A Summer With Angus Brown Safaris

Ellisras, South Africa

In the spring of 2006, my father approached me about a possible job offer one of his close friends, Terry Anderson, mentioned he might be able to extend to me. As my mom had been hounding me for months about what I was going to do over the summer, I was naturally excited about any opportunities coming from the mind of Terry, a notoriously dedicated outdoorsman. Upon further investigation I learned that several years ago, Terry’s son Peter had spent the summer of his eighteenth year in South Africa, working for the hunting outfitter Angus Brown Safaris. Terry had hunted with ABS for approximately 15 years, and he thought he could get me an internship there over my summer vacation. A week or so later, Terry emailed me and told me that yes, I could work there for the summer, but I would not receive a salary for doing so as an intern. The choice seemed fairly clear to me. I could work a boring job in Carolina, say bagging groceries for $5.15 an hour, and blow all the money I would make doing so on food and rent over the course of the summer, or I could go to Africa and work a dream job, interning with a professional hunter, and have my room and board covered. Net monetary gain for either job at the end of the summer: 0. I quickly announced my decision to my parents. I was going to Africa.

Angus Brown Safaris has been incorporated since 1983, but the owner, Angus Brown, has been a dedicated hunter his entire life. When he began hunting the Bushveld, he was one of three professional hunters in the entire locality. Today, there are hundreds, but Angus remains at the top of the list as far as experience and skill. Taking mostly American clients with a sprinkling of Europeans, Angus Brown Safaris does not cater just to the extremely wealthy trophy collector as some outfitters do, but rather focuses on the dedicated hunter who cares about the quality of the hunt as well as the quality of the trophy. The clients come from all walks of life, ranging from school teachers in New Mexico to television show hosts in Missouri to construction workers from Connecticut. The one thing every client had in common was their love of hunting and the wonderful experience they now have all shared. And behind the scenes, it takes a lot of work to make that one of a kind experience happen.

As well as a class assignment, this website is an attempt to show just how much effort really goes into the operation of an African Safari. Throughout my summer in South Africa, I have been nothing but impressed with the wonderful people who are associated with Angus Brown Safaris. A more decent and ethical group of professional hunters and their associates you would be troubled to find anywhere in the world. Even before leaving Africa, I have been in correspondence with my father and little brother trying to talk them into booking a hunt with ABS in the near future, as I am already looking forward to the next time I will be able to come back to Africa. A final word to anyone who is even considering a hunting safari in Africa: Take a serious look into Angus Brown Safaris, as I am sure you will not be disappointed.