Here at The Hunting Report we have reported more times than we wish on outfitters and agents who have taken deposits from hunters and either disappeared or simply refused to provide the services that were purchased. We've also reported about operators booking hunts for areas that do not belong to them and where they do not have legal access to conduct hunts. Subscriber Dyke Howell got both experiences in one. In 2009, he and a friend booked a buffalo and leopard hunt in Mozambique with Kjeld Kruger of Wambiri Hunting Safaris, based in Ottosdal, South Africa. The hunt was to take place in the Sabie Game Reserve along the eastern boundary of Kruger Park in October 2010. They were packed and ready to go when they received an email informing them that the hunt was cancelled by the government because of rhino poaching in the hunting area.
"I have just returned from Moz later than expected due to problems that have developed," Kruger wrote Howell. "From the end of 2007 until less than two months ago, we lost a total of nine rhinos due to poaching in the reserve. Now in two months we lost three more rhinos in our reserve. Two were poached in the last three weeks. Another was a black rhino snared by the front leg, but he is treated and should be fine. Also, we had a white rhino a little while ago with a snare around its snout between the two horns. He is also fine now. We are part of the Transfrontier Park and due to the sudden high incidence of rhino poaching, we and they are establishing surveillance and anti-poaching activities." For these reasons, he said he could not conduct Howell's safari.
Kruger offered to refund the deposit or rebook for June 2010. Howell opted for the........(continued)
