SOUTH AFRICA: BOWHUNT: South Africa Disappointment With Steyn Safaris

bctlaw

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I got back from SA about 11 days ago, and am just now getting things put together to where I could post about my hunt. Just FYI, I was supposed to have purchased 10 days at the following camp (South Aftrican Hunting Lodge Accommodations | Private Luxury Suites | Steyn Safaris). I got nothing close. Below is an e-mail I sent to the US representative of Steyn Safaris. They have not responded. 11 days after the end of my "hunt," I am still awaiting a $7,200.00 refund from my trophy fee deposit. The US rep finally sent an e-mail to the folks in Africa last night. . . requesting an invoice so he could refund the money. I, perhaps foolishly, expected my refund to beat me back, or at least be right on my tail.

This is a tame version of events. I will never return to Africa.

Ben

_____________________________

Jeff

I am back in the office, but I wanted to take a few minutes to fill you in on our trip. I have nothing positive to bring from this experience. From the moment we arrived, it was absolute chaos. Please note that I am speaking for myself and of my own experience, but suspect that my companions, on some level or another, will agree with what follows.

When we arrived at OR Tambo, we were met by Adele and her husband, Anton. Unfortunately, neither of them knew where we were headed. We got into the car, where we were told, "Welcome to SA, you are now a walking wallet." We drove out of town, and stopped at a truck stop for an hour as Anton tried to get ahold of Chico to figure out where to take us. Once he figured this out, we realized we would not be staying at Steyn's camp. Instead, we were to be carted off to the Limpopo, reportedly nine hours from where we thought we would be staying.

When we were were dropped off with Chico in Nystrom (sp?), he had clearly been drinking. On our way up, we stopped at a restaurant, because Chico did not know if there would be dinner at camp that night. Chico had another rum and coke. He drove us to Lephalale, where we met up with Sampi. Sampi had clearly been drinking, and still had a rum and coke in his hand when we arrived. We stood around for 1 hour. We don't know why. On the drive from Lephalale to Camp, Chico thought it would be funny to race Sampi, so he passed him at well over 120 KM an hour. When we hit the dirt roads, he thought it would be funny to make Sampi "eat his dust," so he sped, slowed down, sped, slowed down, sped, all the way to camp.

All in all, it took 9 hours to get from OR Tambo to camp.

When we arrived at camp, we were disappointed to say the least. Where were the luxury linens? Where was the pool (there was a pool, but you couldn't see the bottom for the muck)? Where was the internet access (which was essential to me, a traveling lawyer)?

Neither Sampi nor Chico had ever stayed at this camp. On numerous occasions both Sampi and Chico proclaimed they would never stay here again because it was so terrible. However, neither one considered our interests and attempted to remedy the situation. Here are a list of the problems with the camp:

1. Breakfast was served 4 times in 10 days. One of those days it consisted of yoghurt and granola. Another, there was not enough food for four people, let alone the seven who were there.
2. Lunches on 7 of the days consisted of white bread, margarine, and either one slice of tomato or one slice of bologna. There was a packet of crackers, a piece of fruit, and a juice box. On the other 3 days, we got either a cold hotdog, a cold sausage, or a cold hamburger.
3. We were allowed to eat game on 3 out of the 10 nights. It was very important to us to be able to eat African game. Despite shooting two impala, a kudu, a steenbok, a pig, and two gemsbok, we were fed game only thrice. One night we received gemsbok steaks, another we had warthog stew, and another we had impala stew. No one ever got to try kudu or steenbok.
4. Laundry was done twice in ten days. I don't believe soap was used.
5. Location, location, location. I drove nearly 1.5 hours every morning and evening to and from my hunting grounds. I drive far less to get to my hunting grounds when I'm not on a hunting vacation.
6. Our bedsheets were never replaced.

