|
By Darren Blake
Safari hunting videos aren`t known for great camera work and storytelling. Grainy video and shaky kill shots are more so often the norm. There are a handful of good ones that provide the viewer with a quality collection of kill shots, insightful information about guns and ballistics along with a dosage of laughs and entertainment.
The newest release from Sable Trail Productions has boldly tried to break from the rest of the pack. It`s the first hunting video ever that examines the sometimes rocky relationship between professional hunter/guide and the client. In Fire & Ice: Zimbabwe`s Perfectly Shot Dangerous Game, Marc Watts has gone issue oriented but it`s not a complete diversion. He offers the usual assortment of breathtaking cinematography and captivating kill shots, but he`s stirred it up with something we can now actually sink our teeth into.
Marc was introduced to Andrew Dawson of Chifuti Safaris by their mutual friend Craig Boddington (who makes a special appearance in the video and makes a phenomenal shot on a running cape buffalo.) It`s clear that Marc and Andrew wanted to hunt with each other. It`s also clear that neither of them knew completely what they were getting into with this partnership.
The personality clash is evident from the outset: Marc the charismatic, never at a loss for words, well-pressed hunter versus Andrew, the no-nonsense drill sergeant like PH.
"Marc is quite a charismatic sort of guy and I didn`t know how I was gonna be able to handle that in a hunt," Andrew says in a clip from the video. The icy nature of this pairing first comes to light on day three of the safari. Marc fails to pull the trigger on a world-class cape buffalo. On the screen you can clearly see the buff, (which means his cameraman could see it fine because he has the animal focused in full frame) but Marc says he couldn`t see the buff through his scope because the rising sun that was positioned at the same angle as the buffalo blinded him temporarily. "I could feel the look of disgust from my PH. I don`t even want to look at him and he better not ask me what happened," Marc says in the video. You empathize with both men as the hunt continues. Andrew, who supposes the 44-incher has melted in the thick jesse gone for good and Marc, who so desperately craves for a shot at redemption. And redemption is exactly what Marc gets ten minutes later. It`s actually a more difficult shot than the original presentation. From 117 yards Marc drills the buff through the heart and "Fire and Ice" are all smiles.
The video never comes clean with exactly which man is "Fire" and which one is "Ice", and vestiges of the conflict continue to the end. But PH Andrew is to be complimented for his honesty regarding his issues about Marc. It`s somewhat inescapable that Marc would confront a race issue somewhere along his safari travels in Africa and it`s presented in this DVD in the opening montage. "I`ve never hunted with a Black hunter and I didn`t know what to expect," says Andrew.
Marc handles it quite cleverly and humorously, allowing his narrator to do the dirty work of responding, which distances Marc from any such racial conflict, downplaying it s well.
Marc also accepts some of the blame for the tension between him and his PH, realizing that it`s not just his race, but his hunting style, production values, stubbornness, shooting reputation and television background that make him an oddball client to any PH.
The man known now throughout Africa as "Bwana Moja," for his one-shot shooting skills, relies heavily on his editor to subtly reveal the conflict instead of stating the obvious in large doses. Slow-motioned video clips accompanied by the usual tasty assortment of Sable Trail production music present this compelling drama in big screen movie like fashion.
It`s rewarding to watch something such as a safari hunting DVD in such detail and high production, which have always been hallmarks of the Sable Trail line. The feel reminds you that Marc`s career for eighteen years was that of a TV news correspondent and he`s always shown us he`s big on presentation, which even caught the media-savvy Zimbabwean PH off guard.
"I didn`t understand the depth of this video. I didn`t know it was going to be so involved and in such depth...We did no staging throughout the entire video," Andrew said.
The differences between client and PH seem to get all ironed out by day eight when Marc shoots his leopard. How the big cat arrived in the tree is a phenomenal story based on a tactic rarely utilized by hunters in Africa. "A masterful plan by my very innovative and creative PH is how Marc described it," touting Andrew.
Yet it`s not all "Sugar and Spice" from there on evidenced days later when Marc shoots his hippo in the very spot where Andrew told him not to aim. Then two days later he disobeys his PH once again on shot placement, as they chase a 44-inch sable.
