I was watching wild tv this morning (CANADIAN HUNTING CHANNEL) a show called safari hunters journal. They were hippo hunting. The client shot the hippo,and sank. Waited over an hour and still did not float. The PH went in to look for the sunken Hippo FIRST, with his tracker behind him. Of all the hunts I have seen on tv that is the first one where the ph goes in the water first.I do not know where they were hunting,as I only saw the last part of the show. But high fives for that ph for not just watching on the land while others do the work. He talked the talk,and walked the walk.



White North

I think that was Mark Sullivan

Good one 505 Gibbs, but my point was that most of the phs just watch the locals do the work and let them go first when there is danger.

quote:

Originally posted by white north:
my point was that most of the phs just watch the locals do the work and let them go first when there is danger.

I don't know what PHs you've hunted with or how often you've hunted the dark continent but I can tell you that is nowhere near the case.

I know an awful lot of PHs and doubt I know a single one who doesn't go into the river to help recover the hippo (etc) from the river IF (note the big IF)the client can be trusted to do his bit on the bank.

Mind you, in 30 years of hunting Africa, I've yet to see a client dip so much as his toe in there to help with the recovery.

Which just goes to prove clients have considerably more sense than PHs!

quote:

Originally posted by white north:
Good one 505 Gibbs, but my point was that most of the phs just watch the locals do the work and let them go first when there is danger.

I wonder how he would have dealt with the hippo were it not dead, wading in water well over waist high (any shallower and the hippo would be visible) - Ah yes....the trusty game scout would take care of any impending danger

quote:

Originally posted by kibokolambogo:

quote:

Originally posted by white north:
Good one 505 Gibbs, but my point was that most of the phs just watch the locals do the work and let them go first when there is danger.

I wonder how he would have dealt with the hippo were it not dead, wading in water well over waist high (any shallower and the hippo would be visible) - Ah yes....the trusty game scout would take care of any impending danger

If the hippo did not appear for hours it should be dead or it found a way to use diving equipment.

I'm no expert but it is my understanding that the PH is responsible for everyone in the hunting party. Even the trackers and that is why he would be the first one in the water. Always the first to take the chances.

I went into the water to help the workers when I got my hippo, so according to steve, am I the first one? A client helping to recover the hippo. First??? Someone here must have also gone in. I was in the water when one of the workers was hitting the water with a stick to ward off the crocs.

quote:

Originally posted by 505 gibbs:
I think that was Mark Sullivan

I don't think it was MS, when I told him I shot my hippo in the water, he told me he doesn't do it that way, and encourages his clients to shoot them on land. I think it took nearly 2 hours for my hippo to surface, they don't always come to the top that quick. I wouldn't wade in after it; most just take a boat and probe with some long poles, they are usually laying on the bottom near where they were shot if the current isn't too strong.

white north

Actually what I posted was "in 30 years of hunting Africa, I've yet to see a client dip so much as his toe in there to help with the recovery"

If you went in with the others and took part in the whole or part of the recovery process then it's extremely unusual to say the least.

That said, a sensible PH will try to shoot the hippo in lateish morning so that the recovery takes place in the middle of the day when most of the flatdogs are sunbathing on the banks.

Well I haven't been to Africa yet (next June, though ), but I have watched hundreds of videos and safari tv shows. I've seen numerous PHs wade in and even swim to assist in recovery.

Not MS, I think Steve Scott was hunting with Roger Whittall Safaris, maybe Peter Wood? I already deleted the episode so I can't check.

Steve used to post here at time but I haven't seen him do so for a while.

quote:

Originally posted by white north:
I was watching wild tv this morning (CANADIAN HUNTING CHANNEL) a show called safari hunters journal. They were hippo hunting. The client shot the hippo,and sank. Waited over an hour and still did not float. The PH went in to look for the sunken Hippo FIRST, with his tracker behind him. Of all the hunts I have seen on tv that is the first one where the ph goes in the water first.I do not know where they were hunting,as I only saw the last part of the show. But high fives for that ph for not just watching on the land while others do the work. He talked the talk,and walked the walk.



White North

"Waited over an hour and still did not float. The PH went in to look for the sunken Hippo FIRST"

Recovering a dead hippo is one thing - looking for one which hasn't got a death certificate is another - pray tell us who is going to act as the guardian angel while the search is going on?

The client?, scout?

All the PHs that I have had the pleasure of hunting with woyuld never, ever, send anyone after an animal that had been shot.

They would go themselves, and if the client wishes, he can come too.

Throughout the years I have hunted, we have gone after animals that we had shot, always together.

The most hair raising experience, for me at least, was when I shot a lion in Chete, Zimbabwe.

We shot a hippo and put him up for bait for a lion.

The bait was in a valley between two hills, and quite rocky.

The next morning, we went there and found a good male feeding.

