As Allen said you can't hunt all of the RSA species from one camp. We hunted several areas there this last year but it was understood that several days would be dedicated to driving and those days were charged at less than half the daily rate. We actually ended up getting more shooting time than we had paid for.

Booking with a top notch outfit in RSA may help avoid the situation Anders described. I still think you usually get what you pay for and looking for a safari based on the cheapest price is the wrong way to go about it.

Regards,

Mark

Anders,

I have no complaints, my PH in Zimbabwe is like me, came there to hunt! We'd be up before light, finish breakfast and head out as it started to get light, and on the dusty trail before the sun had a chance to rise. We had fun during the day, not all hunting but part of the hunt. We'd break for lunch under a nice akasaha tree, relax a bit, then back to the hunt! I've been lucky that everything I've hunted was in the same area, well, within 2 hours, but we hunted the way there.

On some of the safaris I was in areas that it was legal to night hunt, so we usually didn't get into camp till hours after dark! Always had a great, full safari!

That's too much wasted hunting time on your safari, sorry to hear that! I haven't hunted SA yet, don't know if I want to.

Allen,

I agree with you completely. And here is my own experience so far.

I personally like to spend all my days in Africa away from the towns, so I try to arrange my flights to suit the number of days I wish to hunt.

Sometimes, that does not work out, so we try to get around this.

In Zimbabwe, we almost always hunted 22 days on a 21 day hunt, but I always hunt with very good friends, and they only charge for a 21 day hunt.

In South Africa, we do spend all day driving between hunting areas, and the PH, in this case my friend Peter Harris, has always charged us 1/2 the daily rates of a hunting day. I only found out this at the end of the hunt, when paying my final bill.

I did not expect it, but Peter said he could not charge us a full daily rate for a day we did not hunt. Just goes to show what a gentleman he is.

In Tanzania we paid for the number of days we hunted.

My experience is that I�ve hunted more than I paid for. A normal day is often up an hour or two before sunrise, hunt until it�s to hot and then a siesta/lunch (often taken in the bush) then back out until last light. Rain has sometimes been a small problem. I�m very satisfied with the people I�ve hunted with.

I book 14 days this year in RSA, and we hunted in three areas, from the Durban to just north of Pretoria. LOTS of driving was involved, and I suppose we spent 2 whole days out of the 14 driving, plus at night. Realistically, there simply wasn't any other way would could have accomplished what we did without investing a couple of days on the road. That's just the way it was, but we still had a fantastic safari and got in plenty of hunting.

If you want a wide variety of S. African game (Mountain reedbuck to Limpopo bushbuck), there isn't a whole lot you can do about long drives -- they are going to go with the territory. RSA is different than Namibia or Zimbabwe, were you can stage a full safari from one camp. Quite honestly, I don't think it's too dumb to commit two or even three safaris, each one in a different area, (or else book more hunting days) to collect all of RSA's big game species. This strategy will result in more hunting, but the time spent of travel is rather unavoidable.

AD

Anders, this sort of thing shouldn't happen, but sadly, it's all too common............also a good reason for not buying a hunt package that involves a selection of species in the package price.

The only packages we ever offer is for something like a 7 day hunt when the first Buffalo is included.....

Just wanted to get a little discussion with members of the forum, about how many hours and days you actually get to hunt effective during an African safari.
One time I hunted for 10 days 1:1 for plains game. And paid the "full prize" for these days. But when I check my diary, it went along like this.
- 2 days no hunting because of driving to and from different areas (I was told that all the driving was supposed to happen during the evening, so no hunting days should be spoiled). My ph also used some time talking to friends and relatives on the way, getting this - getting that. More effectiveness, could have given me more hunting-time.
- half day 2:1, because my ph needed to arrange some stuff.
- half day at a waterhole, shooting birds, also because of the above mentioned reason.
(I said this was ok, as long as it wouldn`t affect my chances of getting my "pre-paid" trophies, but it did).
I will also add that number of hours every day varied quite a bit. Sometimes the evening hunt maybe lasted for an hour or two..

What do you think about this? Should I expect such things to happen? What are your experiences on this theme?

Hope you will add a comment!
Best regards, Anders

On my 21 day hunt in Zim last June we spent a lot of time driving around to check our lion and leopard baits. We had several baits out. They must be checked every day. On my next Safari I will see if I can arange to have 2 vehicles in camp, so a tracker can check the baits. That way the PH and I can hunt elephants all day!

We only charge for days hunted, In Tanzania fly in and out days are not charged...We hunt you the number of days you purchased for a hunt, usually from daylight to dark or past dark, unless you wish to slow down...If your hunt requires a camp change to obtain a certain species you pay the charter flight for the change only and that day is not a hunt day if its a long flight, common since prevails here.

Saeed hunts 21 full days from daylight until at least dark every day and he and I prefer no nap, others like to hunt mornings and evenings and nap in the field during the hot part of the day.

I hate that midday nap, its an African thing for the most part, I tell them its what they do best! Its your hunt and your choice..

I never hunted RSA and don't intend to do so for several of the reason you mention. In my opinion you have been had. I have hunted in 6 African countries and we have always hunted the days arranged for unless I wanted to do something else. My decision, not the Company or PH. Your money you decide how to spend it for value or without value received. Sorry about your situation, but we live and learn by our experiences!

My PG hunt was only seven days.....and I'm lucky I guess. I got to hunt every day.....and most of every day. No breakdowns.....no baloney. We left before sunup and arrived back at camp usually after sundown except when we had a trophy to deliver. When I got my (very coveted) Kudu we came back to camp at about 2:00 PM.....and (over) celebrated.....No complaints here.....It was MY IDEA!

I was delighted with my PH and outfitter.....They gave me everything I bargained for.......and then some!!!