21 days with Mark Sullivan

[Beck]

Shooting his clients buffalo as usual......

Listen all bets are off if the safety of the hunting party is in question. That was certainly not the case in this situation. I would not be a happy client

 

[Miletic]

Simply, I would agree with him that only I would shoot.
Just in case they stab me with both horns. As long as I'm on one horn, it doesn't shoot

 

[jb1069]

I am one of the least experienced with all things Africa but I would not be happy with this PH. It truly looks like clients pay for him to hunt. I get the dangerous part but as it had been stated several times this was not the case. Very off putting for me.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Haven't watched the video and won't. Don't see any point in giving it view stats when all I'm hearing is thumbs down.

I do not hold with PH rapid fire immediately after client shoots. Unless the buff is shot in the brain, it's not going down with one shot. Any PH certified to guide buffalo knows when one has been properly hit (i.e. in front shoulder). Give it time to die. If it decides to charge, then everyone shoots till it falls over. I have seen plenty of videos where client places a bad shot, sometimes many of them, but PH still gives him a chance to finish the job.

Sullivan is a typical influencer. If he wasn't full of himself, he wouldn't be successful. Some (most?) people are attracted to that ... for various reasons. Which is also an important component to an influencer's success. I am probably the only person on this forum who would pass up a hunt with Ruark, Hemingway, or Capstick. All successful influencers who could spin a great yarn in their writing (no internet media in their day). But in real life they were also fatheads who could be awful to be around, especially when drunk. I think today they wouldn't stand a chance with internet media.

 

[375Fox]

Not much for cats on bait. Same tree all the time. Buffalo hunting looked pretty good but I would be a bit disappointed to not get at least a leopard on a 21-day safari in Tanzania, if not a lion. Buffalo hunting seemed to be like a buddy hunt with both shooting.

I was a bit confused with only baiting one tree. I was hoping for an end of safari line up to see everything he took. It looked like a few hunts were missing from the video from the discussions they had?

 

[Nhoro]

Watch the video starting at 23:00. The client using a bolt action with a scope required four shots to drop a zebra standing broadside.

Honestly, if it was any other PH in that scenario knowing the client is struggling with shooting skills about to attempt a shot on a buff in an area with heavy cover, would they make a quick followup shot or let the buff run into heavy cover?

That is how I saw it. From his first shot, the client was lifting his head to avoid recoil. Almost every shot was slow and too far back and I think backup shots were probably necessary.

I have a different attitude to many it seems. I would like to turn up for a hunt and drill the bullseye with a small group and then put all my animals down with well placed shots. My PH will see I can shoot and have confidence in me, so I wont have to worry about him backing up. If I stuff it up, then I want him trying to put that animal down. I don't want it to suffer or injure anyone. So practise until you are good and trustworthy. My words to a PH will be for him to shoot when necessary.

I don't like some aspects of Sullivan ie shooting from the car and being a cocky SOB, but I think he needed to back up this guy. His speech is not genuine, he goes from respecting the animal to calling it a coward. Much better people to hunt with but if you sign up with him, you do get exactly what you ordered.

 

[mark-hunter]

Simply, I would agree with him that only I would shoot.

First question:
Would he agree to that?


2nd question:
What if running away buffalo is offering a shot, before disappearing in the bush, and you did not reload yet?


3rd question:
What about buffalo charge? Who shoots?


Answer to 2nd question can be the difference between paying for trophy, or paying for spilt blood only and lost animal.
This is critical question that needs to be clarified between client and PH.

3rd question is actually PH duty to stop the charge.
But in case of MS, he often provokes the charge. He also has his followers, and people who pay for this. Personally I dont need a charge.

 

[Killingtime]

The only time I might like the Ph’s help

 

[Killingtime]

Very

First question:
Would he agree to that?


2nd question:
What if running away buffalo is offering a shot, before disappearing in the bush, and you did not reload yet?


3rd question:
What about buffalo charge? Who shoots?


Answer to 2nd question can be the difference between paying for trophy, or paying for spilt blood only and lost animal.
This is critical question that needs to be clarified between client and PH.

3rd question is actually PH duty to stop the charge.
But in case of MS, he often provokes the charge. He also has his followers, and people who pay for this. Personally I dont need a charge.

valid questions I didn’t think about. I remember selby in chapter 14 of horn of hunter telling ruarke he thought he’d help out and break the buffs back as ruarke got flattened when he pulled both triggers.
I know Craig boddington and Joseph von Benedict talked about brown bear guides firing an anchoring shot in a bear if your first one didn’t drop him. Some writers hunting camp they said every guide there except 1 said they would do that.
I know the guide what’s to be safe in all situations however I also understand us hunters wanting the animal to actually have been killed by said hunter.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

So the client was not handicapped but shooting from the truck? If Sullivan produced this video, why didn't he edit out some of this tasteless shit? That right there tells me a lot about the guy.

