quote:

Originally posted by surestrike:
Is it true that Peter Capstick and Mark Sullivan used to shoot soft boss bulls together back when they were dating?

quote:

Originally posted by SteveGl:
There was a time when a true gentleman was also a real man, though much much more than that. He was intelligent, cultured to a certain degree, educated in what are generally referred to as the liberal arts (before that word became a pejorative), could shoot well but also speak well. He was, in short, well-rounded, and the antithesis of the simplistic and simpleminded, one dimensional specialist.

Robert Heinlein wrote: “A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”

He didn’t mention hunting, probably because he was never introduced to that particular art – but one would expect that any man who could perform all those other feats would take to hunting like a duck to water.

Capstick had at least some of those qualities, though not to the extent of Hemingway and some of the old PHs; men like Philip Percival, Denys Finch Hatton and Harry Selby … not to mention the many current PHs who also live up to that ideal.

MS seems to have none. He’s about as one-dimensional as a man can get, even less-so as he seems intent on reducing the art of hunting to the act of killing. “History” will not only ignore Sullivan but purposefully exclude him, (I expect), for just that reason.

Capstick, on the other hand, may warrant a quick backward glance from history, though probably little more. He was too much the hunter, not enough the author. He did, however write one of my favorite passages, describing the qualities that all PHs should possess: …

WANTED: Young active man interested in low and infrequent pay to play bwana in remote bush veldt. Must be proven raconteur and socialite without liver trouble, expert card player, bartender, caterer, barbecuer, philosopher, African historian. Experience in sanitary engineering, local architecture, labour relations, navigation, medicine and pharmacology, botany, zoology, ichthyology, mineralogy, entomology, butcher, taxidermist, dietetics, optics, photography and radio navigation essential. Applicant should speak at least two black African languages fluently as well as one other modern European tongue. A knowledge of mechanics, driving, gunsmithing, toxicology, ballistics, tracking, marksmanship, hand loading, and experience as a bodyguard are required. Benefits are a twenty four hour day, unlimited fresh air, including rain, sun and dust, no medical dental or life insurance and no retirement benefits. Applicant should supply his own rifles. Vehicles on a per diem basis. The duties of a Professional Hunter on safari are essentially the same as those of a ship's captain and with the same responsibilities. He's everything from the social director to the ship's surgeon, if needed. He's the author of the strategy of the hunting plan, but also the tactician as to make each stalk. He keeps the peace among the staff, oversees the food and drink, translates and interprets, sees that the trophies are properly handled and is shooting coach, gunsmith, stand up comedian and diplomat any time he is called on to be so. A Professional Hunter is perhaps best summed up in the observation that he is the social equal of anybody while on safari, up to and including a duke.”

Shakari adds a bit more HERE.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Ahrenberg:

quote:

Originally posted by SteveGl:
There was a time when a true gentleman was also a real man, though much much more than that. He was intelligent, cultured to a certain degree, educated in what are generally referred to as the liberal arts (before that word became a pejorative), could shoot well but also speak well. He was, in short, well-rounded, and the antithesis of the simplistic and simpleminded, one dimensional specialist.

Robert Heinlein wrote: “A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”

He didn’t mention hunting, probably because he was never introduced to that particular art – but one would expect that any man who could perform all those other feats would take to hunting like a duck to water.

Capstick had at least some of those qualities, though not to the extent of Hemingway and some of the old PHs; men like Philip Percival, Denys Finch Hatton and Harry Selby … not to mention the many current PHs who also live up to that ideal.

MS seems to have none. He’s about as one-dimensional as a man can get, even less-so as he seems intent on reducing the art of hunting to the act of killing. “History” will not only ignore Sullivan but purposefully exclude him, (I expect), for just that reason.

Capstick, on the other hand, may warrant a quick backward glance from history, though probably little more. He was too much the hunter, not enough the author. He did, however write one of my favorite passages, describing the qualities that all PHs should possess: …

WANTED: Young active man interested in low and infrequent pay to play bwana in remote bush veldt. Must be proven raconteur and socialite without liver trouble, expert card player, bartender, caterer, barbecuer, philosopher, African historian. Experience in sanitary engineering, local architecture, labour relations, navigation, medicine and pharmacology, botany, zoology, ichthyology, mineralogy, entomology, butcher, taxidermist, dietetics, optics, photography and radio navigation essential. Applicant should speak at least two black African languages fluently as well as one other modern European tongue. A knowledge of mechanics, driving, gunsmithing, toxicology, ballistics, tracking, marksmanship, hand loading, and experience as a bodyguard are required. Benefits are a twenty four hour day, unlimited fresh air, including rain, sun and dust, no medical dental or life insurance and no retirement benefits. Applicant should supply his own rifles. Vehicles on a per diem basis. The duties of a Professional Hunter on safari are essentially the same as those of a ship's captain and with the same responsibilities. He's everything from the social director to the ship's surgeon, if needed. He's the author of the strategy of the hunting plan, but also the tactician as to make each stalk. He keeps the peace among the staff, oversees the food and drink, translates and interprets, sees that the trophies are properly handled and is shooting coach, gunsmith, stand up comedian and diplomat any time he is called on to be so. A Professional Hunter is perhaps best summed up in the observation that he is the social equal of anybody while on safari, up to and including a duke.”

