I have enjoyed lurking round here for some time... hunting in Africa has been a distant fantasy for some time, but have travelled around southern Africa so I'm familiar with at least some of the ways things happen there.

I have decided that a hunt there is within my grasp - not in the near future, but it is something that I could do, with some focus. (One of the deciding factors was airfares to Northern Australia where I was also looking to hunt, which was about the same as a flight to Jo'burg!)

But costs are important. Where could I shave down costs without losing the quality? I don't want to appear a cheapskate, and recognise some things obviously don't come cheap.

For example, tipping is something that is part of the way things are done, so I will budget for that.

But taxidermy is hugely expensive. So should I just stick with some quality photos?? (I've never had anything turned into a showpiece, it goes into the freezer.)Do many people do that?

And on the subject of which animal to take I would often be happy to take the "right" one from the herd, whatever it might be at the time. But I'm not going to disappear up my own arse and say I wouldn't like that trophy Kudu!

I think that decisions around these issues may influence the end cost, but not necessarily my enjoyment. But there may be other things that you will be aware of, but I haven't thought of.

So what sort of things should I be looking for, and what sort of things should I be considering to scratch, if any? Is there a certain direction I should be heading, or should I just save up for longer?!

Thank you for any reply, but please be gentle, it's my first time........

One area you could save a lot is either set up a hunt that doesn't involve a small, charter flight into a camp; instead select a company that picks you up at the major airport and drives you. Or be adamant about splitting the charter in and out with another hunter.

Go as soon as you can. Like everything else, the cost is just going to keep going up.

Here are a few points to bear in mind to get your money's worth out of your safari.

1. Leave any pre-conceived ideas you might have about hunting Africa behind. Go with an open mind, and enjoy EVERYTHING. Whether you like it or not, there WILL be some hang ups you might have wanted to avoid. These do not happen because of what you or the PH do, but because the main actor in this drama is the animal you are hunting. And he sure has not read the script. Some of my best memories I have of hunting have been of some mishaps that had aoccured.

In fact, we have a saying between us - myself, my PH and our video man. That at any given moment, at least one of us screwing things up! Just make sure your contribution does not everyone else's pale in comparison to theirs.

2. Don't pick the cheapest offer you are given. Go with a well known PH, who might not be the cheapest, but he surely will make your experience of much better value.

3. Forget the measuring tape.
4. Take lots of photos. You will find that each time you look at them, you will be transposrted back to the day you hunted that animal.

Mounting the trophies does add to the value of your hunt memory-wise. And if at all you can afford it, have at least some of your animals done.

Some very good advice there from Saeed. - Especially his point relating to quality and price.

bullterrier,

Other ways to save especially when hunting in SA is to come between May and August. In that period you could be offered female animals for managements hunts as well and they are quite cheap for the expereince plus make cheap taxidermy in flatskin.

If you are going to do taxidermy stick to flatskins and skulls only.

Then another good idea is to bring a friend or freinds to come along for your trip oragnizing a hunting party of 4 hunters can work out really cheap We have a special package at the moment for less than $10000.00 US 4 hunters hunting 4x2 and it might sound cheap but you will not be treated cheaply. Just works out cheaper to hunt in a group like that.

Here is one of our packages.

Group package 7 Day 12 animals between 4 hunters 4x2
Total $9500.00 US
Included are the following animals.

4 x Impala
4 x Blesbuck
4 x Warthog or Duiker or Steenbok

The rest can be seen here.

Packages for 2008

PM or email me for further info if you need.
Info@infinito-safaris.com

Cheers

After 5 hunts in Africa I am the first to say leave the trophies and take nice pictures! On my last hunt in Cameroun I paid $250 for Cites and dipping and $465 in Brokerage fees in the USA just to import one Roan Antelope. Lucky I brought back the trophies as luggage and did not have to pay freight.

bullterrier,

The airfares from the USA are considerably cheaper during "non peak" months, March, April, September October are quite a bit cheaper from here [25%+/-].

A Package hunt in RSA is probably the "most reasonable" as most SAA Fares will take you directly to the outlying airports convenient to the outfitters for pick-up, with no charters involved. Namibia will be a close second but airfares will be slightly higher.

This assumes a plains game hunt, of course, DG, is pretty expensive in RSA, [Though I belive Shakiri here had a "Fly into RSA and drive into Botswana" DG package advertised here a while ago.]

The plains game packages usually have discounted trophy prices built in, but look closely, one was shown here just recently that had no discount at all over "daily rate+ trophy fees" pricing.

