After doing some searches to see if I can afford this dangerous game business, I've come up with something roughly like this:

Leopard - $8000

Buffalo - $13,000

Elephant - $20,000

Lion - $25,000

White Rhino - $80,000

Black Rhino - $250,000

That sound about right?

None of that sounds too appealing to me, but then I see offers to shoot a PAC elephant for $6,000! Are these legitimate? Does that kind of deal really happen?

I think you are low on Lion, Leopard and Elephant for good quality trophy prices. you have to be careful on PAC hunts, there have been a few cheep ones offered that would have got you in some trouble, if you run accross a offer for a PAC you might want to question some people on the boards here about the legality of the hunt.

I think you're low on everything but the Rhinos.

Lion: A wild lion in a wild place starts at $50k based on my research. 18 to 21 days at $2000 per day and up from there. TF from $6500 to $10,000 and up. LOTS of bait to shoot, plus charters, etc.

Leopard: Count on 14-15 days at $1000 per day and up with a trophy fee from $3500 to $5000. Top area with a top PH makes a high success leopard hunt an easy $20,000 proposition. Add baits, charters, etc on top of that.

Buffalo: You can shoot plenty of buffalo at $13000. At $1000 per day and $3000 TF, you hit $13k on the nose. You can spend less and you can spend more. The differences associated with the difference in price may indicate quality of buffalo, quota, country, camp vs. lodge, etc.

Elephant: Buzz is shooting Dande East bulls for $25,000, all in. I don't know of anyone else shooting reasonable sized exportable bulls for a lower rate right now. That said, when the TF for an elephant is 12, 13, or 14K, you don't have any real wiggle room left before you hit $20k. I say the elephant hunt will cost $25 to 30k on the low end and will run from there into the $60s and up for top areas (Botswana, for example)

Of course, it must be said that a la carte pricing makes these hunts much more expensive. Buff and Leopard combine nicely and save you money over taking two different hunts for the individual species in two different years. Lion and elephant are very specialized hunts and either can dominate a hunt. They are more difficult to package with other species unless you are on a longer hunt of 21 days or more. That said, buffalo matches up well with both, particularly lion since that buffalo gives you a couple of much needed baits.

Of the big five, leopard & buffalo is your most affordable entry level combo. There are numerous places in Zim that you can make that hunt for +/- $30,000.

Also, from time to time there are barn burner deals to be had. In 2009, Luke Samaras had Big Four hunts in the Selous for $25000, charter included, just add travel and TFs. A couple of AR guys took two hunts and shot lion, leopard, several buff and one elephant. I'm sure the hunt still ran well into the $50s or $60s, but it was relatively cheap for a big four hunt in wild Tanzania.

My 2008 buff hunt cost me about $13K for the hunt itself for me with my wife as an observer but after airfare, air charter fees, trophy fees for the buff and a couple of other critters, tips, etc the total tab ended up about double that. One must look at the total cost of these hunts and not just what a booking agent quotes you for the hunt. Buff you may be able to do for $13K but you are low on everything else, rhino I can't speak to.

Except for the Rhino's, those are fairly bargain price estimates. Dangerous game hunting is anything but cheap.

On the other hand, the experience of hunting dangerous game is priceless.

First off, and here we go again, PAC hunts are off limits to foreigners. People may call them PAC hunts but in truth they are management (Zim) or festival hunts (Namib). I guess the word game will continue for as long as the Internet exists but you won't legally be doing a PAC hunt. Culling or any of the assorted names can be done in the $6-6,500 range in Zim; first Ele you come across. Double that price in Namibia but you'll get to shoot a really nice bull most of the time. Trophy bulls can be had in the $25K range in Namibia and Zim. Of course you can double that plus as Will says in Bots. Forget Moz for now. They have 100 pounders here and there but US citizens can't import.

Lions in RSA will cost you $13K-$40K depending upon what your looking for but step over to Namibia and you can pay $40-$45K for a free ranging Lion. Zim will cost in the $50K range, Tanz around $60K if you only shoot Lion.

White Rhino start around $45K now and can break $200K. Black, you are looking at $180-$250K. But if you can find a green hunt (and I think they will sort out), I'd say do it, then get you a replica horn or head mount. It's a bigger thrill and you don't kill a truly simple minded beast that needs our help. Rhino's are very dangerous indeed, but you can kill a angus bull just as easy.

Leopard: again this is something that offers deals each year. I just read one for $8K in Namibia. Average is around $15K but you can spend $20K easy. Sometimes it's all about the area, PH, ambiance and experience involved. I consider the Leopard a very regal animal and anyone hunting Africa's dangerous game should do it at least once.

For someone looking for a bargain, a low quality animal would be just fine. At least it would be just fine for me. I don't need to bring anything home, either.

As someone just said, I, too, just saw an $8000 offer for leopard in Namibia. And the outfitter I am going out with in 2012 offers leopard at $6000 (opportunity).

Whether you want to call it management, or whatever, it seems that a low quality elephant can be had for $6500 in Zimbabwe. (?)

