(WARNING: This thread contains frank description and discussion pertaining to disturbingly unethical practices by Mark Sullivan. Not for the squeamish. Enter at your own risk.)


I had the misfortune to view DEATH BY THE TON.

In the final scene, a young man from North Dakota, on his first safari, upstages MS by stopping a charging hippo at 20 yards. Sullivan proceeded to have a conniption over this, hysterical.

The camera was rolling, looking down Sullivan's barrels as the sorehead solitary hippo bull came on the run right at Sullivan.

Suddenly from Sullivan's right the client fires, using the 450 NE double he borrowed from Sullivan. Brained, the hippo drops.

Sullivan then shoots the motionless, dead hippo in the head.

Great work by the man from North Dakota! Finally someone beat MS at his own game.

Of course the film showed MS not stopping a charge, and the worthy client was off screen.

Very rude of MS and his camerman to treat a paying client like that.

Another hunter borrowed MS's 450 NE also (MS usually swaggers about with a .577 double when this happens.). This client flinched on the front trigger trying to pull it a second time to make the left barrel shoot.

Of course MS got a gay chuckle out of this and the screw-up by the client was replayed in slow-mo.

MS also gets very gay with clients after he shoots their animals. Giggly and touchy-feely. He almost always has his sights on the animal and pops one off as soon as the client does, and sometimes he shoots before the client does. No shit.

Loaning your smaller double rifles to clients who are not proficient with them is a good way to get gut shot buffalo and many chances to gayly let the buffalo choose how he wants to die.

While Sullivan is posing before a wounded buffalo, double ready, paying client in the background off camera, awaiting the buffalo's "decision," I wish the buffalo would just decide to drop dead from his wounds, and cheat Sullivan out of another trigger pull. Would MS be so gay about that?

/

Such behavior makes me hurl.



There is no doubt that Gus McCrae would whip the fellow with a branding iron.

Only his hairdresser knows for sure.

RIP
I got a idea why don't you and Mark Sulivan get together in reno and talk about your views on his sexual orintation. I'm pretty sure that will be the end of your slanderous Bull Shit.

Dr B

quote:

Originally posted by ALF:
If MS and his clients were to use Softs and not solids there would not a a single animal left standing after the first shot, especially not with the firepower they use.

I have found solids to be very effective even in the 375. The thing that causes the animals in these videos to soak up so much lead is the poor placement. If these "hunters" could shoot there would be no chance for the animal to live long enough to charge.

I think the fact that he has a son answers the question posted by RIP.

The one question that I would like to ask is; Why do all his charges happen out in the open? I though wounded animals headed for thick cover.

Jason

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
I had the misfortune to view DEATH BY THE TON.

In the final scene, a young man from North Dakota, on his first safari, upstages MS by stopping a charging hippo at 20 yards. Sullivan proceeded to have a coniption fit over this.

The camera was rolling, looking down Sullivan's barrels as the sorehead solitary hippo bull came on the run right at Sullivan.

Suddenly from Sullivan's right the client fires, using the 450 NE double he borrowed from Sullivan. Brained, the hippo drops.

Sullivan then shoots the motionless, dead hippo in the head.

Great work by the man from North Dakota! Finally someone beat MS at his own game.

Of course the film showed MS not stopping a charge, and the worthy client was off screen.

Very rude of MS and his camerman to treat a paying client like that.

Another hunter borrowed MS's 450 NE also (MS usually swaggers about with a .577 double when this happens.). This client flinched on the front trigger trying to pull it a second time to make the left barrel shoot.

Of course MS got a gay chuckle out of this and the screw-up by the client was replayed in slow-mo.

MS also gets very gay with clients after he shoots their animals. Giggly and touchy-feely. He almost always has his sights on the animal and pops one off as soon as the client does, and sometimes he shoots before the client does. No shit.

Loaning your smaller double rifles to clients who are not proficient with them is a good way to get gut shot buffalo and many chances to gayly let the buffalo choose how he wants to die.