Shakari adds a bit more HERE.

Steve, there may be a modicum of truth to your prose. Mark Sullivan was and is smart enough to land smack dead center in the middle of his dreams. He holds a full, Professional Hunters license in East Africa.

He also, as many of you may not know, enjoyed a full and profitable career in the business world.

Whether you like his techniques or not, I believe he deserves all due respect for simply achieving his dreams. And not being afraid to reach for them.

Steve

quote:

Originally posted by surestrike:
The only thing more ridiculous than the OP in this thread is the fact that some of you are taking it serious. Or that offense can be found in such an obviously tongue and cheek thread.

As the infamous Sargent Hulka once said "LIGHTEN UP FRANCIS"!

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Ahrenberg:
No joking around…specially when it comes to Commander Capstick.

quote:

Originally posted by JBrown:

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Ahrenberg:
No joking around…specially when it comes to Commander Capstick.

I have noticed that the MS defenders take their job very seriously, also.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I would have loved to share a campfire with Capstick.

Drunk or not, I know I am going to enjoy his company.

quote:

To Steve's point, from the time our children leave middle school, the growing trend is to treat all education as vocational.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Ahrenberg:

Hi Jason,

I see it this way; Defending Mark Sullivan is really just a debate about ones hunting style.

The PHC thing is like discussing if Santa Claus is real or not.

Two completely different subjects.
Steve

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:

quote:

To Steve's point, from the time our children leave middle school, the growing trend is to treat all education as vocational.

This is a fine point of which most people are either unaware or unconcerned.

quote:

"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana Bunduki:
I don't buy into your view of MS. Each to his own. Mark hunts to his owm skills and ethos. Most of us including yours truly can't match his skill and reflexes with a double rifle.

I like to bow hunt whitetails for the same up close and personal feel. I do not have the time to train myself to hunt dangerous game in the same manner.

After having fallen under the influence of CMS, I will be acquiring a double rifle and will harvest critters in a proper manner.

If faced with a charge I know I will stand im. Will I deliver? Who knows. But I will do my best.

Jeff

quote:

Originally posted by JBrown:
Mr. Broom

Seeing that Peter Capstick worked for your father, would you care to comment on your experience with Capstick?

BTW, I'm glad to see that you are back in the hunting business.

quote:

Originally posted by Russ B:

quote:

Originally posted by JBrown:
Mr. Broom

Seeing that Peter Capstick worked for your father, would you care to comment on your experience with Capstick?

BTW, I'm glad to see that you are back in the hunting business.

Thank you am certainly enjoying being back in the business a lot has changed.

With regards to Peter he did indeed work for my father and I knew him well. Peter was a great Author and raconteur and did a huge amount for the safari business and I think we all are indebted to him in some way. In addition to this he was a fine man with seldom a bad word to say about others.

As far as other issues are concerned I hardly think it is appropriate to comment about his experience in such a forum.

I personally liked Peter and have a healthy respect for his penmanship.

quote:

Originally posted by SteveGl:

Robert Heinlein wrote: “A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”

quote:

Originally posted by Russ B:

quote:

Originally posted by JBrown:
Mr. Broom

Seeing that Peter Capstick worked for your father, would you care to comment on your experience with Capstick?

BTW, I'm glad to see that you are back in the hunting business.

Thank you am certainly enjoying being back in the business a lot gas changed.

With regards to Peter he did indeed work for my father and I knew him well. Peter was a great Author and raconteur and did a huge amount for the safari business and I think we all are indebted to him in some way. In addition to this he was a fine nan with seldom a bad word to say about others.

As far as other issues are concerned I hardly think it is appropriate to comment about his experience in such a forum.

I personally liked Peter and have a healthy respect for his penmanship.

quote:

Originally posted by Russ B:

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana Bunduki:
I don't buy into your view of MS. Each to his own. Mark hunts to his owm skills and ethos. Most of us including yours truly can't match his skill and reflexes with a double rifle.

I like to bow hunt whitetails for the same up close and personal feel. I do not have the time to train myself to hunt dangerous game in the same manner.

After having fallen under the influence of CMS, I will be acquiring a double rifle and will harvest critters in a proper manner.

If faced with a charge I know I will stand im. Will I deliver? Who knows. But I will do my best.

Jeff

Ms skill and reflexes with a double rifle can't be matched? I think that's taking it a little far Jeff.

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana Bunduki:

quote:

Originally posted by Russ B:

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana Bunduki:
I don't buy into your view of MS. Each to his own. Mark hunts to his owm skills and ethos. Most of us including yours truly can't match his skill and reflexes with a double rifle.