You can sometimes negotiate a better deal directly with an outfitter that you know or who is a reffered by a previous client, HOWEVER, going direct has it's own risks that are sometimes blunted by dealing with a booking agent.

A 7 day hunt is cheaper than a 10 day hunt, usually, but the longer one is more relaxing and enjoyable, I think.
Hunting 2x1 with another hunter is cheaper for each, but hunting 1x1 allows more hunting time for each, more time for choosing the right trophy, and makes a better relationship with your PH. Share tales of your hunts around the campfire at the end of the day.

Don't decide on taxidermy until you see what your trophies look like. But do investigate taxidermy prices and shipping costs PRIOR to hunting so you can compare with local pricing while you are there.

Take lots of photos, digital cameras and media are way more convenient and practical than film. Counting on 100 photos per day would not be too many, take photos of EVERYTHING! Trees, birds, bugs, animals, near and far, scenery, people, vehicles, buildings, camps etc.

You can save some by NOT taking any gifts, they are nice but not necessary and take up space. [include the value in your tips, that is what they really need.]

But mostly, as someone said above, GO NOW!, Sooner is better than later, the prices are always going up, and probably faster than incomes!

Hunt on!

Les

quote:

Originally posted by LHowell:
I belive Shakiri here had a "Fly into RSA and drive into Botswana" DG package advertised here a while ago.Les

Yup, we do indeed offer a range of hunts in Tuli Block Botswana, and we usually have all clients fly into Jo'burg, transfer to an internal flight to Pietersburg and we collect them from there for the road transfer across the border.

You'll find full details on my website and incidentally, there's also some fantastic fishing there as well......... including croc fishing.

Bullterrier being a biltong hunter myself there is a lot of options availeble to stil have a great time. if you are interested you can give me a PM

listen to saeed, remember when he hunts he has the biggest anchor around his neck you can find - Walter Now if he can have fun and still have walter around, just hink of the fun you can have

Another thought on taxidermy is having the animals shipped back here to the US and then have them completed when you get the money, which may take several years depending upon the number of trophies taken. I personally didn't do this, but I'm thinking of doing this on the next trip. While waiting on the trophies to show up, I did mount pictures in nice 8x10 picture frames that worked to a certain degree, but they are not the same as the real thing.

Good luck,

Try hard to budget a few days in Kruger National Park. It is one of the world's top tourist destinations, and for good reason. The cost is very reasonable, and the experience priceless.

And if you do manage that, be sure to let me know and I'll try to meet up with you for a beer somewhere - My home is about a 15 minute drive from the KNP.

If you can use accumulated miles for your air fare, that will help keep costs down a lot.

Once on the ground, road transport options are far less expensive than air charters. Air charters in Africa are ruinously expensive.

Personally, I would not skimp on taxidermy. Especially not if I were going for the first time. I would budget for a reasonable amount and save for it. Your trophies will take you back on safari every time you look at them. Mine do.

If you have a really good friend, or better, a brother or other close relative, going 2X1 can save some bucks. But it's risky and especially so for a first safari, when you want the full experience all to yourself - at least I did. And I wouldn't do it even now unless it were with one of my sons.

Also, don't think you need to buy a whole new kit. Much of what you have and use locally will be just fine for Africa, despite what all the advertisers might say.

Also, as others have said, don't skimp on a camera. It's so important to have a good one along, and a back up too. Your photos will give you much enjoyment.

Tip a fair amount, as warranted, but don't go overboard.

Finally, just get used to the fact that African hunting is damned expensive. But it sure is worth it, so make it a goal and work towards it.

To save money on the taxidermy work think Euro mounts not shoulder mounts. It will be lots cheaper. Also if you talk to a taxidermy shop that does a lot of African mounts they may trade you the Euro mounts for the capes off of your animals. If you don't like the price of a hunt now, you sure won't like it in 5 years so go now.

Jim

Hunt Africa....enjoy every second. You can't take it with you, so you might as well live.

Don't go if you are going to worry every minute about your finances. Save up, get your budget lined up , then go and spend it. You will not regret it.

TJB

Again on the topic of taxidermy, remember that you do not have to foot the full tab all at once. It may take six months to a year or more to get your capes and horns back to the US. Then the mounting may take another six months or a year. Thus your full taxidermy expenses won't be realized until a year or two after your hunt giving you time to sock away a few more dollars.

In addition, if the capes are properly prepared, you can work with your taxidermist to mount them over a period of time to spread out the costs even longer.

