Mark Sullivan kicked out of SCI

[Velo Dog]

I do not know him. I have watched part of two of his videos. In one he has a bull buff down on the ground. Instead of cleanly finishing the wounded animal, he goads him into regaining his feet and starting toward him. The animal deserved better - much better. A very different ethic than you will see in Ivan's material. Watch one yourself and draw your own conclusions.

Hello fellow Hunters,

I'm definitely +1 with Red Leg on this Mark Sullivan person.
I have watched part of only one of his videos, but had to eject it from my machine and give it back to the man who loaned it to me.

The specific scene that put me off on Mr. Sullivan was:
A buffalo was shot down but still alive, facing away from Sullivan and the camera lens, laying on the ground like a resting dog, but head up and looking about.
Sullivan walked very slowly around this wretched beast, in a half circle until arriving within the buffalo's field of view.
With that, the badly wounded animal gathered his hooves under himself and started toward his tormentors, only to be finally relieved of his misery and rage by a well placed brain shot from Sullivan.

If Mark Sullivan is such a totally groovy sportsmanship-like guy, why did he not put that slug in through the back of the downed buffalo's neck vertebrae, just at the juncture of the neck and skull, as soon as possible after said buff went down, and then raised it's head, obviously still very alive?
It looked to me like Sullivan was positioning himself in such a way so as to hope for a charge when the beast was finally able to see him strolling about in close proximity.
Somebody enlighten me, because otherwise, evidently I am missing something here.

Disgusted,
Velo Dog (Paul Ard)
Anchorage, Alaska.

 

[Ruark]

If the SCI was a stand up organization they would have treated Mark Sullivan like a man and told him his offences to his face. They seem like "behind your back" type of people to me who can't look a man in the eye and tell him what's what.

Maybe it's my rural West Texas upbringing, but I have to agree with this. I dislike Sullivan's youtube videos; they seem a little too self-glorifying, although I have to admit, the guy has cojones. He takes some of those animals at fog-your-glasses distance. In any case, if you have a beef with someone to the extent you want to knock them down, you should be man enough to stand in front of him, look him in the eye and say why, and give him a chance to speak for himself. And what....? They're showing and selling those same videos at the convention???

When I was a kid, we'd get in snowball fights at school. There was always some loser who would slam somebody with a snowball, then quickly duck behind a bush or fence so they couldn't see who threw it. That's the impression I get of SCI, at least from what I'm reading here. Hopefully I'm wrong.

- Ruark

 

[Dragan N.]

Hello fellow Hunters,

I'm definitely +1 with Red Leg on this Mark Sullivan person.
I have watched part of only one of his videos, but had to eject it from my machine and give it back to the man who loaned it to me.

The specific scene that put me off on Mr. Sullivan was:
A buffalo was shot down but still alive, facing away from Sullivan and the camera lens, laying on the ground like a resting dog, but head up and looking about.
Sullivan walked very slowly around this wretched beast, in a half circle until arriving within the buffalo's field of view.
With that, the badly wounded animal gathered his hooves under himself and started toward his tormentors, only to be finally relieved of his misery and rage by a well placed brain shot from Sullivan.

If Mark Sullivan is such a totally groovy sportsmanship-like guy, why did he not put that slug in through the back of the downed buffalo's neck vertebrae, just at the juncture of the neck and skull, as soon as possible after said buff went down, and then raised it's head, obviously still very alive?
It looked to me like Sullivan was positioning himself in such a way so as to hope for a charge when the beast was finally able to see him strolling about in close proximity.
Somebody enlighten me, because otherwise, evidently I am missing something here.

Disgusted,
Velo Dog (Paul Ard)
Anchorage, Alaska.

Yes he wanted to get a charge. I mean there is absolutely no other reason to do that. If the animal is laying there and I guess oblivious or not interested in you and you have a crystal clear shot and to top it off the animal is as calm as it can be in those circumstances (laying down) off course common sense dictates you should shoot then and there. But he's an adrenaline junkie and wanted to provoke a charge and then shoot it.

 

[Velo Dog]

Yes he wanted to get a charge. I mean there is absolutely no other reason to do that. If the animal is laying there and I guess oblivious or not interested in you and you have a crystal clear shot and to top it off the animal is as calm as it can be in those circumstances (laying down) off course common sense dictates you should shoot then and there. But he's an adrenaline junkie and wanted to provoke a charge and then shoot it.

Hi Dragan N,

I have no quarrel with Adrenaline Junkies, until they stoop to tormenting wounded animals.

It seems like Mr. Sullivan encourages animals to charge, particularly wounded ones, in order to increase the sale of his videos.

When I was young I could have been the Poster Child for adrenaline junkies but, I have never tormented any animal for any reason whatsoever.

"The most dangerous animal in the world walks upright, on it's hind legs".
Velo Dog.

PS:
Someone way back in this thread, regarding Mark Sullivan being booted from SCI, said something like "apparently they didn't even tell him why".
Even though I do not care for SCI or, any other hunting/fishing organization that is keen on tape measures and record books, I find it just about impossible that, SCI or any similar outfit would put an exhibitor out with no explanation.
I do not believe that nonsense for a split second.

 

[Norwegianwoods]

I totally agree.
Other people can like Mark Sullivan as much as they like, I don't.
I don't know the man personally, but his videos say it all to me.

I find it totally disgusting and has very little to do with how I was brought up by my parents and grandfathers to be as a hunter.

