Don't get me wrong, donated auction hunts contribute to great organizations and chapters, but what do outfitters like to get out of donated hunts?

I guess this may go without saying , but do you hope the buyer will add days, hunters animals? If the hunter does not, do you feel "cheated" by the loss of a potential paying client? I assume you also hope for repeat business, after all, this is a business for you.

While some auctions may result in the final bid being far from the donated value, others may come close to the donated value.

I guess my question is; what is the proper etiquette for the buyer of a donated auction hunt?

Oh noooooooooo, not again!



Sorry buddy, no offence intended, but you've just opened a well used a can of worms.

I don't make donations, so can't comment much but I'm sure those that do donate will have something to say.

I'm equally sure you'll also see a few insults etc hurled.

Tried to search, but was not too good at it. Did not know it was such a hot topic.

Let me see if I can find a "delete thread" button...

Ah, you're gonna get some entertainment out of it the very least!

I suppose my view is to add whatever you can while over there. Take a best friend, father, son, brother, significant other. You may never know when you will return to Africa and just enjoy opportunities presented. It seems more economical to add things on like a side order until you have reached your limit (I assume people will allow for more if they got a good deal on the auction). No where else can you have opportunities at so many diverse species.

I have purchased only one donated African hunt, for later this year. The price was pretty low. I inveigled a 70 year old friend to join me for his first safari, added days, and will certainly add extra animals, so I think the generous donor will do reasonably well.

Donors deserve our support. I think it does the industry good because some pf the buyers might not otherwise make that first trip.

Incidentally, thanks to Kobus Honibal of African Thirstland Safaris of Namibia.

quote:

Donors deserve our support

Very true.

Especially those who have been blackmailed to "donate" hunts

My operation is not in Africa, and the hunts I have donated are only for Javelina, but I have donated a couple of hunts to the DSC conventions.

It has not broke me from donating to what ever I feel is a worthwhile cause/organization/whatever.

Would it be nice to get repeat business, yes, but guiding for javelina, I don't really count on it.

Would it be nice to have clients referred to me because of the hunts I donate, yes, but I do not count on that one either.

Were I guiding for say Elk/Moose/Mule Deer, I do not know if I would be so ready to donate a hunt.

If I ran an operation in Africa, I would probably be even more hesitant.

I base that opinion, on the two hunts I donated to the DSC.

The first, one of the guys was great and we had a good time on the hunt, his hunting partner, was a jerk.

He had been invited on this hunt and he acted like he was paying out the nose, and was critical as hell about everything.

The second one was a guy and his Dad and me and my wife had a blast.

They were both really good, down to earth folks, and would loved for them to have come back.

It is a risk a guide/outfitter/PH runs when donating a hunt.

I give them the same service and serve them the same food to hunters on donated hunts as I do the folks on my full service/full price hunts.

The problem I see is that someone on a donated hunt, has nothing to lose by coming back after the hunt and trashing the business that donated the hunt, and the operator is put in the position of trying to clear their name.

JMO.

Saeed, several years ago, being a relatively new DG outfitter, my idea of a donated hunt was exposure, since then I have been a 100% donor every year at SCI, partly because of what you mentioned ( extra days/ hunters etc ), and partly because of requirements from SCI.

SCI have a ' priority point system', the only way to acquire points is through cash donations, or donated hunts to a specific value ( 1 point per $ 1000 donated ).In order to get' preferential ' booth placement and ' run with the big dogs', it is necessary to build up ones points.

I have had on several occasions though very demanding clients that were only after a really low priced hunt and expected too much especially first time hunters that have a very different view of what hunting DG should be. martin@bulembisafaris.co.zwwww.martinpieterssafaris.com

marty, since you are a donor and can speak with some authority I see in your post you can "donate" product (hunt) or cash. It appears you choice is product vs cash. Do you believe this is your best bang for your buck or is it just cheaper to donate the product?

die ou jagter, I originally chose product for the reasons mentioned in some of the posts, exposure and the hope that other hunters would join in on the hunt. I now feel that it is probably better to just donate cash, as I had a really difficult guy in May. martin@bulembisafaris.co.zw

Some people want something for nothing, hence the attractiveness of donated hunts, guns, art or whatever.