Both men seem to be on edge at different times throughout the safari, but not lost is a boatload of record book trophies they harvest. In all there are three buffaloes, a leopard, a hippo, a stunning crocodile, a sable, kudu, waterbuck, grysbok and a handful of other plainsgame taken.
There`s plenty for viewing here. With special features the DVD runs nearly three hours and from an informational, filming and breaking ground standpoint, Fire & Ice is first rate, easily the finest offering from Sable Trail. Over the last year Marc has cultivated a following of online critics for shooting, albeit accurately, from long distances. (Can I say 500-yard zebra in Tanzania?) Everything in Zim is shot from relatively close distance and it`s warming to watch how Bwana Moja continues to capture the hearts of so many on the Dark Continent.
There`s a procession of saddened locals who wave goodbye to him as he heads to the airstrip for good after day fourteen. Those types of sendoffs are normally bestowed upon dignitaries who partake in scripted photo opportunities walking through African bush camps, but here such respect was being paid to a safari hunter! Now that`s respect!
| Fire & Ice | ||
|
By Darren Thompson
One thing I`ve developed over the years as a hunter is an appreciation for truth in advertising. On more than one occasion I`ve been taken advantage of-- - getting stuck with something I wish I never would have purchased in the first place. But when the closing credits of The Mane Event: Tanzania`s Perfectly Shot Dangerous Game rolled on the screen, I was sort of bummed out that this safari DVD had to come to an end. So I restarted The Mane Event and watched it again, and again.
It was a great "movie," but to call it that would be disrespectful to Marc Watts who labels himself as a real-time safari video producer. Movies are acted out dramatizations. The Mane Event offers no dramatizations. Marc wrote and narrated the video but it`s his gun that does most of the talking. His marksmanship is simply phenomenal. From his opening salvo on a white-bearded wildebeest to the dramatic ending kill sequence, the viewer is provided revealing close-ups of actual bullet placements that have punishing effects on Marc`s targets---and from long distances too.
On day four as Marc hunts in a Masailand concession in Northeastern Tanzania he and his professional hunter, Peter Chipman hone in on a coke hartebeest. I use the term "hone in" lightly here because Marc doesn`t really need to get that close. It`s almost as if sometimes he wants the animal to get farther out. Finally as Marc and Peter close the distance to 450 yards, he takes the shot and flattens the "kongoni" in his tracks as he is walking. Did you get that? I`ll repeat. 450 yards...one shot...as animal walks...stone dead!
As they roll along on the 14-day Tanzania safari, one gets the sense this hunter cannot fail, as the momentum builds towards the climactic lion kill. The cinematography is breathtaking, at times resembling scenes from Born Free; or Redford`s classic Out of Africa, but let`s not go there. Those once again are movies. The Mane Event is an in-your-face real hunting docudrama, filmed entirely by award- winning videographer Emanuel Kapp, "Kappie."
Like a great quarterback and his wide receiver, Marc and Kappie click effortlessly—and seem to score at will on any animal when they want to. It`s hard to say who makes who look better. During the ostrich sequence, Kappie bets Marc that he can`t kill on ostrich with one shot from 400 yards. Marc finally accepts the bet for $200 and two Kappie-faced one-hundred dollar bills "ch-ching" onto the TV screen. At the risk now of spoiling the humorous outcome I`ll just say, Marc wins the bet.
He`s surrounded by a "Tanzania Dream Team" of professional hunters and trackers that guide him on this captivating safari. The "Dream Team" reference is something Marc borrowed from the O.J. Simpson trial back in 1995, for which Marc served as the lead correspondent for CNN. Marc showcases his warm correspondent-like gift of gab during his on-camera recaps and interviews with Peter. Their respect for each other`s craft is mutual and it`s easy to see that the relation extends far beyond the typical one of P.H. and client.
