"In Praise of Trackers"

I would enjoy reading stories and viewing pics of TRACKERS that have made your safaris an outstanding adventure!

I find TRACKERS to be one of the ESSENTIAL players in this sport, if not THE KEY PLAYER.

IMHO their role is of great significance to the TEAM.

I wrote this thread hoping that DG hunters and PH's could share their experiences with someone like me who has never experienced a DG safari and probably never will, as PG is all I can afford.

Yet, I am fascinated by the level of skill and mastery of DG TRACKERS most of all.

Here's a dedicated platform in praise of your trackers and giving them their respect and Place of Honor!

If you so desire... I hope some of you will take the time to participate in sharing your experiences and perspective abroad with these masterful men.

Thanks!

The PH asked the tracker to go and get his camera from the truck after my wife shot a zebra late in the afternoon. When he returned he had the camera and some brews! It was a very pleasant wait for the recovery crew as we sat and watched the sun go down sipping on the cold beer.



Some of Roger Whittall's guys from The Save Cons.



One of Dirk Roham's guys from Nambia.

Here's Ben Nyati, one of the best trackers in Zimbabwe and one of the reasons for me shooting the big cat! Then there's Lucas, from Tinshaba, near Kruger

Muletrain and UEG-



I'm sure these men would appreciate our accolades...

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Muletrain:
I wonder if he knows about his team in the Final Four???

To be truthful, I killed a buff because the PH ordered the trackers to proceed down a slope where they wanted to keep on - and then they missed a cow and a bull coming out of the brush -I killed the bull after the PH had told me he had the cow in his sights. She had fixed a glare on me and then the bull started to turn towards me and the PH hissed at me (that's the only word I can use that he meant- to shoot -and do it NOW,damnit it!) He never said so, but I am positive to this day that both buff had surprised him. I never thought that trackers were useful for anything except to go into vlei and locate a wounded buff. Useful cannon fodder. Otherwise excess baggage. I can just hear all the complaints that I have no experience behind "experienced" trackers. I am only saying that the presence of a native born PH renders them superfluous. (We tracked a wounded zebra some days afterwards - and the trackers wanted to go one way and the PH showed me a trace of blood on a leaf -as to why we go the other way. (Frankly, my PH awed me. He was like what Americans used to say about Apaches - He could track you across Hell.

quote:

Originally posted by Gerrypeters375:
To be truthful,...I never thought that trackers were useful for anything except to go into vlei and locate a wounded buff. Useful cannon fodder. Otherwise excess baggage. I can just hear all the complaints that I have no experience behind "experienced" trackers. I am only saying that the presence of a native born PH renders them superfluous...

Thanks for sharing your truth, I'm sure everyone has a bad day in the bush at some time or another. or maybe those you had were not competent who I am I to say...

Who were you hunting with Outfitter and PH?

How long was your stay?

How many times have you hunted Africa?

Just curious as I'm trying to form an opinion from your truth you shared. Interesting indeed.

Thanks I appreciate it!

I know a long time ago I read on this site that some of the trackers come from the streets of Harare, Lusaka, Dar Es Salaam, Johannesburg, ect. They didn’t growup in the bush.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Thomasjohn:
I know a long time ago I read on this site that many of the trackers come from the streets of Harare, Lusaka, Dar Es Salaam, Johannesburg, ect. They didn’t growup in the bush.[QUOTE]


Thanks for sharing as that's something I never knew

I have never had a hunt in Africa, in 7 safaris, where the trackers and skinners were anything short of incredible in their tracking, locating and skinning skills. I have had trackers from Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa and all of them have performed admirably. Perhaps I have just been very fortunate and have picked great PHs who know what they're doing when they hire them. Unfortunately I don't have pictures of all of them. I did find out this week that one of them just died from aids in February at the age of 28. Sad news, indeed.

UEG-

Having been on only one PG Safari in 2008, I was mesmerized by the talent and level of skill of my tracker "Immanuel". It was my understanding he had been raised in the bush IIRC.

I admired his gentle nature and the spirit in which he carried himself.

He had a great impact on my entire safari in so much that it had impressed me to capture this picture of him.

