Just wondered what things anyone unexpectedly experienced on their first safari !that might help future travelers .For me it was getting robbed by a Reputatable ''Phs'' staff ! and having the PH blast game without my SAY SO ! also just ''unprofessional'' attitude of ''professional hunter '' that left me feeling cold!!! and dissatisfied and that all the money i spent was for s...t and coming home feeling like crap

Sounds like you had a very bad experience.
Where were you treated so badly.

Sorry to hear about it.

I wasn't our first trip but we've also had a PH who "helped" us shoot a couple of animals, eland and kudu. With his double he took 4 shoots, and missed each time, at the kudu LaRita had wounded, which was 500+ yards away. Then for the next few hours he complains "this f---ing kudu just keeps running".

Obviously you had a terrible experience. Could you elaborate a bit more with names, places, etc?? It might help others avoid the same situation in the future. Both of my trips to Africa have been all I ever imagined them to be, and I hope that you get a chance to return and have a great safari next time.

My suprises were all good surprises,-

1. Food was better than expected.
2. PH's better than the redneck cowboys I have had in the USA hunting elk at the same prices as RSA. They knew what they were doing, were excellent sportsman, could track and ID the animals.
3. My wife was comfortable and made to feel welcome.
4. I saw more game than I expected to.
5. Hot showers and toilets - much better than any elk camp I have been in.
6. Trackers were better than bird dogs.
7. The weather was great.
8. Airbus was not as bad as advertised.
9. Harare was a lot better than Lagos or Karachi.

Only bad experience was having to leave....

Lots of stuff was unexpected but nothing more than at end of the first safari(a great one) was the line of about 25 staff members or so with their hands out for their tip!

just before we left, the Ph's handed a list of "usual" tip amounts and to whom they go!
hell-- their were tips indicated for people I never even saw such as; the firewood cutter, and various others
I expected to tip the PH's, tracker, skinners ------but half of the country? ha-ha haha

The only bad experience I have had was finding out what Bovril tastes like.

quote:

The only bad experience I have had was finding out what Bovril tastes like.

C'mon 500! On buttery toast with tea...its great, as good as marmite or vegemite

This is very unusual for a safari.....not at all the norm and this is the first I've heard of anything this bad.

I dont want to do any one out of a job ,[ and i can wear some shit]but i was just dissapointed with the way i was treated ! the PH was basically a Nice guy, but his ''Professionalism ''didnt sit well with me ! My parents had a cattle property which they have sold ,as they have retired, and i took many ,friends ,family ,friends of friends on Free hunts for years !!!!!!!! Iam still paying this hunt off, and it still pisses me off the way i got treated ! despite how people Rave about this PH !I worked damn hard and many hours of overtime to afford this hunt ,i could accept some of the shit that happened, but i think i could have been treated a whole lot better , i just want others to be careful before they shell out cash they had to work there arse off for,especially since it might only happen Once in a lifetime for some, and its just ''another day at the office '' for a ''PH ''

By not posting a name you are damning someone to the same fate as yourself.

Or by not posting a name your not opening yourself up to being trashed and flamed on an open forum by other people who rave about this PH. Trust me, I've been there.....

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
The only bad experience I have had was finding out what Bovril tastes like.

Alan Vincent and myself just love Bovril!

We add one spoon of Bovril, boiling water, squeeze a lemon or lime onto it, and add a few drops of Tabasco!

Absolutely refreshing

boucanier,

To address your original question. I had a PH on my first safari that partied with the previous clients until 2:30 AM of the first morning of my hunt. We had arrived the previous afaternoon. We turned in at 10:30 and at that point this guy was slurring his words. Next morning we're up at 5:30 AM. The PH rolls out still quite drunk at 8:30 and wants to go hunting. No way!

The hunt actually turned out quite well with the PH actually being very good as long as he was sober which he was through the rest of the safari. That first day kind of tarnished our first safari experience though.

Mark

I followed the advice and recommendations of frequent posters here on the AR web site and had a marvelous experience. My biggest surprise was that you could get within 9 steps of a cow elephant!

