Carl Branford was killed late Wednesday evening by a cow Elephant down at crooks corner (where Zim, South Africa and Moz join). Don't have any details yet, except that the client bought his body out yesterday. Carl (Zim PH licence No 34) leaves behind a wife and couple of kids)

Ganyana,

I am very sorry to hear this.

Condolences to his family.

We wold appreciate you sharing any details with us when you get them.

Didn't know him, but very sorry to hear this.

Please extend our condolences to his family.

That is very sad news. I hope his family is taken care of.

quote:

Didn't know him, but very sorry to hear this.

Please extend our condolences to his family.

DITTO.

"Ask not for whom the bell tolls...."

Been there several times and each time walked away. Guess when your time runs out......?



Rich Elliott

My condolences to the surviving family and friends.

I hope this is just a bad April 1st joke.

Very sorry to hear that, my very best to the family.

Sadly, not a joke. I am a long way from Chiredzi, so the story may not be quite accurate (will see the parks report in time but...) Apparantly they were hunting a bull in thick jesse when Carl shouted at everybody to run or back off or something and they all turned and beat a hasty retreat with Carl bringing up the rear... Got a little scatered and the client and the tracker, council scout and a lad with the water bag regrouped eventually in a clearing and after a while and much calling went back into the thick stuff to look for him.

Much to eyeryones supprise they found him run through and stepped on, very close to where they were when he shouted for them to run. No shot fired and no trumpeting or screaming.. but tracks indicate a cow took him from the flank.

The details of what happened may never be known then.


Sad news! Our condolensces to his family and friends.

Such is life.

My prayers are with his family...He chose a dangerous profession, and we should all keep in mind how easy it is for us, as the client, to get a PH in trouble, especially by using inadequite weapons to satisfy our own egos, or by not taking a little time out to learn how to shoot...

Unfortunatly this happens about every year or so....

"Go, my son, and come back carrying your shield . . . or on it!"

Spartan Mother, c. 500 BC

Ladies and gentlemen, never mind the details. This professional hunter, of whom it may be said that this sad incident brought forth a noble knight, deserve our gratitude, as do all these brave men that are continuing ready to give all for the protection of their clients and the people they are in charge of.
I second the old sarge and salute the man, and my heart goes out to his family. I hope that some day they will learn that we few all over the world noted his action and fate.

My condolences as well.

When a fellow hunter loses his life we all lose.

Prayers sent for this fallen hunter and for his family in the days ahead.

Ray, I agree with your comments regarding clients. Backstopping the client on DG may be the PHs lot, but proper shot placement from a wholly adequate weapon is the responsibility of every client. Too often lately it seems forgotten that the safety of the PH (and trackers) is the responsibility of the client initially. No PH has yet to fire a shot on my behalf; and I pray (and practice) to keep that string running...

This is not to suggest that this is the case here...far from it.

Ganyana,
That was really bad news.

I hope that everyone involved has learned something.

Is there anything the "Blokes" at AR can do for Carl Branfords family?

I will most probably visit Ken in May/June. Hope to see you then!

Husky

I am so sorry to hear about this ... Like many of us here, I reckon, I go to Africa to hunt dangerous game .. it makes one to think ,,, I shall drink a toast to him around an African campfire in July .. and to others who have lost their lives in the same manner ...

Sad news, regardless of the circumstances.

I know another Zim PH who had to shoot a cow at 2-meters in self defense, on his first hunt of the season.

Last year it was the buffalo...hopefully this will not be the year of the elephant.

May God's peace be with his family, for he is now in his presence.

Strength and prayers to his wife and children...

Mike

I am very sorry to hear this.

sad indeed--pass on my condolences--chris

Very sorry to hear this. P.H's are very special people and to lose one hurts us all. My familys condolences go with out saying. Charlie

Hats off to him and my prayers go to his family. He nobly did what had to do and sadly it was his time to go. It's a dangerous business with many variables and he sacrificed himself to save his companions.

Always so very sad to hear of these incidents and made even worse because he had a young family. That said he died doing something he must have loved doing - and that's more than most can say.

Perhaps we need to bear this in mind before running off at the mouth about the cost of a Dangerous Game hunt......bearing in mind the risks the PH & hunting staff takes, Dangerous Game hunting is actually very financially inexpensive indeed.

I'm sorry to hear this.

Things go right so often we can easily take for granted how quickly things can go wrong.

The PH I hunted elephant with last year had lost his father-in-law (a fellow PH) in a very similar manner.

Kyler

He and his family are in our Prayers.

Shakari, You are right on the nose my friend! Maybe others will now realize that there is no price on someones life, and PH's and trackers risk there lives everyday for clients with a good attitudes. The PH and trackers are there no matter what. Everything is taken for granted and we must realize that hunting is an honor and we must not take for granted someone who is willing to give their life for so little.

May God be with his family and comfort them.

All of us at Atcheson's offer our deepest condolences to Mrs. Branford, her children, and Mr. Branford's family. I'm so very sorry that this has happened to them. Also to those who were with Mr. Branford as well as they too have suffered greatly and need our support as well.

It is always tragic to lose a person's life in their line of work. To lose a life in the pursuit of sport is doubly tragic. I also extend my condolences to his family and friends.

Sorry to hear about the accident, is there anything we can do for his family. Does anybody have banking details for me?

It is and will always be risky to hunt.

Wimpie

Funeral tomorrow in Chiredzi. Also in chiredzi tomorrow a workshop on the transfrontier park so everyone will be there and I am sure I'll be able to pick up the details for you.

Ganyana, please pass along condolences from myself (Rob Martin) and my partner, Karel Haefele. Carl was a hell of a nice guy and good PH and will be missed. He did things the right way. Hopefully that can be said about me when I am gone. Please find out about banking details for the family.

Our prayers are with him and his family
Doug

My prayers to his wife and his children.
These PHs and their team put themselves in jeopardy just for the client having fun.
It makes me think...

Could Saeed build sort of a hall of fame on this forum for these heros killed in action?
My condolences for his family and his friends.
jb

May the Red hunting Gods smile on his after life.
My sympathy for all involved and impacted

jeffe

Didn’t know him. But no doubt he was a professional and a MAN.
I can’t help feeling my eyes hazy and wet while painful thoughts about his family come to my mind!
My deepest sympathy to his family and friends.

I hope that we all here at AR can find some way to express this brave PH’s family how much his death has touched us all.

B.Martins

This is indeed very sad news, it is always bad to hear one of us pass away. My prayers are with his family. They will always miss him, at least he did something he loved and it was in God's paradise, called nature.