This was far different from the accommodations we had been looking forward to relaxing in. We expected:

"a beautiful main building where you can relax in the bar and lounge or unwind in our Jacuzzi and pool overlooking the spectacular views of the mountainous terrain. Private luxury suites lie hidden in the lush bushveld which makes for a perfectly tranquil, indulgent getaway particularly after a long day of hunting. First class lodging is air-conditioned en-suite and equipped with oversized baths, luxury linens, and all the comforts of home to make your stay as comfortable and memorable as possible. Each suite has its own private balcony offering sweeping views of the surrounding mountains. Additionally, as our guest you will enjoy daily laundry service, internet, cellular, and satellite television access during your stay."

With respect to food, we looked forward to the following:

"Our culinary chef prepared meals are of impeccable standard. Savor hearty bush breakfasts, midday feasts, and evening meals prepared to your liking with an African flavor and accompanied by a fine selection of famous South African wines, aperitifs, and local beers. Evening cuisine is served in the main lodge with amazing views of the African Bush, or in the Boma beside crackling fires, where guests may experience the sounds of the African night under starlit skies."

I was offerred wine on two occasions in 10 days, despite my questionnaire stating that I would like to drink regional wines and beers.


The Hunting Grounds

I hunted with a guy named Koos. He was a 3rd PH, apparently hired by Steyn because Chico and Sampi didn't know the area. He was a nice guy, and very understanding. He owns a cattle/kudu farm. It was rather large (approx. 1000 hectares), but the only animals on it were kudu with a smattering of impala and a few gemsbok. There were warthogs, steenbok, and duiker as well (since these critters can't be fenced). Unfortunately, the first kudu I ever saw were at a trough, next to a shed/blind, eating alfalfa. When we drove up, they looked at us (from 7 or 8 feet), and went back to feeding. Aside from the horns, it was impossible to distinguish the kudu from the cattle.

The other ranch I hunted was 400 hectares. During my conversations with you, I was informed that the smallest ranch we would hunt would be 7500 acres. The size of these ranches was a huge disappointment. I saw high fences numerous times during every day, not just upon our arrival.

The Guides

My guide (Koos) allowed me to spot and stalk. I shot a steenbok and a warthog. Chico and Sampi insisted that spot and stalk was "impossible" (a word I heard quite often), and refused to try it with the other guys. Although I never spent time in the blinds with Chico or Sampi, my companions report that their guides slept most of the day, and asked only to be awoken if something they wanted to shoot came in.

Chico and Sampi also decided to hunt during this trip. They spent two evenings in a blind hunting bush pigs. I feel this was inappropriate, but perhaps it is common in Africa for the hosts to abandon their guests to get some hunting of their own in.

When they were around the fire, most of the conversation was in Afrikaans, so we never really knew what they were talking about. They were quick to switch to English when talking about tips. One night Chico and Sampi went on and on about the crummy tips they have received in the past, and how they had threatened hunters to ensure that tips were paid on other occasions.

The Final Day

The form that was given to us when we purchased the hunt said "10 days of hunting for plains game species for each hunter." There is nothing that mentions this will include only 10 days of lodging. We booked our tickets in December. No one ever informed us that our last night of accommodations was not to be provided by our package. Our expectation that it would be provided was reasonable; how can you have 10 days of hunting if you must leave halfway through day 10? This misunderstanding was made worse by the fact that no one told us we were leaving on day 10 until 1 PM on that day. We got a phone call saying that we needed to be back by 3:00 so that we could pack and leave. That was the first I heard that we weren't leaving the following day. If we were to leave on day 10, why was our ride scheduled on day 11? Why didn't anyone ever ask us where we needed to be picked up? Why did no one ever suggest that we needed a place to stay on the last day?

I was astonished when Steyn attempted to charge us $400.00 per night to stay at an $80.00 per night bed and breakfast. The rationale was that we were "hunters," despite the fact that we were told our hunting was over at 1PM earlier that day. It was the false imprisonment later that day that fundamentally repulsed me. As we were trying to make arrangements, Steyn officials told Chico and Sampi that we were not to be allowed to leave the facility. We were also told that we were going to be charged $400.00 to stay at this facility we could not leave. Chico did a few hours of wrangling over the phone in Afrikaans, and eventually we all loaded in the truck and left. I rode with Sampi for 2.5 hours under cover of darkness to Chico's house.

