| As I watched John McCain lay out his case to the public in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention September 4, something came to me. In the nights leading up to the Republican nominee`s big speech, the pundits were saying, "This is McCain`s most important speech of his life. He must lay out his case of exactly who he is to the public, and why they should vote for him." |
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I thought, "Whew!" All of these months of campaigning, all these sound bites and all of these speeches and folks still don`t know who John McCain is? Well the answer is yes, so Senator McCain wonderfully laid his case out the voters, as a patriotic maverick Republican. I spoke to one of the political pundits, who works for CNN (my former employer) and told her I thought McCain did the best job of all of the four major speakers.
So it occurred to me that night, I wanted to do something similar. Now I`m not saying that I`m "all that," meaning such a public figure of those running for the nation`s highest office. But I do get of emails asking me how I got started in hunting. There is a following because of the success of our Sable Trail Productions DVDs.
As a hunter, I realize that I am somewhat of an enigma. Most hunters don`t look like me or come from my pedigree. Although the path that I`ve taken to get where I am in the hunting world is slightly different than everybody else`s, you and I share a lot in common. For starters, we all enjoy the pursuit of fair chase hunting. What makes me a little different is that I am obsessed with making a perfect one-shot kill. Obsessed, you ask? Yes, obsessed. And the other element that equally drives me is a challenge. I`m looking for the most challenging hunt I can find.
So it occurred to me that night, I wanted to do something similar. Now I`m not saying that I`m "all that," meaning such a public figure of those running for the nation`s highest office. But I do get of emails asking me how I got started in hunting. There is a following because of the success of our Sable Trail Productions DVDs.
As a hunter, I realize that I am somewhat of an enigma. Most hunters don`t look like me or come from my pedigree. Although the path that I`ve taken to get where I am in the hunting world is slightly different than everybody else`s, you and I share a lot in common. For starters, we all enjoy the pursuit of fair chase hunting. What makes me a little different is that I am obsessed with making a perfect one-shot kill. Obsessed, you ask? Yes, obsessed. And the other element that equally drives me is a challenge. I`m looking for the most challenging hunt I can find.
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ULTIMATE CHALLENGE
Former Y.O Ranch hunting director, Eric White, put it this way when asked by an interviewer some years ago. "He [Marc] is not trying to beat somebody else. He`s really just trying to prove something to himself." Eric gets it, because he and I have hunted a lot together. All of the guides and PH`s I`ve teamed up with get it. I`m not trying to say I`m better than all the rest. I`m not one who belittles any other hunters. I`m not advocating to anyone to do it my way. I`m just saying, the ultimate challenge and the perfect shot thing, are what makes me tick. Physically, I want to be pushed. Mentally, I want to be challenged. Rifle-wise, I like to be tested. It`s that simple.
As hunters, huntresses, businessmen or whatever your jobs may be, even if you`re a painter, you all have certain standards that you require to bring you satisfaction, right? And the more proficient you become at your craft, the higher your standards get. It`s human nature. So what`s wrong with subscribing to certain high standards or aspiring to be the all that you can be? I find nothing wrong with it. For every hunter out there, that success quotient that brings you satisfaction is different. Mine is the most difficult shot and the most challenging hunt.
Former Y.O Ranch hunting director, Eric White, put it this way when asked by an interviewer some years ago. "He [Marc] is not trying to beat somebody else. He`s really just trying to prove something to himself." Eric gets it, because he and I have hunted a lot together. All of the guides and PH`s I`ve teamed up with get it. I`m not trying to say I`m better than all the rest. I`m not one who belittles any other hunters. I`m not advocating to anyone to do it my way. I`m just saying, the ultimate challenge and the perfect shot thing, are what makes me tick. Physically, I want to be pushed. Mentally, I want to be challenged. Rifle-wise, I like to be tested. It`s that simple.
As hunters, huntresses, businessmen or whatever your jobs may be, even if you`re a painter, you all have certain standards that you require to bring you satisfaction, right? And the more proficient you become at your craft, the higher your standards get. It`s human nature. So what`s wrong with subscribing to certain high standards or aspiring to be the all that you can be? I find nothing wrong with it. For every hunter out there, that success quotient that brings you satisfaction is different. Mine is the most difficult shot and the most challenging hunt.
