I was just dreaming and wondered...

Is it possible to purchase or lease a hunting area for private use as a foreigner? Does anyone have experience with this? I ave heard comments now and again about some rich person or group doing this. This isn't a possibility for me at the moment but hopefully in the distant future if the fates are kind it sure would be nice. What country would be best? What sort of costs could you expect both initially and as time went on? Would it be easier to just purchase a Safari Co or a part of one and just come in to hunt when you want? Maybe something like a hunting lease here in the states where you split the area with x number of hunters. Any info appreciated.

In various ways this has been discussed in here before. In general, the consensus is "don't do it, not worth the trouble, risks, or money". OTOH, if you win a BIG lottery, since most lottery winners wind up screwing off the money anyway, you might consider buying a game ranch in South Africa. I have no real basis for commenting on other foreign African destinations.

The problems in South Africa are many with owning your own game ranch.......basically they include, there are some tax/money transfer considerations, especially if you sell out that may be a serious problem (this seems to be getting better), as a foreigner you would have to have or hire a PH to hunt game on your ranch, you would not be able to leave or keep guns in the country (as far as I know, the gun regulations change all the time and not for the better), you would really have to do your research on possible "native" claims or squatter claims to your land, theft of anything of value, fencing wire, for example, is endemic, which means you almost have to have a full time, on site manager (many use him as the PH if he has the credentials) and finally there is a real danger of having your land and ownership rights nationalized at some future date. But land over there is cheap enough that all of the above have not totally ruled out my continued consideration of buying some. If the dollar (unlikely) strengthens substantially against the rand, then I'll probably take on the project.

At least one "privately held" concession has been discussed here and elsewhere on the Web. Search "Loliondo."

I have some experiences about your request, soecially in zimbabwe.
I began in 2003 to lease the 50% ( the other 50% was for a local company)of a hunting area in the south zim. The area was beautiful, over 35.000 hectares unfenced.Plenty of plains game. I hunted for myself 3 times in that year, and I sold 4/5 hunts for the expenses. The operation was quite perfect. Only in zim, as foreigner, you cannot hunt for yourself. Ever you need a PH. But the experience I have done ( almost a month in safari) was great , and I dont spend so much money. At the end probably I have lost about 5.000 US.

For the second experience, please look the recent post about Carl Erasmus and my concession in Mozambique. Very bad. Never hunt. Lost about 12.000,us.

Third:
In 2005 I have leased a farm near chegutu(100km from harare). In February was plenty of animals. In august the poachers they have killed all the plains game.


The end of my story is if you look for an hunting area in Africa, first find a serious, serious, local partner.

Bulldog

I did some research on this subject for a long time and the only way IMO would be if you could get a group of people together and buy/ lease multiple 10 000ha farms and administer and run them together. Effectively, cutting the running and maintenance cost for each property by about 80% per farm.

Development cost such as consulting fee, infrastructure development, restocking, fencing, electrification, water supply etc. could be reduced by 40 to 60% per unit.

Labour costs such as for manager / PH’s and also general workforce, mechanic, craftsman etc. will be lower per unit because no duplication on each farm is needed.

Fencing cost which is one of the big 3 cost factors in establishing a Game farm / Game reserve (the other 2 a land and stock) can be reduced by about 80%
A 10 000 ha farm if 10 km x10 km requires 40km fence 12 farms of 10 km x10 km combined in a square of 40 km x 40 km only need 160 km of fence to enclose the area a reduction in cost of +/- 60-70%

Accommodation depending on agreement a central lodge complex could be built for the use of all farm owners or on each of the units the title holder can build his own House which would increase cost considerable.

Each farm will be owned by a PTY which is owned by the individual owners / or multiple owners. Each Pty will own the title deed to his 10 000 hectare. Shares on this PTY can be sold or traded if the owner desires such. You can not sell land in Mozambique but you can legally sell your shares!

Cost of Land:
You can’t buy land; you get a lease of 50 years once renewable for a other 50 years. You do pay an annual land tax of about 0.19 cents per hectare. As registered and authorised investor your investment is guaranteed and protected by the investment law any dispute if it can’t be solved locally will be decided by the international court in Den Haag. (Never any case known) you also entitled to reduced import tariff and tax reductions. Free export of profits up to 50% and you can keep accounts in US$ or any other major currency.

Operating profit:
Basically non !

Running cost per year:
For the first 5 years not more then 10 000$ per unit thereafter game production and selling of surplus should cover all operating cost.

Recovering of investment:
Only on sales of shares or PTY maybe even with profit!

Hunting:
For the first years 3-4 very limited thereafter ok.and at low cost.

Holydays
Free accommodation from 2nd year pay food and travel

Guys this is just the basic of it, much more is in the detail it can be done if you get enough people together.

I don’t know if you can deduct any of this on tax?

Estimated cost per 10 000 hectare unit about 200 to 250 000$ split over 3-5 years depending on implementation progress. Is the one case where bigger (more) becomes cheaper (per unit)

Alternative:
Lease a concession and start a safari company IMO it will cost you more, is not as secure and if you do not control it you never going to recover your investment.
Been there, done this.

Good Hunting

Bulldog

The Freidkins that own TGTS and Jack Brittingham and others have done just what you said. The have bought or established companies and solely control leases on good hunting areas. Nothing really different about that. On a less dramatic level many safari operators have partners/investors giving the investors some great hunting opportunities. The drawback of course is the money. If you are wealthy cool and if the whole deal goes south maybe you can write it off but if you have invested dollars you can't afford to loose it might be a differnt situation.

Mark

quote:

The end of my story is if you look for an hunting area in Africa, first find a serious, serious, local partner.

Herewith my formal application for the job as " a serious local partner". Registered PH since 1982. CV and references provided on demand.

In good hunting and pleasant daydreaming.

Andrew McLaren.

Check out these websites:

WildNet Africa Properties
Wiltinnet Properties
Bushveld Game Farms
GAMEFARMNET
Africa Game Farm Estates

I hope to one day be able to get a place over there for myself. I would really like a place somewhere in KwaZulu Natal, RSA. Maybe around 5,000-10,000 acres. Maybe one day.