Cell phone calls and texting is ruining the hunting experience in Africa

[SNIPER59]

hello,

I want to throw out a statement, for discussion, and that may help hunters as well as PH's, to have and to give clients a better hunting experience...

"cell phone calls and texting is ruining the hunting experience in africa'"

this is a big pet peeve of mine, and its happening a large percentage of the hunt time it seems...what are your thoughts??

 

[Rob404]

I don,t know if I can even get service from Verizon when I go to SA and don,t really care

 

[sestoppelman]

In the field unless used for an emergency I dont see the need for texting and phoning just to BS and pass the time. The PH will usually have a radio or phone to stay in contact with base should he need to. Save the cell and texting for camp. I sort of feel the technology is already creeping into the game what with trailcams etc. We have already seen some guys insisting that multiple trail cams be placed in prep for leopard hunts. This sort of takes something away from it for me. I know others will disagree vehemently.

 

[James.Grage]

I never turn my cell phone on while in the bush and on safari.

If you need coverage while on safari then rent a satellite phone.

You will need to narrow your experience down a little. Look to go where there is no coverage it it is a great concern.

I save my cell phone for the motel going and coming. my time in the field is mine..

Not all hunting camps have cell coverage. in Tanzania and Zimbabwe they did not in South Africa they did and we never used it.

My PH in Tanzania used the satellite phone to make sure our shuttle was on time (going and coming) and he was waiting at he airstrip for us. Other than that the phone was not used that i was aware of. I am sure supply orders were place in the evening when i was not around to keep the camp supplied for the safari season.

In Zimbabwe there was no coverage and there was not satellite phone and if you needed something you drove to get it.

South Africa while coverage was available in location we never used the cell phone while in the field that i was aware of.

So what is your point and what was your experience that ruffled your feathers.

 

[Wheels]

If the PH is doing it to help your hunt it is fine. ie: vehicle issues, getting skinners ready, changing arrival time in camp, etc. A client can take up 18 hours of a PH's time during the day pretty easily. The PH deserves some time during the day to take care of business and talk to family. This can be done primarily during the evening. Possibly for a little bit at lunch. Saying this, PH's like all of us can abuse this the privilege. Which I presume happened to you on this past hunt. (If it did, go ahead and be specific with what happened on this thread)

Remember it is your hunt. If you think it is excessive tell the PH to stop. If it is the staff, tell the PH to have them stop. It is your hunt and you are paying for it. If he doesn't stop this should show up in his tip. You should also let the agent/outfitter know if appropriate. (If you do realize the relationship with your PH may change for the worse if you mention it during the hunt) Ask the outfitter for another PH if that is a possibility. If your PH is the outfitter, well, you know where you are never hunting again.

If this is a concern make sure and let them know before you book the hunt that using phones is unacceptable. By bringing this up on the forum, hopefully some of the offending PH's will read it and rethink their phone useage. Good topic.

 

[bluey]

this is a good topic .
theres always a time and a place for the phone .in camp at night l don't have any problem .
on the hunt its a safety aid and should be used as such .you wouldn't let a flare off when you take that trophy of a lifetime .(as much as some want to )
once in the ute on the way to the skinning shed or to let the staff know you are on the way is no worries .
but on the hunt all phones should be shut off .

ses when it comes to trailcams they in my opinion are a tool which l love . l have 5 of them nearly always out some where .
once l put one on a samba carcass to see if l could get any pix of wild dog or eagles ,but it got pinched .
a friend of mine has a couple that you put a sim card in to and the bloody thing send him pictures to his mobile phone . that's getting to advanced but who knows we all may be doing it one day

 

[BRICKBURN]

I have had two cell phones go off on this excursion thus far.
There is a 100 Pula fine for noise near the truck and 500 Pula if out on a Kudu stalk.

Make sure you make your thoughts known. If you want peace and quiet ask for it.


They are tools, use them properly and everybody will be happy.
Start a personal chat on my time..... hmmmm.

The reason I am up at this insane hour (0400) is a wind storm tearing velcro closures on the tent with some RAIN (read sprinkle) in the Kalahari. Speaking of technology in the wilds.
Last nights sunset, as an aside.

 

[Wheels]

Brick, Beautiful Botswana sunset. Hope the hunt is going well.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Brick, Beautiful Botswana sunset. Hope the hunt is going well.

Not to derail the thread... but going well is an understatement for most of us.

 

[enysse]

I hear you Sniper, it takes away from the hunt. Some people like to stay connected 24/7. From a business stand point I understand, personally I hate most modern technology like cell phones, texting, trail cameras...etc.

