Ourano Pointers

Ourano Pointers Elite bird dog training and bespoke Wingshooting Experiences in the Highlands of Southern Africa.

Whilst we’ve had a quite brilliant season in terms of the action; the sport, the dogs and the birds, another aspect that...
08/08/2024

Whilst we’ve had a quite brilliant season in terms of the action; the sport, the dogs and the birds, another aspect that we take huge pride in, and that we put a large amount of effort into in all of our experiences are our field lunches.

We believe that the field lunch is as much a part of the hunt and the quarry itself. An attraction and event in and of itself. No stone is left unturned with various courses served, and utilising all that is seasonal, as well as connected to the hunt and our heritage here at Ourano Pointers.

It is a coming together of cultures and friends, and one that we take delight and pride in sharing with our guests.

As we say in Greek, ‘Καλή Όρεξη!’

Always chasing the horizon.

I awoke with a yap. Then a whimper. Then a fully fledged bark. I was up. Albeit earlier than I needed to be, but I was u...
12/06/2024

I awoke with a yap. Then a whimper. Then a fully fledged bark. I was up. Albeit earlier than I needed to be, but I was up. One of the dogs needed their toilet break. It was icy outside. Even in the dark early morning I could see the tinge of white frosting all about. The wind was up too. A tough day ahead I thought. The dogs relieved themselves and were queuing to get back into the bus as quickly as they could.

When I finally brought the bus to a halt atop a slope, I could see the carpet like, mercury tinged blanket of clouds covering the surrounding mountains. The wind was firm. It was firm enough to make you sit up and take notice. And cold enough to want that extra layer.

This was a day for the mountains, the days that I yearn for. The colder, the better. It was our day. Ours to perform in. Every group we host is different and comes with their own nuances and of course personalities. It always interests me to unpack this loaded topic.

The days melt away into one. The weeks are a blur. And before I know it, we’ve been at it for a full month. What a blessing. As the challenges and difficulties pile up, I’ve learnt to take an extra sip of my coffee, steely faced, staring at them, coaxing them in. Welcoming them even. It’s part of the process. Part of becoming. Part of growing.

I recently quipped;
“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,
I wouldn’t trade this for anything,
Not even at a push.”

And I mean that. I wouldn’t. Come what may, in whatever guise it may take on, we’re here, and we’re in it.

Always chasing the horizon.

Some moments of the season thus far.

Doing things the Ourano Way… It’s always a pleasure and blessing making new friends afield, doing what we love. Forever ...
03/06/2024

Doing things the Ourano Way…

It’s always a pleasure and blessing making new friends afield, doing what we love. Forever grateful for this life. The dogs have been in their groove, and I let them do all of our talking.

Always chasing the horizon.
⛰️♥️🙏🏼

Notes from the field of our new 16 000 hectare concession we have exclusive access and rights to: We’ve evolved so much ...
29/04/2024

Notes from the field of our new 16 000 hectare concession we have exclusive access and rights to:

We’ve evolved so much in such a short space of time. I sometimes have to remind myself how ‘green’ we are. Just this weekend, I thought I was back on the great Masai Mara plains but this time running dogs between Sable, Kudu, Gemsbok and many other plains game species. I love how my dogs completely ignore anything other than the scent of a game bird. I will always love and have a preference for the vast, open plains and the mountains, but every part of Africa has its own unique beauty and appeal. Africa is the ultimate mistress who will tempt you confidently by being herself. Those are the best mistresses. The worst seductresses are the ones who try too hard, and try to be something they are not. Africa just is. And she is sexy in her simplistic allure. Whilst I’m proudly European, Africa just has something about her one cannot explain until you’ve lived it and walked it.
It’s always a privilege to do this. Every day is a blessing. While it’s hard work, and often unforgiving. It is all just so very worth it. All of it. The good, the bad and the beautiful. But it’s all part of the journey. Every last bit of it. We’re here, and we’re in it.

Always chasing the horizon

We’re hard at work, polishing up dogs for the imminent season. It’s always incredibly humbling to have other people’s be...
03/04/2024

We’re hard at work, polishing up dogs for the imminent season. It’s always incredibly humbling to have other people’s beloved companions entrusted with you, and those that know me and the team well, know how hard I work on any clients dog. It’s a pleasure for me to turn a dog around, or improve it from where it was. Like I keep saying, when you find what works, and doesn’t feel like work, you’ve won.

