SAFRIQUE RED ALERT

30 November 2011, 06:28

jetdrvr

SAFRIQUE RED ALERT

quote:
Originally posted by Saeed:
Here is my advice.

If one wishes to book a hunt in Africa, there are many excellent outfitters and PHs.

A little research would tell you all you want to know.

I would personally avoid ANY booking agent, outfitter or PH that has had more than one recent complaint against him, and it has NOT been sorted out IMMEDIATELY and to the satisfaction of the client.

If they do not feel that they have to answer to anyone, they will not correct what is wrong with their operation.

30 November 2011, 07:08

505 gibbs

quote:
All I need is state and county.

I believe Safrique is based in Dallas, TX

30 November 2011, 22:44

Brain1

They are here in Wise County, Texas. Chico to be exact. I know them personally but have never hunted or had any other dealing with them. I think this thread just saved me about $10,000.00. I'm sorry to hear this has happened, but glad I heard it before I made a deposit on a hunt.

30 November 2011, 23:36

Vanderhoef

It's not Paul Cantrell of North TX Outfitters by chance is it?

30 November 2011, 23:41

Brain1

Paul does not own Safrique, The Munn family does.

30 November 2011, 23:56

Vanderhoef

Thanks for the clarification!!!

Glad to hear it's not Paul.

01 December 2011, 00:12

505 gibbs

quote:
I think this thread just saved me about $10,000.00. I'm sorry to hear this has happened, but glad I heard it before I made a deposit on a hunt.

Someone want to start running a tab on how much this cost these guys?

01 December 2011, 04:15

Aaron Neilson

quote:
Originally posted by 505 gibbs:
quote:
I think this thread just saved me about $10,000.00. I'm sorry to hear this has happened, but glad I heard it before I made a deposit on a hunt.

Someone want to start running a tab on how much this cost these guys?

You'll definitely need a calculator!

01 December 2011, 06:47

Saeed

A few years ago, I made a recommendation to some who was asking for someone to hunt with in Zimbabwe.

I recommended Roy Vincent, whom I have been hunting with.

This was on another hunting website.

My recommendation was deleted, and I got an email from the website saying that I should not recommend any outfitter or PH who is not advertising on that site!

Needless to say, no negative comments are allowed abou the adverisers either.

AR was a very small site then, with only one forum, that ran continuously for 500 threads, which included everything. Thread number 5011 disappears as soon as a new one appears.

I thought of putting up a forum where we can ALL share our experiences, good or bad.

And hopefully encourage the good operators to get more business, as well as getting hunters a better hunting experience.

At the same time bringing out the real rats of the hunting world.

Be they hunters, outfitters, booking agents or PHs.

So others can avoid dealing with them.

Let us hope this works.

01 December 2011, 08:07

SBT

You are a visionary and I very much appreciate what you have created.

01 December 2011, 08:26

DCS Member

It does work and thank you.

01 December 2011, 09:29

JCHB

quote:
Originally posted by DCS Member:
It does work and thank you.

+1
Yes it sure does!
JCHB

01 December 2011, 10:47

David Hulme

Yes, it does work for sure. It just bemuses me that there are still guys who book with dubious operators when they have AR to do their research. Hopefully, in light of recent threads, less of this will happen.

01 December 2011, 11:55

dogcat

Saeed,
I got partially cheated/misled on a deal in Zambia. I now have my trophies out of the country thanks to the efforts of an honest taxidermist and an honest hunting company that stood in the gap for me.

Where would you like me to share the story - hunt reports? I was dealing with Rashid Randera of Nyampala and Baobab Safaris.

01 December 2011, 13:05

Saeed

quote:
Originally posted by dogcat:
Saeed,
I got partially cheated/misled on a deal in Zambia. I now have my trophies out of the country thanks to the efforts of an honest taxidermist and an honest hunting company that stood in the gap for me.

Where would you like me to share the story - hunt reports? I was dealing with Rashid Randera of Nyampala and Baobab Safaris.

The Hunt Report Forum might best.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

01 December 2011, 21:13

fairgame

quote:
Originally posted by dogcat:
Saeed,
I got partially cheated/misled on a deal in Zambia. I now have my trophies out of the country thanks to the efforts of an honest taxidermist and an honest hunting company that stood in the gap for me.

Where would you like me to share the story - hunt reports? I was dealing with Rashid Randera of Nyampala and Baobab Safaris.

Just out of interest does Rashid have a website?

01 December 2011, 21:51

dogcat

I have not seen one. He seems to hide in the background selling quota or areas to PH's who are on their own.

He has been around a long time, as I have learned. He was involved in an issue with Leopard Ridge Safaris several years ago that I think may have been posted here. There are several people out there with bad experiences with this guy.

