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I would like to know the approximate cost of a hunt- excluding airfare and the actual stated guides cost: Tips, dipping and shipping of raw trophies, other related costs. Anybody have an itemized list they can i.m. me? | ||
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Arty, It's a bit like asking how long is a piece of string. You can pay a daily rate of US$150 per day or you can pay ten times that.....a good rule of thumb is that there is no such thing as a free lunch and if you buy cheap then that's what you get...........however if you time it right you can sometimes get some kind of a discount. For example early or late season etc. Ancilliary costs can also add up dramatically and this again varies dependant upon how companies price their services.......we for example include all the odds and ends such import taxes, licences, permits etc........some companies don't so you need to look hard at the bottom line. If it will help to give you an idea of costs generally, you could take a look at my website where you will find prices for hunting in a variety of African countries..........if you would like to send me an e-mail I'll be happy to send you a document detailing how to work out your ancilliary costs. | |||
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Arty Rule of thumb answer to your question ... For a basic plains game hunt you can generally work on $1000 / per day per animal ... Therfore, a basic 7-day hunt for a mixed bag of 7 animals would set you back $7000 .... plus airfares + dip pack and freight | |||
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Balla Balla's formula is pretty good. Daily rates vary a lot . . . but it usually seems that if the daily rate is low the trophy fees are high. What you shoot matters a great deal, too. Impala/warthog/springbok pretty cheap, kudu/gemsbok/zebra getting up there these days. There are still some great deals in Namibia, South Africa, and Zim. Dipping/packing isn't much of a deal, often included in hunt cost. But stand by on shipping costs. They haven't actually gone up much over the years, but still hurt. A normal-sized shipment of 7-10 animals will cost maybe a low of $1200 as raw trophies from southern Africa, maybe twice that for mounted trophies.African taxidermy cheaper, usually faster--but added shipping costs eat up most of the savings. | |||
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anybody interested in an excel spreadsheet that will help you calculate your all in budget email me Mike Legistine actu? Quid scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Great to see you posting here Craig! Us lefties will stick together  | |||
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Craig, Glad to see you back with us on AR. We enjoy reading all your books and articles | |||
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For the budget conscious hunter: A good entry-level South African plains game hunt for some trophiues and some days hunting will cost you about the same as a midrange four wheeler! How’s that for an understandable comparison? Andrew McLaren Andrew McLaren Professional Hunter and Hunting Outfitter since 1974. http://www.mclarensafaris.com The home page to go to for custom planning of ethical and affordable hunting of plains game in South Africa! Enquire about any South African hunting directly from andrew@mclarensafaris.com After a few years of participation on forums, I have learned that: One can cure: Lack of knowledge – by instruction. Lack of skills – by practice. Lack of experience – by time doing it. One cannot cure: Stupidity – nothing helps! Anti hunting sentiments – nothing helps! Put-‘n-Take Outfitters – money rules! My very long ago ancestors needed and loved to eat meat. Today I still hunt! | |||
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Arty, Not a easy answer. 1st start with what animals are on your wish list;2nd what Country you what to hunt in and how many days you what to hunt. After those are decided, then pick 3-4 Outfitters-PH's you have heard about on this forum. Ask for brochures, they all have a range of daily rates for different kinds of hunts, if you are going for DG it will cost more daily rate than plains game. Compare the hunts they offer (I used a spread sheet), find the one that sounds best for you, then call email references from the most recent hunts. The other cost is getting there and tipping (another subject you can search this forum on as it is a BIG subject) bobga | |||
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1/2 crate: $1450 to my door including international airfare, customs broker fees and domestic USA shipping. | |||
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A few weeks ago I received 7 raw skins, horns and skulls for Namibia, the cost was just over $1650 Last Friday I paid for the shipping of 6 raw skins, horns and skulls from South Africa, the cost was just over $2250. So that’s about $3900 for 13 animals or $300 each. That does include shipping to my door, Coppersmiths fees, custom fees.... Nothing was mounted, no taxidermy work was done in Africa ______________________ | |||
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mark was everything in good shape? Hunt as long as you can As hard as you can. You may not get tommorrow. | |||
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Arty, Just be prepared to spend a hell of a lot more than you thought (not that it is not woth it!!). I am now in for about $11,000 on a $4,000 plainsgame package! You will no doubt take more (or more expensive animals or both) while you are there. The real suprise is the taxidermy and the shipping costs. As a first timer, I had to have everything shoulder mounted. Depending on your tastes, you can go with European monuts and save a few $$'s. Regardless, it is money well spent. I can't wait to get back to the Dark Continent next year!! | |||
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Honestly, I was sick one week with some kind of bug, I worked 12 and 13 hour days the next week to get things back to normal and then last week I had jury duty, which farther screwed thing up. So I haven’t taken everything out of the box from Namibia yet nor had time to take it to a taxidermist. I’m guessing it’s all there and everything is OK. If not, I really don’t give a damn, the whole thing is over as far as I’m concerned. The stuff form RSA we haven’t gotten yet. This morning Patti said any day now ______________________ | |||
