Bushcraft
ETIQUETTE ON SAFARI
By I J Larivers
There are rules for etiquette in the bush just as there are for just about anywhere
else a person might find themselves. Old World hunters from Europe are perhaps
the most fastidious when it comes to good manners in the outdoors, and why
not? They have had literally centuries of experience working out a more or
less universal sportsman’s code which is known and understood by most as an
ingrained part of their culture.
O
n safari in Africa, a certain hunt etiquette is
also pretty universal among the operators and
professional hunters and in the myriad countries in
which they operate, and it is of the most interest to the firsttimer, who will quickly learn the ropes - but it should also
be of concern to the old Africa hands who might sometimes
slip up. A safari is a unique, and for some, once-in-a-lifetime
experience. It can be a resounding success in every way or
a sad disappointment - and this doesn’t just depend on the
trophy quality. Attitude is all-important.
A good way to get a collar on attitude from the very
beginning is to remember that most African countries
are not the cellophane-wrapped, hermetically-sealed
environment that the hunter is used to in the First World.
It’s not your PH’s or outfitter’s fault if there is no running
water or electricity, or your rifle will be on the next flight.
Maybe. These are things that your operator will be able to
deal with for you, but you will not find the same standards
on arrival in Africa as you had when you flew out of JFK.
Like most Zimbabweans, I have a generator at home, and
though power cuts are frequent I never use it. I have spent
too long in the bush not to be happy with candles or paraffin
lamps or new-fangled solar LED technology. It’s just the
way it is.
I’m pretty sure that the readership of African Hunter, be
they new or long-time subscribers, are the sort of folks who
will relish their time in the African bush - or the Canadian
Rockies or wherever they hunt - as time well-spent in and of
itself. The sights, the sounds, and the solitude. The trophies
are secondary to the hunt. The hunt is the whole being there
and giving it your best effort bit. Some you win and some
you lose, and a nice trophy is a real plus but having had
the privilege to try for that trophy is what it’s really all
about. You have paid for a selection of game, but it’s not a
shopping list and should not be treated like one. Be happy!
I once travelled from Bunia to Kisangani in the Congo
on my way to the Garamba national park. The distance, if
I recall, was something like 350 miles and it took me eight
days. Flying out a month or so later, I spent two days at
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the airport because President Mobutu had taken one of
the country’s two serviceable jetliners to Europe for a
summit meeting and Mrs. Mobutu had taken the other one
to Europe on a shopping trip. This is Africa. Your PH will
move heaven and earth to make it all work, but if patience
is a virtue where you come from, it’s a necessity in Africa.
These experiences, at the end of the day, are part and parcel
of the whole adventure - perhaps your best stories when you
get home (and, of course, they’re over).
Safari etiquette can be divided into the practical and
academic, the former perhaps being life-saving at some
point and the latter merely enhancing the enjoyment for
you and everyone else in camp. Most of the points I look at
below combine both aspects in greater or lesser proportions.
In the first category, firearm safety is paramount.
You need to know how a particular weapon works, what
it is capable of, [