Newsletter December 2005

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IN THIS ISSUE: Message from Danie Hunting report NAPHA medals Hunting in Namibia during March / April 2006 Special summer package Namibia’s national airline, AIR NAMIBIA Other airlines flying to Namibia Wedding bells from clients Visiting USA during 2006 Message from Danie as NAPHA President Message from Ministry of Environment and Tourism Christmas Wishes Food for thought

MESSAGE FROM DANIE:

Kowas Adventure Safaris wants to express our appreciation for your loyal support to you whom have hunted with Kowas Adventure Safaris. Thank you for each one of you whom responded as references to enquiries from potential clients. Your time, effort and dedication in sharing with others your safari experience at Kowas, are highly appreciated.

The Kowas team has again succeeded this year in providing an excellent hunting experience with exceptional trophies for our clients. This could however not be accomplished without the commitment and ability of each of our clients. All of us that have hunted are aware that success is bestowed to people that work for it. I therefore want to give credit to all of you who have been patient and prepared to go that extra mile in order to get that exceptional one. Congratulations to you.

Kowas Adventure Safaris is blessed by being fully booked for the last number of years. This was only possible through the commitment of our staff doing their utmost best in making it possible for clients to Kowas to have a most enjoyable safari. Secondly for the Namibian Government in creating an environment which is stable and ensuring the safety of all tourists visiting our beautiful country.

As President of the Namibia Professional Hunting Association (NAPHA), I have the privilege of being involved with the Namibian government on many issues regarding hunting and tourism. We are fortunate to have such a relationship with the Namibian Government.

I want to conclude this Newsletter by submitting two messages (see end of this Newsletter): one from myself as President of NAPHA and another message from the Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism (MET), Honorable Leon Jooste, in one of Namibia’s hunting magazines Huntinamibia. These messages is providing a clear picture of what Namibia is all about, how hunting are being protected and the example that Namibia sets to the rest of Africa. I urge you to take time to read these messages, especially the one from Honorable Leon Jooste.

HUNTING REPORT:
It is with great pleasure to announce the trophy hunting results for 2005. Kowas Adventure Safaris had 28 hunters and bagged a total of 130 trophies. The NAPHA medal break down is as follows:
65% Gold 14% Silver 8% Bronz 13% No-medal trophies such as ostrich, zebra, giraffe, jackal, etc. Thank you to each one of you whom have purchased medals from the NAPHA office. Your support to this program is highly appreciated.

We were fortunate of bagging 41” (Glen Hiebert) and 40” (Dr Kirby Walker) Oryx bulls during the past season. The average size of the Kudu’s being hunted this year with Kowas Adventure Safaris was an impressive 53”. The largest Kudu being bagged this year was 57,5” (Dr Heber Simmons Jr).

Although the purpose of trophy hunting is to bag a high quality trophy, I can not overstress the importance to maintain the principle of fair chase and ethical hunting at all times during a hunting safari. Kowas Adventure Safaris is proud of our history in complying in these principles. Everybody hunting with us is testimony to their hard work in obtaining a high quality trophy. I thank you all for adhering to these principles and enjoy hunting hard for your trophy. It is highly appreciated by the Kowas team.

NAPHA MEDALS:
The NAPHA medals measuring system is based on the Safari Club International (SCI) measuring system, which is the sum length of both horns and both circumferences at the base, with the exceptions of warthog and elephant.

The Namibian minimum measurement system is to protect hunting clients hunting in Namibia from harvesting animals below the minimum requirement, as per the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET). This does not apply to conservation harvesting programmes or in cases of old age, an animal with a broken horn, or a sick animal, if the hunting client expressly asks for this trophy.

The prestigious Game Fields Medal is to reward the hunting client for harvesting a gold medal trophy of an extreme age. It is crucial for the hunters of the future, that the hunters of today preserve strong gene pools by harvesting trophies that are past their prime – thereby ensuring superior genetics for future generations. Hunting professionals apply for the Game Fields Medal following the same procedure as for the other medals, with the condition that a trophy photo is supplied to substantiate the application.

The Gold, Silver and Bronze medals, together with the appropriate certificate, are obtainable for mature trophies that qualify. The SCI record book is the recording standard for the NAPHA medals system. Trophies making the minimum scores for entering into the record book are rewarded the Silver medal. Trophies that are 5% below this minimum score are awarded with the Bronze medal, and trophies 5% above this minimum are honored with the Gold medal. Trophies that do not qualify for the above-mentioned medals because of old age or because the trophy is deformed or broken, qualify for the Conservation Medal minted in Old Silver.