While Sullivan is posing before a wounded buffalo, double ready, paying client in the background off camera, awaiting the buffalo's "decision," I wish the buffalo would just decide to drop dead from his wounds, and cheat Sullivan out of another trigger pull. Would MS be so gay about that?

I am not sure he is gay.

But, he sure has a QUEER way of hunting

Good one, Saeed!

It could be interesting if MS should get a misfire or a faulty round

If he is gay that is the least of his problems.


465H&H

quote:

He almost always has his sights on the animal and pops one off as soon as the client does, and sometimes he shoots before the client does. No shit.

Maybe MS is gay, maybe he's not. Maybe he's a nice guy, maybe he's not. I've never met him so I don't know. But as I'm in the process of reading his "book", which I have recently borrowed from an AR friend, I have to wonder what the hell goes on during his safaris. It seems to me that MS certainly does more shooting at the clients animals than the clients themselves. And he basically admits it constantly in his book...

Not to mention that I get the impression from his writing that the clients are allowed to shoot from the Land Cruiser too quite a lot... Thought that was illegal in TZN?

RIP has a little fun with a play on words and you dorks assume he is calling MS queer.

quote:

MS also gets very gay with clients after he shoots their animals. Giggly and touchy-feely.

Maybe you missed that line Bill?

I don't know if MS takes it in the butt or not. If I were on safari with him and he shot the animal for me I would let him pay for it too.

Hi, I'm Mark Sullivan. I invite you to come and experience the wilds of Africa, it's people and its dangerous game. Feel the rush as you are charged by members of the famed "Big Five", and worship me as I shoot them for you. My tapes and other goods will be for sale upon your departure.

Good Shooting,

Mark "We'll Let The Animal Decide" Sullivan

C'mon RIP. Show a little class. I don't know MS, but if you have a gripe with his hunting tactics, just say so.

Maybe we need a post about PH's sleeping with clients as opposed to sleeping with client's wives.

I would think a group of grown, big game hunters could find a more worthwhile discussion subject. Just a thought, but maybe I think to much. Reminds me of the John Taylor postings.Does it really matter? Are we afraid to be around them or would have been?

How do you separate Mark Sullivan from his close "buddy" Pano Calavrias? Answer_ with a crowbar! Avoid the two of them like the plague-Rob

I think if MS is gay, it wll be a great surprise to his wife, and son!

I really can't believe anyone thought RIP was serious with his GAY comment! I'm not a MS fan, everybody knows that, but here I have to draw the line, in Mark's favor!

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

I am not sure he is gay.

But, he sure has a QUEER way of hunting

Saeed, you got that right!
Will get's it.
Alf get's it.
And thanks to others who would rather laugh with me , or inform us all with serious thoughts and suggestions, rather than cry about such a queer hunter as MS, whose antics threaten sport hunting.

I won't waste my time on the dork.

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
Such behavior makes me hurl.



There is no doubt that Gus McCrae would whip the fellow with a branding iron.

That says it well too.

I think it is bad that other hunters even buy his stuff. I haven't even looked into it because of what he does. "hunters" that are disrespectul of the sport are bad for our reputation as a whole. Purposely waiting to see if the animal will charge so he can show off sounds unethical. but as long as he is making money at it he'll keep doing it.

I can't believe with his reputation clients go with him, I thought everybody wanted a PH that ONLY shoots if they have to, not whenever they get the chance.

Red

Dago,

You just put your finger on the reason.

LD

Funny what this site tolerates and doesn't.

The films are one thing. I haven't seen any of the newer ones.

But every client that has had first hand experience hunting with MS and posted about it here on the net has told a different story ie positive experiences.

Interesting difference.

The guy is a true salesman... last time I ran into him in Reno he wouldn't even bother to say hello unless I was purchasing $300 or more in videos.
His wife triage's and when she determines you are a "spender" she introduces you to Mark. Who then starts selling on on other things.

