Hole In The Horn Buck

Track wild animals on safari - at the Port Lympne Park in Kent

Maybe it’s the flies and ­mosquitoes, the eye-watering cost, or perhaps the fear of getting between thirsty hippos and the river, but I’ve never seen myself as the safari type.

Luckily, I’ve discovered a safari adventure that’s right up my street, almost literally, and there’s no need for malaria jabs.

It all seems authentic enough as we arrive at the Livingstone Lodge ­reception in searing summer heat and meet our talkative guides, ­Zimbabwean ranger Warren Cathro and his Zulu sidekick Sandile ­Mthiyane.

After a glass of fizz and a health and safety briefing which, Warren admits, is not something he ever had to worry about in the bush, me and my far more adventurous daughter Maisie climb aboard the safari truck. Our journey will take us through the wilds of Port Lympne Safari Park, Kent, founded by ­conservationist and gambler John Aspinall, and we’ve got the place to ourselves until tomorrow morning.

Our first spot is one of Port Lympne’s endangered black rhino herd.

Warren explains that from a world population of 65,000 in 1970, black rhino numbers now sit at just over 3,000, from a low of 2,300 – and it’s all our fault.

The illegal trade in rhino horn – just matted strands of keratin, the same material found in fingernails and hair – means these magnificent, primitive beasts are worth more dead than alive to some communities.

But slowly attitudes are changing thanks, he says, to the Aspinall ­Foundation’s work providing regular income to ­gamekeepers who might have turned poacher for the right price.

With proper conservation of the animals comes schools, ­healthcare and belief that rather than killing them for a fast buck, black rhino are a legacy for future generations to attract tourists.

After a two-hour “safari” where we get up close to elephants, giraffes, zebra, ­wildebeest and ­countless others, Livingstone Lodge itself comes into view over the hill.

I presume Dr Livingstone had never heard of glamping, but even a 19th Century Scots ­Protestant missionary would have appreciated our heated tents, luxury bed linen and fluffy robes.

After unpacking, it was off to the Laapa (meeting place) for a sundowner and a chat with the other 14 guests on our safari.

As it happens, Maisie is the only youngster on our expedition. That suits her fine, but if you are planning on taking children (over-nines only) it might be worth booking on a date designated as family-friendly.

Ohio Deer Hunting

Ohio deer hunting continues to top the list of trophy whitetail destinations due in large part to an excellent deer management program. Ohio's deer management program is designed to control the state's deer herd by harvesting does, while maintaining a very conservative buck harvest. Hunters are allowed to harvest one buck in Ohio per year. This allows for a balanced population while maintaining the necessary conditions to produce world class deer like the ones below. Another huge whitetail buck exceeding 300 inches...Yes, I said 300 inches!... was harvested in Greene county on November 8th 2000. The Beatty buck was 4 1/2 years old which was confirmed through laboratory testing in which a tooth is cross sectioned and studied under a microscope, similar to aging a tree. 4 1/2 years old! How is that for genetics!

Top Areas For Ohio Deer Hunting
While trophy bucks can be found in every corner of the Buckeye State, Coshocton, Licking, and Muskingum counties in east-central Ohio top the list of Ohio deer hunting destinations. These counties consistently produce massive bucks and offer some great opportunities for public land deer hunting.

For trophy bucks, three Ohio public deer hunting areas come to mind in this part of the state, Dillon Wildlife Area, Woodbury Wildlife area, and the Conesville Coal Lands. We personally hunted the Dillon Wildlife Area during the first week of November in 2007, and we can tell you that, while receiving a fair amount of pressure, if you look closely, you can find unpressured deer. Study the maps and look for places that other hunters will overlook. We did exactly that and had a 150 inch 10 pointer at 40 yards chasing a doe wrecklessly through the woodlot. There was not another hunter around...and we were within 100 yards of a main road!

The Woodbury Wildlife Area comprises almost 20,000 acres of prime whitetail habitat in east central Ohio. There is good public access along state routes 16, 36, 60 and 541, as well as numerous county and township roads. Again, the key to finding trophy bucks is to study maps of the area and find small spots that other hunters will overlook. These spots do not have to be miles into the timber...They can be right under everybodys noses!

The Conesville Coal Land consist of about 12,000 acres of prime whitetail habitat in Coshocton and Muskingum counties. Hunting here requires a free permit available at local bait shops or by contacting American Electric Power at www.aep.com/environmental/recreation/recland/permit.

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