A few questions regarding Andrew Baldrey (Royal Kafue Safaris)

[PhotoCollector73]

So I've heard a lot about this guy and his community project in Kaounde, with everyone having nothing but nice things to say about him. Yet I also kept seeing news articles from the 'Zambian Watchdog' in 2020 about his alleged racism and disregard for the rule of law, with many of the accusations bordering on cartoonish. All very very contradictory and I'm not sure exactly what to believe. If anyone knows Andrew personally and is well-informed on the matter, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks.

I also know that his old camp was burned down in late 2021 by syndicates apparently responsible for the trouble he's had to deal with. Maybe they had something to do with the accusations in the media?

 

[Flipper Dude]

WTF kinda post is this? I don’t know Andrew Baldry but he seems like a stand up kinda guy. He is also on this site daily. Yet, you want to have a chat about him like he’s not in the room? What am I missing here?

chickenshit post

 

[PhotoCollector73]

WTF kinda post is this? I don’t know Andrew Baldry but he seems like a stand up kinda guy. He is also on this site daily. Yet, you want to have a chat about him like he’s not in the room? What am I missing here?

chickenshit post

I... don't even know what to say. There was no malice towards him in my post whatsoever. All genuine questions. I didn't even know he was on here. Hopefully, he'll get to respond.

With all that aside, lay off the alcohol. Retard

 

[Flipper Dude]

Let me just say that I was mistaken that he is on this site daily. Had my websites mixed up. He is on another African website that I also follow. My point was that asking about a man and his character for seemingly no reason when he is setting there listening to you ask is chickenshit.

Retard? Cute

I’ll stand by my chickenshit characterization.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

and I thought Bulls is musk were touchy.

 

[Tanks]

Is this like a "have you stopped beating your wife" type of question?

Why do you care? Why worry about third hand rumors and perpetuate them?

Ask him directly, via PM. Not classy at all.

 

[PhotoCollector73]

Zambian Watchdog

Breaking and investigative news on Zambia

zambiawatchdog.com

The accusations from the article in question, just so that everyone here is aware that I'm not at all trying to bring this guy down. If anything, I was initially planning to defend him because I just find the accusations hard to believe. That, and he of course had to deal with his camp being burned down two years ago.

 

[PhotoCollector73]

Is this like a "have you stopped beating your wife" type of question?

Why do you care? Why worry about third hand rumors and perpetuate them?

Ask him directly, via PM. Not classy at all.

Because there were talks of mob justice against him and stoning from certain people. I was actually concerned for him. Jesus... All of those third-hand rumours you were referring got a lot of attention, meaning that they're not something to just brush off. It would be best to find the source for these rumours and provide clarification.

"not classy," lol, thanks for the advice TanksTheSnob. If you have his PM, send it to me. If not, what are you doing here?

 

[Wheels]

I do not know Baldry personally. I know individuals who have had good hunts with him, or just know him personally that will stand up for him. Some are members here on AH. Hopefully they will respond.

When an individual is perceived to be making good money in Africa, interlopers will do virtually anything necessary to get a cut. Contracts will be ignored to force renegotiation. Stories will be fed to the media to help force the renegotiation. From what I have heard, Royal Kafue falls in this category. When it comes to African newspapers, believe about 10% of what they say.

 

[glblanchard]

I my mind Andrew Baldry is a standup guy. He helped me get a refund from another outfitter that basicly went out of business days before I was to leave to hunt with him. He went above and beyond to help me get my money back, even though I have never met him. I would love to hunt with Andrew someday!

 

[PhotoCollector73]

I do not know Baldry personally. I know individuals who have had good hunts with him, or just know him personally that will stand up for him. Some are members here on AH. Hopefully they will respond.

When an individual is perceived to be making good money in Africa, interlopers will do virtually anything necessary to get a cut. Contracts will be ignored to force renegotiation. Stories will be fed to the media to help force the renegotiation. From what I have heard, Royal Kafue falls in this category. When it comes to African newspapers, believe about 10% of what they say.

Great insight. Thanks, @Wheels. I guess I should have expected it all to be the usual African BS tall tales but the media we have in RSA is usually quite transparent so my judgement wasn't swayed for the better.

 

[Tanks]

...I should have expected it all to be the usual African BS tall tales but the media we have in RSA is usually quite transparent...

My grandfather owned newspapers and as a teen during some summers I worked at one. All media is biased, and the same story can be covered through a different lens depending on the intent and biases of the reporter and/or the organization.

It is getting worse and worse here in the States.

 

[baxterb]

I know a guy who hunted with Andrew and has nothing but great things to say. I also know a guy who Andrew deals with who would never deal with a guy unless he was a stand-up operator. (Sorry to be evasive but can’t drop names here.).

I think some of the slings are arrows are because Andrew is doing a great thing in Kafue and some think they can simply bully him out so they can swoop in and takeover.

 

[BRICKBURN]

..... with many of the accusations bordering on cartoonish.
...........

There was a period where Andrew was being vilified in the local media. The characterization you have made about them being "Cartoonish" is right on. African politics.

When it comes to African newspapers, believe about 10% of what they say.

 

[WillMFerguson]

I though the OP was fair; I've seen quite a few postings in that vein. I think it's good to ask questions.

When I was in undergrad, I fought forest fires for a local outfit (after I got fired for fighting from the store where I was working security....how's that for irony?). The right of passage at fire school was that you had to fight someone in camp. I was paired up with "Pennsylvania", the only guy who was taller and had about a 3" reach advantage on me. The guy was tougher than a coffin nail and we had mutual respect for each other, ESPECIALLY after the fight. Anyway, the point is that only two guys from the entire fire school didn't fight and they were forever known for it and were never really accepted. FFWD to my first firm. I proposed a series of public boxing/MMA fights between attorneys and law enforcement; that idea got shot down. FFWD to my stint as a full-time DPA; I proposed the same thing. There were never any takers and I was told to "shut up" by my elected. My proposal was to sell tickets. We would have made so much money.

