The Colour of Adrenaline

This week has started off with our first assessments on Advance Rifle Handling where learners are assessed on practical heavy calibre (dangerous game rifles) rifle handling skills.

The use of a heavy calibre rifle is often an everyday requirement for the nature guide, especially those that conduct walks within dangerous game areas, where the possibility may arise and the guide would be in need of employing these skills to protect both his guest and himself from possible attack.

Although the use of a heavy calibre rifle is a prerequisite for conducting walks, the use of a rifle in defence is only the very last resort. Our approach is rather in educating our learners in animal behaviour and how to avoid getting oneself in unnecessary situation where such extreme actions are required.

The application of these skills came into good use when the group was approached on the rifle range by a very aggressive elephant bull on one of our assessments. It came to most members of the group as a rather unexpected situation, the elephant bull charged the group no less than four times and every charge being broken by the animal being shouted down in attempt to intimidate it. The elephant bull eventually left the group alone after the last charge was broken.

This once again proves that the use of a rifle is only necessary as a last resort and with proper training and that the application of these skills can be used to diffuse such situations.

Next week, the Mahlahla group will be starting their ARH assessments. Good luck students!

JP and The Bushwise Team