Would like an opinion, especially from the Outfitters and Booking Agents, on this situation: There is no other hunter or observer with you on your hunt and you take all your animals several days before the hunt is scheduled to end. Now you have several days of free time. In some cases (depending on location), you can go shopping, sight seeing etc. or if there is no place to go (remote areas), you end up just sitting around camp. My question is: should you be charged the daily rate (as if you were hunting) or should you now be charged an observer rate?

If you make an agreement or contract to hunt "x" animals and be there "x" number of days, I feel you should still have to pay the daily rate.

If you finished early and got everything you wanted you should consider it a great hunt. You could have just as easily have hunted all the days and only got half of what you wanted.

The outfitter charges the daily rate up until the end for a reason. Like an Elk hunt or a Moose hunt, he has a limited number of Buffalo, Elephant, Lion etc. on quota to sell. Each quota represents a certain amount of money to them. You are buying 7, 10,16 or 21 days, but in reality, you are paying the total cost so that you can harvest the main animal. If you finish early, great.

Also, you have reserved a certain number of days from the outfit. Days they can not sell to others.

I have had the guys at the Gras Ranch work out deals similar to what you suggest, but it is rare, and not to be expected from anyone.

I guarentee that you will be charged the hunter rate, justifiably so. That said, I'd never just hang around camp. Hell , you're in Africa for crying out loud. Go out and observe the animals, take pictures, learn to be a better tracker, etc., etc. Opprotunities to do these things are right limited here in the states.

Ramrod

In my expereince your options are leave early, continue to hunt where you are or perhaps transfer to a different area for different game.
If you are required to book 10 days for instance for a buff/plains game hunt and you shoot your buff on the first or last day you will pay the same. Yes! I think this is fair because the safari operator has to plan his hunting year with some thought to how much revenue he needs to bring in to break even. If he didn't know much he might get from each hunt he could not make a plan.

In my opinion unless you have something pressing so you have to leave early you better keep hunting since you went through all the work to get to Africa anyway.

Regards,

Mark

You will be charged for the days booked, otherwise the Safari company would go broke fast...your are taking up someone elses space, someone that pays...

Now we try to accomodate you with bird hunting, fishing or whatever, but yes your going to pay for the days in camp as a hunter if you are a hunter and as an observer if that is what you are...

It could not work any other way, otherwise one might go over an shoot 10 animals a day on a two day hunt, that just does not work, it would be a scam job...

I don't at all disagree that you should pay the daily rate for the duration of the hunt you scheduled. On my 3 African trips to day, I have always paid the full rate and never expected otherwise. My motivation to ask came from another thread about "pickup" charges and their was some varying opinions on that issue. Something said there made me think, perhaps my question might vary from one company to another. All points made to my question are well recieved and understood. Thanks for the responses.

In my opinion if you book for ten days you pay for ten days period. Can´t buy a steak in a restaurant, eat half and expect a refund. On this issue I side with the outfitters/operators.

Observer fees again...well it all depends.

your going to eat those days and drink a few local brews aren't you? why should the outfitter be expected to pick up your tab if you think you shouldn't need to pay for those days?
I usually keep enough money in the back of my wallet for lower priced trophy fee, ie, warthog, springbok,etc. then hunt that animal for the remainder of the trip shooting only a real big one. Once I went Tiger fish fishing for a few dollars and had a ball!!

Go fishing, go picture taking, shoot more animals....

Darn, you are spending the cash, have fun.