Have been looking at an outfitter I met in San Antonio hunting show, his name is Ed Rymut of EAI OUTDOORS, he works with Kubusi Safari and XXL Reserve in south Africa. The owner of Kubusi is James Williamson. Is any body familiar with this outfitter? How is their reputation in the local hunting community?

I'd welcome you to the forum, but I'm not the host, sponsor, moderator or anyone else of importance here. However, I think you will find this a great place for information on African Hunting.

I'm envious of you in a sense, planning your first safari. That is an exciting time.

Choose carefully and you will be back time and time again.

Sorry, but I have no information on the outfit about which you are inquiring. Best of luck, though.

Welcome to AR Forum! Like lavaca I'm a real nobody here, but I still welcome you.

I do not know EAI Outdoors personally at all. However I had a brief look at their website, and will venture the following remarks: (i) Nothing obviously "scary" noted wherever I did read a bit. (ii) Pretty standard and typical safari offers. (iii) All prices quoted seems reasonable, and some are really very good, for example Mountain Reedbuck @ $ 300 can be considered so good as to have to be careful!

One word of caution? Make 100% sure that you sign a Hunt Contract, which in South African legal jargon is called a Remuneration Agreement, BEFORE you make any payment or firm commitment, as the following quote is from their prices page:

quote:

Prices are subject to change without notice.

While negotiating the RA - and yes, you are perfectly entitled to negotiate the terms in the Remuneration Agreement, as it is a contract that should be mutually acceptable - make sure that they very clearly fix the prices for the species and services for your particular hunt!

In short, the small bit of time that I have spent looking at the website leads me to say; by all means consider EAI Outdoors as your Hunting Outfitter, but also follow up on a lot of very good advice and suggestions that you are likely to get here in response to your posting.

Price is NOT everything - OTOH, quality is!

Enjoy your planning.

i really don't say much on here but your on the right track on asking questions here. these guys will shoot you straight. with that been said i would go to the DSC show and talk to some of the PH's there. there is something to be said when you talk to someone person to person. i like going to namabia a safe and really easy place to go to.

Tommy,
After hanging out here for many, many moons, and having seen everything that can go wrong (and right) with safaris, especially firsts, and getting to see how various folks do business, if I was taking a first safari and doing it in South Africa I wouldn't bother contacting anyone but Andrew McLaren. That's not to say there aren't a bunch of stand-up outfits in SA, and we have several excellent PH/outfitters here at AR, but if you want somebody who will bust their ass making your hunt what you want you cannot go wrong with Andrew, if he fixes the Packages page on his website.

Here's a link to a report from 2009 that I found in the Hunt Reports-Africa forum.

It mentions both properties/Lodges, however I didn't notice any of the operators names you reference. http://forums.accuratereloadin...421061811#7421061811

From another nobody :-)...welcome to the forum! Careful booking that first safari...you have a way going back again...and again...and again! haha

I'm a firm believer in querying outfitters through the local hunting associations, in this case the South African Professional Hunters' Association www.phasa.co.za . This isn't the be-all and end-all, but associations in those countries that have them try and keep standards up and can give you good advice.

Tommy,

Welcome.

Cheers

Andrew

quote:

Originally posted by tommy scott:
Have been looking at an outfitter I met in San Antonio hunting show, his name is Ed Rymut of EAI OUTDOORS, he works with Kubusi Safari and XXL Reserve in south Africa. The owner of Kubusi is James Williamson. Is any body familiar with this outfitter? How is their reputation in the local hunting community?

Hi Tommy,
You are welcome to drop us a PM or email. We are situated 20miles from them.

Take Care,
Marius Goosen

Hi,

Personally hunted the XXL reserve and thoroughly enjoyed it, good grounds and bountiful game.
Not knowing James personally I do know he has a good reputation.

Enjoy your trip

Guys tommy scott asked about I outfit and info on that outfit... I know neither of the parties but lets try and give him the info he asked about and not promote other outfits I am sure he is aware that there are 1000s of options.

Merry X mass and happy new to everyone on AR.

Tommy, the hunt report linked above was from me back in 2009. If you have any questions or want more info, send me a PM and I will answer.

I hunted Kubusi and had a great hunt harvesting all of my target animals, it was really well run and the camps were great quality.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by lavaca:

I'm envious of you in a sense, planning your first safari. That is an exciting time..
QUOTE]

Welcome to the site. I can't help you regarding the outfitter, but wish you the best in your decision.

Lavaca provides some wise words. This will be a special hunt. Enjoy the entire process from the start. There is only one first time!

First: Welcome-
Second: do not know the outfitter-
Third: Advice:
Come to the DSC convention and show in Dallas Jan 7-10
And if you could SCI in Vegas Feb 4-7

Tommy, I don't know the outfitter but I know the area. It is great country with lots "old Africa" things to see. The Great Fish River is a nice area.
We usually take a few extra days and go stay in Addo Elephant park, or Mountain Zebra Park.

I have hunted the Great Karoo in the Eastern Cape. Some of the outfits don't own their own land and you can spend too much time driving from pasture to pasture. This may not apply to where you are looking to go, but I mention it just in case.

If you fly to Port Elzabet, the Fifth Avenue Beach House is an excellent Guest house.

Have you taken a look at Limpopo Province.?

I would strongly suggest that you look at African Dawn Hunting Safaris in Limpopo Province. He owns a vast hunting ranch and you will be the only hunting party there. This place was recommended to me, years ago, by a man who has hunted in Afr1ca over 36 times and killed over 500 African plains animals. I have been going there for years. (I am the old guy in the cape buffalo picture on his website.) African Dawn Hunting Safaris is as good as it gets. His ranch is located north of Vaalwater in the Waterburg Mountains. Beautiful High Bushveld country. Owner is Marius Kruger. Please mention Brian and Sandy from Canada.

If you fly to Johannesburg, Africa Sky Guesthouse is great. They will pick you up at the airport. (Joburg is a crazy place.)

Have a great time. Brian

PS. Highly rated Taxidermist in Limpopo Province is Bullseye.

I used EAI (ED) to book my safari with Kubusi in 2014. Also my first Safari. Had a great trip. Plenty of game, great accommodations, well run outfit. It did take a bit longer to get my mounts (18 months). I would definitely hunt with them again. PM me if you have any questions.