25 JAAR DIENS AAN DIE WILDBEDRYF /25 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE GAME INDUSTRY In 25 jaar het baie in die wildbedryf verander – of het dit werklik? Vyf en twintig jaar gelede was die konsep van volhoubare benutting van natuurlike hulpbronne relatief nuut. Dis egter ’n konsep wat WILD & JAG die afgelope twee en ’n half dekades benadruk het, met die waarde van jag as een van die pilare van die wildbedryf, tesame met teling, ekotoerisme, wildsvleis en verwante produkte. Twenty five years ago, the concept of social media did not exist either, but GAME &HUNT; has successfully integrated digital, social and printed media in order to reach a bigger market. This has increased our magazine distribution to more than 26 000 copies, 100 000 social media reaches with 50 000 video views monthly, and more than one million views on YouTube to date. In what can be described as a challenging year in terms of political and financial uncertainty, the year is ending off on a positive note for sustainable wildlife conservation, as President Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana announced the growth of registered game ranches from 30 in 2000 to 130 at present, and that his government is to reconsider the ban on hunting elephants. Together with China, which announced the lifting of the rhino horn and tiger bone ban, this is good news for the Southern African wildlife industry. In hierdie uitgawe kyk ons na verskeie sake, waaronder mense, gewere, jagtogte, dieresiektes en ’n opsomming van 2018 se wildveilings. Die uitdrukking, “So taai soos ’n ratel”, kon nie meer gepas wees nie. Ons voorblad en hoofartikel (bl 20) fokus op hierdie taai kalant wat vir niks stuit nie. Geseënde Kersfees aan elkeen in die wild- en jagbedryf! Wildbedryfgroete / Game industry greetings Hennie van der Walt