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I don't want to travel to Africa and hire a PH who acts like my valet. Is there some way to do it that allows me to be a hunter and not just a trigger puller? Or has what I outlined below become the modern version of the African experience?

I have wanted to hunt in Africa ever since I worked there many years ago. As time went by, I read the great classic African books and it just added fuel to my burning desire. For a long time, I was exploring the possibility of going back to hunt cape buffalo. But the more I learned about the hunts the more put off I became on the whole concept.

I have a mental image of the hunt starting off with me walking behind some PH, who really doesn't know me and who doesn't give a damn. Then we come to a herd, that he already knew was there,

Could be the case but a lot of finding game is done by driving the tracks and checking waterholes looking for tracks. Then if fresh enough and the right type you track them up until it is decided it is no good or the animals are spotted and no good or good enough for a shot.

As for doing it yourself, usually the trackers are so good they will do it well before you can.

But remember the old guys in the old stories all hired trackers too.




and he motions to me with excitement to move up to him. He points out a "nice one" and says, "See him? He's the one.

Same with spotting the game. Unless they are all busy looking down, then often the client sees the game first.

Evaluation of the trophy? Tell the PH what you want and they will if they are good advise you if they disagree and/or do what you want. Some will still push you to shoot something you are not as interested in. In the end it is the clients decision to shoot or not and how knowledgeable or not they are.

Now stand right there and don't move." Then he hands me the rifle that his helper has been carrying for me.


Usually the client will carry their own rifle unless they have two, or they are getting tired and the PH notices.

He moves behind me so he can look over my shoulder. "That's the one. Yes. Yes. Now shoot." I shoot, and maybe shoot again when prodded, and then we are all smiles and begin our stroll to the animal. A variation of the scenario has the PH fire his big double in immediate echo to my shot, regardless of what the animal does.

The PH shooting the same time is something you want to make clear before hand. Sometimes it is warranted. For example, near a border of the concession or near a Park. Where a follow up will be difficult. Also if you heart shoot an elephant. As the elephant will run off, many PHs like to make sure by shooting immediately afterwards. Also for brain shots on elephant. If it doesn't immediately drop then they might say, follow up with a chest shot immediately and I might/will shoot as well. Up to the client to make sure of their shot.

BUT some PHs will insist on shooting as well immediately. I have seen it on videos and even discussed on videos. If you don't like that and most of us don't, then make that clear, preferably BEFORE even booking the hunt. Its your hunt, not theirs.


Perhaps it is all over for the buffalo, or perhaps I/we have to deliver a coup(s). The PH then takes my gun and hands it to his helper. He assures me that I am a great hunter and off we go leaving everything to be completed by those left behind.

Usually really up to the client to just stand around while the work is done, or join in. Sometimes the staff find it disconcerting if one helps as they regard it as their job and what they get paid to do. With the larger beasts such as buffalo and eland, often the client has to help load it up. If a track needs to be blazed a couple of kilometres through the bush to get the Landcruiser in, there's lots of work to do. It is very rare to just leave the animal and go off leaving them to do the work. For one what vehicle will transport the animal out?

If you want to do the skinning or caping then do it. But good outfitters have good teams whom know their job and are efficient at it. Skinning an elephant takes about two hours. Chopping it up by 60 local villagers about an hour. There is NO WAY I would be putting my hands in among the flying pangas and axes.

I think your impressions are a bit negative. A client can get involved or not usually. However some PHs are arrogant. I had one tell me I didn't need a knife. Probably didn't. "Didn't need binoculars as he would do all that. All I really needed was my rifle." That I found rude and arrogant. I was there to hunt, not just follow along and certainly made good use of my binoculars a lot.

Often the staff will carry your stuff for you, cameras etc. Sometimes this is good, as it is not in the way when the stalking starts and they hang back. Sometimes they carry the water and everyone shares the same water bottles. I carry my own water and would take a camelback on future safaris. I don't want to share the locals bacteria and microbes either.

Suss out outfitters which fit what you want. You may not get what you want but that's life. A lot of outfitters/PHs will be guided by their impressions of the client. If they appear hopeless or not into it will take complete charge. If the client is a smart go getter, experienced, jumps in etc, you will find they lay off a bit.

Hunting tactics is one area where often a client is left out. If you don't speak the local African languages you don't know what is being said and are in the dark. But if inclined ask what is going on, what is being said, and ask to discuss the tactics etc. But we can all learn from each other. One PH refused to tell me what was being planned. He said it was going to be a surprise. We had been trying to get onto a herd of buffalo but the thorn jess was too thick. He sent a tracker back to the cruiser and said it would be a surprise. The tracker returned with two umbrellas and we proceeded to close onto the buffalo completely in the open, pretending to be buffalo. And it worked. However it couldn't get close enough for a shot as some cows in between prevented us and the PH asked me how I felt about a 160 metre shot on the trophy bull, which I declined.

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John aka NitroX

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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

Edited by NitroX (01/02/10 02:15 PM)

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