Awesome hunters

[shines@times]

Europe, I met Willie Englebrecht but never hunted with him. Mark Selby and I hunted most of Tanzania together, a 35 day safari and another 30 day adventure. We also spent a month in Botswana. Spent some time with his dad, Harry during those years. I have been a very lucky man over the decades have had countless safari all over Africa. Sadly many of my professional hunter friends have passed away. Another no one has mentioned was Voelker Grellmann, elephant PH par excellance. He looked like a PH picked by central casting. We hunted many elephant several times all over the Caprivi and Bushman land. Mark passed away in 2017 as I recall.

Have you heard of Angelo Dacey who hunted southern Sudan prior to the civil war that erupted in 1983?

I met his son, who was working as a commercial pilot for a small airline operating on Washington's Olympic Peninsula about 1988, the last year that I was able to eke out a living with a local gun and archery shop in the area after the Spotted Owl protections put the bulk of my customers out of work--I set him up with a Martin compound bow and accoutrements. I have forgotten the son's first name, but we had a long and very interesting conversation about African hunting.

Prior to leaving South Sudan, then a region, not a separate country, the Dacey's were still taking bulls with 100+ pound ivory. The son had also killed a nice Bongo, but he laughed when I talked of how elusive they were based on what I had read--he'd encountered and shot his in open savanna. I'd actually had a job offer for a position in Sudan from another customer*, who was a manager for Reading and Bates operations building oil exploration roads for the Sudanese government. Had I been able to accept, I likely would not have gotten to hunt anyway--that offer was early in 1983! I kept my eye on Sudan for about another thirty years, hoping things might improve and offer me another chance. Poor timing has often been my adversary, and I'm too old now.

* When he walked into the store, I asked the guy: "Where'd you get that brown? You sure didn't spend the Winter on the Olympic Peninsula!" That made him laugh and kicked off a conversation wherein I learned that he often flew over large herds of Cape buffalo and elephants when taking the helicopter out to inspect field operations. Just half kidding during our talk, I asked if he could use any flunky labor for room and board and lots of time off to hunt! His reply: "Actually, I need a warehouse manager right now; and you could certainly do that since you run this business."

 

[Happy Myles]

Have you heard of Angelo Dacey who hunted southern Sudan prior to the civil war that erupted in 1983?

I met his son, who was working as a commercial pilot for a small airline operating on Washington's Olympic Peninsula about 1988, the last year that I was able to eke out a living with a local gun and archery shop in the area after the Spotted Owl protections put the bulk of my customers out of work--I set him up with a Martin compound bow and accoutrements. I have forgotten the son's first name, but we had a long and very interesting conversation about African hunting.

Prior to leaving South Sudan, then a region, not a separate country, the Dacey's were still taking bulls with 100+ pound ivory. The son had also killed a nice Bongo, but he laughed when I talked of how elusive they were based on what I had read--he'd encountered and shot his in open savanna. I'd actually had a job offer for a position in Sudan from another customer*, who was a manager for Reading and Bates operations building oil exploration roads for the Sudanese government. Had I been able to accept, I likely would not have gotten to hunt anyway--that offer was early in 1983! I kept my eye on Sudan for about another thirty years, hoping things might improve and offer me another chance. Poor timing has often been my adversary, and I'm too old now.

* When he walked into the store, I asked the guy: "Where'd you get that brown? You sure didn't spend the Winter on the Olympic Peninsula!" That made him laugh and kicked off a conversation wherein I learned that he often flew over large herds of Cape buffalo and elephants when taking the helicopter out to inspect field operations. Just half kidding during our talk, I asked if he could use any flunky labor for room and board and lots of time off to hunt! His reply: "Actually, I need a warehouse manager right now; and you could certainly do that since you run this business."

Yes, have heard of Angelo Dacey but do not know him.

