^
Mark Sullivan has made a name for himself primarily though a series of hunting videos where buffalo after buffalo (and hippos) charge and are shot at close range. MS usually gets in the last (and killing) shot with a .600 NE or some other monster double.

Many of the animals seem to have been deliberately wounded in order to get the great charges.

This has made him very controversial with many other PHs and hunters. He comes across has having an enormous ego and that puts off many people.

To me, I think it is more of a marketing persona,
and he is addicted to the adrenaline of charging DG. I think he really does appreciate the courage and grit of a wounded buffalo. What he refers to as a "great" buffalo, as opposed to a nice trophy that dies quietly or runs off and dies, rather than charges.

Some people seem almost irrational in their hatred and contempt of MS.

The videos I've seen show some much better than average bulls being taken by clients.

I respect that.

BH63

I have no horse in this race. However, anyone who intentionally wounds an animal for any reason is not and does not deserve to be called a hunter.

quote:

Originally posted by BuffHunter63:
^
Mark Sullivan has made a name for himself primarily though a series of hunting videos where buffalo after buffalo (and hippos) charge and are shot at close range. MS usually gets in the last (and killing) shot with a .600 NE or some other monster double.

Many of the animals seem to have been deliberately wounded in order to get the great charges.

This has made him very controversial with many other PHs and hunters. He comes across has having an enormous ego and that puts off many people.

To me, I think it is more of a marketing persona,
and he is addicted to the adrenaline of charging DG. I think he really does appreciate the courage and grit of a wounded buffalo. What he refers to as a "great" buffalo, as opposed to a nice trophy that dies quietly or runs off and dies, rather than charges.

Some people seem almost irrational in their hatred and contempt of MS.

The videos I've seen show some much better than average bulls being taken by clients.

I respect that.

BH63

Let me tell you something.

After seeing several hundred buffalo being shot, not many lay right in the open for you to walk up to them and give them a choice of how to die.

They seem to find the worst thicket imaginable, and lay THERE waiting for you.

I have not seen a single one of THE LEGENDARY PROFESSIONAL HUNTER MARK SULLIVAN ever do that.

We had a perfect example ourselves last year.

We followed a herd feeding for quite a while.

They got into some thick stuff where one can only see them as they passed from one thicket to another.

I shot one, and they all took off. He was feeding facing away from me, but I knew my bullets are good enough to penetrate to the vitals - and unlike THE LEGENDARY PROFESSIONAL HUNTER MARK SULLIVAN - I am using the smallest caliber allowed to be used for buffalo

The bull ran less than yards, and lay down in a most inaccessible thicket.

We had to crawl on our hands and knees to get close to him, to put a finishing shot in.

Now, show me where our self obsessed LEGENDARY PROFESSIONAL HUNTER MARK SULLIVAN does that?

quote:

Originally posted by BuffHunter63:
^
Mark Sullivan has made a name for himself primarily though a series of hunting videos where buffalo after buffalo (and hippos) charge and are shot at close range. MS usually gets in the last (and killing) shot with a .600 NE or some other monster double.

Many of the animals seem to have been deliberately wounded in order to get the great charges.

This has made him very controversial with many other PHs and hunters. He comes across has having an enormous ego and that puts off many people.

To me, I think it is more of a marketing persona,
and he is addicted to the adrenaline of charging DG. I think he really does appreciate the courage and grit of a wounded buffalo. What he refers to as a "great" buffalo, as opposed to a nice trophy that dies quietly or runs off and dies, rather than charges.

Some people seem almost irrational in their hatred and contempt of MS.

The videos I've seen show some much better than average bulls being taken by clients.

I respect that.

BH63

I do not know what you do for a living? but wonder how far you would go to make a buck ?
MS has created a fake hunting circus,it is easy to be addicted to the charges of wounded DG when of course you are carrying a monster double as you put it,lets see him do it with a spear,that should prove how big his balls really are,I have met a mild mannered ZIM poacher who hunted buff with a spear btw to feed his village,he works for an outfitter now,no show no fuss,a true hunter,he was amused when they mentioned him,MS appreciates the grit of a wounded buffalo only because he has the advantage,NO MORE NO LESS,its easy to feel contempt for what he does or join the circus,it's a free world,you only have your conscience to guide you.