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Now because my hunting experiences are all videotaped and then transmitted to you the hunting public, on DVD, many people think they have come to know me through what they see on their TV screen. But sometimes I do a very bad job of explaining exactly who I am, because over the years a handful of people have come up to me totally confused of what I`m trying to say. And then one person tells another person, and the next thing I know an entire firestorm has started. Hunters who`ve never seen a single Sable Trail DVD, then become purveyors of public opinion about Bwana Moja.
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SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT
And I sit back and say geez; all I`m trying to do is be the best I can be. So let`s address some of the, let`s say, misinformation.
1) I am not a wannabe actor. I still consider myself an honest truthful journalist. Journalists don`t act or re-create the truth, but a lot of people I see on the hunting channels do just that.
2) I didn`t make up the conflict in the Fire & Ice DVD to generate greater sales. As I explained above, I don`t fabricate. My hunts are genuine.
3) I do miss rifle shots.
4) A group of trackers in Zambia gave me the name "Bwana Moja" and since then it has stuck. African PH`s refer to me as such more than anyone else.
A good friend of mine, who is a New York police investigator, would rather me not even address this stuff, saying the malcontents are bred of professional jealousy, but I think it`s time I come clean with, what really makes me tick, hopefully to set the record straight. So thus this write-up.
There is a certain brash and swagger to some of the edited hunt sequences, but that`s by design. Why, because as a hunter, I believe that you should reward yourself, when you do something correct. You all, being your own worst critics, come down hard on yourselves when you make an error or a missed shot. Correct? So why not take a "pat on the back", when you do something right? That`s positive energy that needs to build throughout the hunt. And I don`t know about you but if you ask me, I`m all into building positive energy throughout the course of a safari, instead of the other kind. So our editor likes to include the high fives, the "Bwana Moja!" tributes, the fist bumps and the Olympic gold medal music, because that`s the positive.
I am not suggesting that hunters take the risks that I`m taking and attempt the unusual shots that I make. In fact, I`ve gone to great lengths to say "Don`t do that." The verbal disclaimers are always done, whenever I feel a viewer watches a segment and says, "Hey, how`d he do that? I think I wanna try that."
Because what we do involves a living species, there are ethical standards; as hunters we must adhere to and I`m always mindful of that. I have never made what could be described as a risky shot, and wounded or lost an animal, ever. I don`t gamble with animal life. I have lost wounded animals, just like every hunter has, and you can imagine the beating and hazing I administer to myself, when such happens. It is not a pretty sight. I`ve included misses in my videos and have even done a shooting tips capsule on what to do, when you do miss shots.
And I sit back and say geez; all I`m trying to do is be the best I can be. So let`s address some of the, let`s say, misinformation.
1) I am not a wannabe actor. I still consider myself an honest truthful journalist. Journalists don`t act or re-create the truth, but a lot of people I see on the hunting channels do just that.
2) I didn`t make up the conflict in the Fire & Ice DVD to generate greater sales. As I explained above, I don`t fabricate. My hunts are genuine.
3) I do miss rifle shots.
4) A group of trackers in Zambia gave me the name "Bwana Moja" and since then it has stuck. African PH`s refer to me as such more than anyone else.
A good friend of mine, who is a New York police investigator, would rather me not even address this stuff, saying the malcontents are bred of professional jealousy, but I think it`s time I come clean with, what really makes me tick, hopefully to set the record straight. So thus this write-up.
There is a certain brash and swagger to some of the edited hunt sequences, but that`s by design. Why, because as a hunter, I believe that you should reward yourself, when you do something correct. You all, being your own worst critics, come down hard on yourselves when you make an error or a missed shot. Correct? So why not take a "pat on the back", when you do something right? That`s positive energy that needs to build throughout the hunt. And I don`t know about you but if you ask me, I`m all into building positive energy throughout the course of a safari, instead of the other kind. So our editor likes to include the high fives, the "Bwana Moja!" tributes, the fist bumps and the Olympic gold medal music, because that`s the positive.
I am not suggesting that hunters take the risks that I`m taking and attempt the unusual shots that I make. In fact, I`ve gone to great lengths to say "Don`t do that." The verbal disclaimers are always done, whenever I feel a viewer watches a segment and says, "Hey, how`d he do that? I think I wanna try that."