 

[shines@times]

Ok guys, so I do a lot of reading about hunting. What I am wondering is what are some of your favorite hunters from history? Some of my favorites are the Indian maneater hunter Jim Corbett, Alaska's wolf man Frank Glasser, and Peter Capstick.

I certainly endorse your nomination of Jim Corbett! Probably one of the most proficient hunters of truly dangerous game of modern times, Corbett's accomplishments are particularly noteworthy to me for his hunting methods, which frequently saw him afoot on the ground in forest and jungle as he tracked and stalked the man-killers one-on-one.

El Tigre, Sasha Siemal, who hunted jaguars in the jungles of Brazil, often using a spear rather than a firearm rates notoriety as well.

Another worthy is Major Jan Pretorius, who employed his hunting skills to exact revenge on the Germans prior to, and during WW1. My favorite photo caption from his book "Jungle Man" is: "Thus, I collected the cost of my farm." (Confiscated by the Germans) Pretorius not only recouped the value of his stolen farm by shooting ivory in German territory, he hunted and found, and helped direct the naval gunfire that killed the German cruiser Koeingsberg where it was hiding in the shallow delta waters of the Rufiji River. (Hollywood, as they are so accomplished at doing, bastardized the story; but Pretorius was the inspiration for the film "Shout At The Devil.")

Many hunters have earned our respect and admiration. Other members have already mentioned many of those who are also among my personal favorites, so I'll not repeat those names. However, I would like to mention a non-fiction book of extraordinary adventure with much focus on hunting. That is Sir Samuel Baker's "The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia." It has been so long since I read the book that I can't recall being particularly impressed with Baker's individual hunting skills, but the overall adventure of the expedition as a whole, and the details of the country, animals, people, the routes of travel, the gear lists (including the 19th century firearms and fishing tackle) and even the descriptions of domestic concerns of the various encampments thoroughly fascinated and entertained me.

 

[Europe]

Europe, I met Willie Englebrecht but never hunted with him. Mark Selby and I hunted most of Tanzania together, a 35 day safari and another 30 day adventure. We also spent a month in Botswana. Spent some time with his dad, Harry during those years. I have been a very lucky man over the decades have had countless safari all over Africa. Sadly many of my professional hunter friends have passed away. Another no one has mentioned was Voelker Grellmann, elephant PH par excellance. He looked like a PH picked by central casting. We hunted many elephant several times all over the Caprivi and Bushman land. Mark passed away in 2017 as I recall.

First and foremost you are correct, you have had some very wonderful and successful safaris in Africa. Congratulations, well done !

We did know Voelker. He contributed, a lot, to my favorite African country and your right, he also "looked" the part.

We also hunted with Alain Lefoi in CAR. You probably already know this but his son has taken over the business.

my grandfather

"Acres of Diamonds" young lady.

 

[Happy Myles]

First and foremost you are correct, you have had some very wonderful and successful safaris in Africa. Congratulations, well done !

We did know Voelker. He contributed, a lot, to my favorite African country and your right, he also "looked" the part.

We also hunted with Alain Lefoi in CAR. You probably already know this but his son has taken over the business.


"Acres of Diamonds" young lady.

Europe, indeed i know Alain very well. One trip he had malaria so bad he could not hunt and we flew back to Paris together and put him in the hospital. I saw his son taking over and I wish him all the best of luck. Shared one night in campi with Voelker and Peter Capstick.

 

[thusby]

Gonna have to go with a waterfowl guy here, MacQuarrie

 

[220yotekiller]

Jeremiah Johnson has to make the list to. Frank Flowers's book Education of a Bear Hunter is one of the best bear hunting books that I have read. Along with Dalton Carr's book Tales of a Bear Hunter. I love all of the mention of the old African hunters.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Europe, indeed i know Alain very well. One trip he had malaria so bad he could not hunt and we flew back to Paris together and put him in the hospital. I saw his son taking over and I wish him all the best of luck. Shared one night in campi with Voelker and Peter Capstick.

I want to meet you someday, haha.