"And if your comment about battering was supposed to be a threat, I don't batter very easily (nor do I suffer fools lightly)".



.... photos and specimen taken in a different hunting area being used as promotional material, as was the case several years ago by one SA individual who after being battered for his BS no longer posts on AR?

BH63:

- Are you this South African individual? I very much doubt it.

- Does being "battered" or "hammered" on a forum over a BS posting involve violence other than a war of words? Not that I know of unless you wish to bring ISS into the fray.

- MS does indeed produce some handsome buffalo for his clients but that does not mean his agent should make use of photographic material from other destinations to promote hunts that may not necessarily provide the same quality specimen on offer in a totally different geographical location.

Seems you are very easily irritable and jump to conclusions and judge people as fools too quickly.

- That your wife would kill you if you booked another safari just 7 months after the previous one would be quite likely, better to avoid and a far more acceptable excuse to the one initially quoted.

- You claim (no reason to doubt) to have been charged by a Buffalo on your second safari and it was presumably dropped in its tracks by yourself - you described the event as "exciting" and you could call it that because the final outcome was positive.
Would it have produced the same excitement had somebody plugged it? ... I doubt it.

In your own words "bang/flop" is not exciting because its just that. Do you not consider the sequence of events culminating in the "bang/flop" - no excitement in experiencing the tracking of the animal until you get up close? - yet even at 50 feet the shot can also (most always does) result in a "bang/flop".

Our Saeed for example makes no bitch of his style as he takes every opportunity presented in his stride; if its a long shot so be it, 9.9/10 he is more than capable of pulling it off. If it calls for tracking he's all for it - call him a "man for all seasons" even though there's a bunch of guys who brand him a sniper or bushwhacker. Would that be because "he doesn't ask the buffalo to choose how it wants to die"?

In the NE Productions MS is using a stopper rifle. For his big rifle to have any relevancy (i.e. specialized rifle for a specific purpose) he needs to have to stop the charges. That is the entire theme of those vids. Hence, all the charges.

I understand that normally you can expect a buffalo charge at about 1 in 10 ratio. I wonder what MS actual charge to buffalo taken ratio is?

Seems to be a lot of people making a lot of negative assumptions without really knowing him.

I have never hunted with him, but if he is offering 40"+ buffalo at 15k USD all in, seems to be a pretty good deal IMO.

I would hold judgement on him (or anyone else) until I have actually hunted with them before going on the warpath.

Just like there are many people ready to crucify President Trump and cast him as the devil incarnate without really knowing him or his accomplishments, I like to hold off judgments until I get to know someone.

As for intentionally wounding animals, I gave up bird hunting years ago, because I got tired of seeing so many wounded birds. I have no problem killing something, but I don't like to make anything suffer needlessly.

I have never met a wing shooter yet, who kills every bird they shoot at, so I see little difference in accepting all the accidental woundings (many never recovered), just so you can enjoy the fun of hunting ducks, pheasants, quail, etc then someone who deliberately wounds a DG animal to increase the risk, when you know you will kill it dead within the next 30 mins or so.

Killing an animal with a spear or an arrow just to increase the challenge is certainly not the most humane way to kill any animal. A buddy of mine killed an elk a decade or so ago during a rifle season. The elk (a raghorn) had been shot dead center in the chest with an arrow. The shaft had broken off a few inches from the elk's chest and a big inflamed open sore surrounded the shaft. I can't imagine the pain that animal went through, as the shaft would rotate every time the animal moved. The broadhead was surrounded by a nasty looking ball of gristle, so the elk had been suffering for at least a couple of months or so.

My guess the elk would have rather been wounded with a rifle so he could charge and then killed within the hour, rather than suffer for several months, with an arrow sticking out of its chest.

JMO

BH63

quote:

Originally posted by BuffHunter63:


I understand that normally you can expect a buffalo charge at about 1 in 10 ratio.

BH63

I've no idea where you get that figure but it's absolute bollocks & whoever quoted you that is obviously doing something wrong.

