Mark Sullivan funnies

23 July 2008, 19:43

Just got my copy of the Barnes Reloading Manual No.4 In the intro to the 577NE 3" Mark Sullivan writes:
"Another time, my client and I were hunting a snake-infested korongo that I knew held many old bulls. Eventually, we found a massive bull standing his ground in heavy brush. We crept closer until the 7,000-pound bull was a scant 16 yards away.
The bull put his head down and charged. In an instant, the enraged buffalo closed the distance to less than 10 feet. I hammered him between the eyes with a Barnes bullet from my Charles Osbourne .577 and the bull crashed to the ground."

A 7000 pound buffalo? Must have been from Zimbabwe and the inflation rate is now affecting the size of the animals.

23 July 2008, 19:47

JudgeG

It was a hippalo?

23 July 2008, 19:52

CARLOSTHEJACKAL

Now thats funny!

23 July 2008, 19:57

Saeed

I would not expect any else from Mark Sullivan!

I think he does not know what the truth is, from seeing all his videos!

23 July 2008, 20:04

MacD37

quote:
Originally posted by Blacktailer:
A 7000 pound buffalo? Must have been from Zimbabwe and the inflation rate is now affecting the size of the animals.

7000 pound cape buffalo??????????????????

IMO, BIG WIND COME FROM EMPTY CAVE!

23 July 2008, 20:04

tradewinds

I thought you where not supposed to shot Barnes in old doubles?

23 July 2008, 20:06

PSmith

Did the client get to shoot the bull also? Or do you just pay the four figure daily rates to watch Mark shoot the animals first and then you get to shoot afterwards?

23 July 2008, 20:10

MacD37

quote:
Originally posted by tradewinds:
I thought you where not supposed to shot Barnes in old doubles?

Just consider the source, and that tells the whole story!

Judge if it wasn't a HIPPOLO, maybe it was a CAPEJUMBO!

23 July 2008, 20:10

jorge

ummm, gents, he was talking about hippos...jorge

23 July 2008, 20:18

adrook

....and the hippo chose to die in mortal combat with the Great Bwana Mark....

23 July 2008, 20:18

Gerhard.Delport

quote:
We crept closer until the 7,000-pound bull was a scant 16 yards away.
The bull put his head down and charged. In an instant, the enraged buffalo closed the distance to less than 10 feet. .

Nope it looks like he is talking about a buffalo...

23 July 2008, 22:24

Michael Robinson

The grass must be more nutritious in snake-infested korongos.

23 July 2008, 22:51

Antlers

Must have been one of those snake-eating hippalo (snakes are high in protein, ya know). He failed to mention why the SEH was enraged.....

24 July 2008, 04:24

katiesguns

If you have never met him he is even a bigger shithead in person than on film. He should be banned from any respectable sport show.

24 July 2008, 04:48

Jefffive

Have any of our resident taxidermists ever assembled a fabled Hippalo??

I guess the width of a hippo's head might make Cape Buff horns look puny, might need some water boo horns...

24 July 2008, 05:02

pichon1

In all fairness the book mentioned was not written by Sullivan, he was only being quoted. I hardly think that the publisher would make such a glaring mistake knowingly, clearly a typo error.
I know there is a lot of acrimony on this forum regarding Mark Sullivan and it may or may not be well earned. I do not know enough about the fellow to have a definitive opinion. One thing I will say is that from the small ammount of footage that I have seen of his videos he appears to be a pretty immpressive shot with a double and have balls of steel.
There are no doubt folks posting here that have hunted with Sullivan and it is THEIR opinion that I would like to hear, other views are in danger of being based on hearsay or rumour. I remember from past posts many members of this forum being only too happy to put the boots into Capstick (easy to do when he is no longer with us) based on the fact that that they had "spoken to someone who knew someone who lived next door to a fellow who went to school with Capstick's best friend".... or similar bullshit. It's often too easy to critisize from afar without knowing the real facts.

