quote:

Originally posted by Thierry Labat:
I was recently asked once by a client who’d be my first choice PHs in Zimbabwe I’d chose for different hunts. This is obviously a very tough question to answer as you’d imagine but my list would go something like this.

Elephant - Buzz Charlton + Pete Wood
Lion - Cliff Walker + Brent Hein
Leopard - Spike Claassen + Neil Duckworth
Buffalo - Alan Shearing + Brent Leesmay

Like I say this is a very hard question to answer as there are many, many great PHs and of course there are lots of others that I’ve never shared a camp with or don’t personally know well.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:

quote:

Originally posted by Thierry Labat:
I was recently asked once by a client who’d be my first choice PHs in Zimbabwe I’d chose for different hunts. This is obviously a very tough question to answer as you’d imagine but my list would go something like this.

Elephant - Buzz Charlton + Pete Wood
Lion - Cliff Walker + Brent Hein
Leopard - Spike Claassen + Neil Duckworth
Buffalo - Alan Shearing + Brent Leesmay

Like I say this is a very hard question to answer as there are many, many great PHs and of course there are lots of others that I’ve never shared a camp with or don’t personally know well.

Got to give a nod to Rich Tabor as well for Leopard.

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:
The more appropriate question would be which of Zim’s much vaunted PHs could deliver a bush pig

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by DCS Member:
Thierry,

I don’t know you other than this forum, but you’re damn near 100% on spots and a preferred PH in the jungle areas.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by DCS Member:
Thierry,

I don’t know you other than this forum, but you’re damn near 100% on spots and a preferred PH in the jungle areas.

Yeah I would put Thierry at the top of the list as an excellent all rounder.

Brent Lee Mays is now my neighbour in Zambia and manages the Mushingashi estate owned by Paul Tudor Jones.

quote:

Originally posted by DCS Member:
You and Andrew seem top be tops. One of these days.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Zimbabwe has some great professional hunters, and some who are just plain crooks!

Ask questions here, hunt with the real pros and avoid the crooks!

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff SN:
I hunted with tabor, and think he is one of the best. I have been good friends with Blake for a while and think he will be one of ghe best ever. I would love to hunt with Johny Hulme at Hammond. Would love to be shown around Hammond by him.

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:
The more appropriate question would be which of Zim’s much vaunted PHs could deliver a bush pig

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Thierry Labat:
I was recently asked once by a client who’d be my first choice PHs in Zimbabwe I’d chose for different hunts. This is obviously a very tough question to answer as you’d imagine but my list would go something like this.

Elephant - Buzz Charlton + Pete Wood
Lion - Cliff Walker + Brent Hein
Leopard - Spike Claassen + Neil Duckworth
Buffalo - Alan Shearing + Brent Leesmay

Like I say this is a very hard question to answer as there are many, many great PHs and of course there are lots of others that I’ve never shared a camp with or don’t personally know well.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff SN:
I hunted with tabor, and think he is one of the best. I have been good friends with Blake for a while and think he will be one of ghe best ever. I would love to hunt with Johny Hulme at Hammond. Would love to be shown around Hammond by him.

No doubt Blake is top shelf. I've had great success with him. Got my lion with Blake in the hottest part of the year, late October, early November back in in 2012. Also got an ele bull with him during an even hotter stretch of December 2013 when the rains were late arriving. Both hard fought hunts that Blake pulled out of the hat. I also consider Blake a good friend.

Just to take that one step further, getting that lion on bait in the extreme heat was a feat with much more background to consider than meets the eye at first glance. With the heat, baits were lasting about 3 days max before turning into maggot soup. We were at the end of the season, with limited quota available for refreshing baits. The amount of coordination Blake put into action was impressive.

First, he found out that Alan Sherring was asked by Parks to put down an injured buff cow a few days prior to my arrival. He coordinated with Parks to get 1/2 of that cow and stored it in the Pedza cooler until I got there. I had a buff bull and tuskless on my quota and there were two additional CMS clients in another camp. He was able to beg and borrow bits and pieces of their tuskless's and buffs, along with us shooting some left over kudu cow quota, and kept fresh meat swinging in the breeze each day, taking into account abandoning certain bait sights in a timely manner when conditions and activity dictated. At times that meant utilizing the cooler and at other times simply planning out when to focus on the other animals so as to keep fresh meat available.

These are the types of considerations a PH has to take into account and manage that we as clients often don't think about. I largely believe the difference between good and other PHs comes down to the efforts they make behind the scenes in order to give us, as clients, a seamless (as much as possible for Africa) experience and a better than average chance at success.

Obviously, guys like Theiry, who's own reputation is stellar, is a master at this type of management as well, especially considering the varied locations he hunts.

quote:

Originally posted by Guy Whittall:
I personally believe all of The Phs registered with the Zimbabwe professional Hunters and Guides Association are very good hunters/guides. As current Zimbabwean Professional Hunters we are extremely thankful to the last couple of generations of Pro hunters for passing on their experiences to make us a safer and more professional unit. Who is the best?? I hope most have enjoyed the warm hospitality the Zim Phs and their teams offer.

quote:

Originally posted by Guy Whittall:
I personally believe all of The Phs registered with the Zimbabwe professional Hunters and Guides Association are very good hunters/guides. As current Zimbabwean Professional Hunters we are extremely thankful to the last couple of generations of Pro hunters for passing on their experiences to make us a safer and more professional unit. Who is the best?? I hope most have enjoyed the warm hospitality the Zim Phs and their teams offer.

quote:

Originally posted by Guy Whittall:
I personally believe all of The Phs registered with the Zimbabwe professional Hunters and Guides Association are very good hunters/guides. As current Zimbabwean Professional Hunters we are extremely thankful to the last couple of generations of Pro hunters for passing on their experiences to make us a safer and more professional unit. Who is the best?? I hope most have enjoyed the warm hospitality the Zim Phs and their teams offer.