Does anyone pay for the full hunt prior to the hunt - say a few months prior to the hunt?

We usually ask for 50% of the daily rate or 50% of the package price as a confirming deposit and the remaining 50% to be paid 60 days before the hunt commences. Trophy fees and odds & ends (such as bar bills) are paid at the conclusion of the hunt before departure from camp.

I would say that the majority of the (respectable) African hunting industry works that way.

Some of our regular clients like to pay the entire cost on booking even if they're booking 12 months or more in advance.....but that's partly (at least) to do with exchange rates.

Interesting, I was ask to pay for the full hunt a couple of months in advance - it is in the States - Texas.

I have never done this before nor will I do it now. I was just wondering if it was just me.

I have paid the full day rate (with agent of a PH I have hunted with before) a few day prior to leaving for Africa so as to reduce the amount of cash I need to carry with me.

Normally I pay the 50% deposit and the balance at the end of the hunt.

What bar bills?

it's common in the states to pay for hunt before, although not months before, Usually a deposit is made and you pay when you reach camp. Otherplaces it is quite uncommon

Most of the places we hunt include booze and a few don't. The ones that don't, tend to be the more remote places. If every bottle come has to come in by charter plane it gets considerably more expensive than if there's a bottle shop just down the road. In reality we usually pick up the bar bill ourselves, but (for example) if the client drinks two bottles of malt whisky a day over a 21 day hunt, we might not.

Responsibility for the bar bill and any and all other additional expenses are fully detailed in our safari contract which the client signs before he pays any monies to us.

Most clients are moderate drinkers at most so it doesn't matter, but just a few are big drinkers......Russians for example can be phenonemal drinkers!

I have paid a deposit of 50% of daily rates at the time the contract is completed. Then paid the remaining daily rates at beginning of hunt with trophy fees and incedentles after all is completed. Paying of deposit is ensuring your commitment to the time slot and for the outfitter/ph to take care of pre-hunt costs. I beleive this system is a good one.

On two hunts in Namibia, I didnt pay for anything in advance, just at the end of the hunt, but I knew the ph there and it was all worked out.

I believe that a good contract with commitments on both sides, will start the safari on the right footing.

Hope this helps,
BigBullet

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Originally posted by Die Ou Jagter:


"I have never done this before nor will I do it now. I was just wondering if it was just me.

Normally I pay the 50% deposit and the balance at the end of the hunt."

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Stick to your guns. I never have paid all and won't. Each company has their rules and I HAVE MINE. We'll find a place in the middle and agree on something or they'll find a new client and I'll find a new outfitter. I have paid everthing from nothing to 50% (only once). Only had a problem once and that had nothing to do with deposits.

Now, with conditions today, I can see maybe paying the booking agent some more money before you leave and to be held to hunts end. This eliminates one trip to U. S. Customs to declared the amount of money moving out of the country if it is over $10,000.00. In some locations this might be a problem to accompolish,

Guests

This is the way we operate and have done so for the past 7-8 seasons without any problems at all.

The rules are there mainly to cover for unforseen situations as and if they may occur ...

BUT essentially we are to a degree flexable, especiallly with those whom we have a good relationship and are repeat clients ..

This is the Overview:

1) 40% of the package price OR daily rates as applicable, this initial deposit WILL FORMALLY secure a hunt booking and HOLD a specific DATE for the client ...

Once the deposit is rec'd the contract can only be changed if authorised by Balla-Balla. WE dont refund a deposit if a hunt is cancelled LESS than six months out from hunt date, we recommend cancellation insurance cover as required ...

Unfortunately in the world of uncertainty we live in unless we have this rule tooooooo many people come up with all the excuses in the world to cancel, some genuine some not so to protect our interests we have to be decisive as once we hold a date WE are then obliged to turn away all other hunters whom might want that date. WE operate on a first in first served basis

2) The remaining daily rates amount or pack price would be paid at the ranch, either in Amex t/c / US cash / or Euro as required ... NO personal cheques accepted as a rule.

3) Specie fees ( animals bagged and wounded ) and all final package or daily rate costs are paid at the ranch PRIOR to departure.

4) On our (cape buffalo packages) in Zambia should for whatever reason ( except wounding ) a client fail to bag his buff, we will refund the specie fee .... this has only occured once in 8 years when an (OLD SA hunter) did not get a buff ....

