SOUTH AFRICA: Beware Mkulu Safaris

[Red Leg]

I never heard

Aaahhh thank you for clearing that up Royal 27.
I never heard the term black faced Impala before Silverman said that’s what it was in the first reply.
I was told it was carrying the black gene but it was reccesive.
I joined last night because I’m just trying to warn others, so they don’t go through all the cost and worry that myself and many others have been through, and next thing I know I’m getting accused of shooting endangered species.

So welcome. Glad you found the site. There is a good group here.

To remind, no one accused you of anything. I merely commented on what you claimed to have done, not what someone said you did. Were you an American, what you claimed you had done could have caused you a great deal of legal trouble - "smuggling" the animal into the country as baggage would have compounded it. However, not living in the US, obviously takes those concerns off the table. Many impala in Namibia and some in South Africa have black faced impala genes and will often exhibit the black faced coloration. They are still common southern impala and do not require special permits. Though black faced impala may be taken with the proper cites permit, we can not bring them home. As a result not many Americans hunt them. Sorry you had a bad experience with this outfitter.

 

[cpr0312]

Welcome to the site! Sorry for your troubles and thanks for making us aware. All the best getting them home.

 

[Matt.M]

I am really disappointed to hear of your experience. I was also unaware you could bring back your, i assume dipped & salted, animals as general luggage. I try to read any "beware of" articles here, as I've only had superior experiences with RSA Professional hunters but all have been members of PHASA.

Is this a picture of you & your wife? It looks like the person in your "profile pic" is wearing the same necklace? This is from the "Contact us" page. https://huntinginafricasafaris.com/contact-us/ Either way, beautiful Black Face Impala!

Thanks red leg.
But I just want to clarify: I did not “claim” to have shot a black face.
As you see from this quote I was TOLD I shot a black face by Landman, which is a term I have never heard of before.
I am not “smuggling” anything. I am going through all legal processes. I met our boarder security personally to discuss legalities of bringing stuff in.
You probably can’t take animals back immediately with you because they need to be treated first. For instance... it takes time for all the soft tissue under the horns to either rot or boil out. I usually leave goat horns outside in a tree for three months, which incedently is the same amount of time I think they must remain in S.A before export?

These animals however were shot in 2018. They are treated, clean, with Certs from the taxidermy company I used.
I don’t know your laws but I bet America would probably also allow checked luggage under these conditions.
If anyone ever finds them self in a similar position with a PH who won’t sign papers, I suggest trying what I have done.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Thanks for the heads up.

There have been historical cases where a Customs agent in the US thought the hunter was importing a Black Faced Impala
(Aepyceros melampus petersi) when in fact they were importing a Common Impala (Aepyceros melampus) that happened to have a darker face.
Large fight ensuing due to misidentification.

Enjoy your trophy.

Welcome to AH.

 

[Royal27]

I don’t know your laws but I bet America would probably also allow checked luggage under these conditions.

You'd lose that bet.

 

[Royal27]

Thanks for the heads up.

There have been historical cases where a Customs agent in the US thought the hunter was importing a Black Faced Impala
(Aepyceros melampus petersi) when in fact they were importing a Common Impala (Aepyceros melampus) that happened to have a darker face.
Large fight ensuing due to misidentification.

Enjoy your trophy.

Welcome to AH.

The best ever though was when they didn't want to allow import of @Buff-Buster 's REPLICA hippo from Mozambique because of regulation not allowing hippo import from Moz at the time.

Wes was so mad!

 

[Hank2211]

So what happens to all the black Impala that American hunters pay extra to hunt? Are they left behind in Africa?
I was told it was carrying a recessive black gene.

Many, if not most, countries follow the CITES rules. In Canada, for instance, which does follow the rules, it is fine to bring back the black faced Impala back, no permits needed.

The US is, of course, different in the it applies its own rules as well as CITES. My guess is that when a black faced impala is hunted by an American hunter, it shows up on a trophy manifest as "Aepyceros melumpus." That would, of course, be correct, if somewhat incomplete. Since most hunters to Africa take an impala or two, my guess is that it rarely raises eyebrows upon importation unless the inspector is prepared to unfold a dried skin to see the face or looks at a mounted trophy and recognizes what he/she sees. This wouldn't work as well with a cheetah!

 

[Hank2211]

Black impala are a color phase of the common impala.

Black faced impala are a different species endemic to Angola and Namibia. I would bet that your is a common impala with similar markings. I highly doubt its actually a black faced impala.

You're correct though, a black faced impala can't be imported into the US.

I'd like to argue with you about this @Royal27. Will post another thread.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I am really disappointed to hear of your experience. I was also unaware you could bring back your, i assume dipped & salted, animals as general luggage. I try to read any "beware of" articles here, as I've only had superior experiences with RSA Professional hunters but all have been members of PHASA.

