To refresh your memory. On April 4th, 2000, Mr. Tom Weickum of Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA, booked a Mozambique Cape buffalo hunt, for us, with your safari company. The aforementioned hunt was scheduled for July 2001. I placed a deposit of $1,861.66 US Dollars via Visa. I was expecting a contract and hunt information but never received any correspondence from your company. However, I was kept informed as to the progress of our safari by Mr. Weickum. Unfortunately, due to the immense flooding in your safari area the hunt could not take place. I understood from Mr. Weickum that you were going to refund my depost. I mailed you a first request on November 1, 2001, also on March 26, 2002, and August 30, 2002. I have sent numerous faxes and called numerous times requesting my refund. On July 27, 2002, I was able to speak with "Nola", and was told you were to return on August 1, 2002. I did speak with you via telephone shortly after your return and you stated that you were having a meeting (with your safari company I assumed) later in the week, would discuss this matter, and would contact me. I'm still waiting!

Due to your complete disregard of our agreement I am hereby asking the following organizations to suspend your membership privledges until you properly address matter and make it right.

PHASA PO Box 10264 Centurion 0046 South Africa

Safari Club International 4800 West Gates Pass Road Tucson, AZ 85745

In addition, I am forwarding a copy of this letter to:

The Hunting Report 9300 South Dadeland Blvd, Suite 605 Miami, FL 33156

National Rifle Association Hunters Services 11250 Waples Mill Road Fairfax, VA 22030

It is with displeasure that I take the aforementioned action. However, you need to do the right thing and return my deposit.

To Whom It May Concern:

Mr. Chuck Bazzy, long time SCI member, officer and director, suggested I contact the "Ethics Committee: with a formal and detailed accounting of my complaint regarding my August 1999 safari in Mozambique. The two parties involved are:

Mr. Gary Strasser, President Northwoods Adventures - Worldwide Safaris, LLC PO Box 20 Phone: 715-623-3800 Deerbrook, WI 54424 - USA

Mr. Gerhard Geyer Unyati Safaris - Mozambique PO Box 7544 Centurion #0046 Phone: 011-27-12-802-0236 Republic of South Africa

History:

I contacted Mr. Strasser based on his ads in various hunting periodicals specifically to inquire about a safari in the Niassa area of northern Mozambique for lion, Cape buffalo, crocodile and plains game. He furnished extensive information on the area and the "concession holder", Mr. Gerhard Geyer. He was very enthusiastic about the "virgin conditions", the vast amount of game, and offered a personal story of shooting a huge maned lion (out of a large pride) that he and Geyer simply "happened upon" as they motored around the concession. He even detailed the weapon used - a model 95 Winchester 405 caliber, I recall - and the fact that killing a lion would be "a walk in the park!" Insofar as there were no previous hunters who had hunted the Niassa concession, I was unable to check references. However, with Gary Strasser's assurances and "on-the-ground experience" I asked for a short list of recent hunters whom had been on safari with Geyer in his Coutada #14 central Mozambique concession, or Republic of South African concessions. I was given half a dozen names by Strasser and after contacting them individually and getting mostly positive references, I contracted the hunt for mid-July of 1999, in Niassa, and sent the stipulated deposit for my wife and myself. Shortly after "booking" the hunt, I contacted our dear friends, Denny and Betsy Wandtke of central Wisconsin who decided to join us. They contacted Mr. Strasser and also signed contracts for Cape buffalo and plains game for the same mid-July safari dates with us. Several months later, we were informed by Strasser and Geyer that the "Niassa concession" had been overrun with hundreds of natives, many carrying AK-47's and they were burning trees, brush and grass, building homes and poaching vast numbers of all indigenous game! Strasser and Geyer then explained we could be moved down to the "Coutada #14" concession, shorten the hunt to a "buffalo and plains game special;" for fewer days and a lower cost as no lions were to be reasonably expected in that area. After counseling with them by phone, we all agreed to exercise the offered option which necessitates moving the hunt dates to late August due to cyclonic weather conditions and resulting high water levels in this area in the Zambezi flood plain.

The hunt transpired as contracted, and I shot an excellent "gold medal" Cape buffalo, a warthog and two record class hippos. At the conclusion of the hunt we were presented with the normal trophy fee manifest and I paid Gerhard the several thousand dollars indicated. We all thoroughly enjoyed the safari experience and, in fact, made arrangements to hunt in RSA in 2000, also with the Wandtkes. I was assured that the skulls, capes and trophy hippo teeth would be forwarded in a matter of months to our respective taxidermists.