I have mistakenly shot hen pheasants. Been a long time but it happens. I own it when it does. Usually I quit for the day ... in disgust. Maybe most other hunters might have made the same mistake under same conditions but that's no excuse. Anyway, I like to think I'm a better pheasant hunter than most so making that excuse holds even less water. Surely Sullivan thinks he's better than 8 out of 10 PHs he claims would misidentify a female leopard. I would have a lot more respect for him if he'd just owned it and blamed himself.

I recall a video by J. Alain Smith, influencer extraordinaire. He took a late shot at a monster kudu across a canyon. It didn't drop and by the time they could work their way over to the site it was dark so had to pack it in till morning. Too many night stalking predators about. Next morning they found it dead and Smith was quite upset ... with himself. The meat had by then started to sour so only cape and horns were saved (fortunately nothing found it during the night). Smith cursed himself for foolishly taking the shot too late. The size of the horns got the better of common sense. How often do you see a video where the influencer says, "Okay folks, this is NOT the way to do it!" I have utmost respect for that guy, but probably wouldn't hunt with him. He's a bit too wound up for me.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Actually I would have no desire to hunt with Capstick, Ruark or Hemingway either.

I might tolerate sitting around the fire in camp with them. Because when their BS got to be too much I could go to bed. But hunting with them. No thanks.

 

[Huvius]

One thing I noticed is that the leopard and lionesses seemed to know exactly where the blind is almost looking at the hunters casually rather than in an alerted state.
The old bait still hanging makes me wonder if the tom was taken from the tree just before this client arrived. I know it’s somewhat common to prebait for leopards before the client arrives so that may be the case here too.
Also, the blind was right on the side of the car track which makes me think that IF a large lion or leopard was to approach that bait, it would possibly come right down the track (same path as the lionesses left the bait) and its approach would have three smelly humans right on the path. It seemed that the tree was chosen for convenience more so than anything else. The lion bait tree looked like it had been used for the purpose for ages as did the leopard tree.
Maybe thats a case of it working so why do it differently? You guys would know better than I do…
Lastly, the client shot very poorly and both he and MS being a little over the hill it was probably best for Sullivan to put his shots into the buff specifically. Who knows how far the gut shot buff would have gone if he hadn’t?

 

[Huvius]

So the client was not handicapped but shooting from the truck? If Sullivan produced this video, why didn't he edit out some of this tasteless shit? That right there tells me a lot about the guy.

I think that warthog may be one species that can be taken from a vehicle - anyone sure?
The way this client was shooting, I can appreciate that an elevated position with a solid rest would be preferential to any PH…

 

[mark-hunter]

valid questions I didn’t think about.

One of my PH on my question how the wounded animal is most commonly lost, said: clients who specifically ask PH not to shoot a back up shot, loose animal more often.

I have done two hunts on DG: buffalo and ele.
Each time I clarified this with PH before the hunt, and gave him the permittion for back up shot if he thinks is necessary.
There was no need for it, on the end, it was all my shooting, but this was my insurance not to loose the animal.
In my opinion, every DG hunter, must decide this for him self, and clarify this with Ph before the hunt.

Stopping a charge, is different matter.
Stopping a charge, is PH duty and it is non negotiable.
It is a must.
Safety of hunting party is his job description.

And if we speak of MS, provoking a charge as his specialty is breach of safety culture.
But I am sure, some clients pay just for that experience.
Not for me.

 

[Brent in Az]

It's obvious that client is a lousy shot and can't handle a .500NE double very well.
He also puts Sullivan on a pedestal.
Sullivan found someone to pay for an expensive hunt were he could have fun
The lone Leopard blind has obviously been used many times, and the males are probably wising up to that. Did you notice the concrete drinking hole in the ground they put water in ?
Leopard hunting requires baits at multiple strategic locations, an. Not just one next to a road

 

[skydiver386]

No matter who this upsets, I'm going to come out and say what most of us are thinking when we see Mark Sullivan being Mark Sullivan.

This particular man built up a Cult of Personality. He obviously had an oversized ego and fooled many clients into following his Cult. If you watch all of his videos over the years, it becomes obvious that he makes it a habit of shooting a client's animals, whether he needs to or not.

