Yes.
@Tokoloshe Safaris, Lon, just omit the outfitters', clients', and PHs' names. PHs do have stories to tell about previous clients. Stories about the unusual (rather odd chap), the PITA first timers comparison challenge, the (nationalities with held) that usually show up as a group, the conscientious hunter comparison challenge, the worst of the worst client of the year award comparison challenge, and many more categories.
Back before the pandemic on my first 2 safaris to Africa the lodge would be host to 4 or 5 "parties" / groups / hunters, which to me as a lone hunter/ client made for a much more "interesting" stay. I would hang around the social area of the lodge with the PHs well after the other clients had retired for the night to get an insight on various things the PHs did.
Things like trade concession hunts; ie. A PH may have permission to hunt a variety of concessions loaded with impala, springbok, blesbok, etc , but no quality warthogs and a client wanting a warthog. Another PH's client has added a second impala but this PH has filled his concessions quotas for impala. They make the necessary arrangements with the concession owners to allow the PHs to exchange.
Phs critique themselves and other PHs. PHs ask for peer assistance when the respective client(s) aren't "measuring up" or "preforming" as expected; ie., spending more time drinking than hunting, and/or the client(s) can't shoot accurately out to a 100 yards, etc..
Perhaps a collaboration of several PHs from several outfitters to write a 3 volume set:
1) The Good, insight on the more humorous stories of PH - Client interactions
2) The Ugly, insight on the worst stories, problem clients PHs have had to deal with
3) The Bad, insight on misadventures:
Successful:
Weather, vegetation, clients physical / health condition(s), terrain, client shoots with multiple misses at same animal before making the kill shot. Regardless the client is successful in getting their animals.
Not So Successful:
Started out normal, then: flat tire on bakkie, client brought wrong ammo, client didn't chamber a cartridge, etc. client kills hunted species, not the specific animal the PH had planned. PH must resort to backing up the client on PG, etc., but client succeeds in getting all of their animals.
Drastic Outcome:
Client is an extremely poor shot. Client fails to listen to PH. Client shoots through one animal and killing a second. Client shoots wrong sex animal, or correct species not intended animal; ie. Shot the male on the left, target animal was on the right. Shoots female or male target animal was male or female of hunted species, etc. Client refuses or limits the PH's effort(s) to follow up on a wounded animal to hunt a second same species animal. Client(s) that prefer to "Party Hearty" rather than hunt or minimize their hunting time with the end result of not getting all of their animals.
As clients this type of book collection of PH tales would, or should, give us a better perspective on how we conduct ourselves as guest and try not to be "one of those" type client.
He obviously doesn't have enough sense to be successful in the business world. But he has the money. Hmmm.
