Image: Nick Christy

Hunting is certainly not without controversy, especially when it comes to canned and trophy hunting for sport rather than food. It was never a dream for Wesley Randles to be the huntsman he is today. After growing an enviable reputation as a chef in some of Cape Town’s top kitchens, he packed up his big-city life and moved his young family to the quiet seaside village of Cape St Francis in the Eastern Cape to open his restaurant Nevermind, located next to the Seal Point lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse in the country. As he got more involved in his new community, he was invited to join a hunt with the locals. Now Wesley is on a new path of fascination and discovery.

Game has been proven to be a sustainable source of meat, for many reasons. When Wesley hunts, he’s hunting for food, not fun, and he takes this very seriously. His methods of going about it are equally serious.

“The hunt is purposeful and methodical, from tracking on foot for 25-30km in the rugged terrain of the Eastern Cape mountains and the lengthy stalking time to get as close as possible, to ensuring that a perfect kill shot limits any potential pain or suffering for the animal, and that every single part of the animal is utilised to feed my family and my restaurant guests,” he says.

To read the full story, grab your copy of the 2024 Eat Out magazine – on shelf at your nearest Woolies for R115!