O.K., Marc Watts has a nice racket going, much as MS.

They are both hamming it up and laughing all the way to the bank. Nice work if you can find it.

One-Shot Watts', Bwana Moja's, sales gimmicks are quite transparent, and he talks about them freely on the videos, like "Plan B" (a zebra shot at over 500 yards, cameras rolling, with his Kenny Jarrett bean field rifle) just in case "Plan A" (trophy lion) had not materialized, in his last episode of "real time safari."

In the latest, "Fire and Ice," it seems a bit contrived that there was friction between Watts and the impeccably professional Andrew Dawson, PH for Chafuti in Zim. A sales gimmick for a catchy title.

You get to see Craig Boddington shooting through brush at a running cow buffalo for bait. He was leaving the area at the conclusion of the "Boddington on Leopard" video filming, in 2005, just as Watts was coming in as Dawson's next client.

Watts loaned Craig his John Rigby 500/416 NE double for the stunt. Watts is part owner of the Americanized Rigby Werkes, and got a lot of other commercials into this video too. BTW, the Rigby was a Field Grade with only a little bit of gold adornment.

Watts other rifle in this vid was an highly adorned, synthetic-stocked .375 H&H by Kenny Jarrett. I think it was a PF similar to a Remington 700, with fluted bolt and muzzle brake.

We get to see Bwana One-Shot mess up in gut shooting a wart hog, and also a clean miss over the top of a hippo skull at about 100 yards, in the water , but then he shoots the lunging hippo in the neck with his second shot.

Neck shots were a no-no according to Andrew Dawson, on the pre-hippo prep with "A Perfect Shot," but Andrew eventually tolerated it.

And Bwana Moja did a great neck shot on a bedded 44" sable, right after Andrew told him to shoot it in the obscured-by-grass shoulder.

There was a little friction between the Bwana and PH, agreed, and it was certainly milked for all it was worth as a sales gimmick for this video. That is why I wanted to see it.

That rascal Bwana Moja got me again.

Bwana Moja can shoot, but he's sure no hunter!

The happy hunter, Watts, and his cameraman, Kappie. Happy and Kappie.

Sable horns were said to be 44" and 43-3/4" IIRC.

Great new logo for: www.sabletrailproductions.com

RIP

Thanks for that report.
Now none of us have to spend the money to support this happy crap!
[Maybe you could send it back and get your money back?]

Perhaps if these things don't sell he'll find another game to try and leave this one alone.

Les

Who is Marc Watts? Did he have some claim to fame prior to these videos? I'd be interested in hearing it,if anyone knows the story. I am interested in the economics of these "film production hunts", any insight? gduffey

quote:

Did he have some claim to fame prior to these videos?

CNN news correspondent

Yep,
"Emmy Award Winning" CNN news guy who covered the downfall of Apartheid in RSA in the early 90's.

He played the race card with the latest sales pitch for "Fire and Ice" but had Andrew Dawson as bosom buddy by the end of the editing.

Andrew was caught on tape saying he had never hunted with a black client before, and was a bit anxious about how it would go. But by the end of the ordeal, he was saying things went well, and he might get some political gain in Zimbabwe for hunting with Marc Watts.

Is Marc Watts involved with Zimbabwe politics?

How could this possibly be?

Was Andrew just talking about "brownie points" with the black government? If so, that is pretty sad.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
Yep,
Andrew was caught on tape saying he had never hunted with a black client before, and was a bit anxious about how it would go. But by the end of the ordeal, he was saying things went well, and he might get some political gain in Zimbabwe for hunting with Marc Watts.

Is Marc Watts involved with Zimbabwe politics?

How could this possibly be?

Was Andrew just talking about "brownie points" with the black government? If so, that is pretty sad.

Thats the saddest thing I have ever heard. Why would the race of a client even be a subject for discussion?

Harris, I think what Dawson was worried about was how his Black staff would take this! The Black people in Africa, have a deffinent pecking order, depending on what tribe you might be from. There is a Black basket ball player, now retired, that is an avid hunter, and when he first went to Africa, the staff threw a fit because the Black client was sitting at the table for his meals, with the PH. They thought because he was black, he should live, and eat with them. It turned out OK, and they had a very successful safari, but it wasn't easy to apease the staff. I don't think Dawson was worried about anything else other than piece in his camp, without offending anyone, the client hunter, or the staff!