I never kept count & even if I had, I'd never discuss it even with close friends (my old mate Luan who posts here has been asking me that question for something like 20 years & never got an answer. ) but I hunted shedloads of buff over 30+years in 7 or 8 different African countries & the number of charges I had could be counted on one or maybe two hands.

If you do it right, including the follow up (or perhaps especially the follow up) it's more like 1 in 100

The clue is in the 1st word of the job title of 'Professional Hunter'

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by BuffHunter63:



If you do it right, including the follow up (or perhaps especially the follow up) it's more like 1 in 100

I have had the opportunity to talk hunting at length with Mark Sullivan. As I recall, These are the numbers he quoted. He says virtually all buff will run. It is only the odd one that will charge.

Buffalo charges do not happen very often.

I think I read something Cooper wrote in the past saying that 1 in 10 buffalo charge.

A load of bloody bullshit, as usual.

I know one real, honest to goodness, professional hunter, who prides himself in what he does.

He personally has shot several hundred buffalo during his life.

In addition to guiding clients from all over the world to several hundred buffalo more.

He only had ONE buffalo charge!

JUST ONE!

And that was an old cow they came across while hunting. Not one of his buffalo.

As I mentioned before, I have seen several hundred buffalo shot.

Never had a single charge.

May be the reason THE LEGENDARY PROFESSIONAL HUNTER MARK SULLIVAN gets so many buffalo to charge is exactly what he has been claiming.

That he only gets wannabe hunters who are dying to hunt with a MOST DEFINITELY UNPROFESSIONAL, SELF GLORIFYING, CHEST THUMPING, idiot so he set up a Hollywood style buffalo charge at whim.

Other, REAL professional hunters try everything possible to make sure a charge never happens.

They consider a charge as a FAILURE on their part.

You never see them gloating in front of several cameras, after time has been spent setting everything up, just so THE LEGENDARY PROFESSIONAL HUNTER MARK SULLIVAN, can have his moments of self glorification.

He actually reminds me of those most disgusting fame whores.

The Kardashians!

Just imagine, their next episode might be.

KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS AND THE LEGENDARY PROFESSIONAL HUNTER MARK SULLIVAN!

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Buffalo charges do not happen very often.

I think I read something Cooper wrote in the past saying that 1 in 10 buffalo charge.

A load of bloody bullshit, as usual.

I know one real, honest to goodness, professional hunter, who prides himself in what he does.

He personally has shot several hundred buffalo during his life.

In addition to guiding clients from all over the world to several hundred buffalo more.

He only had ONE buffalo charge!

JUST ONE!

And that was an old cow they came across while hunting. Not one of his buffalo.

As I mentioned before, I have seen several hundred buffalo shot.

Never had a single charge.

May be the reason THE LEGENDARY PROFESSIONAL HUNTER MARK SULLIVAN gets so many buffalo to charge is exactly what he has been claiming.

That he only gets wannabe hunters who are dying to hunt with a MOST DEFINITELY UNPROFESSIONAL, SELF GLORIFYING, CHEST THUMPING, idiot so he set up a Hollywood style buffalo charge at whim.

Other, REAL professional hunters try everything possible to make sure a charge never happens.

They consider a charge as a FAILURE on their part.

You never see them gloating in front of several cameras, after time has been spent setting everything up, just so THE LEGENDARY PROFESSIONAL HUNTER MARK SULLIVAN, can have his moments of self glorification.

He actually reminds me of those most disgusting fame whores.

The Kardashians!

Just imagine, their next episode might be.

KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS AND THE LEGENDARY PROFESSIONAL HUNTER MARK SULLIVAN!

I wonder what Saeed thinks of Mark Sullivan...

To answer a question or two:
In 16 years of making 9 films, Mark has recorded 8 buffalo charges and 6 hippo charges.

In his writing, Mark states 95% of wounded buffalo will run away.

FYI.
Cal

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
To answer a question or two:
In 16 years of making 9 films, Mark has recorded 8 buffalo charges and 6 hippo charges.

In his writing, Mark states 95% of wounded buffalo will run away.

