PH Spotlight – Erik Visser
Quagga Safaris, established in 1991, is based in Limpopo province of South Africa. For diversity of species, there are two main camps, one in Limpopo Valley and the other in the Free State. To accommodate clients’ wishes, Visser also hunts Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. When hunting plains game, he carries his old and trusted Marlin .30-30 with open sights. For dangerous game, his choice is a Krieghoff .470 NE double rifle or .500 NE double rifle. Visser commented he has a passion to hunt Cape buffalo.
Visser’s PH philosophy is the foundation of Quagga Safaris, “I think trophy hunting should be 80 percent about the experience and handling of the client and 20 percent the actual hunt or kill.  I am skilled at making clients find that correct balance.  I treat every client’s time and money as valuable and make every aspect of a safari important. My return clientele bookings have been 80 percent, and every hunter has become more than just a client in my personal life. Many clients have changed their outlook on life after hunting with me and sharing special moments. My rules concerning clients include being selective about species they hunt, providing value for the fees and reminding them to relax because they are in the bush.”
During decades afield, there are many memorable highlights. “One of my client’s first safaris was to South Africa for plains game in 1995,” Visser recalls.  “In 1998, that client completed my first Big Five. He recently finished his 37th safari with me. During those 21 years, we hunted many top trophies including the current SCI No. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Cape buffalo with handgun. Obviously, the moment when you face a charging buffalo, leopard or elephant is one you’ll never forget. The excitement on a new client’s face when he sees the first impala or giraffe in Africa is fantastic.”
Quagga Safaris offers many excursions such as photographic safaris to Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and in South Africa, Cape Town and Kruger National Park. There is some limited fishing in local rivers, tiger fishing in Chobe and Lake Kariba, and deep-sea fishing in the Mozambique waters.
With the help of clients, Quagga Safaris supports a local village school with 110 children.  Weekly visits to the school are made with clients who donate gifts, money, books and food. Meat from animals hunted by clients is also donated. Assistance has been given to the community for drilling water wells and erecting bathrooms. Quagga participates in the local anti-poaching patrol. Visser has been involved in training professional hunters and educates them about conservation programs as hunters and game farmers.
Visser has been a member of SCI since 1995 and Quagga Safaris has exhibited at the annual SCI convention. For the past 18 years, Visser has been a SCI master measurer and takes part in that program.