Has your PH ever sent you out without him?

[CAustin]

Never had this happen in four trips. However, things do happen that sometimes requires a change but you should never be left to your own devices.

 

[Dinsdale]

I am glad we don't have cell phone signal on our area except on the hill above camp. Cell phones seem to becoming a bigger problem on hunts, you often hear of clients complaining about ph being on the phone.

Sounds like a terrific place.....

Guide/PH on cell is a pet peeve of mine and I have not given a tip because of it and said so.

 

[jeff]

It depends on how you're hunting, if just setting in a hide bowhunting, other than trophy assessment what can a PH do for you?

 

[Lrntolive]

The law says a PH must be with you and under his direct control. I am glad we don't have cell phone signal on our area except on the hill above camp. Cell phones seem to becoming a bigger problem on hunts, you often hear of clients complaining about ph being on the phone.

As the owner and PH it's not always possible for me to do all the guiding, but the client will always be in the hands of a licensed PH.

I guess this is where my question of "direct" control is. If I'm bow hunting, does the PH have to stay within direct contact, meaning within arms reach during a spot and stalk. I never have another person with me when I hunt for elk in Colorado, and I'm on a stalk.

I'm definitely the type that would want the PH with me to help select the correct animal and point me in the right direction in a place I don't know/not familiar with, but at what point am I allowed to separate to put on the actual stalk. I like to get close, under 50 yards, so being quiet is important.

 

[wapiti]

We liked being by ourselves in the blind. The only thing that I regret is that I took a smaller kudu than I wanted because it was the only one that came in. Later on the PH told me they would have allowed me to shoot a bigger one with a rifle. It was a bow hunting concession only so I didn't know this was an option. I would have taken them up on that. I didn't shoot a red hartebeest because I couldn't remember the price and didn't know if it fit in the budget. It did so I regret that. I've taken many North American animals so I was comfortable in the blind alone. I did have a PH along when I was spot and stalking.

 

[siml]

@Lrntolive , if I was hunting on a plains game ranch for example in SA, and we had spotted a good trophy, I would let the client stay about 50 yards ahead of me. But in Mozambique, I wouldn't want a client further than 10 yards from me, just too dangerous to take chances.

I am pretty surprised reading here, how some outfitters leave clients alone in a blind. Is the outfitter just lazy or not know how to control his clients?

 

[jeff]

In 14 hunts in SA and Namibia I've spent approximately 35 days or parts of with just a radio at six different outfits, two were bowhunting only places. One outfitter in the EC would drop me off at different places so I could hunt through a area and pick me up at a predetermined place. Another outfitter took me out and let me hunt back to the lodge a couple of times. I realize this is not for every one and the PH has to know and trust you.

 

[akeate]

I agree trust has to be there. But I will say that if anything goes wrong the outfitter is on the hook and liable. And S.A. isn't a place where I would want to see the inside of a jail.

 

[siml]

This has nothing to do with trust, this is about ETHICS, we all against unethical hunting, if something is illegal, then in my eyes it's unethical.

 

[lpace]

I was put in a blind with just myself, a radio and my wife for the whole hunt in RSA. We were on a game farm with only one of the dangerous 5. (cape buffalo) I was bow hunting plains game. I've been assured a PH will be with me this time as I'm using a different outfitter.

In researching bow hunting outfits, I saw one particular outfit where leaving the client in the blind with a radio is the standard practice (or so it seems). The first thing that happens with a client when they arrive in camp is to instruct them with trophy quality. After that, after an animal is taken the PH is called on the radio.

This outfit is in RSA. One wonders if there is some difference in the regulations in different areas?

 

[siml]

@lpace, I was beginning to second guess myself on the laws,maybe there had been a change in the ordinance, I contacted PHASA to check, it's ILLEGAL!

 

[lcq]

@Lrntolive , if I was hunting on a plains game ranch for example in SA, and we had spotted a good trophy, I would let the client stay about 50 yards ahead of me. But in Mozambique, I wouldn't want a client further than 10 yards from me, just too dangerous to take chances.

I am pretty surprised reading here, how some outfitters leave clients alone in a blind. Is the outfitter just lazy or not know how to control his clients?

With some clients you definitely want them in front of you, particularly with a loaded gun. I've seen some pretty reckless gun handling

 

[cls]

My personal opinion here is that even if the hunter is in a blind sh#$ can happen. Who is responsible then? As a client you are paying for the PH to be there, do you get reduced rates for going it alone, who is responsible if things go sideways? What about miss judged animals and wounded animals?

 

[jeff]

In researching bow hunting outfits, I saw one particular outfit where leaving the client in the blind with a radio is the standard practice (or so it seems). The first thing that happens with a client when they arrive in camp is to instruct them with trophy quality. After that, after an animal is taken the PH is called on the radio.

This outfit is in RSA. One wonders if there is some difference in the regulations in different areas?

There are several bow only outfits in SA that their standard way of doing hunts are to drop clients at hides with radios.

 

[siml]

@jeff , this standard way of doing things is not legal. I bet these outfitters are willing to bend other rules as well. Another outfitters reply to me was, this is the exact reason SA is losing clients to Namibia, too many outfitter don't care about the laws.

 

[daved]

It's illegal . The law clearly states that all foreign hunters need to be accompanied by a registered professional hunter .

This is an alarming new trend. I have had 2 separate inquiries lately where they stated that in the past to cut on costs they went out on their own.

 

[daved]

There are several bow only outfits in SA that their standard way of doing hunts are to drop clients at hides with radios.

That's illegal .

 

[Lrntolive]

@Lrntolive , if I was hunting on a plains game ranch for example in SA, and we had spotted a good trophy, I would let the client stay about 50 yards ahead of me. But in Mozambique, I wouldn't want a client further than 10 yards from me, just too dangerous to take chances.

I am pretty surprised reading here, how some outfitters leave clients alone in a blind. Is the outfitter just lazy or not know how to control his clients?

I understand the chance of being attacked by an animal or bitten by a snake, but what other dangers, besides the hunter's self-inflicted injuries, are you worried about. 50 yards seems close. Would you adjust based on your confidence of the hunter?

I do appreciate your honesty and feedback.

 

[jeff]

That's illegal .

I'm not questioning that, just saying that's the way it is. They make no false promises, you're aware of how they conduct their hunts from the start.

 

[siml]

@Lrntolive, I just feel at that distance I can still be in control, client under my direct control.