BEWARE OF Safrique, LDA

Randy has many mails and calls from us, he has now gone to ground. Have many promises to send the funds but it is not forthcoming. Have a hunt for Namibia but need these funds back to make it, His problem is all over the SA hunters groups so the locals are now aware. I hope the internationals are reading this to avoid the problems reported.

I was able to help out another member here that had problems with a PH but can't seem to settle this one up.

Originally Posted by RickSpecialist

That is what I thought. All the hunters that I have corresponded with that hunted with Paul Davies in Niassa Reserve L1 reported good hunts. I myself did in this report. However, I did hear and I was there in early November that there were problems between Safrique and the the PH's in the Majune concessions. I heard different stories but don't no who is at fault in the problems there. I have heard since that Safrique is no longer working with those PH's. If they canceled the hunt due to internal problems it seems you should get your depost back or at least be offered another hunt. When I hunted L1 I saw some Elephant sign but not a lot. I think Elephant in that area might be touch and go. I did hunt Maua which is south of Majune in 2010 and there was a lot of Elephant and Sable there but not much else. Please keep us posted as to what Safrique does to satisfy their obligation. I am sorry you had problems but I am aware Safrique is trying to restructure. Have you contacted Randy Muns directly?

Rick,
We hunted Mihimba. Our PH's were James Rosenfels and Koos de wet. Both PH's were top class and could not have worked harder on our behalf. We would still be in Mozambique without the aid of James's wife Vikki who helped us organise new flights through South Africa and London to Dublin. The PH could not locate what was not there. We are all experienced hunters and can read sign with anyone. We have tried to reach Mr Muns regularly by email and telephone and hope to get to Texas in the near future. To date we have been mostly ignored.
Regards, George

George, again I am sorry to hear about your experience with Safrique/Mihimba. I really know nothing about that concession other than they had some boat troubles. I do know that the PH's from that concession and Safrique have parted ways. If you do work things out with Safrique and get money back please let me know. If they offer you a deal or discount to hunt their L1 concession take it. Paul Davies the PH is top notch and there is game there. As I said before it appears to me to be more about how each PH runs his concession than the Safari Company as a whole. And I won't speak about what I did not experience. I did have a great hunt with Paul Davies in L1 and had no problems financial or otherwise. It is my understanding that Paul Davis will be in charge of all their Mozambique concessions in 2012.

I've tried to read this thread with an open mind. However, as the unfortunate victim of a similar hunt, in another country, I can hold my tongue no longer. One poster made demeaning comments about "a hunter being experienced enough to hunt real Africa", "a lack of dedication and ability to hunt", and "not understanding how Africa hunting works", as if any of these conditions should be tolerated. I had to put up with some of the same comments coming from ignorant individuals who knew nothing about me or my hunt.

Well let me say this...hunting in Africa should work just like hunting anywhere else. Money is spent, (sometimes a great deal of money) and a great deal of precious time is invested, in exchange for an honest professional to perform a certain task in a manner generally recognized in the industry to meet certain acceptable standards. Period...that should be it.

It doesn't matter if it takes place in Africa, or Texas, anything less is unacceptable. There are enough honest, trustworthy outfits out there that clients should not have to put up with crap such as described in this thread. If the PH's are the problem, rather than the company, then they should be fired, run out of the industry, and the hunters should get a refund along with an apology, not an endless string of broken promises.

Originally Posted by ikeda

I've tried to read this thread with an open mind. However, as the unfortunate victim of a similar hunt, in another country, I can hold my tongue no longer. One poster made demeaning comments about "a hunter being experienced enough to hunt real Africa", "a lack of dedication and ability to hunt", and "not understanding how Africa hunting works", as if any of these conditions should be tolerated. I had to put up with some of the same comments coming from ignorant individuals who knew nothing about me or my hunt.

Well let me say this...hunting in Africa should work just like hunting anywhere else. Money is spent, (sometimes a great deal of money) and a great deal of precious time is invested, in exchange for an honest professional to perform a certain task in a manner generally recognized in the industry to meet certain acceptable standards. Period...that should be it.

