Greetings from the Chacma family.

It is hard to believe that another year has almost come to an end.  Christmas is around the corner and precious family time that all of us have been looking forward to.

Summer is in full swing in South Africa, and for you that have not experienced the South African summers – IT’S HOT!!  Our temperatures are very high this time of the year, and luckily for us the rain has fallen abundantly over most of South Africa.  So as you can imagine, the grass is green and the veldt looks awesome. 

We are sure, that just as we in South Africa is worried about our political and financial situation, so is everybody over the world.  Things has changed so dramatically the last few months, but with this uncertainty we at Chacma just want to reassure all our clients and potential clients, that we will do everything that we have done in the past, and we will always walk the extra mile for our clients.  With us value for money and service to the client walk hand in hand.

Hunting especially in foreign countries has become a luxury, especially when hunting the big five and other exotic animals.  Africa has so much to offer in terms of plains game, and we urge you to make sure that you are familiar with what we can offer, and to make your decision based on that information.  Herewith a few interesting facts about the well known Impala.  

The Impala

They are without a doubt the most common game animal on the sub-continent and in South Africa the impala, kudu and springbuck formed the backbone of hunting from the turn of the 19th century to the late 1960’s.  When game ranching began with the fencing of properties, the Impala were quick to increase in number and were well-suited to many areas where cattle overgrazing had led to thickening of the bush.

Impala are gregarious and occur in herds of between 20 and over 100, depending on persecution levels.  If they are hunted intensively, they typically occur in smaller groups and hold to much thicker cover.  In this way they reduce the risk of detection. 
Their sense of smell and vision is acute to the point of being scary. They are more active in the hours shortly after dawn and before dusk, with nights spent lying down and ruminating. 

Hunting Impala is best done in the early morning with little to no wind.  They are inclined to move less when the wind is blowing or temperatures are really low.  The afternoon hunting can be plagued by swirling warm air giving the game away and afternoon walking and stalking is often left as late as possible. 

Impala are dependent on surface water and will come to water twice a day – mid-morning and late afternoon, the times getting earlier and later depending on hunting pressure. 

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South Africa and CITES: Sustainable use of biological resources

Managing the South African environment is underpinned by the Constitution which provides amongst others that:
Everyone has the right:

• to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and
• to have an environment protected for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that:
• prevent pollution and ecological degradation;
• promote conservation; and
• secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development.

We will be exhibiting at shows next year so watch our website for dates and more information. If you have booked with us come see us if you can.

CHACMA AND SCI

Chacma Safaris have been hard at work at building relationships with certain SCI Chapters.  We have been communicating for a while and have agreed to donate specific hunts for specific Chapter’s annual fund raisers.  Most of the chapters we have been communicating with have received us very enthusiastically, and we are very excited to build these relationships into great successes in the future. 

Veld Fires

During the month of September 2008 fires swept through the Waterberg area destroying over 200 000 hectares of grazing and also housing, sheds with fodder, fencing and tourist accommodation. The estimated damage at more than R100 million.

These fires, pushed by gusting swirling winds, came through our farm the last week of September. The staff and neighbours stood helpless as up to 4-metre high flames swept through the farm. They fought to save the lodge and other buildings but had to stand back and watch the flames burn the farm.

We were lucky as the flames turned a few times giving animals the chance to run from the fire. This tragedy is the worst we have ever seen. But the rains came and soon the veldt was green again. The damage is long forgotten and the animals are flourishing. We want to thank our staff and neighbors who selflessly helped in fighting these fires.

We at Chacma Safaris want to whish you and your loved ones a special and blessed Christmas and a prosperous 2009.

REMEMBER CHACMA SAFARIS WHEN YOU BOOK YOUR NEXT HUNTING SAFARI IN AFRICA!!  OUR PRICES ARE GREAT!! AND OUR SERVICE EVEN BETTER!!

For more information on our hunting packages and prices, please visit our website at www.chacmasafaris.co.za or e-mail us at info@chacmasafaris.co.za.

Our next edition of the newsletter will go out early in the New Year.  See you then!!

	Our warmest regards
It’s time to own the African Adventure!!  © Chacmasafari.co.za 2008 | You are listed in our mailing list, to opt out click here