5) In SA the prices are all inclusive including local beers and wines soft drinks ... speciality and spirits are to the clients care and they normally pick up a few bottles at DUTY FREE Jo-burg International as required on route

In Zambia WE ARE VERY REMOTE and provide local beer and soft drinks /// wines spirits and speciality drinks to client care as required on route at duty free

6) Taxidermy dip & pack fees in Zambia are PAID within the package price or the daily rate hunt price at the ranch.

In SA where we are not remote like Zambia we try to get the clients to visit our local taxidermist and they would at that time pay the dip and pack fees as required.

In Zambia and South Africa the client will have an option to pay the FREIGHT costs to the taxi agent just prior to final shipment or if they prefer pay COLLECT at destination, the choice is up to the client ..

Summary:

Some clients actually prefer to ALSO pay the BULK of their proposed HUNT with a (balloon payment) just prior to their departure to hunt, that is entirely their choice and NOT a requirement by us

All questions and comments welcome

It's done both ways and both are acceptable apparantly...Our Tanzania hunts are 50% down and the rest at the end of the hunt as the trophy fees for plainsgame and a second buff are normally added...Some of our RSA hunts require total payment of at least the daily rate...

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.... are 50% down and the rest at the end of the hunt ...

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The only way to go. Trust should work both ways.

Nitrox

Unfortunately RAY is one of the (very few) left in this world whom will put his trust in most of us humans, and he will be the FIRST to tell you that sometimes at a personal cost to himself when the wheels have fallen off it has to come out of his pocket.

Ray is a man of his word from days gone by when a HANDSHAKE meant what is was supposed to mean, it was a deal agreed upon.

The facts of life are not always as you say TRUST ..... UNFORTUNATELY there are sharks both on the hunter side and the outfitter side and TRUST gets lost in the fog somewhere especially when it comes to whom owes whom what ..

We have heard all the excuses under the sun and some more after that as well when it comes to payment, you wont believe the liars that are told at times to avoid coffing up the dosh ...

There was a sign in one shop I walked into that said

IN GOD WE TRUST ... the rest ALL PAY CASH

Have a good day in the real world not the world we wish it to be ... WE all learn by our mistakes and long experience in dealing with the public

Peter

Peter

My definite personal preference in future is to insist on a part deposit on booking and only the balance at the conclusion of a safari.

My first safari was on that basis with a respected outiftter and PH. The safari agreement was simple and everything went more or less smoothly. The second safari was 100% upfront including trophy fee and the agent's agreement seemed to cover them so well that if they failed to deliver a hunt, they still didn't need to refund the payment.

I think Ray should be congratulated for his being willing to deal on that basis.

I can imagine all the problems you have seen with clients wanting to get out of bookings, for real or false reasons. Indeed you only have to look at the current forums first page of thread headings to see why (!). But I have also seen or heard of enough of outfitters/agents etc failing to deliver or disappearing not to think my total trust also needs some earning. Hell I think if you are holding a 50% daily rate deposit you ain't doing too bad at all in terms of trust!

But it is for every business and their customers to work out their own policies and deals.

As said trust needs to work both ways, and I think people may work just a little harder to earn the balance rather than some "tip" only.

PS I hate "tips".

Nitrox

Yes TRUST is earned and with time the good outfitter hang in and the bad get found out and fall by the way ... Many many fail in Southern Africa and are not seen again, we call them fly by nighters.

WE have some repeat clients ( would you believe ) whom prefer to make one BALLOON payment prior to departing for the hunt so that when they are at the ranch they dont need much money at all, only enough for EXRA species that might take their fancy. Some have even sent the money after they return home when extra species have broken the bank so to speak, as you say TRUST can be earned but is MUST not be taken for granted as some might have found out

Peter

I have a question along this line. How far in advance should I put a 40% deposit down on a PG only hunt. I was thinking about dropping my deposit for 06 12 months in advance.

Thanks, John

Well I called the booking agent and told him no full payment and he said "Oh no problem you can pay the balance in camp, we collect the money up front as some people don't want to be bothered with money on the hunt" so things are A OK. Looking forward to my first hunt in the Lone Star state. It ain't
Africa but it is hunting. Can take two long beards, Javalina (add $100), wild boars and preditors. I do beleive it will be a hoot.