24 July 2008, 05:06

katiesguns

Obivously you've never had the pleasure of knowing either of these gentleman. I met Capstick numerous times and he was always so shit face drunk someone was assigned to help him to walk.

24 July 2008, 05:20

odie

Capstick and Sullivan each committed one unforgivable mistake, Americans succeeding in Africa...that simply is not to be tolerated.

24 July 2008, 05:42

pichon1

quote:
Originally posted by katiesguns:
Obivously you've never had the pleasure of knowing either of these gentleman. I met Capstick numerous times and he was always so shit face drunk someone was assigned to help him to walk.

"Pondoro" used to get roaring drunk as did Ruark, Hemmingway and many other hunters too numerous to mention, what's your point!! You didn't say so but are you also including Sullivan in that catagory,(ie drunkard) or havn't you met him?

24 July 2008, 06:01

577NitroExpress

quote:
I hammered him

Gotta love hunting with a PH that shoots your animals!

24 July 2008, 06:56

Jefffive

quote:
Originally posted by 577NitroExpress:
quote:
I hammered him

Gotta love hunting with a PH that shoots your animals!

Would cut way down on travel costs, just have him send you a video of your hunt...

24 July 2008, 08:07

500grains

quote:
Originally posted by Saeed:
I would not expect any else from Mark Sullivan!

Or Barnes.

24 July 2008, 08:54

Saeed

quote:
Originally posted by odie:
Capstick and Sullivan each committed one unforgivable mistake, Americans succeeding in Africa...that simply is not to be tolerated.

What a load of rubbish!

There are many fine Americans who succeeded as PHs in Africa in the past, and some still do today.

Whatever Capstick was, he provided a lot of entertainment, and I for one certainly appreciate what he as done for Africa and African hunting.

Mark Sullivan, on the other hand, has done nothing but provide a fine example of a self-serving idiot on an ego trip.

He is the exact opposite of what a PH should be.

In fact, what he does stands in complete opposite to what I would imagine a hunter should be.

What Mark Sullivan provides as "hunting" is no different to what Hollywood provides as "reality".

24 July 2008, 09:47

Jefffive

quote:
Originally posted by Saeed:
quote:
Originally posted by odie:
Capstick and Sullivan each committed one unforgivable mistake, Americans succeeding in Africa...that simply is not to be tolerated.

What a load of rubbish!

There are many fine Americans who succeeded as PHs in Africa in the past, and some still do today.

Whatever Capstick was, he provided a lot of entertainment, and I for one certainly appreciate what he as done for Africa and African hunting.

Mark Sullivan, on the other hand, has done nothing but provide a fine example of a self-serving idiot on an ego trip.

He is the exact opposite of what a PH should be.

In fact, what he does stands in complete opposite to what I would imagine a hunter should be.

What Mark Sullivan provides as "hunting" is no different to what Hollywood provides as "reality".

Come on Saeed, what do you really think of Sullivan??

24 July 2008, 09:51

Demonical

In defense of M.S., there is a guy on CDN GunNutz that hunted with Mark Sullivan and has nothing but praise for him. He said Sullivan worked his ass off, they took some nice heads, nothing huge.
Basically there was nothing bad that happened and only good stuff. And the guy said he would hunt with him again, anytime.

We all know damn well that the forced charges that Sullivan stages are bogus, but the man has balls of steel.

Some day he will trip or his gun will misfire and a buffalo will get him. Then just watch the Mark Sullivan haters come out of the wood work.
The sad thing is should that happen, other people that are with him could be killed/maimed as well.
Sorta like Tim Treadwell and his girl Amy Hugeunard getting dragged into his madness.

M.S. is gonna continue to be controversial long after he's done hunting.

Even though I have not been to Africa, my idea of a PH is guys like Buzz Charlton, Robin Hurt or John Sharp. I've seen and read quite a bit about those guys and I'm pretty sure I would not be disappointed.

24 July 2008, 10:03

jdollar

what would a hippo be doing in heavy brush in a snake infested korongo? if i am not mistaken, a korongo is essentially a dry creek bed or ravine( the Swahili equivalent of an arroyo) and old hippo bulls( the only kind of old bull in Africa that weighs 7000 lbs.) would not hang out there. more typical MS-BS!!!!!