01 December 2011, 23:07

Dave Fulson

Four years ago the Mahimba area was run by JP Klienhans Safaris. We filmed multiple episodes of Tracks with JP and enjoyed great success. JP had a full time and very aggressive anti poaching team paid out of his pocket. The game was there in droves with buff-sable-waterbuck-the best chobe bushbuck in Africa, reedbuck, bushpig-warthog as well as a nice quota of croc and hippo. The area is remote, but the camps were well run, the beer cold, and the meals wonderful. Jp was a great operator that ran a very tight ship, but he was dumped like a hot rock by the corporation who owns Mahimba when the current operators Texas connection flashed what was a unrealistic amount of cash. After several disaster safaris, a tremendous influx in poachers back into the areas, a depressed staff, unfixed equipment and the list goes on, the corporation has reached out to JP to come back and steer this nightmare if they can somehow untangle their contract with the Texas team. He has declined for obvious reasons. This sorry situation is a shame. Under JP's management, Mahimba was a real jewel, a blueprint of what Mozambique could be. Pure greed, unscrupulous ownership, unqualified management, and unethical agents have turned it into the sorry state it is now mired in. I have spent a lot of time in this area, and know the in's and outs. Avoid this current outfit at all costs. Unfortunatly the damage they have caused will take years to bring back to the level JP had attained. I bet the the owners would like to tee that ball up again . Short term gain, long term disaster is what they got and deserve.

01 December 2011, 23:26

DCS Member

It's sad that Moz is getting a bad reputation. Who were they guys that "outbid" a good operation? I think one guy was a fish farmer from Kentucky and the other was a plumber?

02 December 2011, 00:18

infinito

quote:
Originally posted by DCS Member:
It's sad that Moz is getting a bad reputation. Who were they guys that "outbid" a good operation? I think one guy was a fish farmer from Kentucky and the other was a plumber?

Wonder what happened to old Terry and Mark. I heard they are getting their pants sued of of them.

Charl van Rooyen
Owner
Infinito Travel Group
www.infinito-safaris.com
charl@infinito-safaris.com
Cell: +27 78 444 7661
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Fax:+27 13 262 3845
Hereford Street 28A
Groblersdal
0470
Limpopo
R.S.A.

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05 December 2011, 04:08

medved

quote:
Originally posted by David Hulme:
Yes, it does work for sure. It just bemuses me that there are still guys who book with dubious operators when they have AR to do their research. Hopefully, in light of recent threads, less of this will happen.

David,

hope you re right but there is still some people that will get on some deals with unknown or outfitters/ bookers with not so good reputation ...

years ago i was already told if your deal is cheap the hunt will be too ... except in the case of a cancellation in those days nothing is cheap for quality ..

all the best.

05 December 2011, 18:17

retreever

My wife always says this, "If it is to good to be true, it's not true!"

Mike

11 December 2011, 00:27

Marty

quote:
Originally posted by Dave Fulson:
Four years ago the Mahimba area was run by JP Klienhans Safaris. We filmed multiple episodes of Tracks with JP and enjoyed great success. JP had a full time and very aggressive anti poaching team paid out of his pocket. The game was there in droves with buff-sable-waterbuck-the best chobe bushbuck in Africa, reedbuck, bushpig-warthog as well as a nice quota of croc and hippo. The area is remote, but the camps were well run, the beer cold, and the meals wonderful. Jp was a great operator that ran a very tight ship, but he was dumped like a hot rock by the corporation who owns Mahimba when the current operators Texas connection flashed what was a unrealistic amount of cash. After several disaster safaris, a tremendous influx in poachers back into the areas, a depressed staff, unfixed equipment and the list goes on, the corporation has reached out to JP to come back and steer this nightmare if they can somehow untangle their contract with the Texas team. He has declined for obvious reasons. This sorry situation is a shame. Under JP's management, Mahimba was a real jewel, a blueprint of what Mozambique could be. Pure greed, unscrupulous ownership, unqualified management, and unethical agents have turned it into the sorry state it is now mired in. I have spent a lot of time in this area, and know the in's and outs. Avoid this current outfit at all costs. Unfortunatly the damage they have caused will take years to bring back to the level JP had attained. I bet the the owners would like to tee that ball up again . Short term gain, long term disaster is what they got and deserve.

