Mtn_Infantry
AH legend
- Joined
- May 11, 2021
- Messages
- 3,065
- Reaction score
- 6,946
- Location
- Texas
- Media
- 34
- Articles
- 1
- Member of
- DSC, SCI, NRA, WSF, DU, NWTF
- Hunted
- Zambia, Zimbabwe (Matabeleland North: Hwange & Matetsi, Matabeleland South: Mataingwe, Matobos, Marula/Plumtree), Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa (Limpopo, Free State, North West, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Gauteng)
This goes back to the topic of selecting outfitters, cancellation hunts, and asking for references after a hunt is booked.
This might be a little controversial and I think it’s up to each of us to decide where the line is, but in the last 24 Hours I’ve seen multiple examples of what I’d consider shady practices. I’m not picking on anyone, I don’t have the full story from all sides, but I think this is going to be eye opening for some. I’m sure I can find another dozen examples if I look hard enough and I left out several of the reoccurring names.
1) JSB Safaris in Namibia
A Craig Boddington Endorses Outfitter advertises a Croc Hunt in Namibia.
Looks good right? This Outfitter/PH is using a doctored photo to advertise his hunts. Cliff Walker (not a Namibian PH) hunted this Croc and here’s his photo.
Look close you can even see their shadows weren’t edited out just the people. I know this happens regularly @375Fox had one of his photos borrowed by a low rent South African PH, I’ve had mine borrowed, and know several other have too. Wouldn’t know this if Cliff hadn’t called this out.
To me, this raises the question of did Boddington actually vet this outfitter? Did Craig Boddington know? How much involvement does he have or is he licensing out his name to a marketing company? Should this automatically preclude this outfitter from being a CB Endorsed Outfitter? How much value does one now place on a CB Endorsed Outfitter or is that something an outfitter can pay for?
Im prefacing this next one with they’re A VERY well known and long respected name in the industry (with a recent great hunting report on here). I don’t have 100% of the story but it’s obviously being shaped differently by each side.
2) Morgan Potter - Robin Hurt Safaris
Books a 21 Day Tanzania Lion Hunt. During the hunt, there’s some controversy about the only Lion that was hitting bait over the last 14 Days. What I heard was it was first called too young, and later a pride male (no pride in photos) based on dark marks on the back leg (which indicate it’s mature and CAN be a pride male).
Morgan recently made a post on social media about pride males, citing this incident and saying it’s the same male.
If you were following along after this post was made you’d have seen posts of the lion from this hunt, as video taped by one of the top videographers in Africa, who’s probably been on and a part of more lion hunts then any active African PH today. Stating it’s not the same lion (missing scar in leg, mane and face are different, trail cam photos are well over 50km away from this area). As well as comments from other very well respected Tanzanian PH’s like Quintin from Kilombero North Safaris who essentially argues Morgan’s decision not to shoot a legal lion on the assumption of it being a pride male when there’s zero evidence of a pride or it being a pride male is tantamount to theft. I couldn’t get all the comments as they were quickly deleted, but you get the point.
Backstory I was also told (after the hunt) RHS has only killed 1 Lion on this concession over the last several years, despite showing the client photos of numerous “shooter” male lions. They didn’t disclose that, didn’t disclose the info that this isn’t a great area for lions with no real resident pride, also didn’t discuss their thoughts on Pride Males. Essentially it’s more of a fringe portion of territories and ranges. Additionally after the hunt, the other PH in camp, as well as one of the Hurts said it was a legal male and they’d have shot it.
#3 Reward Sibanda - Adventure Hunts Zimbabwe
Posts a clients 40lb trophy bull elephant.
The issue here is the out of skull ivory he’s advertising isn’t the same bull. Big bodied bull, likely 35-45yo BUT there are known size references in the photo a future hunter can use, in addition to some of the marks and stains.
#4 Giles Allcock of Shaw & Hunter Safaris (TZ)
Outfitter contracts a booking agent to sell a Tanzania Buffalo Hunt Package. We’ll negate the fact the booking agent hadn’t hunted with the outfitter when initially marketing it, but unsuccessfully hunts it prior to the clients arrival.
The Client(s) (AH members) show up and are told by the concession holder and the contracted PH’s there are no buffalo in this concession too many Maasai and cattle.
#5 *** Forum Sponsor ***
Outfitter is misrepresenting their hunting area and trophy quality with photos that aren’t theirs, of an area and lodge that isn’t theirs.
