Last week Millersburg resident Gary A. Gemberling received a letter dated June 3, 2008, from Safari Club International that read as follows:

Dear Mr. Gemberling; It is our distinct honor to notify you that the recently submitted scores of your African trophies has been received and after review seven of the eight animals you took in the country of South Africa have scored above the minimum to be accepted into the Safari Club International record book.

Of particular distinction is the Black Wildebeest which is now currently ranked 45th largest in the world and the Southern Greater Kudu which is 60th largest in the world.

This accomplishment is truly remarkable. To honor you for this achievement, Safari Club International will be presenting to you a Certificate of Achievement and plaques to commemorate this distinguished hunting milestone.

In a conversation with Gemberling this week he said of his trip to South Africa, “I’m certainly glad I did it. It was a trip of a lifetime. I’ve hunted in different places, but this one of the best trips I’ve ever had.”

Last May, Gemberling left Millersburg for a 10 day hunt guided by Stan Berger Safaris of South Africa. “I went all by myself. I was in Viet Nam in the service, and while I was in that part of the world, I was sent to Kenya. I always wanted to go back and when I got this opportunity I jumped at it.”

Shooting a 300 WSM, Gemberling harvested a blue wildebeest, black wildebeest, warthog, springbok, kudu, bonte buck, impala and a bush buck.

“The longest shot was about 200 yards and the closest was 100 yards,” said Gemberling. “I was charged by a rhinoceros twice while I was there. I didn’t shoot because a permit for a rhino is $60,000. I would have had to let the rhino kill me, because if I would have shot one, my wife would have killed me.”

Gemberling said that when he went to South Africa he took along 200 Hershey bars and 200 pencils as gifts. Since it is illegal to bring the meat from the harvested animals back to this county, it is donated to villagers in the area. “It was something to see the villagers line up when they would see us coming with the meat,” he said. “The kids weren’t interested in the chocolate, they were more interested in the pencils. In the village schools, they use chalk and blackboards, so having a pencil is something they don’t get. The kids went nuts over them. All the pencils I had went to the village chief and he distributed them to the kids.”

Gemberling was allowed to keep the hide and cape from the animals, but all meat was donated to the villagers. “Nothing went to waste, everything was used by the villagers,” he said, “The kids in the villages gave me pieces of jewelry made from animal bones as a gift.”

“Everything about the trip was so very interesting,” he said. “I had no idea that the accommodations would be comparable to a five star resort. I spent more money to go to Colorado to hunt elk. The part that was expensive was the cost of the 17-hour flight to Africa.”

“I had no idea that the trip would be so good, that was a surprise,” he said. “I’m planning now to go over next year for Cape Buffalo. I want my wife to go this time. There are so many things to do, such as explore the Cradle of Mankind archaeological digs in the area, visit wineries and other activities.”

“When I first asked her to go, she said no, but now after seeing the photographs I took and hearing me talk about it, her answer has changed to ‘maybe’.

When asked about where the trophies he acquired will be kept, he replied, “I’m building a room on my house. I started it before I went to Africa and never anticipated that I would be finishing it to display African trophies.”

“I’ve hunted in different places, but I have to say this was one of the best hunts I’ve ever been on,” Gemberling said, “it was really different - a complete surprise, but a very pleasant surprise. And it was thrilling to be informed that two of my animals are ranked as some of the largest in the world.”