Didn't RSA outlaw canned hunts for lion, a while back?

Postoak,

Will has pretty much summarized the costs. I'd like to add that I would recommend not touch an $8,000 leopard hunt with a ten foot pole. On the other hand for elephant $18,000-$20,000 will buy you a 10 day hunt with a legitimate operator if you can live with 25#-35# ivory.

Often what people fail to realize is that a hunt that cost a litte more or offers you a real opportunity at a couple of the Big 5 on one safari is much more economical in the long run.

As Cane Rat said every hunt has extras and sometimes those extras add a substantial amount to the total hunt cost.

Mark

Mark, $18,000 - $20,000 is a WHOLE lot more than $6500 for a management hunt. The question is, do such hunts exist? Are they actually happening?

quote:

Originally posted by postoak:
I just saw an $8000 offer for leopard in Namibia. And the outfitter I am going out with in 2012 offers leopard at $6000 (opportunity).

Reckon why those aren't already sold out? (hint, hint)

Postoak,

The elephant hunt I was referring to is for a fully exportable bull. At $6,500 I would want to be very careful of what I was buying regardless of what name they put on it. Not every hunt offered is even legal.

Mark

Hmmm, well that makes it easy then. I'm out of the dangerous game market. I guess I could take up bushbuck hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Postoak,

I'd like to add that I would recommend not touch an $8,000 leopard hunt with a ten foot pole.

Mark

That is sound advice. There are many people out there with several of those types of hunts under their belt with no leopard. Much better in the long run to book with a reputable outfit in a good area first time around and you won't get that for 8 grand.

quote:

Originally posted by postoak:
Hmmm, well that makes it easy then. I'm out of the dangerous game market. I guess I could take up bushbuck hunting.

Probably the biggest bang for your buck on a DG hunt would be a tuskless ele, with maybe 1-2 head of plains game thrown in. Buzz Charleton or Martin Pieters might be able to hook you up with that. But, by the time you figure everything, all in, its still gonna run you $12,000-$14,000. But its a thought, and the tuskless would be non exportable, therefore saving on taxidermy.


Mad Dog

I was one of the guys who got the smoking Luke Samaras deal, but I can honestly say I spent more than 50 or 60. My final bill was around 70, including tips but not taxidermy. In the case of Notlim and me, we not only got the daily rate for half off, all the extras where thrown in for free, and that stuff all adds up fast.

The problem with cats is bait, esp lion. You have to shoot a truckload of the stuff, and that runs up your costs quite a bit.

I remember in 2001 I shared a camp in the Selous with Henry Mills of Mills Fleet Farm fame. I think he was thrilled that I was there for buffalo and PG; I know I would be. Having another hunter in camp when you are cat hunting lets you get free bait.

On the other hand, I think checking baits is a blast; it is always fun to see what has hit. I always enjoyed my DIY black bear bait hunts for that reason.

Great thread as I am trying to make my dream come true in 2013. I might do a Buffalo plus leopard or tuskless / management hunt with some PG. $30k all told including flights gifts etc. Euro mount for buff & a rug for the cat can be paid a bit later.

Can you import a leopard skin into the U.S.? Oops, nevermind, I see you are in New Zealand.

I don't think anyone has mentioned it here, but DG hunting is still hunting, not shopping. Anyone seeking DG had best be prepared to spend a lot of bucks, spend a lot of time, shoot a bunch of other animals, and pay for them, and still come away without their DG trophy. And do this with reputable outfitters and PHs.

Then go back the next year and do it all over again.

Do some research on DG hunting prior to considering a DG safari. There is no such thing as "inexpensive" quality DG hunting. Ask me how I know.

Ask me too.

You can always buy a cheap hunt, but if you come home empty handed or without what you expected, then that terrific deal is not that great anymore! Might be a good exercise to think beforehand of the expense and everything else that will have to be reincurred IF you have to go back, before you book that cheap hunt.

Other important things to consider above price alone is location, the PH, the time of your hunt ie. the best season and lastly conditions on the ground when arrive in camp. Not too much can be done about the last point, but a good PH who has experience in that area (very important in my opinion) will likely be able to come up with a plan B!

Arjun Reddy
www.huntersnetworks.com

postoak, one thing I can promise you: spending mega bucks with the best PH, the best time and the best area won't guarantee you anything. You still may come home empty handed. My leopard clients are 100% but my next one may not even see a leopard. Deals do exist, you just may need to jump on a plane and go within weeks or even days, but no legitimate PH will guarantee you a trophy as you may not be able to hit the broadside of a barn (just kidding). We all take a chance of not returning with our desired trophy, that's hunting. Remember; nothings a deal until it's a deal~
LDK

My "guess" is that by the time you get the animals you want you will have put in excess 400K into the project. (that is unless you get lucky like my buddy did and got 4/5 on his first safari - for a whole lot less that the figure above...However gett'n #5 (Black Rhino) might make up for the rest

If you are going for the ultimate available you're gonna pass the million dollar mark!