 

[SNIPER59]

I agree that there is a time and place for a cell phone, but I honestly feel that during hunting time, when we are looking for game, that up to 10 calls in 3 hours, and then 75% of the time texting is pretty much a joke. This was from a PH, daily. Also now all the drivers, trackers, etc all have cell phones and are doing the same thing. One evening, after sitting in a blind at a waterhole for 2.5 hours, our guides cell phone starts ringing with some gawd aweful song,... birds flew, ducks flew...I ''suggested that we leave at that time''.
I would book a hunt with an outfitter now, who would promise no cell phones were allowed to be used during actual hunting times. I would bet an outfitter advertising this would get pretty busy too!!
I feel that when we are paying for their time for the actual hunt portion of the days, that we should be given the undivided attention, and not have them sit there reading texts, emails, and jokes, or be trying to line up clients for next season. Emergencies, or an occasional distraction is one thing, but when it is for well over 50% of the hunt time, you can believe me that it is extremely frustrating.

 

[BWH]

I agree 100%..... I understand the importance of having one on hand (i.e. for emergencies). But to be playing graba$$ on the text toy in the middle of a hunt, with the thing ringing & blowing up. That's really not acceptable & seems like it could be devastating for a hunt. Even when I'm blind hunting in Texas.... I have one on me, that stays off or on silent. Just keep it on stand by for safety/emergency. Good post/thread!

 

[Nyati]

When I hunt my cellphone is off!

But I have seen hunters take pics of trophies with their phones just after shooting them and send them to family and friends. They just can t wait. Must be some sickness !

 

[BWH]

Brickburn,

That is one awesome sunset.....

 

[Stocky]

Completely depends on the hunt in my estimation. Not so much for the amount of phone calls and texting many tech addicts do but that "airplane" setting has more uses than the obvious. I hate trying to talk to someone that's pushing those little buttons. Its rude and I have had to fire people that couldn't put it down long enough to answer a customer's question, to the point of no longer allowing any employee to carry theirs at work.

That said, I'll be damned if the iPhone 5 doesn't take better pics and movies than most point and shoot cameras. As good as some of the photographers I've spent big bucks on to tag along.

Plus I like posting real-time pics and comments on my business Facebook page, I make a big deal of it. A lot of my customers don't have the time or money to live these experiences, and I feel I owe it to them share it while it happens if they are interested. After all, it is their support that blesses me with the ability to hire a PH in the first place.

When I was in S.A. last May I had literally thousands of people following the hunt, and when you figure friends of friends and all that we had a reach of over 100,000 people that week! You'd pay thousands of dollars for exposure like that on Sportsman Channel. Literally paid for the hunt. If you are in the hunting or shooting business and aren't doing real-time stuff for your prospects and customers with your iPhone, you're leaving sales on the table.

In short - moderation. I use it as a tool, not to describe every footstep while it happens. Post once the stalk is over and/or the game is down. If you're a businessman and need to check messages do you really need someone to tell you when its appropriate to do so?

Plus there are also some very useful hunting and shooting apps like Ballistic available for those long blesbok shots from the back of the pickup.

But to have it turned off or in airplane mode in my pocket? Youbetcha, I have mine right there with me, and it'll be booting up looking for a signal when the game is down.

 

[Red Leg]

Tough crowd. Other threads gripe about PH's being slow responding to our email and now we're mad he is texting. We need to bring some balance to this.

 

[RHaught]

hello,

I want to throw out a statement, for discussion, and that may help hunters as well as PH's, to have and to give clients a better hunting experience...

"cell phone calls and texting is ruining the hunting experience in africa'"

this is a big pet peeve of mine, and its happening a large percentage of the hunt time it seems...what are your thoughts??

On my last trip my partner was in the blind with his PH and tracker. A cell phone rang and it was the tracker!
Another image shot to he'll he said later.

 

[sestoppelman]

Tough crowd. Other threads gripe about PH's being slow responding to our email and now we're mad he is texting. We need to bring some balance to this.

Apples and oranges. An outfitter/PH has evenings and mornings to answer emails and text family and friends, he shouldnt do it while hunting with paying clients.

 

[Rob404]

,,My family is grown and on their own,,we e-mail each other once in a while and calling is about the same,,,I told my assistant that if the Deli Catches Fire while Im gone don,t call me just grab my Knife Bag,,,I wouldn,t expect my PH not to have communication with his Family and Crew but I,m sure he knows to put his phone on Vibrate when we are on the Stalk

 

[FerRGarza]

I sometimes carry my cellphone throughout the hunt, but where my property is there is no signal, it is mainly take some quick pics to use as reference and check time. But I do carry a Nikon with upgraded lens to take pictures of my clients with their trophies, and for surveying purposes. We use trail-cams at feeders, to keep track of "inventory" and show clients what our property is capable of sustaining. however the phone is only out of my pocket for about 5 seconds. I would find it very disrespectful for my client and their hunt to be playing games on the phone while waiting in the blind.