You can remain PC if you want, but in Africa, they have there own rules, mostly set by the Blacks, and the safari companies have to work around that. Like it or not, that is the way it is there!

MacD,
I understand what you are saying but for a professional hunter to say it on a commercial video is quite unprofessional to say the least.

I have read the story before of that Basketball Player (my favorite player by the way) and all I could think was the inability of the professional hunter to run a tight camp. I am sure some of the people in the staff are very good at what they do but they should know that the safari business brings employement in their areas and they need to be taught how important customer service is in order to retain business. I feel sorry for the hunter who spent mega bucks and got treated in the camp like that.

I am sure they had absolutely no problems accepting tips from that client.

quote:

Originally posted by Harris:
MacD,
I understand what you are saying but for a professional hunter to say it on a commercial video is quite unprofessional to say the least.

I'm sure he didn't know it was on tape!

[QUOTE I am sure some of the people in the staff are very good at what they do but they should know that the safari business brings employement in their areas and They need to be taught how important customer service is in order to retain business. I am sure they had absolutely no problems accepting tips from that client. [/QUOTE]

GOOD LUCK with that one! You can't change 10,000 yrs of class distinction over night. You will sometimes have members of three or four different tribes working in the same camp, and they do not associeate with each other in some cases, and jobs are are given according the tribe ranking. The blacks set that rule not the PH! You have to understand AFRICA is not the USA, and they don't follow the PC crap we do, they make their own rules of conduct, according to class! Those are the conditions the PH has to work under, and if he wants good staff, that is simply the way it is! THAT "IS" RUNNING a TIGHT CAMP, in AFRICA!

YOU nor I have to agree with it, but we do have to accept it, like it or not!

As a professor of psychology and sociology...and been in 22 different countries, I have to say that one of the biggest problems U.S. citizens have is expecting other countries to follow our liberal ways. They don't want to and resent our trying to force it down their throats. We are a MINORITY in this world. I just hope we don't fall under the United Nations and have to live with their votes on issues.

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:

quote:

Originally posted by Harris:
MacD,
I understand what you are saying but for a professional hunter to say it on a commercial video is quite unprofessional to say the least.

I'm sure he didn't know it was on tape!

MacD37,
Andrew was seated and looking at the camera, as in an interview session at the base camp/bush headquarters, when he made those comments, intended for the record, as some sort of explanation for the "friction" between him and Marc Watts.

Honestly, I think whether Watts was white or black the situation would have been the same. Andrew Dawson was just a bit skeptical about anyone "perfectly shooting" everything and the way "Bwana Moja" brags about it. Andrew said as much in another interview snippet that was also played repeatedly.

Watts accepted reality by playing slow mo clips of his first shot clean miss of the hippo at 100 yards, and shamed himself over gut shooting the warthog too.

"Bwana Moja Conquers Zimbabwe" is one header for Watts' sales pitch, but I don't see there has been any political change there yet. More like Zimbabwe conquered Bwana Moja.

I am still puzzled about how Andrew Dawson got any political "brownie points" for hunting with a black client. Will this somehow prevent the "War Vets" from taking over Chafuti sooner or later?

Swahili:

moja = one
Mola = God
moja kwa moja = straight ahead, direct, straight
moto = fire
moshi = smoke
barafu = ice
moyo = heart
na = and
mtoto = child

Moto na Barafu?
Not quite moja kwa moja.

Bwana Mtoto meets Bwana Mola?
Maybe the way Andrew Dawson saw it?
Or just a bunch of moshi?
Moyo is there. I'd rather have seen the video than not.

So are the Watts videos any good? There are so many of them that I never made the leap. Sorta like buying one metric wrench - once you start, you gotta get the whole set.

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
So are the Watts videos any good? There are so many of them that I never made the leap. Sorta like buying one metric wrench - once you start, you gotta get the whole set.

Dan,
They have the best production quality you will find anywhere. Nothing is staged, all shot in "real time" is the brag.

