Africa 30 years ago...

What was it like game-wise, price-wise, and safety-wise/country's-political-stability?

Was them good ole days much better or is it better today because of wildlife conservation/management efforts?

Feel free to share about a particular country or several based on your experience in the field or even just your knowledge via research.

In the late 70's or early 80's, I remember Ads for an NRA sponsored Cape buffalo hunt for $1,500, including airfare.

That would be $4,177 today at the historical inflation rates.

Well, that would make it the early 80's.

Zimbabwe had just declared peace, and the Zim $ was worth something - you could get a steak dinner and a beer for about Z$1. Game was plentiful, farms weren't being expropriated for the "comrades". There were still mines on some of the roads, so be careful. The CAMPFIRE programme was being getting into full swing.

Namibia AFAIK wasn't really up to speed, and the Caprivi was right out - ZA troops and SWAPO were playing silly buggers up there (ask me how I know). Most of the north was a military operational area.

Moz was impossible - between Frelimo and Renamo and the landmines and ambushes and the general corruption ...

RSA was OK, but the game ranching thing was just starting and there were some VERY dodgy operators there, some good ones as well. Most game was in small fenced farms - anything from 300 ha to 1,000 was normal.

Botswana was very expensive, but safe politically.

Zambia was fairly dodgy, with new ideas for claiming wildlife for the "people" every day.

That's how I remember it anyway - some perceptions may be out by a year or 5. Or may even be skewed by hindsight.

quote:

Originally posted by Bren7X64:
Well, that would make it the early 80's.

Zimbabwe had just declared peace, and the Zim $ was worth something - you could get a steak dinner and a beer for about Z$1. Game was plentiful, farms weren't being expropriated for the "comrades". There were still mines on some of the roads, so be careful. The CAMPFIRE programme was being getting into full swing.

Namibia AFAIK wasn't really up to speed, and the Caprivi was right out - ZA troops and SWAPO were playing silly buggers up there (ask me how I know). Most of the north was a military operational area.

Moz was impossible - between Frelimo and Renamo and the landmines and ambushes and the general corruption ...

RSA was OK, but the game ranching thing was just starting and there were some VERY dodgy operators there, some good ones as well. Most game was in small fenced farms - anything from 300 ha to 1,000 was normal.

Botswana was very expensive, but safe politically.

Zambia was fairly dodgy, with new ideas for claiming wildlife for the "people" every day.

That's how I remember it anyway - some perceptions may be out by a year or 5. Or may even be skewed by hindsight.

Thanks!
That's along the lines of what I'm asking...appreciate you taking the time!

Frank,,,,still a darn good deal

Bren pretty well spells it out. It was pretty dodgy 30 years ago in many places.

If you already lived there and had a rifle, better. Today, with more money and LOTS more operators I'd have to guess it is far more accessible and affordable with plenty of game in reach as well. Funny, Ethiopia is where I grew up and I still can't afford to hunt it -- had a catty is all as a kid.

bren has it pretty well, there are game animals now prevalent that were not so, such as nyala which could only be found in natal. in zim for a time we would ride around with a couple of soldiers in the trucks, armed guards in camp, and had to duck in the bush a couple time to avoid rebels. zim at the time was the jewel of africa, having large farms and exporting food and goods. rsa was under sanctions. they had 2 customs lines, one for everyone and one for the press. they had a hard time understanding why the US put sanctions on an Allie. explaining that the congress was a pupet to the press brought immediate understanding

I hunted Namibia in 1978. Zambia in 1980.
Zimbabwe in 1981. I think the hunting in Namibia and Zambia is probably better now than it was then. There are more operators and areas.
Zimbabwe...well I don't know so I won't comment.
I first set foot in Ethiopia 30 years ago this September. Many of the areas we hunted then are long gone. The Awash area is a 300 mile long parking lot. Gambella is a corn field. The forests where we hunted elephant are now agricultural areas and the huge trees are all gone.
Argicultral and pastoral operations are closing in on the Omo Valley as is Gibe III dam which will change the water flow for a hundred miles.
That said, there are still good areas for Mt Nyala and records continue to be broken. There are other areas yet to be hunted for plains game but co-operation by the local governments remains a problem. To sum it up, the areas we hunted 30 years ago were a paradise compared to what's available now but there is still some good hunting to be had.

Late-Bloomer,this is from an old post I did showing the 1974 prices.



Posted 27 December 2006 02:15
While going through old boxes from the Chicago Chapter of S.C.I., I found a brochure from Safari Outfitters when they were located in Downtown Chicago. I thought you might enjoy these prices for the 1974 hunting season. Check out the Bongo price in the Congo.

Angola-Angola Safaris-30 day hunt-$7500-$10,300
Special license-lion $327,elephant $260, leopard $392,sable $131

Botswana-Ker, Downey & Selby-30 day hunt-$6,000-$6840, Concession fee S.A.R. 500, lion $530,sable $270, eland $140

CAR-Claude Vasselet Safaris-30 day hunt-$9,000-$10,500

Ethiopia-Tom Mattanovich-30 day hunt- $9,000-$10,500

Kenya-Hunters and Guides (K) Ltd.-30 day hunt-$7800-$9300

Mozambique-Mozambique Safariland-28 day hunt-$5750-$7675
Simoes Safaris-28 day hunt-$7265-$11,480

Sudan-Sudan Safari Tours-30 day hunt-$7500-$9,000-Giant eland-$150,leopard-$150,lion-$150

Zaire (Congo)-28 day hunt- $7508-$8953-elephant $260, bongo $60

Zambia-Amalgamated Zambia Safaris-28 day hunt-$8960-$$11,760

Rhodesia-10 day hunt-$1500,(on private ranches)

Tanzania-The safari situation in Africa, and especially in East Africa, is steadily deteriorating. Now there is a complete ban on hunting in Tanzania and elephant hunting in Kenya is forbidden. There was tremendous poaching in both countries for ivory due to fantastic prices on the foreign markets where $76 per pound of ivory was paid.

