It has been alleged that an operator in Uganda is guaranteeing trophy Sitatunga by allowing the locals to 'hamstring" the animals, misrepresenting a fair chase hunt. Does anybody know anything about this as it could be very detrimental to the industry. We are fighting enough battles as it is.

MORE INFO PLEASE, I WILL BE HUNTING THERE SOON WITH ONE OM MY CLIENTS.

Well there's only two outfitters for them isn't there??? Sounds pretty fishy to me...

Anyone else have info?

quote:

Originally posted by Wayne Williamson:
It has been alleged that an operator in Uganda is guaranteeing trophy Sitatunga by allowing the locals to 'hamstring" the animals, misrepresenting a fair chase hunt. Does anybody know anything about this as it could be very detrimental to the industry. We are fighting enough battles as it is.

So who made the allegations??

how does one go about hamstringing a Sitatunga?

do you do it right before the "client" arrives to hunt?

sounds like horsechitt to me.....

I suppose anything is possible but I've hunted sitatunga a couple of times and I think over their range the environment they live in is just nasty, watery and tough for humans to get around in. I'd like to see what it takes to corral a trophy sitatunga bull and hamstring it. I can't imagine that it's worth it. If someone has more details on this I'd be very interested.

Mark

Mark,
Until you go to to Uganda and see the conditions the Sitatunga live with in/on the Islands and other...might want to hold that thought.

They do routinely get get chased down by locals on foot there...and caught. A good friend of mine watched it happen.

In some of the areas where Situtunga reside in Uganda (Sesse Islands being on of them) one must almost almost watch to make sure the shooting lane is free of peaople before pulling the trigger.

I am NOT supporting the allegations made by the new member at all. But it is possible in that area.

Lane,

I'll take your word for it. The environment must be quite different there than in the Okavango and Bangweulu. Based on my experience this all sounded laughable.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Lane,

I'll take your word for it. The environment must be quite different there than in the Okavango and Bangweulu. Based on my experience this all sounded laughable.

Mark

Again...not saying it (hamstringing) happens...but Situtunga DO get run down and caught by hand here by locals. Have no knowledge of the hamstringing or other.

Why anyone would give a thread like this any credibility without more evidence than simply hearsay is beyond me... reputations have been ruined but rarely for less.

Russell,
Suffice it to say I have the info to say what I said.

I have only hamstrung the odd buffalo and occasional Lion but never a Sitatunga.

quote:

Originally posted by bwanamrm:
Why anyone would give a thread like this any credibility without more evidence than simply hearsay is beyond me... reputations have been ruined but rarely for less.

Wish I could have said it better, but this is about as spot on as they come.

Lane, I am sure Russell is speaking more about the nasty nature of rumors here, and not so much about the Sitatunga/locals situation. Your word is good here. Interesting to know that about this area and the locals. Never would have imagined that.

Wayne, what is your goal in posting this? You had 3 posts prior to today and your fourth post is a jab at one of the operators in the area? Maybe it is true, but what motivated you to suddenly get involved?

If its true, this is the place to discuss it. If there is nothing but hearsay, I doubt you will get much traction here.

I was told a disturbing story, and thought accurate reloading would be a good place to verify / correct the story. Not posted in malice. Also looking for confirmation and facts. we all want the best for hunting.

Very well. Is it something you can share? Or have you agreed to keep the hunter/person anonymous?

Hi Wayne, yes this is the best place but much more info is needed and not just a story. I for one will be hunting there soon and would really like to know the operators name, and if any of this is true or not.

Well, I've had a great deal of correspondence from people in Uganda and the US. Thanks for the info I believe Phillip from Uganda has cleared this up. He has first hand knowledge of the area and assures me this is not happening. As far as I can see the rumor is exactly that. My apologies!

What does definitely happen is that the locals have been seen running the animals down and catching them. One hunter from Uganda did contact me to tell the story. He had to pay the locals with money and a goat to get them to let it go. They thought they were helping the hunt.
This may be where the story came from? Again I apologize if I offended anyone

Can somebody tell me what conditions allow a human to run down an unwounded wild animal? There's something left out of this scenario.

Mark

With dogs perhaps? This is still a long way from the original allegation of outfitters paying locals to "hamstring" animals and guaranteeing trophies. I don't know what is worse on AR, the wild rumors that seem to crop up or those that encourage them.

Most experienced international hunters have seen some scams but they are few and far between. This poppycock was beyond belief....

There is a YouTube video showing a Bushman running a male kudu to ground over an eight hour period. The kudu finally collapses from exhaustion.So it can be done.

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Can somebody tell me what conditions allow a human to run down an unwounded wild animal? There's something left out of this scenario.

Mark

In the case of sitatunga, the locals run them down with dogs, pushing them through swampy areas towards deeper water, where they wait for them in canoes. A swimming animal is easier to catch than a running one, if you don't want to kill him here and then...

Now, to be clear: this is just how the locals catch sitatunga, absolutely nothing to do with hamstring or not hamstring!

Phillip,

Now that seems plausible. Catching a swimming animal as you say is pretty easy. Saw many swimming moose and caribou while I lived in Alaska. They are very vulnerable in the water.

Mark

I have watched "the boys" run animals to ground by taking turns. That is a far cry from running down a semi aquatic animal in and around the water and reeds.

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Can somebody tell me what conditions allow a human to run down an unwounded wild animal? There's something left out of this scenario.

Mark

In the 2 (may have been same animal caught twice not for sure) situations ( NO hamstringing) I know for sure about...their was a group of locals and they tag teamed the Sitatunga knowing the only escape routes. They caught the bull fairly easily. In this situation...the PH was telling them NOT to catch them but they did anyway. The first time...the PH made them let the animal go and explained to them that catching was not the objective...but it did not take. The second time or animal...the bull was so stressed and/or injured that it could not stand and it had to be dispatched by he hunter.

My ONLY point in the thread was to point out to Mark that it was doable.

I believe! I believe!

http://www.outdoorlife.com/node/4412


My apologies for going off topic, but the attached link is the amazing story and photos of Wayne surviving a leopard attack.

Black kids in WA's desert country routinely run-down - barefoot - and catch wild goats, kangaroos and emus. It isn't a straight-line race, instead they fan-out - instinctively working together - and rely on the animal panicking and zig-zagging around thickets, and gradually wearing down.