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Arty Your question is rather open ended to be too specific as many factors come into play including which country we are referring to and as the esteemed and very experienced hunter writer CRAIG BODDINGTON rightly points out, there are the run of the mill cost effective basic animals and the more sought after larger species. You need to also bear in mind that the USA dollar ( which most Africa outfitters use ) is taking a big hit lately regards exchange rate value against a ( mixed basket of other common currencies in use ) including the ZA rand. WE price our South Africa daily rate plains game (ranch hunts) within these boundaries, I will elaborate a bit A standard plains game hunt normally is (7-12 days) inclusive of the arrival & depart day. $375 - standard 1x1 daily hunting rate x the number of days hunting ( all inclusive price ) $325 - standard 2x1 daily hunting rate x the number of days hunting ( all inclusive price ) $175 - standard daily arrival day & non hunting rate x the number of days @ ranch ( all inclusive price ) The arrival day is normaly a non-hunting settle into camp day, sight in rifles and relax in prepartion for the hunt. We dont charge for the departure morning back to Pietersburg airport, OUR daily rates ( all inclusive price ) cover for pick up from & return back to Pietersburg airport, accomm food drinks laundry PH tracker skinner & all other camp staff services to make for a comforatable & enjoyable hunt Additional costs NOT included within the above: ( general overview ) 1) Species fees for any animals as hunted or wounded. 2) Costs prior to arrival & after departure from our ranches ( includes overnights & all airfares ) 3) Speciality drinks and/or spirits as required, normally pick up at Jo-bug airport duty free on route 4) Dip & preparation fee, allow $75 - $120 / per animal .... charged by our local taxidermist 5) Pack crate vet and export permits as required by law, estimate @ around 30% of the Dip & Prep fee. 6) FREIGHT costs ex: taxidermist via Johannesburg to home destination / payment COLLECT or just prior to depature, optional choice by client. 6) Tips and or gratuities for local camp and associted staff following the hunt / discuss with resident PH in advance especially when cash is involved. The PH is normally (very happy) with some cash or small items of hunting equipment in appreciation that might be left behind (-: WE try to, time permitting, take our clients to visit our local area taxidermst ( 40 kms from ranch ) for them to personally see his operation first hand and to also discuss any aspects of the process payment and follow up logistics as applicable to their hunted animals. Although there are exceptions to the rule, genarally speaking the above will cover from A to Z for our hunts without any hidden surprises. Happy hunting Regards, Peter | |||
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arty, I'll post this from a different persective... Firstly, you don't have to bring back all or any of your trophy's... More and more people are resorting to having good quality photographs taken instead. For some its a way of saving money, while other folks don't have the space to put trophy's up, yet while others have wives who don't like such things on display! So its not manditory by any means.. Secondly if you do bring trophy's back, the cost can be spread out over quite a period after the hunt. You can further save money by opting for things like European skull mounts instead of shoulder mounts or perhaps just flat skins. Some people have the hides caped and tanned in Africa and then have them mounted over the next couple of years as founds permit... If you exclude airfares, I would bet a 10 day plains game hunt in RSA for 6 or 7 animals would compare very favourably if not a lot cheaper to an out of State hunt for Elk or Mountain Sheep and on those hunts you are only taking one animal! All I would advise is pick your destination in RSA carefully and ask exactly what size area they hunt as most places are fenced. Some hunt over relatively small paddocks while others have huge areas of many thousands of acres... Regards, Pete | |||
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A lot of information to ruminate on. Just as I thought, it seems to be considerably more than just the price in the "brochures", and the airfare. | |||
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Arty, Not necessiarly, most of my priceing is cut and dried and you know what it cost before you leave the states..I price a Safari "All Inclusive' and thats what it means..No hidden charges or surprises with our quote and I know some others that do the same thing... Americans want a price of admission, period but by the same token Europeans want a hunt broke down into every little cost... At any rate you should know the exact cost before you ever step foot on the plane, so be carefull or you will get the African tap dance, and that is a cruel dance  .Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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I kept detailed records on the last two hunts. Two hunters, air fare from D/FW to Namibia and RSA, hunts and trophy fees ond 6 to 7 critters, tips, paack and dip, taxidermy in states, booze, hotels, any damn thing I could think of that I could chg. off to the hunt...15 and 18 day round trips...ave. is $1,300.00 a day for two people. I cut no corners on the hunts. You can borrow money but you can not borrow time. Go hunting with your family. | |||
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I did a little ciphering on our 10 day hunt to Namibia last year. I came up with about the same figure that others did. Airfare..................$2500 (Book Early!) Day rates,(2x1)..........$2000 Trophy fees, (7 animals).$2720 Tax. (done in Namibia)...$3549 Shipping (estimate)......$1500 Total....................$12,269 | |||
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Mike_Dettorre, You have mail. EKM ---------------------------------- Never Go Undergunned, Always Check The Sight In, Perform At Show Time. Good judgment comes from bad experience! Learn from the mistakes of others as you won't live long enough to make them all yourself! | |||
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TJ, If you have the time, could you shoot me an e-mail @ grizzkiller@yahoo.com Since I live in Alaska, I've got some questions that you may be able to help out with. Thanks, Northway | |||
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