Anyone had a ph tell you to shoot the wrong animal or wrong shot?

[Doug3006]

Were they both trophy bulls?

Yes! Almost a mirror image of one another!

 

[pilar]

I’m sure I’ve told the story before. I was hunting Eland, and we spotted one on a hill opposite the hill we were on. Up went the sticks. I fired once from my 375 H&H and the bull did a mule kick and bailed off the top of the hill down the far side. We ran to the spot he was standing. The PH spotted him at the base of the hill. Up went the sticks. All the while the PH was telling me to shoot him again. I did and he collapsed. We took about ten steps down the hill and saw a very dead Eland laying half way down the hill, and the second one I shot was stone dead at the bottom.

I bet the closest village was especially happy

 

[Doug3006]

It was a LOT of meat!

 

[Flipper Dude]

It was a LOT of meat!

I had the camp manager cut a 4-5” thick porterhouse from the front from an eland that I killed. I was going to cook it like a Bistecca Ala Fiorintina later in the hunt. Alas, I ended up leaving a couple of days early, and never got to grill that beauty. I gotta try that someday.

 

[dchum]

I had the camp manager cut a 4-5” thick porterhouse from the front from an eland that I killed. I was going to cook it like a Bistecca Ala Fiorintina later in the hunt. Alas, I ended up leaving a couple of days early, and never got to grill that beauty. I gotta try that someday.

I like the way you think….

Shame you didn’t get to grill that steak up, next time

 

[Mike B.]

If you’ve hunted long enough, it’s bound to happen. I don’t think it’s a big deal to me, we all make mistakes and if it truly is a problem of shooting something small versus something big, any good PH will make that right with you. All of my experiences have been with different PHs.

So on one hunt we were looking at some zebra and trying to figure out which mare the foal belonged to. After watching for a few minutes it was decided which one to shoot and I shot the one I was told to. Turned out I shot the mom. That was heart wrenching as the foal stood around and watched us walk up to the downed zebra. The foal eventually ran off and joined the other two. Still had a great trophy for a rug but man, that didn’t make me feel good at that moment. To this day, I’d say that is the only trophy that I regret.

Second time I was told to shoot the wrong aoudad, a female. Went back out and was successful the next day on a ram.

Another time we saw a duiker while driving around. Hopped out and got on the sticks. It walked behind a big bush, moving from right to left. After waiting a short time later, it walks out from behind another big bush going from the left to the right, and I said right there on the left. The PH said yep and to shoot. After shooting it and dropping it, another one runs off and it had horns as well. We walk up onto the dead one and my PH says that’s a female with horns and the much bigger male was the one that ran off. Neither of us thought at the time there were two but it made total sense after replaying it in our heads because the one walked in from the opposite direction. We just assumed it had circled around some other brush and we didn’t see it do so and that’s why it ended up walking in from a different direction.

There was another time that was all on me. I bring this up because I can guarantee that clients mess things up way more than a PH will ever do. I am extremely deaf and I do wear hearing aids so whispers are almost impossible for me to hear. I was hunting hyena at night in a blind. As this was my second trip to Africa, I still had not seen a hyena in person before. Two came into the bait that night. I quietly asked right or left and I got a longer answer that I couldn’t hear or decipher. I said I couldn’t hear and asked again right or left. Got another long answer that I couldn’t make out. So at this point I’m looking through the night vision on the scope and I’m trying to decide which one was bigger and not being able to tell because of my inexperience. So I shoot the one on the right. I ask the PH immediately after if I had shot the right one and he said, no Mike, no you did not. I was like oh no, I hope I didn’t shoot a cub. Luckily when we got up to it I had shot a decent one but nothing like the one he wanted me to shoot.

 

[Denvir Tire]

Once in the Khomas Region we were stalking wildebeest, 5 or so beestes were high above us milling about, PH chooses one and says shoot.....
Shot a very large female, PH was crestfallen, however I asked if the cape can be used on a European mount trophy at home. It's the nicest shoulder mount I have.

