Appreciating Nature

I have often been asked how I became involved in wildlife. Well the answer, I think lies in what you are exposed to as a child and the experiences you have.

I was always into animals, horses, dog's and cats! That lead to wanting to be in the countryside to be able to ride a horse as often as possible.

I convinced my parents I wanted to go to boarding school and that is were the real interest started.

Being at a school that was very outdoors based I was soon exposed to all sorts of wildlife experiences. Tubing down a river, building forts in the forest, and trying to catch all sorts of small animals. Our snake collection was amazing for kids of ten years old.

Hiking trips into the berg were an all time favorite. Altho not always easy!

It is these experiences that I think build that love of the outdoors. The earlier we start exposing kids to the countryside and all it has the better. 

Trying to make Sense?

I had an e mail today for someone wanting to do something about the poaching that is so rampant in South Africa. Their concern was that it would be too little to late? How do you answer that or even begin to explain why we sit in this situation.

We all know that there is a huge demand from various parts of the East for rhino horn, ivory, lion bones, and so the list goes on. Part of the reason is traditional medicine, dagger handles, and more recently people trying to show their status and wealth.
In recent years the Chinese have become very involved in Africa, more so that in the past just suppling arms. They are now involved in building infrastructure in exchange for who knows what? There are various theories/stories of Chinese labour being used for these projects and then having to stay in the host country. There are the same stories of arms for ivory, rhino horn, diamonds etc

We have recently signed a agreement with China for more economic co operation and trade. Why are we not asking for sanctions against all the countries that are responsible for murdering our natural heritage? We are experiencing animal abuse on a scale only seen 200 years ago with the eradication of the great herds of buffalo. Why are we not putting more pressure internationally on these countries. We were all for sanctions against apartheid? People of the world stop seeing these acts in isolation! It is happening globally and it affects us all. It leaves our systems, our life blood in a poorer state.

In African countries were there is often so much corruption due to nepotism or affirmative action. You have incompetent people in positions of power that make decisions for their own good. They employ unqualified people so they will always look good and can not be easily caught out. They employ people in the same political party or with family links. This leads to a ill disciplined police force, an unmotivated army and a general disregard for the countries laws! Hence the disbanding of the Endangered Species protection Unit in the police and the removal of the Scorpions.  Once the system gets to this stage it is very easy for criminal elements to take advantage of such people.

We could even extrapolate and say that some ruling parties would rather have an uneducated population so as to stay in power and not be questioned. That same party could also benefit by being the power house in a region by keeping their neighbours countries unstable. Those unstable or economically poor countries might easily revert to civil war to try and change their political systems. hence RENAMO's threats of going back to the bush. Were do guerilla armies get money for arms? The easy solution is wildlife. The old smuggling routes established in the 80's by the guerilla's and the South Africans may not be there but it is easier now. With Eastern diplomats in most Southern African cities, the diplomatic pouch is open for business!

So the real reason we are in the situation we are, has more to do with economics than with anything else. As I see it.

Field Rangers

Field Rangers

These guys and girls are our last defense against the rampant poaching that is taking place in South Africa and other parts of Africa. We are currently losing a rhino every 11 hours!

Most of the rhino horn and ivory goes to Asia and especially China. 

Why is Africa selling it's soul for yen? We do more business with China than any other country. Once we have no more coal, copper, gold, diamonds, timber what are we going to trade? How many Asian tourists visit our national parks?

How many tourists will visit a war zone? Which is what our parks are, make no mistake. How many tourists will come to see parks with no rhino, elephant or lion?

Why is it ok to sanction countries for human rights abuses but it is ok for them to rape our country! Were are the sanctions now?

Wooden Fork's

Wooden Fork's

I have been known to raid the rubbish skip's in town. Now before anyone thinks I am really down on my luck! let me explain. There is a carpentry shop in town that throws a lot of offcuts into a skip. There is often some very good wood amongst all the rubbish. The size is also just right for knife handles and a few other pieces.

Before Christmas I was looking for an idea to compliment the pickled onions I had made as presents. As kids we always had a sharp knife with a thin blade that we had used to retrieve pickles from the jar. Much like a kingfisher darting into the water to catch fish. We speared pickles!

Mothers tend to frown on this sort of behaviour at the lunch table. So the pickle fork has come into being in the Pattrick household.

Little Swift

Little Swift

We have a colony of Little Swifts nesting under the eve's of our roof, there are literally hundreds of them. They seem to decrease in the winter months as some move away and some remain. 

The thing that has us stumped is why we find so many young falling out of the nests. There are the tiny pink helpless ones right up to the almost fully grown adult looking birds. We have managed to raise one ! so far !!

Everything I have read does not mention any form of cainism? My only other thought is that the parasite load gets to much and they vacate the nest to try and get away from mites etc??

Knives at last!!

I have been promising to start making knives again for a very long time, and finally I have started!! I had some stainless and some carbon steel lying in the workshop. So made some knives out of each steel. I much prefer the carbon steels for their edge holding and the wonderful way they age. The steel takes on a patina all it's own.

The knife below is for my son Ben. It is a carbon steel 01 i think?  a Micarta handle with white liners.  I am hoping to help him make his own in the next holiday. He will have to help with the sheath of his own design.

This knife below was made for a mate of mine Bruce Lawson. I had promised him a knife years ago and just never got round to it. I bumped into Bruce in the Kruger and he reminded me of this fact! Thanks Bruce I hope you enjoy the knife.

If there are any guides out there who are looking for a hand made knife that will give a life times service give me a shout to discuss design ideas.

Labrador Retriever Kennel Club Field Trial 2012

Bailey.

Keen as can be, only to break and knock us out on the very first bird! This is a team sport so I have learn't to be more vocal. Especially in those highly charged moments. Also to keep my eyes on the dog, you can always expect the dog to watch the bird or ask the judge were it fell. Training in the quiet Balule Game Reserve does not really prepare you well for all the dog, excitement, guns and birds that you get at a trial.

A big thank you to Francois and Angelique from Eagertrieve Labradors for all their help and advice.

http://www.eagertrievelabs.co.za/index.htm

Brodie.

This was a tough retrieve with very narrow angles between birds and some water. Lab's can't resist water but throw a bird in it and it's like a magnet. You can almost see the dogs trying to convince the handlers that they know what they are doing. Why are you sending me past that bird in the water, I saw the fall!!?

Choc.

One of the most photogenic dogs at the trial.

Choc also did very well. I can't remember what he won, but everyone holds the guns choice as a very prestigious title to have for any of the stakes in a trial. 

Cougar.

A top open stake dog doing what he loves. He has already retrieved a blind ( a placed bird that the dog has not see being placed) across a dam. Then swum back across the dam thru a fence to retrieve a pigeon in a field. He still has two more retrieves before the series is over! Open stake normally has some very demanding retrieves for the dogs. It is amazing to see their enthusiasm, concentration and the team work with their handlers.

What it's all about. Top dogs and people getting together for some quality time outside.

All trials are run under K.U.S.A rules and regulations.

http://www.kusa.co.za/

Anyone interested in getting involved in trials have a look at the Lab Clubs website.

www.labclub.org.za