My outfitter just advised me the Mozambique rifle import fee tripled !
From $300 to $900.

Ouch

so much for bringing a back up rifle, just can't justify $1800.00...

Wait until they decide to review the trophy fees!

I was just quoted by an outfitter there $1100 for first rifle and $700 for second. And then $1 per round of ammo. That just seems to be a deterrent. Crap if you have to overnight in South Africa and pay a service there to help with gun permits you're in over $2k just to be using your own rifles.

Use the outfitters rifles. I have been doing that regularly and they usually have very nice rifles. Save the hassles.

anymore as much as people complain about SA.
It starts looking like least hassle free first class destination

Yes! $1,100 for first rifle $700 for the second up from $250 each. Mokore is trying to fight this in court.

Mark

Yikes. $300 was crazy, but $900! That is a major disincentive. So, on our end in the USA, the State Dept. wants to make it as difficult as possible to travel with a rifle, and now the destination countries are joining in. Then add the airlines' refusals to carry trophies as freight. Things are not moving in a good direction for hunters.

I've hunted in RSA, Zim, Botswana and Namibia. Mozambique is now off my list. I just won't pay this kind of $$ just for the priviledge of bringing my rifle into their country. Sure, I could afford it, but I hate being ripped off.

I spend quite a bit of time working up loads for my various rifles and I want to use my guns/ammo for the hunt.

A prime example of the myriad of add on bullshit fees that are plaguing African hunts. A few will refuse to pay, but most will just go ahead and pay them after grumbling........... which is why this just continues to get worse and worse as time goes by.

If the majority said screw it and quit going, it would change fairly quickly. But we all know that won't happen.

Actually, I can not imagine anyone paying this fee out of sheer principle. $300.00 was bad enough. They are obviously trying to send a message, and that message is not good for their hunting tourism and for the outfitters who conduct hunts in that country. Pity

quote:

Originally posted by Skyline:

If the majority said screw it and quit going, it would change fairly quickly. But we all know that won't happen.

Unfortunately, you are right. I think it was that wise character Pogo who once said "We have met the enemy and they is us."

Just the other day I learned that the Zim gov't. started adding an "accomodation levy" as a tax on the accomodation part of the daily rate. Of course, that is on top of the 2% tax on daily rates.

Just another example of predatory public finance.

I don't much care about getting trophies back, taxidermy or even killing animals.

I like to go on hunts to relax and have a good time - drink a few beer, eat some red meat and chill out. One thing I do like is hunting with my own rifle .

All the crap abut aes-tin in us and these stupid African government fees will lead me to figure out another way to spend my money.

Mike

Agreed. Moz was on my list after this year in Namibia, but no more.

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:
Just another example of predatory public finance.

I don't much care about getting trophies back, taxidermy or even killing animals.

I like to go on hunts to relax and have a good time - drink a few beer, eat some red meat and chill out. One thing I do like is hunting with my own rifle .

All the crap abut aes-tin in us and these stupid African government fees will lead me to figure out another way to spend my money.

Mike

self drive safari fits that bill just right. Much cheaper also. Hunting is becoming a huge pain in the ass.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Use the outfitters rifles. I have been doing that regularly and they usually have very nice rifles. Save the hassles.

How many outfitters have left handed rifles to loan?

Discouraging that the excessive charter fees, tariffs, export, dip & pack, firearms fees, levies, inflated daily rates, inflated trophy fees, consumption of air fees, ad nauseam, are putting off a lot of hunters from going over. Maybe a time to put the experience in perspective because a two day quail hunt sounds appealing to me now.

When I see daily rates in the $1,850-$2,500 I think it time to grab my hammer double and look for Woodcock, quail and pheasant. Hard to justify these prices on the purchaser's end. I know the argument that the PH's are suffering as well but maybe it is time for them to look for another stream of revenue as their governments don't give a hoot about them or us. Just my 2 cents.

Another nail in the coffin
African governments will push envelope to the bitter end.
Simple greed, whiteys have all the money so let's skin'em.
Skin me all you want, I'm keeping my foreskin.

I would rather not hunt than hunt with another's rifle. As an above poster wrote it's another nail in the coffin. Between this, airlines not accepting trophies and rifles, and many PHs, agents, taxidermists, and camp staff trying their damnedest to separate the hunter from his money, I'm glad my Africa days are behind me. Maybe once more, but not the obsession it once was.
Cal

Stupid is as stupid does. Well, I guess there goes Moz off the to do list. What a shame.

Next thing will be a rod & reel import fee for the fishermen with $1.00 a yard charge for the line.

