As responsible hunters, Clearwater Safaris respect the hunting and non-hunting community, therefore it is our main aim to promote and enforce ethical hunting.
Ethical hunting relates to the behaviour of a hunter towards his /her quarry, with an extended responsibility towards the fellow hunter, general public and the environment. It has to do with issues of fairness, respect and responsibility not covered by law. “Ethical behaviour is doing the right thing when no one else is watching, even when doing the wrong thing is legal” – Aldo Leopold
Hunter behaviour must always be completely ethical and lawful, conducted in fair-chase hunting methods and within the disciplines of safe firearm use. Every hunter should always employ fair chase when in pursuit of an animal. Fair Chase can be defined as the pursuit of a ranging animal that possesses the natural and behavioural inclination to escape from the hunter and be fully free to do so.
As in every human endeavour, there are grey areas of ethical behaviour that come down to a matter of personal choice. To pull the trigger on a shot that you are not 100% confident will kill this animal ethically and quickly, or to wait for a better opportunity?
A non-lethal wound on an animal in the field is one of the worst things’ hunters can do. This has a devastating impact on the animal and has a negative impact on the hunting experience for the hunter.
Responsible hunters do not act carelessly, we obey hunting laws, hunt fairly, practice safety rules, and wait for a clean kill before shooting. How you behave and how other people see you will determine hunting’s future.
As hunters, we have a responsibility to be prepared. It is our duty to care for the places we tread and the animals we hunt to ensure that they will be bountiful for future generations.
Clearwater Safari Lodge is located on the Ghaap Plateau between Schmidsdrift and Campbell, approximately 85 km from Kimberley and 10km from Schmidtsdrift. The lodge is some 3000ha in size and is home to about 27 different animal species, including buffalo, roan, sable, kudu, giraffe and steenbuck.