FYI.
Cal

Cal,
9 films & 14 charges? But if 95% of wounded buff will run away? How did he film these seldom happening events? Were they set up for the camera? The odds are staggering.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill73:

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
To answer a question or two:
In 16 years of making 9 films, Mark has recorded 8 buffalo charges and 6 hippo charges.

In his writing, Mark states 95% of wounded buffalo will run away.

FYI.
Cal

Cal,
9 films & 14 charges? But if 95% of wounded buff will run away? How did he film these seldom happening events? Were they set up for the camera? The odds are staggering.

All I posted is what the films show and the 95% figure from MS's writing. The buffs were wounded and followed, none of the hippo were wounded. That's all I know.
Cal

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:

quote:

Originally posted by Bill73:

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
To answer a question or two:
In 16 years of making 9 films, Mark has recorded 8 buffalo charges and 6 hippo charges.

In his writing, Mark states 95% of wounded buffalo will run away.

FYI.
Cal

Cal,
9 films & 14 charges? But if 95% of wounded buff will run away? How did he film these seldom happening events? Were they set up for the camera? The odds are staggering.

All I posted is what the films show and the 95% figure from MS's writing. The buffs were wounded and followed, none of the hippo were wounded. That's all I know.
Cal

I do believe what you have posted Cal.

But I do not believe a bloody word coming out of THE LEGENDARY PROFESSIONAL HUNTER MARK SULLIVAN!

Just look at what he says about his very own peers, and his clients!

I can apply many titles to him.

Non has PROFESSIONAL in them!

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:

quote:

Originally posted by Bill73:

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
To answer a question or two:
In 16 years of making 9 films, Mark has recorded 8 buffalo charges and 6 hippo charges.

In his writing, Mark states 95% of wounded buffalo will run away.

FYI.
Cal

Cal,
9 films & 14 charges? But if 95% of wounded buff will run away? How did he film these seldom happening events? Were they set up for the camera? The odds are staggering.

All I posted is what the films show and the 95% figure from MS's writing. The buffs were wounded and followed, none of the hippo were wounded. That's all I know.
Cal

Cal,
would you mind posting a link to the article that you wrote on MS ? I have never read it.

Bill:
I don't know how to post links. However on this thread at the top of page 3, Cap't Purvis has the link. I tried to look at it but my "browser" is outdated. It was a three=part article. If you don't see all three parts, PM me your address and I will photocopy them and post it to you.
Also, if you look back a few years on AR, I posted a review of the first nine of Mark's films whilst recovering from a knee replacement. Again, I don't know how to search to find it. Perhaps someone here can link you to it.
Cheers,
Cal

quote:

none of the hippo were wounded

One doesn't necessarily need to wound a Hippo to obtain a "charge". All it takes is to put oneself between it and a source of water or, if found in a wallow or pond where the animal finds itself restricted/vulnerable, will very likely try to rid itself of the imposing threat.
Such situations are quite normal and if the hunter feels he could handle himself in such a scenario, makes for a hairy experience.

Criticism appears to be directed more to Mark's manner/style of hunting buffalo and coincidentally obtaining a charge on film which as already mentioned by other thick-skinned PHs, could rate as 1/100 as opposed to a more probable 9/10 for Hippo under the right conditions.

quote:

Originally posted by fulvio:

quote:

none of the hippo were wounded

One doesn't necessarily need to wound a Hippo to obtain a "charge". All it takes is to put oneself between it and a source of water or, if found in a wallow or pond where the animal finds itself restricted/vulnerable, will very likely try to rid itself of the imposing threat.
Such situations are quite normal and if the hunter feels he could handle himself in such a scenario, makes for a hairy experience.

Criticism appears to be directed more to Mark's manner/style of hunting buffalo and coincidentally obtaining a charge on film which as already mentioned by other thick-skinned PHs, could rate as 1/100 as opposed to a more probable 9/10 for Hippo under the right conditions.

Fulvio has it right as usual....... but I'll go further & say it's often relatively easy to provoke a charge if you want to & a good example of that is shown in a certain video where an unwounded hippo charges from shallowish water........ I know where & how that was done because I hunted the same area soon after it happened & the trackers both told & demonstrated to me how it was done.

