On 22 November was the start of the first ever AGM of the Custodians of Professional Hunting and Conservation. We at Watervale Safaris are extremely proud of this association and look forward to the things to come in the future. The AGM was a massive success. A good turnout, of like-minded, ethical, sincere conservationists ready to grab the bull by the horns.
It is truly unfortunate that that a year ago things ran the course that it did but there is no other way to go when the writing was on the wall. We as conservationist cannot sit back and this “breath of fresh air’ is exactly what the industry is needing. There is some great work getting done within the association, with everyone coming to the party and helping where they can in propelling things forward. A big thank you is definitely in order to especially everyone on the Exco for their incredible work over the past few months, moving in leaps and bounds, with the wind in their face!
The Thursday night Boma Braai and Gin Table was a great start to reconnect with the old faces and get to meet the new ones!
Corey Mason from the Dallas Safari Club addressing the meeting. It is fantastic to have the support of great organisations like the DSC, SCI, Rowland Ward and many many more that contribute.
The Gala Banquet on Friday night was a huge success. It was a wonderful evening to be a part of. The auction raised a great deal of money and everyone dug deep in support of the assosiation
There was a lot to take away from the AGM but one of the stand out points and most relevant to what we are facing in our industry, is the social impact we as hunters often overlook when we looking at the problems and solutions within our industry.
We firmly believe and agree that hunters have to demonstrate that we care about conservation and also the preservation of species, that we have ethics and that we have compassion for wild animals. We, as hunters, know why we hunt and how we go about that hunt, but we have to realise that ALL our hunting is under public scrutiny through social media. We must also not let money come before conservation. These are all issues that the anti- hunting lobby, very successfully, uses to mobilize against us. They are also the issues that prevent conservation NGOs from supporting hunters. These NGOs cannot be seen to be supporting hunting when so much seems illegal, unethical or distasteful. Unfortunately, it is the few negative hunting incidents that make it into the press and so much reputational damage to the industry. For all this, the unintended consequence will be the loss of Wildlife and habitats forever and this we need to prevent at all costs.
We need a ‘rebranding’ of our hunting industry, a reframing of the hunting narrative, and show it for what it truly is. Beyond the blood and gore (which is a reality), there is great conservation at work. We don’t need to shy away as hunters, we can stand proud and display our hard-earned Trophies with pride but learn to share the full story with everyone. Show dignity through your actions and show compassion.
There is a number of US platforms that i follow and it has been amazing to see how this ‘rebranding’ is playing out in the global picture. This is a whole other article, for another day but would like to make quick mention about the guys from ‘Modern Huntsman’ Magazine, they have absolutely nailed this ‘reframing of the hunting narrative’ and a scroll through their Instagram page sets the scene of how effective this is from the start.
Check out: www.modernhuntsman.com
We would also like to congratulate Paul Stones on being awarded the Coenraad Vermaak award for his dedicated service to the ‘Custodians’. Paul is no doubt a worthy recipient fo this award, he has gone beyond the call of duty in the building this vibrant association!
We are extremely proud to be a part of this association and look forward to working together in going from strength to strength. Custodians is a great association to support and they have a number of options available if you would like to become part of this great movement. Be sure to check out their website and feel free to ask any questions you might have.