24 July 2008, 10:24

pichon1

Surely there is someone on this forum who has hunted with him (Sullivan) who can give us an insight into what the guy is like "up close and personal". One tends to get a good handle on people they have spent time in the bush with or hunted with. Refer my post above.

24 July 2008, 10:44

pichon1

PS to above post:

Come to think of it I can understand why nobody would admit to hunting with him, given the vitriole that has been written. It would be akin to admitting that "Zimbabwe Bob" is your best friend!!

24 July 2008, 14:22

Bwanamich

quote:
Originally posted by jdollar:
what would a hippo be doing in heavy brush in a snake infested korongo? if i am not mistaken, a korongo is essentially a dry creek bed or ravine( the Swahili equivalent of an arroyo) and old hippo bulls( the only kind of old bull in Africa that weighs 7000 lbs.) would not hang out there. more typical MS-BS!!!!!

Wrong! Old bull hippos very often hide in very thick brush of which korongos are often full off

24 July 2008, 19:12

darkside

I've seen a few of these, maybe one of these will work...
http://s206.photobucket.com/albums/bb37/Feleno/?action=...¤t=hippalo.jpg

24 July 2008, 20:26

Charles_Helm

quote:
Originally posted by darkside:
I've seen a few of these, maybe one of these will work...

You'd think the bosses would be better on a bull like that.

24 July 2008, 21:10

BrettAKSCI

Charles_Helm

Clearly that's a cow.

I had the misfortune of buying ONE of his videos and was rather sickened! He pushes his clients and rushes them instead of calming them and helping them to make a good shoot. The man has no respect for the animals either! I was disgusted when a client of his spined a buff at about mid point and Mark stopped to have a lengthy conversation with the client about the virtues of how he hunts while the enraged buffalo is shaking and foaming at the mouth dragging itself towards them in the background! I just hope no one else gets it when he does! I'm not the most PC person out there, but it got a little old hearing him refer to his staff as "the boys" when half of them are older than he is. The coup de grace of the film is a wounded buffalo follow up. MS leads 3 or 4 others to the buffalo which is facing away. Then in mass they circle around to the front of the buffalo and walk to with in 15-20 meters of the shaking and enraged bull. Bwana Mark man among his "boys" has everyone wait to shoot until SUPPRISE the buffalo charges! Of course the buffalo goes down in a hail of double rifle bullets with blood flying everywhere in slow motion! He then ends the video with everyone gathering around the buffalo while he expounds on the virtues of taking them the great way, the true way, at the last possible moment!

Brett

DRSS
Life Member SCI
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Rhyme of the Sheep Hunter
May fordings never be too deep, And alders not too thick; May rock slides never be too steep And ridges not too slick.
And may your bullets shoot as swell As Fred Bear's arrow's flew; And may your nose work just as well As Jack O'Connor's too.
May winds be never at your tail When stalking down the steep; May bears be never on your trail When packing out your sheep.
May the hundred pounds upon you Not make you break or trip; And may the plane in which you flew Await you at the strip.
-Seth Peterson

24 July 2008, 21:10

Blacktailer

quote:
What Mark Sullivan provides as "hunting" is no different to what Hollywood provides as "reality".

Amen.

24 July 2008, 21:13

BrettAKSCI

24 July 2008, 21:21

katiesguns

pichon1 If I didn't say than neither did I imply, Yes I have met both several times as you obviously have not. Being druck in the bush as a hunter and as a PH are two different things. Ask the hunters at Safari South where capstick was the bartender and heard all the wonderful stories he heard. He was a great story teller--just wish he had given a little more credit where credit was due.

24 July 2008, 22:07

surestrike

Maybe MS would gain some credibility if used a .45-70?