Well said, Dave. I was in camp when you and Tim were filming in 2006. (Sue and I pulled in just as your croc was hitting the skinning shed.) JP was doing a great job, after the mess Sandy left. What a pity this has happened to a fine operator and beautiful area.
Here's a link to that hunt. Reports were a little bit shorter and to the point in 2006.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...=462103545#462103545

17 January 2012, 21:37

George O' Malley

SAFRIQUE RED ALERT
Thank you all for your comments and support.
Safrique have returned our trophy fees and one of our members’s his full money.
True to form they did not return half our daily rate as promised.
They hope that the trophy fee returned will shut us up. They still have the option of coming out of this whole fiasco with some credibility, or are we being punished for speaking out - time will tell.
We will insist on Safrique honoring its promise to us. Regards,
George

18 January 2012, 09:15

Buzz Charlton

Hi George

I have heard from quite a reliable source who hunts almost next door to them that Safrique is now totaly out of it. If this is true I hope that it does not affect your chance of getting your reinbursment back.

18 January 2012, 22:44

Peter Barnard

They have also not paid some PH's that did some hunts for them.Nasty buggers

27 January 2012, 22:12

George O' Malley

SAFRIQUE RED ALERT
Hi All,
Still no response to our emails which is not unusual for Safrique.
If you are going to hunt I Africa please, please, please ensure that you go with a reputable Agent.
It will be interesting to see if Safrique show up at the SCI Conference next week.
Watch this space for further development.
Regards,
George

27 January 2012, 23:49

Aaron Neilson

quote:
Originally posted by George O' Malley:
SAFRIQUE RED ALERT
Hi All,
Still no response to our emails which is not unusual for Safrique.
If you are going to hunt I Africa please, please, please ensure that you go with a reputable Agent.
It will be interesting to see if Safrique show up at the SCI Conference next week.
Watch this space for further development.
Regards,
George

George - I doubt they will be in Vegas!

02 February 2012, 23:57

Neil-PH

I have just loved this thread !! After a real nasty experience the year before in Mocambique, with some critters who are mentioned a few posts higher up, I read about this crap and thank my lucky stars I turned down an offer from Safrique to work with them for the 2011 season.......I tell you what, gut feel is a very real thing !!

03 February 2012, 20:30

George O' Malley

Hi All,
Still nothing from Safrique despite their promise to refund half our daily rate.
I see their web site is accessible again – no doubt looking for fresh recruits for the coming year. I find their arrogance staggering. I am careful not to get my comfort at somebody else’s experience therefore one A. H. has to go unanswered for the moment.
Please read all the comments on Safrique (not just mine) before you decide to book a trip to Africa. I would refuse to hunt with them free of charge.
There must be other outfitters happy to provide a real African Experience without all this negative publicity.
Keep up the good work.
Lets work together to ensure that all fraudsters are closed down.
Regards,
George

06 February 2012, 18:54

We Are Sparta!

Did these people show up at the SCI show?
Any fights break out?

07 February 2012, 03:47

Navaluk

Would someone please list every booking agent who has represented them. When I go hunt shopping, I would like to know.

08 February 2012, 19:14

VFR1

Safrique was not at the SCI show. We were interested in when we might be seeing the buff bosses from our Oct 2010 hunt. No sign of Safrique anywhere. Erik and Eon from Quaggas Safaris, along with JP, were with us in the Mahimba concession. My three hunting buddies and myself all got our buffs, but did not see alot of other game. What we did see was evidence of wide spread poaching. The quarters were livable, but needed work. The food was great. Lucky, the portugese cook, could deep fry turds and they would be tasty. JP, who had the concession before Safrique, was almost in tears when he saw the conditions. This was our first trip to Moz so we thought rustic camps were the norm. It was an adventure and the four of us enjoyed the experience. Still waiting for our trophies.

12 February 2012, 13:44

Safaris Botswana Bound

These guys also operate in Niassa , and the last I heard from the DSC they were investigating the donation hunts from them for buffalo which I enlightened them to the fact that in 3 years as the previous lease holder of block D1 we never saw a buffalo , so the chances of the poor donation purchaser connecting with his donation hunt buffalo was pretty slim , the authority in charge of Niassa, SGDNR are not replying to my emails asking about the standing of These guys?

12 February 2012, 17:56

BEGNO

Maybe we need a Negative Hunt Report section. That might be very helpful.

13 February 2012, 09:09

Frostbit

quote:
Originally posted by BEGNO:
Maybe we need a Negative Hunt Report section. That might be very helpful.

+1, How about Saeed?

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13 February 2012, 21:46

George O' Malley

SAFRIQUE RED ALERT
Much to our disappointment Safrique never showed up at S.C.I.
I suspect they are hiding in the long grass (no pun intended) and will emerge at a later date in a new format.
Thank you all again for your kind comments and support.
Hopefully one or two of you based in the U.S. are following the legal route.
I wish you every success. Give them one for me.
Hope to get more than camp meat with my new .577 Heym on my next Safari.
Regards, George