What’s in your Professional Hunters box of “tricks”?

Over the course of the past few years we’ve received numerous requests from hunters wanting to know what his/her Professional Hunters equipment preferences were.

What binoculars are the most popular? Which spotting scopes can do the job? Wooden homemade shooting sticks or the modern interchangeable sticks? Are any of the PH’s superstitious or do they have lucky charms?

We arranged a small get together and gathered around the campfire for an evening and asked some of our PH’s to share what they carry in those big boxes on the back of their trucks on a daily basis.

We’ve even pulled in Rick and the Grandfather of John X Safaris, Bokkie Roux, from years gone by. Let’s see how much or little the world has changed in 30 years of Professional Hunting.
Rick van Zyl – Professional Hunter 1982 – 2010

One of the many highlights in Rick’s career, 64″ Southern Greater Kudu.

Favorite Binoculars: Zeiss 10×42
Why? The best in the world! I’ve hunted with them for 26 years. Need I say more?!
Favorite Camera: Ricoh Film Camera
Favorite Knife: Remington knife with safety hook for gutting.
Favorite Spotting Scope: Leopold 10×50
What are your 8 most important items/equipment that can be found in your hunting box on any given day?

1. Stuyvesant 30’s(Cigarettes) & Zippo Lighter – When I guided I used to smoke.
2. SCI Tape Measure & Cable
3. Record Book
4. Duck Tape
5. Window Mount for Spotting Scope (Which as far as I know Carl still uses today.)
6. Monkey Suite, Gloves and Russian Rabbit Fur hat for cold winter nights in the Karoo.

Rick only wanted these, but would like to include his Bushmen tracker, Balbal.
Shooting Sticks: Wooden, no modern sticks were invented yet!
Favorite Back up Rifle for Plains Game? 375 H&H Bruno
Favorite Back up Rifle for Big 5? 375 H&H Bruno
Last but not least – Are you superstitious or do you have any lucky charms? None
Bokkie Roux – Professional Hunter 1988 – 1997

The grand father of John X Safaris, Bokkie Roux, bearing the brunt of a mornings hunt in a heavily infected cactus area.

Favorite Binoculars: Green Cat 8×30
Why? That’s all we could afford!
Favorite Camera: Kodak Film Camera
Favorite Knife: Swiss Army Knife
Favorite Spotting Scope: Never needed one I had a tracker that could see into the future – Dou Louw.
What are your 8 most important items/equipment that can be found in your hunting box on any given day?

1. First Aid Kit
2. Box of Lion matches.
3. Toilet Paper
4. Catty (Catapult) for bird hunting during lunch break.
5. Tweezers for pulling cactus thorns on numerous occasions – this was EXTREMELY important.
6. Biltong (Jerky) and dried sausage for snacks.
7. Two small bottles of White Label Whisky in case of an emergency.
8. Extra Ammunition

Shooting Sticks: Wooden single pod shooting stick.
Favorite Back up Rifle for Plains Game? 30-06 Winchester
Favorite Back up Rifle for Big 5? Never hunted/guided Big 5.
Last but not least – Are you superstitious or do you have any lucky charms? None
Gary Phillips – Professional Hunter 1996 – Present

Professional Hunter, Gary Phillips (left), with Mike Rogers from the popular Outdoor Network Show – SCI Expedition Safari.

Favorite Binoculars: Swarovski 10×42 SLC
Why? I’m like any other PH, I believe mine is the best.
Favorite Camera: Canon Digital
Favorite Knife: Leatherman Wave – There is no other like it.
Favorite Spotting Scope: The Swarovski, at present I’m using a Bosch n Lombe.
What are your 8 most important items/equipment that can be found in your hunting box on any given day?

1. First Aid Kit
2. Machete
3. Water bottle
4. Duck Tape
5. Camo Net for creating a hide/blind at any time during the day.
6. Selection of Extra Ammo
7. Tick Spray
8. Extra soft case for my clients Rifle/s

Shooting Sticks: Modern Interchangeable/Wooden. I do however enjoy finding a nice piece of wood from time to time and making my own sticks.
Favorite Back up Rifle for Plains Game? 270
Favorite Back up Rifle for Big 5? 458 Winchester
Last but not least – Are you superstitious or do you have any lucky charms? None at this stage, but I do believe in a fine Cigar after a monster Kudu has hit the ground!
Carl van Zyl – Professional Hunter 2003 – Present

Professional Hunter, Carl van Zyl, with a magnificent Buffalo hunted in the Selous, Tanzania.

Favorite Binoculars: Swarovski 10×42 SLC
Why? There is simply no better. I’m a huge Swarovski fan, in fact I have two sets, one for myself and another for my tracker. I want my entire team to be equipped with the best.
Favorite Camera: Canon Digital Pocket Camera. Minimum of 10 megapixel.
Favorite Knife: Buck knife – small/medium. My absolute favourite. Don’t ask me why I’m not a Leatherman guy? I guess I never caught onto the craze. (Ps. Gary has offered to take any off my hands that I receive as gifts. I think he owes me at least 5 Buck knives by now! )
Favorite Spotting Scope: I wish I could afford the Swarovski – the BIG DOG of spotting scopes. For now I rely on my trustee Leopold I inherited from Rick. I think it has been working for 15 years now, still as good as the day Rick bought it.
What are your 8 most important items/equipment that can be found in your hunting box on any given day?

1. First Aid Kit – Well stocked.
2. Duck Tape
3. Tripod and window adjustment tripods for my spotting scope and binoculars.
4. Spotlight/Mag light/Various Torches
5. Trail Camera and my homemade Bushpig back pack spotlight with red filter.
6. Knee Pads for my clients for crawling – I’ve lost too many great trophies due to sore knees in the past.
7. Ax/Saw/Machete
8. Gloves, Beanie & Scarf

Shooting Sticks: Modern Interchangeable Bog Pod. For sure. A very good friend of mine was one of the founders.
Favorite Back up Rifle for Plains Game? 300 Win Mag
Favorite Back up Rifle for Big 5? 375 for Cats and 416 Rigby for Buffalo, Hippo, Rhino & Elephant.
Last but not least – Are you superstitious or do you have any lucky charms? I’m extremely superstitious when it comes to hunting. Never keep a missed cartridge, and if you do, don’t ever tell me! Also – PLEASE never ask me to loan my favorite lucky Swarovski 10×42’s.
Now you know what can be found hidden away in those boxes of ours. Mostly very simple pieces of equipment, but very important in the greater scheme of leading to a successful hunt. While we were all gathered we decided to ask them the most asked question of all.
What was your top 5 biggest/best/favorite trophies you’ve ever guided? (Ps. Please don’t come requesting for these it took some of us our entire careers to achieve.)
Bokkie – Never kept any records what so ever. Mostly guided Europeans.
Rick – 64″ Southern Greater Kudu, 3 World Record East Cape Kudu, 10 6/8″ Vaal Rhebuck, 6 6/8″ Steenbuck, 29″ Southern Impala
Gary – 58″ East Cape Kudu, 56″ East Cape Kudu, 10″ Vaal Rhebuck, 6 2/8″ Steenbuck, 4 6/8″ Sunni in Mozambique.
Carl –First 16″ Warthog, 18″ Common Springbuck, 33″ Waterbuck , 44″ Gemsbuck, 48″ Cape Buffalo in the Selous Reserve, Tanzania. (And joint effort with Ed Wilson for 9 7/8 Vaal Rhebuck)
We hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s trip down memory lane as much as we have. Until next week when we’ll be reporting back on our first hunts of the season.
Yours in hunting – The John X Family.
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