I'm new here and if this has already been discussed, I apologize. I did look to see if it had been covered but didn't find anything.

I understand when booking a safari that the daily rate covers the expenses of the operation, staff wages, food, lodging, etc. and I don't have any problem understanding that and paying it.

What I don't understand though is the wide discrepancy between plains game and dangerous game hunts. I was recently looking at some web sites for African outfitters and their daily rate for plains game (1x1) was $350 U.S. but the rate went much higher for DG! And in the same country, I've seen price range as much as $500 per day to $1,200 U.S.!

I do understand that the PH is putting himself in harm's way and should be compensated for the added risk, but is this the only reason or is there something else I'm overlooking?

Is there some kind of "average" daily rate that is usual and customary for dangerous game? I'm trying to understand.

What you are overlooking is the law of supply and demand. The quota for dangerous game is much lower than the quota for plainsgame. Demand for dangerous game is sufficiently high to command a greater cost.

Yes, pricing has the two elements, at least, daily rate and trophy fee.

I've seen different daily rates for the same area run three different rates, one for leopard, one for buff and one for elephant. Often the elephant hunt will also have additional DG that will be hunted, but it seems the elephant or lion brings the daily rate.

JPK

BTW, this is a darn good reason to shoot as much DG per trip as you can afford.

For example, a trophy bull elephant hunt might be $1200/day for ten day minimum. If you shoot that bull day eight, your still paying $12,000 daily rate, might as well take advantage of that and try for two, or for a PAC bull or a tuskless. Often, the extra DG will cost you only trophy fees. Averaging down you cost..., etc, etc, including the cost of airfair per DG animal...

JPK

Very often plains game requires a smaller staff than dangerous game.

Its not unusual to have a driver, two or three trackers,a game scout and the PH on a dangerous game hunt.

For plains game the driver might be the tracker and there is just the PH and hunter in back.

Another reason is in some African Countries the PH has to have a Dangerous Game License which requires more trainig on his part. Also he is responsible for the safety of you and your party.

quote:

Originally posted by JPK:
BTW, this is a darn good reason to shoot as much DG per trip as you can afford.

For example, a trophy bull elephant hunt might be $1200/day for ten day minimum. If you shoot that bull day eight, your still paying $12,000 daily rate, might as well take advantage of that and try for two, or for a PAC bull or a tuskless. Often, the extra DG will cost you only trophy fees. Averaging down you cost..., etc, etc, including the cost of airfair per DG animal...

JPK

PAC Bull?

Problem Animal Control

Some good points, but you are missing the real reason in increased daily rate when DG is on the menu. Most plains game in SA or Namibia is done on private property. The rancher owns the game and sets a price that he feels that the market will bear based on the quality of his game and facilities. Most DG areas outside these two countries the outfitter will lease the area and quota from that countries Parks & Wildlife Dept. This Dept. is overseen by officials at or near the top of the food chain with little or no concept of game management and safari customer markets. The common theme ,no matter the country, is to price the DG areas at a premium to the outfitter who then is responsible for marketing his "pre-paid " area either directly or through an agent. This is the reason that DG dailys are considerably more expensive,the outfitter must charge a higher rate to cover his own lease agreements with the government. Simple math.
One other consideration is that free range dangerous game country is often in remote areas,removed from communial lands and human population. The cost of fuel,transportation of camps and staff, road construction and upkeep ,
tent set up or lodge creation and many,many unseen expenses cost money that must be recouped through higher fees for these areas. Trophy fees? Forget it, they are the property of the government, NOT the outfitter.
Thats the real skinny on that situation.
Good Luck
Dave

Good answers, but most have missed the big picture.

There are three factors that drive the price of a day rate.

1. Cost of acquisition of the quota. Whether it be a lease a tender, quota that is bought from another operator, or government concession. There was a cost associated with obtaining it. The cost is evenly distributed among the major DG species. Which is why operators are not too keen to give people 2 Buffalo or 2 Elephant, unless they pony up more day rate.

2. Remote camps. Most DG hunts are remote. Cost more to run it. Everything must be trucked in.

3. Supply and Demand. This really effects #1, as it is the supply and demand that dictates the prices paid by operators for a concession.

Dang Dave, had we not posted at the exact same time, someone might have thought I copied your answer! They say the same thing, in different form.

You are obviously a brilliant individual.

Hi Wendell
Great minds think alike , especially guys that spend as much time on this slippery slope as you and I do ! When are you headed over this year ? Tim leaves next week, but my first scheduled tour is Zambia and Mozambique in August.
Cheers
Dave

OK, I'll go along with those answers. When it's put like the answers I've received, it makes sense.

It's not that I object to the prices, I was just trying to understand the reasoning behind them.

Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Fulson:
Hi Wendell
Great minds think alike , especially guys that spend as much time on this slippery slope as you and I do ! When are you headed over this year ? Tim leaves next week, but my first scheduled tour is Zambia and Mozambique in August.
Cheers
Dave

Not this year Dave, unless a real stupid deal comes along! Which I am afraid is very likely.

Take care and have a good year.

There are some places where the DG hunts and the Plains game hunts are run from the same fixed base and perhaps even at the same time!

SA for sure and Zim in several places as well. And it appears the same in Zambia and Botswana to some extent though I have not hunted in either.

Is the difference in rates in these places reflective of the increased cost of the PH only, or is this merely "additional profit" per each DG hunt ?

quote:

Originally posted by Wendell Reich:
Which is why operators are not too keen to give people 2 Buffalo or 2 Elephant, unless they pony up more day rate.

I have to say that this generally reflects my experience when trying to set up a hunt, but not my experience once in the field, and certainly not least late in the season.

A pocket full of $'s, a good multi year track record with the outfitter (ie, good trust on both sides, the outfitter trusting you to make good on your return or you trusting the outfitter with extra $'s in advance) or a significant extra deposit with your agent (and your diligence in ensuring that your agent makes known how much trophy fee deposit he is holding) will often prove irresistable to the outfitter with unsold quota.

Even when setting up the hunt, a second ele or buff doesn't cost 2x the first one, and when considering other costs, like airfare, etc, nowhere near 2x the first one, and it shouldn't.

JPK

quote:

Originally posted by JPK:
I have to say that this generally reflects my experience when trying to set up a hunt, but not my experience once in the field, and certainly not least late in the season.

That's right. You can make a deal late in the year for two reasons. First, they usually have to pay for all the DG quota, and would rather sell excess or unsold quota for cost (just the trophy fee) or cost plus a smaller premium.

quote:

Originally posted by LHowell:
Is the difference in rates in these places reflective of the increased cost of the PH only, or is this merely "additional profit" per each DG hunt ?

Nope. It is cost of acquisition of the DG quota and can have nothing to do with overhead or camp cost.

Read my post above (or Dave's )

As a good example, Calitz hunts in Sankuyo just outside of Maun. Shoot, you could drive back to Maun every day and sleep there if you had to! So the remoteness has little to do with the $60,000 Elephant hunt cost. It is all the cost of acquisition of the Elephant Quota.

Wendell,

FYI, I added to my post.

On your most recent post - Throw in that most PH's love what they're doing, would love another DG hunt rather than game drives and chasing impala, and want a happy client and that the outfitter wants a happy client and a happy PH - as well as, rightly, his fair compensation - and there is much room there.

JPK