I like to bow hunt whitetails for the same up close and personal feel. I do not have the time to train myself to hunt dangerous game in the same manner.

After having fallen under the influence of CMS, I will be acquiring a double rifle and will harvest critters in a proper manner.

If faced with a charge I know I will stand im. Will I deliver? Who knows. But I will do my best.

Jeff

Ms skill and reflexes with a double rifle can't be matched? I think that's taking it a little far Jeff.

Ah the ever present mincing of words and dissecting statments without fully comprehending what was written.

To repeat: I said MOST can't match MS skill with a double rifle and invluded myself in that category.

Jeff

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana Bunduki:

quote:

Originally posted by Russ B:

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana Bunduki:
I don't buy into your view of MS. Each to his own. Mark hunts to his owm skills and ethos. Most of us including yours truly can't match his skill and reflexes with a double rifle.

I like to bow hunt whitetails for the same up close and personal feel. I do not have the time to train myself to hunt dangerous game in the same manner.

After having fallen under the influence of CMS, I will be acquiring a double rifle and will harvest critters in a proper manner.

If faced with a charge I know I will stand im. Will I deliver? Who knows. But I will do my best.

Jeff

Ms skill and reflexes with a double rifle can't be matched? I think that's taking it a little far Jeff.

Ah the ever present mincing of words and dissecting statments without fully comprehending what was written.

To repeat: I said MOST can't match MS skill with a double rifle and invluded myself in that category.

Jeff

I have absolutely zero knowledge of doubles.

But, I can assure you I have kids shooting at our range who would kill all those buffalo and hippos that charge MS without working up any sweat!

quote:

Originally posted by ExpressYourself:
With all due respect regarding the comment “That is because he (MS) sets up the scenario himself...” I can only assume that is a conclusion based solely on viewing edited DVDs. I have been there many times with Mark and can say from my personal experiences that is not accurate.

I have tracked and hunted with Mark in the thickest bush and the most harrowing long grass to finish DG. If you think you are in control in those situations you are only fooling yourself. That comment is simply not grounded in any personal experiences hunting with Mark.

Shawn

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
I have to agree with both sides on the ability to shoot the buffalo that MS shoots.

As far as hitting a moving target that is coming toward you at under 20 yds is not a hard thing to do with a double rifle that fits it's shooter. The difference is, as Todd posted above, is the fact that the moving target when shooting buffalo is a target that will kill hell out of you if you miss the CNS! Not so on a moving paper target!

I tire of hearing people commenting on MS's shooting skill with a double rifle, because like Saeed, I personally know several people who are just as good or better with a big bore double rifle as MS on real targets, Todd and MJines are just two of many who qualify.

The "KEY" to MS's shooting success on charging buffalo and hippo is he knows he can! That is because he sets up the scenario himself and is ready and knows he will not be hurt so is calm.

If you will notice he never purposefully causes a charge from a lion or leopard. In that case the shooting is not such a sure thing, and the choice of how one wants to die, is shared by the shooter, and the lion or leopard on an equal basis.

I personally am not afraid of Cape buffalo as long as I can see them, and the easiest shot on a charging buffalo is one coming directly at you. The hard "STOPPING SHOT" is one crossing you headed for another member of the hunting party! That shot is not such a sure thing, and if you botch it someone is going to get hurt or killed! This is the shot that a PH is confronted with most often, and is not an enviable job! That shot requires some REAL skill to make!

These type threads can go on forever, and not one mind will be changed,however entertaining it is!

quote:

Originally posted by JBrown:

quote:

Originally posted by ExpressYourself:
With all due respect regarding the comment “That is because he (MS) sets up the scenario himself...” I can only assume that is a conclusion based solely on viewing edited DVDs. I have been there many times with Mark and can say from my personal experiences that is not accurate.

I have tracked and hunted with Mark in the thickest bush and the most harrowing long grass to finish DG. If you think you are in control in those situations you are only fooling yourself. That comment is simply not grounded in any personal experiences hunting with Mark.

Shawn

The Tanzanian PH who MS apprenticed under backs-up the comment that MS sets-up the scenario. You can read about it in Professional Hunters for a Changing Africa by Terry Cacek.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I would have loved to share a campfire with Capstick.

Drunk or not, I know I am going to enjoy his company.

quote:

In 1995, when I first hunted in Tanzania, we had a Emmy Award winning video cameraman with us. He was hired him for the full season to film hunts, and as it turns out, this man was also one of the video photographers who filmed Peter Capstick's African hunting series of videos.

In a nutshell, he told me, under no uncertain terms, that Capstick was a physical wreck and a chronic alcoholic who had the DTs so bad that they had to prop him up with beer or two at the start of every morning, and that Capstick fumbled around in the bush, and did not demonstrate anything that would even remotely demonstrate familiarity, expertise or competence.