves obligate us. Kant also reminded us that “all our knowledge begins with senses, proceeds then to the understanding, and ends with reason. There is nothing higher than reason.” Clearly our relationships with animals are complex, intricate and ultimately subject to reason.

From a PHASA point of view, our values and principles are entrenched in three pillars being:                    1.) sustainable utilization 2.) Legal hunting  3.)  Respecting property rights and its associated rights.

The first pillar, sustainable utilization, is easily accepted and understood in the wildlife industry especially since the trade-off between domestic livestock and wildlife is central to it. Domesticated livestock farming also strives to be sustainable otherwise agriculture would not be economically viable. Wildlife that is utilized in a sustainable manner is subject to these same economic principles and we all know that no animal has ever been farmed into extinction. Sustainable utilization which includes economic development, conservation of natural resources and social development all form part of the country’s sustainable development plan as included in the Constitution of 1996.

The second pillar, namely legal hunting, is like a hot potato at the moment in the wildlife industry. PHASA had to take a stance, but in a South African wildlife landscape that is recognized by its private, decentralized ownership model, imposing more subjective values on the multitude of owners and stakeholders has proven to be virtually impossible within the parameters of the South African constitution of 1996. “If it’s legal, it’s ethical” is the stance the association had to take, which means that all illegal activities such as illegal hunting and deliberate animal cruelty are therefore also unethical. The fact is that there are many subjective views as to what is ethical and what is not in the hunting world, and leaving the fate of its members at the hands of a few superiors is a draconian recipe for disaster. It is important to understand that PHASA is a member’s association run by the members for its members according to its new Constitution of 2017.

The third pillar of values PHASA promotes is property rights and all the associated rights of a civil society.  These include civil liberties under the rule of law with emphasis on economic freedom. Promotion of legal, individual action shouldn’t be compromised in favour of aggregates and expediency. Freedom to associate, freedom of speech and voluntary action are all associated with property rights. We value non-aggression, and the individual’s right to associate peacefully which is free of unnecessary coercion. Social transformation is most likely to occur by promoting this approach. Barriers-to-entry should be reduced wherever possible and this rights-based approach is best suited to facilitate that, especially when realizing that South Africa has built the largest wildlife industry in the world and that PHASA is the largest association of professional hunters in the world too. Protecting and promoting the constitutional rights of its members is thus imperative and an extremely necessary function of PHASA.  Promoting these values have to include members and their clients to voluntarily hunt a large variety of game in South Africa. With the so many outfitters and PH’s to choose from and who hunt many different places in South Africa, hunting clients can make their own informed decisions according to their personal tastes. In fact, hunters are spoilt for choice in South Africa thanks to all the market forces that are working. Hunting is what truly drives the wildlife economy in South Africa.

The net result of a society whereby individuals are can make their own, informed decisions, within a free market environment has proven to be most successful in various international economic policies employed throughout the ages.  South Africa’s wildlife industry should adhere to this paradigm. When an industry scales, there will invariably be problems that need to be addressed and PHASA endeavors to serve and assist its members wherever possible within the parameters of the law. By doing so, it hopes to include as many people into the wildlife industry as possible, ensuring long-term sustainability of our wildlife resource. Emotions and feelings should not cloud our reason and logic and we should all value and promote to consciously make sense of things wherever possible. We consider this approach the most reasonable moral code, a superior level of ethics and values.

Eardley Rudman

29 May 2018

The 2018 Season is well under way.

Just a quick update, we have been hunting hard at Blaauwkrantz with both our lodges occupied often simultaneously. Conditions have been dry but the animals are in great condition but we do hope for rain soon as the antelope head into the rut.

By all accounts 2018 is going to a record season for us as May, June and July are fully booked. August, September and October are also great hunting months and although we understand that the traditional vacation season is May, June and July we encourage those who can come after this peak season try it out.

We try to post regular updates on the website, but our Instagram and Facebook accounts are where the hot news is.  Checkout blaauwkrantzsafaris ; eardleyrudman and our Facebook page @ Blaauwkrantz Safaris.

Best wishes to all, and thank-you to all the hunters who enable sustainable utilization and conservation on private land through hunting.

Eardley and Al Wynn from Colorado with Al's 54" bomber for 2018.

Instagram

Check out our instagram accounts @eardleyrudman and @blaauwkrantzsafaris for snippets of info and pictures of recent and interesting events. Ledgering our conservation story has never been so much fun.