The only manipulation comes in the editing in of incriminating interview clips strategically placed to make Bwana Moja's weaknesses in certain situations look less his fault.

I'm hooked.

It is overdone as far as the story line is concerned. However, it is a well done video, and I enjoyed it very much.

Watts says he had to rewrite the "story" 4 times to get it right. I wonder about expletives deleted along the way. And what about him "conquering" Zimbabwe? That was back in 2005 and we did not have any big shakeups there after Marc Watts visited.

Stay tuned for the next installment from Botswana with Johan Calitz. No friction there ... and none needed since Marc finally got his elephant (to complete his Big Five) and another fantastic lion to boot, and more. No contrived story line needed there to stretch the video out to another 3 hours. I'll buy that one too.

Has anyone met him at SCI or DSC? How is the demeanor of the "Conqueror" compared to say..MS? Is he a humble man? He has many personal accomplishments. I may just swallow the hook and buy a dvd or two. gduffey

Too late.

Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney already did a musical version of this story.

quote:

Originally posted by gduffey:
Is he a humble man?

I would not use that adjective, but I would say he is friendly.

500

This time I can only agree with you partially.

"...humble...] No, I would not use that adjective either.

But "friendly"? Well, I've not seen him at SCI or DSC, but from other encounters I'd have to say "friendly" does not come to mind either.

Les

Just curious. Does HE let the quarry "choose" how he is to die(MS style)? Are there any other trademarks to his "style"? I haven't seen the videos. gduffey

Les, perhaps I got lucky.

Last year at DSC I spoke to Marc at length about his long distance shooting...After our conversation he gave me his video of his hunt in Tanzania long shots and the lion hunt...

Hope to see him and talk also again...

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by gduffey:
Just curious. Does HE let the quarry "choose" how he is to die(MS style)? Are there any other trademarks to his "style"? I haven't seen the videos. gduffey

Gary,
Marc Watts has a totally different schtick than MS.

He is more like the Prima Donna Ballerina Rifleman. He leaves the "hunting" to the PH. He is a client hunter, not a PH. His videos are Bwanabe wet dreams. That is the only way they can be compared to the porno put out by MS.

He strives to kill the animal cleanly with the first shot.

He gives the animal no choice at all. He keeps shooting and does the right thing if they don't drop dead immediately. He pays the insurance bill.

He gets controversial because of his 500 yard shots on camera, real time.

I have to wonder about the misses we might never see, but he does throw in the occasional gut shot and clean miss.

He does seem to have the most trouble with warthogs, though the latest video does have a replay of a 475 yard one-shot kill of a warthog.

Let's not talk about his running ostrich shots. That might get too controversial.

I appreciate everyones "take" on Marc Watts. I appreciate marksmanship, having been a service rifle/team shooter for a long time and NRA highpower. I have very limited Africa experience (2 trips). The best shot of my life with a hunting rifle was on a Blue Duiker at approx. 175 yds., a couple of shots in the Eastern Cape, SA at maybe 250. Other than that it just seems to me that you would have to work at long shots just as you would stalking close. I know there are exceptions, maybe Lechwe or some mountain hunting in Ethiopa, Val Rheebok and others, but the general bag species. I am looking forward to seeing the videos. Do the long shots seem staged? If thats the case I do not like that anymore than I like the MS action. I will never....ever....ever...ever..forget the first glimpse of a Bull Elephant at abour 40 yards and all hell broke loose. And I wouldn't trade it for anything.....I gave me this African curse....I have. Thats just me. gduffey

No, the long shots are not staged. Shite happens.

The Marc Watts videos are real time shite hitting the fan.

The corny, hammy, pompous and commercial stuffings are edited in between chapters.

Kind of feels like these videos might be aimed to sell as a TV series someday. Half hour weekly serials. They would beat anything on TV now, that is for sure. The current vid could supply a six week run, already has a few built in commercials.

OK RIP, You know I appreciate your opinion. I hate to get all logical, and by no means argumenative. I would just like to hear from all the other experienced hunters who have this "long-range" experience in Africa. Like I said I know there are expceptions. I would just like to hear from others who have taken so many long shots. I just did not have these kinds of long range opportunities, and I like to learn. gduffey

Here we go, finally.
Is long range shooting irresponsible?

