Texas man sues Cabela's, guide in hunting dispute
By JOSH FUNK Associated Press © 2010 The Associated Press
Dec. 2, 2010, 2:49PM
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OMAHA, Neb. — A Texas man says a South African guide cheated him and nearly 300 other hunters during safari trips sold by a Cabela's subsidiary.

Scott Anglin, of San Antonio, asks for $1.2 million from Barry Burchell and Cabela's Outdoor Adventures in the lawsuit he filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Nebraska.

Anglin says Burchell added an unnecessary 14 percent tax to the price of his trips to pad his profits, and Cabela's helped collect the fees. Anglin says Burchell broke several U.S., South African and Namibian laws because he lacked permission to hunt on certain land and proper documentation to export hunting trophies to America.

At least 281 people paid Cabela's for hunts with Burchell in South Africa that may have violated hunting laws, according to Anglin's lawsuit.

A spokesman for Sidney-based Cabela's says the company doesn't comment on pending litigation.

Burchell does not have a lawyer listed in the court system, and he did not immediately respond to an e-mail sent Thursday to his Frontier Safaris business in South Africa.

Anglin's lawyer, Alan Peterson of Lincoln, also declined to comment Thursday.

Anglin went on hunts with Burchell that he bought through Cabela's in South Africa and Namibia in 2002 and 2003.

After Anglin tried in 2005 to alert Cabela's to the problems, he says Burchell filed a defamation lawsuit against him in South Africa that is still pending. Anglin said he has spent several hundred thousand dollars defending himself against that lawsuit, which is pending.

Anglin said Cabela's officials threatened in 2005 to expose an old unspecified criminal record of Anglin's if he took his concerns about Burchell to the media. And Anglin says Cabela's refused to cut ties with Burchell until March of this year despite all the evidence he gave officials at the company that sells outdoor gear at massive retail stores and through its catalog and website.



If this is true, it is very serious. Terrible consequences for Cabelas and, worse, a bad reflection on hunting in general. As usual, "What were they thinking?" or, "Why were they not thinking?"

simple greed.

Somehow I bet there is another side to this story. 14% sounds like the VAT that everyone pays??

Yep, sounds like the dreaded VAT many countries levy....it's part of the program. I paid it several times and it's all part of the game and a known cost if you look at your paperwork. It will be interesting to find out the real issue behind the whole smoke-screen.

IIRC in Namibia there is no VAT for exported trophies.

what an idiot, he should have reported his traveler checks stolen, amateur.

quote:

Originally posted by 505 gibbs:
what an idiot, he should have reported his traveler checks stolen, amateur.

Really!

He should have taken llamapacker's course "How to screw your PH and get away with it".

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:

quote:

Originally posted by 505 gibbs:
what an idiot, he should have reported his traveler checks stolen, amateur.

Really!

He should have taken llamapacker's course "How to screw your PH and get away with it".

^^^^TFF^^^^

This doesn't pass the smell test. Several hundred thousand dollars on a defamation defense? In South Africa? Why would he even care?

Jeff

it's a lawsuit, I am sure all of the amounts have been inflated dramatically, both by the people involved in the suit and the people gossiping about it.

I have never heard a good thing about Burchells outfit, and have talked to a lot of his past, and very unhappy hunting and taxidermy customers. This outfit , and others like it, are the cause of distrust for many potential clients.

I hunted with Burchell in 2002. It was a good time, but I attribute that to my PH who has since gone on his own and runs a good shop.

So can USF&W confiscate trophys from past clients already processed through a taxidermy and in their home??

Clem,

Of course USFWS can confiscate illegally obtained trophies, even if they are already in your trophy room. Just because someone gets a trophy imported (smuggled?) into the US doesn't let them off the hook.

While it isn't likely that USFWS will be knocking on the doors of all ~300 Cabelas' hunters, it certainly can happen. It just amazes me that some on these forums continue to protect and defend PH's and outfitters who hunt illegaly.

I don't generally blame the hunters in this Cabelas fiasco, as I would have normally considered Cabelas a reputable booking service myself. It just goes to show how difficult it is to know who to trust. Look at the supporters of OAA and various other (now) discredited PH's on this board.
While I would generally counsel against using the courts for every personal vendetta, this lawsuit may serve as a wake-up call to US based agents who represent dishonest outfitters and PH's. Thankfully a few of these so-called agents have stopped posting on this board, and this is by no means a condemnation of the many fine and reputable agents who post here as well. It merely highlights that until all the facts are known, it can be very difficult to discern the truth from a distance. I will withohold making a personal judgement in this case until the courts sort it out.

Bill

quote:

It just goes to show how difficult it is to know who to trust. Look at the supporters of OAA and various other (now) discredited PH's on this board.
While I would generally counsel against using the courts for every personal vendetta, this lawsuit may serve as a wake-up call to US based agents who represent dishonest outfitters and PH's. Thankfully a few of these so-called agents have stopped posting on this board, and this is by no means a condemnation of the many fine and reputable agents who post here as well. It merely highlights that until all the facts are known, it can be very difficult to discern the truth from a distance. I will withohold making a personal judgement in this case until the courts sort it out.

Bill

thanks for the laugh Bill.

You reap what you sow. .

quote:

Originally posted by Clem:
So can USF&W confiscate trophys from past clients already processed through a taxidermy and in their home??

Hi Clem they can and have, one of Mr Burchells clients based in Tennesee had his gemsbuck confiscated and then returned without the hide on the mount.

