ETHICS ARE EVERYTHING!
Zimbabwe Professional Guides Association (Z.P.G.A.)
Harare Office: Bulawayo Office: Victoria Falls Office:
64 Churchill Ave The Orange Elephant 258 Adam Stander
Alex Park 12th Ave Extension Victoria Falls
Harare Bulawayo
hreoffice@zpga.org marketing@zpga.org secretary@zpga.org
08th January 2024
Dear Exhibitors and Participants of the DSC Convention,
We acknowledge the recent advertisement that appeared in the Dallas Safari Club show catalogue. We want
to assure all attendees that the publication of this advertisement is regrettable, and it does not reflect the
official stance of Z.P.G.A.
At Z.P.G.A., we support all Safari Operators and Professional Hunters who are our members. The mentioned
advertisement is a private initiative that unfortunately misrepresents the position of Z.P.G.A. due to its
wording.
For a comprehensive list of our members, please visit our website at www.zpga.org. Our membership includes
hunters in Zimbabwe who have met the vetting criteria set by Z.P.G.A. If you have any questions regarding the
standing of our members, please email secretary@zpga.org.
We highly value ethical standards, responsible hunting practices, and the reputation of our members. Z.P.G.A.
is dedicated to upholding these principles and ensuring that our members adhere to the highest standards of
fair chase and ethical hunting. We take immense pride in the dedication and integrity displayed by our
members and continuously strive to promote sustainable hunting and conservation efforts.
As the DSC show is currently underway, we extend our best wishes to all participants. We would like to
express our gratitude to the DSC for hosting this significant event and for their unwavering support and
dedication to worldwide conservation efforts. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the preservation of
wildlife and their habitats.
Yours sincerely,
John LAING
Z.P.G.A. Chairman

Who sets the standards for ETHICS?

Is it how much one pays?

As I understand it, an advertisement was produced for DSC . The association took exception to it .

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
As I understand it, an advertisement was produced for DSC . The association took exception to it .

Who produced the advert?

Who paid for it?

Was it the ZPGA?

Not sure . I would think DSC did it but that is an educated guess.

The following is a text I got on the matter .


Zim outfitters are pissed at DSC due to an advert video they put out. Ad advises hunters to hunt with “approved and ethical Zim outfitters” and featured 6-8 guys from Zim. Not all are outfitters and the PH association is mad because they feel like DSC is saying these are the only ethical outfitters in Zim.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Not sure . I would think DSC did it but that is an educated guess.

The following is a text I got on the matter .


Zim outfitters are pissed at DSC due to an advert video they put out. Ad advises hunters to hunt with “approved and ethical Zim outfitters” and featured 6-8 guys from Zim. Not all are outfitters and the PH association is mad because they feel like DSC is saying these are the only ethical outfitters in Zim.

Been told that is factual.

So DSC has decided to single out 6-8 guys from Zimbabwe as THEIR approved people to hunt with?

What about the rest of the of them?

Those 6-8 are approved, so the rest rest are black listed as being unethical?

Who is the genius who dreamt this up?

Why does DSC management keep shooting themselves in the foot lately?

I sincerely hope they are NOT going to continue this.

Slowly but surely, DSC is becoming the NEW CSI?

Wasn't the reason they split because of the stupid shenanigans of SCI in the first place?

So 12 outfitters and ZPGA that have booths at DSC are in a paid advertisement in Lone Star Outdoor News, Convention issue. I fail to see the problem that outfitters that did not kick in to pay for the ad are not ethical.

quote:

Originally posted by Wesheltonj:
So 12 outfitters and ZPGA that have booths at DSC are in a paid advertisement in Lone Star Outdoor News, Convention issue. I fail to see the problem that outfitters that did not kick in to pay for the ad are not ethical.

Agree with you that those who are present, and paid for being there should get exposure.

But ETHICS?

DSC CANNOT and SHOULD NOT, decide those who pay for space are ethical, while all others are NOT!

In fact, ANY advert that decides on ethics is stupid.

Whose standard of ethics are we talking about?

DSCs?

Just because they are paid?

This is just plain silly, and they shouldn't never have had that advert out!

Does DSC gives free hand to advertising companies to dictate who is ethical and who is not?

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Wesheltonj:
So 12 outfitters and ZPGA that have booths at DSC are in a paid advertisement in Lone Star Outdoor News, Convention issue. I fail to see the problem that outfitters that did not kick in to pay for the ad are not ethical.

Agree with you that those who are present, and paid for being there should get exposure.

But ETHICS?

DSC CANNOT and SHOULD NOT, decide those who pay for space are ethical, while all others are NOT!

In fact, ANY advert that decides on ethics is stupid.

Whose standard of ethics are we talking about?

DSCs?

Just because they are paid?

This is just plain silly, and they shouldn't never have had that advert out!

Does DSC gives free hand to advertising companies to dictate who is ethical and who is not?

It's not DSC, it's a private company that publishes "Lone Star Outdoor News" and is also a convention sponsor. Their Convention program issue is stuffed into the DSC grab bags that are passed out at the convention.

https://issuu.com/lsoneditor/d..._2024_v15-compressed

Page 81 in above link.

I haven't seen the ad that was run and thought it best to reserve judgment until I saw it. Clearly, ZPGA didn't like it and credit to DSC to publish their objection. ZPGA's reaction was characteristically very reserved. I really can't wait to see the ad that caused the ruckus.

quote:

Originally posted by Wesheltonj:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Wesheltonj:
So 12 outfitters and ZPGA that have booths at DSC are in a paid advertisement in Lone Star Outdoor News, Convention issue. I fail to see the problem that outfitters that did not kick in to pay for the ad are not ethical.

Agree with you that those who are present, and paid for being there should get exposure.

But ETHICS?

DSC CANNOT and SHOULD NOT, decide those who pay for space are ethical, while all others are NOT!

In fact, ANY advert that decides on ethics is stupid.

Whose standard of ethics are we talking about?

DSCs?

Just because they are paid?

This is just plain silly, and they shouldn't never have had that advert out!

Does DSC gives free hand to advertising companies to dictate who is ethical and who is not?

It's not DSC, it's a private company that publishes "Lone Star Outdoor News" and is also a convention sponsor. Their Convention program issue is stuffed into the DSC grab bags that are passed out at the convention.

https://issuu.com/lsoneditor/d..._2024_v15-compressed

Page 81 in above link.

Thank you.

Do DSC not vet adverts?

Clearly, one can see that advert would cause problems.

I can definitely see why some would get upset with the add.

I was approached by several Xim outfitters about this, they were upset. I hadn’t seen it, but looked at it and I can see why many would be rightfully upset. DSC provides the information published in the convention program.

Yep, somebody at DSC stepped on their pee-pee (with golf shoes on) over the verbiage of the ad. Understand that people are upset. Am pretty sure DSC will kiss and make up with the Zim PH organization. Time to move on.

Anyone who thinks that just because DSC or SCI sells an outfitter a booth that the outfitter is ethical is ignorant. I am one of several folks that had a legitimate issue with an outfitter that exhibited at both DSC and SCI for years and when I filed a complaint (after paying the fee to file the complaint, of course) neither organization was of any help whatsoever. My signature line reflects that. As with anything else "caveat emptor"!

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I can definitely see why some would get upset with the add.

Exactly and there are a bunch of good operators in Zimbabwe and probably the best is CMS.