BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

[Charl]

I just joined the forum, and as a South African PH, I find a lot of the comments very interesting and, of course, usefull(learning).

Why is it that most of the internet forums complain about the cost of plainsgame hunting? We are booked to the brim each year with American clients, and trust me, not all of them are rich men.

I still think it is very affordable to hunt in South Africa, and we have been trying to fascilitate our clients with very good prices. Yes, Namibia is cheaper in many aspects, but I compared some of their prices with our own, and there is virtually no difference when it comes to trophy fees.

A lot of my American friends/clients say that the reason why they choose South Africa above Namibia, is because of the distance involved in travelling from the Airport to the hunting farm/area, as well as the conditions in which those journeys are made.

Any replies and input from experienced Safari hunters to the guys dreaming about a trip, will be appreciated!

[redrider]

Welcome to BGH :D Good to see another voice for the Africa forum!

[Don Fischer]

Welcome aboard. Africa is the one place I want to go to above all else, even if I don't shoot anything. Not intrested in the cities tho, it's the land and the animals that attract me. Probally could have gone several times over the years but I was very busy blowing money on stuff, Don't ask what as I can't remember!

[hunter777]

I can't wait to hunt in South Africa! One of these days, I hope.

[Charl]

I have to be very careful, but will put it in such a way that it is not perceived as advertising on the forum. Listen, I am so much in love with the African bush and the animals, that I want to share the experience with EVERYONE. It so happens that I make a living out of it as well ::neener:

Last year, this guy contacted me from the States. He never even thought about going on Safari, but needed a break. He has never in his life been to Africa. In seven days he had the time of his life. Not me taking his word for it. He immediately booked again for next year. "I just want to shoot a few animals", he said before he booked. I'm not going to go through it all, but he ended up with quite a few animals, amongst other things the most perfect 55" Kudu I have seen for a long time. Needless to say he got the break he wanted.

The main thing is this. Get of your butt and book a trip. :evil: We always dream of doing stuff. Like me wanting to shoot something in the snow. I just went ahead and did it. Take some time when you are in front of the PC and drop a few outfitters a line, and start to shop for the best prices. There are a lot of Safari Outfitters. Just do your homework. If I can give you guys advice, don't go with to cheap day rates. Expect to pay in the region of $300-350.00 per day for a plains game Safari when you go alone, and about $250-300 when there are two or more hunters. This will ensure good service, accommodation, food and drink.

I can tell you from experience that anything less than that, the outfitter starts to cut on some things. You can of course pay more; this is just a good guideline.

I don't want to step on any toes, but try not to book through a booking agent. I used one to market for me, and at the end of the day, his cost and fees, ends up on your bill, some where. If you get a good outfitter, they should be able to organise EVERYTHING for you, so you wont need an agent.

There are a lot more advice and tips, and you guys are more than welcome to ask me for some pointers.
:thumbsup1:

[Ex S.african]

Charl, you said it

As my screen name implies, I am an ex South African now living in Florida USA and I really miss "home"

I had the pleasure and misfortune of going with a local friend of a friend of friend...you get the idea. I thought, well its cheap and its a good way to go, well, the trip ended in disaster. The farm was overbooked, we were 4 hunters on aprox. 800 hectares and we were all chasing a hand full of animals. We had to take turns going out and the trackers/skinners were not up to par. On a number of cases, I had to litterally throw the guide with something to get him to stop so that i can take a look at an animal.

One good thing came out of the trip, my brother finally got his impala that he has been after for 8 years now ( we usually go back every 2-3 years )
But the trophy "mysteriously" disapeared. it wasn't a spectacular impala, but it was nice enough to mount.

Me on the other had, I couldn't get a shot in on anything that was worth it, came home empty handed this time.

So my advice is GO!!! and enjoy what africa has to offer. You will pay approx the same for an african safari as the guided deer hunts offered in the States.

Thanks for letting me rant and rave and remember the good times.

ME :thumbsup1:

[Charl]

Hi buddy! You most be a Lions supporter? You guys get to watch any rugby over there?

It's true. IT is like most things in life. It is very seldom that you get a bargain, and everything is as good as it can get. We, Infinito Safaris, last year sat down and looked at our prices. What we did was to get every outfitter advertising on the internet, get his price list, and see where we fall in terms of the "price tree". I don't know if many guys in the industry do this, but they realy should. I take a Springbuck for example. The prices ranges from $100.00 to $450.00. Now how should the avg. Joe American make up his mind where to book, if there is NO average? The only way to make up your mind, is to get at least 3 ref. and use the day fees as an avg. A good outfit will charge $250-$350.00 per hunter per day.

I see you are from Florida? I'm at the SHOT show next year, in Orlando. Maybe we should hook up? So by the way, if your brother wants a good Impala, drop me a PM PLEASE! He wont wait 8 years!

[Ex S.african]

We watch all the Rugby via the net, and no, I am a "Blou Bulle" guy myself ::neener:

About the show in Orlando, I will try my best to get there. Which day(s) does the show run?

