Gentlemen:
As you do, I love to read anything Africa. My two favorite quotes are Ruark's the buffalo looks at you like "you owe him money." The other is the beginning of a Capstick chapter, "The man who was about to die..."

Just curious, what quotes stand out in your mind from the Africa books you have read?

“I walk up to the buffalo, the grand old bull, that black killing machine, and I give him the choice of how to die. No one, NOT A SINGLE PROFESSIONAL HUNTER, living or ever lived, dares do this. I am Mark Sullivan, known the world over as the Mark of Death!”

WOW - you two are off to a good start today!

Actually , Cal, I remember very little of such writings, much as reading a comic book for entertainment.

Buff are one of a variety of bovine and some are more aggressive than others. They are all capable of doing harm to critters of lesser stature. Best thing to do is avoid them or kill them.

"Buff are one of a variety of bovine and some are more aggressive than others"

Very good quote, and true too.

Lots of us love hunting buffalo, not because they are dangerous, but because hunting them is fun.

I don't believe all the bullshit about the danger of hunting.

Things can happen, and one should accept them.

But in hunting?

Sure, sometimes things do not go to plans, and again, it is part of life.

But, certain idiots make buffalo as the devil!

get close to them and that will be your end.

That is why these individuals carry VERY BIG GUNS!

quote:

WOW - you two are off to a good start today!

The never ending saga. . . . . . .

Not strictly an african hunting quote, but it applies:
"you have faced the test and you have not been found wanting."

I love hunting buffalo more than anything else. My favorite quote is also from "Horn of the Hunter" but a bit more obscure.

Virginia is sitting by the fire late at night reading a book when Bob and Selby come dragging into camp, scratched up and filthy.

She takes a single look at them and comments, before they say anything: "Buffalo again. Idiots!"

Count me among the idiots. I know it, but I'll do it again, and again, as long as I'm able.

Great line!

“More important than the gun is the man behind it.”

— James Mellon, African Hunter

That book is sitting on my shelf in my home office, but haven't read it in years.

It is dated, but fascinating, and observations like the one above will always be true.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
“More important than the gun is the man behind it.”

— James Mellon, African Hunter

Great value for money.

I purchased one of these hardback copies which I still have, in the late seventies.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
“More important than the gun is the man behind it.”

— James Mellon, African Hunter

Best quote there is.

Ultimately means many idiots should stay home, instead of playing “Ph” or silly clients!

From my PH "Everything in Africa is either horny, thorny, or charges.".

A friend said “everything in African can kill you. From mosquitoes to elephants!”

A very famous and factual Kenyan quote from the '70s was:

"Are you married or do you live in Kenya"

It has always been my belief that one of the things that makes hunting and fishing so special is that on any given day things can happen to you that you will remember for the rest of your days. Very few things in everyday life are like that.”
— Lamar Underwood, The Greatest Hunting Stories Ever Told, 2000

"I had a farm in Africa" Karen Blixen

From My Last Safari - Ruark

“I guess we’ve tied the ribbon on it,” I finally said to Selby. “I guess we’ve wrapped it up.”

“We never did shoot that biggest Buffalo in the Masai,” Selby said. “And the Masai is kind of on the way home too.”

“I don’t particularly want to shoot him,” I said. “I just want to see him in the Masai. I’ve grown accustomed to the country.”

“It has a way of growing on one,” Harry Selby said. “It’s a pity we don’t own it anymore, isn’t it?”

Not from a book, but this August while tracking a kudu bull my daughter was the first to reach a two track. As she stepped out on it she saw a barred cobra stretched across it. “What’s that?” She said. Richie Schultz’s answer was succinct, “Shoot it!”

Not a quote from a book, but the words whispered by my PH on the morning of my first African hunt: “There’s your bool (bull). It was a 40” Gemsbok bull approaching our blind from 400+ yards to our front. A 224 yard shot from my Winchester Model 70 in .300 WSM dropped him in his tracks. We ate his backstraps that night cooked over mopane coals. I

How about an old American Indian quote...
"Get close as you can, then crawl 10 yards closer"

I walked up to a Tanzanian General and asked him why he shut down the airport as the rain had stopped an hour ago..His reply was"BECAUSE I CAN"
My reply was "gotcha" and I moved on..

Myles McCallum, as we got out of the truck and set off on the track of a tuskless cow,
"Dick, this is the most dangerous thing you will ever do..."
Whether it was or not it was a wonderful quote.

This is Africa

I need some money for a coke. Or buy me a Coke.

I’ll make sure your gun makes to next flight.

one from long past on one of my first African hunts: I was hunting with Clinton Rogers when we came across a large snake. My memory says it was a black Momba and being fascinated by it I simply had to photograph it. Clinton was nervous about how close I was getting to the snake and I could tell he wasn't terribly thrilled about the whole thing.

