Zambezi
AH fanatic
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2020
- Messages
- 831
- Reaction score
- 3,612
- Location
- Johannesburg / Queensland
- Hunted
- South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia
On the back of Mtn Infantry's post (which has a lot of merit) and the OP's report which I "feel" is an accurate report of the hunt I think the following is pertinent:
When you are in someone else's backyard they have the upper hand. One lone hunter and his girlfriend against 2 sullen and aggressive men is not a situation where you can always feel like you can simply say "no"... the PH displayed enough aggression and indifference that the OP was trying to make the best of a hostile situation. To the point that he wasn't even sure he'd get a ride back to civilization. It was enough of a shit show that passing on the penned reedbuck probably would have escalated the already hostile situation. It sounds like this is a shitty mom and pop operation with a less than healthy population of animals to offer their clients.
Secondly, to all the PH / outfitters out there, you are not only selling a list of animals to kill you are selling a once in a lifetime EXPERIENCE. That includes the killing but also every single thing that goes with it. From the very first email/call to waving the hunter goodbye. In fact often more if you are arranging or involved with the packing and taxidermy etc etc.
This outfit failed in both regards. Absolutely failed. To the point where once again RSA is being slandered as a shitty shooting pen destination and that Limpopo hunting is "all the same"
So unless the PH/outfitter comes up with earth shattering new evidence, I'd say he has let the paying customer down, himself down and pretty much the hunting fraternity in RSA. I could unpick and unpack every failure of this operation but we all know how shoddy it is because we all know (and experienced) how it is supposed to be done.
When you are in someone else's backyard they have the upper hand. One lone hunter and his girlfriend against 2 sullen and aggressive men is not a situation where you can always feel like you can simply say "no"... the PH displayed enough aggression and indifference that the OP was trying to make the best of a hostile situation. To the point that he wasn't even sure he'd get a ride back to civilization. It was enough of a shit show that passing on the penned reedbuck probably would have escalated the already hostile situation. It sounds like this is a shitty mom and pop operation with a less than healthy population of animals to offer their clients.
Secondly, to all the PH / outfitters out there, you are not only selling a list of animals to kill you are selling a once in a lifetime EXPERIENCE. That includes the killing but also every single thing that goes with it. From the very first email/call to waving the hunter goodbye. In fact often more if you are arranging or involved with the packing and taxidermy etc etc.
This outfit failed in both regards. Absolutely failed. To the point where once again RSA is being slandered as a shitty shooting pen destination and that Limpopo hunting is "all the same"
So unless the PH/outfitter comes up with earth shattering new evidence, I'd say he has let the paying customer down, himself down and pretty much the hunting fraternity in RSA. I could unpick and unpack every failure of this operation but we all know how shoddy it is because we all know (and experienced) how it is supposed to be done.