Is this a picture of you & your wife? It looks like the person in your "profile pic" is wearing the same necklace? This is from the "Contact us" page. https://huntinginafricasafaris.com/contact-us/ Either way, beautiful Black Face Impala!

Landmark beautiful impala even more beautiful wife. Being an Aboriginal person I can understand your wife's pride in putting that prick in his place. Unfortunately there are still people around like that, I feel sorry for their ignorance and stupidity. It is disappointing to hear you had such a bad time.
My PH has great respect for his workers and his wife and himself help out at the local squatters camp school. If a,worker i s sick his wife takes them to the Dr and demands the best treatment not just aspirin and go home. I am sure your PH I use the term loosely is the exception not the rule as the others hunt reports I have read have all given good replies about them. Don't let one fool spoil it for you there are heaps of good outfitters.
I hope your next hunt is better. Try Namibia they don't seem as racist.
Cheers mate
Bob Nelson.

 

[Brian]

hello all,
This is my first post as a new member.
I want to warn anyone considering hunting with Mkulu safaris that there is is VERY high risk of never getting your trophies if you hunt with them.
I hunted with them in Nov 2018.
First they appear to have lost the cape from my Impala. As it is definitely not the same one I shot.
When it came time for the taxidermist to start work on my trophies, they contacted me to ask if I had the paperwork from Pieter at Mkulu. I didn’t so I tried multiple times to contact Pieter with no success, then he replied with constant excuses for months.
During this time, the taxidermist told me they currently had 4 other clients from Mkulu with the exact same problem. Pieter refusing to send paperwork!
PHASA could not help as Pieter is not a member!
Despite always being polite, In the end I told Pieter to cut the crap and tell me what is the real reason he is mucking me around. That was the last I heard from him, he never replied.
I then told the taxidermist to start work ASAP as I will fly over and pick up the trophies in person and bring them home as checked luggage.
If I hadn’t figured out I could bring them home that way, the trophies would have been lost to me.
My wife has ended up flying over to get them instead of me as she is from S.A, so she got to visit family for a couple of weeks at the same time for probably the same price as shipping and any import tax. which was nice for her.

As for Pieter, I was always very polite and thankful for his service. I never complained about anything. But although he seems polite and very informative, Several times I noticed him looking at me with absolute venom and hatred in his eyes. I saw him threaten to kill his cook Michael, who is black, while we were at the table for just looking at him. I was really imbarresed to eat while the chief had to stand at attention while we ate and be threatened for looking our way!
I felt disgusted like we were back in the slave days.
I think that Pieter was furious that my wife is a coloured South African and he was furious that he had to be polite and serve a coloured woman.
(My wife could see that too, but after growing up under aphartied. Although she was very polite as usual, she admitted she got great pleasure that he had to bite his tounge while her presence as made him angry)
That is why I think he tried to screw us over, which I think is cowardly, doing vindictive things like refuse to fill out paper work from the other side of the world instead of saying something to my face.
To add to the cheek of the guy he even used a photo of us with a Springbok on his home page, but I think he took it down after I left warnings on his you tube videos.
I see other members have had bad experiences with this exact same thing- politely taking your money and shafting you once you are on the other side of the world.
Anyway, my advice is despite Mkulus good you tube videos avoid them like the plague.

hello all,
This is my first post as a new member.
I want to warn anyone considering hunting with Mkulu safaris that there is is VERY high risk of never getting your trophies if you hunt with them.
I hunted with them in Nov 2018.
First they appear to have lost the cape from my Impala. As it is definitely not the same one I shot.
When it came time for the taxidermist to start work on my trophies, they contacted me to ask if I had the paperwork from Pieter at Mkulu. I didn’t so I tried multiple times to contact Pieter with no success, then he replied with constant excuses for months.
During this time, the taxidermist told me they currently had 4 other clients from Mkulu with the exact same problem. Pieter refusing to send paperwork!
PHASA could not help as Pieter is not a member!
Despite always being polite, In the end I told Pieter to cut the crap and tell me what is the real reason he is mucking me around. That was the last I heard from him, he never replied.
I then told the taxidermist to start work ASAP as I will fly over and pick up the trophies in person and bring them home as checked luggage.
If I hadn’t figured out I could bring them home that way, the trophies would have been lost to me.
My wife has ended up flying over to get them instead of me as she is from S.A, so she got to visit family for a couple of weeks at the same time for probably the same price as shipping and any import tax. which was nice for her.

