2 December – Chris Jennings – KZN Hunters 2 December – Hannelie – KZN Hunters

3 Desember – Henk Cilliers – Vrystaat Jagters 4 December – Byron Stanton – Harrier Hunting Club

8 Desember – Pieter Wentzel – Bosveld Jagters 9 Desember – Gerhard Landman – BASA

16 December – Jade Boucher – Amatola Hunters 17 Desember – Leon du Plessis –Border Hunting Club

19 Desember – Neels Meyer – Suid- Kaap Jagters 25 Desember – Francios Havenga - Kaapjag

31 Desember – Sophia Wepener – Bosveld Jagters 31 December – Stefano Piller – Gauteng Hunters

Federation Congratulations from the CHASA Board, may you

have a blessed birthday

NUUSBRIEF /NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2014

CHASA Office

Festive Season

Office Times: The Office will be

closing on the 12th December 2014 for the Festive Season

and

will re-open on the 5th January 2015.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2015 Date Event Venue

21 February 2015 CHASA Board Meeting

Witbank

10 – 11 April 2015 CHASA Inter Association Shooting Competition

Monte Bello Bloemfontein

24-27 April 2015 Huntex Gauteng Gallagher Estate

12 -15 May 2015 NAMPO Bothaville

23 May 2015 CHASA Board Meeting

Klerksdorp

29 – 31 May 2015 Huntex Eastern Cape

Mentorskraal, Jeffreys Bay

26 – 28 June 2015 ABSA Kirkwood Game Festival

Kirkwood

5 September 2015 CHASA Board Meeting

TBA

TBA - September 2015

Agri – Mega Week Bredasdorp

TBA - September 2015

Huntex Cape Fair Paarl – Nelson Wine Estate

CHASA TOEKENNING

Dit was vir Stephen Palos, Voorsitter van CHASA ñ groot eer

om namens die CHASA Raad aan Jan van der Walt van Wild en

Jag ñ Genootskap Toekenning te oorhandig vir onbaatsugtige

en uitmuntende diens van 20 jaar gelewer op nasionale vlak

ter bevordering van bewaring en die Wildbedryf om sodoende

die Vryheid om te Jag te verseker.

Dit is vir CHASA ñ besondere eer om met Wild en Jag ñ

aangename verbintenis oor ñ lang periode van tyd te hê en ons

wens hulle voorspoed toe vir die toekoms.

SAFA ASSISTS WITH THE BREEDING SURVEY OF WHITE-BACKED VULTURES NEAR KIMBERLEY

Julius Koen: SAFA

This year (2014) marked our 22nd year of ringing and monitoring the breeding White-backed Vultures on Dronfield and Inglewood, a De Beers Nature Reserve just north of Kimberley in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The South African Falconry Association has been involved from inception. The ringing team consisted of various South African team members as well as the Hawk Conservancy and the Gauntlet Falconry Centre from the UK as well as raptor enthusiasts from France and Scotland. The August survey produced a record 99 active nests, last year there were 79 and the previous highest was 95 (in 2010). We had a poor rainy season during 2012 and it was suggested that 2013 should have been a good breeding year for the vultures due to the extra potential food available, it was in fact one of the worst breeding seasons! From this year's results it would appear that it takes two years for the abundance of food to influence the vultures breeding cycle. Poisoning incidents continue to be a concern throughout Southern Africa although no deaths of Dronfield birds have been reported this past year. The October ringing survey produced a record 68 chicks on nests out of the 99 breeding attempts giving a success rate of 69% this is up from the 22 year average of 59.2%. Still the failures at the egg stage account for 25% of the breeding attempts, (2012 had the highest egg failure rate of 36.0%) the average is 21.2% over the last 22 years. Interestingly we recorded no addled eggs or dead chicks in nests this year. Over the length of the monitoring period we have recorded 42 addled eggs, (an average of two a year) and 68 dead chicks in the nests. During the last five years we have recorded 26 dead chicks or 61.8% of all the dead chicks found during the 22 years. Mortality during the incubation remains a concern. Crows are still top of the suspect list, although this year we found an active Pied Crows nest (with six eggs in it) almost under an active White-backed Vultures nest! Vervet Monkeys and Leguaans are also on the list, but some of the egg shell fragments, subjectively, seem to be very thin and egg shell thinning due to pesticide contamination also needs to be explored. Each year we find a number of chicks too small to ring at the time of the ringing visit (middle of October). Blood being taken to sex the chick This year we had a total of six chicks that were too small to ring, of these three were a week to ten days old and the other three were about six weeks old. The Giant Eagle Owls were back breeding this year with a single small chick in an old vulture nest. The other good news is that the Secretary Birds are also breeding again and had two eggs in nest on the Inglewood section of the Nature Reserve.