HUNTING IN NAMIBIA DURING MARCH / APRIL 2006:
March and April are splendid months in Namibia. It is the end of the Namibian summer. The vegetation is lush and green, while wildlife is in abundance. It is also the beginning of the trophy hunting season which increases the changes of bagging excellent trophies.

The temperature during this time of the year is relatively hot during the day (not closely like your summer temperature in the USA, because Namibia is a dry country with almost no humidity). Evenings are pleasant and cool which can be spend easily around the campfire while in wintertime it might be more on the chilly side around the campfire at night. It is with no doubt my favorite time of the year although it is quiet surprising to notice how low the demand is for hunting in Namibia during this time period.

For this reason Ansie and I have decided to promote a special rate for hunting during March and April in Namibia with Kowas Adventure Safaris in order to create a desire for this pleasant time of the year. I trust that this special rate will create interest which will allow the Kowas team to share this beautiful and green time in Namibia with you.

SPECIAL SUMMER PACKAGE (MARCH + APRIL):
Daily rate:
1 x 1 USD220-00
2 x 1 USD200-00
Observer: USD 90-00

Trophy fees remain the same as per website http://www.kowasadventure.com Also check with your travel agent. Flights might also be cheaper during this time period. We recommend to contact the following travel agent which could provide you with the necessary information: SA Adventures, Mrs Amy Hunt (Business Manager), Tel: 1-800-999-7180. Also 404 851-9744. Fax 404-851-9816. She could also be contacted at amyhunt@saadventures.com

Please take time to also inform your friends and acquaintances of this package at such a low rate. Let us get you here during summer time to convince you of the beauty and splendid trophy quality that can be bagged. We have only four one week slots available during March and April 2006.

NAMIBIA’s NATIONAL AIRLINE, AIR NAMIBIA:
As an alternative, we recommend that you consider flying through Frankfurt directly to Namibia on the Namibia national airline, Air Namibia. (You fly from USA to Frankfurt with any airline, i.e. Delta airline. Air Namibia provides services directly from Frankfurt to Namibia.) The advantage of this choice is that you do not have lay over time in Johannesburg. Frankfurt is a “hunter’s friendly” airport, and so is Windhoek.
The contact details of the only Air Namibia office in the USA, Miami (MIA), is as follows:

Air Namibia operates daily flights between Windhoek and Europe, namely four times to and from Frankfurt in Germany and three flights to and from London Gatwick in the United Kingdom.
These services are operated with two Airbus 360 aircraft. Air Namibia also operates two daily flights between Windhoek and Johannesburg as well as Cape Town in South Africa, using a Boeing 737.

If you need any further assistance, we invite you to contact us.

OTHER AIRLINES FLYING TO NAMIBIA:
Other airlines (despite Air Namibia) flying into Namibia, are as follows:

South African Airways (SAA)
South African Airways, the South Africa's national airline, operates daily flights between Johannesburg, Cape Town and Windhoek. This service is operated with Boeing 737. The company also services the routes to destinations on the northern and southern America, Australia and Europe.

British Airways (COMAV)
British Airways operates a regular flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Windhoek. This service is operated with Boeing 737.

LTU
Germany's largest privately owned airline, LTU International Airways, operates twice a week direct flight from Munich to Windhoek. This service is operated with Boeing 767.

WEDDING BELLS:
Congratulations to Robbie Brannon and Claire as well as Duiker Dan and Dawn whom got married during 2005. We share in your happiness. May all your days be beautiful expression of your spirit, joy and love for one another. The Kowas team is looking forward meeting your loved ones one day…

VISITING USA DURING 2006:
We want to share the January/February 2006 itinerary of Kowas Adventure Safaris with you. We as the Strauss couple is unfortunately not going to attend the Georgia SCI Convention during 2006 in person. However, our Agent, Mr John Burrell and Mrs Amy Hunt of SA Adventures will be attending to your Kowas Adventure Safaris enquiries at the Southeastern Sportsman’s Convention and Expo, which is scheduled for 10, 11, 12 February 2006. They are also reachable at amyhunt@saadventures.com and johnburrell@saadventures.com This event will take place at the Cobb Galleria Centre, Atlanta, Georgia.

Danie has been invited to give a speech on behalf of the Namibia Professional Hunting Association (NAPHA) on Namibia at SCI Convention at Reno during 18 – 21 January 2006 as well as at Dallas Safari Club on 26 – 28 January 2006. Kowas does unfortunately not have a booth at either Reno or Dallas although we will be available if any one of you who wants to meet with us.

