Summer has been with us in sunny South Africa for a month and a bit now. It has been very dry, but at long last the rains has started. Today is overcast, and temperatures are bearable, at least up to now. Summer makes the bush go all green, and there is a new energy. Soon the impalas, and a lot of other species, will start to give birth to new generations. It is fantastic to see the animals rejoice with new energy as the trees and grass turns green. Food will soon be in abundance (we hope).
But summer also means that the hunting season won't start for another 4-5 months. During the winter the South African bushveld is dry, and very few trees has leaves, other than the acacias and sheppard trees, and maybe a few others. But there will still be a lot of food for the animals. If it had not been for my love of hunting and the outdoors, I would have hated the winter. Cold, miserable mornings. Cold days. Cold nights. Dry bush. Other than hunting, winter is only there to ensure that my clivias would bloom in spring.
Other than hunting, I am very passionate about my clivias. It is an indigenous (South African) evergreen plant that blooms in late August/early September (in SA - March/April in the Northern Hemisphere). I have about 6,000 of these plants. All colours and shapes and shades. They are just beautiful, especially when they bloom en masse.
But back to winter and summer - Summer gives me the time to just enjoy nature, without any pressure of hunting down an animal, and I truly enjoy this time of year. But by April, when the leafs start to turn into fall colours, that familiar itch starts to set in. I'm like a race horse in the starting blocks. Cannot wait for that first shot to be fired. March is spent by doing some final checks on firearms, ensure that hunting camps are in order, update info of clients who will be hunting with me, making sure that I have all their arrival dates and flight numbers, ensure that accommodation is booked, and any small detail that might need attention has been given that attention.
When that first client arrives at OR Tambo Airport, and we shake hands, it is all systems GO! Then we go into hunting overdrive. For six months we will do some hard hunting. We will litterally walk a thousand or two miles, adrenalin pumping at a high rate.
July 2009 is going to be great. Between Louis, Wikus and myself (and probably a few more PH's) we will handle at least 20 clients. Six buffs has already been booked for that time, and there might be a few more. Maybe a couple of lions. Some sable, tsessebe and roan. Definitely some kudu, nyala and bushbuck.
Due to the fact that I did not get to hunt for myself this year, I cannot wait for the 2009 season to start! Let's go! I wanna hunt!