The hunting season is fast approaching, and preparations for all the planned hunts are also steadfastly underway. There are challenges, and stresses even, but I find if I pour myself into the dogs I am developing, it makes it all that much more bearable.

Always chasing the horizon.

When you find what works, but doesn’t feel like work, you’ve won. There are limited spaces available for some on the roa...
26/03/2024

When you find what works, but doesn’t feel like work, you’ve won.

There are limited spaces available for some on the road exposure training.
Please get in touch to book your trusted companions spot soonest in preparation for the rapidly approaching season.

Always chasing the horizon.

4000km’s driven, thousands more walked and run in the most isolated but beautiful of biomes, immersing ourselves into al...
04/03/2024

4000km’s driven, thousands more walked and run in the most isolated but beautiful of biomes, immersing ourselves into all that we are obsessed with and all that we know. It’s been a special time. Elevation in any respect requires separation - I believe this tenfold. I have also found that some of the happiest people are combining art, passion, and purpose into one mission that never ends. We are incredibly grateful for all of the trust and support all landowners show us on their lands, but I suppose I must remember that it is earned. It’s been a special period, which has brought on immense creativity and a different approach to certain things too. The season ahead promises to be another memorable one for me and the team, and I hope to connect with many more likeminded individuals, who appreciate far more than the mere trigger pulling moment. This is what we mostly believe in here at Ourano.
There are some challenges, as there forever will be, but when this is your daily office, navigating those challenges just seems that much more doable.

Always chasing the horizon.

Random Journal Entry: 2570m up with Aera and Baggio of Ourano Pointers. Behind us is the old Transkei. Just beyond that ...
09/02/2024

Random Journal Entry:

2570m up with Aera and Baggio of Ourano Pointers.
Behind us is the old Transkei. Just beyond that is Lesotho. It’s a hard slog up, but it is always worth it. Lots of Greywing Francolin. And just plain beauty as far as one can see.
We sat there a while amongst the natural splendour. With various Martins, Swallows and Swifts, gliding around us just above our heads, showing incredible feats of aerial acrobatics in their aerial predation pursuits. Such interesting birds, and so hard to identify each one at times. It’s unreal to think that some of them (the Swifts) sleep on the wing at high altitudes. Interesting birds. Aera found the first covey a couple hundred meters upon being on the top flats, a second a few hundred meters after that, and then Baggio got in on the action too with a third covey, all within 1km of one another. Good start.
A kettle of Cape Vultures circled a bit beyond us, no doubt with some carrion on the ground. Such a pristine, prime, Afromontane biome and environment. The variety of grasses, shrubs, and flowers is magical, and the stretches of vistas and views is bewildering at times.

Do less with more, and more with the less.

Always chasing the horizon.

When you find what works, and doesn’t feel like work, you’ve won. Block out the world, create your own world, obsess ove...
01/02/2024

When you find what works, and doesn’t feel like work, you’ve won. Block out the world, create your own world, obsess over it, iterate, believe, live.

“The ideal life would be one where you had a hobby that as a byproduct made you money, you had a hobby that as a byproduct kept you healthy, you had a hobby that as a byproduct made you smarter and more creative.” - Naval Ravikant

For all enquiries please visit www.ouranopointers.com or send us an email to plan your very own bespoke wingshooting Experience at [email protected]

Always chasing the horizon.

Something that’s been the theme of late: “When you find what works, and doesn’t feel like work, you’ve won.” There’s alw...
30/01/2024

Something that’s been the theme of late:

“When you find what works, and doesn’t feel like work, you’ve won.”

There’s always a sense of excitement and giddiness when prepping for a new season. You just know that there are new memories to be made, beautiful landscapes to drink in, and new people to meet and become friends with. We’ve been on the road for 3000km dropping dogs off, visiting new concessions and planning new possibilities, and ultimately landing up back in some familiar territory. I’ll always specialise in Greywing Francolin Experiences, it was a promise I made to myself years ago, and thus to have worked this grand game bird in every area, biome and habitat it exists in South Africa is a small accomplishment for me and the team.