Several months later Geyer contacted me for forwarding information on the trophies, which I furnished. When we again joined him in RSA, he explained in detail that there was a "brief delay" in getting "export permits" from Mozambique as "only one person can sign the forms!" We had a successful hunt in the Karoo and Cape areas and at the conclusion of the safari, he once again assured me the long awaited trophies would be shipped with our RSA trophies, probably within three months, (late November, 2000) and if I was interested in elephant he had been "officially awarded" two permits from the authorities in Mozambique for the next year. When I questioned him about CITES export concerns on the ivory he informed me "there is no problem" but he would need $10-12,000 USD to "hold the hunt" as there was huge interest in "big ivory" in Europe and the US. This conversation was followed up when we arrived back in Michigan with another appeal for the "deposit". When I mentioned that my call to John Jackson in Louisiana resulted in a firm "no way" were CITES permits going to be available anytime soon, the subject was dropped. In mid-winter, I was contacted by Mr. Geyer's forwarding firm in RSA to arrange the shipment of our trophies. Elated I called the firm, Dip-Pack C.C. in Pretoria and spoke with "Andreas" who went over the shipping manifest with me. Much to my alarm, no Cape buffalo or hippo trophies were included! As I have hunted very widely, internationally, I am acutely aware of multiple crates being shipped vs. a single large crate in terms of cost! I informed Dip-Pack to hold the shipment, until Geyer had delivered the long promised Mozambique items. After numerous faxes, calls, e-mails and personal contacts (now nearly three years later) I recently received a crate which included the skull and cape of a non-trophy Cape buffalo that measures barely 33 inches in width, full of worm holes, the horns of which are apparently off a "pick-up" which has a large caliber hole between the eyes! My trophy bull was killed with a shoulder shot and measured "green" over 112 SCI (83 ½ X 15). I took the relic skull to Mr. Robert Taylor, a "master-measurer" with over 30 years of taxidermy experience, and asked him to view three close-up photos of "my" buffalo and compare them to the shipped set of horns. He simply stated they were "not even close" in size character, or individual visual comparison! Furthermore, no hippo skull and teeth were shipped.

I immediately dispatched a faxed and e-mailed letter to Gerhard Geyer's attention and followed up with numerous other attempts by both fax and phone - all to no avail! I have had several contacts since January with Mr. Strasser of Northwoods Adventures insofar as he booked the 1999 safari, and, while sympathetic, no resolution has been affected to date.

I have stumbled across an alarming litany of subsequent "problems" while contacting past clients that suffered serious safari "irregularities" at the hands of Geyer and his associates. I feel it is only fair to appraise the various associations, governmental agencies and authorities of the gross irregularities and deliberate misrepresentations of the involved parties so as to protect potentially vulnerable sportsmen from further abuse. I draw your attention to the shipping manifest, which shows "Country of Origin" (for the Mozambique) Cape buffalo as Phalaborwa, RSA - a clear and serious violation of laws governing export regulations! I strongly suspect this subterfuge was to cover the fact that the Mozambique government never received my thousands of dollars in trophy fees - thus no export permits for the buffalo and two hippos could be obtained. The fact that no response has been made to my many attempts to reconcile these serious charges and omissions proves to me that Mr. Geyer and his associates have repeatedly and deliberately misled me in my efforts to take delivery of the subject trophies.

As indicated below I have copied a host of involved entities and wish to respond in any way possible to any questions that may arise regarding this very unfortunate situation. Thank you for your ongoing efforts to protect the international sporting community.

I received a call from Mr. Geyer several weeks before the safari was to begin. Mr. Geyer fully explained several issues he was having with the hunt in Mozambique. His first concern was that I have an opportunity to have a successful and enjoyable hunt. Mr. Geyer game me the options of rebooking the hunt, canceling the hunt, or come on the hunt as planned. Due to my work schedule I was not able to rebook the hunt in Mozambique. I did however book a shorter safari for plains game in South Africa, with his son and professional hunter Gary Geyer.

Mr. Geyer and his son have both handled this issue in a very professional manner. I was impressed with Mr. Geyer's willingness to do whatever it took to rectify this situation. In addition, I think it is noteworthy that unlike many others in the hunting industry, Mr. Geyer let the customer decide what was best for themselves. I would have been very easy for Mr. Geyer to tell me nothing about the issues that he had, and blame the poor results on bad luck. However, this was not the case.

I read with interest a report from one of your subscribers describing Mr. Geyer's handling of a very similar situation during the same time from in Mozambique. Although I would never argue with that individual's right to express his opinion, here is my perspective on the manner in which the issue was handled.

1. Mr. Geyer gave me all the options, including a complete refund. He also volunteered to pay any incremental cost associated with rebooking the hunt.

2. When I did decide to go to South Africa, Mr. Geyer did everything in his power to make sure the safari was a success.

3. His staff, camps, and professional hunters were all first class.

In summary, I have booked hunts for the past nine years through Northwoods Adventures. I will continue to do so. I would recommend both Northwoods and Mr. Geyer of Unyati Safaris without hesitation. If you would like any additional information, please feel free to call.