As for Pieter, I was always very polite and thankful for his service. I never complained about anything. But although he seems polite and very informative, Several times I noticed him looking at me with absolute venom and hatred in his eyes. I saw him threaten to kill his cook Michael, who is black, while we were at the table for just looking at him. I was really imbarresed to eat while the chief had to stand at attention while we ate and be threatened for looking our way!
I felt disgusted like we were back in the slave days.
I think that Pieter was furious that my wife is a coloured South African and he was furious that he had to be polite and serve a coloured woman.
(My wife could see that too, but after growing up under aphartied. Although she was very polite as usual, she admitted she got great pleasure that he had to bite his tounge while her presence as made him angry)
That is why I think he tried to screw us over, which I think is cowardly, doing vindictive things like refuse to fill out paper work from the other side of the world instead of saying something to my face.
To add to the cheek of the guy he even used a photo of us with a Springbok on his home page, but I think he took it down after I left warnings on his you tube videos.
I see other members have had bad experiences with this exact same thing- politely taking your money and shafting you once you are on the other side of the world.
Anyway, my advice is despite Mkulus good you tube videos avoid them like the plague.

My experience with Pieter Kriel, Mkulu Hunting Safaris is nothing but positive. I have booked another buffalo hunt with him this year.
My wife and I have hunted with Pieter Kriel at Mkulu Hunting Safaris in 2018. It was a great hunt and I found Pieter Kriel to be among the best PH's I have used. I have hunted in South Africa 9 times. including 9 buffalo hunts and countless Plains Game. I am booked for 2 buffalo this September again with Pieter Kriel. I recommend him to anyone. He is professional and respectful to clients and his staff.
He is also an excellent tour guide and historian. He knows the country, the animals and the people. My wife, Sandy and I had a wonderful week with him and his happy crew, hunting and touring.
I have hunted in Africa with some excellent outfitters and one bad one. Pieter Kriel is excellent as far as I am concerned.
The above report is completely different from my experience. Sounds like a different outfitter? Brian Gallup

 

[Royal27]

My experience with Pieter Kriel, Mkulu Hunting Safaris is nothing but positive. I have booked another buffalo hunt with him this year.
My wife and I have hunted with Pieter Kriel at Mkulu Hunting Safaris in 2018. It was a great hunt and I found Pieter Kriel to be among the best PH's I have used. I have hunted in South Africa 9 times. including 9 buffalo hunts and countless Plains Game. I am booked for 2 buffalo this September again with Pieter Kriel. I recommend him to anyone. He is professional and respectful to clients and his staff.
He is also an excellent tour guide and historian. He knows the country, the animals and the people. My wife, Sandy and I had a wonderful week with him and his happy crew, hunting and touring.
I have hunted in Africa with some excellent outfitters and one bad one. Pieter Kriel is excellent as far as I am concerned.
The above report is completely different from my experience. Sounds like a different outfitter? Brian Gallup

Thanks Brian

Perhaps you can reach out to Pieter as he may want to share his side of the story.

 

[Sika98k]

Thanks Brian

Perhaps you can reach out to Pieter as he may want to share his side of the story.

 

[Matt.M]

Obviously Pieter didn’t take a dislike to Brian for whatever reason.
And while your at it ask Bullseye about the 4 other clients they had with the same problem as me.
And check out the other complaints about Pieter kreil on Africahunting. Com.
There is one thread about a guy who would have spent a fortune on a lion hunt and got the same treatment as me by Pieter.
And one other guy with the exact same problem.
Ask Pieter to show evedence of his PHASA membership because PHASA told me there was nothing they could do as he is not a member.
Get ready for another one of Pieters excuses like the many he gave me and the lion hunter I mentioned.
I’ll try to find the links to the other complaints about him on this website but I’m sure you are all more savvy with searching that than I am.
I think I will also post the email evidence /correspondence between me, bulls eye and Mkulu. Do dispel any doubts.

 

[Buff-Buster]

The best ever though was when they didn't want to allow import of @Buff-Buster 's REPLICA hippo from Mozambique because of regulation not allowing hippo import from Moz at the time.

Wes was so mad!

Well at least I got a great story about it! Still laughing about it when I look at my hippo

 

[Matt.M]

I have been through my emails, and got the email chains together, of me, PHASA, Bullseye, and mkulu.
it shows long periods of no replies and constant excuses by peiter. As well as constant lies about "we are sending it tomorrow". or "we got to the courier just as they were closing but they wouldn't send it" bla bla etc etc.
it shows emails by PHASA mentioning other clients also seeking their help to get paper work from peiter.
You will also see evidence of Bullseye trying their best to come up with another solution, because in their words to me "it is not your fault".
I'm waiting a few more days to post all this evidence, as I don't want to jinx anything until the trophies are here and on my wall. (God willing)
After you have read all this evidence you will see how worthless peiter's word is. and hopefully keep this thread as a warning to anyone else thinking of hunting with him in future.