Andy

Thankfully, it was not my first Safari, but attached is a link to a hunt I had in 2005. I wish you the best of luck in your future Safaris and hope this less than ideal experience will not prevent you from giving this spectacular sport another chance.


https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/...=461106673#461106673

Boucanier:

Let me add my voice to the chorus asking you to give some specifics about your bad experience. I was a one time hunter to Africa (Zimbabwe) and the trip was absolutely perfect. Everything went right. Like "1115" I had the same pleasant surprises (except that I went alone and by SAA -which to this day I think gave me the best flying experience I ever had, both coming and going -and I travelled extensively by air in the US on business) You really should give some thought to elaborating with some specific details of your experience. It would help others - and, equally important, avoid tarring the good people.

Without a name and specifics I find a complaint such as the one that started this thread totally useless.Perhaps it makes the poster feel a bit better because he has vented a bit, but no one else will gain anything by it.

If it was all that bad , give the details.If it really wasn't so bad then quit moaning.

I didn't expect the plains game meat to be soo delicious.
Who needs veggies and dessert when the meat tastes so great? Made me try even harder to scheme a way to bring some back home with me. I was convinced otherwise!

I smell a baiting/fishing expedition....jorge

I didn't expect it could possibly be that addictive. Boy, was I wrong!

Haven't been since '04 and it may be another 10 or 15 years before I can go back but there aren't too many hours that go by when I don't think about it.

Kyler

quote:

Originally posted by kayaker:

quote:

The only bad experience I have had was finding out what Bovril tastes like.

C'mon 500! On buttery toast with tea...its great, as good as marmite or vegemite

Thats not saying much!

I was promised a slew of naked native girls in attendence.

It was totally unexpected when there were none.

...I was told that shooting distances in Namibia would be 200 - 300m...they were - tho the bright light (even shadows were bright) big animals and flat terrain made distances look like halfway

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
I was promised a slew of naked native girls in attendence.

It was totally unexpected when there were none.

That's strange Bill. I wasn't promised any, yet they were all over the place!

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
I smell a baiting/fishing expedition....jorge

I agree!

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
I smell a baiting/fishing expedition....jorge

Where I come from it's called trolling......and in this case using bullshit for bait.

quote:

Originally posted by Kyler Hamann:
I didn't expect it could possibly be that addictive. Boy, was I wrong!

Haven't been since '04 and it may be another 10 or 15 years before I can go back but there aren't too many hours that go by when I don't think about it.

Kyler

I concur. I went for a once in a lifetime hunt. I even had regrets right before we left because of work/time off issues. By the third day it was "when I come back next time..."! I did just that 10 months later. I wish I could afford to go every year.

Count a third vote for the addiction. We will be leaving in four days and have already booked for 2007 as well.

UEG - how about being stood up by the PH on the last day to get to the airport because he was getting his "birthday present?"

quote:

Originally posted by mark65x55:
Or by not posting a name your not opening yourself up to being trashed and flamed on an open forum by other people who rave about this PH. Trust me, I've been there.....

I agree with you Mark, I had a horrid second hunt and with a company that was highly thought of and everyone from Ray on down berrated me as someone that could not be satisfied. Hell I'm easy. I also know when I am getting the shaft. I wouldn't air it out here because there are to many critics to pot shot you.

Same here. I am now addicted. What I think was the biggest surprise, I don't care as much about hunting deer this fall. I want to get back to Africa ASAP!

Let me add some comments:

1. It is asking for trouble in any third world country to leave cash or valuables lying around. I lock mine in my gun or ammo case. (If I take the gentleman's statement literally, he had items or cash stolen while in camp; or perhaps he was charged more than was agreed, in which case he would have been within his rights to hold the PH to the contract/agreement).

2. It is very common for PHs to make immediate followup shots and I think this is even part of their training. They have spent too many days following wounded animals and they don't want to have to bill clients for animals wounded but lost. If you want to make your own followup shots, say so before the hunt begins and then take responsibility if you lose a trophy.