Because what we do involves a living species, there are ethical standards; as hunters we must adhere to and I`m always mindful of that. I have never made what could be described as a risky shot, and wounded or lost an animal, ever. I don`t gamble with animal life. I have lost wounded animals, just like every hunter has, and you can imagine the beating and hazing I administer to myself, when such happens. It is not a pretty sight. I`ve included misses in my videos and have even done a shooting tips capsule on what to do, when you do miss shots.
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FIRE & ICE
Let me spend a moment now on the Fire and Ice video, which seems to consistently generate the most email questions. Andrew Dawson made "the comment" (the black hunter comment) in an interview done by Kappie. I was not present. Did not do the interview, did not plant the thought in Andrew`s head. Andrew had a microphone attached to his shirt and knew he was being recorded, and did not make the comment as an aside, nor was he speaking off the cuff. He knew he was, what`s commonly referred to in TV/video terms, as "on the record." As the final gatekeeper of my DVDs, I included the comment in the DVD because it was relevant to the overall conflict and theme of the story.
I did not play the race card. I did not originate that comment nor solicit it. It came out of Andrew`s mouth. What did Andrew mean by it? Well, it`s left to the interpretation of the viewer. I never delved on it or tried to explain it. I am guilty of placing it in the DVD storyline where I thought it was relevant, and that`s my job as a safari DVD producer. It was fair and placed properly in the sequence of events that unfolded on the safari. If it just so happens to be controversial, so what. I am not apologizing. I did not twist the comment out of context.
In fact I even screened the final DVD before a group of South African born PH`s to get their assessment of it and they all agreed I should leave everything as is. Then I sent it to two of my friends who are also in the safari DVD-making business and they both thought it was fine. I explained to them the context of how Andrew made his comment and they agreed strongly the DVD should be finalized as is. Then I proofed it one more time and released it. Ladies and gentlemen, this is life. Controversies and conflicts exist on safari. If you haven`t endured through one, consider yourself lucky.
Some hunters emailed me saying "Marc, you had a great safari. What are you complaining about?" Well, those are the ones who don`t get it and most likely didn`t see the video. They just heard about it or read about it in some blog. What they heard most likely made them feel uneasy, and they wanted to rant. I`m not complaining at all. Andrew Dawson received my full endorsement at the end of the video.
I was extremely complimentary to him and still am to this day. You don`t judge a movie by its first fifteen minutes you watch the whole film. And for ardent followers of my safari DVDs, you know there`s always a message. Sable Trail doesn`t produce killing videos. For those above critics, it`s not just about the kill count. The sole factor of safari success isn`t whether or not you harvested a bunch of good animals. It`s not only about pulling the trigger. Every DVD we`ve released tells a story, based on the experiences, ups, downs, and challenges along that journey we call safari.
Let me spend a moment now on the Fire and Ice video, which seems to consistently generate the most email questions. Andrew Dawson made "the comment" (the black hunter comment) in an interview done by Kappie. I was not present. Did not do the interview, did not plant the thought in Andrew`s head. Andrew had a microphone attached to his shirt and knew he was being recorded, and did not make the comment as an aside, nor was he speaking off the cuff. He knew he was, what`s commonly referred to in TV/video terms, as "on the record." As the final gatekeeper of my DVDs, I included the comment in the DVD because it was relevant to the overall conflict and theme of the story.
I did not play the race card. I did not originate that comment nor solicit it. It came out of Andrew`s mouth. What did Andrew mean by it? Well, it`s left to the interpretation of the viewer. I never delved on it or tried to explain it. I am guilty of placing it in the DVD storyline where I thought it was relevant, and that`s my job as a safari DVD producer. It was fair and placed properly in the sequence of events that unfolded on the safari. If it just so happens to be controversial, so what. I am not apologizing. I did not twist the comment out of context.
In fact I even screened the final DVD before a group of South African born PH`s to get their assessment of it and they all agreed I should leave everything as is. Then I sent it to two of my friends who are also in the safari DVD-making business and they both thought it was fine. I explained to them the context of how Andrew made his comment and they agreed strongly the DVD should be finalized as is. Then I proofed it one more time and released it. Ladies and gentlemen, this is life. Controversies and conflicts exist on safari. If you haven`t endured through one, consider yourself lucky.
Some hunters emailed me saying "Marc, you had a great safari. What are you complaining about?" Well, those are the ones who don`t get it and most likely didn`t see the video. They just heard about it or read about it in some blog. What they heard most likely made them feel uneasy, and they wanted to rant. I`m not complaining at all. Andrew Dawson received my full endorsement at the end of the video.