I was wondering if that was the same Voelker Capstick hunted elephant with.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

I certainly endorse your nomination of Jim Corbett! Probably one of the most proficient hunters of truly dangerous game of modern times, Corbett's accomplishments are particularly noteworthy to me for his hunting methods, which frequently saw him afoot on the ground in forest and jungle as he tracked and stalked the man-killers one-on-one.

El Tigre, Sasha Siemal, who hunted jaguars in the jungles of Brazil, often using a spear rather than a firearm rates notoriety as well.

Another worthy is Major Jan Pretorius, who employed his hunting skills to exact revenge on the Germans prior to, and during WW1. My favorite photo caption from his book "Jungle Man" is: "Thus, I collected the cost of my farm." (Confiscated by the Germans) Pretorius not only recouped the value of his stolen farm by shooting ivory in German territory, he hunted and found, and helped direct the naval gunfire that killed the German cruiser Koeingsberg where it was hiding in the shallow delta waters of the Rufiji River. (Hollywood, as they are so accomplished at doing, bastardized the story; but Pretorius was the inspiration for the film "Shout At The Devil.")

Many hunters have earned our respect and admiration. Other members have already mentioned many of those who are also among my personal favorites, so I'll not repeat those names. However, I would like to mention a non-fiction book of extraordinary adventure with much focus on hunting. That is Sir Samuel Baker's "The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia." It has been so long since I read the book that I can't recall being particularly impressed with Baker's individual hunting skills, but the overall adventure of the expedition as a whole, and the details of the country, animals, people, the routes of travel, the gear lists (including the 19th century firearms and fishing tackle) and even the descriptions of domestic concerns of the various encampments thoroughly fascinated and entertained me.

I was going to mention Pretorius too. I love Jungle Man.

 

[huntin24/7]

These guys obviously.

 

[Happy Myles]

I want to meet you someday, haha.

I was wondering if that was the same Voelker Capstick hunted elephant with.

I want to meet you someday, haha.

I was wondering if that was the same Voelker Capstick hunted elephant with.

Yes,that is the same Voelker. They had just finished their elephant hunt for Video when I showed up to begin my hunt.

 

[huntin24/7]

But in all seriousness, I enjoyed chuck adams articles as well as Tom Miranda growing up. Some of the earlier videos from Fred bear and Gordon Eastman were kinda fun to watch too.

 

[Bullshot]

Two pages to get to Jack O’Connor?

Some have already mentioned Fred Bear.

 

[shrapnel]

Brag all you want, but no one can top this...

 

[JustinsDad]

Jack O’Connor for sure! And many a great hunter never wrote any articles on anything. Never got famous but had unhumanlike hunting skills. My Dad was one of those kind of guys.

 

[pre6422hornet]

Gotta go with Papa Bear. He wasn't one to trophy hunt, used what he made, self made his legacy.

But Fred always said that his brown bear guide, Ed Bilderback, was a superior outdoorsman and archer. Now if I could go spend some time in the Alaskan wild with Mr. Bilderback.... that would be cool.

 

[shines@times]

Brag all you want, but no one can top this...

I'll be damned surprised if that is anything but a Hollywood invention. That said, it was an entertaining scene!

One that might hold more than a grain of truth, I think it was portrayed in "The Mountain Men" movie, depicted a trapper firing his ramrod into a charging foe, though they don't explain the rifle being already primed as I recall.

Then there is: "Pilgrim, are you sure you can skin Griz?"

 

[elkduds]

my grandfather

My dad, RIP Leon. He fed his farm family with his Winchester 94 from horseback. Then he got to teach me. He didn't endorse some things in my life, but when we went out to fill the freezer we were always on the same page. "Roooooooster!"

 

[BAKPAKR]

John Hunter
Jack O’Connor
Jim Corbett
Fred Bear

In that order.

 

[Fullquiver]

Dwight Schuh, Fred Bear, Jack O'Connor, and of course Howard Hill..