1. Get a credit card that pays airline miles (either for the airline most likely to get you to SA, or one that gives generic miles on any airline).

2. Scrape pennies and lay down a deposit on a 2009/2010 hunt this year...locking in daily rates

3. Don't get caught in the trap of shooting every animal available. Ask yourself if you REALLY want that Wildebeest or Impala, etc. Make a list of your top 3 and then a list of your next 3, etc. Don't shoot any of the second 3 until you've collected the first 3.

4. Don't buy new clothes, rifles, binocs, etc. If you have decent kit, it'll work fine in Africa.

5. Pack light to avoid over-weight baggage fees!

6. Have your trophies and capes shipped to you, then do european mounts, but have the capes tanned by the taxidermist, or just freeze them. If you get the money to do shoulder mounts down the road, then you can still do it if the capes are well-preserved.

Lots of good advise here and some not so good, pay attention to Saeeds suggestions..

It costs x dollars to do a Safari for a client, and when you go below that cost something is going to be omitted, you get what you pay for.

Taxidermy is an excellent cost saver so your on track there...

Lot of guns have been sold to pay for a hunt, and thats always a good option, I do that all the time..

Good pictures are better than trophies on the wall IMO, but some disagree...

The first safari I went on trapped me into shooting everything I could and I did it on my line of bank credit. WOW, how the hell am I going to pay off the note, Yep, I became a booking agent and that was one of Gods blessings and that was about 35 or so years ago. That would be hard to do today..

European mounts and tanned hides are a good way to preserve trophies and save you a bunch.

Fly coach and watch for deals.

Wear your regular hunting clothes and old boots on safari, you don't have to look like you just fell out of a Cabellas catalog. Levis, Tennis shoes, Khaki work shirts, A western hat or just a cap, are as good as the other stuff.

A glass bedded factory rifle as opposed to a custom rifle will kill the same animals, just like a $30 knife will skin as well as a $500 knife..

Remember, the only difference between men and boys is the price of the mens toys!

But hey if you got the bucks, knock yourself out, you earned it and its your money and your hunt..it goes both ways.

quote:

Levis, Tennis shoes, Khaki work shirts, A western hat or just a cap, are as good as the other stuff.

That's the stuff I wear practically every day of my life, and in the end it's the stuff I'm most comfortable in. The chances of wearing a nicer shirt go up exponentially if someone gives me one on arrival.

Another thing that'll save you money on buying and in excess baggage fees in travelling is to go easy on the big boy's toys. Most hunters arrive with water bottles, GPS, umpteen knives and pocket tools etc etc..... frankly, although all this paraphania is good fun to buy and own etc, it's not necessarily essential as your PH will have everything like that you need.... and more! - Not buying these items would save you a lot of money.

As a Taxidermist I will work with anybody on a time schedule when the animals will be mounted. You can spread out when your animals are to be mounted as long as you want. I do not ask for a deposit until it's time to mount unless special circumstances warrant it. So you don't have to come up with the money until your ready.

Bull terrier,
Staying away from credit-cards on on the trip itself can save you a few hidden bucks. Many operators charge a couple points when cards are used, which they are upfront with. That's OK if they tell you, but 2 % is 2%. Credit card companies usually charge a couple points for currency conversion as well, and they like to bury this in the fine print. Even if the price is quoted to you in your own currency, when billing it will usually be converted into the local money. The friendly credit card company dings you for the conversion when you get your bill. This isn't a way to shave prices, but to avoid getting taken for a combined 4% of the total for absolutely nothing.

Some good advice here - thanks to everyone!
I think the taxidermy question has been answered for me... maybe a tanned hide, skull and horns, but the photos will be the main thing.
As for gear, well, sound advice too... I would have to use a 375H+H, because it's Africa and that's reason enough! A CZ550 is reasonable enough price wise I suppose, and that would be my only "toy."

I have to confess I was a bit reluctant to post this question initially, because no one likes to be seen to be too much of a pauper or worse, a miser,(!) but it's nice that a lot of people here accept this is not a cheap business, and there is a wide variety of people with a variety of means, but have a lot in common too.

A member here and on on fishnhunt.co.nz is lending me his Buzz Charlton elephant hunting dvd and promises I'll set my sights on that after I've watched it...that'll complicate matters

Never hunted elephant but it's the buffalo that get in your head

There is nothing wrong with a cz550 mine works like a dream the more money you save on the toys the more money there is to shoot with.

