Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa PHs The Good and The Bad

I have only been on two safaris but I have been very fortunate in that both of my PHs were top rate. They never fired their guns the entire time. We only hunted in areas where we were supposed to hunt and they gave me the kind of hunt I expected (dangerous game - up close and exciting).

I have heard horror stories of PHs that automatically fired every time the client does as "insurance". I've heard of stories of where the client and hunter were kicked off of private land while hunting because the outfitter owed the landowner money from previous hunts, etc.

I've heard stories where the client's were left hanging, due to logistical problems, etc.

I've heard stories where client's never received their trophies, or were charged extra fees they didn't expect.

I've heard stories where clients were sold hunts in areas that did not have any of the major animals the clients were after.

I have also heard of hunts where the outfitter had run out of tags for certain animals, yet pretended to hunt them anyway.

I realize sometimes the fault is with the outfitter and not the PH.

Please share your stories about your PHs and/or outfitters, both good and bad, and what to watch out for.

BH

Join AR if you want that kind of depth -- lots of good and bad there. Not a chance I'd attempt to guide someone who has almost as much experience as me...

I have only made one hunt to Africa...10 day PG in the Eastern Cape this past May.

I actually hunted with a young Outfitter/PH who was in his first year (heck, first 5 months) on his licences.

I took a chance on a young guy starting out because he sold himself well and I always want to look for the good in folks.

He came through very well for my wife and I, and we had a great trip all the way around.

Of course, he has lots of experience to gain, and that will only make him an even better Outfitter and PH. But we were well pleased with his efforts, and the efforts of his staff.

We had nice accommodations, great food, good tracker/skinner, good animals. Trophies should be hitting the states in about a month!

Tim

I never had a problem because I went through a reputable booking agent (Atcheson's--Keith Atcheson has booked me once for Alaska and for two different areas of Zim). and checked five or more references before committing to any outfitter. Suggest you do the same.

I've hunted five times in Africa and have only had two PH's. The guy in SA was very good, but then I went to Zim and have never been back to SA. I've had the same PH for my four Zim trips. He stayed with me for a few days last year during the show season and he and his new wife will be staying with us again in a couple weeks. I guess you could say we "hit it off".

Mike

My wife and I went through a booking agent for a 2000 plains game hunt in the Limpopo Province of RSA. I was confident because we had used the same booking agent for an adventure in New Zealand a couple of years before that.

NOT.

The hunting trip was good, but the booking agent and the outfitter ended up being total POSs as someone didn't pay someone and, although we got our trophies back, it took almost 2 years.

Without the help of one of the Jr. PHs on that hunt, that we really hit it off with, we may have never gotten them back.

The PH, KUKUZANS, is no longer in business, and deceased, so I've heard, but the booking agent still is.

We rewarded the Jr. PH, who now has his our game ranch in the Free State of the RSA, with a 2015 Safari booking, including Cape Buffalo and plains game.

A great, and successful time was had by all!

donsm70

Thanks for the posts.

I have heard some real zingers of safari contracts where you got charged the trophy fee, if you had a shot and didn't take it, etc.

For me, if I am paying thousands of dollars to shoot an animal, I want to make sure I have a reasonable shot (i.e. not a glimpse of a buff's backside running away at full speed 100 yards away into some thick brush) and that I am the one who kills the animal, not the PH.

Thanks.

BH63

I've been on one RSA and three Nambian plains game hunts. Really liked hunting with Thomas in Namibia, his son not so much. The RSA PH wasn't what I would call an experienced hunter and the best time hunting was when just the tracker and I went a field. Plus the RSA guide never showered during our 10 days and to say he got ripe would be an understatement.

Robert Ruark's take of his first safari with the legendary Harry Selby is some of his best writing, I have no desires to hunt Africa mostly because it could never live up to experiences and adventures those two had.

I guess to each his own, but I would rather experience something first hand and make my own memories, rather than just read about the great experiences others have had.

As far as great PHs, you just never know. I hunted elephant with Kirk Mason back in 2003 and I believe he has to be one of the best "white" hunters in the world. I have never met anyone who was so intense about hunting.

His intense desire to hunt reminded me of a German Shorthair Pointer I once had the privilege of owning. And believe me, that is one sincere compliment.

If you can afford it, I would recommend anyone who has ever dreamed of tracking elephant, or Cape buffalo to take that trip now, as each year seems to increase the cost and decrease the available opportunities. JMO.

BH63

Capstick wrote very well about the difference in "shooting" elephants and "hunting" elephants.

Today I don't believe it to be possible to hunt truly wild elephants, now buffalo on the other hand I would love to give a go, what scares me the thought that I might really enjoy it and much like a heroin addict I might do desperate things to finance my new found addiction.

With all due respect sir, that statement pretty much shows that you have no idea.....

The ellie I killed back in 2004 was certainly a wild elephant. He even had two old bullets in his body that the skinners recovered. One looked to be a .303 and the other an AK round. His life certainly was totally wild. He had a short section of his trunk missing, from what was probably a poacher's snare. Nothing at all semi-tame about that old character. He even had white hairs on his tail from some of his exploits.

I would expect many of these elephants still exist in Zimbabwe and other places where they roam totally free.

BH63

Well it certainly was possible in Zimbabwe in 2011 when I hunted and killed a very wild bull.

I've been with a number professional hunters in South Africa. Some were better than others but I can't say I ever had a bad one. I did, however, talk to some who had bad experiences.

One guy hunted with the legendary Out of Africa crew. Despite his request to stop for a rest, he was transported to Zimbabwe on a marathon drive in a cigarette smoke filled car. Then he was encourage to shoot a lion he couldn't really afford and told to pay later (in retrospect, considering the history of that outfit, it's possible there was no permit for said lion).

Another duo hunted with a PH on land where the animals were few and very skittish. They were advised to take shots they weren't comfortable with and then were charged for animals allegedly wounded. The PH was observed to drop some red stuff on the ground which was then claimed to be blood.

To be safe, you need to do some research first. Look at their web site. There is one idiot PH out there that won't allow use of all copper bullets like Barnes. Post questions or look at prior reviews on the various hunting forums regarding the outfit. Also personally communicate with ones who have actually hunted with the PH.

Agreed. At least the part about "truly wild elephants". There's plenty of wild elephant in Africa today.

Absolutely, do some research. And research doesn't mean "surf the web" and base your decision on websites and online reviews, although those are can be a good place to start.

Once you've done some research on where and what you'd like to hunt, you need to talk to real people about the various outfitters and PH's in the country/area of interest. Preferably, talk to people you know personally who have been there. Even better, talk to people you have hunted with and who share the same hunting values and preferences you do.

If you follow this advice, you'll end up with half a dozen recommendations, or less; and you can probably meet most of those PH's and/or outfitters at the annual DSC or SCI conventions. Talk to them personally, face to face, and get to know them a bit and about their operations.

This is what I did in the lead-up to my 2015 safari, and what I'm doing for my 2017 safari. I asked my prospective PH's how they like to hunt, what they look for in a hunter, what they try to avoid, what their priorities are... and by the time I'd interviewed the 5 guys I'd narrowed my search down to, it was really pretty easy to pick the one I wanted to go with.

There were no surprises or disappointments in my hunt, other than the unpredictability of the animals, weather, etc.

^
Good advice. I am down to about 3 outfits for my upcoming buff hunt.

For whatever reason, I have never read anything good about African hunts arranged by 24hourcampfire outfitters. I am sure there have been some good hunts, but everything I have ever heard or read was extremely negative.

BH63

Sounds like you're on the right track. If you can visit face to face with those outfits at any of the upcoming shows, that will be a huge bonus.

FWIW, the guy I thought I was going to go with, based on internet searches and emails and testimonials, did NOT impress me when we met in person at DSC in 2012. Rather, I was much more impressed by Lew Hallamore and John Sharp, and I believe I would have been happy with either. I chose John because of a few "intangibles" about hunting/shooting that we both feel strongly about, and in the end I was pleased with my decision.

As for 24HCF outfitters, I've heard and read good things from people I know well about some, including KMGSafaris and JJHACK. I'd not care to tar with quite so broad a brush.

BH63

Please share with me the issues involved with my business here. Anything you have heard or seen printed anyplace.

I'm one of the longest standing members of this site and I cannot recall anything like this?

If you search this forum for my name and look at the folks who have hunted with me, there is glowing reports of success and happiness!