"I knew you were going to do it," Peter tells Marc as they kneel next to an impressive 41-inch cape buffalo that Marc shot from 157 yards. The second buff is even more impressive as Kappie`s video camera takes the viewer down the barrel of Marc`s .416 Rigby. Most safari videos would have cut to the chase and jumped to the final kill shot. But The Mane Event documents the passage of time in between the gunshots. And in the end Marc triumphs over a wonderful display of animal loyalty.
Along the way Marc one times a fringe-eared oryx, spanks a big croc, a hippo and tussles with a herd of elephants. It`s all presented in a thoughtful narrative, allowing the listeners to probe the hunter`s mind along the way.
The lion arrives unsuspectingly which is a compliment to the storytelling because at two previous moments, I told myself, "here it comes", but no, Marc keeps you guessing and then sells the climax. He keeps you there and you`re treated to an authentic lion sequence like no other. You hear the bullet smack. You feel yourself pulling the bolt back to reload the rifle. You clap and feel yourself taking part in the handshakes and celebration. I felt myself wondering what it must feel like for the African crew to watch an African-American man accomplish this. There`s no mistake why Marc has called this The Mane Event: Tanzania`s Perfectly Shot Dangerous Game.
It`s the most authentic, informative and entertaining safari video on the market today. I`ve practically bought them all (I should know) and I read the back covers before I watch them. For once the hype matched the product. As hunters we call em` like we see em.`
The DVD version contains several extras well worth the extra cost. There`s even a preview to Marc`s next release from Zimbabwe. I`ve already pre-ordered it.
If you purchase all 5 DVD titles in the Sable Trail series, you will receive FREE SHIPPING ($15.00 value), a FREE SABLE TRAIL HAT ($15.00 value) and we'll knock another $14.75 off the total price of your order. That's a total savings of $44.75! All this for a total purchase price of $180.00!
| The Mane Event | ||
|
By Dan Bolek
He plays cat and mouse with a hippo in the Luangwa River. He takes aim at a croc from an unbelievable distance and the shot he executes on a leopard is simply one you won`t want to miss.
It seems like every time I think Marc Watts, "The One Shot Guy," can`t possibly top his last video, he proves me wrong. His latest offering, "Double Down: Zambia`s Perfectly Shot Dangerous & Plainsgame," covers a 14-day safari that has as many twists and turns as the Luangwa River.
Watts` new video not only proves that he`s back and better than ever, but it proves that Zambia is once again a premier destination for serious safari hunters.
The former network newsman, now turned marksman, picks up in the "new Zambia" right where he left off in South Africa a year ago, in his onslaught of African game. This time around Watts doubles up on five species, including cape buffalo, hippo, lechwe and puku.
And Watts` shooting is even more impressive in this video. There`s a hippo brain shot from 90 yards, a kudu from 200 yards, and a crocodile kill shot from 140 yards away. (Yes, 140 yards.) There`s also two lechwes, killed from 200 and 275 yards away. And in all of these kills, the animals are eliminated with one precision shot. In fact of the 19 kills that I saw, 17 are made with one dead-on shot, and all but one make the record book.
On this ground-breaking safari Watts is guided by famed professional hunter Peter Chipman, who survived a lion attack in 1999. Chipman`s specialty is big cats so it`s no surprise the video`s climax is a leopard hunt. And as you`ll see, for awhile there it didn`t look like it was going to happen.
When the big cat does arrive, there isn`t any mystery about what will happen when Watts gets the green light from Chipman to "take him?" As the "One-Shot Guy" describes it on the video, "failure at this moment is not an option."
And then, just when you think the drama is over Watts pulls a shot out of his gun bag of tricks on a buffalo that even stuns Chipman! Without watching "Double Down" this guide wouldn`t have believed the story of how Watts killed the buffalo. But I did see it. And I even hit the rewind button to make sure my eyes weren`t deceiving me. But it`s there, all in real time, which has become a trademark of Sable Trail`s videos. No re-creations and no staging.
With no pun intended, "Double Down: Zambia`s Perfectly Shot Dangerous and Plainsgame" is a can`t-miss, surefire hit. It`s a video the Zambian government should be especially proud of and one that any safari hunter will enjoy. No doubt it`s a release that will go down as a classic for many years to come.