Obituary Brian Marsh 1928 – 2014

We are saddened by the news that one of the true African hunting pioneers and an accomplished writer has passed away. Brian Marsh passed away on the morning of Monday 10 November 2014 at the Helen Keller Retirement Home in Pinelands. A memorial service was held on Wednesday 19 November 2014 at the Helen Keller Retirement Home. We honour his contribution to the hunting and wildlife industry. CHASA would like to extend its sincere condolences to his next of kin.

Brian Marsh and John Harris from KZN Hunters on a hunting trip in KZN – July 2008

Condolences

DR. IAN PLAYER

The recent passing of Dr Ian Player is a most sad day for all Conservationists, not only in KZN and South Africa, but literally around the world. Among his many achievements and roles, Dr. Player was a past President (1975 – 1980) and Life Member of the KwaZulu Natal Hunting and Conservation Association as well as their Patron. In November 2014 he was awarded a long service award for 40 years of

membership with this Association. Dr. Player was a champion of a myriad of innovative conservation practices, particularly where hunting forms such a crucial factor in the conservation of all wildlife. Although somewhat controversial to some, ethical hunting is critical to the sustainable use of wild lands and its inhabitants, from the smallest insect to the rarest tree, the crystal mountain stream to the bushveld and Dr. Player was a great mentor and example to all ethical hunters.

He recognised and supported the role of the hunter in the conservation of wildlife worldwide and amongst his many comments stated “It is an inescapable fact that hunters worldwide make an enormous contribution to the conservation of habitat and to a better understanding of man and the environment”. It was the pro-active Policy of Wildlife Management defined by Dr. Ian Player which was the foundation of Game Ranching and the commercial benefit from funds generated by surplus game (capture for re-stocking areas and creating hunting opportunities) that provided the impetus to the survival and massive expansion of, not only Rhino, but of other game species and wildlife in the 1960’s. The ever increasing abundance of wildlife we have the privilege of seeing today is due in part to men like him, a true scholar and a gentleman, fearless critic and a much sought after public speaker. On behalf of the members of the KwaZulu Natal Hunting and Conservation Association and members of the South African Hunters Confederation (CHASA) as well as all ethical hunters worldwide we offer our sincere condolences to Mrs Player and the great Player family. We will strive to uphold and further Dr. Player's memories, teachings and love of the wild as our tribute to his life's work.

CHASA would like to friendly remind you to show your support and

vote for Margaret Botha in the Extreme Huntress Competition!

The links to the voting pages are

Website:

http://www.extremehuntress.com/vote/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/extremehuntress/app_303561899745219

CHASA

www.chasa.co.za

Ons wil graag namens die CHASA Dagbestuur, Raad en

Personeel vir al die Lidverenigings, hul lede en geliefdes ñ

Geseënde Kerstyd en ñ Voorspoedige 2015 toewens.

Ons wil ook almal bedank vir al die ondersteuning en bydraes

wat hulle gelewer het om CHASA na hoër hoogtes te neem

gedurende 2014. Vir diegene wat beplan om te reis – wees

versigtig, geniet die ruskans en kom asseblief weer veilig tuis.

On behalf of the CHASA Exco, Board and Staff we would like

to wish all our Member Associations, their members and loved

ones a Blessed Christmas and a Prosporous 2015. We would

also like to sincerely thank everyone for their loyal support and

contributions made to take CHASA to a higher level in 2014. For

those who are planning to travel please be careful, enjoy the time

to relax and please drive safely.