Does anyone out there have any expereince or feedback about Johan Strydom?? He advertises specialyt small cats with hounds in south Africa and Leopard with hounds in Namibia?

Johan is a pretty nice guy, and dog runner who really loves to run any cat he can find. Alot of people trying for the smaller ones really like using him. My hunting partner hunted with him for serval, caracal, and PG in RSA on his second trip a couple years ago. His experience with him was satisfactory. I know Johan got chewed on by a leopard about two years ago, but don't know the particulars of the story.

quote:

470EDDY

470EDDY
You have a PM

Robert, If you have any info on this PH, please send me a PM. I'm booked with Johan for late June. Thanks--Mark Hampton

Mark; Go to The Hunting Report and carefully read the two latest reports...seems there has been trouble of ALL kinds since the leopard mauling he had?? These small cats are tough to get and usually incidental...might be wise to think about this??

Thanks for the update. I have ordered all hunting reports on him. I appreciate your input. MH

My friend hunted with him in Sept.-Oct. of 2005. My advice is to run from this turd as fast as you can!! P.M. me for details.

BOWHUNR

Bowhunr; Being a new comer, I am not sure how to Private Message you. Would certainly be interested in their experience...as would the other fellow that is booked for June!! 470Eddy

quote:

I am not sure how to Private Message you

Click on his name (in the upper left), then click on "Invite BOWHUNR to a Private Topic"

Regards,

Terry

I am going with Johan for small cats in RSA. I read the reports on The hunting report and they were very positive except for the one leopard client who thought they had been overcharged. I would be hunting with him in RSA for small cats with a clearly spelled out contract and an excellent booking agent so I don't think overcharging would be the issue on my hunt. But the comments on this page worry me. Can I please get more specifics as to the problems people have experienced?

Huntinbuddy; Please PM me and I will forward privately forward a most recent report from an expereinced hunter from Texas. Apparently the Hunting Report hasn't put it up yet?? It is quite negative, alludes to possible caged caats, poor service, etc??

The negative hunt report and rebuttal letter from Strydom are in this issue of Causey's The Hunt Report.

Regards,

Terry

This is a copy of an email my friend received. It sounds to me that J.S. should be avoided.

Dear XXXXX,

I was so happy to read your hunting report!! My husband and I hunted with Johan last April. I was extremely upset to say the least. We too had suspected that the Carcal that I took was caged. We also wonder if the Serval was caged as well with the events that took place. There is no proof, but the way the hunting was done, really makes you wonder and the condition of the cats as well. My Carcal was so covered with fleas. Also, two nights after we were there, Johan poisoned his neighbors dogs, and killed them. The police came to the house and questioned his wife she know nothing, but he did tell my husband that he did it. We were very concerned with this man. He also raised our trophy fees, without telling us at the end of the hunt. There were so many other issues with this guy, I could not begin to tell you!

In October of last year, we also received a letter requesting 7000.00 for his daughters medical bills. We were very suspicious of this as well, and refused to help him.

Anyway, if it makes you feel any better, when we were in Namibia in August, our hunting outfitter told us that the Namibian Hunting Association is trying to catch him for hunting Leopards without permits and he does not have a PH license to hunt in Namibia. Somehow he is getting around this, but they are very aware if his game. They believe that he is also releasing leopards from cages and that is how he was attacked. My husband confronted him with this, and of course he went into a rage!

We have hunted with many outfitters, and I wrote a long letter to our outfitter in SA and he passed it on to PHASA, unfortunately he is not a member of PHASA. But one good thing, is that PHASA is passing along the information to the Orange Free State hunting where he holds his license and they are on the watch for him. If there is enough evidence, which eventually it will catch up with him, maybe he will not be able to hunt. Johan does not go to Dallas Safari, but SCI lets him in.

Unfortunately, unethical hunting in SA by these type of hunters is making a very bad name for the hunting industry.

Thank you for reporting this, it puts my mind to rest, because I felt so bad when I came home from this hunt.

Feel free to email me, and if I hear anything or you want to talk to my husband or myself, we will be happy. I'm sure we have not heard the last of Johan Strydom.

Sincerely,

Anita XXXXXXXXX

Cooperstown, New York

Trust me guys, avoid Johan at all costs. Since my friend Randy posted his report on The Hunting Report the phone has been ringing off the wall. Most of the calls have been from hunters with similar experiences that were affraid to file a report. Randy is not a forum member, but has given me permission to post his email address if any of you want to contact him. He and the other hunters are in the process of filing a complaint with the S.C.I. ethics commitee. Email him at randy@bossiercountry.com

Mike

Here is another forwarded email he received.

Hello Dick,



Paul and I also hunted with Johan. We certainly had a different experience. We were grossly overcharged and exploited. AS for the condition of his dogs--pathetic. I spent time observing those animals. WE have dogs, horses and cattle. I am sorry Dick, but no dog needs to have bones and ribs showing in order to hunt. NO dog needs to be infested with worms and other parasites. We watched puppy after puppy die from infestation. The kennels were filthy. These animals depend on human care. There was only minimal care. It made us sick, all SIX of us.