3. I can't respond to a PH who is first blasted for his "professionalism" and then for his "unprofessional attitude". From the context, it seems that client was expecting some freebies, just as he provided his friends on his cattle ranch, and was disappointed when he was charged according to the letter of the contract. That's par for the course, I'm afraid. You pay what you commmit to pay.

Now if he had said "lousy trophy quality", "scarce game", or "poor meals and accommodation", those would be more believable and concrete criticisms. But the vagueness of these complaints makes me think here is a guy who spent more than he could afford to and is now dealing with that reality.

If I am wrong, I apologize in advance, but pls give us something specific if not a name.

My hunts with 2 different outfitters were great but I met a guy in RSA who seemed oblivious that he had been jerked around by a rather well known safari company. Some of the things I remember about the conversation were:

1. Many hours driving (over a day as I recall) in a vehicle cooped up with smoking PHs. When he wanted to stop to rest for the night, they wouldn't consent to a stop even when he said he would pay for the hotel.

2. A videographer was sent along without his knowledge or request. He came to understand that the fee for having his hunt videoed was going to be around $3,500. I guess he negotiated and got it down to a bit over $1,000.

3. Was talked into a "green hunt" on a rhino he hadn't been planning to spend money on (maybe that was his fault).

From an independent source, this company has a reputation for not paying the appropriate licence fees and thus clients can't get their trophies exported.

This company allegedly also contracts with a game farm to shoot animals, takes clients there who shoot animals and then doesn't pay the game farm operators.

Since I don't have first hand information on the company I'm not going to name names but you can bet I'll never use them. It also would behoove all who wish to book a safari to speak with clients who have actually hunted with an operator before booking.

Last year was my first trip; I guess I was just very lucky. I'm planning another trip in 2008 so am collecting information. I would like to do a hunt for either leopard or buffalo as well as some plains game. If anyone has personal recommendations pro or con with a particular operator I am, as they say, 'all ears.'

None of my PHs shot anything for me. One wanted to know if he should bring his rifle while I hunted with a handgun. I said I wanted to do it on my own and he left his gun behind. In the case of dangerous game, however, the PH is supposed to try to keep a dangerous animal from getting away to kill someone if he thinks there is a risk of that happening.

Complaints without saying who it is that is being complained about does nothing (IMO it is worse then just keeping it to yourself in the first place). Please, everyone, just say who it is. It may save one of your colleagues thousands of dollars and lots of regret/time/etc.

Unexpected on my first safari (Zimbabwe's Matetsi, 1983) was not finding the short grass plains we have all seen in films of Africa.

I've hunted in five other African countries since then, and still haven't found them! But then I've never gotten to Tanzania or Kenya.

My only serious problem came in Zululand when a PH and I had a definite personality conflict. I hunted with him only one day and couldn't stand him as a person. He did take me to a good nyala and warthog, though.

Bill Quimby

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
The only bad experience I have had was finding out what Bovril tastes like.

Alan Vincent and myself just love Bovril!

We add one spoon of Bovril, boiling water, squeeze a lemon or lime onto it, and add a few drops of Tabasco!

Absolutely refreshing

Saeed,

In the UK on Driven pheasant shoots they serve a drink in the morning called Bullshot. It's Bovril with hot water, tabasco and a shot of Vodka. served in a small cup or shot glass it definately keeps the cold out for the first couple of drives!!

FB

Yes, the ONLY disappoint, as Bwanna correctly points out, was the hour and one half delay in our PH coming to pick us up for the airport and shopping. Seems that his wife had presented him with a little birthday surprise earlier and he was grinning from ear to ear upon his arrival at the lodge.

EricD:

It is shocking to read that a Norwegian was photographing half nude young women! I always thought you guys were devoted to ice fishing and moose hunting! What is the world coming to?

quote:

Originally posted by gerrys375:
EricD:

It is shocking to read that a Norwegian was photographing half nude young women! I always thought you guys were devoted to ice fishing and moose hunting! What is the world coming to?

Looks like the world is going to hell in a hand basket Gerry!