It was the end of an afternoon of “walking and stalking” when Izak Rust caught a glimpse of something that could put the seal on his client’s first hunt: a herd of black wildebeest.

“Golden hour” had arrived — it was about 5.30pm on a crisp July day in the Eastern Cape — and time was running short for a weary Johan Coetzee to chalk up his kill.

Rust began setting up the skietstok (tripod) for the Ruger M77 rifle he had rented to Coetzee, who had never before handled a firearm...