Company Name: Bushveld Training Adventures Telephone: Fax: Cell Phone: Email: infobushveldtrainingadventures.co.za Website:

Course Title:   Trails Guide Course

The Trails Guide Course is aimed at equipping you with the necessary skills and knowledge to conduct a guided walk in dangerous game areas and is specifically designed towards obtaining the trails guide qualification of FGASA (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa). Please note that only candidates with a full FGASA Level I qualification (theory and practical) qualify to do the course.

The course content is based on the National Unit Standard 8459 (TG16- View Potentially Dangerous Animals and Advanced Rifle Handling). It consists of two parts, i.e. Advanced Rifle Training and Dealing with Dangerous Animals. It also includes coaching and assessment on Viewing and Approaching Dangerous Animals and practical rifle training and assessment. 

1. Advanced Rifle Handling – Trails Guide

 This part of the course is intended to ensure that a guide is able to safely maintain, handle, shoot and secure a rifle according to laid down rules, procedures and legal requirements, and use a rifle effectively (speedily, accurately and appropriately) when situations require it.

The following theoretical aspects will be dealt with:

• Legal requirements regarding the use, possession and control of firearms
• Components of firearms
• Ammunition and ballistics
• Recommended firearms and ammunition for guiding purposes
• Cleaning, maintaining, stripping and assembling the relevant firearms
• Transporting and storing firearms
• Firearm safety
• Loading and unloading firearms and charging and discharging magazines
• Carrying firearms
• Malfunctions and stoppages
• Shot placement (static & moving targets) and the position of brain/vital organs in relevant animals
• Firing shots accurately.

The practical rifle assessment includes the following:

• Quick Loading (Blindfolded) exercise
• Distance exercise (in which three shots are fired within 10 seconds at targets located at 15m, 10m and 5m respectively)
• Immediate Action Exercise (a simulated misfire situation starting from a shouldered firearm position, target at 10m)
• Shot placement exercise (two shots fired at a buffalo target starting from a normal walking position).
• Simulated Charge Situation (one shot plus coup-de-grace)

These exercises are intended to assess:

• Rifle safety
• Rifle proficiency
• Correct shot placement under pressure
• Bringing the rifle to bear quickly under pressure
• Reloading and clearing stoppages or misfires in emergencies
• Procedures to follow when animals charge
• Observation skills

A minimum of nine rounds is necessary to complete the practical assessment. Each candidate is allowed two chances to successfully complete each exercise. It is therefore recommended that candidates allow for more than the required number of rounds necessary to complete the practical assessment with the first attempt. Cartridges of .375 calibre will be on sale at R13-00 a cartridge.

Candidates should preferably use their own rifles.

Any person who has not handled a large calibre rifle before or recently, will first undergo training during the coaching sessions.

2. Viewing Potentially Dangerous Animals - Unit Standard 8459 (TG16)

• Dangerous Animals in the guiding context include lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros (black and white) and hippopotamus.
• This unit standard covers the following:
• Identification, physical attributes and behavioural knowledge of dangerous species.
• Tracking and field craft (spoor & sign identification, interpretation and tracking)
• Legal aspects of guiding in dangerous game areas (rules and procedures).
• Guided walks with guests in dangerous game areas (with and without a tracker or back-up)
• Pre-trail checks, restrictions and briefings
• Control of the group whilst walking
• Communicating effectively during the trail
• Working with trackers and back-ups
• Navigating safely in the dangerous game areas (orienteering, precautions, threats and confrontational situations)
• Approaching and withdrawing from dangerous game
• Firearm safety (safe handling of weapons) during walks with guests.
• First Aid procedures and requirements.

Course attendees have to bring along a pair of binoculars, notepad and pen, and any reference books that might come in handy. A well equipped first aid kit is essential as no one wil be practically assessed without a first aid kit forming part of their basic guiding outfit!

Course Title 2 Trails Guide Course Classification Environment & Nature -> Trail Guide Course Requirements Price Notes

Course Information Location Gauteng - Johannesburg Course Type Customised Start Dates Length of Course Final Registration Date

Contact Details Name Bushveld Training Adventures Phone +27 (011) 6792298 Email infobushveldtrainingadventures.co.za