They will end up lowering it to $600. Then we can Feel like we "won". It's an old game.

Count me in as another safari hunter taking Moz off my list.

After reading Frostbit's report on the his & hers Leopard hunt, and talking to Jim & Joyce on the phone, I decided for sure to hunt Moz, and probably try their same outfitter.

$900 or $1,100, whichever, is insane. No Way. For the FIRST rifle!!!

And like the previous posters, I hunt with my own rifles. Only in an emergency would I use the PHs. I would stop hunting Africa if I could no longer bring my own rifles.

quote:

Originally posted by BEGNO:
Stupid is as stupid does. Well, I guess there goes Moz off the to do list. What a shame.

Next thing will be a rod & reel import fee for the fishermen with $1.00 a meter charge for the line.

Fixed!!

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
I would rather not hunt than hunt with another's rifle. As an above poster wrote it's another nail in the coffin. Between this, airlines not accepting trophies and rifles, and many PHs, agents, taxidermists, and camp staff trying their damnedest to separate the hunter from his money, I'm glad my Africa days are behind me. Maybe once more, but not the obsession it once was.
Cal

I am in the same boat. Hunting with my rifle and scope matters to me more than taxidermy does.

Glad my taste in African hunting are simple. I can hunt eland and Impala and be happy. Could not pay me enough to shoot another lion or elephant or giraffe.

I will hunt africa but mainly at places I have hunted before - save conservancy and Botswana w/ Jason Bridger. Only trip I want to do to a new place is Zambia w/ fairgame/Andrew.

I am going to look at doing a self drive in Namibia in near future.

These trophy fees - buff I zim and gun permit charges in moz make us look like fools. It's only hunting - damn I rather go fishing of Venice, La - people I know like fresh tuna more than pictures of me w/ dead animals.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by BEGNO:
Stupid is as stupid does. Well, I guess there goes Moz off the to do list. What a shame.

Next thing will be a rod & reel import fee for the fishermen with $1.00 a yard charge for the line.

Butch an eland in tholo is the same as in moz without all the bs. I think moz is learning gun permit pricing from Tanzania charter operators.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:


I am going to look at doing a self drive in Namibia in near future.


Mike

Give us a call Mike. We've done the self tour.

Cheers
Jim & Joyce

I barely recognize the pricing anymore. I shot my first Buff in Zim just 5 yrs ago on a 7 day hunt for $7500 all in. Burkina Faso last year was worth the money and Bots with Tholo last month was well worth the money and all my hunts with Nixon were worth the money. I'm glad I got to do 11 safaris in 7 yrs. before this craziness that prevails now. I think I'll just become a professional observer, sit by the mopane fire, drink, eat a lot of game and relax, no gun, no trophy fees, no dip and ship, no outrageous shipping fees, no taxidermy, etc.

I'm with you Butch & Larry. Paid $2250.00 to get a reedbuck and oribi cape and horns from Mozambique to my home.

We leave for Moz on Saturday. I emailed our outfitter and this was his reply...

They are increased, however they are not as much as that.
I believe they are a hundred or 2 more in total.
This may change in the next days as well as all the operators took it to the minister and he has agreed to resolve it

quote:

Originally posted by BEGNO:
I barely recognize the pricing anymore. I shot my first Buff in Zim just 5 yrs ago on a 7 day hunt for $7500 all in. Burkina Faso last year was worth the money and Bots with Tholo last month was well worth the money and all my hunts with Nixon were worth the money. I'm glad I got to do 11 safaris in 7 yrs. before this craziness that prevails now. I think I'll just become a professional observer, sit by the mopane fire, drink, eat a lot of game and relax, no gun, no trophy fees, no dip and ship, no outrageous shipping fees, no taxidermy, etc.

+1

I have been doing it for 5 years and pricing for Africa has started to makes no sense. I think N America is a joke anyway - I did my Alaskan moose adventure. I am done. I can use all my Stika gear to go visit Alaska and leave my gun behind and have a much better time.

The issue in Africa is the constant increase in all things big and small. Trophy fees, daily rates, travel to and form the airport - my pet peeve as oil prices are lower today than in last 5 years. Dip and pack, shipping - all these things keep going up at rates that make no relation to real world inflation.

It has hit a point and which people are just saying f*ck it. Better ways to spend money.

I can do some great plains game hunts - tholo for example. There is real value in these hunts for me but I need to leave trophies behind. I don't really care for trophies so it works just great for me.

