First Time I have Heard Of This happening!?

27 February 2008, 07:20

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I was reading a hunt report on the Hunt Report website, in which the hunter states someone - it appeares from a village nearby - had managed to getinto his tent early in the morning, stole money and a camera.

I wasn't sure if this happened while the hunter was in the tent, or if he was out hunting cats.

This happened in Masai land.

What would you do if you woke up with someone in your tent?

27 February 2008, 07:24

jorge

Shoot him and pay the trophy fee?

jorge

27 February 2008, 07:28

Jefffive

Shoot him, and put him on Jorge's license.

27 February 2008, 07:31

gunny

Shoot him and put him on jefffive license

27 February 2008, 07:34

Frank Beller

Take my losses from the PH's fee, & tell him to run a tighter camp.

27 February 2008, 07:37

JudgeG

I've never been in a camp in Zimbabwe or Tanzania when there wasn't an askari assigned to nothing but my personal safety at night... poor fellow, he had to listen to me snore, though.

The askaris in Zim usually were armed with a shotgun and in Tanzania with a panga. They all took their jobs seriously and executed them with pride.

I like to stay up by the fire and read some evenings after everyone else has gone to bed. More than once I have been scared ----less when a deep voice came out of the darkness wishing me a good night as I made my way to the tent. Glad to have 'em, though.

27 February 2008, 07:49

465H&H

Two years ago the night camp gaurd caught a prowler skulking around the clients tents at the Manuli camp in the Omay. The perp jumed off of the cliff with the guard in hot pursuit. The guard was smart enough not to jump off the cliff to follow him. The next day they found blood and a few bone fragments below the cliff along with a lot of hyena tracks.

465H&H

27 February 2008, 08:00

CRUSHER

we were told to keep our stuff put away at omay in zim this last year while we slept because of this problem. some phs got hammered and while sleeping it off lost some stuff.

27 February 2008, 08:03

Jefffive

Would be a good time to have that leashed hyena on the other thread...

27 February 2008, 08:07

TerryR

On my 3 previous trips to Botswana I had no problems what so ever with anything disappearing. I do think that it is prudent to lock your valuables in your gun case for the duration. What would I do if I woke up with someone in my tent? Lets just say that I would probably have to change my underware afterwards.

TerryR

27 February 2008, 08:33

jdollar

quote:
Originally posted by CRUSHER:
we were told to keep our stuff put away at omay in zim this last year while we slept because of this problem. some phs got hammered and while sleeping it off lost some stuff.

if a PH got that hammered, he deserved to lose his stuff as well as a decent tip, unless it was the last night of the hunt!!

27 February 2008, 09:08

yukon delta

quote:
Originally posted by 465H&H:
Two years ago the night camp gaurd caught a prowler skulking around the clients tents at the Manuli camp in the Omay. The perp jumed off of the cliff with the guard in hot pursuit. The guard was smart enough not to jump off the cliff to follow him. The next day they found blood and a few bone fragments below the cliff along with a lot of hyena tracks.

465H&H

Now that's interesting. Were you in camp?

I was just thinking about this subject today for some reason and then came home to find it online.

27 February 2008, 11:41

mboga biga bwana

quote:
Shoot him and pay the trophy fee?

Shoot a second one and pay no trophy Fee.

Seloushunter

27 February 2008, 17:39

Bill C

I have never had so much as a candy bar taken from my tent/hut, and the worst thing I lost was a pair of new shorts in the wash at a big camp - I keep watching Tracks Across Africa expecting to see them.

But I do not like traveling with a lot of money for this reason, and arrange it so that I can settle up (either way) with the PH afterwards. Hey, I trust them with my trophies.

27 February 2008, 17:52

butchloc

depends on if she had her clothes on or not

27 February 2008, 18:21

Pegleg

quote:
Originally posted by butchloc:
depends on if she had her clothes on or not

27 February 2008, 18:27

375 fanatic

quote:
Originally posted by butchloc:
depends on if she had her clothes on or not

If shes blonde or brunette , skinny or fat some okes pay them to stay

27 February 2008, 19:06

kudude

Since I only have an unloaded gun and not handy and the intruder probably is armed, I'd roll over and continue "sleeping." However, I make it a practice when I unpack my guns in camp, to pack my valuables (passport, money, etc.) into the gun case and lock it up. Yes, they can take the gun case, but it is real unhandy to run with, and what is out of sight is out of mind. Kudude

27 February 2008, 19:26

Atkinson

I have never had a thing stolen in all the years I have hunted Africa,nor any incident along those lines..

I would never shoot anyone in Africa unless my life was in dire straits...The idea of spending one minute in an African jail scares the living s--t out of me..

A safari camp should have a night guard, a large lock box for valubles with the only keys being yours and the PHs.

Also, most of us keep a loaded gun in our tent, I know that I do. I have had an elephant thump my tent, a pride of lions walking around the outside of my tent with only the screen zipped up..On one ocassion a Hyena stood in the opening staring at me, until his head came off..

I suggest, in a tented camp, at least that you keep a rifle loaded with one in the chamber and on safety beside your bed, its handy and gives one a feeling of great satisfaction!

27 February 2008, 20:39

Michael Robinson

Never lost anything on safari to theft.

Three good pieces of advice in this thread that I will second:

1. Keep money and valuables to a minimum.

2. Lock any valuables/important papers in your biggest, heaviest rifle case.

3. Keep a rifle loaded, cocked and locked at your bedside (and with you everywhere else you may wander in camp and in the bush, including in the dining tent and whenever and wherever nature calls).

We have had all sorts of varmints, up to and including lion, hyena, hippo and elephant, prowling and growling through camp in the middle of the night and at other inopportune times. No unauthorized humans, however.

