Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Ross Seyfried

Ross was in Africa from 1979-1989. He worked With United Safari Zambia, Mike Cameron, Ray Sparrow, Hugo Seia, and Cotton Gordon.

Mike, Great information. I assume he was licensed as a PH during those years. I know from experience that in ten years of guiding you build up quite a resume of clients. Did you have the pleasure of hunting with him then or know of anyone who did?

Also, If I may ask, who am I talking with and how did you come by this information?

Your assumptions will have to remain just that as I didn't think to ask him. I wish I had an opportunity to hunt Africa with Ross. I suppose one of these days I will buy an elk hunt with him. Truth be told Phil, I don't know anyone who hunted with you, but I will refrain from casting aspersions on your career. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I have enjoyed both Ross Seyfried's and Phil Shoemaker's writings very much. I have never hunted with Mr. Shoemaker, but would enjoy it alot, I think. I would also love to shoot "ole ugly"! Sounds like good bear medicine.

mike, When a writer puts his experiences out in front of the public in print he should be willing and able to back them up. I have no problem in verifying any of my experiences if you wish. Neither did Finn Aagaard nor do Joe Coogan, Don Heath, Kevin Robertson, Jim Shockey or any other African PH or American Guide that I know of. My career is an open book.
By the way, who did you say you were? I need to know in order to send you my references.

I didn't say. If you'd like, PM me your phone number and I'll give you a call at your convenience. As far as backing up his experiences, I'm not sure what you mean. When I asked Ross when and for whom he worked for in Africa he told me. I know you are very good at what you do. I actually tried to book a hunt with you a few years ago but you were booked for 3 years for the hunt I was after. I won't need to see your references, I believe you. I believe Ross also. Why don't you? Is there a new requirement that proof of fact must now be submitted with every innocuous statement? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

mike, Of course there is no requirement to verify anything a writer says but when someone advertises themselves as an expert with X amount of experience it is not unreasonable to ask about it. Ross's shooting skills are well documented and I am sure that if anyone questioned them he would be more than willing to show them. Probably for $$.
I simply asked about his much touted African guiding experiences. I have no doubt he hunted in Africa and has much more experience than my paltry amount. He claims to have been a PH for ten years yet no one seems to have any information or verification of it - which would lead any logical person to wonder ?
Possibly I'm acting like my friends who served in the Navy Seals, Special Forces and Smoke Jumpers do when they are told that someone claims to have done the same. Since they are proud of what they have done and are always interested in someone else with similiar experiences they ask a few simple questions in order to establish when and where but when details are not forthcoming they start asking more pointed questions.

Phil, it's called a BSometer, and folks in most professions have them. There always seem to be a few in every field that claim a great deal of experience at something. When you work with them for awhile, you start to see some discrepencies. Then you start really questioning their claims, and doubting about everything they say.

I don't know why there are some folks that have to claim to have done more than they have.

As witness the booming market in military medals and LEO badges among people who never wore a uniform of either kind. Likewise the "trophies" on the office walls of corporate types who've swallowed many a shot but have never fired any. It's called image. And the macho image is where both the money and the prestige are.

Phil,

FWIW, I have a friend who has been on a couple of hunts in Africa with Ross as his guide. This is going back a whole lot of years (mid to late �80�s IIRC). I also recall that Len Thompson of Cold Steel fame was with them on one trip. I don�t know Len from Adam (ok, I�ve met him a couple of times, but I don�t know him), and I haven�t talked to my buddy in several years, but I�m sure I could call him and get the details�I mean, who wouldn�t want to spin yarns about their trip to Africa?

This internet is quite a powerful tool. For a persons name to come up and it be a free for all is quite disturbing I would expect.

Of course Ross is a person who stands out and gets some riled up but we all might be the better for it if we used the net with discretion. This goes for yours truly also.

As for myself I have not read him in years but he is a skilled person. I wrote him and invited him here a couple of decades ago. He never answered. I got over it.

All in all Ross is a gun guy. He is on our side and he makes things interesting. To have a friend you have to let the chafe go and keep the grain.

Somehow I got his email and invited him to the 'fire also; this was a year ago maybe. His response: "too much said; too little foundation". I answered that, "he could add to the foundation". He answered, "no thanks".

George

I invited him in person almost two years ago.
He politely declined.
I didn't press the issue.
We discussed other matters.
Amiably.

edited to add:

If it were possible to know less than nothing about Ross's field experience, that'd be how much I'd know about his time as a PH in Africa. Until somebody shows me some credible evidence to confute it or at least to refute it, I'll take his word for it (although I don't know what that is, either). Heck, I even believed Capstick for a long time!

I believed him until he wrote of owning a single shot Ruger
with which he could hit a soup can at 800 yds EVERY TIME.
Good luck!

Perhaps you could post the article that you are refering too.

I couldn't. You couldn't. My son couldn't. My grandsons couldn't. Most of us couldn't. None of which proves that Ross couldn't � but I'm with you to this extent: I'd sure love to see him do it if indeed he claims that he can.

(Did he say how big a soup can? We had some gee-huge ones in the Navy.)

He penned a lot of articles on things that interested me. Namely big bore hand guns, the pre '64 model 70, and his later articles on the 270wsm, which he seems particularly fond of, and so am I. There are a lot of people out there who like his writing, and even those who don't seem compelled to read it anyway. That says something---2MG

[Quote] by Ken Howell

(Did he say how big a soup can? We had some gee-huge ones in the Navy.)

That is for certain......... To know what was actualy claimed would put more light on the subject..........
Just for the record Ross is an extremely accomplished long range shooter with a vast amount of knowledge on the subject...
Does anyone remember Ross's article on Accuracy at 1 Mile? He had pictures of his target at that incrideable distance, and the groups were awsome. I would take Ross at his word and would not bet against his ability............ <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

IIRC the "soup can article" was a piece on a fast twist .22 cal based on a .308 or slightly larger case. Looking back on it he was ahead of the game and was pushing what were then unheard of weights in a .22cal, I think 80-90grns. This was about the time the hipower guys were going to the heavy bullets but nobody was using them for anything else.

I dont recall the claim of hitting it every time but I do recall him stating that a mistake reading the wind was the only thing causing errors.

Regarding his African experience he did write the foreword on Hugo's book. In my mind that gives some credibility because Im sure not everyone would be asked to do that.

I will admit to being a Ross fan and would be in line if he ever put out an autobiography.

[Quote] by varmintsinc
I will admit to being a Ross fan and would be in line if he ever put out an autobiography. [Quote]

Me too in a heart beat......... Thanks, for the info that puts it in the proper perspective........ <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />