rifle care and safety and game walks - wildlifecampus · rifle care and safety and game walks...

– Game Lodge Management Course

This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus

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Module # 6 - Component # 1

Rifle Care and Safety and Game Walks

Rifles All camps that offer walks in Big Five Reserves must have a minimum of one rifle.

Safety

Treat all weapons with respect

Always unload weapons when not in use. Store weapons and ammunition

separately in a rifle safe. Never hand a weapon to somebody without unloading it.

Never accept a weapon that has not been unloaded in front of you or one that

has its bolt mechanism closed. When unloading the weapon, pull the bolt back and place a finger in the breech

to check for any obstructions.

Never point a weapon at anyone or anything unless prepared to fire. Never shoot at a flat surface of water.

Never climb over an obstacle with a loaded weapon.

When walking, always be aware of where the muzzle is pointing.

Never lean on a weapon. A weapon should be cleaned every time before it is returned to the safe.

Never carry a rifle over your shoulder holding onto the barrel.

Never carry a rifle with a bullet in the chamber, even if the safety catch is on.

The single basic rule of firearm safety may be summed up as:

ALWAYS TREAT ALL RIFLES, LOADED OR

UNLOADED, WITH RESPECT.


This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied,

distributed or reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus

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Rifle Procedure

Unload weapon and make sure it is safe.

Remove bolt action from breech.

Check barrel for obstructions.

After firing, a cleaning rod, with jag and patch soaked in nitro-solvent, should be pulled through the barrel. One should insert the jag and patch at the breech

and exit through the muzzle. Stubborn fouling can be loosened with a bronze

brush and nitro-solvent.

A clean dry patch must then be pulled through the barrel to remove dirt and

nitro-solvent.

A patch covered in oil should then be passed through to leave a thin film of oil

in the barrel.

Rust on the outside of the weapon can be removed with a bronze brush and

nitro-solvent. Once the weapon is clean, all fingerprints must be removed and

a thin layer of oil must be put on before storage.

To prevent fingerprints on the weapon a pair of thin waiter’s gloves can be

worn.




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10 Commandments on Rifle Use and Safety

Rifles are tools for guides, just as binoculars, bird books and other reference books

are. Unlike others though, a rifle can be deadly if not used properly. There are ten rules, the ‘TEN COMMANDMENTS’ of rifle safety that must be obeyed always.

Treat every firearm as if it were loaded Ensure that you are aware of the condition of a firearm at all times. Never give or

receive a firearm in an unknown state - always insist on a declaration and the

weapon is made safe before it changes hands.

Always be aware of where the muzzle is pointing

There are only a few directions a firearm should be pointed, up, down and at an

intended target and NO WHERE ELSE! Too often one sees guides waving firearms around or even worse using them as pointers. If there was a discharge the result

could be catastrophic, so always be aware of the muzzle direction. Carrying a rifle

is a matter of choice; either with the muzzle up or down or else at the trail position with the muzzle away from other people and slanting down.

Always ensure the firearm and ammunition are clean, in working order and clear of any obstruction or damage

The sound of death in the African bush is not the grunt of a charging lion or the

squeal of an enraged elephant, but the dull, dry click of a misfired round. (With

apologies to Peter Capstick-Hatheway) Firearms are a tool, and as with any tool should be maintained and in proper working order. In dealing with a dangerous

situation, a life could be lost due to neglecting this. That life could be your own.

Always be sure of your target before shooting and ensure there is an

adequate backstop

Never shoot at an unclear target, in most cases of a dangerous situation where an

animal must be shot the target will be clear and close. However, when practicing, remember the backstop must be able to prevent the fired bullet travelling too far.

When the target is not clear, or there is an inadequate backstop, do not shoot, or

move yourself until these conditions are met.

Always ensure firearms are unloaded and put in a secure place when

not in use Unloaded firearms are the safest. When they are not in use, they should be

unloaded and stored in a safe place, out of the reach of untrained people. Where

possible a gun safe is the best option, but in the trail camp scenario they should

be close at hand and the guests briefed not to tamper with them.




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Never point a firearm at anything that is not a target and you are not

willing to shoot Horseplay or gung-ho playing with any weapon shows a lack of respect for the

firearm's potential to kill and a lack of respect to other possibly innocent

bystanders. Remember a high-powered rifle loaded with monolithic solids can

penetrate walls, vehicles and most common man-made barriers with ease.

Never cross an obstacle with a loaded firearm

When moving with a firearm ensure that you do not cross obstacles such as rivers, rocks or other areas of unsure footing with a firearm that is unsafe. In the case of

a stumble or fall, there will be no control of the firearm and the muzzle direction.

Rather change route to move around the obstacle.