If you purchase all 5 DVD titles in the Sable Trail series, you will receive FREE SHIPPING ($15.00 value), a FREE SABLE TRAIL HAT ($15.00 value) and we'll knock another $14.75 off the total price of your order. That's a total savings of $44.75! All this for a total purchase price of $180.00!
| Double Down 2 Hours and 15 Minutes | ||
|
By Hope Kalteis
All in one motion he sprints to his right, shoulders his double rifle, pulls the trigger and erases a record book cape buffalo from the South African bush. It`s not the typical way most buffalo are taken, but then Marc Watts is not your typical hunter.
The cape buffalo kill is one of twenty hunts featured in his latest video release, "Africa`s Perfectly Shot Dangerous and Plainsgame, Volume II." It`s a sequel even better than his debut, "Africa`s Perfectly Shot Plainsgame," released in December 2002.
In his latest video, Watts transports viewers to South Africa; they almost feel like they`re riding along with him in the Land Cruiser on safari. The reason? Watts shoots his videos in real time. You see the action as it unfolds. As a correspondent for CNN, Watts wasn`t allowed to do re-creations for the nightly news, so he doesn`t do them now in his hunting videos either.
"All the fake stuff takes away from the realism and credibility of the hunt," says Watts. "If you want to make hunting movies go to Hollywood."
Fortunately for Watts, he rarely misses with his rifle. But when he does he`s admirably honest. No matter what happens, Watts tells it like it is after each trophy kill. He squats next to the animal and in play-by-play detail relives the exciting hunt to the camera.
"It`s my way of giving the animal its due respect. And I also want to provide a video journal of what I was thinking or what the viewer didn`t see before I pulled the trigger. Too many times you see the hunter rushing off to the next hunt. And anyone who has hunted knows it`s really not like that," says Watts.
On this latest video Watts also predicts to the camera where he`s going to place the shot then delivers with pinpoint accuracy. And we`re not talking about chip shots either.
From 250 yards away across a dry riverbed he takes aim at a waterbuck, and shouts out to the cameraman, "Kappie, I`m aiming for his shoulder. He`ll probably run but not far." BAM! Dead waterbuck.
Later on a burchell`s zebra, quartering towards him from 225 yards, Watts steadies his gun on the shooting sticks before yelling out, "Kappie, I`m aiming just to the left of his left front shoulder. He should drop in his tracks. Standby." BAM! Flattened zebra.
An eland from 240 yards! A warthog from 375 yards! BAM! BAM! And many more, including two cape buffalo and a rhino. The rhino hunt is particularly exciting. Watts ran, jumped, and crawled through miles of bush for two days before bringing the old bull down.
On "Africa`s Perfectly Shot Dangerous and Plainsgame, Volume II," Watts teams up once again with award-winning South African cameraman Emmanuel "Kappie" Kapp.
Also back for the second time is professional hunter, Marius Kotze, of Rhinoland Safaris in Ellisras, South Africa. This 50-thousand acre concession in Limpopo Province holds nearly all of the 37 species of native plainsgame in South Africa, and all of the Big Five except lion.
The hunting sequences unfold one day at a time and everything is presented in chronological order of how it actually happened. In between each day Watts provides shooting tips and video flashbacks from previous videos. Commercial spots have even been edited in for sponsors. Add it all up and it makes for a blockbuster 2 hour safari like none you`ve ever seen before. A first-timer or veteran safari hunter should find this offering entertaining and informational.
Direct purchases can be made by calling Sable Trail Productions at (312) 226- 4047. Prices are the standard $29.95 for VHS and $39.95 for DVD. Online orders can be placed at www.SableTrailProductions.com. You can also purchase Watts` real-time line of videos at Cabela`s. They were so impressed with his first video that the hunting line has now added it to their catalogs and stores. Visit www.cabelas.com.
