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| One of Us |
I was hunting buffalo in Zimbabwe with one of AR's most glorified outfitters. At one day the idea came up that my girlfriend and I should be limited to one softdrink a day. The friendly camp manager did not insist on that but I will never hunt with that company again. | |||
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You're so generous with your all consuming expert advice. How does one ever thank you? Maybe you'd share your secret on how your money has maintained its value and none of your costs have gone up. I'd be most interested to hear, and unlike other experts, your council is free. Imagine that. | |||
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They did the same exact to me, along with re-bottled water and a drunken PH. Wonder how they stay in business? . | |||
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Interesting that you were on a buffalo hunt with HHK, we spent 15 days on an elephant hunt (did get the elephant but hard tough hunt) more poachers than elephants. We saw one and that is ONE set of buffalo tracks and there was no long grass. The water in camp was BROWN. Food was not good. How did you do on your buffalo sir?  | |||
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Sir, That is scary, could you please PM this outfitter. Thank You | |||
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This hunt took place quite a few years back. At the time we saw a lot of Buff in the Hwange area and a few Elephants as well. Things may have changed. Quite a few years have passed since that hunt. Tom Z NRA Life Member | |||
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As a small business owner I totally understand that inflation and corrupt Govt. Officials especially are causing prices to go up every year. Again I totally understand this, and after all, PHs and agents as well need to put food on their table and even make a profit  So with all that said, the average working guy who could afford a plains game hunt in Namibia is finding it harder and harder to do. I if the trend continues, only the wealthy will be hunting Africa, and the pool of hunters will become smaller and smaller within that circle too. I understand the issues you face fellas but keep in mind that you are slowly strangling to death the Golden Goose. | |||
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Thanks for the info. Appreciate it very much. | |||
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Folks, While we are crapping on the latest state of the economy and where the safari industry goes from here, we do need to take note that there are some really fairly priced hunts out in the market if you are inclined to do something out of the box. West Africa comes to mind. With the dollar's gain on the Euro there are some amazing deals in the countries Europeans primarily hunt. Just a thought if you are wrestling with costs in southern or east Africa. On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of ten thousand, who on the dawn of victory lay down their weary heads resting, and there resting, died. If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch... Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son! - Rudyard Kipling Life grows grim without senseless indulgence. | |||
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Guys, In reading through this thread one particular thing jumped out at me that really doesn't have a lot of effect on overall safari pricing which I agree is going up but does in fact effect a client's overall satisfaction with his/her safari. That thing is unexpected costs that seem very petty. If the safari operator's price list does not state specifically who is responsible for birds, drinks etc it should and the client needs to get that clear. Personally I think charging a client for every beer or Coke is petty. Raise your day rate a little to cover this. I do think if a client wants other than local spirits and wine he/she should be willing to pay for that. I can see charging for the birds because if they don't it is possible for a few clients to hammer the flocks particularly of francolin on a property. I've seen it happen but the client needs to be clear that he is paying per bird or a specific day rate to cover what he shoots. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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Tough deal overall, but we will keep hunting and PH's will keep taking us. It could be worse. Hell, I bring my own booze and cigars and I'll drink whatever and eat what I kill. How about beer crisis or some tobacco epidemic. Sheet, that would be really bad. I don't want anything for free. I pay my own way. Anyone one of us who has been in Africa few times understands how tough it is for any supplies and parts to get and how tough it is to deal with African official Almost as bad as here in States. " Until the day breaks and the nights shadows flee away " Big ivory for my pillow and 2.5% of Neanderthal DNA flowing thru my veins. When I'm ready to go, pack a bag of gunpowder up my ass and strike a fire to my pecker, until I squeal like a boar. Yours truly , Milan The Boarkiller - World according to Milan PS I have big boar on my floor...but it ain't dead, just scared to move... Man should be happy and in good humor until the day he dies... Only fools hope to live forever “ Hávamál” | |||
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You have to admit that charging for soft drinks is pretty chicken shit. While I don't drink them, it would piss me off if I did. | |||
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My American Outfitter/Broker for my African PG hunt was Wade Derby from Cross Hair Consulting He was beyond great....words can't describe how satisfied I am with him..... A+ We used Steve Turner of Travel With Guns to sort out our flight and travel details Another top shelf guy I highly recomend My African host/outfitter was Andrew Renton of Kie River Safaris Andrew matched my wife and I with a great PH that was a joy to spend 12 days with and you can and should use Andrew if you want a fabulous vacation hunt....A+ also The host families at each property were also great people and helped make our trip feel presonal Why am I saying this? Because not all is bad in SA I watch prices soar and fear I will never get to go back I took out a loan to do this trip and will have it payed off in 2018... Can I take out yet another loan and do it again? Not if the cost keeps going up at the rates they have in the past 3 years over the next 3 years My first may very well be my last....sad but true ________________________________________________ Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper Proudly made in the USA Acepting all forms of payment | |||