Never shoot at a hard-flat surface

When a high-speed projectile hits a hard surface, it bounces off, this is referred to

as a ricochet. There is no telling which direction the ricochet will travel in and this is highly dangerous. Water is, in this case, also considered as a hard-flat surface,

as anyone who has skipped flat stones is aware.

Store ammunition and firearms separately

By law, the working parts of a firearm, it's ammunition and the rest should be

stored separately. The idea behind this is so that in a case of theft or if an untrained person manages to get hold of one component there is no immediate threat. If this

is not possible then ensure that the ammunition is carried on your person and the

working parts are kept away from the rest of the firearm.

Alcohol and firearms do not mix

Alcohol is a depressant of the central nervous system and reduces reflex time, co-

ordination and can lead to aggressive or irresponsible behaviour.

These rules are easy to follow, and must be obeyed always, whether with guests, by yourself or with other staff.




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Game Walks

Pre-Walk Safety Talk

It is essential to ALWAYS have a pre-walk safety

talk!

This is necessary even for people who have been for

game walks previously. Sometimes the ignorance and basic stupidity of some guests CANNOT be

under estimated! Always remember that the safety

of guests is of utmost importance. Details of the talk

must include information on guest behaviour and how to respond to different situations and animals.

Emphasis must be placed on guests immediately obeying and responding to the guide’s

instructions. It is advisable to cancel the walk or

return to the camp if guests are unwilling to adhere to instructions. Although this may cause disappointment, safety cannot be

compromised!

Encountering Dangerous Game

Approaching on Foot

Never get too close, as all these animals can outrun humans. Watch the animal

continuously for signs of alarm at your presence and keep a comfortable

distance for the sake of the animal and your guests.

Always check on the wind direction before you approach any of these animals and always try and approach them from the downwind side.

Be as quiet as you possibly can. Remember that your aim is to view the animal

in its natural state, doing what it normally does, without interference. Do not antagonize the animal in any way e.g. Do not force it to act unnaturally

for photographic opportunities.

Do not block the escape route of an animal that is slightly skittish about you or

your vehicle, as this will irritate the animal and make it unpredictable.




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A legal Note:

In South Africa, to conduct walks in dangerous game areas (those with elephant, rhino, lion, leopard, buffalo, hippo, crocodile & hyaena) Guides need to

be FGASA Level # 3 guides or preferably registered Trails Guides.

In addition, if a guest is killed due to your negligence (inexperience) the guide and the lodge may be charged with Culpable Homicide.

Therefore, even though we now discuss this topic, walks in dangerous game areas should only ever be conducted or entrusted to suitably qualified and

experienced guides.




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Warning Signals

The most important fact to remember when walking toward any wild animal is that

all wild animals are potentially dangerous.

Remember that once an animal is faced with your presence, it will be left with the

choice of deciding to try and get away from you or to attack you (flight or fight response). Always try and leave the animal as many alternatives of escape

as possible. Escape will be the most likely course of action taken by the animal.

Because an animal is found in a tolerant mood one day, this does not necessarily

mean that it will be in this frame of mind the following day. Moods may change

from day to day and, along with this, so may the animal’s warning signals. This

once again highlights the fact that ethology (animal behaviour) is a dynamic discipline with our perceived understanding of animal behaviour changing

continuously. Never rely on having one experience repeated.

The individual species accounts that follow below are merely guides of what one

may reasonably expect from each species when encountered.




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Lion

When approached on foot, lions usually do one of two things:

Either they utter a low growl indicating their presence and warning you that

you are too close; or

They turn and flee.

If you ignore the initial warning, the animal may exhibit the following

signs:

Crouching very low.

Ears laid flat backwards.

Tail thrashing from side to side. Baring its teeth, growling and snarling.

Lowering the head and hunching the shoulders.

If a lion thinks that it has not been seen, it will crouch very low, flatten

its ears and remain completely silent.

Should you ignore or fail to notice the animal’s secondary warning signals, you

may risk an attack.

If you are not within range, a lion is very unlikely to begin a charge. This means that any attack will come from very close quarters at great speed. A lion

charges in a series of bounds and presents only a small target at which to shoot.

A mock charge is usually given by males and is often indicated by a stiff-legged

run accompanied by growling.

Lionesses are less likely to mock charge and are generally more dangerous than male lions. A lioness with cubs is a fearsome animal and confrontation with them

should be avoided at all costs.

If correctly shot, a lion is a relatively

easy animal to stop or turn.

Most charges by lions will not be pushed through unless the animal is wounded.

Never fire too soon at a charging lion for

this reason. Never fire a “warning

shot” at a lion; it is too easy to wound the animal, leaving you with a very

dangerous situation. Never fire between

the eyes of a lion - they do not have a forehead! Only fire at the open mouth

or just below the chin.