27 February 2008, 20:59

Woodmnctry

quote:
Originally posted by mrlexma:
Never lost anything on safari to theft.

Three good pieces of advice in this thread that I will second:

1. Keep money and valuables to a minimum.

2. Lock any valuables/important papers in your biggest, heaviest rifle case.

3. Keep a rifle loaded, cocked and locked at your bedside (and with you everywhere else you may wander in camp and in the bush, including in the dining tent and whenever and wherever nature calls).

We have had all sorts of varmints, up to and including lion, hyena, hippo and elephant, prowling and growling through camp in the middle of the night and at other inopportune times. No unauthorized humans, however.

I second the motion -- well said!!
I have not personally had a problem but know of others that have lost considerable money, airline tickets and passports -- and that was a real problem for them.
For that reason I have started making a PDF file of my passport, itinerary, firearms documents etc and leaving with that info with several people that can forward files to me if all is lost.

27 February 2008, 22:45

Balla Balla

This lady SALLY the (pet buffalo) hangs around camp and occasionally sticks her head through the window during the night to ensure the hunters are tucked up in bed. Also watches over the camp during the day (-:

Cheers, Peter

27 February 2008, 22:50

trophyhunter5000

quote:
This lady SALLY the (pet buffalo) hangs around camp and occasionally sticks her head through the window during the night to ensure the hunters are tucked up in bed. Also watches over the camp during the day (-:

Now thats security!!!!

27 February 2008, 23:06

shakari

Peter,

GREAT picture! - is that your brother Alan in the background?

If it is, he's put a 'bit' of weight on over the last few years!

27 February 2008, 23:38

Die Ou Jagter

I have hunted from the Manuli camp and indeed the first step off the cliff is a long way down. The tents are not far from the cliff. If I were a sleep walker I would be sure to close up my tent securly at night for that reason alone.

28 February 2008, 01:34

Harry

If you have a Tuffpak you can take a cable with loops in the end and a common lock and lock the case to the bed or a tree or???? Put what you need inside the case and lock the lid. It will keep the crash and dash crooks away.
I always have my passport and some cash & one credit card with me just in case I have to make a mad dash to some border for some unknown reason.
I too feel much more comfortable with a loaded gun very close to me. The only place I do not have a gun on or with me is the shower and that is because the zip lock bag is too heavy in my teeth!

I too had the male lion right outside my tent one night in TZ. I did not rush out to check out his mane! The basd news is the guns were packed and put away as we were to go to the bush strip very early the next morning. Never have made that mistake again.

28 February 2008, 01:53

Balla Balla

Hi Steve (AKA Shakari)

Yes that is by brother Alan Snr. in the previous pic, he has beefed up in recent years, too many buffalo steaks maybe (-:

The other chap is his son Dene our PH, I dont think you met Dene when you were at Alan's Bandies ranch in SA some years ago now. You would have met Alan jnr and young Shawn

Below is Jo-Anne with Sally. She is a Limpopo Province (SA registered PH) but lives mainly on the ranch in Zambia helping Dene out on the hunts

Cheers, Peter

28 February 2008, 03:44

Use Enough Gun

Answer: Shoot him and pay no trophy fee, as he(it) would be considered vermin. (No trophy fee on that) Last year we locked the doors, to our chalets, both in South Africa and Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe, the PH had the cook sleeping near my chalet just in case someone came through the came while we were out hunting leopard.

28 February 2008, 04:01

dwarf416

Keep faaaaaast asleep.

I always keep my double loaded just in case

28 February 2008, 08:05

RBHunt

I don't take a lot of valuables with me, and what I do, I lock in my big rifle case. Guess I have just been lucky, no problems so far with theft. I am usually the last one to turn in, and I don't remember seeing anyone up when I did.

28 February 2008, 09:03

jetdrvr

quote:
Originally posted by Atkinson:
I have never had a thing stolen in all the years I have hunted Africa,nor any incident along those lines..

I would never shoot anyone in Africa unless my life was in dire straits...The idea of spending one minute in an African jail scares the living s--t out of me..

A safari camp should have a night guard, a large lock box for valubles with the only keys being yours and the PHs.

Also, most of us keep a loaded gun in our tent, I know that I do. I have had an elephant thump my tent, a pride of lions walking around the outside of my tent with only the screen zipped up..On one ocassion a Hyena stood in the opening staring at me, until his head came off..

I suggest, in a tented camp, at least that you keep a rifle loaded with one in the chamber and on safety beside your bed, its handy and gives one a feeling of great satisfaction!

Good advice.

The guy who had my tent a couple of safaris before mine, which was up on a platform, awoke to find a lioness snoring just outside his tent next to his bed with nothing but the screen between him and her.

I use a Halliburton case with a combo lock and keep sll my stuff locked up in that.

28 February 2008, 09:04

shakari

Hi Peter,

I thought it was Alan, but wasn't sure..... as you say, too many buffalo steaks!

Actually, my excuse is that it's the 'old silverback syndrome' - Just like gorillas, as we get older and greyer, we also get heavier, but also have more impact on our surroundings......

Yes, I did meet Dene, but wouldn't have recognised him. He was just a youngster when I met him.

28 February 2008, 17:42

Bryan Chick

Along with most of the other responses I have never had a theft, let alone a tent invasion. Never even considered it until reading this thread. If it did happen and I, could not get the hell out, would probably stay in the bed; I, also, have no interest in being involved with the Zim criminal justice system

28 February 2008, 21:39

yukon delta

We had the infamous female leopard that would make the rounds at night, sniffing at us through the mosquito netting. I mean you could HEAR her sniffing you but couldn't see her in the dark. That was the second hunt of Makuti this year and almost everyone after said the same thing.

Never had any problems with camp theft. In fact, in all of the Africa books I have read there was only one account that I can recall of a camp theft.