By Bruce Ambrose
As we approach the date of the 60th anniversary of our prestigious Association, I believe it is fitting to remind you of our humble beginnings.
On 21 September 1959 the Natal Hunters and Game Conservation Association was established – the original name of our association. There were a number of reasons for this path to be followed. At the time, the wildlife industry was not in particularly good shape. It needed greater structure and organisation in order to be more effective and to meet the needs of the hunters of the day.
Although there were some bumpy patches, this new association worked well with the Natal Parks Board in general and with people like Dr Ian Player (our President from 1975-1980 and our past Patron) in particular. Junior Hunting Courses, Training and Hunting on State Land were a few of the achievements that followed. In 1978, the first steps to form the Confederation of Hunting Associations of South Africa (CHASA) were taken – with our association being a prominent founder member along with SA Hunters and Bosveld Hunters.
In 1980, our very well-known and sought-after publication, The Hunters Handbook (edited by Tim Ivins), was made available to interested hunters and organisations. Since those busy and formative years, we have notched up a number of meaningful activities and achievements. Today, we continue to take a leading role in regard to similar matters and do so in the same professional manner that our
previous committee members did. KZN Hunting Shooting and Conservation Association remains a prominent and well-respected Hunting Association that has participation in many of the wildlife industry initiatives. At the age of 60 years, we believe our contributions are meaningful and our ethos remains sound.
Today, we are very fortunate to have Dr George Hughes – another great thought leader – as our Patron. We can all be very proud of our heritage and pedigree. By now, the hunting season is in full swing. Many members would have probably enjoyed some time in the veld. Please remember the codes of ethics and integrity that we aspire to. What is very important is to be mindful of the
