Nitro Express Safaris DVDs'

[NW DISCO]

Does anyone else own any of Mark Sullivans DVDs'? If you do what do think about them. With all the talk about Africa I figured I would let everyone know about his DVDs'. I currently have them all and feel they are by far the best africa hunting footage for dangerous game. I have talked with Mark and he is true to his footage on how he hunts. A very nice guy. If you want to hunt with him he is definately not cheap, but I bet the experience will be like no other. His book is also great. He also has double rifles you can rent for the hunt if one wants. I am planning on doing a 21 day hunt for buff and leopard in the next couple years. Here is the link to his site and has a teaser vid. Hope you all enjoy.
http://www.nitroexpresssafaris.com/

 

[KevinNY]

He may be a nice guy, but his version of "ethics" has has made him a black sheep in hunting circles. I have never heard of someone else who wounds on purpose like him. Egos usually have no place in hunting.

 

[NW DISCO]

I own all 9 of his dvds' and did not once see where he/client wounded an animal on purpose. When I spoke with Mark he talked about having enough rifle to put the animal down with the first shot, but also to stop a charging animal if the first shot did not do the trick. He spoke about letting a wounded animal decide how it wanted to die (fighting or fleeing). I am not saying that he is right or for that matter anyone else, but it makes me wonder if his bad reputation is wrongfully deserved. I guess I will have to wait and go on a safari with him to determine for myself what the truth is. If it is like you have heard I will definately let everyone I can know about his way of hunting and if it turns out he does not purposely wound animals to get them to charge, I will let everyone I can know about his missunderstood "ethics" of hunting. I guess I am just not ready to judge a person untill I know 100 percent for sure the truth.

 

[KevinNY]

I think if you are going to drop he price of a new Lr3 on a hunt you should talk to a few more safari operators first. Better, talk to a few booking agents like Henley & Delamere , Aetcheson, or Wendell Reich.

 

[Mike_Rupp]

I've seen several of his DVDs. I can't remember any hunt where he purposely wounded an animal.

If you are hunting, I really don't see the distinction between sneaking up on a herd and shooting an animal in the vitals vs. orienting yourself to allow the buffalo to charge you and then shooting it in the brain.

Kevin, have you watched any of his DVDs?

 

[andrewv]

I've seen his video footage, and it goes hand in hand with the comment of letting the animal decide how it wants to die. WTF???? Hunting is about a clean and humane kill, not blowing off a snout, shooting a shoulder and then seeing if it charges so you can drop it.

I don't know what his reputation is, but I wouldn't go to Africa for that.

 

[KevinNY]

Tanzanian wildlife authorities have had issues with him for this, shoot the buff too far back and invoke the charge. I know people who have shot between 2 and 100 cape buff in there hunting careers and none has experienced a charge like you will see on his tapes, it just does not happen that often. There is a another reason why it seems to happen to him so much when the cameras are rolling and it stinks like fish.

 

[Mike_Rupp]

Kevin, you didn't answer my original question. Have you seen any of his DVDs?

It seems to me that you are passing judgement on this guy without having seen any evidence of his hunting style first hand.

It's been a while since I've seen the DVDs, but the only clear difference that I remember about his style vs others is that most will shoot the buffalo and let it run off and die, whereas Sullivan will approach the wounded animal and provoke a charge. What is more humane: to allow a wounded animal to lie down and die or putting a bullet through the brain? Another approach I've seen is that hunters will shoot the buffalo and track it and shoot it from several angles when its on the ground.

I guess I don't see the difference. Is the guy over the top? Sure. Is he doing anything unethical? I haven't seen anything that shows that.

Blowing off a snout? I don't remember that at all. I'm pretty sure I watched every DVD he has and I can't remember that.

I wouldn't hunt with the guy at all. He seems a little too dramatic and my image of Africa isn't having a professional hunter with a mullet and thumbring and a 600 nitro, but I think the criticism he receives is unwarranted.

 

[KevinNY]

Yes I have seen his videos. Remember you are only seeing the times his little trick works on tape, how many get wounded and take off? I have been to africa, I have PH friends, I have many friends who have also been to africa, he is not well liked among them. I'm sticking with my opinion. If someone wants to go to africa and have the full experience, which is wonderful, don't go for the redneck hollywood chestbeating ego ride with Sullivan. A safari experience deserves much better.

In the scene the buff gets into the long grass and they have a half dozen guns pointing out of the back of a land cruiser, there have been accusations that over 20 buff were shot and ran off to die on that hunt, bribing the game scout can get you a lot of leeway in africa.

The guy can shoot, I don't take that away from him.

People either love him or loath him. His marketing works for him, he charges several times the going rate for one of his "charge hunts".

 

[JSQ]

An accquaintance of mine has been "interning" with Sullivan since last summer.

He's level headed and experienced but I still worry for my friend's safety.

 

[jimjet]

Kevin, you didn't answer my original question. Have you seen any of his DVDs?

It seems to me that you are passing judgement on this guy without having seen any evidence of his hunting style first hand.

My .02
Kevin is dead on with his opinion on Mark Sullivans Videos.
I have been around the brye quite a few times and ive watched his videos.
Yes the consensus around the brye is he is out to make an exciting video that sells.
I have not herd one P.H. speak respectfully of him or his ethics.
Excitement sells , blood sells .
i have hunted buff in zambia and any good P.H. will tell you safety comes first.
Shooting a bull just to piss him off is out of bounds and disrespectfull.
my first shot on my bull was in the boiler room and he kept on running.running away not at me.YES suround a bull with people and video cameras and piss him off and you have an exciting video

when i finaly confronted him in his death throw after folowing him for 2 miles i did not walk up on him to piss him off.
i let him die with dignity and respect in the bush.
after i heard his death bellow we went in to get him .

THERE ARE OLD HUNTERS AND THERE ARE BOLD HUNTERS

BUT THERE ARE NO OLD BOLD HUNTERS.

 

[jimjet]

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/lionhunt.html

if you havnt seen this ck it out

notice how the lion never takes his eye off the guy that pulled the trigger
first.
anyone else did not matter.
jim