Has This South Africa Ranch Lost Its Trophy Status?

Leon Munyan (Report 8681) is unhappy with a plains game hunt handled for his daughters in South Africa by Wilton Valley Hunting Safaris. He writes, "My wife and I hunted a Limpopo bushbuck there five years ago and enjoyed the owners, the ranch and the lodge. So, we bought their hunt for our daughters at auction from the Phoenix Chapter of SCI. Unfortunately, this is no longer a trophy hunting' ranch. They have had mostly meat hunters for the past several years. These are hunts where five to 10 Afrikaners are dropped off at one end of the ranch and they do drives to the other side of the ranch, shooting whatever. The game was so skittish that it was nearly impossible to stalk. One daughter walked six to 10 miles every day, and she went for 5½ days without getting a shot at an animal. The ranch did not have trophy-sized animals of the game we sought. All six of the animals the girls were finally able to harvest barely made the SCI minimum. We did enjoy the people and the lodge. The PH was extremely good and gave the girls a real hunt. I would only recommend this hunt to someone who is not concerned with trophy size and wants to have a good, relaxed time with their wife." Munyan also mentions a misunderstanding over fees due at the end of the hunt. "Be sure to get a very detailed list of animals and costs you will be subject to," he says. In a long rebuttal letter from H.P. de Jager, owner of Wilton Valley Hunting Safaris, he says prudent management of game ranches in South Africa requires a combination of culling and live capturing of excess animals, and trophy hunting. "The key is to find the right balance," he says. "We pride ourselves that we have, for over 40 years, succeeded in finding the desired balance. Culling, by venison hunters, is done in a disciplined and orderly way by walking and stalking (no vehicles), each hunter accompanied by a seasoned tracker. Trophy animals are protected by higher prices, and venison hunters prefer to hunt the cheaper........(continued)