It doesn't matter if it takes place in Africa, or Texas, anything less is unacceptable. There are enough honest, trustworthy outfits out there that clients should not have to put up with crap such as described in this thread. If the PH's are the problem, rather than the company, then they should be fired, run out of the industry, and the hunters should get a refund along with an apology, not an endless string of broken promises.

Amen.

Hello,

My name is Matt Hulley-Miller, I worked for Safrique for almost three years both from an administration level and as a PH. I left them in November last year and this is why:

I was the area manager and senior PH for the Majune East concession. I was asked by Matt Muns to move up to Lichinga to assist in the overall running of the day to day aspects of the opperation. This included supplying wages and rations to L1 and the two Majune blocks when the other PH's were not there, as well as anti-poaching and general maintenance and vehicle repairs.

The cost of the move up to Lichinga from Maputo was to be reimbursed to me apon arrival but was never paid back. The first two months of pre-season operations, although not much goes on during the rains, were paid for by me personally and they have still not paid me back. I am still owed several months salaries as well as a tip from a client that was given to Matt muns who was supposed to pass it on to me. The list goes on and on.

I tried everything I could and was told time and again by Matt Muns that my money was being sorted out but nothing ever happened. Out of desperation I went to a lawyer and arranged for some Safrique assets to be attached to me until they paid me my money, and that is how it stands.

I would like to respond to comments made by Mr Taylor Cummings who has thrown my name out there while not understanding the first thing about what has been going on.

Mr Cummings, the "rumour" that I started about holding the clients trophies is not a rumour at all, it is the truth and here's why. Not a single hunt that I conducted in 2011 was legal. There were no client licenses or specie tags for any of the hunts in Majune, not one. None of the Majune PH's had valid PH licenses for 2011 as they could not be accuired on areas that were not allocated quotas for 2011. I have documented proof of all of this. You say that all the trophies will be released to clients soon but I can tell you with absolute confidence that they will not. The trophies are no longer in my care, I aggreed to release them after speaking to Randy Muns but they are all (L1, Majune East, Majune West and Mahimba) still in Mozambique and probably still sitting in the camps.

As PH's, we were told that all was in order and that we should continue with the hunts. We carried on until one day while on safari, we were stopped by armed police who asked to see our hunting licenses. As we did not have any, our firearms were confiscated and we were placed under arrest. I had 2 clients with me and the other PH had one client and his learner PH. I mannaged to get us out of the situation but after finding out that we had no right to be hunting there, the clients asked to leave the next day.

The comments made here are not directed at the Muns family but at Matt Muns personally. Randy had little or nothing to do with how Matt chose to run things both in the construction company(wich is in an even worse state than Safrique) and in the hunting company. I believe that since Randy has become involved, he has been putting out fires right and left to try and save some face and is doing what he can to try and clean the mess that Matt Muns left for him.

Good luck to all of you, and I hope you all get your money back.

Matt

hi matt thought there might have been something going on there when some emails i sent to you on your safrique email bounced back. i have been reading this ongoing story and was wondering when you were going to put your side across. hope things are well with you. mike

I am sorry to hear about all the bad reports coming back about Safrique, Mozambique. Wondering how the previous hunts at Mahimba went? Did anyone go in 2010?
I am heading to Mahimba, which was formerly also under Safrique, to help a friend at the concession and do some hunting there for croc myself. My friend ( Jp Kleinhans) got the concession back, after Safrique had it for two years. No one has ever leased the concession for as long as he has in recent years, and if one does report searches and research dating back to when Mahimba was run by him, the positive feedback on Buff/Croc/Hippo and Sable hunting is phenomenal.
I have no doubt the concession will be back to its former glory after the anti-poaching and burning efforts start this May and the camp restored back to its former functioning.
For those not to put off by Mozambique, try JP Kleinhans Safaris, back at Mahimba, Mozambique in 2012.

Will add something positive here. The deposit for the canceled hunt was returned last week. No contact or email of any kind, just showed up in the account. Will never know what caused this to happen but am glad it did.

