This question has NOTHING to do with another thread on the illegal involvement of South Africans in hunting in Zimbabwe and is erefore posted separately.

As an experienced South African Hunting Outfitter I'm in a position to tell most [but probably not all] of the requirements for any foreigner to be involved in legally marketing hunting in South Africa. But that is not what this thread is about. This thread is posted as a question about what are the major legal considerations to adhere to if any non-Zimbabwean individual wants to be involved with the marketing and presentation of fully legal hunting in Zimbabwe.

Would anyone with the required knowledge care to reply as a guide for hunters wishing to hunt in Zimbabwe of what they should be aware of when a hunt is offered by a non-Zimbabwean? Without mentioning any names, there are a few Booking Agents with very good reputations [at least on AR forum] offering presumably legal hunts in Zimbabwe. What sets then aside from the scumbags which offer illegal hunting in Zimbabwe?

Thanks in advance.

Andrew McLaren

Andrew
Very good Question
As per my understanding it was not possible for a South African PH/Outfitter to offer and conduct hunts in the capacity of Outfitter/PH in Zim.

What was allowed and the only way as per my correspondence with the Zim outfitters was for a South African Outfitter to take his client to a registered Zim Outfitter who hires a Registered Zim PH to conduct the hunt on his behalf.
The SA PH/Outfitter may go along for the hunt and serve as a tag along second gun etc but was there at the discretion of the Zim operator and had no say in the hunt and the way it was conducted.

Ganyana, could you confirm if this is still the case?

Kind regards
AHQ

Hi Andrew and hope you are well mate.

For starters Zim does not allow foreign PH's to legally conduct safaris in their country. The other country that impliments this policy is Ethiopia.

If you were to book and accompany your client in Zim then you would have to accept that you as a foreign PH takes a back seat as an observer.

Whilst most PH's will probably allow you to be involved in the hunting as an advisor you will not be allowed to import or carry a gun.

Don't know about Zim but here it is illegal to sub contract hunting in a concession and usage of foreign registered vehicles is prohibited.

Cheers

Just to be a little hypothetical here..
1) What if a foreigner owned land in Zm.
Could he hunt on that land without a PH?.

2) If I know a landowner in Zm personally,
could I hunt on his land as a foreigner
if I was granted permission?.
3) Does a letter of invitation always have to be
from a Ph/outfitter?.
4) Does it take a Ph licence in Zm to start an
operation or just a VAT number and your are
in?.

quote:

Originally posted by jens poulsen:
Just to be a little hypothetical here..
1) What if a foreigner owned land in Zm.
Could he hunt on that land without a PH?.

2) If I know a landowner in Zm personally,
could I hunt on his land as a foreigner
if I was granted permission?.
3) Does a letter of invitation always have to be
from a Ph/outfitter?.
4) Does it take a Ph licence in Zm to start an
operation or just a VAT number and your are
in?.

Jens

It used to be possible for a foreignor to buy hunts via Hunt Auctions and hunt with no PH required.

I have a fair friends and friends of friends whom used to do this. They hired a farmer to supply all the vehicles, tents, gear etc to outfit the actual camp, plus cooks etc.

Just one point and not an answer to all your questions.

To answer some questions, the parks auction which is held every year in Harare for the Zambezi valley hunts, still takes place and anyone, from any country can bid on a package and hunt the said animals without a Zimbabwean registered Ph, this only applies to the Nyakasanga and Sapi auction hunts.

In safari areas and campfire areas including forestry blocks, NO person other than a Zimbabwean citizen or permanent resident holding a professional hunters license issued by the Zimbabwe parks and wildlife authorities can conduct for reward any safari in Zimbabwe.

On private land, the animals belong to the land owner and provided they are not protected species, they can be hunted by the landowner. In order for them to be exported there would have to be a quota issued for that particular area , species and year. There would then have to be the necessary paperwork.

In Zimbabwe , before a hunt is conducted, a TR2 form is completed with the
* client details
* PH details ( plus a copy of his license )
* Area
* Copy of the quota for that area
* It must be stamped by parks

The PH must be a holder of the relevant license ( LPH for plains game on private land )
( restricted license for certain species on any land )
( full license for DG and all species on any land )

No person shall conduct a safari in a foreign registered vehicle.
Unless a client is listed on the TR 2 and paying either a hunting fee or an observer fee, he may not accompany the hunt.
He may carry a weapon if he is listed on the TR2
he may not conduct for reward or gain financially from any safari if he is not a registered operator or Zimbabwe licensed PH, he may collect a commission from the local operator for booking services, this should be listed on the TR2

Basically, book with a Zimbabwean, your foreign PH although good in his field and area/ country probably lacks the necessary knowledge for the area he may never have been. I have been hunting professionally for 18 years, but I would not want to offer my services for a white tail in Texas if you know what I mean.

Basically, we appreciate the business, but do as other agents from the US do, book your clients with a Zimbabwean outfitter ( preferably a SOAZ member with a concession, explain to your client you cannot be there, we will not ' steal ' your client, we will not ' bad mouth ' you.

I hope that explains it

I would presume that an arrangement akin to what I see used in Botswana would work in Zimbabwe too? In Botswana it seems relatively common for a non-Botswana PH to accompany the hunter but there is also a Botswana PH along, I presume to keep the hunt legitimate. I am sure that all the paperwork is completed by the Botswana PH, they are the ostensible head of hunt, etc.

Can someone explain why anyone would hire a PH from a country different from that being hunted and then (if they wanted to keep it legal) happily pay a second Zim PH to "run the hunt"? Seems moronic to hire someone who does NOT know the area and then pay twice for someone who does.

JMHO

Under the same token

COULD ALL ZIMBAWEAN REGISTERED PH'S STAY OUT OF SOUTH AFRICA,

And I think it is hight time South Africa, bans the use of non SA registered vehicles during a hunt well

quote:

Originally posted by tendrams:
Can someone explain why anyone would hire a PH from a country different from that being hunted and then (if they wanted to keep it legal) happily pay a second Zim PH to "run the hunt"? Seems moronic to hire someone who does NOT know the area and then pay twice for someone who does.

JMHO

Excellent question. Why pay for some one who doesn't know the area? I know of a case where a Zim PH was hunting in Moz. He told his client to shoot that big male hartebeest with the good horns. The bull then morphed into a pregnant cow by the time the hunters walked up to it.

Dean

quote:

Originally posted by tendrams:
Can someone explain why anyone would hire a PH from a country different from that being hunted and then (if they wanted to keep it legal) happily pay a second Zim PH to "run the hunt"? Seems moronic to hire someone who does NOT know the area and then pay twice for someone who does.

JMHO

In the situations I am aware of, the Zim PH is familiar with the area, the native country PH is generally a tracker or other camp staff person that has been licensed as a PH. In other words you are not paying to have two PHs do the hunt. I can think of many reasons why a hunter would do this -- first and foremost because they have hunted with a particular PH, are comfortable with that PH and want to hunt with that PH albeit in another country.

quote:

first and foremost because they have hunted with a particular PH, are comfortable with that PH and want to hunt with that PH albeit in another country.

Exactly! A client finds on his PG safari in RSA that he really likes his PH and foremost trusts him. He wants t ohunt with this PH again but this time for DG. The client pays the RSA PH to organize a safari in Zim or elsewhere and wants the PH to come along to increase his comfort level plus smooth out any bumps. Mostly a guy wouldn't have a clue about legalities etc as he's put all that in RSA PH's hands.

Mark

Walter +1, they can keep the fences!!