Dont let opportunities go by if your ph shows you a good animal take it you may never get that opportunity again. I saw an exceptional Kudu once and didnt take the shot its 10years now and i have not had an opportunity on a bull over 45" yet. dont be to fixed on your trofee list its not a menu take the opportunities the bush presents

375 - I like the advice....

Consider first those animals that occur where you're hunting but are not widespread. If you are in an area in SA that has Nyala, take one. Many animals such as Kudu while glamorous are found much more widely in Africa and can be collected on subsequent trips. Most outfitters have specific quotas of animals and it is important to convey your wish list to your outfitter ASAP.It will drive you nuts to see a whopper of some species and be told they have none available.

You might want to consider mounting at least one shoulder mount. I have had clients that have wished that they had at least one head done.
You can pick your favorite animal and have skins and skull mounts done.

bullterrier,

I would first make sure you get the experience you want first. There are many lodge based safaris that are less expensive than others, but you have to ask yourself will you be happy with a safari that is more like staying at motel and then going out for a drive and shooting animals or do you want something that is more like camping and hunting on foot

Wildlife Artist makes a good point..I know folks that send all their stuff to a taxidermist and have him mount one head a year or something on that order..Seems to work for them and give the taxidermist plenty of time to work on their stuff during the slow season..

My limited experience with taxidermists is they have taken so long to do anything that it works out to a multi-year programme whether you ask for it or not.

Wink, I feel your pain.

Sorry, this may be a long type answer:

You get what you pay for.

Trophyman

I'm about five months turn around time on mounts but it depends on what you want done and to what.
A full body Elephant is going to take longer.

A person can get more than what they pay for! I just don't charge outrageous prices.

Here's the "poor man's" safari plan:

1. Airfare: use FF miles on either Delta or United to JNB and then go by road from there (you will pay a road transfer fee, or your transfers will count as a hunting day though). You can drive to almost any destination in RSA in a day including Tuli Block in Botswana. If you prefer to go to Zim, then use British Airways miles to go all the way to Harare (but you can't bring your rifle if you fly BA via London). If you want to get to Windhoek Namibia for free then fly with Lufthansa using miles (I think United miles are good on Lufthansa). If you can only get to JNB for free and want to hunt a neighboring country, then you will have to spend some money on a local connection to Harare or Windhoek, so book well in advance to get the lowest fare.
2. Hunt: we have several "poor man's" hunts eg non-trophy "dakazane" hunt in Zululand for young males/females $2500 per hunter; PAC ele (with or without leopard) in Zim at $500 per day plus $4K ele $3500 leopard; tuskless/buff cow combo in Zim circa $10K; group discounts (not a fixed package, just a break on aggregate trophy fees for the group) in Namibia. Other ways to shave costs are cull hunts on private land, and late season bookings in concession hunts. 2x1 is always cheaper than 1x1 but it's a false saving as you have to hunt twice as long to get the same hunting time in and the rate is never half the 1x1 rate. Shoot the animals that are plentiful locally. Eg in Namibia, hartebeest and oryx at around $600, but don't shoot impala or warthog there. A basic tented camp on private land is always your cheapest hunt. There are no huge concession fees to amortize on private land, and a tented camp doesn't cost as much to put up or run as a permanent lodge. Note, however, that very large chunks of land are expensive to reserve for your exclusive pleasure so be prepared to live with reasonable (eg 2000 acres in well watered areas, 5000 in drier areas).
3. Post hunt: get flat skins and euro mounts done locally (in Africa) and shipped by sea not air.
4. Revenue opportunities: write an article on your hunt, take lots of professional quality photos, and get it published. Or make a video and book your friends and associates a hunt for a commission. Most outfitters I know will commission you if you send him hunters the following year. This works better if you have some unusual angle to report. You can also sell scopes (there is nothing wrong with taking 3 or 4), your camera, your laptop, your binoculars, and some other gadgets in Africa for good money. Ask for "requests" in advance, ie presell this stuff. You can also bring back some articles to sell on Ebay. I haven't tried this but I am sure you can make it work, if you can find the right stuff and you buy it cheaply enough (ie from the person that makes it, not from the tourist stores).

If you follow this plan, you can have a decent hunt and keep your total outlay below $5K or even $3K if you get just one skull mount and one flat skin. You can sell an article for $500 to $750 and it's not beyond the realm of possibility to do the whole hunt on a cash neutral basis if you hit all the angles just right. Now that would make an article worth publishing right there! "African Dream Hunt...Zero Dollars!".