I refrain from bidding on these items unless I know the outfit very well. I have heard more than one say he wished the price had gone at least to the "cost" of the hunt in order to feel like he had really donated something.

Another reason I do not bid is that I just do not feel right about hunting with a guy that has a lot of expenses to cover and he gets nothing for it other than a booth space.

I realize that no one puts a gun to his head to make him donate, but I just do not like the SCI strong arm method and therefore do not support the show(s) other than to attend.

I also do not agree with the "location" preference given based on donation size. I have hosted 12 art shows, been the director of the show a few times. We allocate space based on lottery and the "featured artist". The location does not truly matter. The average Joe coming to a any show will seek out what he wants if he is a buyer. If he is tire kicker, he will just wander around and you (the safari company) will sell him nothing as he takes your brochures, asks for a ball cap and a discount on something he cannot afford.

HEY SCI - are you listening?


PS - I now expect Die will start a very pleasant thread on the attributes of SCI.

Die- I know all about SCI and their attributes but their fund raising strong arming is something I do not agree with.

quote:

HEY SCI - are you listening?

No, they are not.

doggie, no one ask you to agree with all things.

quote:

he will just wander around and you (the safari company) will sell him nothing as he takes your brochures, asks for a ball cap and a discount on something he cannot afford.

Yeah, I've met that guy!

Rich Elliott

quote:

If he is tire kicker, he will just wander around and you (the safari company) will sell him nothing as he takes your brochures, asks for a ball cap and a discount on something he cannot afford.

Ah, the assumption that if they don't come back and buy from you that they didn't buy.

I'm sure there are lot's of outfitters out there that think the same, not knowing that they lost to someone else.

quote:

Originally posted by Rich Elliott:

quote:

he will just wander around and you (the safari company) will sell him nothing as he takes your brochures, asks for a ball cap and a discount on something he cannot afford.

Yeah, I've met that guy!

Rich Elliott

I believe the term outfitters and PHs use for this guy is "whistling gopher", as in "How much does that go for?" A price is quoted, then he emits a whistle.

When I go to the shows I talk to very few outfitters as I know their time is valuble and I probably won't be buying from them. I usually basically know when I go to the show what I will be doing and with whom. The exception is visiting with outfits I have hunted with and just renewing freiendships.

The hunting public goes for a social event and maybe to book a hunt, but mostly to kick tires.

The outfitters and agents are there to sell, sell, sell, sell...

I am sure they like their "old" friends, but I think they like people that write checks the most. These are called "new" friends.

quote:

The problem I see is that someone on a donated hunt, has nothing to lose by coming back after the hunt and trashing the business that donated the hunt, and the operator is put in the position of trying to clear their name.

JMO.

So you're suggesting that there are folks out there who will get a good deal on a donated hunt, have a great time and then will come back and bash you just for sh*ts and giggles? Doesn't seem to pass a level one sanity check to me.

Maybe you're just paranoid, or doing something
very wrong, because I sure don't know anyone who would complain/bash anyone for a good effort/good time/good hunt. I do know lots who will speak up whern they've been had, or have had substandard services, however...

When the successful bidder of the 1st hunt I ever donated contacted me almost 2 years later and told me he was a bow hunter who had hunted with one of the better known bow-hunting outfitters in RSA for two years in a row I thought... whow... how am I going to handle this?

When he gave me his species list I almost got a heart attack as, having hunted Africa twice already, my client had hunted all the "easy" stuff and I was left with... Mountain Reedbuck, Klipspringer, Eland and a whole bunch of other animals that are not so easy to hunt - especially with a bow.

Well, all's well that ends well as they say... the client upgraded his hunt from the donated 5 days to 10 days and we bagged some real nice trophy animals including a 38" Eland, 7" Mountain Reedbuck, Giraffe and more. More importantly; I made a wonderful new friend that is an excellent reference to potential clients and has referred several other clients to me.

Having said this; I do know of Outfitters who have had "not so good" experiences donating hunts. I know of one guy who donated a 10 day / 3 animal hunt in the hope of having the client upgrade and hunt some more but ended up with a client in camp who had no intention of hunting anything other than the donated ones.

I guess this os one of the risks that one take in our business...