After having our hands full for December and much of January with lots of dogs to board, train and oversee. I can now really put my efforts into the new projects and additions in our offering. There are new concessions across the country being added, completely new areas. Whilst at the same time, bolstering older concessions too.

It’s a privilege to get to do this every day. Sometimes it can feel like the most thankless work in the world; you train a dog for someone and never hear from them again, or you have a tough hunt where Mother Nature dishes out some curveballs (hunting is fair chase no?) but more often than not, those that do appreciate your hard work and efforts with their dog, or with how a hunt plays out, are worth all the hard yards.

The 2024 season promises to be a special one: Greywing in the Karoo, Greywing in the Eastern Cape Highlands, Greywing in the Eastern Free State/KZN hills, and Greywing in Mpumalanga.
Smatterings of mixed bag day shoots, and lots of help and knowledge imparted on many dogs along the way too.

Thank you to all of our regulars, we look forward to sharing more moments afield with you, and to the new clients and friends that lie ahead, we look forward to welcoming you the Ourano way.

Get in touch to enquire for any availability at:

[email protected]
www.ouranopointers.com

Always chasing the horizon.

This is my response 99% of the time to people. Yes you need a knack. Yes you need good genetics. Yes you need birds. Yes...
17/01/2024

This is my response 99% of the time to people.
Yes you need a knack. Yes you need good genetics. Yes you need birds. Yes you need the passion. Yes you need many things, but there’s one variable that nothing can replicate nor substitute, and that’s good ol’ boot mileage. You will walk, and climb, and walk a whole lot more, and you will probably need to walk a bit more still after that.

Clients always know I put in the mileage, because certain telltales, or giveaways, just don’t lie.
“Look how fit Chris is, you can see how much he walks and works with the dogs, unlike others.”
“Chris your boots are always in ‘work mode’. “
And my personal favourite, how every single dog prefers my vehicle to their owners, especially if I pick them up, they clammer and jump, going looney to try and get in (much to my insurance excess dismay for all the scratches I keep having to remove. I must start factoring this into my pricing I think 😆).

I will work with your dog every single day that it is with me, this is a guarantee, and a promise I not only make to a client, but most importantly to myself.

This season is going to be another special one. The boot mileage is accruing nicely… 🥾⛰️

Happy New Year to all our friends and family, from far and wide, across the globe. May the year ahead be one of success,...
31/12/2023

Happy New Year to all our friends and family, from far and wide, across the globe. May the year ahead be one of success, happiness, health and prosperity.

Thank you to all those wonderful individuals who have been a part of this journey, who have shared memories afield with us, and who have become friends through this wonderful canine world of ours.

It is humbling to close another chapter, with a successful year behind us, looking eagerly and optimistically ahead, just like Aera and Alba are doing in the accompanying photo.

Always chasing the horizon,
Ourano Pointers.

Merry Christmas to all, may it be a period of rest, love and happiness. I’m personally using this period to take some ti...
24/12/2023

Merry Christmas to all, may it be a period of rest, love and happiness. I’m personally using this period to take some time to reflect on all that this year has been and slowing things down from an otherwise breakneck speed year, whilst still keeping busy with the expansion of the kennels, and the business as a whole. Sprinkled in with lots of dog time, lots of hairs on clothes, lots of whining and barking, but most importantly through this all, lots of love.
To all my Greek friends Καλά Χριστούγεννα, πάντα υγεία και αγάπη.

And remember, keep chasing that horizon…
🎄⛰️♥️☦️🙏🏼

Gearing up for a busy festive period and start to the New Year with familiar snouts and some new ones too. Always humble...
11/12/2023

Gearing up for a busy festive period and start to the New Year with familiar snouts and some new ones too.

Always humbled to have people entrust their companions in my care, and forever grateful to have the chance to develop and polish them as hunting companions.

Do what you love, love what you do, life is just way too short for anything else.

For New Year placements, please feel free to get in touch and we will do our best to accommodate. But spaces are limited as every dog is trained and worked with personally by Chris.

Always chasing the horizon.