This whole scenario could have been avoided had someone informed us that we were going to leave on day 10. We would have gotten a hotel (at a rate far less than $400.00 per night), and arranged our rides.

The Pre-Trip Communications

Prior to the trip, I sent numerous e-mails to Tracey at Steyn. She was unresponsive. I have attached the e-mail exchanges. One very important aspect of this trip for me was visiting Kruger National Park. I rented camera lenses and trekked with nearly $3,000.00 in equipment so I could take some memorable photos of Africa's animals. Instead, the only photo ops I got were of kudu over feeders. I chose not to take these photos, as I was embarrassed that this was what I had come to "hunt."

Our group's desire to make this trip to Krueger was no secret. I was greatly disappointed that I didn't get to go.

The Trip to the Airport

The Shuttle was 1.5 hours late picking us up. We spent that 1.5 hours standing in a Wimpy parking lot. When the shuttle finally arrived, we asked to be taken to a curio shop. We passed one, and they asked "like that one?" We said yes, acknowledging that a rural, roadside shop was what we were looking for. Instead, we drove all the way to OR Tambo without stopping. Once we were within sight of the terminal, the driver made a turn north, back to Pretoria, and we drove another 35 minutes to a giant, commercial gift shop.

When we got to the Airport, we were escorted to terminal A, which was where we were told our flight was departing. After waiting in line for 30 minutes, we were informed our flight departed from terminal B. We traversed the airport again, and waited another 30 minutes for checkin.

Conclusion

I can't express my disappointment in words. I will never return to Africa. I spent two years preparing for this trip, and was not provided with the benefit of my bargain. It was impossible to relax amid the dingy accommodations and massive disappointment. This isn't a comprehensive list of everything that went wrong. But now I must put it all behind me. I just thought you should know how we were treated on our safari.

Best

Ben

EMAIL EXCHANGE FOLLOWS:

From: Benjamin Tiller <tiller@bctlaw.com>
Subject: Re: Steyn Safaris
Date: July 17, 2012 7:24:10 AM MDT
To: Tracey <steynsafaris@xsinet.co.za>Tracey

Hope all is well. My group is very excited about our trip. I wanted to see if you had a chance to get some prices put together for a trip to Krueger. We'd like to know what a full day versus a half day for a group of four would cost us.

Also, we have decided to have our trophies dipped and shipped, and were wondering what pack-ship houses you recommended so we can notify our taxidermists here at home.

As I'm sure you know from our questionnaires, we will all be bowhunting. Three of us are traditional, and one will be shooting a compound. Is there any equipment you recommend we bring besides our shoes and bows? Have you guys ever tried tree stand hunting? What about double-bull blinds?

We're all really looking forward to meeting the staff and seeing South Africa. Thanks for all of your help.

Ben

Benjamin C. Tiller, Esq.
tiller@bctlaw.com
P (406) 422-7912
F (866) 422-1252

This communication (including any attachments) is for the use of the intended recipient(s) only and may contain information that is confidential, privileged or otherwise legally protected. Any unauthorized use or dissemination of this communication is prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify the sender by return e-mail message and delete all copies of the original communication. Thank you for your cooperation.

From: Benjamin Tiller <tiller@bctlaw.com>
Subject: Re: Steyn Safaris
Date: May 29, 2012 7:20:24 AM MDT
To: Tracey <steynsafaris@xsinet.co.za>Tracey

We are just looking for a day trip. Can you give us a per person quote for all four of us for both a half day and a full day? I will forward it on to the rest of the guys and get back to you. Thanks!

Ben

Benjamin C. Tiller, Esq.
tiller@bctlaw.com
P (406) 422-7912
F (866) 422-1252

This communication (including any attachments) is for the use of the intended recipient(s) only and may contain information that is confidential, privileged or otherwise legally protected. Any unauthorized use or dissemination of this communication is prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify the sender by return e-mail message and delete all copies of the original communication. Thank you for your cooperation.