It turns out that the horns where exported and not the hide, so after many threats et etc to Cabelas an so on the hide finally arived via UPS?? no documents,import papers nothing so the fella mounted it.
this info got to the authorities somehow via Mr.Anglin or somebody and they siezed it.
It was pointed out that the Horns where legal and the mould was paid for so that was illegally siezed an they returned them minus the hide.
Dave

So is he suing on behalf of the other 300 hunters for the $1.2 million? Or just himself because of the 14% VAT? I agree, there has to be another side to this story. Then of course anyone can sue anyone.

quote:

Originally posted by 505 gibbs:

quote:

It just goes to show how difficult it is to know who to trust. Look at the supporters of OAA and various other (now) discredited PH's on this board.
While I would generally counsel against using the courts for every personal vendetta, this lawsuit may serve as a wake-up call to US based agents who represent dishonest outfitters and PH's. Thankfully a few of these so-called agents have stopped posting on this board, and this is by no means a condemnation of the many fine and reputable agents who post here as well. It merely highlights that until all the facts are known, it can be very difficult to discern the truth from a distance. I will withohold making a personal judgement in this case until the courts sort it out.

Bill

thanks for the laugh Bill.

i am with you Brad. just need to change a few simple words in the packer's post and it becomes hilarious!

whats the Udate on this? I believe Mr. Burchell had a booth at Dallas Safari Club.

First I have heard of this. Whoa.

The only knowledge I have about African hunting, is that every time I seriously looked into doing a hunt there, I noticed that by the time all the "tacked on charges" were added up, and put with the "Base" cost, it got pretty expensive for me at least, especially since it would be a trophy only hunt and I would not be able to bring meat home.

All that is beside the point, because one thing I have noticed about many folks when planning a Guided Hunt or a Safari is that they start getting excited and caught up in the anticipation of the hunt, that they sort of blank out and quit paying attention to what they are getting themselves into.

In my opinion, people should approach a Safari, Guided hunt in North America, whatever, just as they would any other business dealing, like buying a car or a house.

They need to pay attention to all the small stuff and incidentals that are listed or should be listed somewhere in the contract, yet they don't.

They need to slow everything down and iof something comes up that they do not understand, they need to get that hashed out before making the final committment, they don't.

They get to worrying about which gun, what ammo, which hat or boots. That stuff needs to be worried about after the contracts have been signed and money has changed hands.

Also, when actually in the field during the hunt, if things start getting fishy, throw up your hands and holler Whoa!, and get everything straightened before taking another step or shooting anothwer critter.

One of the reasons I start planning a hunt 12 to 18 months ahead of time is to reduce the chance of a "Sur-prise" mkid way of the hunt or as I am packing my gear to leave.

Hi Crazyhorse
I know we are a little off of the thread but need to resond to your statement with regards to hunting in Africa to stop any misunderstandings.
I also do not agree with African Outfitters trying to rack up the hidden costs.

A Entry level Safari with 7 hunting days 2 travel days all in, Airport Pick to drop off.Wet bar.Pro hunting staff field prep paperwork all hunting expenses for the 7 hunting days
1Kudu 1Impala 1Blesbuck 1Springbuck 1 on 1 excluding any discounts ect should not be more than $ 4500
Dip and ship paperwork $ 250
Dip an Ship 4 animals @ $ 90ea
shipping at roughly $600
bonded agent and US transport not sure
flights round trip @roughly $13-1 500?
what other hidden costs are there
Thats all in at roughly @ $7 000 from your door to back again excluding taxi costs if you divide that by 4 animals all in excluding taxidermy and pro hunter tips you are looking at $ 1 750 per animal.

There should be NO small print in a contract of a reputable african outfitter.

I am not digging at you I just dont want negative press on an African hunt. Again im sorry you have been dicked around by other guys.
as ever in good hunting
Dave

quote:

Originally posted by generalwar:
First I have heard of this. Whoa.

He had a booth at Dallas safari club and was seen by a reputable eye witness.

quote:

I am not digging at you I just dont want negative press on an African hunt. Again im sorry you have been dicked around by other guys.
as ever in good hunting
Dave

I have never been dicked around by anyone on a hunt, what I was getting at, and maybe poorly or not quite clearly, is that many times, it is the clients, that are the ones who make the mistakes when booking a hunt.

Yes, there are disreputable hunting operations in business, not just in Africa.

Many folks yearly go on successful safaris in Africa or guided hunts in North America, with no problems.

Some folks however, which is the point I was trying to make, when boloking a hunt, get so excited or whatever you want to call it anbout the event, that they stop listening and paying attention to all of the information they are being presented with.

Just like your example, many people see an ad for a 4 species/7 day Plains Game hunt for $4500.00 and get all excited.

Some of them, me for instance go beyond that and read the remainder of the information, it is 7 hunting days, with 2 travel days plus another 2/3 or maybe 4 days involved in getting ready to go on the hunt and getting your life back in order after the hunt.

The 7 day hunt that seemed so interesting has now turned into 12 to 14 days total.

Then I start looking at the other associated costs that you listed, and my possible 7 Day/4 Species African Safari has went from $4500.00 to $7000.00 to $8000.00 and 10 to 14 days in duration.

Had I the $$, I would go on such a hunt, even though I know I would not be bringing meat back home.

Some folks however would make the booking without checking into such things as the Dip and Ship, or the agent at customs and such things.

Then they will find a way to blame the outfitter/guide/PH/booking agent for mkistakes they made by simply not paying attention.

I can see your point.Sorry for any misunderstanding. Just Left Austen TX Yesterday an missed the weather by a day.
You have a good one
Dave