Hello all!

Apologies for the silly question, but alot of my research has been on the web and some silly prices have been quoted as have some really reasonable ones. How much do you think this package is worth?

4.5 to 5.5 days hunting
all food (with camp cook)
all drink including wine, beer, liquor
lodge accomodation (twin share ensuite), thatched roof fireplaces in all rooms, tv,vcr and stereo.
all airport transfers
all guns .308, .300wm or 12gauge
all ammo
1 blesbok(common)
1 Black wildebeest
1 Blue wildebeest
1ph x 2(hunters)
2 ph vehicles 4x4
3000 hectares of land 2 hours drive from jo'burg int'l exclusive to our party.

no flights or taxidermy.No malaria, tetse or pesky mosquitoes. few snakes.

other animals on the land are

eland
kudu
gemsbok
hartebeest
impala
duiker
mountain reedbuck
oribi
steenbok
zebra
ostrich
waterbuck
springbok
warthog
bushpig
leopard
caracal
jackal
vevert monkey
baboon

also francolin, partridge, pheasant, guniea fowl,ducks and eygptian geese, rabbits, spring hares and fishing.

some of these are free, but most plains game are additional charges.

Would love to hear all opinions, thanks alot fellow hunters, TM.

I have no idea of how to price the package but I would love to see what the individual prices might be for the animals listed based on a 10 day hunt.
Thank you,
Frank

fmhydes@cox.net

That will be a hard sell. Most hunters want a variety of game in their packages, and two different species of wildebeest plus a blesbok does not constitute a very interesting hunt. And nobody is going to travel all that way for 4-5 days hunting.

The majority of hunters will bring their own firearms.

I suggest you make the package bigger and more diverse. Include a kudu, that's a desirable trophy. If you have an excess of Wildebeest, then put one WB of either species in the package with an option to take a second one for an extra $500.

Price the package under $5000 for 7 days with 5 species and you will be in the ballpark.

TM

You are in a VERY competitive industry ....

You really need to do some basic sums for yourself first .... Dont fall into the trap of trying to make a price fit the market and then find that you go broke and out of business as apart from the obvious impact on your company you will do your clients whom had faith in you a gross diservice ..

YOu need to consider the following ..

Do you want to be a top end of the market all bells and whistles operator, middle of the road, or a low cost budget operation ...

There are market segments to cover all three bases and you must define what you are first then target that market specifically .. TOOOOO many people seem to think it is a breeze to get into the safari game and make money easily, what a shock to most whom drop by the road side because they do not have the knowledge and back up financially and the right staff to make it a successful operation ... Qualified staff and a a good area are the key to start the operation ..

Ray Atkinson whom has been in the business for more years than most will care to remember will tell you it is a very competitive and at times dirty business with a raft of fly by nighters offering the earth and not delivering .. IN South Africa there are more companies in the business than any other country in Africa so you have a big challenge as we all do ...

Find your market niche, price fairly, and dont cut corners just to make a sale, offer the quality before you compromise your name, you will get clients whom cant afford your price, so be it, that is the nature of business, and dont be fooled, safari hunting is a business and unless you are very rich and dont have financial constraints like most of us do then run it like a business ..

I would start by first walking slowly and then once you build up a satisfied client base you are on the road at least, dont always follow the crowd, be unique if possible and remember the main point is, service and a fair price is what makes a repeat client., not a cheap price and a bad hunt ... or an expensive price and an unsatisfied client, the client is alwayd KING ....

Regards, Peter

Thanks guys doing some polling and research is always good.

Our hunts are aimed primarily at the exceedingly busy asian traveller. out east people get much less leave than in the western world. This makes sure that my hunters can actually get to and from the hunts in time for their work commitments.

It is aimed at the first time or occaisional hunter. Access to guns and travelling with arms is extremely difficult asia wide, so i provide guns and ammo.

I am aimed at the top end of the market as these hunt lodges etc are extremely well appointed. Thanks for the advice and i hope you guys can keep the comments coming.

I would like to see a product created at our place that will rival the best is small group personalised plains game hunting.

thanks again to all.

"out east people get much less leave than in the western world"

Europe and the US are two different animals in that respect.

You mention TV, VCR, and stereos in the living quarters. (I wouldn't have any use for these myself). If your target clientele values this kind of amenity, he may like a DVD/VCD player (combination units have gotten dirt cheap in the States); he may like having internet access; and some mention of how good the cell phone service is could help, if it's good there.

Also, do Asian clients like to come alone or bring their wives? If the latter, some assurance there's something for the wives to do during the day might help sales.

H. C.

Trapmonkey, I'm no expert on the subject. But operations similar to what you are describing are very common to the USA market. In the USA, we are getting mailings and emails every week offering such hunts. Prices are low as there is a glut of such deals. There is considerable competition for clients. Package prices seem to keep getting lower.

For me it comes down to trophy quality. I'm not interested in mediocre trophies that the package hunts seem to offer, or the overpriced trophy fees for other critters.

Dear Matt and HC

Yes some do bring family. And yes there is a lot of fishing, game walks, a game cookery class and target shooting for them.

I did say this is aimed at the hunter who isn't to particular about size of trophy, we have some nice kudu in the 55+ range and trophy eland as well as some good black wildebeest. However our place isn't for the trophy hunter. Its a great place to get introduced to the sport of hunting and to hunt with family and friends. I respect your right to go out and seek the trophy of your dreams, but I did not ever say anything about sci, roland ward animals.

I did however detect some negativity in your mail( i could be wrong?!) there certainly isn't a glut out in my market of these packages. In fact as far as i know, i'm the only one who has been there and done the deals with the PH's and landowners so that i can give my client a fantastic and safe experience. Asia is a very different hunting market to the states. anyway you guys don't even have to leave the country, a short flight to some texas exotics farm will get you hunting african game at your doorstep.

Please note that i am not offering this package to the jaded and learned on these forums. I am asking for advice as fellow hunter.

Thanks, tm.

No, I didn't intend any negativity. I understand people from different cultures have different expectations and tastes. For instance, some Americans are dismayed that they won't be sleeping in a tent in the woods and living off biltong, hardtack, and roasted termites they have to catch. I'm serious about that. My impression is that British hunters are not so much interested in "roughing it".

I was just approaching this a a means of selling your packages to a different market. And I don't know much about that market.

H. C.

Dear HC

the negativity wasn't in your mail. mate. thanks for the comments. Though things are very competitive, i've got rights on a lovely little place and it would be a shame to waste it. cheers, tm

This doesn't make sense to me. If you have "done the deals with the PH's and landowners" then certainly you have agreed pricing with them and also your commission rate? Or are you saying you have leased an entire property for a season and then lined up some PH's as well? If the latter, you must be very sure of your ability to use up your quota, for you will pay for it anyway.

TM



You mention you are based in Singapore ...



1) Will you be staying home and booking the hunts, or will you be going over to SA for the full hunting season to be involved in the operation ..



2) Are you a share owner, or the total owner of the property !!



3) Are you going to emigrate to SA or just go on a visitors visa



4) How many PH and other staff do you/they employ on the ranch



5) Have you got a website for the property !! if not why not ?



The more information the better, so we can all understand where you are coming from and if we can assist you more in the venture at all ...



Regards, Peter