If it is around the last week in April or October, we also have a braai for the old ex-pats around town that Sunday.

Anyway, our bank accounts are depleted at the moment, so we'll talk again when we can.

ME

[Charl]

Visit web site- www.shotshow.org- I'll be at the TSSI stand most of the time. The show runs from 14Jan I think....

Safe up those $'s there is a lot of fun to be had, I promise. Boks made a hash of it the weekend......Better put more Bulls in the side!!!! :evil:

Cheers Boet, enjoy the States, hope I get to meet you lot at the Show........

[Ex S.african]

Sound like a plan, but you have to be involved with the industry to get in. I'm just someone who likes the african experience.

Like Steve Hoff sings: "maak die bulle almal bokke"

Cheers

ME

[kevin davis]

I have been to Namibia once and the drive from the airport to farm was about 3 hours. The drive in Tanzania for buffalo was 3-4 hours. Living in Texas, those drives are nothing, so I was not fazed by the time. I routinely drive 10 hours to visit my aging parents in the panhandle. If anyone is worried about the drive times there, just relax, enjoy seeing baboons, gemsbok and other exotic animals on the way in and take pictures of the signs showing kudu, gemsbok, warthog, and baboon crossings. No deer crossing signs over there. It is all a part of the hunt and just requires a little planning and accomodation. Don't let anything stop you from going over there.

[Charl]

Kevin, what you said rings true, and makes a lot of sense. My comment comes from people that said that because of this, they won't go again. I must admit there was some bad stories about the hunt as well, and not all was about the distances. There are great outfiiters in Namibia, and their prices are prob. the best in Africa. You just will not hear a SA PH say go to Namibia rather than RSA, for various reasons, the above mentioned being one of them.

[Charl]

Ex S.african wrote: Sound like a plan, but you have to be involved with the industry to get in. I'm just someone who likes the african experience.

Like Steve Hoff sings: "maak die bulle almal bokke"

Cheers

ME

I might be able to organise you a pass......

[DUGABOY1]

Charl wrote: I just joined the forum, and as a South African PH, I find a lot of the comments very interesting and, of course, usefull(learning).

Why is it that most of the internet forums complain about the cost of plainsgame hunting? We are booked to the brim each year with American clients, and trust me, not all of them are rich men.

I still think it is very affordable to hunt in South Africa, and we have been trying to fascilitate our clients with very good prices. Yes, Namibia is cheaper in many aspects, but I compared some of their prices with our own, and there is virtually no difference when it comes to trophy fees.

!


Charl, welcome here! We're always glad to see things from the other side of an issue. I think you are right where trophy fees are concerened, with the average being about the same with RSA, and Namibia, and I know there are those who want to get off the plane shooting their rifles at something. I don't see much difference between the two places as far as travel time to the hunting from the airport pick-up. IMO, the difference is in RSA the roads are generally paved, and look almost like the USA in many ways, traveling through towns, and villages, with folks walking along all the roads. To many Amreican hunters, especially for a first time to Africa, this doesn't look like Africa to them. The hunter who goes to Namibia, find the dirt rouds, and the distance to be a plus, especially if they see more animals along the way than other cars, towns, and people walking along the roads.

In Both places the lodgeing, on these Game farms, looks more like an Alabama motel , or a Texas hunting lodge, than Safari in Africa. I think the outfitters in RSA, and Namibia, both, have the mistaken idea that is what American hunters want, and they couldn't be more wrong. I'd say a full 90% of American safari hunters would far rather hunt from a Grass hut, or tent than from a lodge, or farm house!

If one wants to include any dangerous game, then both places are very high in trophy fee costs. I know this is about plains game hunting, but many times a plains game hunt will turn into something else, if the guy gets a good look at an old Duggaboy, close up, and may be willing to pay the difference in daily fees, if the tophy fee is reasonable, this isn't possible in RSA, because these animals have to be bought at very high prices at auction, for desease free animals, I understand that.

I've hunted Africa several times, and I have not hunted RSA, simply because I hunt dangerous game, Buffalo, mostly, with plains game as targets of oppertunity, and are secondary, for me personally. So my outlook might not be average, among the hunters who book RSA, and Namibia :D

Anyway good hunting :thumbsup1: :wink:

[kevin davis]

I thought , after arriving in Namibia, that I had woken up in south texas. Same red dirt, same trees(acacia look a lot like mesquite), everything has thorns, but there were a whole lot more exotics roaming around than most of texas. I agree that the tent type camp would interest me more. We slept in the bush twice in Tanzania to save the hour or more drives from the area to the lodge, and I slept just as well (0r poorly, since I never sleep well anyway--too many years of delivering babies all thru the night) out in the bush. Too bad the PH snored so loud. So I did not get a shower that day--big deal. More time for hunting is better. My idea of being treated like a king on safari is to see lots of animals, not sleep in a king sized bed.