SOUTH AFRICA: KoringKoppie Hunting Safaris *Warning* Stay Away

[375Fox]

@375Fox
My initial comment was spurred by this post on page #16 (and no other):

Doubleplay said:
“Agreed.
If I read a report of someone who went to Africa first time I take it with a grain of salt regardless who the outfitter is.
Same for the hunter goes to Africa multiple times but sticks with the same outfit.
What's the yardstick?”

For a first time hunter/reporter or a long time member that has posted multiple reports with the same outfitter; how are they supposed to interpret this? And note that there is no mention of “puff pieces” which probably account for less than 5% of the hunt reports on AH (please correct me if I’m wrong). I take it as condescending and, I can’t help but think that Mark took it the same way.

Mark Biggerstaff (one of the most respected members on this site) posted on page #18:
“Well, I assume from the comments that after 6 trips with the same outfitter, although at multiple camps ranging from Northwest, Limpopo and Kalahari my opinions don't matter.
Thats fine. I need a beak from AH anyways.
I don't know what has happened but this site has gone down hill in the last 3-4 months where it's not even pleasurable to log in and read threads.
There is to much bickering, bashing and uncalled for comments to me.
This will be my last post for awhile while I take a break from all this”.

I read it as a fair statement if emotion is removed especially in the context of new members that joined to make positive “reports” on this thread. I’ll agree with Mark on the bickering, bashing, and uncalled for comments though. Something has occurred more recently with the discussions on this site. The degree of professional is declining as well as the quality of information as a result.

 

[Doubleplay]

@375Fox
My initial comment was spurred by this post on page #16 (and no other):

Doubleplay said:
“Agreed.
If I read a report of someone who went to Africa first time I take it with a grain of salt regardless who the outfitter is.
Same for the hunter goes to Africa multiple times but sticks with the same outfit.
What's the yardstick?”

For a first time hunter/reporter or a long time member that has posted multiple reports with the same outfitter; how are they supposed to interpret this? And note that there is no mention of “puff pieces” which probably account for less than 5% of the hunt reports on AH (please correct me if I’m wrong). I take it as condescending and, I can’t help but think that Mark took it the same way.

Mark Biggerstaff (one of the most respected members on this site) posted on page #18:
“Well, I assume from the comments that after 6 trips with the same outfitter, although at multiple camps ranging from Northwest, Limpopo and Kalahari my opinions don't matter.
Thats fine. I need a beak from AH anyways.
I don't know what has happened but this site has gone down hill in the last 3-4 months where it's not even pleasurable to log in and read threads.
There is to much bickering, bashing and uncalled for comments to me.
This will be my last post for awhile while I take a break from all this”.

I have no idea what your intentions are but you are taking my post out of context.
As far as Mark, who said his opinion does not matter.
Every opinion matters but for me some carries more weight.. you do what you want.
Besides don't be so sure about the % of the puff pieces...

Let me repost it :

think Kuche doesn't have a higher percentage of unsatisfied clients because a lot of their clientele doesn't know any better.

Agreed.
If I read a report of someone who went to Africa first time I take it with a grain of salt regardless who the outfitter is.
Same for the hunter goes to Africa multiple times but sticks with the same outfit.
What's the yardstick?
You don't know what you don't know.

 

[Randy Bo]

I read it as a fair statement if emotion is removed especially in the context of new members that joined to make positive “reports” on this thread. I’ll agree with Mark on the bickering, bashing, and uncalled for comments though. Something has occurred more recently with the discussions on this site. The degree of professional is declining as well as the quality of information as a result.

I hope Mark reconsiders because his “degree of professionalism” and “quality of information” will certainly be missed.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have no idea what your intentions are but you are taking my post out of context.
As far as Mark, who said his opinion does not matter.
Every opinion matters but for me some carries more weight.. you do what you want.
Besides don't be so sure about the % of the puff pieces...

Let me repost it :

Agreed.
If I read a report of someone who went to Africa first time I take it with a grain of salt regardless who the outfitter is.
Same for the hunter goes to Africa multiple times but sticks with the same outfit.
What's the yardstick?
You don't know what you don't know.

And some don't know what they don't know because they don't know everything ... even though they think they do. You can take everyone's reports with a grain of salt if you want to. But climbing onto that "my yardstick is better than yours" high horse really doesn't build credibility. It burns it.

 

[WAB]

I have no idea what your intentions are but you are taking my post out of context.
As far as Mark, who said his opinion does not matter.
Every opinion matters but for me some carries more weight.. you do what you want.
Besides don't be so sure about the % of the puff pieces...