From all the reports that I have digested the non-exportable elephant
seems to be the best value for the guy SAVING UP for a DG hunt. If it
has tusks get them replicated in fiber glass or similar material. Be it
tuskless or those night hunts and the like, the clients seems to be really
happy with the THRILL factor that they are getting, ESPECIALLY compared
to dollars spent. For me, more than any aspect, it's that I want a very
intense, unforgetable, thrilling EXPERIENCE that will be branded into my
memory forever. Taking home a hide or other piece of the beast would be
great. But when trying to get "the most for the least", I'll leave the body
parts out of my plan when I go on my first safari.

What about costs on HIPPO ON THE GROUND; as the
primary quarry. (not in the water head shot sniping)

If, as with most of us, cost is a major consideration, try the other two dangerous game---Hippo and Croc....should be able to find TF around 2K USD or less and daily rates should not bank rupt you

quote:

Hmmm, well that makes it easy then. I'm out of the dangerous game market. I guess I could take up bushbuck hunting.

I hear ya, but no worries, there is more than a lifetime of fantastic plains game to pursue.

Hear is an idea: Wound a bushbuck, and you get the best of both worlds, affordable and dangerous

Yes I started to be flippant and say I could take up wounding bushbuck for my dangerous game.

I suppose the only way I will ever get to hunt the Big 5 is if I hit the winning number to the Power Ball Lottery. I might even spring for one of those "double rifles" but I would most likely give it to one of the sons. To old to learn how to ride a new horse!

quote:

Originally posted by BigFiveJack:
What about costs on HIPPO ON THE GROUND; as the
primary quarry. (not in the water head shot sniping)

I am not trying to downplay hippo hunting at all but......

Stalking up to within 20 - 30 yds of a sleeping hippo in thick bush, is not that challenging IMO. Thereafter, dispatching it with a brain shot when it stands up, off the sticks with a scoped rifle is probably easier than "sniping" it in the water at 50 - 80 yds. JMHO of course.

Probably hardest part is to find a hippo out of water in daylight.

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanamich:

quote:

Originally posted by BigFiveJack:
What about costs on HIPPO ON THE GROUND; as the
primary quarry. (not in the water head shot sniping)

I am not trying to downplay hippo hunting at all but......

Stalking up to within 20 - 30 yds of a sleeping hippo in thick bush, is not that challenging IMO. Thereafter, dispatching it with a brain shot when it stands up, off the sticks with a scoped rifle is probably easier than "sniping" it in the water at 50 - 80 yds. JMHO of course.

Probably hardest part is to find a hippo out of water in daylight.

So true, but then you could always go in with open sights and kick dirt into its face...

quote:

Originally posted by Grafton:
Wound a bushbuck, and you get the best of both worlds, affordable and dangerous

Yup!!

At dusk and have your PH screaming in your ear "don't let it kill my Jack Russell!"

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Wemmer:
My "guess" is that by the time you get the animals you want you will have put in excess 400K into the project.

That bums me out. Even if you go green on the rhino, that's still a ton of cash. Then you figure in the Lord Derby and the bongo and the hippo and the croc and the sable and the... Oh well, I'm starting to run out of "cheap" stuff to hunt. Time to get to work on the big stuff, I guess.

quote:

Originally posted by ozhunter:

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanamich:

quote:

Originally posted by BigFiveJack:
What about costs on HIPPO ON THE GROUND; as the
primary quarry. (not in the water head shot sniping)

I am not trying to downplay hippo hunting at all but......

Stalking up to within 20 - 30 yds of a sleeping hippo in thick bush, is not that challenging IMO. Thereafter, dispatching it with a brain shot when it stands up, off the sticks with a scoped rifle is probably easier than "sniping" it in the water at 50 - 80 yds. JMHO of course.

Probably hardest part is to find a hippo out of water in daylight.

So true, but then you could always go in with open sights and kick dirt into its face...

I guess you guys need alot more danger in your lives. I get enough everyday navigating traffic, dealing with retail employees, and dealing with the IRS to go looking for danger. I'll hunt Africa and do what what is best (or what the PH tells me). If the PH wants to shoot out of the water then great, if he wants to walk them up then fine with me too. The sport is the hunt to me, not to go looking for danger

On the pricing well if you stuck with white Rino then I think you could get it done with $200K--but you better be lucky with cats. I have one friend that has been skunked by leopard twice on 21 day safaris. He is in about 160K and still likes the Rhino--but has taken multi buff and 2 nice bull elephant on that total.

quote:

I guess you guys need alot more danger in your lives. I get enough everyday navigating traffic, dealing with retail employees, and dealing with the IRS to go looking for danger. I'll hunt Africa and do what what is best (or what the PH tells me). If the PH wants to shoot out of the water then great, if he wants to walk them up then fine with me too. The sport is the hunt to me, not to go looking for danger

Well said and my sentiments exactly.

It is quite easy to be skunked by Leopard if no lights or dogs are involved....I had 28 days involved before one died.