Besides Reno and Dallas, we are planning to visit the following States. If you are interested in visiting with us, please get in contact with us before we departure from Namibia on 15 January 2006 in order to supply the contact details of “where we will be”:

16 – 21 January 2006: Reno
21 – 25 January 2006: Oklahoma
25 – 29 January 2006: Dallas
29 January – 1 February 2006: Alabama
1 – 3 February 2006: Mississippi
3 – 9 February 2006: Tennessee
9 – 10 February 2006: Georgia (Atlanta)

MESSAGE FROM THE NAPHA PRESIDENT, DANIE STRAUSS
Trophy hunting in Namibia has experienced constant growth since 1994, with the number of international hunters visiting Namibia increasing from 1 918 in 1994 to 5 363 in 2004. While there has been a steady increase from France, Hungary and Spain, the most notable growth has been from the USA. From 73 hunters in 1994, the number grew to 1 123 during the 2004 hunting season.

We are grateful for this steady upward curve, but realize that growth of this magnitude is not a matter of coincidence. It is the combination and culmination of various actions and efforts. A number of institutions and individuals must be credited with the substantial growth of the Namibian trophy-hunting sport.

Firstly: Credit should be given to the Namibian Government. Sustainable utilization of our natural resources is entrenched in the Namibian Constitution, making it possible for trophy hunting to be protected. The Namibian Government is democratically elected every five years and forms the basis for stability, economic growth and the upgrading and maintenance of the infrastructure. The Namibian infrastructure can be compared to that of Europe. NAPHA has an excellent relationship with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET), where issues of mutual interest and concern are discussed. We are grateful to our government and its support of the trophy-hunting industry.

Secondly: Clients return to Namibia and motivate others to visit our country because they are satisfied with what they experienced on their first trophy-hunting safari. I would therefore like to give credit to the NAPHA hunting professionals. Through their ethical conduct and professional behaviour, hunting professionals ensure that our clients’ African hunting experience is an unforgettable one.

To ensure hunting of high-standard trophy quality only, NAPHA (through the MET) has developed a quality control system in which hunting professionals are prevented from taking a trophy that is less than the minimum size. Namibia is therefore one of the few African countries that has developed this form of quality control for the sake of a strong genetic pool to protect your, the client’s, interests!
NAPHA’s hunting professionals also support the principle of sustainable utilisation. A proud 49-year history in Namibia of ethical trophy hunting of the highest standards has revealed that sustainable utilisation of wildlife resources has been a major factor in protecting Namibian game populations. Even depleted game species, which formerly populated areas of Namibia, have been re-introduced through effective game management based on the principle of conservation through selective hunting. NAPHA is convinced that hunting, man’s oldest cultural heritage carried out through sustainable game utilisation, is an effective tool for ensuring the survival of wildlife and the wellbeing of local communities.
Thirdly: Allow me also to convey my sincere gratitude to all of you who have visited Namibia for your African hunting safari. You have played a major role in influencing others positively to visit Namibia by sharing your enthusiasm about your hunting experiences, elaborating on your safari through pictures, expressing the beauty of Namibia, its vastness and wide-open spaces, and discussing the abundance of wildlife here. Moreover, you cherish good memories when looking proudly at your trophies.

Fourthly: To Safari Club International (SCI), Dallas Safari Club (DSC) and the Dortmund Jagd und Hund: Thank you very much for your support of NAPHA, especially for the opportunities you provide to NAPHA members to market and promote their various hunting operations through your conventions and shows. Your active involvement to protect the future of hunting in your respective countries is highly appreciated.

Fifthly: To NAPHA’s leadership, previous and current, a sincere thank you for your time, dedication and enthusiasm, your love for the Namibian fauna and flora and your commitment to protect Namibia’s heritage through proper wildlife management and to secure trophy hunting for future generations.

The current leadership of NAPHA realized that growth in the hunting industry goes hand in hand with improved management practices. For this reason we are proud to announce that NAPHA has employed its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to manage the affairs of our ever-growing industry. This appointment will also improve the service to our NAPHA members, as well as to YOU, our valued international client visiting Namibia.

Last but not least, I would like to thank the publishers of the magazine Huntinamibia for playing their part in creating a desire to hunt in our beautiful country, Namibia. Huntinamibia has grown into a household name within the international hunting fraternity. Huntinamibia are being distributed at Dallas and Reno.