Add all this cost inflation with african predatory taxing on hunting (zim buff fees, moz gun fees), anti-hunting us gun - aes-tin, all this airline bs - and hunting stops being a realizing de-stressing break.

Got to commend Andrew/Fairgame for his group hunts. Get the real african experience for real value and the outfitter is focused on reducing hunter costs.

Same time no one in African hunting business is making real money - most are barely surviving. So where is this money going - the backdoor to predatory public finance - african corruption. Same time hunting areas outside private control are getting worse.

Higher prices, more administrative bs, I still like going hunting in Africa. I much rather go drink some beers, hang around a fire, take pictures, shoot an impala and drive around and be in Africa. I can leave the focused taking of trophies and all its associated stuff - dip & pack taxidermy behind. Why i am so angry I had to cancel my trip with the Admiral/SubSailor74 to the Save. Would be fun to just hang around the Save.

Mike

I did my first hunt in Africa a couple of years ago in Zim. The price for Buff and Ele have had a decent increase since then. Wouldn't be able to afford it now.

Namibia next year with any luck.

quote:

Originally posted by doubleboy:
My outfitter just advised me the Mozambique rifle import fee tripled !
From $300 to $900.

Ouch

so much for bringing a back up rifle, just can't justify $1800.00...

And I bet they want in US small bills too.

RWS will not be charging the new fees to those that have booked or going to book this year.We will stay at the same price as quoted and pick up the difference.

Unfortunately a member of the brother hood looked into the records and noticed that the fees had not been increased in 30 years.

obviously this is still being negotiated and will be for a while.Thank you to those AMOS members in Maputo that spend endless thankless hours with the ministries.

I am not sure how long this kind of rib off in Africa will last. It started with trophy fees, then charter flights now 1100 to bring a rifle. At one time enough is enough.

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Sellers:
Me and a couple of buddies just booked a fishing trip in Guatemala for sailfish with one of the top outfits there. 5 days, all lodging, food, airfare from Albuquerque including the fishing for less than $3,500.00 all in. No airline BS, no hidden charges, simple in and out of Customs there, etc. Seems more of this type of trip in my future until/if, Africa/USA ever gets their collective act together. Same goes for hunting in Argentina with AR members Dr. Juan Pozzi, and Matt Graham in Aussieland, pretty much hassle free going that route. Africa hunting is cutting their own throats in a wide range of areas. I feel they will soon find out they are not the only option out there.

Larry Sellers
SCI(International)Life Member
R8 Blaser
Sabatti "trash" Double Shooter

Larry,

I agree with you.

I will be going to Mafia Island Tanzania 2nd time this year in October for 5 days fishing including return flights from Johannesburg.

$3000 a trip.

It will be less expensive for me to fly from Saudi to South Africa then to Canada or S America for a bow / rifle hunt and return than visiting a neighboring country to hunt a Cape Buff.

My passion for hunting is now turning to hunting them with the Canon instead of bow or rife a lot easier on the pocket..

quote:

I will be going to Mafia Island Tanzania 2nd time this year in October for 5 days fishing including return flights from Johannesburg.

$3000 a trip.

Great fishing venue especially if the Tuna are running (October should be productive). No shortage of GTs as well.

Who are you fishing with?

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:

quote:

I will be going to Mafia Island Tanzania 2nd time this year in October for 5 days fishing including return flights from Johannesburg.

$3000 a trip.

Great fishing venue especially if the Tuna are running (October should be productive). No shortage of GTs as well.

Who are you fishing with?

We will be fishing with Big Blu.

Feb we got hammered by 20 knot winds non stop but still got GT's, AJ's and odd Doggie.

As its a marine reserve its all catch and release and pristine.

Hell my cz isn't even worth $1100. Would I leave them my rifle in lieu of payment. Was talking with a buddy about doing Moz for our next adventure.... Needless to say that is now ofd the list. Looks like Namibia has moved to the top of the list.

I have been blessed to make three trips to Africa since 2008.

If I don't make it back, I have had a good run.

This sort of crap is starting to make Brown Bear hunting more attractive.

And, with Idaho offering draw hunts for bighorn sheep. mtn goats, and moose; it is likely time to hunt closer to home.

I wonder if that includes the bribes and shakedowns or if they are extra on top?

Hunted Mozambique In 2008 for Hippo and crock had a great trip thought about going back for plains game . Not if the rifle permit is $1,100 . I guess in the general sceam of things a $700. increase a $15,000hunt should not be a deal killer. That much for a rifle fee is gouging the hunter. There is a saying that it is always about the money but in this case it is about the principal