This is the other side of "jetblueman"'s post on "What makes a good/bad client?". Please feel free to respond as some PH's can be, and are, clients.



Would be very interested in the opinions of those who have experienced both sides of the story. I leave on my second PG safari in a week. I can only speak from my first experience: We have mutual respect & trust. Everything else is secondary. He is a friend who I am trusting to work hard for my son as he did for me in August 2003.



He took my strengths and weaknesses into consideration, along with the conditions we were hunting in and made it into a great hunt, somehow. What more could a client ask?

One who bad mouths his clients after they leave.

Who's left?

RHS,

I'm sure anyone who had been to Africa a few times could write a book on the "GOOD/BAD PH" theme. Personally I think the GOOD PH is the one you remember fondly for years after and would love to hunt with again. You just plain had a great time with them. The BAD PH is the one that you don't want to even see again regardless of his hunting skills. You were almost glad when the safari ended.

Regards,

Mark

I would say that the most important thing about a good or bad PH or client, is INTEGRITY or lack of it.

The good PH gives you the impression that your hunt is as important to him as it is to you. He gives everything he has to make it successful. If the hunt does not work out as planned at least the effort was there. That is all anyone can ask. The good PH knows it takes a lot of saving to afford an African safari and he appreciates the sacrifice. Two PHs in this category come to mind, Brian van Blerk and John Hulme.

The bad PH is the one who views you like an assembly line worker.
After I finish this hunt I have seven more to do before the season is over.

Kathi

kathi@wldtravel.com

A PH must be all things, including:



entertainer

conversationalist

game biologist

hunter

athlete

tracker

skinner

adviser

marksman

accountant

businessman

mechanic

manager

etc.



If he fails in any one area, the client will think he was not a good PH. I think being a PH must be a really tough job.

NitroX - You are so right. We went on our first safari to Namibia in 2002 and the PH was a great guy. I just knew he had some funny stories about former hunters but no matter how much I begged he would not share them!

It is a small world and he shouldn't tell any stories because I met someone on this site that hunted with the PH after we did and he "knew" who I was because of a story the PH told him!

Keep in mind, it's a two way street.

Dave

A PH can be a good one, based on some "criteria" somewhere but if their is a personality conflict then the hunter views him/her as a bad PH. If you "click" with your PH right off the bat then you more then likely consider him a good one, if all else goes well.

I was lucky on my first trip to Africa (a few weeks ago) in that within 30 minutes of knowing one another my PH and myself were on the same page. We were laughing and having fun right off the bat. When things got serious, out in the field, he was very professional but back at the lodge we had a great time together, laughing and joking. One has to have a "good feeling" spending time with the person. If that doesn't happen then their is friction and one "may" come away with the impression that he/she isn't a good PH.

"Good" has different criteria for everyone.

My 2 cents,

Don

Let me add one of the most irritating things about a "bad" PH.

PH's that are always late. If we are to leave camp a 7 am, the PH has 10 more things to do and we leave at 7;30. That just cost me the best 1/2 hour of the day.

AND.... NEVER be late picking up your clients at the airport., NEVER

Sit on your butt for an hour, eat ice cream, smoke, watch the tourist as they go by, but be there when your client comes out.

Then have the truck full of fuel etc, so no extra stops.

A good set of tires would be nice. I figure I've spent a few grand to watch tire changes over there.

Amen on the tires.

Second would be to ban the phrase -"Gosh, that is the first time that has ever happened, you must be unlucky."

How about chain smoking ph's?

Buy them a voice box and a Denis Leary CD

Cheers,

Andr�

Rick, are you sitting down? Last time over, I suffered through 11 flats, out on the hunt and 3 "overnighters", delaying the a.m. departure. A broken leaf spring, one broken helper spring that somehow jammed down the leaf springs and snapped a stack "U" bolt. Four fresh (not new)tires arrived via my departure charter!

YEOW!!!

ELEVEN!!!



I thought it was interesting when I had to hold my flashlight outside the truck one evening because the headlights wouldn't work!


Like one guy said here, "Adventure isn't all it's cracked up to be..."


Was this the trip you made your video from?

In the Gwayi Valley?

Rick.