An Interview with Ken Wilson

Ken Wilson is the owner of Sportsmen on Film in Kerrville, Texas, which sells 70 of his worldwide hunting and shooting DVDs. I spoke to him about his time afield and how it became a business.

How did you first get into hunting? What was your first adventure?

Until I turned 40, the only time I had ever fired a rifle was when I was in the Army, 1967-69. It was not until 1983 that a friend of mine invited me on a hunt to Alaska.  My first big game animal was a Dall Sheep using his rifle; a difficult hunt, but one that hooked me on hunting.

How did the idea of filming your hunts and then selling them come about?

After Alaska in September, I hunted a Desert Bighorn in Northern Baja in January, and then that same friend said let’s hunt Africa together.  We ended up booking 21 days in the Selous (Tanzania) with Professional Hunter Luke Samaras.  While waiting for July 1984, I saw an ad about this new contraption called a portable VHS camera and I decided to buy one so my friend, Dave Harshbarger, and I could tape each other.  We ended up getting good footage on what a safari was all about and were fortunate to each shoot elephant and leopard, and I added a lion and buffalo and Plains Game. Then another friend, who was an editor for NBC News, helped me edit the footage.  I gave away a few copies and was immediately advised that they were good and that I should start selling them, which I did.  And then I really started hunting!

How has technology changed the way you film your time afield and sell it?

Back in those days, VHS cameras were big and the state of the art (BetaCam) were bigger.  Those cameras weighed 20 pounds plus a battery belt and the tapes lasted only 20 minutes, so you carried a bunch and changed them at 15 minutes or the start of a stalk so you wouldn’t run out.  You had to be in good shape to lug everything up a mountain or when tracking long distances.

Tell us how your friendship then business relationship with Peter Capstick (a world-renowned big game writer) came about?

After Tanzania, I read Peter Capstick’s classic, Death in the Long Grass.  Like most, I was absolutely captivated. I got Capstick’s phone number from his publisher and called him at his home in Pretoria, South Africa.  I said I was a video producer and wanted to make a video of him hunting in Africa. He said he didn’t want to make a deal by phone or even by this new contraption called FAX; he would only do it in person.  So, I dropped what I was doing and flew to Johannesburg the next week and drove to his home.  Over the course of three days and a case of Lion Lager, we agreed to hunt Botswana together in 1986.  Over the course of several years, I ended up producing six videos with him including Peter Capstick’s Last Safari, which wasn’t supposed to be the last, but he died from heart failure shortly after that safari.

What was your most difficult / dangerous hunt?

Mountain hunting is the most difficult except for the Big 3 of African Plains Game, which can be equally difficult.  The Giant Eland usually takes days of tracking, and the Bongo lives in dense rain forest and usually requires Pygmy guides, and the Mountain Nyala lives in the mountains of Ethiopia.

As regards danger, I try to avoid the same with careful planning and an excellent PH, but that doesn’t mean that a lion or leopard or elephant or one of the African Buffalo species, or even a dry land hippo won’t take a whack at you.

What’s the worst hunt you’ve ever been on?

I’ve had several hunts where I’ve come back with nothing, but that happens and can be a learning experience to plan better such as with a better outfitter, a better time to hunt, a better area to hunt, different clothing, freeze-dried food to make up for a crummy cook, etc.

What’s next for you?

There was a period of 30 years that I hunted 45 days a year (a compromise made with my dear wife).  I have been fortunate to reach most of my hunting goals; six continents, the World Hunting and Conservation Award, the Triple Slam, and just last year I became #14 to achieve the North American 40.  I also have two World Slams of the 9 Billfish and two of the 6 Turkeys.  So, I think that’s enough.  Next is more travel with my wife plus continuing to raise a few African animals at our place in good, ol’ Fredericksburg, Texas.

Visit sportsmenonfilm.com for DVDs and digital downloads.

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