About Us - Meet Our Consultants
Meet Mike Bauman
Born in Nebraska and raised in Missouri, hunting came to me at an early age. After graduating from Central Missouri State University, I managed 29 ranches for Oppenheimer Industries in five states. Thus I was exposed to the Rocky Mountains and big game hunting in Colorado and Wyoming. From that point forward I was hooked on elk, deer, and whitetail hunting, as well as the mountains and wilderness.
As time progressed, I managed some of the finest hunting lodges and ranches in the US, being licensed outfitter in New Mexico and Wyoming. I also spent many years in the banking industry and developed the business skills to manage large cattle and hunting operations. Subsequently, I was able to hunt all of the western states, Africa, and Alaska. As an outfitter, I booked many hunts for clients, always trying to match their expectations with the right people. Whether it be a lodge hunt or a wilderness pack trip, it is extremely important to know and understand what the client wants and what his or her limitations are. Being from the old school, repeat business is earned, not expected.
For many years I have had the desire to share my hunting experience and expertise with others, and Tracking Africa & America gives me the opportunity to be a part of our great heritage. It also allows me to stay in contact with many old friends and make new ones. My association with George Gehrman is longstanding, and I have the highest respect for George and his consultant business Tracking Africa. Through Tracking Africa and Tracking Africa & America, LLC, we can now offer outstanding North American hunts as well as custom African safaris. I consider it an honor to work with George, whose integrity is unquestionable and who has many years in the hunting industry both as consultant and hunter.
My philosophy in life is simple. Leave it better than you found it, and make new memories. Don't wear out the old ones!
Mike Bauman, Hunting Consultant
Meet George Gehrman
Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, my hunting experience dates back to the 1940's. My interest in Africa started about the same time when I exhausted the local library of all books on Africa. It took some time before my first safari in 1984; but since then, the hunts have come along with regularity. That first safari was in Namibia, then came Zimbabwe in 1992; South Africa in 1994; back to Zimbabwe in 1997; Namibia again in 1999; a full month was spent on the continent in 2000 with extensive travel and hunting in South Africa and Zimbabwe; Tanzania in 2001, followed by hunts in various parts of South Africa and Namibia in 2003, 2006, 2007, and 2010. I have personally hunted with nearly all of the operations I represent In Africa and so rely on first hand personal information plus the reports I get back from returning clients.
For anyone wishing to be successful in any endeavor, one must have a passion for what he/she is doing. For the past 15 years, I've arranged safaris for hundreds of clients and the passion burns on. I still enjoy participating with a client in setting up exactly the right hunt. So why should you work with me, as opposed to the multitude of other agents out there? First, I'm not a "one safari Charlie" who has gone on a plains game hunt in Africa and is now an expert. I've been there many times and have personally visited most of the operators I represent. If I haven't been to a place, I maintain contact with them and invariably meet personally with them at the various conventions I attend. I maintain an extensive Africa library, including current periodicals such as Magnum, Africa Hunter, the Africa Sporting Gazette, various informational sites on the internet, and others. My success and continuance in this highly competitive business demands that I be on top of a myriad of issues relating to travel to the Dark Continent, firearms permits and regulations, travel arrangements, health requirements, as well as where and when to go for the best success.
In a sense, your safari is my safari, and one of the real highlights of what I do is visiting with a client right after his return home and re-living with him those exciting and memorable moments of the hunt. A call to me for advice and information is totally without obligation. All I want is the opportunity to recommend to you, based on your input, a complete proposal which will most likely achieve your expectations of that very best of experiences - the African safari.
George Gehrman, Hunting Consultant