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Naw Ted.. U got a couple more in ya! Not sure if your interested in Namibia but they have some great hunting at very reasonable prices. | |||
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Airfares actually cheaper now (SAA) than they have been for a very long time. I see daily rates on PG as low as $300 and that's not expensive by any yardstick considering you are hiring an entire building or two, a vehicle, an entourage of people (some seen, some unseen) to keep you entertained, fed, watered and clean, and several thousand acres of private property as your exclusive playground 24x7. Trophy fees on the common PG species not noticeably different than 5 or even 10 years ago in some areas. What has gone up? Kudu and Nyala trophy fees generally higher due to demand. Sable due to decimation in Zim. Cat hunts due to limited quotas all over and bans in some countries. And Zim buffalo hunts (the latter due to gov't imposed price hikes but they were cheaper than the other destinations for a long time due to the Bob factor). Those complaining about paying $3 to shoot a francolin should avoid the UK at all costs. There you pay circa $30 per bird released, not per bird shot. Someone is offering a "discounted" UK bird hunt, 4 days shooting incl accommo and meals, for circa $10K per gun. And horrors, you WILL be sharing "camp" on this hunt. Those praising fishing as an alternative ... a standard guided bonefish outing runs $750 per day in the Bahamas ... and that is 8 hours on the water, not a minute longer and count yourself lucky to get a sandwich and a soda thrown in. Oh, and accommo is an additional $200 per day. Imagine if you hired an entire ski area for you and your friends for the day. What would that run? I surmise it would be $10 to 50K PER DAY. That's the closest analogy I can think of to a hunt in Africa. I think some are used to the "free" self-guided hunting and fishing we enjoy here in the USA on public lands and can't figure out why Africa is not the same. Even then, price a trophy whitetail in TX or elk in CO, or a grizzly hunt in AK and I think you will reconsider your position. Russ Gould - Whitworth Arms LLC BigfiveHQ.com, Large Calibers and African Safaris Doublegunhq.com, Fine English, American and German Double Rifles and Shotguns VH2Q.com, Varmint Rifles and Gear | |||
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And you are right Larry But I go there for hunt, I'll get by on bread and water if need be And I wanna kill a bushpig bad " Until the day breaks and the nights shadows flee away " Big ivory for my pillow and 2.5% of Neanderthal DNA flowing thru my veins. When I'm ready to go, pack a bag of gunpowder up my ass and strike a fire to my pecker, until I squeal like a boar. Yours truly , Milan The Boarkiller - World according to Milan PS I have big boar on my floor...but it ain't dead, just scared to move... Man should be happy and in good humor until the day he dies... Only fools hope to live forever “ Hávamál” | |||
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I still have a list thats for sure and Namibia is a real option Eland Nyala Zebra Red Heartabeest ________________________________________________ Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper Proudly made in the USA Acepting all forms of payment | |||
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I read it as him saying it was a bad practice by the operator. | |||
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Mike, Diesel was cheaper in 2006 when the Safari Business thought it would never see another poor day. Have been around the oil patch my whole life...this down turn is pretty much par. As far as what Obama has done...is the increase in income tax and and increase in healthcare cost...the difference in what I pay for those two things now as opposed to 2006 per year...would pay for a buff safari. Besides that...another aspect of my Republican plug...is ele hunting. Clinton Foundation is squarely behind the ivory ban. I agreed with you about the cost increase. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J. Lane Easter, DVM A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991. | |||
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Bwana1........... my Swahili is no doubt a bit rusty, but I think Tanz-PH was basically saying he felt sorry for you and then just went on to say what is normal at the outfit he works for. Just a thought. ______________________________________________ The power of accurate observation is frequently called cynicism by those who are bereft of that gift. | |||
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Fishing is cheaper than hunting unless you start buying vikings boats. But hunting and fishing are comparing apples and oranges. I have used fishing as an example more as an alternative for the marginal discretionary dollar. https://mgfishing.rezdy.com You will most likely walk away with multiple coolers full of tuna. What I view as the plains game equivalent. http://www.tropicstar.com/book...y-7-night-trips.html The big game equivalent of fishing. If anyone wants from AR wants to do a group trip I am game for both places. Mike | |||
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Lane, Let's please not look at safari costs on the amount of income one would have to earn before paying federal income tax, state income tax (god bless tax, fla, nh, sd, wy, tn, wa) social security, obamacare, city income tax (f@ck nyc) to have money left over to pay for a safari. Now I am truly depressed. Mike | |||
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Skyline: Hardly rusty at all - you are 100% correct! "Pole Sana" is indeed an expression of sympathy. | |||
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| One of Us |
The price of oil may be hurting many in the fuel industry but lower fuel prices are helping my household. ________________________________________________ Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper Proudly made in the USA Acepting all forms of payment | |||
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| one of us |
Reading some of the posts in regard in being charged for menial things. I had a similar experience with HHK. I have been on this forum for some 15 years now (I was one of those lost in 2000). On my second safari in 1999 I hunted with HHK in Charisa. It was a wonderful safari and I went on two more and then this last one was the worst I have ever been on. There were many issues besides being charged for birds etc. Some of you will remember way back when, if somebody asked with whom they should hunt with in Zimbabwe, I would answer HHK without reservation. Ask me now and I will tell you that the only reason you run from HHK is you cannot fly. | |||