I try not to comment too much on individual cases & people but is it possible to create a charge situation? Yes it is & it's often fairly easily done & equally, it's not difficult to ensure a charge doesn't happen.

I have 2 or 3 VHSs of MS's buffalo hunts. I thought there was more than just 8 buff charges total in those videos but I could be wrong.

Even then his crew must have filmed over 800 buff shootings to be statistically within the 1 in 100.

That would be pretty strong evidence that the buff were deliberately wounded in order to get the footage.

As Saeed pointed out, most wounded buff try to get into really thick stuff to make a stand, rather than out in the open.

Buff videos that only show a patch of black and then a shot aren't very dramatic.

I wonder if most of the buff that charge in MSs videos are on a game farm???

I do remember the one hippo charge where the hippo left the water in order to charge MS and his sidekick.

I wonder if that hippo was in a pen as well?

No matter. Regardless of MS's personality or showmanship, I would still have no problem hunting with him at the price of $15K for a 40"+ buff (provided the chances of getting a 40" buff were fairly good). My last buff hunt was at least $5K over that amount.

But I would make it clear that the PH was to shoot only as a last resort in a charge or if the buff was about to dive into thick jess or a swamp.

I think the real question everyone should ask themselves is why they like to hunt DG?


BH63

Just to provide a point of reference: two clients and I hunted in South Africa last year, on a ranch where buffalo were reintroduced so long ago that all of the buff now present (several herds, over 200 buffalo) were born on the property rather than trucked in, and we paid about 60% of what MS's handler is asking for these hunts. So those that think the price is right, should be aware that the going rate in RSA is much lower than in Zim or Tanzania ... and should be comfortable with paying a premium to hunt with MS in tow. PS We each looked over dozens of buffalo and did not see any ear tags!

quote:

Originally posted by Russ Gould:
Just to provide a point of reference: two clients and I hunted in South Africa last year, on a ranch where buffalo were reintroduced so long ago that all of the buff now present (several herds, over 200 buffalo) were born on the property rather than trucked in, and we paid about 60% of what MS's handler is asking for these hunts. So those that think the price is right, should be aware that the going rate in RSA is much lower than in Zim or Tanzania ... and should be comfortable with paying a premium to hunt with MS in tow. PS We each looked over dozens of buffalo and did not see any ear tags!

May be the ear tags were purposely put on the pets to be hunted with THE LEGENDARY PROFESSIONAL HUNTER MARK SULLIVAN in attendance?

So he can have his moment of fame, and purpose, in removing it.

In fact, Mark Sullivan might as well change his name to MARK SULLIVAN, THE LEGENDARY EAR TAG REMOVER FROM PET BUFFALO!

By the way, I like you mentioning the word HANDLER rather than an agent.

It fits perfectly in this case.

I just hope his handler finally gets the message to never, ever, post this sort of stupid hunt offer on AR.

We do have members here who do appreciate hunting for what it is.

Not a game of self glorification.

Sorry guys been out in the field for a month, just catching back up on this thread....ohhh yup ok. All caught up. Saeed has scrored several points MS defenders 0.
I'll check back in around July and see if anything new has come up.

quote:

Originally posted by Fourtyonesix:
Sorry guys been out in the field for a month, just catching back up on this thread....ohhh yup ok. All caught up. Saeed has scrored several points MS defenders 0.
I'll check back in around July and see if anything new has come up.

I am afraid it is not a matter of scoring points, and I certainly do not feel very proud of this thread at all.

This is the sort of thing that actually brings shame on us all as hunters.

It has all the ingredients one never wishes to see in hunting.

Fakes and lies and misrepresentation have been taken to new levels here.

Just like anything to do with THE LEGENDARY PROFESSIONAL HUNTER MARK SULLIVAN.

And his HANDLERS!

A new word has been added to our legend and anyone involved in his business practices

Sure appeared like folks are trying to score points....it's going back and forth like Chinese ping pong.

