What is up with Hatari Times? Did this fun magazine die recently?

I received an issue about a month ago, but prior to that had a difficult time reaching them and getting responses to my email.

What issue number and what was the topic?
Thanks

I'm really surprised to read that you've recently received an issue of this excellent publication. Before I raise hell at my local post office can you advise what number you're referring to ? Haralds web site doesn't mention beyond #24 but that's not to say he hasn't pushed something out more recently.

Looks like I've received #23 & #24. Maybe I received #24 closer to two months ago.

Last one I have is #24, but I'm sure that it was last year (2010) that I received it.

I haven't heard anything about how Harald Wolf is doing, but know he was out of action for some time due to a severe back problem and surgery.

This is the last email I received, now posted on the website http://www.hataritimes.com/crs...article_id=3&clang=3

I Wonder Mr. Wolf returned something from the Subs Money to his Subscribers ?!

I've not gotten any money back. Not surprised and not angry. Being disappointed by other peoples different ethical standards is part of doing business, can't let it drive you crazy.

Every time this subject comes up I feel like I owe BwanaMRM an apology... Sorry Russell!

I have to defend Harold Wolfe. He was running a one man show and I am sure that it did not take long for the subscription money to run out following his injury.

I would guess that I have about $100 credit with Hatari Times but I would not care to see that money again at this point. I would like to see a few new issues, but I won't hold my breath....

I have probably spent about $400 putting together a more or less complete set of Hatari Times(African issues). This was a great magazine and I can't see it ever being equaled.

I'll never forget the anticipation of finding that tan envelope with all the Belgian postage stamps sitting in my mail box and having to walk all the way to the house before opening it.

I have been a subscriber to Hatari Times for many years, and like many here, I always looked forward to getting my new copy.

I think Harald had some health issues, and I wish him the best of luck.

How can you get back issues?

Has anyone received any issue of HATARI since #24 in 2011?
I gave up on it after that and have not inquired about it since.
It was the greatest of African hunting AND firearms magazines, truly amazing for a one-man operation.
Mr. Wolf was quite the riflecrank too, and it certainly showed in his publication.

Riflecrank Internationale Permanente

I sent him a "are you alive and well" e-mail a month or so ago and was hoping to see Harald at SCI....no word!!

He did have some serious health issues including a sliver of a steel wedge hitting him in the leg while cutting wood!!

I will call him tomorrow to try to catch up and come back with a report.....

Cheers,

Health issues or not, one should not take subscription money and then not send out the publication. No matter how ill on is, he or his associates can make refunds for money taken. At SCI I signed up for three additional years and didn't see an issue. That's just plain wrong no matter from what angle it is looked at. Approximately a year from now I hope to be at the Heym event and Harald is expected to be there. I hope to talk to him. I agree the magazine was a very good one. I sold a complete set a few years ago as it was extra and have another in unread condition gathering dust with the hope it will continue.
Cal

I wish someone would finally put a complete set together on CD! I sent an email to Harold about this a couple years back and got no reply. I even volunteered to be the point man and do all the scanning and distribution. I (and I suspect many others) would happily pay for such a digital collection and maybe the money could be directed to Harold and ultimately payed back subscibers!

Hello Friends,

I had a good chat with Harald Wolf this AM US time, just happening to catch him at his "former residence and shop" wrapping things up. He is fortunately healthy, but sadly to report having just settled a personal battle with Divorce after 30 years of marriage. In his own words "he has lost everything" financially but perhaps has his gun making tools. They have not liquidated their home as yet, however all of Europe is suffering huge losses in Real Estate values so the prospects of coming out without burden is small.
Presently, he is working for a gun client of his who is in the aviation business. He is installing components of jet engines to Air Bus aircraft in a small factory about 25 miles from his former home. He will be moving closer very shortly and he is wrapping up current gun projects and hopes to set up a small shop to continue in the Newton business.
With the current economy and the falling leaf condition of the Safari Industry, it is my expectation that further publications might be an unwise pursuit??
I am sure that Harald has a full set of Hatari Times magazines, as do I, and I am sure others here in US. I told him there might be interest in scanning each issue to CD to be sold as a full set. I think he was lifted by that comment, however, he said he is just not in the position to commit to anything just now. Maybe in the future.
I don't know the economics or costs of a group of us trying to do this for Harald might be??
Perhaps in a few months we could approach Harald with a proposal??
That's what I know. Hope this is helpful to all who enjoyed the magazine as much as I did!
I do wish Harald all the best in reorganizing and getting on with life!!
Cheers,