I was extremely complimentary to him and still am to this day. You don`t judge a movie by its first fifteen minutes you watch the whole film. And for ardent followers of my safari DVDs, you know there`s always a message. Sable Trail doesn`t produce killing videos. For those above critics, it`s not just about the kill count. The sole factor of safari success isn`t whether or not you harvested a bunch of good animals. It`s not only about pulling the trigger. Every DVD we`ve released tells a story, based on the experiences, ups, downs, and challenges along that journey we call safari.
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CAREER TV STORYTELLER
And for safari purists who`ve watched Fire & Ice over and over, that`s the beauty of the DVD. It was the first DVD that ever dealt with the issue of how to resolve conflict when the relationship between PH and client doesn`t start out so well. It`s not just a DVD of great trophies I killed in Zimbabwe. If you want to buy such a DVD, call Bob Harper at Outdoor Visions and ask him which one of his titles that best fits that description. As a career television man, my production and story-telling abilities run a little deeper than just splicing kill shots together. To me as a hunter, what makes me tick is more than just making a kill shot.
My good pal, Dan Bolek was interviewed by Kappie in September of 2007. He said it best when he said, "Behind everyone of Marc`s videos there`s a story. And if you don`t get the story, you need to continuously watch the video because there`s a great story behind it." And Dan, who introduced me to safari-style hunting, is correct. Just like I did when I was on CNN, I push my listeners and viewers to think. To think outside the box. Listen to the narrative closely and think beyond the pictures. Figure out the story between the lines. When the bloggers launch their tirades, they expose their shallowness and small-minded thinking. Or perhaps my cop friend named Frank from New York really does have a point.
If it`s too easy on safari, it just doesn`t seem worth it. Of all of the hunts I`ve embarked on, the "one for compatibility" with Andrew Dawson, before the 17-day safari ended, has been one of the most rewarding. The big buffalo, sable, waterbuck and crocodile were certainly satisfying, but the road I traveled on to get them was even better. A great journey. That`s why whenever I see Andrew today at SCI or DSC, we`re all smiles. Hugs and smiles. He and I are both better men and hunters for the "safari" we "shared."
Sometimes even when the kill shot is a chippie, I`ll pass it up. Jerry Stafford, who runs run a deer hunting operation in Southern Illinois, knows all too well. "If a deer is close to Marc, he don`t want to shoot it. He wants it to get out there," Jerry says waving his hands away from him, "so he can make a tough shot on the deer."
Is there something wrong with that? I don`t think so. That`s just me and I need a challenge to make it all worth it. I`m not playing roulette with the deer`s life. In fact, it could be argued that the farther away it gets, the more fair of a chase it is. With modern day ballistics and riflery, a one hundred yard shot with a scoped rifle on a solid rest, is a chip shot.
And for safari purists who`ve watched Fire & Ice over and over, that`s the beauty of the DVD. It was the first DVD that ever dealt with the issue of how to resolve conflict when the relationship between PH and client doesn`t start out so well. It`s not just a DVD of great trophies I killed in Zimbabwe. If you want to buy such a DVD, call Bob Harper at Outdoor Visions and ask him which one of his titles that best fits that description. As a career television man, my production and story-telling abilities run a little deeper than just splicing kill shots together. To me as a hunter, what makes me tick is more than just making a kill shot.
My good pal, Dan Bolek was interviewed by Kappie in September of 2007. He said it best when he said, "Behind everyone of Marc`s videos there`s a story. And if you don`t get the story, you need to continuously watch the video because there`s a great story behind it." And Dan, who introduced me to safari-style hunting, is correct. Just like I did when I was on CNN, I push my listeners and viewers to think. To think outside the box. Listen to the narrative closely and think beyond the pictures. Figure out the story between the lines. When the bloggers launch their tirades, they expose their shallowness and small-minded thinking. Or perhaps my cop friend named Frank from New York really does have a point.
If it`s too easy on safari, it just doesn`t seem worth it. Of all of the hunts I`ve embarked on, the "one for compatibility" with Andrew Dawson, before the 17-day safari ended, has been one of the most rewarding. The big buffalo, sable, waterbuck and crocodile were certainly satisfying, but the road I traveled on to get them was even better. A great journey. That`s why whenever I see Andrew today at SCI or DSC, we`re all smiles. Hugs and smiles. He and I are both better men and hunters for the "safari" we "shared."
