My background in university was in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. I was a premed student. In grad school at Washington State University, Pullman, I studied Genetics. I was lucky enough to finish school (that i was burned out in) and start a small basement gun and reloading business in Spokane, WA. This led to developing unusual ammunition types.
I am a licensed Professional Hunter in East Cape Province, South Africa (from here on out i’ll call it ZA for Zud Afrika, the Boar language name for South Africa). I have 5 USA Patents in ammunition design (see USA Patent # 2472118A granted in 1980!) I manufactured ammunition for USA government agencies and military – as well as – for my own hunting for many years. I went on to work for an intelligence agency for some years in the Middle East and Africa.
In the 2000’s, I went to the East Cape Professional Hunting School as a student and there-after returned every year to teach Ballistics, the mechanism of causing death (Killing), animal behavior, and others. By 2010 I was returning to teach twice each year.
I also hunted after the school twelve day session. I have hunted on ZA safaris over 25 times. I have taken all of the animals Im interested in except Cape Buffalo. I have not hunted Lion or other predators (professional courtesy). I am the TOP predator wherever I hunt. I prefer the .30-’06 and 9.3×62 cartridges in controlled feed rifles (any ’98 Mauser or clone) but have actually taken most of my plains game with a .30-’06 Japanese HOWA push feed rifle as it was all that was available to me to use. I have hunted small stuff (Vervet Monkeys, Dassies, birds) with .22LR and ,223 Remington, and bigger stuff with, .243, 6.5×284, 7×57, etc. and .375 H&H. I often shoot .458 Win, .458 Lott, .450 Rigby, even .505 Gibbs, but never needed them for plains game.
I obey the game laws of ZA and will not tolerate any cheaters. If we spotted a truely trophy animal the day before it was legal to hunt, we just watched the animal and were amused that he knew the hunting regulations as well as we did! I believe in fair chase unless we are culling animals for their meat or reducing troublesome populations. I often have shot Vervet Monkeys (a nuisance animal) from inside vehicles, likewise one female Kudu with a large infection on her skin to remove this source of contagion.
We accept PH School students from all all over the earth. The classes are taught in English. I would love to have some students from the USA. The total cost, now is about $1,400 USD for 12 days. The students live in the chalets that the client hunters use. They eat the same food, hunt and skin an animal each. The final day they take the legal and animal tests required for their P H License – and if they pass are given the PH License there.
I don’t sell hunts or anything else. it is ILLEGAL for a PH to sell hunts. Only a licensed Outfitter can sell hunts. The PH works for the Outfitter.
I’m happy to give general information on hunting anywhere in Africa and answer even very basic questions. No, there is no Tiger hunting in Africa! They live in Africa only in zoos. I can give you email addys to reliable Outfitters and PH’s. I also have much information for hunters wanting to consider Africa like rifles, cartridges, clothing, boots, sunscreens, health meds, immunizations, etc. (THERE ARE NO IMMUNIZATIONS RECOMMENDED FOR EAST CAPE PROVINCE NOR ARE ANY REQUIRED.) In the norther parts of ZA malaria preparations are required. We do, of course, recommend a current tetanus immunization.
We never have a crime problem as you see online or in the news. You will be picked up at the airport and transported to a rural area that is very safe and where the races all get along. Our vehicles are clearly marked as hunting vehicles and the PH’s are always armed with concealed handguns as well as having big game rifles in the vehicle. All clients receive a safari shirt with the name of the hunting company that are the same as the PH’s wear. if you do not speak in a public place you are assumed to be a PH and are always considered well armed and expert in firearms by potential thugs looking for a car to carjack or purse to steal. This is only useful when in small towns when shopping with your PH. We never go to Johannesburg or like crime centers.