Would I let MS book a hunt with me, sure. Would I pay money for hunt strictly because he is gonna be present, no. I don't hunt because I'm star struck. My reasons for hunting go deeper than that. Some guys would take this hunt just to say they have hunted with the ledgend. Just like some guys buy a huge house to say they have a huge house, or buy a 100k truck when a 40k truck would have worked just fine.
World is made of all different kinds, part of what makes this place great. But there does come a point when our expressed opinion of others start to change others opinions of ourselves and perhaps reflect poorly on our character.

quote:

Originally posted by Fourtyonesix:
Sure appeared like folks are trying to score points....it's going back and forth like Chinese ping pong.

Seems like you're not very good at keeping score...

Did I miss a few for the pro-MS team? Been gone a while, won't deny my score may be off....lol

quote:

Originally posted by Fourtyonesix:
Did I miss a few for the pro-MS team? Been gone a while, won't deny my score may be off....lol

It's mostly unspoken/unwritten among many of the more seasoned members [Of which I'm not] who don't wish to start a pissing match with the boss...I can say this..I've never heard of anyone who has met him that didn't find him a genuine guy and I've never met/heard of anyone who hunted with him that didn't rate his hunt A+

This..IMO, is what really counts. Yes, I've met him and I know one person who hunted with him in Tanzania, plus many second and third hand accounts of actual hunts. The naysayers never seem to know anybody that has hunted with him.

I had a client hunt with MS, he said it was almost exactly like saeed is saying....he had to wait in the truck will MS went and finished off his buff.
But one mans hunting/guiding practices don't make him genuine or not genuine. Some folks enjoy shooting animals in a pen, over bait, rounded up by dogs, 1000 yards away etc. MS can run his business however he likes. Folks will hunt with him, how he chooses to handle himself is up to him. I can't say there is a right and wrong to anyone's business plan. But I can say if it's something I would or would not participate in.

Well there ya go...I could be wrong, but you're the first person who has direct knowledge of a MS hunt that wasn't 100% up to snuff. Unless the client was too much of a liability on a follow up..

You should ask your client to post his experience here...my friends response to posting his experience was something to the effect of only losers hang out in forums and stop wasting my time arguing with potato heads.

quote:

Originally posted by Heym 450/400:
Well there ya go...I could be wrong, but you're the first person who has direct knowledge of a MS hunt that wasn't 100% up to snuff. Unless the client was too much of a liability on a follow up..

You should ask your client to post his experience here...my friends response to posting his experience was something to the effect of only losers hang out in forums and stop wasting my time arguing with potato heads.

SO which category are you in ? loser or potato head ha ha ha dont take offense,just had to ask you!
AR to me is not your run of the mill forum btw,there is a great group of very educated & civil gents on here,I can sincerely say that for me being a member here has been a great experience & privilege,I have made friendships for life & hunted with some great friends,anything posted on here gets a fair shake,for good or bad,it does not matter,everybody has the same rights,your friend does not post here,it's his choice,maybe his hunt report would not stand up to public scrutiny? who knows? but sure sounds like sour grapes to me

The majority of Safari goers that I know don't participate in any type of forums...and they're generally quick to crack a joke at those that do..even though they've never been on one. To each their own I suppose.

I too have made friends on this forum and I'm appreciative of Saeed's playground...I tend to rub people the wrong way sometimes, but I blame that on too much ARPF participation and an abrasive personality disorder.

To answer your question: I wouldn't classify myself as a loser per se, but when I carry on in the political forum, I'm most likely a Potato head.

Since we are apparently repeating stories and taking them as gospel, I will chime in.

I hunted Tz in 2006. Danny McCallum Safaris, the Lukwati safari area. The charter flight was horrendously long. I shared the flight with another of Danny's clients and his PH. I remember the client's name was Rod. Perhaps more importantly, I remember the PH was none other than Gerard Miller. If you don't know who Gerard is, you don't know much about TZ.

This flight was several hours. We chatted about many things during those hours, including hunting. Rod had hunted with Mark on 3 different occasions. He had absolutely nothing but good things to say about Mark and every aspect of his hunts with Mark. Some of the things I recall are man of his word, hysterically funny, hard working , skilled in the bush, not the same person one sees on camera. He also said that Mark never fired a single shot during his 3 safaris of 21 days each.