Sometimes even when the kill shot is a chippie, I`ll pass it up. Jerry Stafford, who runs run a deer hunting operation in Southern Illinois, knows all too well. "If a deer is close to Marc, he don`t want to shoot it. He wants it to get out there," Jerry says waving his hands away from him, "so he can make a tough shot on the deer."
Is there something wrong with that? I don`t think so. That`s just me and I need a challenge to make it all worth it. I`m not playing roulette with the deer`s life. In fact, it could be argued that the farther away it gets, the more fair of a chase it is. With modern day ballistics and riflery, a one hundred yard shot with a scoped rifle on a solid rest, is a chip shot.
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TO SHOOT OR NOT TO SHOOT
I was watching Jerry Martin on TV the other day. He`s one of the regular hunters on the Bass Pro Shop hunting TV show. He said he doesn`t take a shot unless he`s "90%" certain he can make the shot. Now, I have a problem with that statement. That means there`s a 10% probability that Jerry will miss, which might involve wounding the animal because of a poor shot and losing it. I don`t shoot unless I`m absolutely 100% certain I can make the shot.
Now that`s just me. This is my personal standard for the determination whether to shoot. I can`t imagine telling Johan Calitz, "Well Bwana, I`m gonna take a shot at that gold medal lion there. I wanna let you know though that there`s a 10% chance I`m gonna miss it." Love ya Jerry, you`ve done a lot for our hunting industry. But you know what? That doesn`t cut it for me.
The 503-yard shot I made on a zebra in 2004 was executed with 100% certainty. I even told my PH, Peter Chipman, where the bullet would strike. The animal died within thirty-five yards of where he was shot, quicker and closer than many rifle shots made from less than one hundred yards, and certainly more efficiently than many bow kills made at 25 yards.
That isn`t meant to be a slap on bow hunters. I totally get bow hunting and have even dabbled from time to time. But the hair bristles on my neck when I receive emails from people telling me, "It`s cruel and risky" for me to shoot from long distances. Perhaps for them it is, especially if you`re inclined to maim, wound and eventually lose the animal. But I`ve proved over and over again, on video, I can shoot with 100% certainty at animals, from distances up to 500 yards.
I was watching Jerry Martin on TV the other day. He`s one of the regular hunters on the Bass Pro Shop hunting TV show. He said he doesn`t take a shot unless he`s "90%" certain he can make the shot. Now, I have a problem with that statement. That means there`s a 10% probability that Jerry will miss, which might involve wounding the animal because of a poor shot and losing it. I don`t shoot unless I`m absolutely 100% certain I can make the shot.
Now that`s just me. This is my personal standard for the determination whether to shoot. I can`t imagine telling Johan Calitz, "Well Bwana, I`m gonna take a shot at that gold medal lion there. I wanna let you know though that there`s a 10% chance I`m gonna miss it." Love ya Jerry, you`ve done a lot for our hunting industry. But you know what? That doesn`t cut it for me.
The 503-yard shot I made on a zebra in 2004 was executed with 100% certainty. I even told my PH, Peter Chipman, where the bullet would strike. The animal died within thirty-five yards of where he was shot, quicker and closer than many rifle shots made from less than one hundred yards, and certainly more efficiently than many bow kills made at 25 yards.
That isn`t meant to be a slap on bow hunters. I totally get bow hunting and have even dabbled from time to time. But the hair bristles on my neck when I receive emails from people telling me, "It`s cruel and risky" for me to shoot from long distances. Perhaps for them it is, especially if you`re inclined to maim, wound and eventually lose the animal. But I`ve proved over and over again, on video, I can shoot with 100% certainty at animals, from distances up to 500 yards.
NEW TV SHOW?
It`s this pursuit, for the most demanding, challenging, authentic and toughest hunts and shots, that has caught the eyes of two of the hunting channels. With the backing of the right sponsors, such a program may be coming to a television in your household very soon. I`m now in the process of mobilizing my production team here in the U.S. and in Africa, to go forward with the show. Big Shot with Bwana Moja is the name of the program. It will showcase all the normal high production values and solid storytelling that have become hallmarks of our DVD line of safari videos.