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Well I recently returned from my first Safari in Africa and have nothing but positives. Mayogi Safaris in the eastern cape of South Africa is a quality establishment in every way. I will make a full separate post. http://mayogi-safaris.co.za/ PA Bear Hunter, NRA Benefactor | |||
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I've been following this tread some and all the gloom and doom. Yes, some things are going up, that's why I hunt the specials, non-trophy, non-exportable etc. Mark Young has a special with Mokore in Sengwa now where you can combine for a tuskless and non-trophy, non-exportable buf for $17000 including trophy fees. That's $10,000 under the going price. If you consider you don't pay dip & pack, shipping or taxidermy, that's at least $15000 cheaper. There are bargains out there if you shop around. | |||
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In light of the fact that the average American household has consumer debt they cannot pay off..... http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog...card-debt-household/ a "bargain" safari is a very relative term. | |||
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That is still a lot of money for nothing but a photo and perhaps a elephant hair bracelet. Just shot a record book leopard which I can bring home for not a pile more. | |||
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Thanks to those actually naming their nickel and dime outfitters. Shame on those that complaint yet don't have the stones to name the piss poor companies. ETA HHK seemed to have an excellent reputation here, kinda surprised their name came up so often. Hunting: Exercising dominion over creation at 2800 fps. | |||
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Well, I guess that's one way of looking at it, but to me, I got a hole lot more than a photo and bracelet. Actually, I didn't get a bracelet, the bull was so old he didn't have any hair on the tail. I got the full experience of elephant hunting. I've hunted elephant seven times where as if I went on trophy hunts I would only have gone on one. The experience is the most important part to me. But, each their own. | |||
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Big +1 ______________________ DRSS ______________________ Hunt Reports 2015 His & Her Leopards with Derek Littleton of Luwire Safaris - http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/2971090112 2015 Trophy Bull Elephant with CMS http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/1651069012 DIY Brooks Range Sheep Hunt 2013 - http://forums.accuratereloadin...901038191#9901038191 Zambia June/July 2012 with Andrew Baldry - Royal Kafue http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7971064771 Zambia Sept 2010- Muchinga Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4211096141 Namibia Sept 2010 - ARUB Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6781076141 | |||
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Now that's a good selling point 
White Mountains Arizona | |||
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This is a very interesting read, and one of the reasons i'm grateful for finding this website so many years ago. I leave in exactly one month for my first ever trip to RSA. my "hunting" savings account is not likely to grow anytime soon, as my wife and i are moving to denver in 2 months, then buying a house in a year or so; i'll need all of my available income. since my hunting fund is finite at the moment, i believe i will leave all of my trophies in africa, and only shoot the few animals on my package hunt (SCI auction, very good price hunt). I will film my dad shooting his animals, and hunt with him, for the experience of hunting more animals. once i started adding up costs for dip/pack, VAT tax, crating, shipping, etc. etc... it quickly became expensive. i really hate not having my trophies, i LOVE having mounts on the wall. Reading this generally makes me wonder if i'll ever make a 2nd trip to africa (i'm only 34) once my income level is better and shipping trophies is more in my budget....but i wonder if the hunting in general over on the dark continent will be even remotely affordable by then... | |||
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What is interesting is that my 2008 Tanz lion hunt is approximately 1/3 more expensive than the discounted full-bag Tanz hunts now offered. It is a sign of all of the above stated reasons. Honestly, Tanz is showing more opportunity than Zim/Moz/Zambia, with some exceptions in Zambia on a cost average basis. Luke Samaris and Tanz-PH have a couple of the best offerings available on the advertised hunts. Tanz is a special place to hunt when all is considered. Without these advertised discounted hunts it is more difficult to find an affordable one unless one is willing to negotiate. Zim is out for me, I'm afraid. With some advertised day rates from $1,450 to $2.050 in Zim it is just a few thousand below these discounted Tanz hunts. Trophy fees in Tanz are less than Zim so it really evens out along with greater game species available in Tanz. Just my 2cents. Dutch | |||
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Ted - with the amount of posts and time you spend here in the Africa forum, something tells me you will find a way to do a second safari. | |||
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maybe you would think about shoot quite a few culls or a bunch of smaller, less expensive animals. Still fun but most places have quite a few animals listed at $300-400 and often quite a few nusciance animals for free. | |||
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In 2008, at 7.5 Namibian dollars to the US dollar I paid $600 for a kudu, $500 for Gemsbok, $250 for Springbok and $300 for a warthog. This year, at 12.4 Namibian dollars to the US dollar, I was quoted Kudu from $1400 - $1900 and Gemsbok $800 - $1600, Springbok at $600 and Warthog at $600 Frank "I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money." - Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter, 1953 NRA Life, SAF Life, CRPA Life, DRSS lite | |||
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Not even funny is it? ________________________________________________ Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper Proudly made in the USA Acepting all forms of payment | |||
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It would be really interesting to see the rates at which the german hunters book hunts. Euro was 1.6 in 2008 and 1.07 today. Mike | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting African Safari Bookings - Slow/Impaired Market
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