On May 27, 2012, at 11:25 PM, Tracey wrote:

Hi Ben,

Would you want to do a half day, full day or sleep over in the kruger. All these trips are additional cost so I need to know before I can get a quotation on this for you. If you do day trips you will go in with an open vehicle.

Kind Regards
Tracey


From: Benjamin Tiller [mailto:tiller@bctlaw.com]
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2012 6:53 PM
To: Tracey
Subject: Re: Steyn Safaris

Tracey

Thanks for the information. The group would like to take a trip into Krueger while we are there. Would there be additional cost if replaced a hunting day with a Park day? If so, how much? Thank you.

Ben

Benjamin C. Tiller, Esq.
tiller@bctlaw.com
P (406) 422-7912
F (866) 422-1252

This communication (including any attachments) is for the use of the intended recipient(s) only and may contain information that is confidential, privileged or otherwise legally protected. Any unauthorized use or dissemination of this communication is prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify the sender by return e-mail message and delete all copies of the original communication. Thank you for your cooperation.

On May 10, 2012, at 1:28 AM, Tracey wrote:


Dear Mr Tiller,

My name is Tracey from the South African Office of Steyn Safaris. I have been reading your questionnaire and would like to just give you the email address of Lorraine at Life Form Taxidermy, she will be able to assist you with all the information that you might require on Taxidermy work and prices. export@lifeform.co.za


Best Regards
<image002.png>
Tracey Heyneke
P O Box 1112, Barberton,1300
Tel +27 82 9038665
Email steynsafaris@xsinet.co.za
 
Thanks for posting your hunt report Ben and I'm very sorry to hear that your experience will never bring you back to Africa.
 
So sorry you had a very bad trip and wish you luck on getting your refund from them, I hope you can find a good outfitter and give Africa another shot so you can really enjoy all she has to offer.
 
It is really sad to hear this. There are always guys in an industry that will BS clients, no matter what industry you are in. I am truly sorry for you and saddened by your experience.
Maybe one day you can give Africa another shot
 
Sorry to hear about this. Maybe after you have put this unfortunate sham behind you the members here can help direct you to one of the many reliable and reputable outfitters that we have had the good fortune to use so you too can see Africa the way so many of us here have. Best of luck to you.
 
I am sure that Jeff (mr. Kennedy) will get on this right away, it is a sad day when companies become empires, this usually creates some room for disappointment, the logistics in running such high volume factory type operations are scary and I do not know of ONE such a big company that can avoid instances such as this.

I truly hope that you are listened to and l am also very disappointed as I am sure you are aswell that your adventure of a lifetime had to end like this.

My very best always
 
The exact nightmare that we are all working so hard to avoid.
Ben that is so sad that your group was treated with such disrespect and contempt.

PH's hunting on your time!?
Holding you hostage!?
Impossible to walk and stalk!?
Threats about tips!? Implied or otherwise.

I sincerely doubt these guys are PHASA members, but on the off chance they are, please complain to PHASA.

After reading this I feel fortunate that my hunts and trip went so well. The few little problems I had are nothing in the shadow of this kind of nightmare.

Sad for you Ben.
 
Last edited:
The exact nightmare that we are all working so hard to avoid.
Ben that is so sad that your group was treated with such disrespect and contempt.

PH's hunting on your time!?
Holding you hostage!?
Impossible to walk and stalk!?
Threats about tips!? Implied or otherwise.

I sincerely doubt these guys are PHASA members, but on the off chance they are, please complain to PHASA.

After reading this I fell fortunate that my hunts and trip went so well. The few little problems I had are nothing in the shadow of this kind of nightmare.

Sad for you Ben.

Good call. There are a couple Steyns from Steyn Safaris that are PHASA members

PHASA Members S,T,U
 
This is really a sad situation...and a nasty advert for an industry that is going through hard times and facing even harder times ahead. There are some excellent outfitters in operation, and it's a real pity we couldn't be of any help when you started planning your trip. Maybe, one day....
 