One member wants to call another a "retard" on this forum. I don't have a problem with that. Heck, I've already gotten into it with people on this forum (not intentionally, mind you). Here is what I propose: every year, let's do an AH get-together and have some friendly bouts. Perhaps we can do this at SCI or DSC; I'll join both if this idea takes off. We can sell tickets (maybe do some side wagering, off the books) and raise money for wildlife conservation in Africa. That way, we can minimize the ad hominem attacks, people can settle their differences and remain cordial, we can minimize the keyboard warrior attitude, AND help out conservation in Africa. I'm being serious. I hope this doesn't get me banned. I generally like everyone on here; even the ones with whom I've quarreled.

 

[wesheltonj]

(1) the keyboard warriors only have a few battles here, unlike a couple of other places.
(2) I don't know the man but @spike.t does and @Red Leg has hunted with him. I suspect they will both have positive things to say about the gentlemen.
(3) I know he donated a painting that went for a couple of grand to to help a fellow PH family out. Sounds like a stand-in up guy to me too.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

TanksTheSnob, Retard, my my. You @PhotoCollector73 asking a question about someone was ok and you shouldn't have been called out. You calling long standing and respected contributors on AH names was not ok, and it would be to your credit if you apologised. This is one of the few sites that is pleasant to belong to, let's all keep it that way.

 

[375Fox]

I though the OP was fair; I've seen quite a few postings in that vein. I think it's good to ask questions.

When I was in undergrad, I fought forest fires for a local outfit (after I got fired for fighting from the store where I was working security....how's that for irony?). The right of passage at fire school was that you had to fight someone in camp. I was paired up with "Pennsylvania", the only guy who was taller and had about a 3" reach advantage on me. The guy was tougher than a coffin nail and we had mutual respect for each other, ESPECIALLY after the fight. Anyway, the point is that only two guys from the entire fire school didn't fight and they were forever known for it and were never really accepted. FFWD to my first firm. I proposed a series of public boxing/MMA fights between attorneys and law enforcement; that idea got shot down. FFWD to my stint as a full-time DPA; I proposed the same thing. There were never any takers and I was told to "shut up" by my elected. My proposal was to sell tickets. We would have made so much money.

One member wants to call another a "retard" on this forum. I don't have a problem with that. Heck, I've already gotten into it with people on this forum (not intentionally, mind you). Here is what I propose: every year, let's do an AH get-together and have some friendly bouts. Perhaps we can do this at SCI or DSC; I'll join both if this idea takes off. We can sell tickets (maybe do some side wagering, off the books) and raise money for wildlife conservation in Africa. That way, we can minimize the ad hominem attacks, people can settle their differences and remain cordial, we can minimize the keyboard warrior attitude, AND help out conservation in Africa. I'm being serious. I hope this doesn't get me banned. I generally like everyone on here; even the ones with whom I've quarreled.

There is a difference between asking because you are interested in a hunt and asking only because you found on the internet. If you search PhotoCollector’s posts you’ll see it’s just stolen material found elsewhere likely without the original author’s permission or knowledge. There is a difference between a PH who has issues with local community and one who has issues with clients. A contract with locals written in communal areas is only valuable until they want more from you unfortunately. This kind of post only hurts his reputation when a person does an internet search. I haven’t spoken to Andrew since I hunted with him in camp in 2006. My Dad thought very highly of him as a PH. He did write a very thorough update to this situation on a different hunting forum where he posts regularly.

 

[WillMFerguson]

There is a difference between asking because you are interested in a hunt and asking only because you found on the internet. If you search PhotoCollector’s posts you’ll see it’s just stolen material found elsewhere likely without the original author’s permission or knowledge. There is a difference between a PH who has issues with local community and one who has issues with clients. A contract with locals written in communal areas is only valuable until they want more from you unfortunately. This kind of post only hurts his reputation when a person does an internet search. I haven’t spoken to Andrew since I hunted with him in camp in 2006. My Dad thought very highly of him as a PH. He did write a very thorough update to this situation on a different hunting forum where he posts regularly.

.......Soooooooo we have a taker? I'll put up a rifle for the pot. Winner donates to a PH or charity for African wildlife conservation of his choice.

As to the substance of your post, I seem to recall there were some posts about Mark Sullivan. Those posts were from years ago and were of the rumor variety of which you speak, rather than asking whether or not to book a hunt with Mr. Sullivan. Is one kind of post allowed but the other is not? Maybe the OP was asking multiple questions in his post.

 

[375Fox]

.......Soooooooo we have a taker? I'll put up a rifle for the pot. Winner donates to a PH or charity for African wildlife conservation of his choice.

As to the substance of your post, I seem to recall there were some posts about Mark Sullivan. Those posts were from years ago and were of the rumor variety of which you speak, rather than asking whether or not to book a hunt with Mr. Sullivan. Is one kind of post allowed but the other is not? Maybe the OP was asking multiple questions in his post.

I would say Mark Sullivan immediately put himself into another category when he made many videos glorifying the danger of hunting dangerous game instead of quietly running a business or developing an area.

On your other note. I already have made donations to anti-poaching during 2020. I’ve also made donations to PHs families when they were killed hunting. It’s sad to see when there are 1000 responses on such as thread here but so few actual donations made when you get the email from DSC.