In addition, I now spend most of my time in Africa night hunting with spotlight for Jackals. When the truck stops, shit happens fast...
Sometimes we get it wrong

 

[Safari Dave]

IME, African PH's are the best in the world, and will usually try their best to make everything right before your hunt is over.



North American guides are almost always part-time folks who usually try to do their best, but don't guide hunters as their primary way of making a living, so they just don't know as much about the hospitality industry.


In North America, you pay the same whether you are successful or not, of course you can tip more if your successful or enjoy the company of your guide..


In Africa, you pay more if you are successful, less if you are unsuccessful, because that's just the way the government game/private land permits work.

 

[Creigh]

Something to be said about recording the part of the hunt that matters. Some worrying stories here.

Never happened to me but I've been with another hunter I know fairly well who had a PH that constantly uttered the phrase 'wait wait'. After half a day of 'wait wait' I could tell from my hunter friend's gait alone that he was done listening to the PH, he told me later he realised this was going to be on him. The PH never get the memo and later that afternoon, 'wait wait BANG'. Hunter gets up, slaps the PH on the back and says, 'Let's go'.

That was the end of any input from the PH for that hunt. Later that evening, I have a 12 yr old Scotch I like to take along on hunts for a night cap/celebration kind of thing. PH thinks I've poured him a shooter as we were trying to find ice (i know, not pouring a scotch over ice is a no-no) anyway, this youngster had tears running down his cheeks, it was hard not to laugh but everything ended up great in the end. We had good fun there.

 

[Hedge774]

In the end it is you the one with the rifle and the one who pulls the trigger who needs to make the decision.

On my last hunt my PH wanted me to shoot a bleastbuck but I refused until I knew for sure it was the one to shoot. He was getting pissed off at me and I could tell it in his tone. On the way back to the lodge he apologized to me and told me that it was my hunt and not his and that I did the right thing. I also had a mountain reedbuck that was in a herd. As I watched him through the scope my PH was telling me which one it was. I was asking him just which one since there were two nice trophies in the small herd. It came down to him telling me that the reedbuck just took a step and just how it was standing before I pulled the trigger.

On this hunt my PH didn't have a range finder and it was up to me to determine the range. It was a good thing that I can tell ranges quite well, but I was also shooting a rifle that I knew very well and knew what the point blank range was.

But hunters just need to know when to pass up a shot even at a trophy animal when there is any question on the shot, or which animal that they are looking at.

I passed up an impala ram in Limpopo. My PH thought I was upset about the trip and asked what he could do to make it better. I laughed and explained that I just didn't feel like killing at the moment and would rather have a cold Black Label. He probably still thinks I'm insane, but we enjoyed those beers...

 

[Philip Glass]

I curious about hearing about ph’s or APH’s making mistake on the wrong animal, wrong distance or wrong position/ end of the animal
No names necessary

My buddy Doc had a ph tell him “ right behind the shoulder” on a bull buff and it was a mix up and was through the hip and gut , same hunt his daughter nicked a zebra after the distance was misjudged by over 100-150 meters. Many days where spent on tracking both.

Watching a video on pronghorn hunting and the guide got two bucks mixed up and had the hunter shoot the smaller one, just got me thinking about mistakes

Yes. It was my only chance at a Hartebeest in Cameroon. The trackers actually made the call that the first one in the group walking uphill was the bull. My instincts said the third one was darker and more masculine in the split second that all this occurred. I took the shot as they walked away knowing this might be my only chance. A bad shot on the wrong animal! The mild mannered PH let them have it! "If you're not sure don't say anything!"
It's hunting and it happens but I have burned myself by not listening to my hunter instincts on many occasions. Stories to tell.

