Good day Mr Pace , once again I refer to my first statement and have to wonder why you chose not to talk about your concerns directly during your hunt? I choose not to have this argument with you and go around and around. This will therefore be my last statement on the matter.
Within your comments you some how forget to mention that we are currently experiencing the worst drought in living memory in the hunting area. We have had no choice but to put out feed for the animals. If this was a problem for you, you never brought to my attention?
The weather during the hunt was awful we had cold front after cold front , bringing high winds, from all directions, which is certainly not ideal but it is a part of hunting. Pop up blinds were put up as an extra alternative, yes it is not ideal but I was trying to give us more options, as a result of the extensive drought the dam is dry rendering the blind there out of action. The other blinds used have piped in water. As a bow hunter the stakes are always against you isn’t this what makes it hunting ?
You further fail to mention that you did indeed get a good Duiker, and a nice Springbuck. We hunted hard and even undertook a walk and stalk for Black Wildebeest unfortunately we didn’t get the Black Wildebeest, but again isn’t that hunting?
When we moved south you also got a East Cape Kudu, a beautiful Nyala and a Zebra. So even though there were obstacles you had some hunting success.
Again I wonder why you failed to mention any of your complaints to myself or the hunting outfitter while with us or even once you returned home, instead you chose to first complain via social media?
I hope you have a good season ahead of you and I wish you happy hunting.
Regards
Warren Venter .
Good morning again Warren (Warrern?)!
You are right, I didn't mention that there was a drought in SA, but I did mention that the weather was bad (cold and windy) for the first several days of the hunt in the North Cape and that African animals don't like cold and wind. I did state that I got a duiker (a nice one at that) and a springbuck while at the North Cape. As far as feeding at the stand locations go, that was my first experience with having feed put out at a blind, but I have seen it done on many videos made of bow hunting in South Africa. I kind of assumed it was standard practice, but in retrospect I did find it unsettling. If the practice of putting out feed at blinds is not a standard practice, but only utilized during a drought, then I'm mistaken and I apologize. I did comment that we put up pop-up blinds while on the hunt. That is the point of concern, they were put up
while on the hunt - not prior to the hunt.
I
did comment on
many of the issues with the North Cape while there. For example, comments about the state of the hunting were; 'this place is hunted out', 'this place is shot out', 'this place sucks'. The hunting was, at one point, discussed with the outfitter as well, in that discussion I said that 'I don't want to go back to cell two'. He convinced us to go back there as it is such a good stand. After that trip to cell two, you also stated that it was hunted out. As far as the service, particularly that received by my wife, she told me not to say anything about having to specifically ask for a place setting
every morning as she wanted to see how long it would take 'them' to figure out that they should just get a place setting and coffee ready for her daily. They never figured it out. I did commented on the lack of reliability of the hot water supply, a couple of times - while having coffee in the morning coming back from washing my hands stating '
there is no hot water - again'. I did not report that we had to get the hangers from the adjoining bungalow so we could have enough to hang up our clothes, my bad. The fact that the internet quota ran out was also discussed while there (you were not a party to that discussion), a shall we say, less than rewarding exchange (that exchange left my wife
livid - not her first exchange at the North Cape that left her livid). While there, I also pointed out that Carole had to specifically ask for a space heater for our room (indicative of the lack of proactive service). I do recall one occasion when asked 'how things were going' (you asked) to which my wife replied a very curt 'fine'. I recall that exchange as her reply was sufficiently curt that it made me wince. At that point she was so discouraged and unhappy she wanted to change her flights to go home. The next day we left for the East Cape which was, as I reported, a
totally different experience, in a good way.
All that to say that of our 'issues' with the North Cape were brought to your, as well as, the outfitter's attention. Perhaps I should have given you a written response at the time, my bad. I do have to own not pointing out (at her request) that my wife had to specifically ask for a place setting for breakfast and coffee
every morning. On the other hand, that one is such an unbelievable faux pas that it should have
never, ever been encountered. The East Cape was such a strikingly pleasant difference to the North Cape that we left on a very upbeat note, much of the unpleasantness of the North Cape experience happily out of mind.
Come to think of it, giving you a written report would have been the ticket......
I reported on our experience at the North Cape on social media because I was asked to by several members here. Perhaps I should have sent my report to y'all first. Again, my bad. Perhaps y'all should have requested one (the place I hunted in Namibia did). That being said, much of the lack of satisfaction with the North Cape was with, and has been directed to, the outfitter. He has responded in a very positive, and in my opinion, genuine manner......
Prior to the outfitter's response to our experience at the North Cape, replaying the events there would make me clench my teeth. Since his response, I no longer clench my teeth when thinking about it. Thanks Mike!
