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Originally Posted by tex_n_cal
Most famous for his hunting stories, but the one I remember most was the time he'd got a fully-automatic, freon powered BB gun. He was in his garden, shooting at dragonflies, imagining he was a WWI machine gunner shooting at biplanes. I laughed so hard I hurt my ribs... grin


I think it was in "Death in the Long Grass", story about a black mamba in the outhouse, I think he used a .470 on it, then burned it down, snake still got away. I still smile when I recall that one.

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For those not fortunate enough to have read it, a black mamba had been spotted in the biffy. A cautious look revealed that the only place it could be was in the latrine hole. As he wrote it: "Sneaking up to the toilet seat, I pushed the muzzles of the double-barreled shotgun up to the edge and levered them downward. There was no movement. In a flash I leaned over the seat and pulled off both barrels, one after the other, straight down the drop-hole. The secondary results were not unlike dynamiting a septic tank while sitting on it, and I certainly got a solid dose of the basic contents of the hole. After, as the British say, purging myself, I managed a cold shower from last night's water, shouting to my understandably confused staff (who might have been wondering what the bwana was doing blowing up the crapper) to keep an eye out for the snake until I was no longer hors de combat from my sneak raid on the can."


Not a real member - just an ordinary guy who appreciates being able to hang around and say something once in awhile.

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Peter....A man who turned his back on fortune, the family Hathaway shirt business, and went of into the jungles of Viet Nam to fight
in freedoms name as a green beret officer, an American special forces soldier,


P.H.C. was a SFGB officer ?...what rank and what period did he serve in Nam?


Quote
Peter did things other people would never do. He killed two Cape buffalo with a spear.
Once to do it, and once again to prove it wasn’t a fluke.


What other people would never do?
African natives had been killing herds of buffalo with soft iron spears for generations already, well before Capstick was even born.



Quote

I could not believe that Peter had left us. I could not accept that someone who was so vibrant and dynamic and full of life was gone.


From given accounts, he was no longer the vibrant,dynamic or full of life person as claimed.
For someone who spent his life severely abusing himself through alcohol, its not hard to believe he might just die at 56.


Quote
and while we both know you would have liked to go out in a tangle with a bull elephant..


Possible to achieve that, but PHC preferred directing his fate through the bottle rather than sober against a bull better than he.

Id rather accept PHC real life warts and all, than some posthumous superficially embellished version of him.


Quote

You were a man’s man, a man that women lionized, and you did America proud. You showed Africa just what could do when the chips were down.
You took care of your clients, and hunted like a sportsman, with ethics and true responsibility.


If I may quote Allen Day:
"In 1995, when I first hunted in Tanzania, we had a Emmy Award winning video cameraman with us. He was hired him for the full season to film hunts,
and as it turns out, this man was also one of the video photographers who filmed Peter Capstick's African hunting series of videos.

In a nutshell, he told me, under no uncertain terms, that Capstick was a physical wreck and a chronic alcoholic who had the DTs so bad that they had to
prop him up with beer or two at the start of every morning, and that Capstick fumbled around in the bush, and did not demonstrate anything that would
even remotely demonstrate familiarity, expertise or competence."


-Bulletproof and Waterproof don't mean Idiotproof.
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There is ample evidence that Peter Capstick worked as a professional hunter in Africa. There are photos of his PH license, and entries in the SCI record book listing him as PH for elephant and other game.

What's more, the outfitters he worked for in Africa have said only good things about him. In South America, those who worked with Peter on jaguar hunts said he was the "real thing."

I knew Peter and was among the first to compare him in print with Ruark and Hemingway and their shared ability to bring Africa to life for those who have not seen her.

He should not be judged by the last years of his life, when his alcoholism took over. As others who also know Fiona will tell you, she would have nothing to do with a phony.

Bill Quimby

Incidentally, according to Fiona, Peter was not related to the Hathaways who made shirts.

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Thanks for including that Bill.

I know that you were well acquainted with Peter and many other even more "colorful" characters that were SCI regulars back when SCI was smaller and you could find almost every PH by 5:30 every day bellied up to the long bar at the MGM Reno when the show still fit there. The bar was close enough to the gaming floor that the Rooianeks would just reach over the rail an plop some cash down on a roulette number and go back to drink and conversation. If they won, the croupier would reach over and nudge them with their stick to give the winnings. Can you imagine that today?

Again, I don't want to be anything more than a best wishes to a departed friend and darn good storyteller.


"The Democrat Party looks like Titanic survivors. Partying and celebrating one moment, and huddled in lifeboats freezing the next". Hatari 2017

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." Han Solo
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Hatari. It's probably safe to say Peter would thank you for remembering his birthday if he were with us.

