Choose your back-up well. Unfortunately, just because some bozo calls himself a "guide", does not mean they are a good shot, and can shoot good under pressure.
"Requirements to be a Zim PH
1) Write learners theory exams. 4 Papers - Law, Firearms, Habits & Habitats and General paper.
Pass mark is 60% for each paper.
Present your results slip, a letter from a qualified PH stating that he is your tutor and a basic first aid certificate to the hunting office and you will be issued a learners license, and your log book stamped with the date of commencement of your formal apprenticeship.
Many youngsters from school do a year or so as a "gopher" for one of the big companies before they write their learners exams.
The learners is pretty comprehensive but the first three papers are purely book knowledge and anybody with a basic knowledge of the bush and some common sense will pass the "general" paper.
During your time as an apprentice you are expected to a) learn about the bush, b) learn about hunting (as opposed to shooting) c) Learn about clients.
You must also shoot 4 ele/buff (minimum) and 1 lion or 4 leopard. It is also expected that you would have accompanied hunts with clients and your tutor.
As a leaner you are permitted to carry out hunts with clients for soft skinned game in areas where nothing more dangerous than leopard may be encountered. Doing plainsgame hunts is a good way to gain experience in hunting and dealing with clients.
You must then pass a MARS advanced first aid certificate, and the shooting exam. Parks make a variety of ele and buff available to appy hunters but they have to have passed the shooting exam before they can take advantage of whatever ration or problem animals the local warden makes available.
The shooting test is ...
1 Speed shoot (aka Haley's hop) . 3 Targets at 10,15 and 20 paces. maximum of 3 rounds in rifle. on buzzer, shoot furthest to nearest, reload and then shoot near to far. Bull 6" score divided by time. Full house in 24 seconds is the pass mark. (you can of course be faster and less accurate! and still pass)
Major cal (.416 up) scores 5,4,2 (9,3 to .416) Minor scores 5,3,1
Scoring rings 6" bull, 10" inner
2) Run down. 40 meter run and then four targets at 10,15,20,25 m. score divided by time. Full house in 22 seconds to pass
3) Fire and movement. run 30 m then a series of three targets, only one visible at a time. keep waling and shooting. Range to targets only 10 m. Full house in 17 seconds to pass.
4) Accuracy shoot. 2/3 sized buff target at 75m. Two shots in two minutes. A hit in the heart zone scores 10. Anything else is taken as a miss. any position but from the bench. Most shoot from shooting sticks.
When your tutor thinks you know what you are doing, you attend one of the 'Interviews" (held twice a year). Just a short 20 min oral exam to see if you actually know your stuff. Will have an interpretive table with c20 skulls + skin samples for identification plus many skulls from buff antelope etc to estimate trophy size. etc. Interview is intense. Panel of six trying to get through everything from map reading to tree id in 20 mins. If you know your stuff basically and have the required minimum experience you go on the proficiency exam.
You site, and build a fly camp in the Zambezi Valley. Host an examiner. ( three candidates may combine into a camp to keep cost reasonable)
Proficiency lasts a week and candidate will be asked to shoot either an ele or a buff, plus build a blind and bait in a hyena lion or leopard. Hyena are shot for skinning practice, as are baboon. Candidate will be examined on all aspects of being a PH from running a camp, through tacking setting up a hunt, skinning, baits and blinds, trees, birds, spoor you name it. When you have 5 candidates between two examiners and often a 3rd Moderator along as well, and you are with them 14 - 20hrs a day you have plenty of time to ask a million questions.
After that, if you actually show that you are professional, you have the privilege of paying the government and exorbitant annual fee, calling yourself a PH and having hassle free firearms licensing!"
I wish some US guides had to go through the above ! ! ! !
JMHO,
JohnTheGreek
