Wesley -

I write in order to thank you for putting an exceptional safari hunt for me and my son, Sam.

As you know, I have been hunting for many years and have been a guest at quite a few hunting camps and lodges all over
the world. Without a doubt, however, your accommodations were head and sholders above the rest. Each facility was clean, comfortable and very well maintained. They were also situated in prime areas for hunting and viewing game.
Although my wife did not join us on this hunt, she would have been very satisfied with the lodges and the
services available at them.

Your knowledge of the game we were hunting, of the numerous areas in which we hunted and of the history and lore of South Adrica was extremely impressive -- as were the results of our hunt. Ten different species, 5 Gold medal animals, 2 silver and 3 bronze. Two animals of which in the SCI's Top Ten. Now that's a hunt!, What was even better was the attitude you displayed -- namely:"It's your hunt, your vacation."
You went hard when we wanted and you dialed it back when our mood was less aggressive.

That was really appreciated. We really had fun -- which is, after all, the whole point of a vacation.

I would not hesitate to recommend you to anyone desiring an "ultimate" safari. Whether shooting with a camera or a firearm, I am confident that any potential client would be totally satisfied. My personal view is that you delivered much more than we expected or even hoped to receive. When Sam and I return to Africa, and we will, we will not even consider signing up with someone else.

Finally, i would be remiss if i did not mention the terrific work done by Willie, your super tracker/skinner, and by Louise. Willie, as you well know, is a master at his craft. I was especially gratified by him taking Sam, who has never hunted big game before, under his wing and showing him the ropes of how to skin with precision and Louise of course, made us feel immediately at home. She is a wonderful woman and i can see she would be great accompanying woman hunters or observers.

You sure have a winning team.

As your website says, we came as clients and left as friends.
Regards, Rich

Email: RBrusca@Skadden.com

Hunter / Client: Tom Martwinski - Plains Game Safari August 2010.

Ultimate Hunting Safaris – Wesley Vander Veen (Outfitter & Professional Hunter) August 2010

I purchased a plains game hunt at the SCI Banquet in 2009 from Ultimate Hunting Safaris, Wesley van der Veen is the Owner/Outfitter and Professional Hunter behind it all. Wesley worked with me to accommodate 5 of my buddies to join me on the hunt. One thing that a lot of people forget about when they book a hunt is all the logistical work that goes into planning a successful hunt. This includes the logistics when you arrive at the airport, firearm documentation, transportation, interim lodging, other Professional Hunters, trackers, skinners, etc. Our flight ended up being delayed overnight so Wesley had to make arrangements
for accommodations in Johannesburg that were not originally planned. Having a guide that has the ability to handle changes and
be flexible is critical to a good trip.

I know that some hunters pay for an extra service to ensure that things go smoothly upon arriva, Wesley took care of every aspect
of our trip. From the time we arrived until taking us directly through to airport security on departure. When you book your hunt with Wesley, there is no need to pay an outside firm, he will take care of you from beginning to end.

Now, on to the hunt. We had six hunters, and every one of them had more opportunities to take game than they ever expected.
Among the 6 hunters, we took 28 animals over 7 days. I was able to take 7 animals. Every animal I took was a trophy class
animal with the exception of my warthog. The warthogs in the area we hunted had smaller tusks due to their feeding on
hard ground. My wife requested I bring home a warthog, so obviously I couldn't disappoint her.

We hunted hard for seven days, mostly spot and stalk, as that was my preference. I wanted the opportunity to get off the truck and go after the game. Wesley is not afraid to hunt hard, we climbed up and down mountains going after trophy game. Wesley will hunt at your pace, and accommodate your hunting style and ability.

During one of our mountain climbs at 6000 feet, Wesley spotted a huge trophy Eland. After about a 30 minute stalk, we got within
300 yards, at which point I made a solid shot through the lungs with the 7mm – Nosler Partition bullet. The eland rolled down the mountain about 70 yards, with a final 30 foot free fall on to rocks below breaking one of his horns, the taxidermist can make the repair. It took the trackers about 9 hours to get the Eland off the mountain. We cooked the Eland tenderloins along with several other game animals. The tenderloins were some of the best meat I have ever tasted. Enjoying freshly cooked tenderloins with a class of South Africa red wine around a camp fire is a great way to end a day.

