Interesting, I've never really thought about this before although I have seen the suggestions that when planning your safari always make sure you ask to see the licenses before you start your hunt. I guess this will be something I will need to do going forward.
Hi cls,
Asking to see the licenses / permits might help smoke out a criminal organization or individual crooked PH.
However, if using that idea and the PH could not produce my license, I'm not entirely sure how I could fix my problem in time for my hunt to begin.
And if they did not bother to have my license (presumably so they could just pocket my license fee) I'm not positive how to ensure not being cheated in some other way, except to cancel my safari and proceed frantically scrambling through the whole process for another outfit to hunt with..
(That is presuming, no PH will have your license in hand until they have actually received your deposit ?)
At any rate, my best luck has been in doing an extremely thorough background investigation, on whichever outfit I'm narrowing my final decision toward.
If no skeletons emerge from the internet searches then, I begin the same thorough internet snooping on my potential PH by name.
If still nothing scary turns up, via the all seeing eye of my computer, at last I begin many and thorough conversations with persons who have hunted with whomever I have focused upon, both by safari company name, past and present, as well as specific PH.
Usually one or more friends go along and I always encourage them to do the same, in case I my digging misses some ugly detail.
My very first introduction to hunting in Africa, in April of either 2012 or 2013, (can't remember any more but one or the other year) was with this same family owned Safari Company in Namibia.
At that time their outfit was known simply as "Burchell Safaris".
Although by then I was quite familiar to international fishing and spear fishing trips, I was totally new to the African thing.
None of my close friends had been to Africa either.
I was however acquainted with one or two puffed-up, self loving blow-hards that had been there but, I did not trust their opinion on anything, much less how to go about booking an Africa trip.
So, I booked through Cabela's (huge mistake) and like the beginner that I was, I chose the cheapest offering in their lineup of several safari companies.
One of my hunting pals from here in Anchorage, threw in with me.
When I complained to Cabela's, in writing, email and left more than one polite phone message - no response to any of these efforts.
Each and every one was opened with words to the affect:
" I am not asking for a refund or any compensation in any way whatsoever, but I am sending this information to you so that you will be aware of Burchell Safaris disappointing activities."
Cabela's never did respond to any of the above, in any way.
We're still telling the story this many long years later, around camp fires, at cocktail parties and for myself, in the lunch room at work.
Beware of pick pockets and fast women,
Velo Dog.