The African Hunter Magazine Volume 19 # 4 | Page 3

In This Issue Peterhouse's Two-Year Professional Hunters and Guides Preparatory Course .................................................. 8 The Right Place at the Right Time ....................................... 27 Hunter's Gallery Various Hunters and their Trophies ................................... 34 Classic Rifles ON THIS COVER Volume 19 No 4 - 2014 Ihlosi Issue The Gun that Saved my Life................ 37 Ihlosi is the Ndebele name for the cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus, which is a truly remarkable animal in many ways. Sporting semi-retractable claws - and not fully retractable ones as with all other cats (the name ‘aciconyx’ translates to ‘no-move claw’ in Greek) - which act in the same way as runners’ cleats, it is able to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in three seconds, and to sustain that speed for distances of around a quarter of a mile, making it the world’s fastest land animal. Its top speed is anywhere up to 75 mph. It is the only member of its genus, and although its range covers most of Africa and parts of the Middle East, what was once a much larger contiguous range has now been fragmented as a result of competition for habitat with man and geo-political borders. Because of these smaller, more isolated geographical ranges and the species’ low genetic variability, the cheetah is currently classified as ‘vulnerable’ by the IUCN. Males are territorial, and congregate in groups called coalitions in order to protect their territories, while females adopt home ranges of between fifteen and six hundred square miles, which may overlap with the home ranges of other females. The cheetah will chirp, growl, howl, purr, and emit various combinations of those vocalisations, but it does not roar. Very efficient predators, the cheetah hunts by vision, rather than smell. The young, born in litters of between three and nine after a gestation period of ninety to ninety-eight days, experience a high mortality rate from predation by other carnivores and their own lack of genetic diversity. The species does, however, adapt fairly readily to captivity, which has made it possible for organisations like the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre in South Africa to breed generations of them, along with other endangered species such as the wild dog, the brown hyaena, and the Cape vulture. Horn Shape and Fighting in African Antelope ........................................... 31 REGULAR COLUMNS From The Editor ...................... 4 On Target .................................. 5 Bushcraft Some Thoughts on how Weather Affects Behaviour of the Hunter and the Hunted ..................................11 Memories of the Past Hunting Somalia - As it was - Part II ........................................ 14 Ballistics Relative Trauma Potential - Comparing Cartridges Part II ................................. 28 Fact File Mushroom Hunting in Zimbabwe........ 27 Butterflies ........................................... 36 Photo: Dave Christensen FEATURE Tail Piece The Client ........................................... 40 AFRICAN PERSPECTIVES The Mr X Files Vleis - A Dog Story ................................. I Cal on Doubles By Cal Pappas .......................................IV This 'n That Why the Waterbuck ..............................VI Hunting With Handguns Mynhard and me - a Springbok Taken with a .44 ............................................ VII Book Review Born a Hunter.................................... VIII The African Hunter is published six times per annum by Mag-Set Publications in association with African Sporting Publications South Africa D E PA R T M E N T S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Anthony M. Williams EDITOR - I. J. Larivers. USA PUBLISHING CONSULTANT - Bill Quimby. WEST AFRICA FIELD EDITOR - Cam Greig PROFESSIONAL AFRICAN ADVISORS - Andy Hunter, Phil Oosthuysen, Charl Grobbelaar, Dirk De Bod, Pieter Bothma. TECHNICAL ADVISORS - Saeed AlMaktoum, Charlie Haley (Forensic Ballistics), Ganyana (Ecologist), Cal Pappas (Double Rifles), Dr. Don Heath (Norma). FIELD EDITOR AT LARGE - Edd Woslum (Big Game Rifle Manufacturer). ZIMBABWE SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES - Jacqui. ADVERTISING - Kylee. Mag-Set Publications (Pvt) Ltd. P O Box 6204, Harare, Zimbabwe, Africa, Telephone/Fax (+263 - 4) 572786 / 7 E-mail: [email protected]. SOUTH AFRICA ADVERTISING AND DISTRIBUTION ENQUIRIES - Mickey African Sporting Publications - P.O. Box 10447, Aston Manor, 1630 RSA. Fax: [phone], Fax to e-mail: ([phone], Cell: ([phone]. E-mail: adhunt@mweb. co.za. NAMIBIA ADVERTISING AND DISTRIBUTION ENQUIRIES - Carlin P.O. Box 90360, Klein Windhoek, Namibia. Tel/Fax: [phone]. Cell: ([phone]. E-mail: [email protected]. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS - I J Larivers Mag-Set Publications (Pvt) Ltd. P O Box 6204, Harare, Zimbabwe, Africa Telephone/Fax (+263 - 4) 572786 / 7 E-mail: [email protected] “COPYRIGHT. Copyright of all material is expressly reserved and nothing may be reproduced in part or whole without the express permission of the publishers. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of editorial content, the publishers do not accept responsibility for omissions, errors, or their consequences. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers, their distributors or representatives, the editor or the represented body. GENERA 0