Saeed has a video here of an over 500 yard shot on an eland with a 270 wildcat. Looked like a clean one shot kill.

Alf has posted about near 500 yard kills with his 7mmSTW and GSC HV's across the Kalahari.

I have been limited thus far to, IIRC:
350 yard AK Barren Ground Caribou: 340 Wby
342 yard Tennessee fallow deer: .416 Rigby
330 yard Kentucky whitetail buck; .223 Rem
175 yard Botswana kudu: .375 H&H

The .223 was the only stunt shooting above. That was not nice. I would not shoot deer past 200 yards with a .223.

Yes sir. I have killed Whitetails and Antelope at longer ranges. And yes I think that long-range shooting can be responsible. A man has got to know his limitations. I am just courious about what seems to be a higher than normal percentage of long range kills in Africa. Maybe I am looking for something that is not there. Maybe I have the wrong impression. gduffey

The current Marc Watts shoots at 25 to 125 yards mostly, like in the current video. And he even misses the entire head of a hippo at 100 yards, and showed it on the vid in slow mo so you can see the bullet splashing down way back behind the hippo.

He seems to have no problem with crocodile on the same video and blows the brains out of one at similar range (about 100 yards) with his scoped .375 H&H. All of his crocodiles (3 on film so far in his adventures) have been facing left and broadside when he shot them at reasonable range. 3 for 3 ain't bad.


The long shots were his sales gimmick in earlier videos, and they were what he got flamed for here in the past. I believe he even posted here once.

I'll just have to watch the "Conquering Bwana Moja" myself. I will see for myself and he will make some easy money. gduffey

"....some mountain hunting in Ethiopa,..."

The Mt. Nyala video will be released in Jan. 2009. Just in time for SCI.

Rich Elliott

quote:

I have to wonder about the misses we might never see, but he does throw in the occasional gut shot and clean miss

RIP, I would expect that Marc recognizes that he is under the magnifying glass, and at this point really has no choice but to show it all. There are a lot of people in a safari camp… I have not seen his Zim DVD yet, but from your desc it sounds accurate. I like this about his DVD's.

I often thought that presenting oneself as a “marksman" with the focus on the one-shot-kills puts a lot of pressure on each and every shot, and for pulling these off w/o choking I give him credit. I stood on “Sunset Hill†where he whacked the ostrich from, 500-yards down and away, and it was indeed an amazing shot. The ele bull hunt in Bots will be interesting, as I am not sure how fond of ele's Marc is.

Rich,
Please tell more about Ethiopia.

Bill,
You're right. We likely get to see all the shite, as it is more entertaining to be able to laugh at Bwana Moja when he screws up, as well as oohing and ahhing when he gets it right most of the time. More entertaining footage = more sales. What a racket!

RIP
Not much else to tell. He's scheduled in Nov.2008.
Mt. Nyala, Menelik's bushbuck, Giant Forest Hog, and Bushpig. Then an Omo Valley Extension for Lesser kudu, Northern Grants Gazelle, and Guenther's dik-dik. Also a Nile crocodile.
I didn't realize he had already shot several croc's. Anyway, it shouold make an interesting video.... if you're into videos.
Rich Elliott

Rich,
Thanks for confirming what should be a very interesting jaunt for Bwana Moja in Ethiopia. He's got me hooked.

Even though his "conquest" of Zimbabwe did not effect a regime change, it got some political points for Andrew Dawson.

The safari world is a little bit safer now.

Thanks be to Bwana Moja.

One thing that I really liked about the Zambian vid was the tour of the camp. It was a nice way to show people what happens behind the scenes and shows more of the experience that we all enjoy.

I met him at the DSC 2 years ago and he seemed like a nice guy.

His videos are well done, but I don't really like seeing the shots from the jeep that his first one had. He lost me when he complained about a 100-150 yd. shot on a puku. Said that he would have liked the shot to be further out, beyond 300 yds. It is one thing to shoot at long distances, but to want long shots over short ones makes no sense to me.

Doug