Game Farming/Breeding/Hunting

In 2005 Callie and sons began to game fence the farm.  This was a very expensive operation that took years to complete.  Once the game fencing was completed, Flintbeck was moving to new levels. 

The fence meant that new species that occurred naturally in our area could now be reintroduced.  Species like Sable, hartebeest, zebra, blesbuck, impala, eland, wildebeest etc were walking on Flintbeck again for the first time in over a hundred years.  Kudu, Steenbok, Klipspringer, Duiker and warthog amazingly enough have always survived in the area, and now that the fence was completed they were multiplying faster than ever. 

Thomas Schlotfeldt and Monte Kendall have begun various projects to reintroduce game on Flintbeck.  Thanks to Monte the rate of re-introduction has commenced faster than originally planned.

Fencing the farm also brought new challenges for managing the habitat.  To avoid over grazing, new procedures had to be implemented to control the numbers. 

With the help of Pieter Erasmus and John Weavind from Paw Print Safaris ethical hunting practises were implemented on Flintbeck.  Hunting a certain amount of certain species per year is now used to manage the quantity of game, as well as create an income that enables Flintbeck to be sustainable for generations to come; this also ensures the future of game on the farm.   

Thomas and Graham Murray putting up the game fence with Erens and Lukas in the back

It was decided not to use a bulldozer to clear the area for fencing, rather to cut it open by hand.  This reduces erosion and damage to the habitat.

 

Sable bull on the farm, this region is the most Southern point where the Sable occurred naturally.  That is why the Sable is so special to us

Monte Kendall – Friend and partner in Flintbeck game.  Without him, the reintroduction of most of the game would not have been possible

Planting poles for the game fence