 

[Foxi]

I have never watched his videos. I would if they were free...just to give an opinion. But from what I heard from this jackass...is enough. He must have a huge ego. Talking about all he's done to promote hunting is Africa. Get real! SCI may not be perfect is every shape and form, but between them, Houston Safari Club and Dallas Safari Club, those are the Conservation groups in the U.S. that have done more to promote hunting in Africa and the world for that matter than anyone really has.

The one person that has done a lot of writing mainstream and now video...is Craig Boddington. And I never question his ethics or heart about his love for hunting, conservation and respect for the animals he hunts. Craig seems to understand the circle of life and how to portray it to public in a decent way.

Love his show "Tracks Across Africa".

thanks for these words.
You wrote, what I can't explain in english.
But I feel the same
Foxi

 

[Dave D.]

I won't pass judgement, but as a hunter for the past 66 years and still hunting, including Africa, Sullivan's videos are insulting to me and I support SCI's decision. I think they provide fodder for the anti-hunting crowd.

 

[Adrian]

The aim of any hunter is to ensure a swift and humane kill to any quarry animal with as little suffering as possible.

If you can't do that you shouldn't be picking up a weapon.

If Sullivan wants to show how big his balls are then perhaps he and his double rifle should get a ticket to Syria.

His films are an affront to any ethical hunter and exactly the thing anti hunters thrive upon.

 

[bpcr]

I feel like the man got a bad rap on the deal. I've never hunted Africa but I've hunted and baged game. When the bullets fly so does the blood,guts and the brains and preferably just the animals. This is part of it and it will never fly with the people that hate hunters and hunting no matter how you try to edit it or smear jelly on it, it still there my friends. If you are squeamish to that fact you need to take up target shooting and get out of hunting. I'm gonna try to go to Africa before I leave this world and I need all the info I can get on the subject. I have two of Sullivan's films and one of his books and I want to see what those calibers and bullets do so I can get the right stuff and be ready before I get there. Ol Sullivan has done convinced me on the double rifle as I have purchased one. I think SCI needs to revisit their decision. No matter where it's ethical or not that's just how it is my friends.That there is how it's always gonna be no matter how you try to pretty it up.

 

[sestoppelman]

A Golden Oldie!

 

[Arizona Bob]

Mark is my friend!!! I have done very specific gun work for him. He gives his clients every dime they pay for and more!!! His style and philosophy aren't for the meek or week of heart. He is truly what African dangerous game hunting is all about. When you take a charging Buff or Hippo at 20 yards or less then and only then, can you comment on his ethics. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

 

[Bullhunter]

Mark is a gentleman, a true american, a sportsman and an hunter.

I was with him on tour for too weeks and I can tell only "good storys".
We had mutch fun and I injoyend the time.

I will not defend every of his videos (I have seen some, but not all), but this topics "bann him from the SCI", "he shoots the animals from the clients" or even "he provokate charges" are unfair and - in the most cases (nobody is perfect)- not correct.

 

[WAB]

Many years ago Mark came to Fairbanks to speak at the SCI dinner. He showed some of his early videos In Which Cape buffalo were clearly gut shot ant then provoked into a charge. In the meet and greet afterward I told him what I thought of this behavior. Instead of denying it he suggested that we should try it on grizzly. He may be your friend but he has very different hunting ethics than I was taught. I am not impressed.

 

[Jeff 907]

What is impressive is a decade long thread. I don’t know him never watch a video, but there are many different opinions on the man. If someone were to wound an animal to provoke it then I would say that is wrong. I’m hoping all are ethical hunters and dispatch an animal in the most humane and quickest way.

 

[AB2506]

Mark Sullivan's reputation is that he deliberately provokes animals into charging so that his videos are more exciting. Do I know him, no. Could he be a fine man and friend, possibly. Could he be a great PH? On some levels, yes. I believe he is very experienced and by reputation (he survived the charges) a fine shot, cool in stressful circumstances. But, if he goes out of the way to get animals to charge, he is not ethical. I will not support him by buying his videos.

I have read most of Boddington's books, also, Buzz Chalton, John Sharp and others. I am reading John Pondoro Taylor.

These men have vast experience on dangerous game. They all say charges are very rare. That leads me to believe that Sullivan does likely provoke charges to sell his videos. How else would he have so many charges on film? He's hunted more than John Taylor?

Where there is smoke there is fire.

Not a fan of his work.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I watched one of Sullivan's video...........how to properly carry a double gun. Based on that one data point, I doubt if I'd hunt with him.

Sullivan reminded me of Colonel Flagg on MASH.

 

[Foxi]

I had contact with him and he was very polite and sympathetic towards me.
That he is certainly as a human being.
But the animals don't have it easy with him.
When I look at his lion video like a South African lion (canned,where else would he come from?) almost begging to finally be left alone and then you want to sell his teeth barking as an attack, after the 10th time of lifting up.Not to mention the other videos
Is this hunting ?
Who makes himself so public, must also live with public opinion (and if necessary feel consequences).
Foxi
(and how he describes the .470 caliber as just good enough for squirrels and chicks, such nonsense)

 

[postoak]

Didn't Mark Sullivan retire last year?

 

[Hank2211]

Didn't Mark Sullivan retire last year?

Once this thread got resurrected, it occurred to me that I hadn't heard anything about Sullivan in a long time. I looked at his website, and it just sells books and videos, but even there, it seems not to have been updated in a couple of years.

So I had the same question - is he still in business? And if not, isn't it something the he continues to engender controversy even after retirement?!

 

[rookhawk]

A review of his work, ideas, and behavior that I posted here may be of interest:

https://www.africahunting.com/threa...-my-feet-reviewed-and-ethics-evaluated.28731/