Originally Posted by saeng101

Will add something positive here. The deposit for the canceled hunt was returned last week. No contact or email of any kind, just showed up in the account. Will never know what caused this to happen but am glad it did.

Devine intervention!

Deputy Doc, It seems some have received refunds have you or the couple you hunted with received anything yet? Have you been able to contact Safrique? You were the original on this thread, I would love an update positive or negative.

Fl Gator, Did you ever receive your Deposit money? Have Safrique contacted you further. Would love an update.

WOW! What a tangled web. Guess I can not complain much of the minor inconvinences I have had on safari after reading this post.

I am glad for those of you who have received refunds and hope those of you due refunds still get them.

It is good to have such a medium as AH to "Get the word out" of shaddy untrustworthy outfitters to the hunting world.

Thanks for all the posts.

"Dreams and be relived again and again in Africa".

SAFRIQUE RED ALERT
Hi All, Just wondering if anyone has any updates on Safrique - whether they are still in business and if so - has anyone any experiences to share? We have had no further correspondence from anyone at Safrique since our last entry - it seems as if they have disappeared altogether. Anyway would appreciate any feedback. Thanks as always. Regards, George

Hi George, Safrique still has their L1 concession in the Niassa Reserve and will be hunting this year. They lost all their other concessions and had to pay a huge fine to be able to hang on to L1. Sounds like Randy has taken control of things so it might work out, who knows??

Mattmoz,
Thanks for your reply. We still have not received our 1/2 daily rate as promised. Has anyone contact details for Randy Muns. Perhaps he would step up to the mark. Matt Muns seems to be gone off radar. He will not be mourned by any of our party.
Deputy Doc, Rick & Friends,
I have been extremely busy for the past 6 months and out of touch. I am lying in the long grass (no pun intended) waiting for our friends to put up their heads. Why the hap hazzard system of returning some deposits etc. but not others. The lack of correspondence when returning money smacks of arrogance in the extreme.
We wish you every success Blueduiker.
Regards, George

SERIOUS HUNTERS ONLY
Thought's of a non-hunter痴 safari to Safrique.

Six hours seventeen minutes, 280 kilometers, 175 miles over dirt roads holding on to hunters rack on the back of a worn out truck with bald tires and a bad transmission. That was my real introduction to Safrique. But let痴 back up a little. My brother had purchased a Sable hunt at a charity auction. He asked me to go with him and for some, yet to be determined reason, I said yes. Thus began this safari.

It started innocently enough with us leaving Houston International for a layover in Paris to visit friends. Then to South Africa, a side trip to Zanzibar, back to South Africa and to Mozambique. It was here that the real adventure started. We had gone through customs five different times with rifles in one case and ammunition in another. Each time we went through customs and the locked rifle and the ammunition cases were opened and inspected. No problems. When we landed in Maputo, Mozambique we were told we could not continue because the case with the ammunition also contained assorted other items such as binoculars, a knife, animal calls, etc. The only solution was to find an empty cardboard box, cut it down to size and place the ammunition in that box and cover it with plastic wrap. Yes, THAT made it safe and proper. Only one problem this caused there to be an extra piece of luggage and a surcharge of $250.00. Was this a shakedown or a legitimate understanding of the rules? Who knows but it is too late to worry about that. We needed to catch a plane to Lichinga. (This was not a problem caused by Mr. Davies or Safrique but is indicative of problems dealing with officials of Mozambique.)

We land in Licninga and meet Paul Davies, and his runner. It is then that we learn that to get to camp we would have to travel in the aforementioned truck that had the driver痴 seat and one other seat in the cab. Any additional hunters or guests must ride in the back of the truck.

After an early plane boarding, we were hungry and ready to eat. Mr. Davies had made no provision for lunch or water. Not only that, the 都hort drive we had been sold was actually a six hour plus drive and the 杜ostly blacktop ended 30 kilometers down the road. (Only after being in camp one day did we learn there was a perfectly good air strip only a ten minute drive from camp. The airstrip had apparently been used three times in the past year once by the president of Mozambique, once by a governmental official who came to inspect trophies, and once by a hunter.)