I had another memorable hunt going after my gemsbok with over a 1.5 mile stalk up and down wild terrain. We stalked within 47 yards before I fired my 7MM to take this trophy down.

At the beginning of the Safari, Wesley made sure he knew what my priorities were for trophy animals. It is important to have a pretty good idea what game you want to go after so Wesley can target the right location and terrain for your animals. I wanted a nice blue wildebeest, and Wesley put me on a big old bull that I can't wait to get mounted. We chased the Blues for over 2 hours before I was able to line up a 300 yard shot off of shooting sticks. It's a good idea to practice using shooting sticks before heading out on your safari. I practiced several hundred shots with a bipod and tripod using an air rifle so I would be comfortable making good shots.

Accommodations and Concessions:

The accommodations I would consider 4 star, everyone hunter had a private room, with down bedding to include hot water bottles tucked neatly in our beds every night. We had hot showers and gourmet meals with great South African wine.

The concessions were beautiful with a broad range of terrain from 6000 ft rugged mountains to plains with hundreds of black wildebeest. It was truly a great hunting landscape with thousands of acres for the game to roam.

SCI Blue Humanitarian Bag

I was able to take over a Safari Club International Humanitarian bag filled with school and medical supplies along with bags
of candy and a few balls. Thank you SCI for providing the bag full of goodies, my wife and daughter added to the bag until I
thought for sure it would burst – over 70 pounds. Thank you Virgin Atlantic for not charging me extra for an overweight bag.
As it turns out, the teachers were on strike, so the schools were empty. Our guide along with the trackers went around the
different villages rounding up the school kids so we could hand out the supplies directly to the kids. They emphasized that if
we gave the bag directly to the school administrators, the supplies would not likely get to the kids. We had a great experience handing out the supplies, balls, and candy. One of my buddies brought his 16 year old son, we had him give out candy to every
kid and it was his job to be sure each child received something. It was a rewarding experience for all of us and I think the kids
had a good time as well.

Summary:

Wesley and his Ultimate Safari Outfitting company provide his clients with a first class hunting experience. He pays close
attention to every detail to make sure his client's every need is met. Wesley takes care of you from the moment you arrive until
you are back in line at airport security. He handles all firearm processing and had an excellent taxidermist to handle your trophies
at the end of your trip. Wesley's fiancé also added a special touch to the Safari, she is a hotel management professional and
knows how to add that special touch bringing additional flare to your trip and accommodations.

The quality of game was outstanding, all 6 of our hunters shot exceptional trophies from a broad range of species to include
Eland, Blue and Black wildebeest, blesbuck, gemsbok, springbuck, impala, warthog, waterbuck, reedbuck with many other
species available.

My safari with my brother-in-law Adam, was a hunt of a lifetime. We made memories we will be talking about for years to come.
We also made new friends we hope to see again soon. I am looking forward to taking my son on Safari in a few years.

Hunter / Client: Bob Geisler.

Hi Wesley, Well, I'm back at the daily grind and wishing I was back hunting with you. However, I wanted to drop you a line and tell you thanks! You made my hunt of a lifetime a reality, and for that I'm ever in your debt! I really appreciated how you added value at every opportunity.

From pre-clearing my firearm and then personally walking me through customs…as the other hunters waited hours, to your ability to choose from multiple hunting concessions so I could tag Gold level trophies, my experience with you really was an Ultimate Hunting Safari. I will never forget the 400m shot on the trophy White Blesbok (told you it was a good scope!), or the initial stalk and shot on a 42" Gemsbok. We worked hard together to get my Kudu, but we were also surprised by a snapshot on a trophy Mountain Reedbuck. Every one of my 8 animals and each stalk is etched in my mind.

Thanks to your great services, most are also etched on an HD video as well, so the experience will never fade. Beyond the great hunting, your ability to add color and depth to my South African experience is what really sealed the deal for me. I'm so thankful for your knowledge of local history and your ability to weave those stories into my hunt. It made the whole trip unforgettable. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the quality of the lodging and gourmet food.

Taken together I realize that this is truly a place that I can bring my family to and feel comfortable that they would get just as much value out of the experience, without pulling a trigger. I look forward to hunting again with you…maybe next time you will actually have to track an animal rather than simply picking it up where it drops (ha!). Nevertheless my friend, you earned every penny of your modest fee! Best wishes to you and your team for a successful 2011!.