Enjoy!

Parallels to our conservation model.

https://fee.org/articles/the-environment-s-true-friends-are-libertarians/

A returning bushpig hunter.

Last week military man, Joe Rogoff, returned to Blaauwkrantz for the third time to 're' hunt the four animals that make Blaauwkrantz famous. The three spirals, kudu, bushbuck and nyala are always firm favourites, but the bushpig is right up there if not always in the beauty contest though.

Joe was successful with all four taking excellent trophies. His magnificent bushpig was taken in the moonlight over a bait relatively late at night.

We look forward to Joe's 're' turn.

Good hunting.

Blaauwkrantz Safaris doesn't only expand habitat, but infrastructure too.

We are proud to announce the addition of our Mountain Lodge to our outfit. The new facility is located on a newly bought property adjoining the existing ranch at the foothills of the rugged Cockscomb Mountain range.

Whilst the Mountain Lodge is logistically not as well placed as the central Main Lodge, it boasts a lovely wild ambience with a very appropriate dining lapa and rather romantic hut-chalets for accommodations.

We look forward to entertaining many happy hunters there once we complete some renovations.

Good hunting
Eardley

Our hunters visited one of our local schools today

The learners at our Palmiet Skool were very excited today when our hunters from Utah paid them a visit and generously donated them some much needed supplies.

Hunters are probably the most generous people we encounter in the tourism industry. Thank you very much!!

Best wishes
Eardley. 

Safari Club International show in Las Vegas

We had a great show at the biggest hunting show in the world in Las Vegas, meeting new people and visiting with many old friends. The mood in general was very upbeat and the change in political administration has a lot to do with it.

There were no fewer than 92 South African outfitters exhibiting followed by Namibia with 24. This confirms South Africa as having the lion's share of US hunters in the African hunters market. Only one other country, the US, has more outfitters than South Africa with 101. 

Another interesting thing was the quality of taxidermy on display, truly remarkable.

We head for Salt Lake City, for the third leg of our 2017 marketing season.

Best regards and good hunting.

First Bushking for 2017 crowned.

Congratulations to Danish Hunter Martin Rosenberg who shot a fine bushpig boar last week making him the first Blaauwkrantz Bushking for 2017.

Two things made this hunt remarkable, the first being that the pigs came to the bait well before dark (being mid summer it stays light till late), and the second was while driving to the bait, we spotted another chance encounter bushpig and Martin had a long shot but unfortunately missed.

Martin shot a very nice bushpig in 2015 too and found the experience so thrilling that he wanted to try again. He had another memorable bushpig hunt last week.

Congratulations!

Happy New Year

We started 2017 in true fashion with our Danish customers take the morning off after some celebrations to usher in the New Year.

When the blistering New Year heat started fading we ventured out and managed to take this fantastic blue wildebeest.

Despite the drought this bull was in great condition thanks to our efforts to supplement the animals during this tough time where most grazers would otherwise succumb.

Best wishes for 2017!

Hunting hard

Our business is providing holidays, and that means at any time of the year. It's a pleasure to host some Danish hunters here over the festive season. Conditions are extremely hot, but window periods early and late in the long days make for some good hunting. The pool makes the rest of the day bearable.

We have had some success taking some cull impala and a trophy lechwe already.  Bushpig is also on the list so watch this space. 😉 

South African Hunters choose Blaauwkrantz

South African Hunters are extremely lucky to be able to live and hunt in a country like South Africa.  Choices for plains game destinations have never been better, and Blaauwkrantz Safaris competes with a huge variety in this market.

Bushpigs are of course a very sort after specie amongst local hunters as there are relatively fewer places that provide hunters with a realistic chance of targeting a trophy pig, especially over bait. Earlier this month it was a pleasure hosting Eddie Mortimer from Pretoria to take this bomber boar.

Eddie has hunted bushpigs in Natal with some other reknown bushpig guides but has never had the opportunity to take a big boar. Blaauwkrantz provided that opportunity in the full moon when Eddie made a fantastic shot in the moonlight with his 30-06 loaded with a 220 grain PMP bullet. His illuminated reticle helped him see the cross-hair in the dark to take aim on the 76kg pig.

Congratulations Eddie!

Instagram updates

Also follow me on Instagram @eardleyrudman, "The Hogfather" to keep up with contemporary happenings in the underworld of hogs and other interesting snippets of activities related to Blaauwkrantz.