Perhaps more importantly is what Gerard said. Gerard said that he had done NUMEROUS 2x2 safaris with Mark. Gerard also spoke very highly of Mark. He seconded what Rod had to say. He also said he was totally bewildered at where some of the BS stories came from regarding Mark. The one he laughed at in particular was the one about shooting the bulls in the balls with a 22. He said only an idiot would concoct that story and a bigger idiot would believe it.

I want to point out that Mark Sullivan, of his own free will, spent a fair amount of his time and money to benefit Stu Taylor. Not exactly the action of a total jerk.

I would go hunt with Mark in TZ in a heartbeat. However, I decided after the actions of the TZ government in 2006 & 2007 that I will never go back. I would not do the RSA hunt.

Now gentlemen, carry on with bashing Mr. Sullivan.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Since we are apparently repeating stories and taking them as gospel, I will chime in.

I hunted Tz in 2006. Danny McCallum Safaris, the Lukwati safari area. The charter flight was horrendously long. I shared the flight with another of Danny's clients and his PH. I remember the client's name was Rod. Perhaps more importantly, I remember the PH was none other than Gerard Miller. If you don't know who Gerard is, you don't know much about TZ.

This flight was several hours. We chatted about many things during those hours, including hunting. Rod had hunted with Mark on 3 different occasions. He had absolutely nothing but good things to say about Mark and every aspect of his hunts with Mark. Some of the things I recall are man of his word, hysterically funny, hard working , skilled in the bush, not the same person one sees on camera. He also said that Mark never fired a single shot during his 3 safaris of 21 days each.

Perhaps more importantly is what Gerard said. Gerard said that he had done NUMEROUS 2x2 safaris with Mark. Gerard also spoke very highly of Mark. He seconded what Rod had to say. He also said he was totally bewildered at where some of the BS stories came from regarding Mark. The one he laughed at in particular was the one about shooting the bulls in the balls with a 22. He said only an idiot would concoct that story and a bigger idiot would believe it.

I want to point out that Mark Sullivan, of his own free will, spent a fair amount of his time and money to benefit Stu Taylor. Not exactly the action of a total jerk.

I would go hunt with Mark in TZ in a heartbeat. However, I decided after the actions of the TZ government in 2006 & 2007 that I will never go back. I would not do the RSA hunt.

Now gentlemen, carry on with bashing Mr. Sullivan.

I have heard of some clients refusing to follow up on wounded animals.

Any animals.

These are the sort of clients who have no business going hunting at all.

Why does Mark Sullivan portrays himself as the biggest jerk the hunting community has ever known in his videos, and his public announcements?

What he did for Stu Taylor is commendable - but I somehow get the feeling that was done to get Mark Sullivan some good brownie points.

Stu was met by a terrible accident, and he deserves every help from us as hunters.

I know of people who have contributed substantially to both the fund collected for him, and directly to Stu himself.

They did not brag about it.

And neither has Mark.

quote:

The one he laughed at in particular was the one about shooting the bulls in the balls with a .22

I must admit that is a bit far fetched besides, a .22 pellet through the nuts is unlikely to cause it that much grief at the moment - possibly a few days/weeks later when its nuts are festering if not already healed.

A well placed bullet from an inferior caliber somewhere in the abdominal cavity which would result in severe wounding and lead to prolonged suffering until death would be more realistic.

I too have had the opportunity in discussing MS with Gerard and his views are exactly what Larry has stated, though while Mark's videos can be considered entertaining (to some) it is not the same cup of tea to others, nor does such a decision to refrain from such productions degrade them as Professional Hunters.

I would dearly love to hunt buff with Gerard.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
I would dearly love to hunt buff with Gerard.

Gerard and I have known each other since our youth and between one client and the next have done several such hunts with him in the Kitiangare thickets on residential permits. Some of the buff taken appear in his book, "Lives of a Professional Hunting Family".

Sorry for my slow email replies…I have been traveling and just returned back to California. All email inquiries have been answered. I will be traveling the next few weeks but will be more connected and responsive. Thanks of your interest!