I've been advised by a couple of people not to spill the beans on the forum and in the process damage my own image. However, I think it is just because of this that some people is getting away with a lot of wrongful doings, damaging our hunting industry in the whole. I'm going to answer the questions being asked on this specific subject. Firstly, the fuel: (the easy one) my vehicle has two seperate fuel tanks. The basis that I work on, is filling up both tanks when leaving home. The one will be used to get to the hunting destination. Upon arrival and my starting to work for the outfitter, I'll switch to the other full tank. Then it is easy: when having to fill up, only that specific tank will be filled up. Leaving camp after the hunt, it is easy: just fill up the tank again. In this specific instance, leaving camp on two occasions, there wasn't diesel in the camp. The reason given that there was not enough time to get diesel. The first time the outfitter forgot to draw money, and I had to fill up out of my own pocket. The second time, he apparently lost his cheque book.
With reference to my payment as PH, the system works as follows: in the beginning of the season the outfitters that I am hunting with, will book me for certain dates to do hunts for them. Naturally when I'm booked for a specific date and there is a cancellation well in advance, I can look for other employment in that specific time-frame. But if the hunt is cancelled at 5:30pm, before I have to arrive at the hunting camp the following morning, it is impossible to get that other employment. What will your view on my payment for this cancelled hunt be? In this specific case the outfitter immediately asked me for an invoice so that he can arrange payment; according to him the client agreed on paying it. It never happened. Everytime there was an excuse about the client not replying to his e-mails, the client not being reachable, being away on other hunting trips, etc. The moment I started to put on a bit of pressure, his story changed. Now he is saying that he'll consider paying me. Coming back from the States, he gave me hunting dates for the season. I started planning according to it.
The first hunting date should have been 14th June 2011. On the 12th of June I was told that the date is postponed until the 5th of September - two weeks without employment. The next hunt was from the 2nd of July until the 18th of July. However, due to changes, I only started hunting again on the 21st of July. Another two weeks without employment. On the 19th of July, the outfitter contacted me and told me he is looking for certain species to hunt, closer to the airport as he does not have access to some of those animals on his concessions. The whole of the 20th of July I was driving around, burning fuel, trying to find suitable places nearby, for the species he was looking for. Needless to say it was unsuccesful, due to the short notice given by him. When payday came, and my invoice was presented, he told me that I was out of my mind to think I would be paid for the fuel that I used, looking for oher hunting places for his clients - not to even mention my time spent.
My first hunting trip for this outfitter this year, started on the 21st of July. It ended on the 5th of August 2011. On the 3rd of August he informed me that the clients are going to the Pilanesberg Nature Reserve on the 4th, spend one night at a guest house and leave for the airport on the 5th. But he has a problem: his bus is broken down and he wants to hire my Minibus, with me as driver/guide to take the guys to the Park and drop them off at the airport on the Friday afternoon. We agreed on a daily rate for the bus and that he will pay the fuel. My wife drived all the way (5 hours) to his farm, arrived at 9pm and left again at 4am the following morning. Needless to say, he forgot to arrange cash for the fuel. Now I had to fill up the bus out of my own pocket as well my Landcruiser, which my wife drove back home with. They received the invoice on the 6th of August; payment only took place on the 22nd of August. This only happened after a lot of hassles and my wife's "contribution" to this forum.
The next client arrived on the 4th of August and there was supposed to be another two clients arriving on the 8th of August. Again I was informed, on the 6th of August that the two clients will not be arriving on the 8th of August. He then told me that I must still come through, take over his client and he would have time to sort out personal issues. I am in the hunting industry now for many years and this was the most changes/cancellations of hunting dates that I have come across.
With reference to my rate as PH for this specific outfitter: it was confirmed by him last year. When I started to ask for my money, his most favourite line became: "You are the most expensive PH I ever came across." Normally when done with a hunt, I would invoice the outfitter and with all the other outfitters I hunt with, they pay me within 3 days after the hunt.
