M
manny15
Guest
I recieved this Email From Jim Shockey"
A friend of mine (Jim Shockey) was killed in Tanzania while I was over there hunting. Bobby Fontana was one of the best outfitters here in B.C. and in the Northwest Territories. He was my age and was as capable and smart as they come. It puts into perspective that indeed not even the best at this game are good enough. I knew Bobby on a professional basis, as a fellow member of the Guide Outfitters Association of British Columbia and from the various hunting conventions and shows over the years. Bobby even taught me how to play Blackjack in Las Vegas.
Here is the story as it was told to me by other Professional Hunters (PH) I spoke to when I came out of the bush to catch the flight home. Take it for what it is, a third hand account.
Bobby and his African PH, another top hand, were checking for lesser kudu tracks around a waterhole in an area near Lake Natron, Tanzania, an area that harbours some notoriously nasty Cape Buffalo. The Masai warriors harass the buffalo there because the buffalo trample and eat the maize crops. The two of them circled the waterhole and were actually on their way back to the truck, walking along the same trail they'd just walked down to get to the pond. Near as I could understand, the buffalo charged them from 18 feet, where it had been standing hidden in the long grass. Supposedly it knocked the PH down before he could do anything and then slammed Bobby. It got on top of Bobby and dropped to its knees like they do and crushed him into the ground with its boss. The PH shot once and the buffalo ran off. Bobby suffered head injuries and died instantly. They had not found the buffalo by the time I left Tanzania a few days later.
It could not have been avoided, but there were reports that the PH was carrying only a .375 H&H instead of a big double and also there were rumours that he had a misfire or two for some reason, but no doubt that is all speculation and rumour.
It is a very sad time for Bobby?s family and for the hunting world. We'll all miss him and send our deepest regards to his family.
I have also heard reports of another lady hunter, the wife of a well known hunting booking agent, who was gored by a Cape Buffalo in Tanzania at or around the same time we were there. I won't say any names until I confirm one way or another that it happened. I have heard however, that she is OK and recovering in the hospital.
I'm told that I don't have as much space as last time, but ended up taking up more space, so I'll have to go now or my hard working staff will fire me! See you up on the mountain!
Always aim high and shoot straight!
A friend of mine (Jim Shockey) was killed in Tanzania while I was over there hunting. Bobby Fontana was one of the best outfitters here in B.C. and in the Northwest Territories. He was my age and was as capable and smart as they come. It puts into perspective that indeed not even the best at this game are good enough. I knew Bobby on a professional basis, as a fellow member of the Guide Outfitters Association of British Columbia and from the various hunting conventions and shows over the years. Bobby even taught me how to play Blackjack in Las Vegas.
Here is the story as it was told to me by other Professional Hunters (PH) I spoke to when I came out of the bush to catch the flight home. Take it for what it is, a third hand account.
Bobby and his African PH, another top hand, were checking for lesser kudu tracks around a waterhole in an area near Lake Natron, Tanzania, an area that harbours some notoriously nasty Cape Buffalo. The Masai warriors harass the buffalo there because the buffalo trample and eat the maize crops. The two of them circled the waterhole and were actually on their way back to the truck, walking along the same trail they'd just walked down to get to the pond. Near as I could understand, the buffalo charged them from 18 feet, where it had been standing hidden in the long grass. Supposedly it knocked the PH down before he could do anything and then slammed Bobby. It got on top of Bobby and dropped to its knees like they do and crushed him into the ground with its boss. The PH shot once and the buffalo ran off. Bobby suffered head injuries and died instantly. They had not found the buffalo by the time I left Tanzania a few days later.
It could not have been avoided, but there were reports that the PH was carrying only a .375 H&H instead of a big double and also there were rumours that he had a misfire or two for some reason, but no doubt that is all speculation and rumour.
It is a very sad time for Bobby?s family and for the hunting world. We'll all miss him and send our deepest regards to his family.
I have also heard reports of another lady hunter, the wife of a well known hunting booking agent, who was gored by a Cape Buffalo in Tanzania at or around the same time we were there. I won't say any names until I confirm one way or another that it happened. I have heard however, that she is OK and recovering in the hospital.
I'm told that I don't have as much space as last time, but ended up taking up more space, so I'll have to go now or my hard working staff will fire me! See you up on the mountain!
Always aim high and shoot straight!
Now you've got me all feeling guilty like I shot a yearling coyote for no other reason than he was just standing there. }>