Let me repost it :

Agreed.
If I read a report of someone who went to Africa first time I take it with a grain of salt regardless who the outfitter is.
Same for the hunter goes to Africa multiple times but sticks with the same outfit.
What's the yardstick?
You don't know what you don't know.

I didn’t take this negatively at all. If you only hunt one country, what is your basis for comparison to others? I have been blessed to hunt six African countries over the course of many safaris. However Tanzania and Uganda have eluded me. In my mind I feel that I may have missed the best, however I have no way to objectively compare them to the countries I have hunted. I therefore look to the advice of those who have hunted them in addition to countries I have hunted to provide an informed opinion.

 

[Moe324]

I've been on three safaris in which One was a complete mess one was decent but had some things happen that I would never hunt with them again and one in Zambia that was great the other two was in Zimbabwe.I would like to have done hunt reports to warn people but this thread reminds me of why I didn't.

You definitely have to have thick skin. Before I posted it I sent it to a hunting friend. He said you know your going to get some haters. I said ya I know but it's worth letting people know how I was treated by someone that's in a customer service business. I have been thru worse things in life and definitely have had people say worse.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You definitely have to have thick skin. Before I posted it I sent it to a hunting friend. He said you know your going to get some haters. I said ya I know but it's worth letting people know how I was treated by someone that's in a customer service business. I have been thru worse things in life and definitely have had people say worse.

Good for you. I gotta say that business about sorting out your own skivvies in the morning was over the top bad service. I didn't have to do that in the Army. And they specialized in bad service on purpose. But hey, what do I know? I haven't shot a hundred buffalo and hunted twenty African countries. My opinion isn't worth a grain of salt.

 

[SSG Joe]

I don't usually post because I'm new on this site. However, I appreciate your post.
I'm planning my hunt for 2026. I have been talking to outfitters from whom I can get reviews.
I'm sorry to hear you had such a horrible experience, especially with your girlfriend being with you.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

It's funny you say this because my first few posts to the site were actually during this thread when a bunch of members turned on OP and were bashing him for how he handled the situation. If I recall correctly I was saying that from the pictures he posted no one sticking up for the outfitter would be thrilled to have the waterbuck, impala, and warthog he posted as trophies. So my first posts to the site were to criticize the outfitter for taking smaller animals than he should and calling them trophies. But I did it without resorting to being a jerk about other people's animals they were happy about. You actually agreed with those posts, liked them, and replied in agreement.

I’ve probably been one of the most critical commenters to the OP. You’re welcome to call it turning on him and bashing him, or whatever else you want to think, but that was not my intention or how it was meant to come across. I’ve said multiple times I’m sorry he had a bad safari and I hope it doesn’t deter him and his girlfriend from future safaris. There are actions he describes that are unbecoming of a profession hunter regardless of the situation. There are several aspects I’ve been more vocal about with regard to the OP and his part in the situation, even if it’s only from his viewpoint. One thing you will see is I’ve never negatively commented on anyone’s pictures. A trophy is determined in each of our eyes. In fact that’s a criticism I’ve told the OP in that it’s his responsibility to determine if that’s a trophy in his eyes. There are animals on several threads that I’d pass on, i still congratulate them on a great hunt and trophy because it’s their trophy and if they’re happy that’s all that matters. Any comment made with regards to immature animals was about the OP opinion of the other hunters animals being immature and how that should have solidified him being more critical of what he was viewing and killing to decide if he’d be happy.

I’ve conversed with the OP privately multiple times. I know he’s genuinely interested in the tipping. I’ve shared my past experiences in handling tips, and let him know that same situation has happened to me as well as a slight variation or two of it. We’ve discussed the wounded animal policy and how others haven’t commented on it because that’s also a sour point of his. I doubt the outfitter tells anyone that up front, I’m sure it’s not always the case, and I’d venture to guess it’s a game time decision and situation/animal dependent. The OP probably drew the short straw but there’s also another side to that story and I’m not the PH in the moment so I can’t armchair quarterback why he did it. I have my suspicions given the photos/video shown:

 

[sniper7]

I usually stay silent but…Wowzers…this thread has fallen apart. Probably needs to be put in the archives. I only say so as a moderator on multiple other forums.

To the OP. Some Terrible things happened on your trip. Looking back after the fact I wouldn’t say you were not in any type of danger but I understand the situation you felt you were in at the time.

Your “trophies” to me are underwhelming to say the least. Having not been to this particular outfit but seeing these new members join and post photos show me everything I need to know. These are cull animals if not inbred. Nothing is “trophy” about them. But I also don’t know in detail what this particular outfit offers other than what is in this thread.