Taking the above into consideration, I encourage you to give Namibia serious consideration as your next trophy-hunting destination. Use the Huntinamibia publication to inform yourself of what Namibia has to offer and to convince you that it is a destination where you can truly get away from the masses. I am convinced that your trophy-hunting adventure in Namibia will be one of the highlights of your life. Namibian hospitality and the professional conduct of NAPHA members combined with the pristine Namibian landscape, wide open-spaces, biodiversity and abundance of wildlife provide the ingredients for a memorable safari.

The Namibian trophy-hunting industry is looking forward to welcoming you and your family to one of Africa’s gems. A challenging environment is waiting for you to be explored: Namibia… where the untamed wilderness yields its secrets only to the adventurous. Come and experience the awe-inspiring contrasts and mystical splendor of our country. Collect memories to cherish forever!

I hope to welcome you to Namibia soon and wish you an enjoyable planning process.

Message from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET):
Another year filled with challenges and opportunities has passed and our dynamic trophy-hunting industry has once again proven its robustness as we find ourselves even more firmly established in the global arena than ever before. The Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) has also established itself within this remarkable industry and we are completely dedicated to carrying out our mandate. Today trophy hunting contributes significantly to the income in our communal conservancies, with direct benefit to the local, often marginalized, communities. Trophy hunting is also a good source of foreign revenue for Namibia and a significant percentage of trophy-hunting income is channeled to various conservation efforts.

The relationship between the Ministry and NAPHA is probably at an all-time high, and we are enjoying frequent, consultative meetings on various issues pertaining to the industry. This relationship is vital for us at the Ministry because it has opened the door for information sharing and creates a positive, enabling environment for future policymaking as well as facilitating a more harmonious and effective approach to the various challenges we face. NAPHA has shown its commitment to both its members and the industry and has proven to be a dedicated partner for the MET in the promotion and regulation of trophy hunting in Namibia. NAPHA has formulated a thorough code of conduct with particular emphasis on ethical hunting principles. I believe that this can be used as a model for other hunting organisations.

The nature of the industry is in itself conducive to many challenges, and we face an abundance of these together. These challenges will always be a part of the industry in some form or another. However, with mutual understanding and a collective effort, I believe that they can always be overcome. We have no control over the challenging exchange rates, the effects of global terrorism and the various environmental factors which all have a direct influence on the Namibian hunting industry, but we can ensure the sustainability of the industry through proper regulation and sound policy formulation. One of these vital tools and a burning priority for the industry at the moment is the pending Concession Policy. The most important message for the readers regarding this document and the accompanying delay in the awarding of Trophy Hunting Concessions on state land is that the MET is investing a remarkable amount of time and effort to prepare a complete document exactly because WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS INDUSTRY! This document will ensure the long-term sustainability of trophy hunting on state land! The good news is that the policy is in its final stages and will pass through Cabinet next year, after which the auction or tender process will commence in time for the industry to market for the 2007 season. The Big Game hunting sector of our industry plays a crucial role in the larger Namibian hunting industry and often gives us the necessary competitive edge over the competition.

I think that it is now the right time for a renewed and strong commitment from the entire industry to provide a true Namibian product. It is vital that we identify and then market the uniqueness of the Namibian hunting experience for the industry to capitalize on it. It is no secret that Namibia is currently considered ‘hot property’ in the global trophy hunting market, but we have to ensure that this is not a ‘flavor of the month’ type of situation. It is now more than ever the time to be extremely protective of our rapidly growing industry so that we can maintain this current favorable trend. Firstly we need to maintain a competitive pricing structure. Secondly, when pricing, the exceptional quality of the Namibian product must always be maintained. We should be honest about the quality of the products that individual operators offer and the client must be charged accordingly. For the long-term sustainability of the industry we want to see as many repeat customers as possible. This will only be achieved by providing an honest, well-priced, high-quality hunt to our valued customers every time.

To our international clients Namibia offers a world-class hunting experience with little or no equal. In Namibia you will encounter a true African wilderness trophy-hunting experience in what is probably the safest, most stable country in Africa. Namibian hunters enjoy a remarkable, modern infrastructure in an unspoilt, sparsely populated country with a myriad of friendly people and excellent accessibility. I hope that you leave with a truly life-changing experience that will be repeated every time you visit our ‘African jewel’. May the ultimate quality of your experience and the fond memories surpass even the quality of the trophies you take.

Happy hunting!

CHRISTMAS WISHES:
The Kowas team wishes you, your family and your loved ones peace and happiness during the Festive Season. May 2006 hold only the best… You are in our thoughts during the Christmas season.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

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