Dimitri jag artikel in Magnum

[Marc]

Thanks Dimitri

What a pleasant read and great foto's too 

You may definately practice your writing skills here more often, not that it's needed though 

Compliments

Mooi loop
Marc

[Dimitri]

Thanks for the compliment Marc.

It is humbling to see my article alongside those of real writers like Kevin Thomas, Koos Barnard etc.

Nothing wrong with more practise though.

All the best

Dimitri

[Dimitri]

Here are a few more pics relevant to the article ....

I shot my first mountain reedbuck in 2001 and had it mounted. Still one of my favourite trophies and beautifully done by Trans African Taxidermy

[img width=560 height=420]http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh28 ... c8484a.jpg[/img]

The scenery where I hunt mountain reedbuck is breathtaking

[img width=560 height=420]http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh28 ... de1ba2.jpg[/img]

[img width=360 height=480]http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh28 ... 6941d8.jpg[/img]

I shot this respectable ram in 2010

[img width=560 height=420]http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh28 ... 8f9fbc.jpg[/img]

The beautiful ram I shot earlier this year and the subject of my article in the Magnum

[img width=560 height=420]http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh28 ... 1c247a.jpg[/img]

[Foxcreek]

Which area is it?

[Marc]

That is a special Ram 

[Dimitri]

Which area is it?

Hi Foxcreek

Harrismith area.

Posted by: Marc
? on: December 18, 2012, 02:26:37 PM ? Insert Quote
That is a special Ram 

Truly a special ram Marc. What they edited out in my Magnum article is that I spent about 20 min alone with the ram just admiring him, stroking his coat, giving thanks and taking a few photos. Then I phoned my wife to let her know how emotional and happy I was. Only after that did I gut him and carry him down the mountain to the closest point accessible to the farmer's Cruiser.

All the best

Dimitri

[Foxcreek]

Beautifull scenary and a nice couple of mountain reedbuck.

[Dimitri]

Beautifull scenary and a nice couple of mountain reedbuck.

Thanks Foxcreek.

When I started hunting on that farm 17 years ago game was very scarce. A few skittish mountain reedbuck and the odd duiker and steenbok. There was a serious poaching problem that the farmer did not even know about. The poachers would set snares high-up in areas inaccessible to the farmer's bakkie. After doing some wingshooting I went walking in the mountains just for the enjoyment of it (I was not allowed to hunt furred game there back then) and that is when I found the snares with old decomposed carcasses and two fresh mountain reedbuck carcasses. I walked the fenceline and broke every snare I could find and carried the lot back to the farmhouse to show the farmer. He addressed the poaching issue with his staff and his neighbours, made some changes to the way things worked on the farm regarding staff incentives (or lack thereof) linked to snares found and banned dogs in the veld. I always made time to walk the inaccessible areas whenever I was there.

6 years later, the farmer allowed me to shoot a ram for the first time. Today, there 5 herds of mountain reedbuck on the farm, and I take off 4 - 5 mountain reedbuck every year for the farmer and myself. Last year we had the first ever confirmed sighting of grey rhebuck on the farm and I saw them again this year. My late dad saw an aardvark there in broad daylight. I have see an aardwolf in broad daylight there in 3 out of the last 5 years. Steenbuck and duiker are all over the show. The farmer has started seeing servals every now and again (I'd LOVE to see one). This year a team of predator controllers killed 5 jackals and 5 caracals in the space of two weeks using dogs. Last year a bushpig was killed on the neighbour's farm - the first ever in that particular region. Free roaming fallow deer make an appearance every 2 years or so (but never while I am there). Brown hyena are more and more active. It's only the dassies that seem to be going backward possibly due to the black eagles and other small predators on the farm but I still see them regularly. 

So not only do I feel very privileged to be able to hunt alone in such a beautiful setting but it's been very special and rewarding to see all the game return over the last 17 years.

[Carl]

Hi Dimitri,
Lovely hunting story I really enjoyed it. While fishing at Sterkfontein we saw some lovely rams close to the water, whish there was a way to collect some trophies from the Nature Reserve. I think I should contact my fishing buddy for some winter hunting opportunities, your story inspired me.

I can attest that we had the same issue with snares on the farm, I think we got rid of the problem. Lost 2 Eland, Gemsbuck etc. the previous owner was non-resident. Every warthog lair had snares, now we are seeing more and more of them on the farm.

[immelmanw]

Here are a few more pics relevant to the article ....

