I have been trying to quietly observe this thread for it's duration,but have been waiting for it for at least a year and a half.
1)Assuming there is a "jury" ,how are they supposed to deliberate without full disclosure of the facts ?
2)Back about a year and a half ago,I was one of the first 24Hour Campsite members interested in SafariMan's first solicitation for the first hunt.MoccassinJoe1 was another.What brought us together,and eventually sent us on another path,was what we both considered to be SafariMan's very unbusinesslike way of doing business.
He continually failed to answer contacts by email and phone,needed to get my contact info over and over again.
When he finally sent me a contract,NONE of what he promissed was filled in,nor was it even signed....but he wanted me to sign it.....and send him a check.He did send a VERY comprehensive "hold blameless" form which he also wanted me to sign.My eventual partner received the same things.We decided to meet, and go in another direction.
I will not say SafariMan did anything dishonest,don't even intend to intimate that.....but my experience is that his business practices ,at least at that time were very sloppy,and I told him so at the time,after he asked for my contact info. for the fourth time.We had already spoken on the phone two or possibly three times,and emailed back and fourth perhaps five or six times.
I had just told him I would not continue to persue hunting with him,and he was still trying to convince me otherwise.My eventual African hunting partner had an experience that mirrored mine.I had not yet met MoccassinJoe and spoke only for myself.Their contacts were seperate,but Joe basically described to me exactly what I had experienced. SafariMan immediately ceased contact with both of us at that point.
Judging by my experience,I have no doubt that SafariMan had no idea what was actually going on during these two hunts.He constantly has claimed expertise,as an agent, that my experience would lead me to doubt.
We eventually went to another booking agent and our experience was the polar opposite.Unfortunately for the "complainants" in this case,our hunting experience was also the polar opposite.Caveat Emptor.
I must admit I have had issues other than 24hr upon my mind of late but having the opportunity to do a bit of reading found my old hunting partner an friend, Steve1's post with my screen name in it peeked my interest in this topic.
I will attest that Mark aka Safariman office practices are a tad sloppy. After a few rather long phone conversations with him about the 2007 Campfire buffalo hunt I asked him to send me a detailed contract. What I found in the mail 1 week later was a blank contract of 1 page and a 3 page "Hold Blameless" document with a request for a deposit and my signature. Thankfully I've dealt with enough booking agents and signed enough contracts to see a red herring when presented with one. Steve1 is correct that I suggested we meet and discuss the use of another booking agent (Jim McCarthy of Harrisburg, Pa)whom I've used several times in the past to make hunt arrangements with. We did just that an booked our buffalo trip into the Selous with him rather than Mark. The rest is history suffice to say we had a trip full of fond memories from beginning to end. This Selous trip cost us no more than Mark's Campfire trip was offered for...both were bargain rate an as I see it price surely did not play a part of our excellent adventure.
I did speak with Model70 after the buffalo trip and am a bit perplexed as to why he rebooked thru Mark after what he told me occured on that first trip.
I also think volumes can be read into Mark's suddenly not booking African safaris with anyone at the time. MJ
