Marc Watts

Marc Watts is recognized as one of the most successful modern day safari hunters in the world. His superb rifle shooting and hunting skills allow him to make the most of every opportunity in the field. Zimbabwe PH Andrew Dawson perhaps said it best describing Marc as "someone who seems to shoot great trophies wherever he goes." Marc is the host and executive producer of 8 best-selling safari DVD`s, he`s written numerous articles and "1 & Done" is his second book. When in Africa, Marc always seems to be on a mission. Besides a distinguished safari hunter, he's a goodwill ambassador, AIDS activist, educator, and now has his sights set on building a school in Africa. "He`s an extremely generous person, not just a great hunter," says Andre Roux, a Central African Republic PH.

Marc was a standout football, baseball and track and field athlete, and briefly played college football at the University of Washington. Today he thrives on challenges to shoot trophy animals and is the only hunter ever who has harvested both, a top 5 SCI Lord Derby eland and mountain nyala. He`s a firm believer that every animal can and should be taken with one well placed shot.

In February 1999, already an accomplished wing shooter, Marc took up the hobby of rifle shooting. As Marc`s proficiency with a rifle and marksmanship improved, due to extensive training with law enforcement and military experts, this two-time national Emmy-award winning broadcast journalist decided to take a shot at making his own hunting videos, which would eventually lead him to Africa.

Like every story he ever put on the air, he felt he needed a specific angle or niche. Marc didn't want to just make "killing videos" by splicing together a series of kill shots of animals writhing with cheesy music. Having loaded his own shotgun shells for years, Marc became a student of rifle ballistics and was determined to make every rifle shot a perfect shot. Accuracy combined with his trademark of solid storytelling became themes of his video line.

Described as a renowned marksman and relentless foot soldier in the field, Marc`s "Perfectly Shot Videos" line has allowed him to roll many of his passions into one. He is a veteran of twenty safaris in nine different countries. His latest DVD is titled, "Back to Africa: The Best of Bwana Moja". "The Royal Showdown" was his first book.

Marc is a lifetime member of Safari Club International, a Dallas Safari Club member, and is one of the former investors of the John Rigby Gunmaking Company. In addition, Marc once owned a gun store outside of Chicago, a shotgun shell distributorship, and was part-owner of a duck hunting club in Mexico. He has harvested more 275 animals on the continent of Africa, including eight cats and twenty four buffalo. He was the first African-American to complete the big five. He is also a member of the National Sporting Clays Association, competing in several regional and national tournaments every year. When he isn't hunting or negotiating contracts for newscasters, Marc is tending to one of the several other businesses he owns, including a health club and a restaurant. Marc is married and has a 12-year-old boy, Ryan who recently joined him on a hunt in Namibia.