Trained eye? We raised hundreds of thousands of ring neck pheasants and had many hunting dogs. Well fed and medically cared for. Those bird dogs were in excellent shape and hunted their hearts out. You might say, ok, but a cat dog needs to be lean--Lean is one thing, malnourished is quite another. Ask to see photo's of Jerry and Sid Meyer's dogs. They hunt cats and those dogs are wonderful to see. Not a rib or bone to be seen.



Johan did not provide the hunt we thought we were getting. He charged us above and beyond the listed prices. My husband is a very honest and generous man. Johan lied about medical conditions of his daughter to gain additional funds (which we gave him) He convinced my husband to lend him $10,000.00 dollars (US) that would be repaid in months. I cannot get a response from him. I have previous e mails admitting to the loan and the overcharges that "he would make good". Well his tune has changed. He had the nerve to respond to the Hunting Report with the comment that "That woman is someone with money and wants people to dance to her tune". Dick, anyone that knows us, would tell you that, his description is furthest from the truth about whom we are.



Johan has severe mood swings. He is smiling and joking one minute and very frightening the next. Your hunt was taken after ours. There are many of us that have had a very bad experience. I am pursuing this with SCI, and will go the length in SA if necessary. WE are owed approximately $35,000.00. The money is not the only issue. There are other hunters out there that do not need to be placed in that kind of situation. He is far from honest, has not ethics and can be extremely intimidating. There are numerous reputable PH's in Africa. People like Johan need to be held responsible for their actions.



Any questions about us? Ask Gunther. Ask other SCI members.



Sincerely,



Phyllis XXXXX

When I was at Afton last year a woman came with the group to dinner and told us all about her small cat hunt with Mr. Strydom, whom I saw dropping her off that afternoon.

All of her "hunting" was done at night and off the vehicle with bright spot lights. She said she had a great time.

what a kind of sob that guy is, how isit possible, it reminded me of a teacher i had for a few yr\ears ago, just that kind of looney. it sickenens me to see somethinhg like that , and hasnt the game deaprtment enouhj evidence on him. how about a big and and large lawsuit

Well...what a story...what is good once...doesn't always stay that way, EH??!!

Huntinbuddy...did you go, how was it??

Where does a guy go for a good Serval Cat and Genet...except just coincidental...it's obvious this ain't the place??

470EDDY, I'm sticking my neck out here but in my experience many outfitters who specialize in small cats actually offer "canned" hunts - hand-raising cats and releasing them to be hunted with hounds. I said "many" - not necessarily all of them. Finding a guy that is "good" for these types of hunts - especially if the hunt is to be conducted during daytime may well depend on the outfitter's ability to "mask" his canned hunt as a genuine one.

Serval, Caracal, Genet and the like are nocturnal animals and your best chance of getting them are at night-time with a spotlight - that is unfortunately the harsh reality.

Small cats also aren't baited easily - they prefer hunting their prey during the night.

I see these cats regularly during night game drives on some of my concessions and if you're OK with night hunting you should have a reasonable chance on success.

quote:

Reply

Chris; Thanks much, great response...I think the only other alternative is with dogs which is Johan Strydom's claim to fame??...and it seems that recent input may suggest your thoughts [may] STILL hold true??!! There also seems to be some question about even hunting "vermin with dogs??...I know PHASA does NOT recognize this method of fair chase!!

Great website...back to you by private e-mail.
Thanks, much, 470Eddy

My wife and I just returned from a hunt with Johan Strydom. We took a big tom leopard in Namibia, then serval and caracal in South Africa. After reading these posts I can honestly say I went in to this hunt a little skeptical. I observed nothing to raise any red flags. We had a great hunt and watching the hounds work was exciting.

Thanks; I am beginning to see a pattern. He appears capable of providing a good/great hunt. However, it appears he sizes up the client while hunting and "STRIKES" when he can with the "right" candidates??

Just heard today that Johan Strydom has been issued a 90 day suspension from S.C.I. for ethics violations. Permenent suspension is possible pending the investigation. Looks like Johan's goose is finally cooked?

C.H.

Yes, I had seen that in SCI Times, also heard he had been mauled again. The Hunting Report notes that there is a full investigation of hunting with Dogs and non-Namibia Ph's, as is Johan, and that the whole program is at risk due to number of illegal operations, and injuries of both dogs and hunters. SCI investigators are talking to everyone they can identify that has hunted with him. Interested parties should contact SCI Ethics Committee...

Also note there is a website out there www.AfricanHunter.org collecting info on Strydom and his antics...I believe another disgurntled hunter??

470,

You might want to put your post and link in my post over on the African hunting Forum.

C.H.