Late Bloomer:

Frankly, your post about being on a one time PG hunt in SA told me that you simply may not realize the world of difference between hunting PG and hunting DG. I am in the SCI Record Book for a buff (Africa,9th Ed.p.89)It was one trip. I WAS THERE! (As my PH told me I could always say ever afterwards to anyone who wants to question my DG credentials) Make sure to carefully pick who you hunt DG with. It truly is a different world. With PG, you have a "guide". I don't want to be sneering about PG but, I shot impala for camp meat and never bothered (on one occasion)to register an impala even though he was (in the PH's opinion)good enough to submit) Africa is a special experience so make sure you go for it by hunting DG.

quote:

Originally posted by Gerrypeters375:
Late Bloomer:

Frankly, your post about being on a one time PG hunt in SA told me that you simply may not realize the world of difference between hunting PG and hunting DG. I am in the SCI Record Book for a buff (Africa,9th Ed.p.89)It was one trip. I WAS THERE! (As my PH told me I could always say ever afterwards to anyone who wants to question my DG credentials) Make sure to carefully pick who you hunt DG with. It truly is a different world. With PG, you have a "guide". I don't want to be sneering about PG but, I shot impala for camp meat and never bothered (on one occasion)to register an impala even though he was (in the PH's opinion)good enough to submit) Africa is a special experience so make sure you go for it by hunting DG.

Gerry,

I can only appreciate your reply.

And I can only imagine the difference between a PG hunt in Nam and a real DG hunt in some other real African wilderness country and it easily goes on without saying

In fact, that's one of the reasons I spend soo much time on this part of the forum. I'm extremely fascinated in all the accomplishments you folks have experienced!

I'm very happy for you in having a buff for the SCI record book I'm sure you are very fond of that accomplishment along with your DANGEROUS GAME credentials.

I, too could have placed my Gemsbok in the book and it would have scored in the top 55 but I'm not into SCI scores and stuff but nontheless I'm proud of that beast EQUALLY well as ALL my others.

In my books THE HUNT was my trophy and have no probs with those that choose the SCI books, to each their own.

Neither do I have a problem with you sneering about PG, everyone goes on safari for different reasons. We all hunt for a myriad of reasons and its nobody's business how we go about it, it's our money and no one else's.

But, I just thought it really strange that you had commented as such on your original post here In Praise of Trackers as you did. Albeit negative, I wanted to know how to have a discerning opinion about your truthful opinion/comment, as I didn't know what to make of it at first.

Now I know, ...YOU WERE THERE...

I am in the SCI Record Book for a buff (Africa,9th Ed.p.89)

It was one trip.

I WAS THERE!

(As my PH told me I could always say ever afterwards to anyone who wants to question my DG credentials)

Frankly Gerry...Thank you for taking the time to share I sincerely appreciate it!

Your PH was right

I hope you get to go back soon and have a better safari with a better PH and more admirable TRACKERS!

Safe hunting sir

I gotta love this forum

Great picture, Late-Bloomer!

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Great picture, Late-Bloomer!

Thank you my friend

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Great picture, Late-Bloomer!

Yes, very nice pic !

You will find that the best PHs also have the best trackers and that they very much appreciate their importance. The two things are inseperable and go hand in hand. It is not just their fantastic tracking ability.
When you have been out in the thick stuff on DG with a top team you will appreciate the difference. The only thing that stops you from being a permanent nervous wreck in such situations is the confidence that if you walk into a dangerous situation the trackers in front will spot or hear it well in advance and usually even before the animal concerned.
In my opinion a tracking DG hunt is all about the trackers, we just pull the trigger.
If anyone has ever had the pleasure of following behing Criton or Bongi who work with CM Safaris they will know exactly what I mean.

Hunting DG in a situation where the PH is demonstrating that his trackers are incompetent would cause one to wonder why one was paying good money to hunt with a PH who employed the incompetent trackers.

quote:

Originally posted by A.Dahlgren:

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Great picture, Late-Bloomer!

Yes, very nice pic !

Thank you

R.Jolly-

I appreciate your reply and it's what I thought it would/should be like. Your reply has yet taken it to another level for me, thanks!

You have a pic or two to share?

A few photos taken over the years of Brent Hein's trackers, Friday and William. I've been through all of the highs and lows of safari with these guys. Looking back, I always remember the hard work and the laughs we've had.

[

David my friend,

You have taken this thread to a whole new level

The hard work and laughs is all good!

Beautiful pics!

Thank you

Aloha!

Roland

I've hunted with William and Friday on three safaris and have taken three elephants with them. They are extremely professional and almost as important, really know how to have a good time, too. Ask me at DSC about the time William put a live hyena in the boat!

I second David's post!

I have also hunted with Friday and William on two elephant hunts and they have always done an excellent job. I have seldom seen them make any mistakes. Theu compliment Brent very well.

Also I have hunted with Absent and Simpson on two elephant hunts. They are Geroge Hallamore's trackers and are every bit as good as the above. Four gems in the wilderness!