After the photo shoot I asked , "Clinton if I do get bitten how would we treat it. Is there anti venom available?"

His response was " There no anti venom close enough to do you any good. If you get yourself bitten we will treat it by putting you in the shade. I will get you the coldest beer we have and a pen and paper and I will instruct you to write your farewell letter to your family!" I have been a little more cautious in my dealings with African snakes since.



And my most resent: I am a bit of a fan of the old 400 Whelen and used it again on this last trip. After seeing Wildebeest Hartebeest, Wildebeest, Wart Hog, and Buffalo shot with the 400, he looked at the cartridge and stated " the 400 Whelen is bloody well more than adequate for anything in Africa".

“I loved this country and I felt at home and where a man feels at home, outside of where he’s born, is where he’s meant to go.”

— Green Hills of Africa: The Hemingway Library Edition by Ernest Hemingway

Drongo,

I don't like killing snakes, unless perhaps they are in camp. This past year, a tracker came running up and said he had seen a snake. The word he used equated to a mamba, but the PH said it was likely just a cobra. We went on our way. Wouldn't have mattered which species it was. In the bush, I won't kill a snake except in self defense. Seen lots of snakes, but fortunately, with the exception of a couple of aggressive mambas, they didn't want any more to do with me than I wanted with them. Never had to kill a snake in Africa.

I too have heard the "shade, 'pat' of paper & pencil" response regarding Mamba bite. Thought it was hilarious at the time especially since my hunting buddy was overly TERRIFIED of anything that slithered or crawled. He wasn't too keen on the stuff walking around either.

Another incident, same trip and hunting buddy. PH says, "look - there's a duiker." Short while later PH notices his client is not behind him and looks around to find him hiding behind a tree about 4 inches in diameter looking very scared. PH asks him "what's up?" Client responds "I didn't know they have Tigers in Africa."

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
Drongo,

I don't like killing snakes, unless perhaps they are in camp. This past year, a tracker came running up and said he had seen a snake. The word he used equated to a mamba, but the PH said it was likely just a cobra. We went on our way. Wouldn't have mattered which species it was. In the bush, I won't kill a snake except in self defense. Seen lots of snakes, but fortunately, with the exception of a couple of aggressive mambas, they didn't want any more to do with me than I wanted with them. Never had to kill a snake in Africa.

In general, I agree with you. But when you are 6 hours away from a third rate hospital any potential snake bite is a serious matter. Anyway, I have one rule regarding PHs: I do what they say without argument when a potentially dangerous situation arises.

The only interesting rifle is an accurate one.

A young hunter asked the oldtimer why he bothered to drag along the heavy .600..

" Well you see laddie...cause the dont make a bloody .700..!"

Here's one by Neil Murray...."The elephant often charges to the accompaniment of a blast of high pitched trumpeting caused by forcibly expelling air form its trunk which sounds like an orchestra of outraged demons.
Except perhaps for the prospect of imminent hanging, there can be few situations that concentrate the mind more wonderfully."

True! Had a tuskless cow charge this year. It wasn't a bluff and she was very vocal. Fortunately, we were in the car and in a place we could drive.

I have had a couple over the years from PH'S.

While heading to the camp fire after a long day, I noticed a small snake about 24" long and a little thicker than a pencil working it's way up a small tree by the pathway. I head back to my tent and secure my camera and head back to the tree trying to find the small snake the little sucker blended in just like a tree branch. As I find the snake my PH comes by and asks what I am doing. " AHa, he is not poison's, just leave the snake alone" . I was bumped as I was taking the picture and it was not in focus. When I returned home I looked up the snake to find out is was a vine snake.

Another, PH about 30 years my junior, tried to think we were on a foot race walking after game. After a few days of walking across the various hills and river beds, my PH says if you would put your binoculars down you will be able to keep up. "My Job is to find them your job is the shoot them" "

.


“I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not happy.”

Hemingway

Ken Wilson and Peter Capstick did an audio recording that was available on cassette tape. It was pretty campy, but I got a lot of enjoyment out of listening to it. PHC made sure to get all of his most memorable quotes into the conversation.

When I am approaching an animal, or even when I am just out hunting, I hear PHC voice saying: It is the dead ones that get up and kill you."

I love that line and the way PHC delivered it.

Say what you will about the man, but for all that PHC wasn't, there are few who have touched as many lives as he has.

“He was a legend in his own lunchtime.” Nigel Theisen — expounding on personalities in the hunting industry when being inquired about by clients.

This was never written down in any old hunting books but it is a modern quote that is used by some local b marlin wire men and bear guides.

"If you are going to be dumb, you better be tough!"

quote:

Originally posted by Capt.Purvis:
This was never written down in any old hunting books but it is a modern quote that is used by some local b marlin wire men and bear guides.

"If you are going to be dumb, you better be tough!"

That is brilliant. I can see where that can apply to the Unconvinced.