You are correct. I was fortunate to have known or met a great many interesting outfitters, PHs and guides and serious hunters who later became legends in the world of international big game hunting.

Sadly, only a few of the greatest are with us today.

As for Peter, he might not have been the greatest PH to ever work in Africa, but there is no doubt that he worked for a while as a professional hunter.

More importantly, he was the greatest adventure author of the last half of the 20th century. Despite his eccentricity and alcoholism, he does not deserve to be slandered as lesser folk have done.

Bill Quimby

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He started his hunting career with Geoff Broom, I believe. He helped a world of people broaden their horizons for sure. I as a country boy from Texas never thought I would hunt Africa. I have been a half dozen times and hopefully will return again. That is what he did through his writing for a lot of people.
Mark

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o have 24 of Capstick's books. 12 first editions and 12 readers. and let me tell you they are read.
to those that disparage PHC, lets see/hear your stories and experience's .
Peter Capstick without a doubt is my favorite outdoor author.
and 56 was way to young.


the consolidation of the states into one vast republic, sure to be aggressive abroad and despotic at home, will be the certain precursor of that ruin which has overwhelmed all those that have preceded. Robert E Lee
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I used to clip newspaper accounts of human/animal encounters and send them to him. Either he or his wife would very graciously respond with a postcard.


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I've probably read "Death in the Long Grass" five or six times. I was once in some long grass with Lion making soft growls all around and all I could think of was the title of that book.


Don't blame me. I voted for Trump.

Democrats would burn this country to the ground, if they could rule over the ashes.
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For all fans that wished they'd had the chance to share an African Campfire with Peter, Ken Wilson of SPortman on Film recorded one of their evenings in the bush. It's just like being there. Enjoy!



"The Democrat Party looks like Titanic survivors. Partying and celebrating one moment, and huddled in lifeboats freezing the next". Hatari 2017

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Anyone have any evidence of Capstick being a Green Beret Officer?

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Originally Posted by tex_n_cal
Most famous for his hunting stories, but the one I remember most was the time he'd got a fully-automatic, freon powered BB gun. He was in his garden, shooting at dragonflies, imagining he was a WWI machine gunner shooting at biplanes. I laughed so hard I hurt my ribs... grin


I remember that story. It was amusing...and illustrative.

I've never said he couldn't write and he was a good companion in camp with a sundowner or two. But that's about all I have to say.


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Originally Posted by BWalker
Anyone have any evidence of Capstick being a Green Beret Officer?


You're kidding, right?


"Be sure you're right. Then go ahead." Fess Parker as Davy Crockett
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Originally Posted by TexasMark
He started his hunting career with Geoff Broom, I believe. He helped a world of people broaden their horizons for sure. I as a country boy from Texas never thought I would hunt Africa. I have been a half dozen times and hopefully will return again. That is what he did through his writing for a lot of people.
Mark


He started his hunting career in Argentina.


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Originally Posted by toltecgriz
Originally Posted by TexasMark
He started his hunting career with Geoff Broom, I believe. He helped a world of people broaden their horizons for sure. I as a country boy from Texas never thought I would hunt Africa. I have been a half dozen times and hopefully will return again. That is what he did through his writing for a lot of people.
Mark


He started his hunting career in Argentina.


Griz!

You are correct. For those that don't know, Griz encountered a very green PHC in his formative African years.


"The Democrat Party looks like Titanic survivors. Partying and celebrating one moment, and huddled in lifeboats freezing the next". Hatari 2017

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Originally Posted by BWalker
Anyone have any evidence of Capstick being a Green Beret Officer?



No, I've never heard that and never read anything that suggests that. If he had, that certaily would have been mentioned in his writings. He worked on Wall Street, got a gig with Winchester, went to South America to work with an outfit that did jaguar hunts, and then through connections, got over to Africa.


"The Democrat Party looks like Titanic survivors. Partying and celebrating one moment, and huddled in lifeboats freezing the next". Hatari 2017

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." Han Solo
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Ive read most of his books and found them very entertaining. The man could write. My brother doesn't like to hunt, he's in to handguns and AR's, seeing how much equipment you can attach to an AR and then shooting at a range. He picked up Death in the Long Grass at my house once and read it in two days. The man could write.

I've read quite a bit of stuff from Peter's detractors. I also have no way of separating fact from fiction. The leather suit for going after leopard seemed somewhat outre to me.

Be that as it may it's disappointing someone has to dishonor a person on the anniversary of their death. There are people like that on every forum though. I doubt it's fun to live life with that kind of attitude.


Don't roll those bloodshot eyes at me.
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