quote:

Originally posted by 470EDDY:

I told him there might be interest in scanning each issue to CD to be sold as a full set. I think he was lifted by that comment, however, he said he is just not in the position to commit to anything just now. Maybe in the future.

I mentioned this to Harold several years ago. I believe he produced a 3 cd set that covered the first 22 issues 12 issues and sold for $39.

quote:

Originally posted by JBrown:

I mentioned this to Harold several years ago. I believe he produced a 3 cd set that covered the first 22 issues and sold for $39.

I tried to buy the CD version that he allegedly had available a few years back and got no reply. Frankly, I think most people would be reluctant to send cash to Harold at this point. I also don't want to particularly wait for Harold to get it together and produce such a thing (as I don't think it's been done yet). At this point, the best bet is probably to get Harold's permission to have Kinko's (or a cheaper option if someone here is in the document business) do a high-quality color scan to PDF of someone's complete set, sell them at an agreed upon price domestically, and forward a percentage of monies to Harold. I think hoping for him to do all this is going to yield a really long wait.

Frankly, the cost of doing this in the US would probably be pretty reasonable even if commercially done at Kinko's and I think costs would be recuperated really quickly. Probably no more than an nitial outlay of probably a few hundred bucks that could even have the sting taken out of it by pre-orders (for which I would be the first to line up)?

JMHO

I would like to offer my assistance here.

We have spent the last couple of years setting all this up to formulate a digital version of the African Hunter, which is also downloadable as a PDF It is not as simple as one thinks, and the background systems for ordering and payment are now all in place. Under Harold’s direction, a price can be formulated and the bulk of that will go to him. Although we will retain a small admin percentage, my main concern is to keep Hatari alive. I believe it is imperative that we do not lose these media, as each time a publication vanishes, we have one less arrow in our quiver.

Over the years, Harold produced an outstanding publication - material that will stand for eternity to help educate others and promote our sport. It should also form a good foundation for the future, should he find his way back to putting it together again.

Scanning from printed magazines gives a really bad quality, but I am sure Harold has them in a digital format of some kind as this is usually what printers use to print the magazine. Formatting and up-loading from these files takes a bit of time, but is now simple within our systems and gives a really good reproduction.

Obviously, he would retain all ownership and copyright of the magazine and material. Really just an out-sourcing agreement really.

Perhaps 470EDDY can convey my offer to Harold, or put me in touch with him.

quote:

Health issues or not, one should not take subscription money and then not send out the publication. No matter how ill on is, he or his associates can make refunds for money taken.

Why had Harald not been in contact with the people who paid him subscription fees.

We all go through shit times occasionally, but this is the first where you as a paying customer are expected to wait until he has some time to dedicate to communicating his intentions to you.

Frankly, whatever the amount outstanding from my subscription is of little interest - and if Harald is down on his luck then he's welcome to it.
I'm much more interested in the possibility of a digital version.
Perhaps Harald may even have a few other unpublished articles lying about that could be added.
Publications of that quality are too few IMHO.

PM sent to Ant.

Sounds like a great program to me and I agree with you on process and outcome!!

Cheers,

Harald Wolf doesn't owe me anything.
I owe him lots of gratitude for such an outstanding publication. I missed issues 1-9, have 10-22.
I got to the party late.