465H&H

JudgeG and 465H&H,

Thanks for sharing

Them four sound incredible and mighty pillars in the wild!

Late Bloomer:

We may be talking at cross purposes here. I was with two trackers who had eyesight like an eagle. (One pointed out to me a leopard sprawling on an acacia limb at what had to be at least two hundred yards -and the leopard was in shade) I reread my first post and agree that I was too dismissive to people whom I came to admire in Africa as trackers. I think that what I wanted to say was that a native born PH can serve instead of a native tracker - if need be. The trackers I knew were enormously happy when I dropped my buff.(For the first time I saw them beam at me and make it plain that I had "done good". I killed the buff before he got near to vlei) THe PH told me that in the previous season, that he had a number of clients who wounded the buff in early season in Zim and the trackers had to go into the vlei. I am particularly ashamed that I referred to them as "cannon fodder". It takes a very brave man to walk into vlei -with no weapon -to locate wounded buff. Of course, the tracker is an essential part of the team and I apologize to all trackers.

quote:

Originally posted by Gerrypeters375:
Late Bloomer:

We may be talking at cross purposes here. I was with two trackers who had eyesight like an eagle. (One pointed out to me a leopard sprawling on an acacia limb at what had to be at least two hundred yards -and the leopard was in shade) I reread my first post and agree that I was too dismissive to people whom I came to admire in Africa as trackers. I think that what I wanted to say was that a native born PH can serve instead of a native tracker - if need be. The trackers I knew were enormously happy when I dropped my buff.(For the first time I saw them beam at me and make it plain that I had "done good". I killed the buff before he got near to vlei) THe PH told me that in the previous season, that he had a number of clients who wounded the buff in early season in Zim and the trackers had to go into the vlei. I am particularly ashamed that I referred to them as "cannon fodder". It takes a very brave man to walk into vlei -with no weapon -to locate wounded buff. Of course, the tracker is an essential part of the team and I apologize to all trackers.

I understand Gerry...You're a fine man

Late Bloomer,

To be completely fair to the trackers, we have to admit that they are only human as such occasionally make mistakes. They can have good days, great days and not so good days. In most cases the client doesn't know enough to realize that they made a mistake but the PH soon will pick it up. In that regard, one day two trackers simply amazed me by following a set of bull tracks across dry pebbly ground where I could not see any sign that they had passed even when the trackers tried to point out the sign to me. A few days later the same trackers followed a herd backwards for 1/2 mile before realizing that they were going the wrong way on the tracks. The most common mistake seems to be misjudging the age of tracks. I have seen this on several occasions. Some PHs such as George Hallamore are almost as good as his trackers.
On average none of us could do what they do at anywhere near to their efficiency.
465H&H

Yep, I hear you...well said

Well said

"Friday" tracked for me once on a HHK hunt. He is first rate. He can sing and dance too. It was a lion hunt, and he sang for us on the way back to camp. Back in camp, he did a dance when we broke out the beer to celebrate. A good tracker is a true asset.

Gentlemen,

By all the accounts that have been shared here and especially through speaking with David via email, I am more than convinced that a safari with the Brent Hein team with William and Friday would be the ULTIMATE experience a chap like me could ever desire!

It goes without saying their concession is FANTABULOUS and there camp accomodations SPLENDID!!!

The journey just to get there from where I am in Hawaii would be a remarkable feat in itself being that I've only left these islands once in my life which was with my son for Namibia PG in 2008.

If I ever make it back to the Dark Continent again along with my son who is my only hunting partner, I will want it to be with Brent Hein and Friday and William in the Bubye Conservancy!

That would be a true WILDLIFE SAFARI dream for me! I would probably be only able to afford a PG hunt with them I would suspect, but the adventure of being with this team in a remote place just does it for me. The experience would be more than I ever could have asked of God for in this lifetime!

Just to experience an adventure like this with my son just once ....My life would be complete even if we never had a shot at ONE ANIMAL,...if I never picked up my rifle again in my entire life it would be COMPLETE indeed and I'm only 48 yrs old.

Those of you that have experienced the quality of these types of safaris again and again are truly blessed and I tip my hat off to you all.

Only taking up the sport of hunting three years ago with my son to experience the great outdoors together and create memories to last a lifetime,... I stand in AWE of you gents and ladies who live this experience and now can understand why you go back over and over again inspite of the exhorbitant costs!

I hope one day I will be able to say the same, but most likely will not...I thank you all for letting me be a part of this forum and live my dreams through your accomplishments!

I am humbled by your manifold achievements!

Thank you and God Bless You all and Safe Hunting and Travelling!

Aloha!

Roland