Charl,

Thank you my friend...I always look forward in hearing what you have to say no matter what the subject...

I wish you a very succesful 2010 hunting season and for always trying to keep the hunting community hunting!!!

IMO you have a lot INTEGRITY...

Terry B. really enjoyed his hunt with you last year as I read his report and pics and talked several times in PM's...

Good job brother!

Roland

"Also I said to get a great hunt you need to book ahead. Well the '09 season is winding down in southern Africa and there have been some discounts and I've offered some but no long established safari companies gave anything away on their prime areas. In fact I was a little surprised at the lack of willingness to negotiate."


We hunted with Luke Samaras in August and you could name your hunt in the Selous because of his lack of bookings. They where taking down a camp in the Selous in Aug. Put it back up for some in are party that are going back in Oct. So is he not an established ? And 2010 is no better. You booking agents are worse at BS than Aircraft Salesmen

quote:

You booking agents are worse at BS than Aircraft Salesmen

Not to argue with you Tradewinds, but I think Mark is a way better BS'er then any stinking aircraft salesman!

For the last few years, I promised myself that I would not book a hunt in advance, keep some cash on-hand and my schedule flexible, and take advantage of a great deal on a cancellation hunt or unshot quota, as I did with Adam Clements in 2005 on what was a great hunt in Masailand. Yet once again, to get my preferred dates (after my son’s semester is out, but before the World Cub chaos) and quota, I'm already booked for 2-weeks in May-2010. I just prefer this, including the anticipation, physical training, selecting rifles/loads, reloading, shooting, and all the rest of the preparation...even my work has more purpose.

According to one booking agent in a document circulated around Zimbabwe encouraging outfitters to not raise prices, what is concerning is the lack of new and serious enquiries that typically pour in from ~Sept up thru the shows. If it were I, and I was selling hunts in 2010, every potential new client/hunt would be greeted with 100% of my attention and energy. You don’t need a huge funnel if you take care of the opportunities that come your way. Ditto with my previous customers...a client list is gold these days, and while bagging a new client is exciting, it is the repeat business that allows a company to focus on quality of service, weather tuff times, and grow.

I think what one will find this show season is that while deep discounts are unrealistic early in the year, many outfitters and especially those sitting on excess quota and PH-days this year, will be willing to (within reason) work with serious clients.

JMHO’s!

I don't want to say the sky is falling, But it sure looks gloomy! This is what I been told from outfitters I know very well!

Saskatchewan, One of the largest booking agents in the USA canceled three weeks of clients ( Escape clause in contract, Booking agent canceled hunts with several other outfitters)

Nebraska Outfitter Great area, Good outfitter, only has three clients for up coming deer season. He needs four client just to pay the hunting lease !

Alaska Tons of deals! Very few booking for next year. I personaly was down 30 - 40% this year and I don't have a single booking for next year! Hunting - Fishing clients down 30% all over Alaska

South Africa Very few booking, lots of culling!

Mongolia Ibex Last year outfitter said there were very few permits left, This year hes sending 10 permits back!


Next year is going to be bad! Some outfitter will not be able to weather the storm. If you have the money there will be incredible deals next year. Please book a hunt or fishing trip!

Would love to book a trip, BUT, I got let go from my sales position last July, and have been looking for work ever since

I figured one thing out...if I was 45 yo., insted of 58 1/2 yo. I'd have been reemployed over a month ago.

I can understand why bookings are down....everywhere.

Mad Dog

Robert, glad someone finally is starting to chime into things that I'm seeing all the time. Some of these agents and PHs keep trying to keep their pride during this economic downturn, and it will be the end for their business.

I laughed my ass off when I tried to work some deals out for some friends on hunts this past January at DSC, and the outfitters wouldn't budge on any of their prices. And I have about 28k-30k to play with for 4 hunters wanting PG. I truely had to work from keep from saying "are you crazy? do you not see the writing on the wall?" To top it all off, one of the guys who said "lets not change any of my trophy animal prices, my animals are worth it," emailed me mid March, begging me to contact him that we could make really good deals, because GUESS WHAT???? he didn't book shit at the shows and he was having serious cancelations. WOW I guess his crystal ball must have been off in January. And of course he has to enclose a picture of him with his family! Sympathy never worked on me! In january, he sure didn't have the time at all...interesting.

I orginally wanted to return to Omujeve Safaris, for my second trip with my buddies, but upon their request, I looked around at other outfitters. Guess what, when I went to Omujeve, I told them what we were interested in hunting, and BAM! they worked us out a great deal on the spot, and we had a great time, shot monster trophies.

These agents/phs/outfitters who the hell do they think they are kidding? Economics isn't that difficult to understand. Hunting is a luxury...I'm sure there's plenty of people who will agree with me, I'm tired of these guys pissing on my leg, and telling me it's raining.

If any of them had a lick of sense, they would price these hunts to were they were more affordable so they could at least have working capital...a small bit a profit is quite better than NONE at all.. Waiting till the end of the season to offer hunts at reasonable prices is ridiculous! Because most people I know, can't drop everything and go for 1-3 weeks, whether they have the money or not!

I appreciate you gentlemen telling it like it really is...

Robert and OH1983,

Both of you have answered the questions I had in my thread!

Thank you much!

The recent coopy of SCI's "Safari Times" has a number of very inexpensive plains game hunts that shocked me.

I am not sure what they charged last year but they are better priced than the spreadsheet I have full of Safari outfitters

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by Singleshot03:
The recent coopy of SCI's "Safari Times" has a number of very inexpensive plains game hunts that shocked me.

I am not sure what they charged last year but they are better priced than the spreadsheet I have full of Safari outfitters


Jim

Thanks Jim,



I'll take a look at a friend's copy...