I fired a shot at him, and he disappeared before I could add another shot.

But, we could hear him growling for almost a minute after the shot.

We did not know whether he was dead or has gone up the valley. So we decided to make a wide detour, and go up the other hill to see if we could see any better,

We got to the other hill, and could see quite a lot of blood, but no lion.

We went back to our side - it is easier to go down to where the lion was from there. Then we walked side by side, rifles loaded and safeties off!

We got to where the lon was shot, but we still could not see anything sign of him.

One of our trackers, who was walking behind us a few yards, saw the dead lion.

He fell in a sort of trench between the rocks, and the scary part was that both Roy and myself passed less than 2 yards from him!

Luckily, he was stone dead.

Funny thing about a lion is that it only needs a single blade of grass to hide behind and he'll just blend into the background completely.

scariest thing I have ever seen was a lioness raise her head about 4 inches above the level of the grass. thirty yards away from me I knew she was there but when she lowered her head I could not see her. the grass was 12 inches tall.

quote:

Originally posted by white north:
The client shot the hippo, and sank.
White North

He should've been using a lighter rifle - especially if he was on a "spot and swim" hunt.

quote:

The PH went in to look for the sunken Hippo FIRST.

Any good PH would have gone in after the sunken client first - unless it was an extraordinary trophy. It's a judgement call.

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Originally posted by Charles_Helm:
Not MS, I think Steve Scott was hunting with Roger Whittall Safaris, maybe Peter Wood? .

It is Peter Wood @ Whittall Safaris

That was for sure Pete Wood with Roger Whittall safaris. Possibly one of the best PH's out there and one of the best safari companies. Just my opinion but try it you'll like it.

Bit too general a castigation of the PH fraternity for my tastes.

One ought not to overgeneralize.

I am a "veteran" of hunting DG in Africa. (one trip,buff,1993) It truly saddens me to read of difficult times with a PH. My PH allowed me to shoot my buff at about 35 yards distance - and allowed me to shoot my own buff. He inspired my trust by the way he acted always. He knew everything,seemingly, about Africa,its wildlife and any plant or tree that grew.(I always was asking questions) and I always enjoyed talking to him at the campfire at night,sitting in chairs and looking over a valley where the lions roared constantly. I guess it was pure dumb Irish luck that I had a great PH. His name was Chris Ferreira. (Hope I don't hurt his reputation by naming him!)

Anybody who has hunted either Chanjuzi or Nyaminga with the duPlooy's most likely can remember a "hippo" beach right near the border of the two GMA's. I was sitting there with Alister Norton visiting with Terry Von Royen whilst he was doing a hippo for a guy. Terry's client put a good shot on the hippo, we all sat and waited for it to float. Once it did Terry marched right in , in front of his guys with his Tervor Proctor .458 lott held high above his head. The crocs were fierce and Terry had fired several rounds into the water before entering and requested both Alister and I to stand watch as they recovered the hippo.

As the wtaer reacher Terry's shoulders (He's about 6'3") crocs started coming. He held his bolt rifle basically upside down and fired into the water with his thumb, then requested me to shoot a few 570 grain woodleigh's in as well.

Point is, Terry is either brave or young and dumb or a little of both...but good entertainment.

Steve

Terry has stones, by that story.

Reminds me of a time when my PH had to show the way to a couple of trackers who were not as motivated as they should have been. On a Zim buff hunt one year we dismounted in an area of very tall dry grass. The plan was to walk through the grass to the nearby koppie to do some glassing. The trackers began to whine that on an earlier hunt they had seen several puff adders in the very same patch of grass and a large mamba in the rocks at the base of the koppie. They didn't want to go. My PH looked at them, looked at me, looked back at the trackers and infomred them they were off the payroll for the rest of the trip. He then turned and walked off briskly through the grass to the koppie, with me right behind him. Several minutes later we were joined by the trackers.

quote:

Originally posted by Nganga:
Anybody who has hunted either Chanjuzi or Nyaminga with the duPlooy's most likely can remember a "hippo" beach right near the border of the two GMA's. I was sitting there with Alister Norton visiting with Terry Von Royen whilst he was doing a hippo for a guy. Terry's client put a good shot on the hippo, we all sat and waited for it to float. Once it did Terry marched right in , in front of his guys with his Tervor Proctor .458 lott held high above his head. The crocs were fierce and Terry had fired several rounds into the water before entering and requested both Alister and I to stand watch as they recovered the hippo.

As the wtaer reacher Terry's shoulders (He's about 6'3") crocs started coming. He held his bolt rifle basically upside down and fired into the water with his thumb, then requested me to shoot a few 570 grain woodleigh's in as well.

Point is, Terry is either brave or young and dumb or a little of both...but good entertainment.

Steve

If he had used the barrel of his rifle as a snorkel I would have been impressed.