March 2026

After Dawn

Convention season memories and 2026 hunting season looms

While hunters are already in Cameroon, many are soon heading to southern and east Africa. Many are returning on safari, some who do not know how fortunate they are – are heading our way for the first time.

Outfitters that donate hunts by the dozen do not help. South African and Namibian hunts go for pennies on the dollar. It’s a shame. I had many asking me about these kinds of hunts, only to realize when checking the fine print what they have actually got.

Some are just fine, but many are not. I will leave it at that.

For anyone researching an African hunt, there are Facebook groups, Reddit threads amd podcast wannabee heroes that post nonsense like “Where’s the best place for kudu or buffalo?” And quite honestly, it is hard not to be too cynical. Fortunately, the presentation and marketing of the hunting industry has wonderful potential to educate and inform. Which is what we do, and I am on a mission.

Nobody asks a question on social media like, “Where’s the best restaurant when visiting Europe?” Because there is an expectation that at least you know where in Europe, or in fact, where in France, you are going so that you can start looking for advice. 

Promoting, marketing and showcasing the AFRICAN DAWN team is what we are about. Drawing a link between their name, their brand, the show booth material, where they offer hunts; helping hunters understand who they are is my mission. 2026 will be about differentiating them a little more because, like the restaurants in France, or indeed Europe, these outfitters are all different. For some, it is their experience, the area in which they hunt, owning the property, or offering exclusive-use hunting safaris. Some hunt on government concessions, some have exclusive lodges or properties around the country or the continent with hunting rights. Some hunt on property that has been in their family for generations. There is a lot to understand. Some have a flair for entertaining and great storytelling; some have a flair for finding the largest trophies that money can buy; some offer hunts only in a certain area; while others offer hunting across the continent. But ALL are passionate about the industry.

Attending shows in Dallas and Nashville last month, I was reminded of a few things:

1)      There is a lot of choice

2)      It is bewildering

3)      We need to help hunters

And that is what we are here to do. If you are looking for peace of mind with your next safari, you can’t go wrong with an AFRICAN DAWN outfitter. The Dawn 2026 Catalogue has them all, but for now, enjoy the trip down memory lane with these pictures from the latest shows in the US.

Regards, Richard Lendrum

We all love reading about your African hunting adventures. Let’s spread the word.

Submit your story, and we’ll clean and edit it to be published on Africanhuntinggazette.com

Cynthie Fisher, SCI Artist of the Year

Wildlife artist Cynthie Fisher is nuts about animals. Everything in her world revolves around her love and admiration for all wildlife, which is aided by her college studies in zoology and wildlife management. She chooses to share this love via her vibrant colorful paintings and scratchboards of species from all corners of the world, most of which she has traveled to, including 25 trips to Africa. She has hunted on almost every continent, amassing an impressive number of trophies, as well as invaluable references for her artwork.

That Elusive and Maddening Quality Called Accuracy

By Terry Wieland



Everyone has his own definition of accuracy, but on one thing we all agree: Every rifle is a law unto itself. What shoots well in one rifle may or may not shoot well in another.

Although the average factory rifle today, paired with premium factory ammunition, is vastly more accurate than it was even 20 years ago, for the absolute, very best, gilt-edged accuracy in any rifle, you must develop an accurate handload.

From the Archives: Rebuilding Zimbabwe’s Wildlife Sector



Towards the end of the 1950s a small group of cattle ranchers, who were also committed wildlife conservationists, pioneered the game ranching industry in Zimbabwe. The idea developed from the theory that a spectrum of wild animals is ecologically more efficient at producing meat and by-products than a single domestic species. The theory was untested, and considerable business risks were taken and many frustrations endured before game ranching was proved to be a viable land use alternative.

Buffalo Shot Placement

By Ken Moody

Now that you’ve selected your rifle, caliber, and bullet, it’s probably time to discuss where to aim and hit the buffalo for a successful outcome. Buffalo may seem unkillable at times and earn the nickname ‘bullet sponge,’ but with the proper bullet hitting the vitals, even the strongest bull will see his demise.

In a perfect world, every shot opportunity would be at an unsuspecting, perfectly broadside buffalo, but that seldom is the case. When it does occur, however, the professional must ensure, without mistake, that the buffalo is, in fact, broadside or near broadside. Many times, the perspective of the visual isn’t exactly as it appears, and the buffalo can be just quartering on a bit more than wanted, so care must be taken when calling the shot.

From the Archives: The Ghost of the Darkness

By Dan Hendrickson

Africa calls. Within a few weeks after my fourth safari, I was already dreaming about going back. Because of my success in hunting with Stormberg Elangeni Safaris (SES) in the Eastern Cape of South Africa in 2017, and the wide variety of game there, I decided to return in June 2018. This time, I planned to take my 12-year-old grandson, Austin, for his first safari. His older brothers, Cole and Cade, had both hunted with me in Africa when they were 13 years old. Now it was Austin’s turn, and he had a wish list. Mine included klipspringer, Cape grysbok, bushpig and caracal. Planning a year in advance, I applied for an oribi tag.

Mbogo and the Greeks

By Terry Wieland

It’s tempting to change the names in this piece to protect the guilty, but instead we’ll just go with Christian names and let the reader speculate. It all happened a long time ago — almost a quarter century — and those involved are dead for all I know.

There’s an old saying in America: “As serious as a heart attack,” and hunting Cape buffalo is every bit as serious. Sometimes, though, it’s a comedy of errors you look back on with sheer gratitude that you survived.

We were hunting buffalo on Mount Longido, near the Rift, got a good bull high on the mountain in a hair-raising escapade, and returned to our home base, which was a large flower and ostrich farm outside Arusha. 

Chapter 13

The Season of Monsters

By Wayne Grant

In the year 2000, political turmoil struck Zimbabwe. The government ignited an aggressive lawless land take over for reasons which I won’t discuss here. The white farmers were beaten and driven from their land and many of them lost everything they owned. Several were unspeakably done to death and their farm workers too were beaten and tortured, their homes burned, and they were also chased off the farms.

This state of affairs basically shut down tourism in all forms, including hunting. Game which had been carefully husbanded over many years was slaughtered within months.

Who are the African Dawn Outfitters?

The African Dawn Outfitter Program is about working with an exclusive group, to offer one critical thing, and that is peace of mind for you, the hunter.

With over 1000 outfitters to choose from, despite the majority being good and offering a great safari, it is a minefield out there when trying to decide with whom to hunt across the continent. And when it comes to your hunt, why risk anything? This group can deliver the goods.

Book directly with them, go to our website and sign up to receive the weekly posts, Fresh from the Veld. If you’re an agent looking for outfitters to represent or sell; you’ll be safe contacting any one of these Dawn Members.

www.africandawnoutfitters.com

Richard Lendrum - Publisher African Hunting Gazette

richard@africanhuntinggazette.com

2026 African Dawn Members