If a PH made it a habit to put a few shots into every animal on a Safari I was paying for, I'd ask why, and he'd better have a good explanation. I'm not there to pay for my PH to show off his skills, he can do that on his own dime. If a PH put holes into everything I was hunting and didn't need to, then tried to make me pay full price for his fun, oh yeah, there'd be some "Combat" alright.

 

[375Fox]

So the client was not handicapped but shooting from the truck? If Sullivan produced this video, why didn't he edit out some of this tasteless shit? That right there tells me a lot about the guy.

I have mistakenly shot hen pheasants. Been a long time but it happens. I own it when it does. Usually I quit for the day ... in disgust. Maybe most other hunters might have made the same mistake under same conditions but that's no excuse. Anyway, I like to think I'm a better pheasant hunter than most so making that excuse holds even less water. Surely Sullivan thinks he's better than 8 out of 10 PHs he claims would misidentify a female leopard. I would have a lot more respect for him if he'd just owned it and blamed himself.

I recall a video by J. Alain Smith, influencer extraordinaire. He took a late shot at a monster kudu across a canyon. It didn't drop and by the time they could work their way over to the site it was dark so had to pack it in till morning. Too many night stalking predators about. Next morning they found it dead and Smith was quite upset ... with himself. The meat had by then started to sour so only cape and horns were saved (fortunately nothing found it during the night). Smith cursed himself for foolishly taking the shot too late. The size of the horns got the better of common sense. How often do you see a video where the influencer says, "Okay folks, this is NOT the way to do it!" I have utmost respect for that guy, but probably wouldn't hunt with him. He's a bit too wound up for me.

He shot warthogs from truck as leopard bait, not any trophy animals.

 

[375Fox]

No matter who this upsets, I'm going to come out and say what most of us are thinking when we see Mark Sullivan being Mark Sullivan.

This particular man built up a Cult of Personality. He obviously had an oversized ego and fooled many clients into following his Cult. If you watch all of his videos over the years, it becomes obvious that he makes it a habit of shooting a client's animals, whether he needs to or not.

If a PH made it a habit to put a few shots into every animal on a Safari I was paying for, I'd ask why, and he'd better have a good explanation. I'm not there to pay for my PH to show off his skills, he can do that on his own dime. If a PH put holes into everything I was hunting and didn't need to, then tried to make me pay full price for his fun, oh yeah, there'd be some "Combat" alright.

The client was happy and it’s his hunt, but the PH’s tactics almost looked practiced to me. He has client shoot the first ok shot then as it turns perfect broadside at impact put in the killing shot. The hunter wasn’t a good shot. He even hits very low on the initial target. He also says the trigger guard has been cutting him to bone so likely flinching bad, but any reasonable PH would let their client take a second shot while the buffalo is still well in the open. The client hasn’t even recovered from the recoil yet when Mark Sullivan shoots. I think “Cult of Personality” is very correct terminology. I think the hunter is likely more excited about hunting with Mark Sullivan and having Mark Sullivan kill buffalo than he is about actually hunting buffalo himself.

 

[ARHinAK]

The first shot on the first buffalo looked like a straight forward gut shot. That could have ended up with a lost animal or days of tracking. I doubt his follow up shot would have been any better. Setting aside the PHs propensity to get his own shots in, it could be argued that in this case it’s probably just as well that Mark shot.
The first shot on the second buffalo looked like dust kicked up high and right. Not sure exactly where or even if the client made a hit for sure. After the initial shot things played out about like the first buffalo.
Not a fan whatsoever of all the bs narration by the M.S. but I would also hate to be in the shoes of a PH who had a client who probably couldn’t hit the water if he fell out of a boat!
The client had too much gun/couldn’t shoot and a clown show ensued.
I’ll never understand why people try to do things that they’re clearly not up to. Like Dirty Harry said, “a man’s gotta know his limitations “. Work within them, nothing wrong with that.

 

[pilar]

Actually I would have no desire to hunt with Capstick, Ruark or Hemingway either.

I might tolerate sitting around the fire in camp with them. Because when their BS got to be too much I could go to bed. But hunting with them. No thanks.

Way back in the 1990’s I was invited to go to lunch with Wally Johnson by Irvin Barnhart . It was a fascinating experience, hearing Mr Johnson talk about real world safari life and how both Ruark and Capstick where Full of B.S and show boat con artist
To sell their books, I was surprised that Mr Johnson was a PH for Ruark and chapstick had written the book the last ivory hunter about his life in the bush .
So I think you are right about that group of authors after hearing about them from people who had 1st hand experience with them.
I have a copy of the last ivory hunter , but have misplaced the coffee table book of Irvin’s trophy room,
( I would invite everyone to google up both Wally and Irvin if you don’t know their history of safaris)