As far as guns, I always take my own. If I’m after something oddball that doesn’t fit my caliber I will insist I shoot the rifle at the range and I always carry the ammo.

However you also have a responsibility to decide as you are the trigger man. You need to pick if you are happy with your trophy. I, like you hunt waterfowl a great deal. It is mine and your responsibility to pick the breed of duck we are shooting and to distinguish if it is not only male or female but if it is a shooter. Take a pintail for example. I would never shoot a female and I want to shoot a male with a large sprig, or a wood duck. I want vibrant colors on a male and most definitely not a female. Or a hooded merganser. I want to see dark black, no brown. Then I pull the trigger.

I’ve read all the posts and feel bad for you in some aspects but at the end of the day what failed is communication. Watching your giraffe video confirmed this. And I’m not against you as I have been in a similar situation in Africa. You do what you can to make it positive and hope for the best. You had a different dynamic with your girlfriend there. From my very limited perspective, I honestly hope after this and her staying by your side she becomes your wife. That alone would make you a lucky man!

Your animals / trophies are marginal at best. Hopefully you had a decent enough trip and I believe you paid a small enough amount that everything will be okay, maybe you can get something back from PHSSA (if that is correct) to make you feel better but honestly at the end of the day you need to make the final call. You are the trigger man. You decide. You pick. You choose. You kill or you let live. And communication is key. Tell the Ph you don’t want them to back you up, tell them you want to shoot the rifle, tell them you want more ammo and you want to finish the animal yourself. Tell them what size animal you are after. Tell them what type of food you eat, the drinks you drink, etc.

On a side note, I did have to laugh at your underwear story as I have dealt with that several times and while not the most exciting thing to deal with…TIA. However don’t be upset with the staff, they do their best but there are times they can’t distinguish your underwear from another guy in camp!

 

[DieJager]

@Moe324 I am glad you posted this thread. Of course there will be criticism. But I think the majority sympathizes with you. Tough questions on these types of threads will always be asked but that doesn't mean necessarily negativity.

Some people will go too far, there are some examples in this thread.

I began typing my first hunt reports years ago. Never finished it. It was my first hunt in Africa. Lots of things were great. Some things were less, mostly because of my own doing. Some things that were said and done on the other side left me wondering. But had to sort it out myself, it was my own thought process and did not make sense for me to put it out on the internet. Maybe in the future. Maybe never.

 

[Doubleplay]

And some don't know what they don't know because they don't know everything ... even though they think they do. You can take everyone's reports with a grain of salt if you want to. But climbing onto that "my yardstick is better than yours" high horse really doesn't build credibility. It burns it.

Throughout this thread you and some others came out to criticize the animals taken by first time posters (regardless they were puff pieces or not) comparing it to the animals you taken....
and now you're coming out telling me about being on a high horse?????
Give me a break.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Throughout this thread you and some others came out to criticize the animals taken by first time posters (regardless they were puff pieces or not) comparing it to the animals you taken....
and now you're coming out telling me about being on a high horse?????
Give me a break.

Context. Don't lose sight of it. Criticism is leveled at an outfitter for passing off cull animals as trophies. Wasting days guiding a client to harvest a waterbuck the PH knew was crap. Another client shows up with what he believes to be photo evidence to support a successful safari with same outfitter. And surprise! Those animals are also culls. Some readers expressed doubts. Someone else weighed in on the baby gemsbuck. Pretty much self evident it was a cull. The defects in the wildebeest were a little less obvious so I posted a photo of mine for comparison with the caveat that mine is NOT an exceptional specimen. In fact, many of the experienced hunters on here would probably consider it marginal. But at least it's horns do have bosses and some semblance of symmetry. Evidence of a defective safari operator requires confirming defective service, which includes trophies.

 

[Tintin]

I didn't have to do that in the Army. And they specialized in bad service on purpose.

^

 

[Randy Bo]

I didn’t take this negatively at all. If you only hunt one country, what is your basis for comparison to others? I have been blessed to hunt six African countries over the course of many safaris. However Tanzania and Uganda have eluded me. In my mind I feel that I may have missed the best, however I have no way to objectively compare them to the countries I have hunted. I therefore look to the advice of those who have hunted them in addition to countries I have hunted to provide an informed opinion.

This may be were I’m not correctly understanding what is being claimed:

If you only hunt one country, what is your basis for comparison to others?

Of the, seemingly honest, hunt reports I’ve read here, I simply have not encountered one where a first time hunter, or a returning hunter (with the same outfitter and location), is trying to compare their hunt to one with another outfitter/location.