If you purchase all 5 DVD titles in the Sable Trail series, you will receive FREE SHIPPING ($15.00 value), a FREE SABLE TRAIL HAT ($15.00 value) and we'll knock another $14.75 off the total price of your order. That's a total savings of $44.75! All this for a total purchase price of $180.00!
| Africa's Perfectly Shot Dangerous and Plains Game 1 hour 50 minutes | ||
|
The Special History of the Legendary Texas Y.O. Ranch
By Texas Safari Magazine
It occurred to me that Marc Watts and his Perfectly Shot Hunting Video Series might be exactly what the face of hunting needs following an encounter with one of my wife`s coworkers. After reading one of my articles, the coworker remarked, "I had no idea you were a hunter. It doesn`t seem like you at all."
Although my standard response to off-handed negative comments about my enjoyment of hunting is generally a polite, "Oh," or "Hmmmm," I decided to ask what she meant. Her response was one that I hear all too often.
"You know," she began. "You`re an intelligent guy. I never pictured you as a redneck, running around the woods in camouflage."
I smiled, knowing exactly what she was talking about. Every group has a stereotype. Unfortunately, the most common one of hunters is that of the beer bellied, camouflage wearing, backwoods hick running about the woods acting and laughing in a manner reminiscent of half the cast of Deliverince. And if it`s not that, it`s Elmer Fudd. Thus the need for Marc Watts.
Unlike a lot of video series or television shows that actually perpetuate this stereotype, Marc Watts`s video series puts forth a facet of hunting—and a hunter---that is seldom seen. Marc, and those accompanying him on his various hunts, are straightforward, comfortable in front of the camera, professional, ethical, and treat their trophies with respect and reverence. On a superficial level, let me add that Marc`s classic safari attire is straight out of the Golden Era of hunting, mirroring that of Clark Gable and Stewart Granger, and, as my wife informs me, Marc is a pretty good looking guy. These attributes when combined with Marc`s trademark production mantra of "No rehearsed bino viewing, no phony approaches to dead game, no fake jabbing at dead animals and no staged pointing at would-be trophy animals" make for an extremely truthful and high class series. One Shot: Hunting America`s Original Game Preserve is no exception.
In this edition, Marc and his hunting companions Dan Bolek and Fred Januszewski, hunt the legendary Y.O. Ranch of the Texas Hill Country with Guide Eric White. In a mere three days the group takes 16 stunning exotic trophies, each with just one perfectly placed shot. In addition to the more "common" Texas exotics such as blackbuck, axis, and fallow, Marc and his group also complete the Grand Slam of Texas Sheep, take a trophy bison at 25 yards with a .30-30 Texas Trophy Hunter`s collector`s rifle, a scimitar horned oryx, a tremendous SCI Gold Medal Red Sheep, and the extremely rare (and unheard of in most hunting circles) buffalypso.
Throughout the video, Marc explains his ethics on hunting, offers tips and advice, provides excellent commentary on both his hunt and equipment, and offers an endearing look at the Y.O. Ranch`s history and its recent loss of pioneering rancher Louie Shreiner. Viewers also get a good look at the ranch`s 40,000 plus acres and its philosophy on game ranching and its pioneering thereof.
Some of the shots Marc takes are completely unreal. They are an awe inspiring testimony to his countless hours of practice and make for thrilling viewing. Most so is his heart shot on a trophy scimitar horned oryx that, not only results in a clean kill, but sends the animal into a complete backwards somersault. Impressive shots such as this are common throughout the video as is Marc`s full appreciation of what it takes to get to that level of proficiency. Marc even offers advice and pointers on developing such skills during a short segment entitled, Cabela`s In the Comfort Zone.
One Shot: Hunting America`s Original Game Preserve is by far the best hunting video on Texas exotics that I`ve seen to date and with a running time of just under two hours, it is also one of the better bargains to come along in quite some time as well.
If you purchase all 5 DVD titles in the Sable Trail series, you will receive FREE SHIPPING ($15.00 value), a FREE SABLE TRAIL HAT ($15.00 value) and we'll knock another $14.75 off the total price of your order. That's a total savings of $44.75! All this for a total purchase price of $180.00!
| One Shot: Hunting Americas Original Game Preserve 1 hour 50 minutes | ||