I shot my first mountain reedbuck in 2001 and had it mounted. Still one of my favourite trophies and beautifully done by Trans African Taxidermy

[img width=560 height=420]http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh28 ... c8484a.jpg[/img]

The scenery where I hunt mountain reedbuck is breathtaking

[img width=560 height=420]http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh28 ... de1ba2.jpg[/img]

[img width=360 height=480]http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh28 ... 6941d8.jpg[/img]

I shot this respectable ram in 2010

[img width=560 height=420]http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh28 ... 8f9fbc.jpg[/img]

The beautiful ram I shot earlier this year and the subject of my article in the Magnum

[img width=560 height=420]http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh28 ... 1c247a.jpg[/img]

Dimitri, very nice, the editors job is vacant at the SAHunter magazine, jump!

[Dimitri]

Hi Dimitri,
Lovely hunting story I really enjoyed it. While fishing at Sterkfontein we saw some lovely rams close to the water, whish there was a way to collect some trophies from the Nature Reserve. I think I should contact my fishing buddy for some winter hunting opportunities, your story inspired me.

I can attest that we had the same issue with snares on the farm, I think we got rid of the problem. Lost 2 Eland, Gemsbuck etc. the previous owner was non-resident. Every warthog lair had snares, now we are seeing more and more of them on the farm.

First post for 2013. Compliments of the season to everyone.

Thanks for the compliment Carl. Glad yo hear that you were inspired.

Great to hear that you have sorted out the snare problem on your farm and that the game is returning.

All the best

Dimitri

[Dimitri]

Dimitri, very nice, the editors job is vacant at the SAHunter magazine, jump!

Thanks immelmanw.

He he. I'll pass on the editor's job for now. I prefer to do lots of hunting and a bit of writing. Not the other way round 

All the best

Dimitri

[GreyGhostGear]

Thanks Foxcreek.

When I started hunting on that farm 17 years ago game was very scarce. A few skittish mountain reedbuck and the odd duiker and steenbok. There was a serious poaching problem that the farmer did not even know about. The poachers would set snares high-up in areas inaccessible to the farmer's bakkie. After doing some wingshooting I went walking in the mountains just for the enjoyment of it (I was not allowed to hunt furred game there back then) and that is when I found the snares with old decomposed carcasses and two fresh mountain reedbuck carcasses. I walked the fenceline and broke every snare I could find and carried the lot back to the farmhouse to show the farmer. He addressed the poaching issue with his staff and his neighbours, made some changes to the way things worked on the farm regarding staff incentives (or lack thereof) linked to snares found and banned dogs in the veld. I always made time to walk the inaccessible areas whenever I was there.

6 years later, the farmer allowed me to shoot a ram for the first time. Today, there 5 herds of mountain reedbuck on the farm, and I take off 4 - 5 mountain reedbuck every year for the farmer and myself. Last year we had the first ever confirmed sighting of grey rhebuck on the farm and I saw them again this year. My late dad saw an aardvark there in broad daylight. I have see an aardwolf in broad daylight there in 3 out of the last 5 years. Steenbuck and duiker are all over the show. The farmer has started seeing servals every now and again (I'd LOVE to see one). This year a team of predator controllers killed 5 jackals and 5 caracals in the space of two weeks using dogs. Last year a bushpig was killed on the neighbour's farm - the first ever in that particular region. Free roaming fallow deer make an appearance every 2 years or so (but never while I am there). Brown hyena are more and more active. It's only the dassies that seem to be going backward possibly due to the black eagles and other small predators on the farm but I still see them regularly. 

So not only do I feel very privileged to be able to hunt alone in such a beautiful setting but it's been very special and rewarding to see all the game return over the last 17 years.

Dimitri,

Another fine example (and also from a slightly different angle) of how a hunter and hunting contributed to conservation in a big way, well done!
I'm pretty sure no Greenie/anti-hunting activist would ever have walked those hills and found those snares.
No snares in the shopping malls where they're busy collecting money for who knows what..

Regards,
Petrie.

[Dimitri]

Hi Petrie

The "armchair conservationists" are passionate and dedicated talkers. They love to talk. Mostly they talk nonsense based on emotion. They sit in their armchairs and rarely get out into the bush. They make all sorts of anti-hunting / pro-conservation statements but, in reality, they have very little knowledge about real conservation principles, strategies and tools. They don't know the difference between preservation and conservation. They can't tell the difference between an impala and a springbok. They have little or no understanding of biodiversity, game management or sustainable utilisation. They talk a lot, know very little and do nothing constructive for conservation.

I wish more hunters would write about their hunting/conservation successes. And if someone could package those stories and share them with the general public then a lot more people would understand conservation and give hunters the respect they deserve.

All the best

Dimitri