MEASURING OF TROPHIES
TROFEEMEET
The SA Hunters Trophy Register, which is updated annually, is a record of the measurements of horn sets, teeth, ivory or skulls presented and measured at branches country wide. The intention of the Trophy Register is not a competition to honour the hunter or the person that found the trophy, but to acknowledge the person for submitting the trophy for record purposes. The SA Hunters Trophy Register pays tribute to the animal as the source of the trophy. It could have been from an animal that died of natural causes, killed by a predator, or been shot by a hunter.
Declaration by Hunter
I declare that every trophy I have submitted for evaluation has been personally hunted or picked up by me according to the rules of SA Hunters and specifically meets the requirements of Rule 3.1.5 on extensive systems. Namely: The animals were bred, born and hunted on extensive systems. For the purpose of these rules an extensive system must comply to the following four requirements:
- The area where the game species occurs, allows it to survive in self-sustainable conditions.
- Animals in this group have a free choice of breeding partner.
- Food supplements are only provided in abnormal drought conditions.
- Animals are not subjected to permanent parasite and disease control measures.
Measuring of Trophies
The training of a large number of trophy measurers enabled the decentralization of the trophy measuring process down to branch level using the established SA Hunters measuring system. From 2006 to 2017 all trophies were measured at branch level and qualifying trophy entries were sent to the SA Hunters national office, where the details were incorporated into the SA Hunters Trophy Register. In 2018 this process changed to adapt to the Association’s administration system and henceforth all trophies measured, even those that do not qualify for the register, can be entered directly by the branch into the member administration system to reflect on the member’s profile.
Only trophies that attain the minimum standards for inclusion, will automatically be taken up in the SA Hunters Trophy Register. The Association is indebted to its trained trophy measurers who maintain the high standards that SA Hunters has established over many years
Measurer Training
The purpose of training is to ensure that trophy measurer trainers are competent to train trophy measurers at regional and branch level through:
- knowledge and understanding the important aspects of the rules
- knowledge about the measurement methods and their application
- practically measuring horns accurately and consistently
- knowledge about completing the required documentation correctly
- including the evolution of trophy registration
The trophy measurer training examination is an open book test that reinforces the above aspects. It is important to note that trophy measuring requires slow and deliberate attention to detail and should never be rushed.
The manager hunting affairs provides trophy measurer training in the region to interested members from different branches. Members can contact their local branch chairman or Boetie Kirchner at boetiek@sahunt.co.za for more information about training.
Junior Measurer Training
During 2019 the board of SA Hunters agreed to a proposal from the hunting committee to grant junior members younger than 18 years the opportunity to complete the official measurers training course. This will give junior members with an interest in trophy measuring the opportunity to gain practical experience and to measure trophies under the supervision of an official senior measurer. Junior members complete the same training and examination as a senior member but can only measure trophies at branch measuring events in an unofficially capacity. Once they turn 18, they can become official trophy measurers
Trophy Recognition
SA Hunters’ Trophy Register data base reflects only the measurements and or weights of indigenous and phenotypical Africa species that have been bred and hunted on extensive systems. Trophies from colour variants or individual animals of species bred on intensive or semi-intensive systems (including predators), and sedated animals will not be considered for registration. The most recent edition of Rowland Ward will be used to determine indigenous species.
I declare that every trophy I have submitted for evaluation has been personally hunted or picked up by me according to the SA Hunters rules and specifically meets the requirements of Rule 3.1.5 on extensive systems. Namely: The animals were bred, born and hunted on extensive systems. For the purpose of these rules an Extensive System must comply to these 4 requirements:
- The area where the game species occurs, allows it to survive in self-sustainable conditions.
- Animals in this group have a free choice of breeding partner.
- Food supplements are only provided in abnormal drought conditions.
- Animals are not subjected to permanent parasite and disease control measures.
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