A Sad Story

[andy nimmons]

FILL OUT A REPORT TO  THE PUBLICATION  '' THE HUNTING REPORT''   THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT
ANDY

[storm5]

Hello

I am a South African Outfitter and it disturbs me greatly when i hear stories to this effect about our industry.

Please could i ask you to send all this information to PHASA (www.phasa.co.za), OR SPEAK DIRECTLY to Adri Kitshoff at the above office. She is the chief executive officer and can be contacted on 0027126672048.

There are rouges in any industry but they need to be exsposed and dealt with, and this can only be done by the ofiliating organisations.

Thank you and we are sadened that this has happened. As we are proud of our country our continent and our industry.

Hamish Skead

[jeanpaul3006]

So sorry to hear about your hunt. There are great outfitters out there. I just got back from spiral horn outfitters and had a great experience. Definately contact phasa, they need to know about your experience.

[Joseph]

That sucks!  If you can get past your totally justifiable feelings about how bad your experience was I would recomend giving Africa another try.  It is a magical experience when you have a good trip.

[G-force]

Hello Ben and other readers.I as a South African resident (born Rhodesian) am so embarresed right now after reading this report about the disgusting treatment you recieved in this country.I hang my head in shame.I hunt alot in SA using bow and rifle.This type of treatment is certainly criminal no matter where the customer comes from.I would not stand for it either.
I am not an outfitter but know a few.There are many many great companies that can provide proper hunts and accomodation and service.Please do not write off returning,if you are financially able to you must return.I can guide you if need be.
Sorry once again to read this nonscnece you had to endure.Fly by night outfitters need to be eradicated.
Cheers
Ge Jooste.

[Benny Nganabbarru]

This is really appalling. You should share your experience as widely as possible. Are you on the Accurate Reloading forum?

[amazonjim]

Sorry to hear of your bad experience this happens more than we hear.

There are some good places in Africa, just have to be careful where you book, I don't think I would have been as patience as you.

I know a place in Zambia that we are working with to establish a confidence with the owner. Its 5000 acres or better and lots of game the accomdations are rustic but he lets us have the run of the place and cook our on meals, no guide service hunt like you want and pay for the game you shoot, if we can we want to establish a place for bowhunters that want to do it on the own.

[Boesman]

Hi Ben, what a terrible experience at the hands of my countrymen! They are not the norm, I assure you. Have you made contact with anyone from Phasa? I publish one of the local newspapers in the Lephalale-area and would like to run a synopsis of your experience along with a response from Phasa. I think it is important that the local outfitters realise how their actions reflect on the entire industry. It is also important to test the authority of a body like Phasa when it comes to inapropriate behaviour by ph's and outfitters.
Regards
Jasper

[Mint]

Sounds like some of the Quebe outfitters.Hopefully you can get some satisfaction.

[SERGIO VENNERI]

WHAT MINT SAID!!!!

[hunt it]

Home work and a good booking agent are the only way to avoid such disasters. I owned and operated a booking agency for many years. With all my experience in Africa, I can say this is the first time I've read such an account of misrepresentation. You should name the agent in your accounts for all to be aware of. As mentioned, I'd file a report with PHASA,SCI and the Hunt Report. This will advise thousands of people of your situation and help prevent anyone else from getting ripped off as well. It will hurt the outfitter where it needs to in the pocket book.

I'm afraid you can probably expect to get scammed and ripped off in regards to your trophys being shipped and paperwork from such an operator as well. Don't let them hold you hostage over trophys.

South Africa is a beautiful country with lots of top notch operations to choose from. If you truly want a fair chase spot and stalk hunt then South africa is not the place to go. 98% of operations there are high fenced operations. If you are ok with that then there are few places that are better.

[TheFatboy]

If I were you, I'd demand a full refund, and I would do anything in my power to get it. This is absolutely unheard of. It sounds to me like none of your expectations (and promises) were met. How can they expect you to hold your end of the bargain, as far as payment goes, when they most certainly did not uphold theirs?

That being said, I am really sorry to hear about this disappointment, to say the least. I've been to South Africa once, and it was - still is - probably the greatest trip of my life. Don't let this travesty scare you off. Africa is still a great place, despite indecent fellows like these.

[Mitch H]

Just came across this thread. I am sorry to hear about your experience Ben. I have been on a couple of hunts that were not quite what I was promised, but never anything close to what you describe.

As already mentioned, please contact PHASA with your experience, and also The Hunting Report. I have met Barbara Crown, the editor while in RSA before. She is a super nice lady, and she will do her best to make operations like the one you visited have a tough time staying in business.

BTW, do not think all hunting operations in RSA are like this one. I have hunted in RSA and was almost embarrassed by the royal treatment, plush accommodations, and 5-Star meals every single day.

Oh, and I never paid $400/day in daily rates either.

[SHS]

HI Ben

I am very sorry to hear about your terrible experience! I do understand the fact that things do go wrong at times whilst on safari however it should never come down to this kind of an experience.

Ben it is a great shame that there are Outfitters who simply don't care it actually makes me sick to think the hard work we put in over a season to make our very grateful clients happy and then have a fellow competitor destroying the very industry that we love and have to live off.

While contacting PHASA would be the right thing to do, I would have to say they would only be able to act if this Outfit is a member of PHASA. I think it should be mandatory for South African Outfitters to join PHASA so that we might be able to weed out the bad guy's.

I would like to make a difference here even though I am not able to change your first experience of Africa I would like to try and offer you a second trip to South Africa.

This hunt would be donated at no cost to you and a fellow hunter:

7 Day Plains Game Safari for 2 Hunters

This includes:

1x Arrival Day
1x Departure Day
5x Full Hunting Day’s hunting 1 on 1 with your PH
2x Impala
1x Blue Wildebeest
1x Gemsbuck

The above rates include the following:
•   The full use of all facilities in the camp such as the swimming pool and satellite television
•   A daily laundry service is also available at no extra cost
•   Full catering: early morning coffee & rusks, brunch, snacks, dinner, all soft drinks and alcoholic beverages in moderation
•   Hunting: a fully licensed Professional Hunter, trackers, skinners, all camp staff, transport to and from blinds, picking up of trophies, field preparation of any game taken and transportation of trophies to shipping company
•    Transport by vehicle from Johannesburg International Airport

The above rates excludes the following:
•   Accommodations prior to and after safari
•   Transport by vehicle between other Hunting Provinces
•   Taxidermy work and shipping of trophies to final destination

These are not cull animals all of the animals included in this package are trophy animals.

Once again I am really saddened to read about this horrible ordeal and I sincerely hope that this would make a difference.

Best Regards
Louis van Bergen

[jeanpaul3006]

That's a great offer.
 Louis is one of the good ones. Hopefully, you can take him up on the offer and have a great safari.

[SilentT]

Wow!  Way to go Louis.  Class act for sure.

[Ragin Bull]

That is a kind offer Louis.

I hope Ben takes you up on it.

[briandean]

Louis, you're the man :-)

[BuckeyeGuy]

Now THAT'S an outfitter, good for you Louis!

[Froggy]

What a shame, I must chime along with hunt it and coaster 500 on this... RESEARCH PLUS REFERENCES. Kudos to Louis's offer on the hunt. Very nice gesture. It would bs safe to say you have way more patience than me, I would probably still be in a South African Jail !!!!!!!

Lanier