wow we're taking a hammering this year! To give you guys a little more background on Zim PH's qualifications. Every one who holds a full Licence that enables him to hunt DG has an Advanced First Aid qualification from our Medical Air Rescue Services. The Learner PH's have a basic first aid quali from the same company. Unfortunately, whilst most of us carry drips and drugs, they are not taught to administer this on their courses as it's illegal for the training company to teach anything invasive. A lot of the older PH's were ex military and got taught to do drips etc during our war.
Not that anything like that would have helped in this instance, unless he had the kit and could walk the client though the process. On safari, I have had to put drips in to dehydrated clients, sew up some holes from falling down rocks etc.
I just don't know that the clients gonna fork up here!
Another PH I know had the same client on safari twice ( yes yes I know I wouldn't have hunted him the second time either! But he needed the income...need I say more!). The client - a french man, was / is in the habit of chambering a round, holding the trigger down and closing the bolt instead of using the safety. He had an ad on the first hunt. On the second hunt, despite being repeatedly warned about gun safety, didn't clear the rifle before bagging it and stowing it in the gun rack behind he cruiser cab ( and yes the ph failed to check it). At the next stop when he needed the rifle, the tracker pulled it from the bag to hand it to him. The gun went off, the round hit the roll bar and broke in two. One piece split the scalp of the PH...if he'd been an inch taller it would have been 'dead' center and the other half hit the other tracker in the chest.
They were both casevaced but the client never even tipped them never mind step up for the med bills!
I suppose the point here is that the PH's should have better medical aid coverage, but things here haven't been so good on the income side of it - medical aid is very expensive too - and a lot of guys have the idea that it'll never happen to them.
Very sadly, I can bet we'll see an appeal for funds for Anthony's ops as we've seen the ones for Owen.
This is a very exciting but very poorly paid profession all things considered.
Figure that most PH's - not outfitters - don't hunt for more than 120 days a year. The daily rate they get paid is about 200US$ a day gross. They are then still taxed, pay for trackers and Vehicles - (new Cruiser 60 000US), homes kids education etc etc. That leaves for slim pickings. It's a labour of love! PH work's not for sissies!
