Dissappointing End to Best Trip Ever!

[Joseph]

Man you weren't kidding about a good trip!  Congratulations!!  That Eland is huge.  You needed a new bow anyways didn't you?      I am getting my Eland from the taxidermist Thursday morning, then I just have the Zebra and Nyala half mounts left to get done.  Joseph

[Kevin Bahr]

Oh man, Marty.  Sorry to hear about your lost baggage.  Airline customer service absolutely sucks these days.  They know they have you over a barrel and they take full advantage of the fact that there is virtually no recourse against them.  But, it's a necessity in most cases for travel.  Hope you get your stuff back soon.  Good luck!  
We could sure use a story with photos for the PBS magazine.  With all the success you had maybe you can talk Barry into writing a retraction to his story about you missing the big buck, but somehow I doubt it, HA!  
Hope to meet you at the PBS banquet in Pittsburgh.

[Fletcher]

Wow Marty!!  You have some experiences and memories there that no one can take from you.         Best,  Rick

[Marty]

Kevin,
Yes I'll see you in the "Burgh". It is actually my hometown. I am from a small town 20 miles east of there. Lookin forward to it.I agree with you on the retraction story from Barry, it would only be fair, wouldn't it? By the way, maybe I'll redeem myself on that Kansas buck. I was drawn and I'm goin back!

[J-dog]

Great animals specially love the Kudu!

Good job,

Fingers crossed for your bag to return!

Jason

[Guru]

Marty, Sorry about your bag bud.....

 But congrats on the rest of your journey...simply AWESOME!!  Some day I hope to make the same trip...

[Biggie Hoffman]

hey Marty, where's the arrow hole in the zebra?

I'm juts glad my tripod wasn't in that bag...all the rest of that stuff was worn out anyway. Get some new stuff and quit whining.

[Marty]

You think you're glad about the tripod, that's the first thing I checked! Hole in Zebra is on my side of photo, just a little back. As my PH said, you were lucky, that shot will kill the zebra, but not the others. He was right. It went maybe 150 yds on a marginal shot. Thanks for asking. Is that all you and Gene have to talk about, my mistakes?
Thank you to all the guys who have commented on my trip and Of course I woulda told you if the bag came.

[BUFF]

Looks like you had a great trip. Visser has a fantastic place. All my bags made it back, They just dug through and picked out what they wanted to steal and let me have what was left.

[Jarrod Feiner]

Awesome stuff...sorry about the bags, but these photos are great!

[Kevin Bahr]

Well hell Marty, you can get all new stuff when you come to the PBS Banquet.  There will be plenty of vendors there to help you out.  Glad to hear you are coming, and who knows, your bag might show up any minute.  
Last time I went to Alaska, one of the guys with me had his backpack go missing.  It had all his hunting stuff in it of course, binos, knives, rope, compass, etc.  That was in September.  Believe it or not, it showed up at his place in Wisconsin like a day or two after their deer season ended.  I told him someone must have been using it and returned it after the season, HA!
Everything was in it just as he left it.

[ncsturkey]

Marty, sorry for the loss.  I'm leaving for Vissers in September and based on your tough luck I found and bought lost luggage insurnace from AMEX.  $11.95 for $2000.00 coverage.  coupled with the $650 from the airline a loss could be managed.

[herb haines]

Marty you must know the two of them by now it will always be the mistakes they remember , over and over and over again --- beautiful pics , are eland as soft as they look in pics?
 --- herb

[Marty]

ncsturkey, wish I woulda done that. Good luck, we had a great trip. Herb, I really didn't notice the coat, I was too excited about the horns!That's one problem with Africa hunting, they wisk the animals away after hero pictures and the next time you see it is on the drying table. Herb, trust me when I tell you that I am relentless when they make mistakes too!

[talltines]

Great looking pics Marty.  I got a few bows if you need to borrow one until your stuff shows up.

[Ray Hammond]

Marty,
Just heard on the news that this summer the airline advisors are now telling people traveling anywhere in Europe to use carry on luggage only- and they are using British Airways as a reason, but apparently ALL airlines are at fault- BA has lost 1.3 million bags this summer.

So many, they are shipping them back to the states on full cargo planes!! Amazing. I wouldn't give up hope it will show up, bud.

[Marty]

Thanks guys, especially talltines offer on a bow. I have others, but we all have favorites. The one missing is my first custom Robertson.
Ray, I still call and we'll see, but in the meantime all vendors are happy.

[Ray Hammond]

I can only imagine. Best of luck to you this coming weekend.

[Marty]

Update!  Got a letter from Air France that said they may have found my bag in Paris!!! Of Course, got it Friday after hours, so I can't reply til Monday,cause I'm sure they don't celebrate our Labor Day.Could have good news soon! Thanks for votes of confidence, but I'll feel better when I get my paws on it.

[Forester]

Alright Marty!  I hope this is the beginning to a good ending.  Good luck and I hope they are sending your bag early next week.

East of Pittsburgh you say?  What little town did you call home?  Maybe we were neighbors....