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Leopard

These are very shy animals and will seldom represent any sort of threat to

field guides and their clients. In fact, to see a leopard when on a bush-walk is something of a rarity.

When one is out deliberately tracking leopard, however, the picture

changes somewhat. Leopards are

very stealthy, are masters of camouflage and are very athletic. This

all adds up to a very dangerous

animal. Unlike a lion, a leopard will

usually give no warning prior to charging. When the charge comes, it

is from very close quarters and is only

then announced by a coughing, spitting or growling sound.

If you get a sighting of the animal, and it runs off for a distance and then crouches down into the vegetation, be very alert! Do not approach any closer as this will

almost certainly result in a serious charge.

Signs to watch for include:

crouching and flattening of the ears.

head held up with ears held forwards. teeth-baring and snarling.

staring fixedly.

head lowered and standing side-on to you.

a leopard that takes a few quick steps towards you or your vehicle and then halts abruptly, is telling you that you are too close.

A leopard will use “bursting” surprise and sound to stall your movements, which will give it time needed to escape.

It is interesting to note that a leopard will charge you numerous times, each time from a different direction.

It is important to note that when dealing with lion and leopard, if they do charge

the vehicle, you should try and back the vehicle up as fast as possible to a distance that will satisfy the animal. If the animal continues to show aggression, then it is

best to leave the area completely.

If you are on foot, never turn your back and run from the animal as the animal

will more than likely respond instinctively and attack you.




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Buffalo

Buffalo are among the most

dangerous and unpredictable animals. In a herd situation

buffalo are generally skittish and

behave much like a herd of cattle. They will generally move

off if approached on foot or in a

vehicle. If they are accustomed to vehicles they are generally

very placid.

If lions are harassing the buffalo, be careful, as the herd can

sometimes display serious re-

directed aggression towards a group on foot or their vehicle.

Keep a good distance in this type

of situation. Do not get into a position where you may be in danger if the herd stampedes. Ensure you can get away if you must.

A wounded buffalo must be treated with extreme respect and caution.

Bachelor groups and single males must also be treated with respect as they often

do not like company or attention. One must take extreme caution when walking in

reed beds in river systems, as old buffalo bulls may often be found in this type of habitat. They charge if they have no other means of escape.

Warning signs to look for with buffalo:

Watch out for ears pushed forward and the head held high. This is normally a

sign that the animal is trying to get your scent.

Be very wary if the animal starts snorting, stamping or pawing the ground with

its hooves.

Thrashing of shrubs with its horns (boss) often indicates some form of heightened aggression. Be careful in these situations.

Once again be very vary of mothers with calves. More than a few groups

of clients on foot have found themselves climbing trees in a hurry to avoid an angry mother. Assess each situation carefully, approach with caution

and have a contingency plan.




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Elephant

Warning signs to look for with elephant:

The ears are held forward and the head is held high.

If an elephant is skittish, rather leave it be, as elephants in this state of mind

can turn on you very easily without much provocation. Be very careful of cows with their calves. The females are normally the more

aggressive of the sexes, and are extremely protective of their calves.

Take note of an elephant that is standing very still. Be careful of an elephant that thrashes the bush and then turns to look at

you with ears forward.

Trunk is raised to get your scent.

The shaking of its head is normally a sign of annoyance but can be meaningless. This is not a hard and fast rule.

There is trumpeting and lowering of the head several times in succession and

in your direction. The animal lowers the head with the trunk curled up the side of the face,

growling and/or squealing. If an elephant starts to charge in this fashion

one must anticipate a very serious charge.

There will be times when a female will give no warning at all that she intends to

charge. The bulls will generally give a mock charge and make an exhibition of

the charge, but seldom carry it through. On some occasions, however, they will charge. A cow on the other hand will more than likely carry through on the charge.

Cows have been known to charge vehicles for a couple of kilometres.

Be especially wary of a mature male in musth. This is a state of heightened

sexuality with the animal searching for a mate, and younger out competed males

will become increasingly frustrated and hostile. Glands just in front of the animal’s

ears will be exuding fluid and the animal will be dribbling urine constantly. AVOID AN ELEPHANT IN THIS STATE.

Specifically, when dealing with elephant, avoiding a dangerous

situation is far preferable to dealing

with a potentially fatal encounter. Not only can you NOT outrun

these immensely intelligent

pachyderms, but getting into a

vehicle or climbing a tree may not extract you from danger.

There are several accounts of

exceedingly aggravated elephant turning vehicles and pushing them

into dams. People have also been

shaken out of trees or had the trees they were in knocked down from under them.

These cases are extremely rare but do occur when encounters are handled very

badly.




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Rhino Species

Black rhinos are renowned for being the more aggressive of the two species. It

is advisable to be very wary of them.