 

[mikecatt13]

I never heard

Aaahhh thank you for clearing that up Royal 27.
I never heard the term black faced Impala before Silverman said that’s what it was in the first reply.
I was told it was carrying the black gene but it was reccesive.
I joined last night because I’m just trying to warn others, so they don’t go through all the cost and worry that myself and many others have been through, and next thing I know I’m getting accused of shooting endangered species.

Dont take any offense to the black faces impala comments, as a US resident reading then I interpreted none intended. Just because a species is classified as "endangered" by USFW, doesnt mean it is or theres anything wrong with hunting them just by that fact. The media here thinks elephants are "endangered" or "close to extinction" according to some articles. Africa is a very different place than 75 years ago, and they see a population decline and inflate it to use to push their agenda.

Even if you purposely hunted a black faced impala, no one was accusing you of that being a negative thing.

The only reason I bring this up is because in reading these comments and understanding how things work here in the US, I think there was some misunderstanding and I dont want you to be offended when it wasnt intended at all. So very sorry about your bad experience, especially the reasons behind it. I assure you, 99.9% of this community is very friendly, helpful, and non judgemental and if you stick around you will be able to see that for yourself and I bet you can use the knowledge here to book your next africa trip one day with a PH that conducts themselves properly and soon enough the only memories from this negative experience you will remember will be the good ones when you look at the animals on your wall.

 

[Brian]

Yes, I have emailed Pieter. There is something strange about this negative post. Sounds personal.

 

[flatwater bill]

Sorry to hear of your negative experience. And thank you for taking the time to post. But...looking at someone with "absolute venom and hatred in his eyes" ....is a subjective statement that could be misinterpreted. Accusing a Hunt Operator of racism on your first post? That is serious. Based on miscommunication? Not getting your trophies? Or the look in his eyes? It is a very common accusation in today's age; less common on this site. I would like to hear both sides before assuming the race card is valid........FWB

 

[Matt.M]

Sorry to hear of your negative experience. And thank you for taking the time to post. But...looking at someone with "absolute venom and hatred in his eyes" ....is a subjective statement that could be misinterpreted. Accusing a Hunt Operator of racism on your first post? That is serious. Based on miscommunication? Not getting your trophies? Or the look in his eyes? It is a very common accusation in today's age; less common on this site. I would like to hear both sides before assuming the race card is valid........FWB

Hi Flat water bill,
I also don't like people always jumping to assume racism.
When people look it you like that, it can't be mistaken. We were sitting at the table eating and it got very silent and uncomfortable.
I have though about it a lot.
I had a call on enroute to S.A that my Dad was dieing and was I was really "out of the groove" perhaps that is why I was not shooting as well as I normally would. I first thought that may be the reason. But Alicia said "Sometimes people have off patches or perhaps first time nerves when coming all this way. That can't be the reason".

We always were polite and thankful, I can't think of anything that would have caused such anger.
-Given that he threatened to kill his cook Michael and staring him down just for looking at pieter while we ate,
- At one stage peiter talked about killing black people saying something along the lines of "it's ok, no one will care"
- Also openly calling his black workers "monkeys"
- On at least one day, he wouldn't give the skinners lunch while we were out hunting, they begged for something to eat. (i think they asked to be able to go back to the house to make something) Pieter refused to let them, and gave them our left over scraps.
Does anyone think that is ok?
Does he behave like this in front of the customers who think he is great? or do they not notice? I don't know the answers to to those questions. But he definately did while we were with him.
Like I said, Pieter will be very polite, and informative to your face, while you are there paying, and then do you over if he doesn't like you. I think based on these sort of behaviours it is entirely reasonable for me to suggest he has done this out of being angry at having to cater to my wife who in his eyes probably also qualifies as a "monkey" or at least half "monkey".

 

[Matt.M]

Here are the emails as promised.
They are from several chains each chain may not be in exact chonological order.
I'l start first with the email proving 4 other clients had the same problem as the at that same moment in time.
how many more has he done this to over all his years hunting??

Pieter Kriel
Inbox
x

Bullseye Taxidermy Carien <info@bullseyetaxidermy.co.za>
Wed, Jul 31, 2019, 9:32 PM

to dejagerr, Ryan, me

Good day Riaan

Trust all is well. As you were informed by Mariana from Phasa we need help with Pieter Kriel. I have emailed, phoned, whatsApped him and he is ignoring me. I have 4 clients that hunted with Pieter who I have no paperwork for. Do you need anything from my side?
Looking forward to hearing from you.


With Kind Regards
Carien

Bull's Eye Taxidermy
info@bullseyetaxidermy.co.za
+27 14 755 4945