An excerpt from ‘Mountain Meditations’:“I usually hunt a brace of dogs per session, with the rest of the pack off their ...
09/10/2023

An excerpt from ‘Mountain Meditations’:

“I usually hunt a brace of dogs per session, with the rest of the pack off their paws in their crates resting for when they are called upon to enter the fray. This particular afternoon I had full sisters from different litters, Aera and Bianca of Ourano with me. These two females can hunt as hard as any male dog I have seen and known. Bianca being younger has been getting to grips with these sort of harsh mountains still. Aera is a seasoned veteran. It was hard going. Even my conditioned body took a beating this day, I remember it vividly. We stopped often along our journey to drink from the liquid staircase like waterfalls and creaks that litter the beautiful Barkly Wartrail mountains. We covered plenty of ground. More than I had initially planned on doing. But something kept telling me to keep going, teasing us along. So we did. And we were rewarded with something beautiful. Aera breasted a small shoulder rise on the massive peak we were ascending. It was around 50m from the top of the 2700m peak. She stayed there, not reporting back. I knew what that meant. I made my way up hurriedly but safely. I found her standing proud on a find. As I caught my breath to take it all in (and snap a photo or two as I usually do), the peace turned into pandemonium. There were screeching Greywing everywhere. I’ve never seen Greywing Francolin flush like this in so many different directions and from so many varied places. I was convinced it couldn’t be one covey because they were flushing from so far apart, and there were so many birds. I lost count at 38 birds, before I gathered myself to realise that I was actually hunting now and not guiding. It was chaos. Beautiful chaos. Birds were flying in every direction I looked; up, down, left, right, around the bend of the shoulder we were on, everywhere! But such is the beauty of loving this entire picture more than the mere trigger pulling moment. You get lost in it all. In the dog work, your surroundings, and of course, the majestic Greywing Francolin doing her thing too.

In what was well over 45 birds (I surmised) I took a moment to collect myself amidst the chaos. I love unpacking everything about a particular moment of action and of course ultimately the find. What was the wind like, how did the dogs work and find the birds, where did we find the birds, taking note of particular shrubs, grasses, and rock outcrops. Was there water around, and what time of day was it. The mountains are an extension of me at times. In these times in particular. In the least conceited sense, I know no one holds a candle to me or my dogs in these sorts of moments and our surroundings, no one loves it and lives it more than we do. And this is why I think I am able to make a living from this, because that love and passion translates into anything I do within these realms. I have no time for competition, for gossip, and hearsay lies, I only know this world with my dogs when we are in this mode and mindset. All of the mindless worlds chatter is drowned out by this enamouring quietude. You only hear your beating heart, the panting of a passing dog, and occasionally the kick of a small rock from your tired feet. It is medicinal.

The accompanying photo is from our descent down on this particular afternoon described above. We all needed a moment. Probably me more than the dogs. The iridescent light was meditative and restorative. Like plumes of ash shooting off a flickering camp fire in the still, pure afternoon dusk. There wasn’t a breath of wind. It was just us and these mountains. But it felt like we weren’t alone either. These mountains are very much alive. Alive with energy and a silent power. And it charges me.”

Always chasing the horizon,
Chris.

Our 2023 upland season wasn’t only fast paced and frenetic, but it was also a huge success. Having time on our hands now...
27/09/2023

Our 2023 upland season wasn’t only fast paced and frenetic, but it was also a huge success. Having time on our hands now to recoup, recharge, take stock, and catch up on all other areas of life that is otherwise overlooked, I received a wonderful ‘cherry on the top’ to it all.

I was fortunate enough to contribute a second article to the beautiful Hunting Dog Confidential run by the talented folks at Project Upland Magazine. It is always incredibly humbling to have anything featured, let alone in a publication that is nothing short of a work of art. Having contributed to the inaugural publication in 2021, I have been just as flattered and humbled to have contributed a further article to this fourth volume, which is held together by two hard covers and just oozes artistic expression and the kind of look and feel our dog and hunting community should be striving for always.

Thank you to all involved for recognising our passion and way of life, but more importantly, for giving our entire community a voice and platform to express ourselves as true conservationists.

Always chasing the horizon.

What a privilege to do this every single day. Passion is a thread. Obsession is a world.Passion is what you want to do.O...
14/09/2023

What a privilege to do this every single day.