While I understand everyones got to make a living I do believe his methods/tactics are excessive and do more harm to the sport than they do any good.

quote:

Originally posted by jens poulsen:
It could be interesting if MS should get a misfire or a faulty round

He has.. i forget which movie, but there's one where he CLEARS pulls teh front trigger 3 times, and then pulls the back.. either he forgot to reload (dang, that's dumb) or bum ammo!!

jeffe

ms might be a no manners ass clown but this thread is bush leage bs

quote:

Originally posted by carmelo@worldshooter.com:
The guy is a true salesman... last time I ran into him in Reno he wouldn't even bother to say hello unless I was purchasing $300 or more in videos.
His wife triage's and when she determines you are a "spender" she introduces you to Mark. Who then starts selling on on other things.

While I understand everyones got to make a living I do believe his methods/tactics are excessive and do more harm to the sport than they do any good.

Kind of like the time you shot a huge Botswana Buff out of season? Hey, we never did see those pictures did we.....

My experience with him was totally different. I spoke with him at SCI for a while about DR's and he was a total gentleman.... And I didn't even buy anything.

Everyone I have spoken to that has actually been on Safari with him has been very happy with the experience and with him as a PH.

Yes he is a salesman but in reality, aren't all PH's salesmen of a sort?

If you don't like him then don't buy his merchandise and don't hire him as a PH.

Bulldog,

I can only comment on topic.

I wouldn't buy the guys merchandise or hire him as a PH, there are tons of reputable PH's out there that aren't surrounded by the controversy that MS is.

Yes I believe there are probably many people who have had happy hunts with him. But there are many documented cases of people who haven't and the unhappy ones all seem to complain of a recurring theme in his style and approach.
Best to steer clear if that particular style isn't for you as a client.

quote:

Originally posted by bulldog563:

quote:

Originally posted by carmelo@worldshooter.com:
The guy is a true salesman... last time I ran into him in Reno he wouldn't even bother to say hello unless I was purchasing $300 or more in videos.
His wife triage's and when she determines you are a "spender" she introduces you to Mark. Who then starts selling on on other things.

While I understand everyones got to make a living I do believe his methods/tactics are excessive and do more harm to the sport than they do any good.

Kind of like the time you shot a huge Botswana Buff out of season? Hey, we never did see those pictures did we.....

hey.....you are right!!





sometimes (emphasis added) I miss the old days when Carmello and his multiple screen names were in all their "glory" .....

As only a one time hunter to Africa (for buff) I really shouldn't say anything -but the accusation of being gay seems to be somewhat irrelevant. Are the films a fake? I have no idea -but my PH did say that he didn't see any sweat marks on the back of MS's khaki shirt and I kinda wondered about that.

quote:

Originally posted by gerrys375:
As only a one time hunter to Africa (for buff) I really shouldn't say anything -but the accusation of being gay seems to be somewhat irrelevant. Are the films a fake? I have no idea -but my PH did say that he didn't see any sweat marks on the back of MS's khaki shirt and I kinda wondered about that.

I think the gay thing was just a joke.

quote:

Originally posted by carmelo@worldshooter.com:
Bulldog,

I can only comment on topic.

I wouldn't buy the guys merchandise or hire him as a PH, there are tons of reputable PH's out there that aren't surrounded by the controversy that MS is.

Yes I believe there are probably many people who have had happy hunts with him. But there are many documented cases of people who haven't and the unhappy ones all seem to complain of a recurring theme in his style and approach.
Best to steer clear if that particular style isn't for you as a client.

Where are these "documented cases" of unhappy clients of MS?

Does MS shoot too much? Maybe.

Did the clients who are featured in most of the charge footage make a bad first shot on the buff? Probably.

Would most any other PH put in a backup shot if the clients shot was bad? Probably.

