Marc Watts African hunting DVDs

I just watched 2 Marc Watts videos, Fire and Ice and Back to Africa available from Safari press.

These are not your usual hunting videos and are highly produced but everything is filmed in real time with no acting. The hunting is great and it is not a shoot em up. You get a great feel of being on the safari and there is lots of hunting action.

Overall I found them to be quite good and would reccomend them to anyone who likes to watch hunting rather than the usual whackem and stackem style african videos you seem to see out there.

Thanks for the review Diamondhitch!

Diamond Hitch

While the DVD are OK there is a lot of editing. Work done in the production room and so on.

I have a couple of Watts DVD's also and while he is a noted crack rifle shot, and has hunted all over Africa. There are many DVD's provide a truer picture of what you will come across while on safari.

Some of the long range shots taken on Crock and Hippo just because he can show off his rifle skills. Leaves the average person thinking he can do the same thing while on safari after watching his DVD's.

Originally Posted by James.Grage

Diamond Hitch

Some of the long range shots taken on Crock and Hippo just because he can show off his rifle skills. Leaves the average person thinking he can do the same thing while on safari after watching his DVD's.

Well said! And there in lies the rub! That's why on some properties you have to pay for pulling the trigger!
In Zim, if you fire a shot on Hippo and Croc they are deemed shot and you pay!
True hunting, in my humble opinion, is about the pursuit not the kill. Otherwise it should be termed 'sharp shooting' and not 'hunting'!
The thrill of getting in very close and knowing you have truly outwitted your quarry brings a very special feeling....which is why I love bowhunting so much! I get the same from hunting Buffalo and Ele with rifle coz I like to get very close in!

Originally Posted by James.Grage

Diamond Hitch

While the DVD are OK there is a lot of editing. Work done in the production room and so on.

I have a couple of Watts DVD's also and while he is a noted crack rifle shot, and has hunted all over Africa. There are many DVD's provide a truer picture of what you will come across while on safari.

Some of the long range shots taken on Crock and Hippo just because he can show off his rifle skills. Leaves the average person thinking he can do the same thing while on safari after watching his DVD's.

James, Some one is always trying to entertain you with their skills somehow.
Any suggestions about some good ones you liked?

I have a few from many...Family quality DVD on African hunting have been gifted to family members to see if i can gather any interest.

Boddington DVD's are good

Sullivan DVD's are good

Big Bore DVD's are good.

Carter DVD is good.

Robertson's DVD is good.

Dead On DVD interactive simulator on where to place shots...Very Good

The thing is you can learn something from every one of these DVD's.
Example:
1. Shooting skills needed - Watch and learn...
2. PH interaction with Client - Watch each DVD very close and learn.
3. Different country interaction - and yes they are different.
4. Setting expectations - your personal review and set realistic expectations.
5. Checking Gear - Do not go over board less is better...
6. Rifles - Double & Bolt rifles -
7. Safari Settings - how they differ and what you can expect.
8. hunting vehicle set up...ride inside or on top
9. self conditioning for conditions you will encounter. I do not like swamps personal, been there done that.


You see the list can go on

Shot placement

Originally Posted by BRICKBURN

James, Some one is always trying to entertain you with their skills somehow.
Any suggestions about some good ones you liked?

James, while I respect your opinion and agree they are highly produced, the way they show actual hunting with no re-enactments or bull makes them worth the money for me. I am so tired of seeing videos that go like this - shoot an animal, shoot an animal, shoot an animal then replay the shot on an animal, then shoot an animal, etc with little if any actual hunting footage.

Yes he has an ego but in the videos I have, the PH called for the shot on each and every animal and he took time out to talk about shooting and the importance of practice and shooting within your own personal effective range.

There are certainly many other good videos out there and these videos are not my favorite but certainly worthy of my time to watch them. Remember this when watching videos, they are there to entertain us, if we get an education that is good too but is not neccesary IMO. I would rather watch a good adventure than a how-to 90% of the time.

I just watched 2 more Mark Watts videos. 'Africas perfectly shot plainsgame' and 'One shot - hunting Americas oldest game preserve'. I have to say, as impressed as I was at the first 2 videos, these last 2 were terrible. They were poorly put together but not terribly, however no respect was given to the animals, more emphasis was placed on killing with one shot than putting down a wounded animal and measuring the horns of an animal while it was still choking on its last breaths was a huge turn off. I now know why there is so much animosity against trophy hunters if the ones that behave like this are the benchmark. I consider myself to be a die hard trophy hunter but was disgusted at this type of behavior. The overall feel of both videos was that he enjoyed killing far more than hunting. I still recommend the first 2 videos but stay away from the ones I just mentioned.