In memoriam - Professional Hunter Don Heath passes away

[juan pablo pozzi]

Famous Zimbabwean Professional Hunter Don Heath (1967 - 2015) passed away suddenly over the weekend in Sweden. My sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.



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About Don Heath
Don joined the Zimbabwe National Parks Department on leaving school, eventually rising to the post of Senior Ecologist responsible for safari hunting and guota setting. Of course, being the government officer on the ground meant that rogue elephants and man eating lions were also his responsibility. Don planned and organized the last big elephant culls (1993) and participated in the buffalo eradication culls, organized by the veterinary department. He has personally dissected more than 2000 elephants within the framework of a bullet testing project. His doctorate focused on the sustainable hunting of four key species by Zimbabwe’s hunting industry - elephant, buffalo, sable and impala. He started examining prospective professional hunters in 1996. Since retiring from National Parks in 1998 Don has worked as a freelance professional hunter and a full-time writer, as well as taking over the position of Chief Examiner for the Zimbabwe Professional Hunters and Guides Association.

 

[juan pablo pozzi]

Don was my great friend and mentor we shared the passion for competitive shooting, big game and unconventional military operations. We hunted together and sent many hunters to my farm in Argentina pampas .We miss you bro.

 

[cajunchefray]

A favorite picture of Don Heath (Ganyana) shooting an elephant with a 9.3x62 Mauser. A man of a different time. 44 magnum revolver in a hip holster. The man was ready for anything in the bush, especially after so many years in the Rhodesian Bush wars, then training Zimbabwean PH's.

Courtesy of Pierre van der Walt " African Dangerous Game Cartridges", published 2012, by Pathfinder Adventure Books, South Africa

 

[JES Adventures]

My condolences to the family, may he rest in peace. Another one of the old guard gone.