The gratitudes: the hunt with this specific client was supposed to end on the 20th of August. I was suppose to start hunting again on the 22nd of August. Then the outfitter sent me home on the 18th. Again 2 days pay lost. He was suppose to hunt a leopard at another outfitter from the 22nd while I hunted with one of his own clients from his camp. Who would play PH at another outfitter and leave his own client with another PH? His reason for sending me back home two days earlier was that I must go and do the leopard hunt now. He would then hunt with his own client. We agreed and he was suppose to contact the other outfitter on that same day. Guess what - the other outfitter was not contacted until today. On that last day, the 18th of August, the client told me and my tracker/skinner, in the outfitter's presence, that he was going to leave a tip for us, with the outfitter. Already busy with the leopard hunt, I contacted the outfitter regarding that tips and I was told that the client only left a tip for the tracker. Just for the record, the tracker/skinner is employed by myself, not by the outfitter. The client confirmed via e-mail that he did leave me USD750 with the outfitter. Confronting the outfitter, I was told that he would ask the client whether he can give me the money. Making any sense?
At that point I have not received my payment for the hunt I did for him from the 8th until the 18th of August. Then again the forum helped and some money was received on the 25th. Then the rest on the 27th. But R700 was deducted because he disagreed with the fuel used. He made the following arrangement: my tips, the tracker's tips and the R700 would then be handed over to me when returning his equipment.
He gave me some of his equipment to use during the leopard hunt. I would give his equipment back at the end of the hunt. That would have taken place on the last day of the hunt because it wasn't far from his own property. Trying to get a time from him on the 2nd last day of the hunt, he was not available for the exchange and no alternative arrangements were made by him. Up until today, the equipment is still in my possession. It will remain like that until he comes to my house, bring my outstanding money and take his equipment.
Upsetting me quite a bit, was the fact that all his staff were fired, except one guy, on the 20th of July - no skinners/trackers were available while there were 3 hunters in camp. (His reason for firing them, was that they complained about the tips.) Everything came down on my guy who sat until anything from 12 to 2 o'clock in the mornings, skinning. I think he deserved every tip that the clients left him.
This guy said he'll in future only use PH's younger than 30 years because the older ones are always pointing out mistakes, so that they, the PH's, look good and the outfitter looks bad and therefore try to steal the outfitters' clients.
Guys, this may sound like a lot of nitty-gritty and may appear like useless info. But I only tried to answer questions posted in previous threads. The same game he is playing with me is also played with some clients - the clients involved, can post their own experiences.
The last thing: you all asked about the outfitter and his name. It's Werner Lewies, Motshwere Safaris, Lephalale.
I've also started as a young PH in the industry and I know how difficult employment in this industry is. It will definitely happen that a PH will change employment during his career, but my advise to other PH's will be: get references before starting to work for an outfitter. Outfitters should do the same before employing a PH. Clients MUST also get references regarding the outfitters and PH's. One thing that should be addressed is a written contract between a PH and outfitter and this is to protect the outfitter and the PH in the same way that a remuneration agreement between an outfitter and a client protects both parties.
With reference to my payment as PH, the system works as follows: in the beginning of the season the outfitters that I am hunting with, will book me for certain dates to do hunts for them. Naturally when I'm booked for a specific date and there is a cancellation well in advance, I can look for other employment in that specific time-frame. But if the hunt is cancelled at 5:30pm, before I have to arrive at the hunting camp the following morning, it is impossible to get that other employment. What will your view on my payment for this cancelled hunt be? In this specific case the outfitter immediately asked me for an invoice so that he can arrange payment; according to him the client agreed on paying it. It never happened. Everytime there was an excuse about the client not replying to his e-mails, the client not being reachable, being away on other hunting trips, etc. The moment I started to put on a bit of pressure, his story changed. Now he is saying that he'll consider paying me. Coming back from the States, he gave me hunting dates for the season. I started planning according to it.
The first hunting date should have been 14th June 2011. On the 12th of June I was told that the date is postponed until the 5th of September - two weeks without employment. The next hunt was from the 2nd of July until the 18th of July. However, due to changes, I only started hunting again on the 21st of July. Another two weeks without employment. On the 19th of July, the outfitter contacted me and told me he is looking for certain species to hunt, closer to the airport as he does not have access to some of those animals on his concessions. The whole of the 20th of July I was driving around, burning fuel, trying to find suitable places nearby, for the species he was looking for. Needless to say it was unsuccesful, due to the short notice given by him. When payday came, and my invoice was presented, he told me that I was out of my mind to think I would be paid for the fuel that I used, looking for oher hunting places for his clients - not to even mention my time spent.