Was issue 22 in 2011 the last before the party ended?

A digital complete set would be a godsend.
Thanks for any work toward that end.
The after party could turn into something besides the blues.
Hair of the dog that bit you:

RIP thank you for your comments, well received and thoughtful!! I agree.

Issue 24 is the last Issue I received.

Cheers,

I have no ill feelings either and have a lot of sympathy for bad times but nevertheless I am also thinking that a polite update regarding the prepyayment of future issues was not too much demanded.

quote:

Originally posted by 470EDDY:
RIP thank you for your comments, well received and thoughtful!! I agree.

Issue 24 is the last Issue I received.

Cheers,

Thank you, 470EDDY.
Ha! I got a response after misstating #22 instead of #24 of year 2011, as asked previously.
Confirmed, I am only missing #1-#9, late to the party.
I do recall now that toward the end, the lag time between issues got longer ...

Godspeed to Harald, you, and Ant in getting a digital set of all 24 issues, and hopefully more.

All,

I know Harald for the last two decades at least. Unfortunally all what 470Eddy has said is true – Harald has lost nearly everything due to the divorce from his former wife.

In the last several years Harald has much concentrated on his original skill - which is gun building. I am personally thankful that he was able to finish my .500 Jeffery in early 2011 (which I had ordered years before) with which I successfully hunted an elephant bull. I purchased another rifle from him later, a .333 Jeffery – another great tool what he has build.
I understand the value of the HATARI magazine, for most of you – I myself have a complete set in German language, which I keep as a treasure, but the real sad thing is that we are going to loose one of the most skilled gun maker we have on the continent.
None of the others I know, and I know most of them being 35 years in the trade, are themselves BIG GAME hunters and understand in that detail what is important or not. At least they do not know it based on first hand experience.
It is true, I own much more fancy guns than those build by Harald, but only a few are as reliable and practical as his.
So as much I wish that the electronic copy of the Hatari Times is a success, I wish him that he will be able to continue his gun building business.

Jaegerfrank,
I think, if all people are living to what you have suggested (“….polite update regarding the prepayment of future issues was not too much demanded”) we would life in a perfect world.
The proforma payment for 4 or 8 Hatari Times magazines is nothing to me of what I could have lost if I had trusted banks……

Robert

HW made outstanding rifles. What is also forgotten is that he was one of the enthusiasts in the late 90s to reanimate the large African calibres, even with his own ammunition under HWM label. I have long made peace with my prepaid subscription, no worries and wish him all the best. I am sure a few (working) 500s would sell and I would be personally interested.

quote:

Originally posted by tendrams:

quote:

Originally posted by JBrown:

I mentioned this to Harold several years ago. I believe he produced a 3 cd set that covered the first 22 issues 12 issues and sold for $39.

I tried to buy the CD version that he allegedly had available a few years back and got no reply. Frankly, I think most people would be reluctant to send cash to Harold at this point. I also don't want to particularly wait for Harold to get it together and produce such a thing (as I don't think it's been done yet).
JMHO

I have the 3 CD set that included the first 22 issues 12 issues. I purchased it from Harold at SCI in Reno a few years back. It was $39 IIRC.

If HW would set up some method to get payment to him and agree to allow me to copy my CDs I would be happy to make a few sets and mail them out at my own expense.

I would be happy to think that I am helping HW out during a tough time and repaying him for all the hours of entertainment he provided.

Maybe someone could contact HW and extend my offer? The cost to HW would be $0.

Jason- VERY HONORABLE offer!! PM sent.

Cheers,

My offer stands but I do need to correct my post: the 3 CD set covered issues 1-12(not issues 1-22 as I mistakenly posted).

Getting old is hell!

Jason,

I'll commit and pre-order a set. Now we just need Mr. Wolf's consent.

Colin

Yup, I'm in. Would be great if we could do this and a larger deal for ALL issues once scanned!