On the road…again!
Afghanistan to Zambia
Chronicles of a Footloose Forester
By Dick Pellek

Andre the Hunter

On the road…again! was the banner adopted by the Footloose Forester that subconsciously reminds him of his years of travel, but as they say, “you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” This fantastic tale is about a real adventurer who still lives his dreams.  Andre is still the big game hunter, but has other lesser trophies and displays to remind us and himself that some of his many expeditions and subsequent trophies were obtained in backwaters, bays, and open oceans; in addition to the plains of Africa.

How to tell the tale of an avid hunter and fisherman who amassed dozens of notable specimens in field and forest, in estuary and open ocean? How do you flavor the story of a man who had enough imagination and drive to also be the principal author of a book numbering 3361 pages?  A man who has written about African plains and their migrating herds; of land ownership disputes; of coral reefs in the Caribbean; and of the constituent conflicts regarding wildlife management policies?  The Footloose Forester doesn’t know how to do that—and do a worthy job of it.

A Critical Evaluation of Conservation and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa “Last Chance Africa” by Dr. Paul Andre DeGeorges and Brian Kevin Reilly is his tome, but not the only book to which his intense mind has contributed.  The Development of Taliban Factions in Afghanistan and Pakistan: A Geographical Account 2010 was recently published and co-authored with Major Agha H. Amin and Col. David J. Osinski. Andre has authored other scientific publications about pollution and degradation of coral reefs.  But this little chronicle is an attempt to record some of the hunting and fishing trophies you might see if you visit Andre’s house in Virginia.

The Footloose Forester remembers a few of the trophies above the sofa of Andre’s modest living room in Nairobi in 1992-93; but those were only the modest beginnings. Many more followed.  This tale might read more like a catalog of the holdings in the African Wing of the Museum of Natural History, now that he has seen some of the others. 

Andre and Guide with Greater Kudu

Among them are: 2 kudus; 4 gemsbok; 2 buffalos; an impala; a nyala; blue and black wildebeest; bushbuck, Thomson gazelle; springbok; bongo; Burchell's zebra; mountain zebra; savanna buffalo; warthog tusks; blesbok; Lord Derby eland, Kafue lechwe; and a West African sitatunga.  It was a learning process for the Footloose Forester when he saw them up close.  Andre also mentioned that some of his prizes were stolen from his storage in the USA.  The stolen treasures include: a West Africa roan; a savanna buffalo; singsing waterbuck; kob de buffon; plus some sailfish; dolphin fish and 2 fusil de traits.

As a dedicated hunter, Andre has both small and large bore rifles, including a bolt-action .50 caliber elephant gun that was made for him and has his name engraved on it.  There are many stories to be told about hunting, if future storytelling with Andre is in the cards.