These are just a handful of examples that I’ve seen or know of, with first 4 being extremely recent. To me this highlights the importance of vetting your outfitter and asking a variety of questions not just the standard ones. Hear what they’re saying and be adaptive to their responses. Make sure you and your PH mesh and have similar thoughts. It also underscores how important checking references is within the research process.
This might be a little controversial and I think it’s up to each of us to decide where the line is, but in the last 24 Hours I’ve seen multiple examples of what I’d consider shady practices. I’m not picking on anyone, I don’t have the full story from all sides, but I think this is going to be eye opening for some. I’m sure I can find another dozen examples if I look hard enough and I left out several of the reoccurring names.
1) JSB Safaris in Namibia
A Craig Boddington Endorses Outfitter advertises a Croc Hunt in Namibia.
Looks good right? This Outfitter/PH is using a doctored photo to advertise his hunts. Cliff Walker (not a Namibian PH) hunted this Croc and here’s his photo.
Look close you can even see their shadows weren’t edited out just the people. I know this happens regularly @375Fox had one of his photos borrowed by a low rent South African PH, I’ve had mine borrowed, and know several other have too. Wouldn’t know this if Cliff hadn’t called this out.
To me, this raises the question of did Boddington actually vet this outfitter? Did Craig Boddington know? How much involvement does he have or is he licensing out his name to a marketing company? Should this automatically preclude this outfitter from being a CB Endorsed Outfitter? How much value does one now place on a CB Endorsed Outfitter or is that something an outfitter can pay for?
Im prefacing this next one with they’re A VERY well known and long respected name in the industry (with a recent great hunting report on here). I don’t have 100% of the story but it’s obviously being shaped differently by each side.
2) Morgan Potter - Robin Hurt Safaris
Books a 21 Day Tanzania Lion Hunt. During the hunt, there’s some controversy about the only Lion that was hitting bait over the last 14 Days. What I heard was it was first called too young, and later a pride male (no pride in photos) based on dark marks on the back leg (which indicate it’s mature and CAN be a pride male).
Morgan recently made a post on social media about pride males, citing this incident and saying it’s the same male.
If you were following along after this post was made you’d have seen posts of the lion from this hunt, as video taped by one of the top videographers in Africa, who’s probably been on and a part of more lion hunts then any active African PH today. Stating it’s not the same lion (missing scar in leg, mane and face are different, trail cam photos are well over 50km away from this area). As well as comments from other very well respected Tanzanian PH’s like Quintin from Kilombero North Safaris who essentially argues Morgan’s decision not to shoot a legal lion on the assumption of it being a pride male when there’s zero evidence of a pride or it being a pride male is tantamount to theft. I couldn’t get all the comments as they were quickly deleted, but you get the point.
Backstory I was also told (after the hunt) RHS has only killed 1 Lion on this concession over the last several years, despite showing the client photos of numerous “shooter” male lions. They didn’t disclose that, didn’t disclose the info that this isn’t a great area for lions with no real resident pride, also didn’t discuss their thoughts on Pride Males. Essentially it’s more of a fringe portion of territories and ranges. Additionally after the hunt, the other PH in camp, as well as one of the Hurts said it was a legal male and they’d have shot it.
#3 Reward Sibanda - Adventure Hunts Zimbabwe
Posts a clients 40lb trophy bull elephant.
The issue here is the out of skull ivory he’s advertising isn’t the same bull. Big bodied bull, likely 35-45yo BUT there are known size references in the photo a future hunter can use, in addition to some of the marks and stains.
#4 Giles Allcock of Shaw & Hunter Safaris (TZ)
Outfitter contracts a booking agent to sell a Tanzania Buffalo Hunt Package. We’ll negate the fact the booking agent hadn’t hunted with the outfitter when initially marketing it, but unsuccessfully hunts it prior to the clients arrival.
The Client(s) (AH members) show up and are told by the concession holder and the contracted PH’s there are no buffalo in this concession too many Maasai and cattle.
#5 *** Forum Sponsor ***
Outfitter is misrepresenting their hunting area and trophy quality with photos that aren’t theirs, of an area and lodge that isn’t theirs.
These are just a handful of examples that I’ve seen or know of, with first 4 being extremely recent. To me this highlights the importance of vetting your outfitter and asking a variety of questions not just the standard ones. Hear what they’re saying and be adaptive to their responses. Make sure you and your PH mesh and have similar thoughts. It also underscores how important checking references is within the research process.
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