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Johan Calitz biography
Johan Calitz was born on 2 June 1956 in Pretoria. He grew up in the Southern Free State town of Wepener and graduated with a BSc Agric degree from the University of the Free State. His father, a keen hunter, took Johan from pre-school age on hunting and fishing expeditions all over Southern Africa. Johan shot his first elephant at the tender age of fourteen. For a short period of time Johan tried his hand at farming but his love for hunting drove him to become a professional hunter, more than three decades ago. From 1981 to 1987, Johan was involved in the hunting industry in South Africa and Zimbabwe but became involved in Botswana on a full time basis during 1987. Since then, his company has grown in leaps and bounds and has become one of the biggest and most successful hunting operations in Africa. He is the managing director of his Botswana and Mozambique based companies as well as the managing member of a South African based close corporation. Johan manages approximately 1,000,000 hectares (2.1 million acres) of hunting concessions on behalf of the Botswana government and communities in northern Botswana, from which he conducts hunting safaris from several hunting camps from April to September each year. His company accommodates over 100 clients on hunting safaris per annum. Part of his agreement with the Botswana government, is to provide communities not only with job opportunities, but also with socio-economic upliftment and development projects, such as training, schools, clinics, sport facilities, agricultural & funeral assistance and the like. For the past nine (9) years, Johan has also been involved in Mozambique pioneering the wild and wonderful Niassa National Reserve. Johan Calitz Safaris (Mozambique) Lda was awarded the tender for block L2 (400,000 ha+) in 2008 and hope to be involved for the next 15 years and beyond in this beautiful country. During the Botswana hunting season, he employs approximately 150 local people, ten (10) full time professional hunters, two to three apprentice PH's and seven (7) camp manager couples. A full-time management team runs the operational office in Botswana and a marketing office in South Africa. The Mozambique staff contingent comprises of a management office in Matola and seasonal and full time staff of approx. 30 people up in Niassa. All staff is dedicated, well qualified and experienced people who share Johan's passion for nature and the hunting industry and who strive to live up to the company's motto "The difference between good and excellent is an infinite capacity for detail". Calitz Safaris specialises in dangerous big African game and hunts over 110 elephant per year, making him the biggest elephant hunting outfitter in the World. However, they also offer plains-game and photographic safaris and cater for family safaris. Johan is very involved in various national and international hunting associations and is a member of PHASA, IPHA, BWMA, BOPHA, AMOS, SCI as well as various SCI chapters. Over the years, he also served on the executive committees of some of these organisations. Johan was a director of one of the most well-known Professional Hunting Schools in South Africa, namely the JOHAN CALITZ and COBUS SCHOEMAN PROFESSIONAL HUNTING SCHOOL. Many a successful Southern African outfitter and professional hunter's career got kick-started at this school. The school ceased to exist once he decided to make Botswana his permanent home. Various hunting videos and television programmes have seen the light, featuring Calitz Safaris and Johan is often asked to address an audience on various industry related issues. Johan's intimate knowledge of and passion for nature and his profession, his sense of humour, humbleness and integrity and the manner in which he handles life's set-backs, are admired by clients and friends all over the world. His job is also his hobby. On the rare occasion that he has time for himself, you will often find him and his beloved dogs in the field with a shotgun. Johan's son, Cobus, joined the company a few years ago, working in the financial department and doing his apprenticeship. He is now a qualified PH, following in his father's footsteps. His daughter Stefani, studies in South Africa. Johan lives in Maun, Botswana.
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