These prices make me cry

Look at the pictures on angelo darcys side, hunting in sudan 20years ago http://www.sudanwlsaf.com/gallery/southsudan-pa.htm

Hearing what you folks are sharing about Africa back in the day...produces a sense of great admiration for you folks who had experienced it firsthand

Kathi- thanks for posting the prices

When hunting the Zambezi Valley especially the Chewore area...staying out of the way of a black rhino was a serious concern in early 80's.

quote:

Posted Aug 3, 7:32 PM Hide Post
Well, that would make it the early 80's.

Zimbabwe had just declared peace, and the Zim $ was worth something - you could get a steak dinner and a beer for about Z$1. Game was plentiful, farms weren't being expropriated for the "comrades". There were still mines on some of the roads, so be careful. The CAMPFIRE programme was being getting into full swing.

Namibia AFAIK wasn't really up to speed, and the Caprivi was right out - ZA troops and SWAPO were playing silly buggers up there (ask me how I know). Most of the north was a military operational area.

Moz was impossible - between Frelimo and Renamo and the landmines and ambushes and the general corruption ...

RSA was OK, but the game ranching thing was just starting and there were some VERY dodgy operators there, some good ones as well. Most game was in small fenced farms - anything from 300 ha to 1,000 was normal.

Botswana was very expensive, but safe politically.

Zambia was fairly dodgy, with new ideas for claiming wildlife for the "people" every day.

That's how I remember it anyway - some perceptions may be out by a year or 5. Or may even be skewed by hindsight.

--
Promise me, when I die, don't let my wife sell my guns for what I told I her I paid for them.

Bren7x64 tells it like it was.

My first trip to Africa was in June 1982, when I hunted five days in Zimbabwe's Matetsi and shot a buffalo, sable and a kudu before hunting one day on the DeBeers Rooipoort Estate in South Africa, where I killed a springbok and gemsbok.

Trophy fees paid to the Zimbabwe government for the three animals came to $1,100.
I was on a press tour in South Africa, which included that one-day hunt.

Bill Quimby

My boss did a 21 day hunt in Botswana in 1978 where he shot mgm lion, elephant, buffalo and about 10 other animals (including sable). The entire bill was under $9,000 including trophy fees and airfare.

Greg

I have a brochure somewhere from 1971ish. Three to four week Full bag hunts were 7000 to 9000, but so were nice cars and average annual salaries.

Grand pops says top safaris have always cost the same as a nice new car.

In 30 years everyone will be saying that these were the "good ole days"!

quote:

Originally posted by Greg Brownlee:
My boss did a 21 day hunt in Botswana in 1978 where he shot mgm lion, elephant, buffalo and about 10 other animals (including sable). The entire bill was under $9,000 including trophy fees and airfare.

Greg

In 1978...you could buy a brand new Custom Deluxe Chevrolet 3/4 ton pick-up out the door with T,T&L for a smidge under $5K too!

quote:

Originally posted by SteveGl:
In 30 years everyone will be saying that these were the "good ole days"!

YEP

quote:

Originally posted by safari-lawyer:
I have a brochure somewhere from 1971ish. Three to four week Full bag hunts were 7000 to 9000, but so were nice cars and average annual salaries.

Grand pops says top safaris have always cost the same as a nice new car.

a custom pair of boots has been a months salary for a cowboy for at least 120 years-and a saddles costs 3 months

I would gladly pay the current cost of a new Chevy Silverado for a 21 day hunt! All in, all done.


.

quote:

Originally posted by JTEX:
I would gladly pay the current cost of a new Chevy Silverado for a 21 day hunt! All in, all done.


.

I was thinking the same thing!

quote:

Originally posted by JTEX:
I would gladly pay the current cost of a new Chevy Silverado for a 21 day hunt! All in, all done.


.

How much is a Chevy Silverado equipped the way you want it? I'm just curious to compare it to what I just paid for 21 days and some pricey speciaties.

~$40K

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
~$40K

Cheap ass Government Motors truck!

I paid $46K for my Dodge in late 03! No idea what they go for today. But yeah, I'd go for that 21 day full bag hunt at that cost as well.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
~$40K

Hummmmmmm!! Guess I could have gotten his & hers.

Oh well, they lose a 1/3 of their value off the lot and go down from there. My memories will never depreciate.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
~$40K

Cheap ass Government Motors truck!

I paid $46K for my Dodge in late 03! No idea what they go for today. But yeah, I'd go for that 21 day full bag hunt at that cost as well.

I bought a brand spanking new 2010 middle of the road level of luxury 4 door 4X4 Dodge 2500 with a Cummins diesel...decked out with Ranch Hand bumpers front and back for $38,000 in October 2010.

I even let Aaron Neilson, Gerryb, and John Jackson ride in it on our way to and from Dave Fulson's house on it's christening run.