Best wishes and good hunting.

A week of great kudu hunting at Blaauwkrantz

Dr Leonard Deal from Texas, spent a week at Blaauwkrantz and hunted mainly for kudu but also hunted some excellent representatives of other species we have to offer here. On the second afternoon of his hunt Dr Deal shot at an impressive bull and because it was late in the afternoon we decided to return in the morning to look for the bull as it fell to the ground and jumped up after the shot, giving me the indication that the shot might be high on the shoulder or "skof". The next morning we returned and after a short tracking expedition, my tracker Jeffrey, found this massive 53,2/8" pure East Cape bull lying dead. On the last day of of the 6 day hunt and after turning down countless other bulls we spotted a narrow horned bull that looked like it would measure. Leonard made an excellent shot and the bull went down. On closer inspection it was so old that it had no front teeth left and the longest horn was also over 50"! There were four other hunters in camp last week too, and amongst them they shot five more magnificent, old East Cape kudu bulls. Blaauwkrantz can rightly claim the title to "The best kudu hunting in the world".

Blaauwkrantz’s first Australian Bushking The Blaauwkrantz Bushking award was handed to Mr. Darren Wilson from Australia last week, making him the first Australian recipient of this prestigious award. I have always maintained Australians are reluctant to hunt bushpigs as the word has another meaning in the Outback ;-) Appropriately Darren was one of the lucky hunters to strike luck at the bait on his first evening of his endeavour to become the incumbent Bushking at Blaauwkrantz. Darren spent 10 days hunting here and took a huge variety of excellent trophies. We look forward to his return and friendly company.

Two friends unite at Blaauwkrantz with The Hogslam Award This month, old friends Jim Legendre and Jerry Sorrells both from Oregon, managed to complete their Blaauwkrantz Hogslams, with Jim receiving the award three years after the hunt when his bushpig wasn’t found until after he left. Jerry spent two long nights in the two different blinds before shooting an impressive boar on the third evening (and last of their 10 day safari) with a well placed shot. Jim and Jerry both shot warthogs too. The award was handed during a spirited and happy event. Well done Jim and Jerry!

'Moonlight Delight"

Moonlight Delight – Hunting the “Beauty and the Beast” in one at Blaauwkrantz.

(By Mr Bengt Kvitzau, Denmark as it appeared in Show Times of the 2016 SCI Convention in Las Vegas)

In 1996 I was introduced to Blaauwkrantz Safaries through relatives in Denmark. After seeping through a number of brochures and articles, I decided to contact Arthur Rudman concerning a plains game hunt to be conducted in April- May 1998. Since I am currently on my fourth visit to Blaauwkrantz, it is needless to say the initial introduction was positive. Over the years I have hunted with Arthur, Francois and Eardley Rudman and always found service and company outstanding.

In February 2014 my daughter and I were scheduled to hunt with Eardley for a number of species I had not hunted on prior visits. Although I have shot Bushpig in Zimbabwe, a large Bushpig boar ended on the wish list. After 3 long nights and despite meticulous planning, we had to pack it in   - an abundance of Prickly pear fruits had been ripening and the pigs were scattered and non-cooperative. Bushpig is certainly no ordinary plains game species. Willing to sit it out for a week, I booked again in January 2016 and it turned out both weather and hunters were warmed up. And last night we succeeded in taking the beautiful “Beast” with only the moon to guide us. Diana can be a tricky lady, but perseverance – and good guiding pays off!!

Craig Boddington's article in the November 2015 issue of the Safari Times.

2015 saw another successful bushpig season.

                                          Some of the 2015 highlights..

                             Bushpig success in 2015 at Blaauwkrantz.

Apart from a bumper year in general, this year Blaauwkrantz once again proved to be a leader in the bushpig stakes too. We harvested no fewer than 100 trophy kudu bulls from a population of at least 2000 and 18 trophy bushpigs from a very healthy population on the 90 000 acre private property. As far as I am aware there is no other private property in Africa that can boast such a combined success.

The principle of private ownership of land and wildlife has no match in the conservation world considering that these entities are compelled to be self-sustaining as well as have tax paying obligations. This model is in stark contrast to State controlled conservation efforts that need to manage on tax payer subsidies. South Africa’s policies of allowing conservation be subjected to the free market is a by no small measure, a revelation.