There will be a stronger emphasis on the kill shots, of which we plan to breakdown through use of special animation and shot placement imagery. The viewer will be made privy to the mental thought processes of the shooter, throughout the process of the shot and from set-up to execution. I can confidently state that there is no other program on television like it. Even when the challenge on the hunt side doesn`t seem so demanding, I`ll try to make up for it on the shot side. But oh how wonderful it is when all of the pieces fall in place.
When you push yourself as an individual to the greatest challenge, often times you end up with spectacular results. Think of all the great Super Bowl plays, the teary-eyed inspirational Olympic feats and the October World Series game-winning moments that athletes perform at their peak on the biggest stages of their careers. Well that`s what I`m after as a hunter too.
There`s still a lot of "athlete" inside me, although my playing days have long been over. You will see no thirty-minute programs of impala or warthog killing. No proclamations of how tough African game is to justify that it ran off, because it was, shot it in the belly. I`m going to bring viewers Big Shots, not filler material consisting of minor plainsgame kills. While I`m still fit, healthy with two good legs and two relatively good eyes, I want to take on the toughest hunts the safari world has to offer. As long as I have the financial means, that is. I can see myself one day enjoying the pursuits of sheep hunting.
Decorated safari hunter, Troy Link, sold the challenges of sheep hunting to me one morning over coffee. Troy and I are a lot alike, in how we hunt. I always seem to be one step behind him. As I was planning my trip with Johan Calitz some years ago, he was leaving Botswana. As I was getting ready to go to Central African Republic for Lord Derby Eland, Troy was on his way back from there.
I`m now starting to enjoy hunting even more because I have a new companion, my son. In 2009, he`ll join me on safari in Namibia. I pass along to him all that my dad taught me, and then some. Our simple rule is to always to leave the woods and bush in better shape than it was before you entered it. That sometimes means just picking up a crushed beer can or a piece of plastic. That makes me tick too, because I know I`m leaving a better hunting world for those who follow in our footsteps. I won`t stand in your way either if you want to emulate me regarding that.
It`s this pursuit, for the most demanding, challenging, authentic and toughest hunts and shots, that has caught the eyes of two of the hunting channels. With the backing of the right sponsors, such a program may be coming to a television in your household very soon. I`m now in the process of mobilizing my production team here in the U.S. and in Africa, to go forward with the show. Big Shot with Bwana Moja is the name of the program. It will showcase all the normal high production values and solid storytelling that have become hallmarks of our DVD line of safari videos.
There will be a stronger emphasis on the kill shots, of which we plan to breakdown through use of special animation and shot placement imagery. The viewer will be made privy to the mental thought processes of the shooter, throughout the process of the shot and from set-up to execution. I can confidently state that there is no other program on television like it. Even when the challenge on the hunt side doesn`t seem so demanding, I`ll try to make up for it on the shot side. But oh how wonderful it is when all of the pieces fall in place.
When you push yourself as an individual to the greatest challenge, often times you end up with spectacular results. Think of all the great Super Bowl plays, the teary-eyed inspirational Olympic feats and the October World Series game-winning moments that athletes perform at their peak on the biggest stages of their careers. Well that`s what I`m after as a hunter too.
There`s still a lot of "athlete" inside me, although my playing days have long been over. You will see no thirty-minute programs of impala or warthog killing. No proclamations of how tough African game is to justify that it ran off, because it was, shot it in the belly. I`m going to bring viewers Big Shots, not filler material consisting of minor plainsgame kills. While I`m still fit, healthy with two good legs and two relatively good eyes, I want to take on the toughest hunts the safari world has to offer. As long as I have the financial means, that is. I can see myself one day enjoying the pursuits of sheep hunting.
Decorated safari hunter, Troy Link, sold the challenges of sheep hunting to me one morning over coffee. Troy and I are a lot alike, in how we hunt. I always seem to be one step behind him. As I was planning my trip with Johan Calitz some years ago, he was leaving Botswana. As I was getting ready to go to Central African Republic for Lord Derby Eland, Troy was on his way back from there.
I`m now starting to enjoy hunting even more because I have a new companion, my son. In 2009, he`ll join me on safari in Namibia. I pass along to him all that my dad taught me, and then some. Our simple rule is to always to leave the woods and bush in better shape than it was before you entered it. That sometimes means just picking up a crushed beer can or a piece of plastic. That makes me tick too, because I know I`m leaving a better hunting world for those who follow in our footsteps. I won`t stand in your way either if you want to emulate me regarding that.