I don't know what hidden agendas are in play here. I see the OP as thinking that he had exhausted all other avenues and that the post here was a last resort. I am not sure we need surrogates. If you screwed up, say so! Infallibility is not a prerequisite for being in business.
In any case, I hope that this situation is now on the way to getting resolved. I don't see it as a blame game at all.
My one experience was amazing. The PH took the boiled skulls and hides to the guy in Namibia. A few months later I was notified it was shipped. I had to hire a company in Atlanta, at the airport, to get the box through customs. I drove to the Atlanta airport, picked up the huge box, and drove it home. Happier than a pig in s--t! I am almost afraid too go again!!
Peter.

quote:

Originally posted by Gusteaux:
This should be very interesting.......

I don't know, maybe it's just me, but it seems you're getting some commitment to resolution after you contacted the PRINCIPLE. Maybe if that had been done MONTHS ago, NONE of this would be HERE and maybe the problem would have already been sorted out.

It's also interesting that when it was offered that maybe you contact Gerhard again, you declined and then say he's being silent.

I can't wait for the explanation posted here....I've been in direct comms with Jaco and Gerhard since your original post.

I think I'm going to need more popcorn.......

Ps: Just so happens I'm going to be at Gerhard's the first two weeks of Aug coming up. With a little luck, Jaco may pitch up while I'm there. Will be interesting to see if what gets posted up here matches what I may hear face to face from both.

Thanks for you comments. My post seems to have annoyed you a bit. While not splitting hairs, I have only stated the facts, which are:

After my hunt in SA and during my hunt with Jaco I simply asked if my Bot trophies sent to Cliff. Basically, one box is cheaper to send than two. Jaco agreed and my trophies and those of Cliff at Savuti were to be sent shortly after both hunts were completed.

As Gerhard is 1000 km closer to Cliff, Jaco sent the trophies to him per Gerhard's agreement to deliver them to Cliff at Savuti.

The delivery was held for an unknown reason.

Six months later COVID set it.

If my trophies were delivered on time, my complete order would have been processed and sent on to me.

Cliff processed my SA trophies and waited for the Botswana skulls and skins.

When my Botswana trohpies finally arrived an eland skull was missing. I assumed all else was there.

I have a few emails from Gernard stating he was sorry for the missing skull, he still had it and that it would be deliverd in "two weeks" as he was to visit Cliff. When the skull was not delivered Gerhard offered to process the skull and send it to me in Alaska at his expense. This never happened and my skull finally made it to Cliff where it was completed and added to my other items.

As so much time passed, and since I was planning on a hunt in June of this year, Cliff held my trophies and whatever I took in 2021 added to the box. Again one box is cheaper to send than two.

I had not paid my bill to Cliff and promised to do so upon seeing him in person and inspecting my trophies when I visited him.

After my hunt I went to Savuti, paid my bill, and saw my skulls. When I asked about my flat skins Cliff produced the three from SA--hartebeest, impala, bushbuck. When I asked about the skins from Botswana he said none came with the skulls. I had been patient, now I was a bit pissed.

Gasteaux, that is the whole story. I can't split hairs as to who else may be responsible. I will give you my take:

I don't know Matt but he as been timely and fair in my dealings with him.

Jaco is 100+% in my book. I would hunt with him in a minute. Everything went perfect. I wrote of my hunt wiht Jaco in the Jan/Fed issue of Africa's Sportsman magazine.

I don't know Gerhard, either. However, when he agreed to take my tropohies to Cliff at Savuti the responsibility was now his. He had no duty to do this but he and Jaco are in business together and when he agreed, it was up to him. And, there is no arguing the following facts: my trophies were not delivered in a timely manner. When they were delivered an eland skull was missing. The skull was delivered after several months of delay. When the skull was delivered my flat skins were not. It has been two years and they are still missing.

While Gerhard answered my emails in the past, he has not taken the initiative and emailed me first with information. He could have told me the eland skull was missing but he did not. He could have told me he still retained the skins but he did not.

There was no motive in my post except to let others know of Gerhard's mismanagement of all this. In my opinion it was not Matt nor Jaco's job to do this after Gerhard agreed to become involved. Whey he didn't do what he was supposed to is beyond me.

Now that has gone public emotions arise and Jaco stepped and will take over the situation as Gerhard seemed unwilling or incapable of doing this. Gerhard also did not mention to Matt or Jaco he was still holding items of mine.

You may find fault with me or others here but I hope you can understand my frustration of waiting two years and still have missing skins, of being lied to and/or ignored for almost two years.

As all this comes to a close there is no hidden agenda as Peter (above) wrote. I waited two years, contacted Gerhard via many emails and was patient and understanding. I only became pissed when I found out last week my skins were still missing. I find absolutely no fault with Cliff, Matt, or Jaco and would do business with the three again without hesitation.

Cheers,
Cal

quote:

Originally posted by bcap:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by bcap:
The silence now from all parties in this mess is scary to me. Hope some realize how this will hurt there business and thinking being silent will help is a big mistake. Some names going off my list for future hunts that is for sure.

This site is also to help others stay away from the bad ones and this starting a thread and then nothing by anyone is not right.

AR is a free, open site.

Available to the whole hunting community.

Every member can post whatever they wish.

Those in the business are free to offer their services and goods.

Unlike other sites, we do not charge a penny.

Nor do we stop unhappy clients from voicing their complaints.

I know and that is what is great about here. Just stinks when people talk and not all the facts ever get out. My comment was not meant to be anything bad to this site just the people who start and never close out a story to the end.

trust me I know all about the other site and the pay to be there and the bs that goes on behind the scenes there. Was part of it and saw it all first hand.

I totally agree with you, eventually all facts will come out.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by bcap:

I know and that is what is great about here. Just stinks when people talk and not all the facts ever get out. My comment was not meant to be anything bad to this site just the people who start and never close out a story to the end.

trust me I know all about the other site and the pay to be there and the bs that goes on behind the scenes there. Was part of it and saw it all first hand.

I totally agree with you, eventually all facts will come out.

Posting without all the facts being presented, the poster looking for sympathy for something that they did or did not do. Usually they made an error and are Trying to justify how they addressed the issue in the first place.

Sometimes the legit story come forth after many pages, with a brief post here and there that are spilling out a little more information, bread crumb after bread crumb as I see it.

Everyone in the original posting could be an outstanding individual, great to be around and so on. Someone fumbled the ball so to say, and they have egg on their face. Heck all the parties could have the egg on their face.

With today ease of communicating, an e mail(s) or phone call(s) would have nipped this in the ass and addressed this issues up front. The longer the time span in communication, the great the chance of issues that needed to be worked out later. Wow, and that how we come up with this orginal posting.

I know that I have phone numbers and e mails addresses for responsible parties for my returning trophies. I may be a bug, however I am constantly e mailing on the progress of my trophies or some times we chat on WhatsApp. I just have to arrange a calling time and make the call.

Therefore, we have an issue here that should have never happened in the first place.