The ride to Safrique took us through country that can only make one appreciate the United States. We insisted upon stopping for 吐ood (have no idea what that was served as a hamburger, but no American would have called it that).

Back on the road. Sitting high up on the hunter痴 seat gave good visibility. It also, like being in the crow痴 nest of a charter boat, accented every dip and sway of the road. Did I say I rode six plus hours in the back of a hunting truck over washed out roads that had not seen a road grader in years? This introduction prejudiced me to any good feeling I could have had.

I must say, however, that I found Mr. Davies and his hunting staff very capable guides. There was plenty of game considering that there are no fences in Mozambique. That means game can travel hundreds of miles without restriction. What is available today may not be seen again for months. Hunting in Mozambique is not like hunting on private fenced land in South Africa nothing approaching a guarantee of success.

I was listed, and licensed, as a hunter but did not take a shot. Why? I had no idea what it would cost me. The Safrique website does not list fees for animals and Mr. Davies never provided the requested price list. He never even gave oral prices. All I could think of was that for the unknown cost of the trophy, taxidermy, shipping, etc., I could put a lot of diesel in the motor home and take my wife on a long trip that both of us would appreciate more than a trophy in the den.

The camp was what one would expect from a hunting camp. There was no air conditioning but there was plenty of water hauled up from the river and placed in a gravity tank twenty feet or so above the eating pavilion to be used for cooking, washing, and the showers.

Mr. Davies is a real hunter痴 hunter. If one does not throttle him, he will hunt all day. One day痴 hunt lasted over twelve hours. The proffered food for the day consisted of hard boiled eggs and the beans that NO ONE eat the night before spread between two pieces of bread. Mr. Davies has his idea of 堵ood food but it was among the worst I have ever eaten.

My brother had a detailed discussion with Mr. Davies about how Mr. Randy Mums over sold the amenities, how difficult he was to contact, and the lack of ability to settle important issues before we landed.

We were there the last of October and first of November 2012. We would not recommend Safrique for anyone but the most dedicated of hunters who would want to tell friends of what they went through to get that trophy.

Welcome to AH Non-hunter.

That is a sad introduction to Safari for you.

Was your brother pleased with his charity hunt? Did he get a Sable?

Sorry to hear about your not so good trip but Welcome to AH! I too have done the Charity hunt thing and will never do it again. Hope your brother got his Sable.

Non-hunter, your post was very interesting. You got the essential part right SERIOUS HUNTERS ONLY. Mozambique and the Niassa Reserve are not like a fenced farm in South Africa. However, having hunted with Paul Davies and Safrique at the Camp in L1, I found it a great adventure with plenty of wild game, but then I consider myself a serious hunter. You do have to hunt in the Niassa and it is wild but that for me is the charm.
If you do a little homework, you can discover before you get there that there is an airstrip there. You can charter in if you wish but it is expensive, about the same cost as your ticket to Africa. Also, you can use Steve Turner with Travel with Guns to make your travel arrangements. He is very conscientious about informing you how to deal with or avoid problems with firearms particularly in places like Maputo.
Paul is one of the best PH痴 I have ever hunted with but then you do have to 滴UNT to appreciate him. I found the camp very comfortable especially for the wilds of Mozambique and I have never heard of a camp in Moz with air conditioning. You left out the part that most of us read this forum for. How was the hunting? Ah but then you are not a hunter. Did your brother get a Sable or a shot at a Sable? Did he see or take any other game? I am sure others here would love to know about the hunting. You are very astute in figuring out this was probably not the place for you. Next time try a photographic safari in the Serengeti or Kruger Park. Better yet, take the safari ride at Disney World in Orlando FL. When you池e finished you can eat at a five star restaurant and stay at a five star hotel being driven between the two in a limo. Happy Hunting in the future! (AH members for comparison please see my thread: My Hunt With Safrique in Niassa Reserve Oct/Nov 2011).