 

[luger6]

I for one appreciate the warning @Moe 324 posted. It hopefully helps others not to make the same mistake, namely going to a Farm where they sell culls as trophy animals. I have also had bad hunts in Africa and I have had hunts where I have not been happy with the outcome but I take comfort in the fact that I have been hunting Africa after all. Will go back again next year.

Post in thread 'Who was at fault, me or the PH?'

Aug 13, 2024

On my first trip to RSA in 2012, I was completely ripped off. One of four animals was a trophy and it was a blesbok that I saw before my female PH. It appeard from behind a bush and it was a quick shot at 30m. I also allowed myself to be tempted to shoot a Kudo that I only saw the horns of in the vegetation. "Shoot, shoot, shoot through the bush where you think the neck is" the PH whispered several times. There were a few drops of blood and we went after it for three days without getting at it. Of course, I had to pay for it, which was perfectly fine, but they didn't say anything at the...

• luger6

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[WAB]

This may be were I’m not correctly understanding what is being claimed:


Of the, seemingly honest, hunt reports I’ve read here, I simply have not encountered one where a first time hunter, or a returning hunter (with the same outfitter and location), is trying to compare their hunt to one with another outfitter/location.

There have been many such comments made, not in hunt reports per se, but in the discussions following. Personally I don’t care, if someone has only hinted RSA and makes negative comments about a bush hunt in Zambia or Zim, I just take it for what it’s worth and move on.

 

[TERMINATOR]

There have been many such comments made, not in hunt reports per se, but in the discussions following. Personally I don’t care, if someone has only hinted RSA and makes negative comments about a bush hunt in Zambia or Zim, I just take it for what it’s worth and move on.

Exactly

You weigh the opinion being provided by a person after understanding the experience behind the person providing the opinion

I have lots of experience in RSA and a little in Namibia but none in Zim, Zambia, Bots, or Mozambique

So I will happily share my experience about RSA and Namibia but don’t offer an opinion about the others. I defer to (and ask questions of) those that do.

For example, when I knew I wanted to plan a Cape Buffalo hunt in Zimbabwe I reached out to you and you kindly offered and took a phone call with me even though you didn’t know me other than from here on AH. My conversation with you confirmed some of my perceptions about Zim and Moz and changed some because you shared knowledge gained by actual experience. It helped me decide to go ahead with a trip with Makore in The Save with the Duckworth family in 2026. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated that phone call.

THAT is the value a person can get from this website if they can admit their experience is limited on something and reach out to people with experience on that thing.

I have learned a metric shit-ton on this website on an amazing range of topics from guns, calibers, specific bullets, outfitters and everything else you could want to know about hunting in Africa. All you got to do is politely ask.

My dad taught me long ago that the reason you have two ears and one mouth is because you should listen twice as much as you speak.

That advice has served me well.

So thanks to WAB and all the other people here that are willing to share their wealth of knowledge even if sometimes a person or thread gets obnoxious

 

[Randy Bo]

There have been many such comments made, not in hunt reports per se, but in the discussions following. Personally I don’t care, if someone has only hinted RSA and makes negative comments about a bush hunt in Zambia or Zim, I just take it for what it’s worth and move on.

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Exactly

You weigh the opinion being provided by a person after understanding the experience behind the person providing the opinion

I have lots of experience in RSA and a little in Namibia but none in Zim, Zambia, Bots, or Mozambique

So I will happily share my experience about RSA and Namibia but don’t offer an opinion about the others. I defer to (and ask questions of) those that do.

For example, when I knew I wanted to plan a Cape Buffalo hunt in Zimbabwe I reached out to you and you kindly offered and took a phone call with me even though you didn’t know me other than from here on AH. My conversation with you confirmed some of my perceptions about Zim and Moz and changed some because you shared knowledge gained by actual experience. It helped me decide to go ahead with a trip with Makore in The Save with the Duckworth family in 2026. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated that phone call.

THAT is the value a person can get from this website if they can admit their experience is limited on something and reach out to people with experience on that things

I have learned a metric shit-ton on this website on an amazing range of topics from guns, calibers, specific bullets, outfitters and everything else you could want to know about hunting in Africa. All you gotta do is politely ask

My dad taught me long ago that the reason you have two ears and one mouth is because you should listen twice as much as you speak.

That advice has served me well

So thanks to WAB and all the other people here that are willing to share their wealth if knowledge even if sometimes person or thread gets obnoxious

You’re going to have a great hunt with the Duckworths. I’ve got a good friend who’s hunted with them 3x. They’re presently considering a trip to Mozambique to hunt with them there.