professional hunters

[sachel.45]

I keep reading about these professional hunters in africa but how does one become a professional hunter? just curious, if this has been covered before i'm sorry i coulndn't find anything in the search.

[Dusty Miller]

My guess is a long apprenticeship is required, at a minimum.

[Demonical]

I think the answer is to write to the various countries and ask specifically how to become a PH or if it is possible now. Things change. I imagine that requirements are not getting any easier.

But there are American citizens working as PH's in Africa today, such as the controversial Mark Sullivan.

[GEMSBUCK]

there is a huge difference in types of PH lisc. as an example 1 lisc is needced for PG on game farms another for open conservancies,another for DG...etc,etc.
 IMHO today's PH in RSA and other game farm operations in other countries are a far cry from those that trotted along with Teddy Roosevelt,etc. Also some I've met leave me to wonder how greasey the palm in the lisc. office was when they walked out with their new number.

[elmer]

I'm sure each country will have their own laws and requirements, but here is a excerpt taken from http://www.huntersnamibia.com/namibia2.htm


"The Hunting Professionals in Namibia need to go through a rigorous apprenticeship, with an already qualified & registered Professional hunter, for a period of two years - to carry rifles, change tyres and do all those things that are the reality of hunting. After this, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism examination is written, only once a year. If you fail you must wait a whole year to write again. The exam consists of three sections: Wildlife, Trophies and Trophy Preparation and Legislation. Guides need to attain 60%, and Professional Hunters 70% in all three sections in order to pass. After passing, which less than 40% of candidates do every year, there is the dreaded practical, also conducted by the Ministry. Marksmanship, ballistics, shot placement, botany, first aid, animal behavior, tracking, ornithology, basic mechanics, trophy judgment, hunting and social skills are but the basics one needs to pass this two-day ordeal."

[JJHACK]

For starters you will need to be fluent in at least one other African Language both spoken and written. The testing is bilingiual mandatory.

With a 60% fail rate in Namibia and a 50% fail rate in RSA payoffs are not in the big scheme of things there. way too many eyes are involved in the academy at any givin time. Everyone there knows whos gonna make it and who is not. The practical exam is visible to evberyone there as is the marksmanship. Namibia has a 2 day bush exam, RSA had a 10 day Exam which is now going to 14 days, it's also about 5K bucks to take the test!

[PeterV]

Sachel45,

I copied this from my orginal South Africa PH course notes, this should cover the South African angle to your question.

Legal Protection of the Client - In 1981, the four Provincial Nature Conservation Departments (Cape, Natal, Orange Free State and Transvaal) introduced legislation to control the hunting, outfitting and professional hunting industries in South Africa.

The object of the legislation was to provide protection for the foreign hunter in South Africa by setting standards that would be obligatory before a hunting outfitter or professional hunter would be licensed to operate, and to provide for the maintenance of these standards once a license has been granted.

Training of the Professional Hunter - The legal requirements to be met before a hunting outfitter or professional hunter can obtain a license are as follows:

All candidates are required to complete a comprehensive training course at a professional hunting school. These schools are private institutions and are only allowed to operate after careful screening by the nature conservation agencies. The syllabus is prescribed by the nature conservation agencies as well.

A variety of subjects which cover the full spectrum of trophy hunting are dealt with. Candidates are required to pass a written examination compiled and conducted by the nature conservation agencies

Once the professional hunter/outfitter has obtained a certificate, he/she can apply for a PH license within the restrictions of the province and categories of game he/she can guide clients after. By law, Candidates must also be over 21 years of age and need to be permanent citizens of South Africa in order to be licensed.

Further Requirements for the Hunting Outfitter - At present the requirement to become a Hunting Outfitter comprises of the following: Three years practical experience as a Professional Hunter as well as have the facilities inspected which he offers to clients. Hunting camps, trophy preparation facilities, vehicles and staff are required to conform to set standards. Publicity material must be submitted to the Nature Conservation officials before distribution as a safeguard against misleading advertising. Regular follow-up inspections are carried out.

Our hunting industry is being overhauled and will be subject to new norms and stanards very soon which will tension up and standardize the process for obtaining a PH license in the RSA

Hope this helps.

[DanP]

That is enlightening.  A friend of mine licensed in the East Cape province is resident of the US.  The requirement is that he takes a client hunting at least once a year for pay.  He must also therefore have work permission (not terribly hard to get for this, I understand).  Training is as described.. must attend school, must pass test.  Topics covered include medical first aid, trophy quality, firearms, etc.  He can work for other licensed outfitters (facilities requirement), and fulfill experience requirements via being a licensed guide elsewhere (NY State).  There wasn't a language requirement that I know of (makes it hard to talk to trackers, though).

I suspect your report is correct, things will become more uniform, and my friend will ultimately have to give up his license.

Dan

[JJHACK]

Dan there is more to the story then he's letting on. He cannot get a work permit without residency or temporary residency anylonger. The rules are not one hunter per season but rather 21 paid hunting days per season with a PH log book. Ask to see his work permit, log book, and/or temporaray residency permit. I'll bet he cannot provide any of them!

In the late 80's early 90's there were a lot of these kins of PH's in RSA. But now with the new government and the PHASA influence unless you own the business you are not getting a temporary residency certificate, which means you cannot get a work permit which means you cannot get a PH log book, without which you cannot get a License or legally have the right to take out hunters.

I have been through this whole thing over and over even though I own the business there, they still really make it hard for me. I've been doing this long before the "new Government" too! My guess is he's working a a helper while on site but I would wager big bucks he does not have a license or a log book, or a temporary residency card, or a work permit.

[48Dragoon]

Most PH's start their careers as an Appe (apprentice) for a safari operator. Here they are normally assigned to a PH. Their duties range from filling the cooler, bringing the client and PH drinks, carrying spare rifles and gear to skinning the game. After a few years of this they take there PH course where they are graded on stalking, skinning, survival, scoring, etiquette, marksmanship and most importantly, knowledge of the flora, fauna and game they are going after. There are two different licenses they can go for. These are Plains Game and Big Game. Even though you may have your plains game certificate you still cannot guide for the big five. Once these are aquired they have to be emplyed by a safari operator to maintain there certificate. Here they can make a name for themselves or just be an average PH.

It's very involved and takes alot of commitment and time. The marksmanship course alone would make most US military snipers struggle. They wanna make sure you can brain a charging elephant without blinking an eye.

[Don Fischer]

For starters you will need to be fluent in at least one other African Language both spoken and written



Will Spanish and English work? Ah hell, just shame me and send me away!!!!

[DanP]

JJack-- I don't doubt you.  I think he's gotten himself caught in the gears of change, and hasn't quite realized it yet.  The inspectors of the log books complained about his work visa status (they were, last I'd seen) happy to accept such, but my sense is that won't continue.  As it is, I don't think HE has been trying to obfuscate his status.  But the days restrictions will get him, too... unless he retires from his current job sooner than he expected.

I had a chance to see the course materials he studied from -- they were very extensive, ranging from scoring animals and their characteristics, firearms, through first aid.  It was quite clear that anyone doing the work needed to have a lot of first hand experience; the course work was cursory in any of those topics.

Dan

[Sverre A.]

Want to be a PH easy?

Get a consession into Mozambique and pay USD 50,-.  Then you are a PH