24 July 2008, 22:34

larryshores

I shared a charter plane in 2006 with a guy that had hunted with the esteemed Mr Sullivan on several occasions. He had several comments as follows:
>Great guy.
>Great sense of humor
>Word is his bond.
>He was completely different off camera than on camera.
>Great shot whether it was 4 yards or 400 yards.
>He was deathly afraid of leopards, particularly wounded ones.
>He was a lousy judge of elephants.
>He is quick to shoot the clients animals, sometimes when they aren't wounded.
>He didn't think much of his lion hunting skills. The gentleman I spoke with had not taken a lion with him in 3 (I think) safaris.

I wouldn't go with him.

24 July 2008, 22:36

MacD37

quote:
Originally posted by Brett Adam Barringer:
Charles_Helm

Clearly that's a cow.

I had the misfortune of buying ONE of his videos and was rather sickened! Saeed was on the money. He is a self serving ass! He pushes his clients and rushes them instead of calming them and helping them to make a good shoot. The man has no respect for the animals either! I was disgusted when a client of his spined a buff at about mid point and Mark stopped to have a lengthy conversation with the client about the virtues of how he hunts while the enraged buffalo is shaking and foaming at the mouth dragging itself towards them in the background! What an asshole! All I can say is Karma is a bitch! I just hope no one else gets it when he does! I'm not the most PC person out there, but it got a little old hearing him refer to his staff as "the boys" when half of them are older than he is. The coup de grace of the film is a wounded buffalo follow up. MS leads 3 or 4 others to the buffalo which is facing away. Then in mass they circle around to the front of the buffalo and walk to with in 15-20 meters of the shaking and enraged bull. Bwana Mark man among his "boys" has everyone wait to shoot until SUPPRISE the buffalo charges! Of course the buffalo goes down in a hail of double rifle bullets with blood flying everywhere in slow motion! He then ends the video with everyone gathering around the buffalo while he expounds on the virtues of taking them the great way, the true way, at the last possible moment!

What an ASSHOLE!

Brett

Brett, I agree with almost eveything you had to say here, except the comment about the crew being refered to as "BOY"! The people who work in those camps refere to themselves as "THE BOYS" They even have a a ranking sysyem among themselves. The Waiters are refered to as "TEA BOYS", the "TEA BOYS" refer to the lad who in on the bottom of the totum pole as the "WATER BOY", and the PH refers to them all as "THE BOYS"! Age or race has nothing to do with it, it is simply the accepted way of talking in Africa. This is nothing new, and will still be the same as long as hunting safaris are being attended in Africa. It is simply AFRICA, and is not PC, or otherwise, but simply the way it is. You don't have to like it, but you will have to accept it, because that is the way they perfer it, and after all it is THEIR country!This is not a pro MS post, by any means, but in this case he is exactly like all PHs, and camp staff in Africa. You know! When in Rome..........

24 July 2008, 22:39

LJS

Pichon !
I have had the pleasure of hunting with three individuals who hunted with Mark Sullivan. Two had hunted twice and had another hunt booked. All had been to Africa numerous times and had a grand time. In no instance on their hunts did Sullivan fire a shot. He was very professional and extremely competent in their opinion.
It is interesting the people who have hunted with him all speak highly and the negatives come from those who have not. Are there any hunters out there that had a bad time with Sullivan?
John Sharp is highly regarded yet he came strolling into our camp wearing a loincloth one day. Now there was a case for a snap judgment that would have obviously been wrong. Those who hunt with Sharp think the world of him and return often.
I have spent time with Craig Boddington and really enjoyed his company yet there are many who criticize his knowledge and opinions. He is a very humble guy in person and certainly will tell you his written words are his opinions and nothing more. I tend to value the opinions of someone with more than 50 African safaris under their belt.

24 July 2008, 23:28

BrettAKSCI

MacD37

Fair enough.

LJS

He may be the greatest thing since sliced bread when it comes to showing you a good time, working hard, and getting trophies, but his complete lack of respect for the animals and for the safety of his clients is BS no matter how you look at it! It's just plain unprofessional. We don't even have to speculate. Just watch a video! I don't need 50+ safaris or 1 for that matter to see that!

Brett