Passion is a thread. Obsession is a world.
Passion is what you want to do.
Obsession is what you can’t not do.
Passion piques your interest.
Obsession is your only interest.
Passion is a plan.
Obsession is the only plan.
Passion is a boat.
Obsession is burning the boats.
Following passion is doing what you want.
Following obsession is doing what you must.

Always chasing the horizon...

Some wonderful moments and memories from this busy and successful 2023 season. Do what you love, love what you do. “It w...
04/08/2023

Some wonderful moments and memories from this busy and successful 2023 season.

Do what you love, love what you do.

“It was never about money for us it was about us against the system. That system that kills the human spirit. We stand for something to those dead souls inching along the freeways in their metal coffins. We show them that the human spirit is still alive.”

Always chasing the horizon…

Just a few snaps of the beautiful memories we’ve made afield thus far with appreciative clients from all over the globe....
15/06/2023

Just a few snaps of the beautiful memories we’ve made afield thus far with appreciative clients from all over the globe. Incredibly grateful for this life every single day. It’s always much more than the mere trigger pulling moment and experience.

Always chasing the horizon.

13/06/2023

In what could easily be mistaken for the Scottish Highlands, Baggio of Ourano is exhibiting patience and composure for such a young male. These were second phase birds from a larger covey of Greywing
Francolin that he initially found, and he held this pair for about 5 minutes for the client to get there. Adverse conditions for the day made it that much tougher too. The birds screech off to greet another day, and maybe even teach another dog when training and developing.

Always chasing the horizon.

Living a life of intention is not an easy thing to do. It takes the conscious decision to commit to it and see it throug...
05/04/2023

Living a life of intention is not an easy thing to do. It takes the conscious decision to commit to it and see it through each moment, in each day.
I committed to this way of life, and vowed to never let anything or anyone get in the way of that, and that commitment will not wane.

It’s been a busy period training and developing young upstarts. The season is so close we can all smell it now, and the dogs just somehow know it is close. We’ve got a busy season ahead, and thus careful management of the team is imperative, whilst still honing their bird handling abilities, and carefully managing their output and conditioning. The birds have bred incredibly well, and it certainly promises to be a memorable season with equally appreciative clients from all around the world.

There are also a couple spots open for some dogs to accompany us on the road for vital exposure on a multitude of game bird species. Daily exposure to plenty wild birds, fine tuning, and learning from other experienced dogs too.

Get in touch to book your spot.

www.ouranopointers.com [email protected]

Always chasing the horizon.

The season is fast approaching. Nights and early mornings are getting crisper, and it’s like the dogs just know it too. ...
14/02/2023

The season is fast approaching. Nights and early mornings are getting crisper, and it’s like the dogs just know it too.

There are limited dates available for our much sought after Greywing and Redwing concessions.
For the true connoisseur wingshooting enthusiast.
Get in touch to enquire at [email protected],
or visit our website for other options www.ouranopointers.com

Looking forward to making memories with you and your group!

Always chasing the horizon.

The 2023 season promises to be another bumper one - with the excellent rains experienced across our beautiful country, a...
03/02/2023

The 2023 season promises to be another bumper one - with the excellent rains experienced across our beautiful country, all of our concessions are in excellent shape and all bodes well for a season filled with memories and good birds.

Also rather exciting is that we have a few new concessions to add to our constantly growing offering; mixed bag opportunities across the Free State Province, more in the Barkly East region, Memel, Clarens, and a truly special offering in the heart of Dullstroom, to name but a few.
We also have our ever popular training trips already planned and many spots booked, for vital exposure for each dog before the season commences.

Please get in touch to book your dog in for a training trip to avoid disappointment, as well as any dates for hunts too.

Always chasing the horizon.

As much as I will always favour winter for the obvious reasons, I have learnt to really enjoy the summer months and the ...
13/12/2022

As much as I will always favour winter for the obvious reasons, I have learnt to really enjoy the summer months and the training that comes with it.
Some of the regulars that have spent time with me before are starting to make their way in for a month of training and continuing on their already solid foundations and development. Some are derby dogs that have just completed their very first full hunting season, and now I can really fine tune them for the approaching season.
I am very fortunate to work with these amazing animals and learn from them daily.
I only take on a very select few dogs to work with at a time, and I am grateful to each and every single client that entrust me with their dogs and allow them to be in my hands - thank you! It is forever humbling!