My first hunting trip for this outfitter this year, started on the 21st of July. It ended on the 5th of August 2011. On the 3rd of August he informed me that the clients are going to the Pilanesberg Nature Reserve on the 4th, spend one night at a guest house and leave for the airport on the 5th. But he has a problem: his bus is broken down and he wants to hire my Minibus, with me as driver/guide to take the guys to the Park and drop them off at the airport on the Friday afternoon. We agreed on a daily rate for the bus and that he will pay the fuel. My wife drived all the way (5 hours) to his farm, arrived at 9pm and left again at 4am the following morning. Needless to say, he forgot to arrange cash for the fuel. Now I had to fill up the bus out of my own pocket as well my Landcruiser, which my wife drove back home with. They received the invoice on the 6th of August; payment only took place on the 22nd of August. This only happened after a lot of hassles and my wife's "contribution" to this forum.
The next client arrived on the 4th of August and there was supposed to be another two clients arriving on the 8th of August. Again I was informed, on the 6th of August that the two clients will not be arriving on the 8th of August. He then told me that I must still come through, take over his client and he would have time to sort out personal issues. I am in the hunting industry now for many years and this was the most changes/cancellations of hunting dates that I have come across.
With reference to my rate as PH for this specific outfitter: it was confirmed by him last year. When I started to ask for my money, his most favourite line became: "You are the most expensive PH I ever came across." Normally when done with a hunt, I would invoice the outfitter and with all the other outfitters I hunt with, they pay me within 3 days after the hunt.
The gratitudes: the hunt with this specific client was supposed to end on the 20th of August. I was suppose to start hunting again on the 22nd of August. Then the outfitter sent me home on the 18th. Again 2 days pay lost. He was suppose to hunt a leopard at another outfitter from the 22nd while I hunted with one of his own clients from his camp. Who would play PH at another outfitter and leave his own client with another PH? His reason for sending me back home two days earlier was that I must go and do the leopard hunt now. He would then hunt with his own client. We agreed and he was suppose to contact the other outfitter on that same day. Guess what - the other outfitter was not contacted until today. On that last day, the 18th of August, the client told me and my tracker/skinner, in the outfitter's presence, that he was going to leave a tip for us, with the outfitter. Already busy with the leopard hunt, I contacted the outfitter regarding that tips and I was told that the client only left a tip for the tracker. Just for the record, the tracker/skinner is employed by myself, not by the outfitter. The client confirmed via e-mail that he did leave me USD750 with the outfitter. Confronting the outfitter, I was told that he would ask the client whether he can give me the money. Making any sense?
At that point I have not received my payment for the hunt I did for him from the 8th until the 18th of August. Then again the forum helped and some money was received on the 25th. Then the rest on the 27th. But R700 was deducted because he disagreed with the fuel used. He made the following arrangement: my tips, the tracker's tips and the R700 would then be handed over to me when returning his equipment.
He gave me some of his equipment to use during the leopard hunt. I would give his equipment back at the end of the hunt. That would have taken place on the last day of the hunt because it wasn't far from his own property. Trying to get a time from him on the 2nd last day of the hunt, he was not available for the exchange and no alternative arrangements were made by him. Up until today, the equipment is still in my possession. It will remain like that until he comes to my house, bring my outstanding money and take his equipment.
Upsetting me quite a bit, was the fact that all his staff were fired, except one guy, on the 20th of July - no skinners/trackers were available while there were 3 hunters in camp. (His reason for firing them, was that they complained about the tips.) Everything came down on my guy who sat until anything from 12 to 2 o'clock in the mornings, skinning. I think he deserved every tip that the clients left him.
This guy said he'll in future only use PH's younger than 30 years because the older ones are always pointing out mistakes, so that they, the PH's, look good and the outfitter looks bad and therefore try to steal the outfitters' clients.
Guys, this may sound like a lot of nitty-gritty and may appear like useless info. But I only tried to answer questions posted in previous threads. The same game he is playing with me is also played with some clients - the clients involved, can post their own experiences.
The last thing: you all asked about the outfitter and his name. It's Werner Lewies, Motshwere Safaris, Lephalale.
I've also started as a young PH in the industry and I know how difficult employment in this industry is. It will definitely happen that a PH will change employment during his career, but my advise to other PH's will be: get references before starting to work for an outfitter. Outfitters should do the same before employing a PH. Clients MUST also get references regarding the outfitters and PH's. One thing that should be addressed is a written contract between a PH and outfitter and this is to protect the outfitter and the PH in the same way that a remuneration agreement between an outfitter and a client protects both parties.
