My pal that went with me to Namibia and I are planning another safari. On the last one, I hunted and he took the trophy pics. Next time he would like to go for some plains game and I want to do buffalo. While I might want to get a zebra or eland in, he only wants to shoot buff with a camera for the trophy shot.

Here is my question: can we mix a plains game and dangerous game safari together without him having to pay a dangerous game daily rate??

Think long and hard about whether or not you really want to do this. I'm sure the PH will not charge two DG daily rates, but this seems like a potentially great way to mess up a friendship. What's more, the cost savings will generally NOT AT ALL justify the lost hunting time. Frankly, it's one thing for father and son to hunt this way, or even husband and wife but (in my opinion) it is a recipe for disaster with "friends". My advice is to pay the extra $ per day for a second PH and employ him in whatever way you see fit...but at least have the option of hunting separately.

We have done this in Zimbabwe many times years ago.

Not sure about current regulations.

Although it is possible to hunt both buff and plains game in the same area, the areas where you would hunt buffalo in Namibia aren't typically the best places for plains game. In other words, if both plains game and buff are on your menu, then you'll probably travel between two different locations to hunt them -- in which case your friend could be only an observer when you are hunting in the buff area and would be a full-fledged hunter when the two of you are hunting the plains game area.

I can't see why a PH would charge anything other than the normal observer fee when your friend is only carrying a camera.

Sorry, should have been clearer. We intend for the next hunt to be in Tanz or Zim for the buff. Plains game would be secondary for me and the only thing for my friend.

In Namibia he came along as an observer to share the experience with me and it was great. He also got a chance, thanks to the extraordinary generosity of the outfitter, to take a couple springbox and also bagged a hyena! We shoot together often and get along great. Next time he would like to bag a couple of plains game but the primary would be my buff.

Just looking into the possibilities.

Get in touch with Gary Duckworth @ Mokore Safaris in the Save Valley Conservancy in Zim. My wife & I hunted there recently in similar fashion to what you are looking for. Another amicable PH I'd reccomend is John Sharp, he hunts the Bubye Valley Conservancy, also in Zim. Both areas are huge and have buff and many PG species.

Yes ... and no.

Tanzania, he will pay a premium to hunt plainsgame. License fees and gov fees are the same as a DG hunter. Day rate will probably even be a bit high. If you are doing it legally. Not all operators in Tanz do it legally though. You will know it is illegal because he will be shooting your quota.

In Zimbabwe, yes, he can shoot plainsgame very economically, and, this can be done legally as well on a 2x1.

I have done exactly this a couple of times hunting with Save Safaris in Zimbabwe. I did it this year in fact where I took a leopard hunt and my best friend took a plains game hunt in a 2x1 scenario with PH Mike Payne. You can read the report of my hunt in the "Hunting Reports - Africa" section of this site under "Shangani Leopard".
So, yes, it can be done.

My friend and I were not allowed to do this, 2:1 for buffalo.

The full day rate for PG is way cheaper than the 2x1 DG rate, so each book a 1x1 and then observe the other, or some scenario similar.
Do your research, some DG area don't have much in the way of PG, the conservancies are the general exception.

Could never figure out really what the question is?

One wants to hunt Buffalo, one wants to hunt PG but wants to take pictures of Buffalo?

If so then with me one will hunt Buffalo.

If the hunting regs allow it, it is easily done. You book a buff hunt with your friend as a observer. This will cost 1000-1200 per day for the buff/pg and 200-300 per day for the observer, with the understanding that he will shoot some as well.

Alternatively, between the two of you, you can decide an amount to be added to the pg hunters day rate and to be subtracted from the buff hunters day rate. For example, 400-500 per day for the pg hunter and 800-1000 per day for the buff hunter. That way, the pg hunter is paying a pg-type rate and the buff hunter is paying a fee more in line with the cost of a buff hunt, minus the pg opportunities that the "shooting observer" will take.

For how it works in practice, see my 2012 hunt report, below.

I've done it with RWS in Humani. My friend paid for 5 days of PG hunting and 5 days as an observer. Everyone had a great time.