Did Allen Day kill a Buffalo with a 300 WM by himself without MS helping? Yes. (Seems to me that if MS was just a trigger happy SOB he would have backed up AD in this situation)

I think that most PH's get their share of clients who can't shoot. Now, it appears to me, there are a couple ways to handle this. One would be to put in a backup shot or two as soon as he knows the clients shot was bad (this would be my preference if I were the client). Another is to not put a backup shot in and hope to be able to find the animal and sort it out. I have seen him do both in his videos. Now the question becomes, did the client tell him that he is not to fire a shot or else he will be paying for the animal (like we have heard so many times before on this site and elsewhere).... Or did MS purposefully not put in a backup right away in the hope of inducing a charge at a later time for the cameras? I don't know, but I would bet a fair share of those that come on safari with him (and other PH's) do say that he isn't to shoot unless he wishes to pay for the trophy/safari.... But who knows.

So I guess the bottom line is;

Pick a PH whose hunting philosophy is in line with your own.


Almost forgot: Carmelo, I understand your reluctance to hijack this thread so why don't you start another thread about your Buffalo?

Bulldog,
This thread alone refers to incidents where MS has acted questionably. I've read many threads where people who have hunted with him have complained. It seems to be pretty common knowledge. I don't believe that Allen Day is a the pushover personality type that MS would try to pull his usual antics with. I am sure he reserves those moments for a "certain type" of client.

quote:

I think that most PH's get their share of clients who can't shoot. Now, it appears to me, there are a couple ways to handle this. One would be to put in a backup shot or two as soon as he knows the clients shot was bad (this would be my preference if I were the client). Another is to not put a backup shot in and hope to be able to find the animal and sort it out. I have seen him do both in his videos. Now the question becomes, did the client tell him that he is not to fire a shot or else he will be paying for the animal (like we have heard so many times before on this site and elsewhere).... Or did MS purposefully not put in a backup right away in the hope of inducing a charge at a later time for the cameras? I don't know, but I would bet a fair share of those that come on safari with him (and other PH's) do say that he isn't to shoot unless he wishes to pay for the trophy/safari.... But who knows.

Bulldog, With all due respect (and please DO NOT mistake this for agreeing with anything Carmelo has to say), but I believe the following...

An event happening once could be a fluke. The same event happening twice could be a coincidence. The same event happening three or more times is almost certainly a pattern.

MS shoots his clients buffalo for them more than 3 times on each of his 10 videos. I seriously doubt it happens nearly so often for any other PH. To my way of thinking there is about a 1 in a million (or even a billion!)chance that MS has that many clients that shoot so poorly that he HAS to back them up this often.

Your last bit of advice however, are good words to live by.....

quote:

So I guess the bottom line is;

Pick a PH whose hunting philosophy is in line with your own.

Cheers,
Canuck

I gotta say if I paid thousands to fly to africa, thousands more to shoot a Buff or Hippo and then the guide shot before I did he'd be better off being gay as that might allow him to enjoy what I'd likely do to him with his own rifle....

And HE'd pay the godamned trophy fee, because I ain't payin for somethin I didn't shoot.

and to close on a lighter note.... I'll quote a line from an old song:
"...and there's ten stuffed heads in my trophy room right now... Three game wardens... Seven hunters... and a pure-bred gurnsey cow!"

AllanD

What a stupid post!

quote:

Originally posted by Dr B:
RIP
I got a idea why don't you and Mark Sulivan get together in reno and talk about your views on his sexual orintation. I'm pretty sure that will be the end of your slanderous Bull Shit.

Dr B

Just a quick question there Doc. Does Mark carry around a step ladder so that he can whoop up on every one who dislikes his videos.

While I am neither hot nor cold on his videos other than to say that he has some of the best photography and cameras in the industry judging from the picture quality of his videos.

He is a tiny little shit. About 5'8" or so? I'd think he may need a ladder and a lunch and some band aids if he ever tried to put a stop to my "slanderous bullshit."

Everyone really needs to lighten up Geezuss.