Sounds like a nightmare. For contrast, I have hunted 4 times in Botswana, twice including ranch hunts, and have had a wonderful time. I suggest that you chalk this up to experience, do some due diligence, and give Africa another try. The problem is with the outfitter, not with hunting in Africa. A bad outfitter will give you a bad hunt no matter where they are.
 
Sad you had such a bad experience.
 
I am sure that Jeff (mr. Kennedy) will get on this right away, it is a sad day when companies become empires, this usually creates some room for disappointment, the logistics in running such high volume factory type operations are scary and I do not know of ONE such a big company that can avoid instances such as this.

I truly hope that you are listened to and l am also very disappointed as I am sure you are as well that your adventure of a lifetime had to end like this.

My very best always

Saw your post and after a while and it got me wondering. We all assume because it is a big outfit "empire" that they have been around for a long time and they will be better than the new guy/smaller guy. Track record, etc. and all.

This sure throws a monkey wrench into that type of stereotypical thinking.

Sure says something about the smaller guy who provides personal service.
(Obviously there are places where there are exceptions here to)
 
Ben

A true disappointment, especially for one to thought you were doing all the right things to avoid a mess up.

I am not sure what your contract indicated, and or who you talked to directly and what you were promised...However from your expectations to your reality was like a SCIFI special and one that you do not want to be in....ever...

You are a relative new member on AH and if in the future you are looking at taking a jump across the pond our member would be more that willing to assist you in your planning...

If in the future you decide to take the plunge, Jerome would be a great place to start your adventure...
 
Sorry to hear about your hunt. This is terrible. Maybe when the sting goes away, you'll try somewhere else. There are good outfitters out there.
 
They are members of PHASA. Please forward your complaint to Professional Hunters Association. This is a very unfortunate situation. They will folow up and bring them in front of a disciplinary committee. If Todd Julian are still with you guys send him my regards !
 
Thanks for posting. Sorry you had such a bad experience. Unfortunately there are bad apples in the hunting industry as well as elsewhere. I've been 2 times and would call the trips good. Room for them to be better. This forum is a great place to find the good guys. The ones that will do what they promise. Spend a little time reading. You'll find someone trustworthy that can offer what you want. Best of luck on the refund. Bruce
 
Sorry ben once again, I have to admit that I just finished a safari with a wonderfull individual Jim Shea and his wife Linda, the only reason they booked with me was because he had purchased a Steyn SCI donation that fell on it's face.

Now I know Charl very well and have known him for well over a decade but this is wrong and going through your post, I connected the dots.....

I will give Charl a call myself and see what I can get done for you...

Feel free to pm me should you need my assistance.

Once again I am so terribly sorry for your disappointing experience.

My best always.
 
Sorry ben once again, I have to admit that I just finished a safari with a wonderfull individual Jim Shea and his wife Linda, the only reason they booked with me was because he had purchased a Steyn SCI donation that fell on it's face.

................

Ok, that makes TWO issues with Steyn! Sad.


Thanks for offering to help Ben out Jaco.
 
thanks for the heads up ben
that just sucks , i truely feel for yourself and the rest of the party .
hopefully you get your money back and in time get the bitter taste out of your mouth and warm to the idea of another crack at another hunt in africa .
it sounds like the lads on here that know how handle scams like this have got your back anyways mate .
i rekon telling eveyone about wrong doers like this not only helps you but all others planning a hunt of a lifetime
 
Sorry ben once again, I have to admit that I just finished a safari with a wonderfull individual Jim Shea and his wife Linda, the only reason they booked with me was because he had purchased a Steyn SCI donation that fell on it's face.

Now I know Charl very well and have known him for well over a decade but this is wrong and going through your post, I connected the dots.....

I will give Charl a call myself and see what I can get done for you...

Feel free to pm me should you need my assistance.

Once again I am so terribly sorry for your disappointing experience.

My best always.

There is someone on another forum trying to sell a hunt with Steyn that was purchased at an SCI auction. It is for 10 days of hunting for 4 hunters and he paid $2000 total for it. I wonder if he legitimately cant go or if he smells a rat and is trying to dump it?
 

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