White rhino are often considered to be far more relaxed and passive than the black

rhino. This sometimes results in people becoming complacent. There are very few warning signs given by these animals indicating an imminent charge.

Look for the following warning signs:

Cows with calves may be dangerous. Cows are usually very nervous, especially

if the calves are very young.

Watch for the ears held forwards with the head raised high. The rhino will bounce around if agitated, lowering and raising its head if unsure

of the situation.

Rhinos make snorting and puffing sounds when upset.

Watch for pawing of the ground with the head lowered facing in your direction.

Be very careful not to get too close to bull rhinos that are having an altercation.




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Hippopotamus

These are very underestimated animals, but are among the most dangerous

species in the bush. More people are killed each year by hippo on the African continent than any other species of dangerous game, including snakes.

It is unlikely (but not impossible) that you will encounter one far from the water during the day. However, when walking near rivers, stream or dams where hippo

are known to occur, be very wary of them basking on the banks.

Never get between a hippo and the water, and always avoid walking on

hippo paths.

Since they are nocturnal and

prefer very short

grasses, they are frequently found

on lawns at lodges

or on their golf courses and other

maintained grass

areas. If you are

fortunate enough to see them out of

water, under these

conditions, do not attempt to

approach them as

they represent a

very serious threat indeed.

Hippos are not generally considered aggressive animals, but they can outrun you when otherwise annoyed or threatened.




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Nile Crocodile

This is the only species of terrestrial predator that considers man to be part of

its normal diet. A crocodile will actively hunt you to eat you.

With other dangerous game the threat usually stems from:

Aggression

Lack of space

Lack of a suitable direction in which to take flight Their specific defensive strategy or behaviour.

While these factors

certainly do apply to crocodile, the added danger

of being actively ambushed

is quite real. Crocodile mainly hunt by ambush.

They swim as close to the

bank of a body as water as possible without being

seen. They are very adept

at this due to their

camouflaged skin and the fact that they only leave the

tips of their nostrils

exposed above the water. From this position, they wait patiently until any form of prey wanders close enough

for them to make an explosive rush out of the water and grab their victim.

Therefore:

Never get into a situation where you are on foot and closer than 3 m

[10 ft.] to the edge of any body of water where crocodiles could be living.

Do not rely on local knowledge regarding the whereabouts of crocodiles - they have the habit of turning up in the most unexpected places.

When on land, however, you should be able to outrun these reptiles (the only

species of game that humans can outrun) or climb 3 ft. [1 meter] up to a tree to safety




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Spotted Hyena

These animals do not represent any threat to people who are alert. The only

instance where they do present a real danger is when they encounter someone who is asleep in an unsecured shelter. Always make sure that your camp area is

secured, or that you have someone on guard 24/7.

Hyenas are generally cowardly in nature and will only attack under

circumstances of great stress.




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Snakes

Keep your distance and back off slowly without causing the guests any alarm.

Generally, snakes will leave you alone, provided you leave them alone.

It is highly advised to learn basic snake identification. You should be able to

positively identify the key species found within the area, in and around the lodge.

An even higher advantage, is being able to catch and relocate snakes out of the

lodge and to safety. A Professional Snake Handling course can be taken to learn these skills.

Should a staff member at the lodge be capable of safely relocating the animal,

keep the following on hand and within easy reaching distance. These can all be purchased online via popular snake institutions:

Snake Identification book (applicable to your area or country) A bucket with a secure fitting lid. Make sure the bucket is clearly labelled with

its potentially dangerous contents.

A hook stick/tong Plastic goggles or similar appropriate eye protection

Snake gloves




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Be aware that these are only guidelines regarding the behaviour of

dangerous species. Each scenario will probably be totally different from the last. You must rely on your common sense and instinct. Always ensure

your safety and the safety of your guests

Lastly, thus far we have looked that just a few

species that may be

considered dangerous game. It must however be

stated that all game

species may potentially pose a risk on some level.

Tame duiker at many

lodges have been responsible for double

puncture wounds as they

‘head butt’ encouraging guests in the knees.

The simple rule to follow with all animals is one of respect.




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Walking Guests To Their Tents At Night

Safety of guests is of primary concern for lodges. The above are some possible

animals that may be encountered when taking guests back to their tents. Try not to walk more than 4 guests at a time if per staff member. Get to know the camps

pathway, where the termite mounds are, trees etc. Please keep in mind that the

animals are wild and thus unpredictable.

ALWAYS CHECK THE PATHWAY FOR FRESH TRACKS.

If a potentially dangerous animal should be encountered on the pathway, back off

slowly, go back to the dining area and fetch a vehicle to drop off guests at their

tents. Take all remaining guests back to their tents by vehicle. It is better to rather

ruin a pathway than a guest’s life.

rifle care and safety and game walks - wildlifecampus · rifle care and safety and game walks...

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