Do what you love, love what you do! ⛰️🙏🏼

South Africa is blessed with a plethora of terrestrial and waterfowl game birds which are well known, and account for a ...
27/10/2022

South Africa is blessed with a plethora of terrestrial and waterfowl game birds which are well known, and account for a vast chunk of each clients ‘species safaris’ - as we have dubbed them. The unsung hero in this offering is often the vast numbers of doves and pigeons we are blessed with in our game rich country. They become problematic to the landowners and the damage they inflict on crops, and thus sustainable offtake is critical in helping landowners mitigate the extensive crop damage experienced. A couple days of volume shooting gives a beautiful nuance and contrast to the other hard earned species and their pursuits. And this synergy works in the opposite way too - the hard earned pursuit providing some reflection and quietude that the volume shooting just doesn’t quite afford the hunter. The beautiful part about the larger bag numbers of the doves and pigeons is that all of the protein rich, healthy meat is donated to local communities - and this is a truly special undertaking we feel very strongly about here at Ourano. The Rock Pigeon is often referred to as ’Africa’s Grouse’, due to their truly challenging flight patterns, speeds and the targets that they offer, while also being a larger pigeon like bird. And in between their black sky like movements, there are always ample smatterings and constants of Laughing Dove, Ring-necked Dove or Cape Turtle Dove, and the Red-Eyed Dove.

As always, these days are well thought out and planned, with our well known Ourano Craic and field lunch being a major part of what the entire day out is about. Some clients prefer an entire trip just for volume doves and pigeons, and this too can be planned for in the not so cold, winter like months.

Get in touch to design your very own trip and experience with us.

www.ouranopointers.com

30/09/2022

Alba of Ourano. Sequence of videos on singles from a subsequent covey of Greywing Francolin she found. She picked off singles systematically.
What a blessing you have been. A welcome gift back. We’ve forged a beautiful relationship you and I. It’s important to have steady dogs even for hunting - mainly for safety, and of course it just looks better to the trained eye. Although admittedly after so many birds retrieved, some of the manners slip a bit, but they earn it and deserve it too.

This is a special property and concession of ours.It is for the truly discerning and cultured sportsman.My job is to put...
19/09/2022

This is a special property and concession of ours.
It is for the truly discerning and cultured sportsman.
My job is to put in as much hard yards understanding where every possible resident covey is, and might move to if things like conditions change, to always give a client the greatest possible chance at filling their quota. This particular experience is about much more than the mere trigger pulling moment; the magic lies in the entire pursuit thereof, and the truly fascinating biomes and energies that these mysterious mountains possess. Watching these upland demons devour up these never ending slopes in our pursuit is almost impossible to understand.
Alba and Bianca are a formidable brace.

www.ouranopointers.com

We’re incredibly proud to add more concessions and species to our wingshooting experiences. After such a humbling and we...
12/09/2022

We’re incredibly proud to add more concessions and species to our wingshooting experiences. After such a humbling and well received start to our journey, it became clear we had to add more and diversify in certain aspects. After all, growth requires expansion!
The 2023 shooting season promises to be exhilarating on all fronts, with hot barrelled doves and pigeons adding a buzz of excitement and contrast to the most cultured of upland days afield!

Please get in touch as dates are limited, and logistical planning is of paramount importance.
We would also love to hear any and all feedback on our new advertising platform, we value the input.

Always chasing the horizon.

Ourano Premier Wingshooting is more than just the trigger pulling experience.

I was incredibly humbled to have been interviewed by The Sporting Life Notebook on all things bird dogs, breeding, train...
06/09/2022

I was incredibly humbled to have been interviewed by The Sporting Life Notebook on all things bird dogs, breeding, training, and my personal philosophies on its ever popular podcast. Durrell Smith is a passionate bird dog man, trainer and guide located in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
The other guest was Charles Jordan of the Charles Jordan Group. It was a great conversation, and the first of many between three outdoor fanatics.
Here is the link below on Apple Podcasts called, ‘Finding the End Result.’

Have a listen and enjoy.

‎Show The Sporting Life Notebook Podcast, Ep EP. 142 | “Finding the End Result” with Chris Christodolou of Ourano Pointers and Charlie Jordan of The Charles Jordan Group - 8 Apr 2022

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