 

[Kharn]

FUN PHs are what make the whole trip for me, I never want to leave cause they are so fun to hunt with, eat with, drink with, talk with just be with etc etc etc. I had one FUNNY AS ALL LIVING F! PH dress up in an 1800s Khaki uniform costume with a pith helm, monocle, massive smoking pipe and the longest most comical twirly mustache I ever did done see!

Boring PHs just.... make me want to leave early, make me feel like a 3rd wheel, make me feel like I'm wasting their time or I'm an unwanted uninvited guest.

 

[Daisy]

Right behind the shoulder was reasonable advice. The PH didn't fire the shot did he?

The most challenging shot verification between me and a PH were trips to the Zambezi Delta of Mozambique. There you must be very careful to understand exactly which cape buffalo bull among a herd that the PH intends for you to take.

The funniest screw-up was all on me. We were again in Mozambique looking over an enormous grass flat. A nice reed buck stood up at about 150 yards and my PH suggested I take him. It started walking to the left, and I fired just as he was going behind a large bush. A few seconds later he emerged from the other side and I hit him again. As we walked up a lovely pair of bucks lay on either side of the shrubbery. My now old friend Boet laconically remarked in his perfect Rhodesian accent, "they should make nice bookends."

That’s a great story. I could see myself doing the exact same thing.

 

[LivingTheDream]

My buddy that I was on safari with wanted a Nyala, they stalk two Nyala a good one and a young one. They watch them a bit and they are against a rocky outcropping. PH says you have a clear shot on the good one, take it when ready. At the shot, both Nyala drop. Apparently his 375 (or at least part of it) ricochet and hit the young one right behind the shoulder. I would have never believed it, if I wasnt there for the story. The PH and outfitter were really awesome only charging for the one trophy Nyala.

 

[Troubleshooter]

I’m upfront with my PH’s and tell them I can’t hear a damn thing and to say “shoot” or “no” as loud as they can without spooking game!

I purchased a set of molded earplugs that electronically enhance normal sounds (while suppressing the report of the rifle) and have used them during the last couple of hunts. It makes a big difference, as I can hear the PH's whisper and still not destroy what's left of my hearing.

 

[Creigh]

I purchased a set of molded earplugs that electronically enhance normal sounds (while suppressing the report of the rifle) and have used them during the last couple of hunts. It makes a big difference, as I can hear the PH's whisper and still not destroy what's left of my hearing.

What product did you use? I have the same issue.

 

[Troubleshooter]

I curious about hearing about ph’s or APH’s making mistake on the wrong animal, wrong distance or wrong position/ end of the animal

Well, sort of...
We were tracking a wounded gemsbok which was standing amongst several others. He wasn't showing much blood and I was having trouble identifying the correct animal. After watching a while, the PH told me "the zebra is walking in front of him now" so I lined up for the shot. The PH reached over and moved my rifle barrel to the right, but all I could see was a tree. So I lined up on the gemsbok again and once again the PH reached out and moved the barrel back to the right.

I told him that all I could see was a tree, and he replied, "let me see." Figuring that he probably couldn't see it from where he was standing, I rotated out from behind the stock while carefully keeping the barrel in the same position, so he could see for himself that it was pointed at a tree. After looking though the scope for a moment, he flicked off the safety and fired a shot, whereupon the whole group of animals bolted. I think we tracked that group of gemsbok for 6-7 km (by vehicle and on foot) over the course of several hours before I finally finished him off.

Discussing the situation around the campfire that evening, it seems that the zebra was indeed passing in front of the target gemsbok but by the time the words came out of his mouth, the zebra was in front of a different one. The one we wanted was in fact, behind the tree. Not sure whether the intent was to shoot through the tree or just to spook it and get it to move. But we eventually got it.

Now it's just a funny hunting story, but it was rather frustrating at the time!

 

[Troubleshooter]

What product did you use? I have the same issue.

I bought a pair of the Axil Custom Edge earplugs. They have different models with or without Bluetooth but I have no requirement for that capability.