TRAIL TALK Facing Facebook and Lockdown
IF, UP TO now, you have not liked or used Facebook, perhaps it’s time to change your view. Magnum is running competitions on Facebook (as well as in the magazine) and, unlike the printcopy readers, followers do not have to wait for the next edition to win prizes. It’s also an easy way to keep informed and updated on what we are up to.
In a rapidly changing world, we’re trying to bring relevant and topical information to you faster, to supplement the magazine’s contents. Following our Facebook page will help to keep you up to date – and perhaps make you a winner. Another reason to follow us is that we want to use this platform for polls to determine what you’d like to see in future editions. This way you will have an immediate say on the contents of the magazine.
We can use Facebook to alert you to new classifieds adverts (Reader’s Market) as these become available – a free service to our readers, constantly updated online. So, if you have old reloading equipment, a firearm or any hunting- or shooting-related items to sell, or if you are looking to buy something, send us an email. And, follow us on Facebook.
Several readers have requested that we make videos of products we test. We have begun this process, and for now, you’ll find test reports and videos online at www.gearreviewsa.com. We try to avoid merely duplicating information that appears in the magazine, but instead add details which were not included in the hardcopy due to space limitations.
Regarding the 2020 hunting season, due to the frustration thus far caused by the Covid-19 lockdown, we’re running a revised Hunting Opportunities section in this edition. Hopefully we’ll soon be able to hunt in certain areas of the country, so use our Hunting Opportunities column to support local farmers. On page 55 you’ll find a QR code; scanning this will provide you with the necessary information on your phone at all times.
When you go hunting this season, make absolutely sure you adhere to all regulations that pertain to travelling within the specific lockdown level applying to your area as well as the area in which you will hunt. At present, Level 3 makes no provision for interprovincial travel. Also, get the relevant paperwork in order, including hunting licences, and I suggest you get a letter from the farmer stating that you are culling excess animals for the pot, shooting problem animals, etc.
The hardships that lockdown has brought upon us are already evident, but the full implication will only be seen in months to come. We’ll probably all be spending a lot less money than we did before the Covid-19 lockdown. My own plan is to spend much less on red meat, among other things, and use the money saved to put venison on my table – hopefully all ‘procured’ personally.
Views on the correct approach to ‘lockdown’ differ widely. That a country like Sweden chose to enforce no lockdown probably supports the argument of the no-lockdown lobby. I gave my full support to the government’s efforts and I abide strictly by the regulations, but it has become clear that some involved in managing the lockdown have no trust in us as proud citizens of South Africa to make informed decisions and stick to common sense rules. Most of us pay all our taxes, abide by the laws and regulations of the country, keep within the speed limit and, by being part of a farm or neighbourhood watch, spend our own time and money to deter crime. We live our everyday lives comfortably within the law to provide for our families and to support the broader society. Now, however, we suddenly discover that we aren’t treated as responsible citizens. On the contrary, soldiers had to be deployed to ensure (sometimes forcefully) compliance with regulations.
Some such regulations were causing more damage than good. Some leaders trusted with regulating were quick to use news reports to threaten us with jail and fines if we did not comply, yet were slow to utter anything about the majority of citizens who adhere to the rules.
That the public used the media to criticise some of the ridiculous details of certain regulations, points to a lack of good sense on the part of the authorities. It seems that what we’ve seen applied to the firearm industry in recent years, in terms of over-regulation and red tape is not symptomatic solely of the hunting and shooting industry, but part of a much wider ‘school of thought’ desirous of regulating virtually everything we do (and even wear) down to the finest detail. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against protecting our citizens from the virus; I’m saying that protecting our people, and using common sense, need not be mutually exclusive.
Of course, not all is doom and gloom, and with the economy opening up in stages, hopefully we’ll soon be able to go out into the hunting field or to the range to feel the morning’s exhilarating cold air while slowly warming in the sun and appreciating being outdoors.