I have several buddies that want to go to Africa, but they all seem to have excuses for staying home: "Can't be gone from the business for 12 days ... The flight is too long ... Maybe I will go next year ...

Any suggestions for getting these numbnuts into putting down a deposit?

go by yourself take pictures of the camp/food/trophies all while you have a big smile on your face...then tell them how much fun you had by yourself....won't be long before someone wants to spoil it.
or

deal yourself a game of solitare surely someone will come along to tell you how to play it.

Some people wouldn't go to Paradise if you offered it to them, including a first class ticket. I have for the most part given up on trying to convince people to do something they aren't really interested in doing. This said, think about how you became interested in going to Africa and see if you can't get them hooked in the same way. Get them to read (by giving them a copy of) Death in the Dark Continent or another Capstick book, get them to watch a DVD like the IMAX video of the Serengeti with narration by James Earl ones, or, and I think this is best if they are already hunters, invite over a few African hunters plus your intended victim and just let the conversation flow. If he listens closely he will eventually become interested.

That’s a pet peeve of mine: Several guys I’ve bumped into think nothing of dropping $20-30K to chase an elk, mule deer and white tail every year and won’t even consider going to Africa. It seems a lot of people complain about the money but I think it’s more likely they are afraid of the travel and the adventure itself (fear of the unknown).

At age 10 I got hooked reading Ruark’s Horn of the Hunter. Wink has a good idea about getting them to read some stories about Africa. Some DVD’s wouldn’t hurt either but the books and articles might help a person “visualize†day to day life on safari better.

Kyler

Hell, I'll be your friend. Aske me to go!!!!!!!

I had the same problem. Everyone said it was too expensive or too dangerous. Well I went by myself. After I got back when they saw the trophy pictures and all the video I shot and how nice the accomodations are they could not wait to go. They could not stand the thought of Africa being my private hunting spot for those guys in my group. Now I am going back with a group of 5-6 for plains game in 2007. The pictures and video do the trick to encourage people to go.

Like Kyler said, a lot of it is the fear of the unkown. It is amazing how uninformed most people are about Africa (me included before my first trip). There is a great misconception about Africa, based mostly on TV, most think it is either the Serengeti or Darfur. The only news we Americans recieve about Africa concerns famine, drought, war or AIDS.

Regards,

Terry

I think a lot of the guys think they will get malaria just as they step off the plane. Or, they will run into a mob of A-K toting American haters.

quote:

That’s a pet peeve of mine: Several guys I’ve bumped into think nothing of dropping $20-30K to chase an elk, mule deer and white tail every year and won’t even consider going to Africa. It seems a lot of people complain about the money but I think it’s more likely they are afraid of the travel and the adventure itself (fear of the unknown).

Why would this be a pet peeve of your's? I mean why should you give a shit about what someone else enjoys doing. Should everybody be like you?

Afraid of travel and adventure? Go to Mexico and face the back road roadblocks with machine gun toting federales. Africa would be childs play compared to the outback of our southern third world drug dealing neighbors. Different strokes for different folks.

The one excuse we all have heard.
"I would love to go if I won the lottery."

Ask a PH how many lottery winners he has guided

Some folks talk about doing the same thing next year for 20yrs in a row. And never do it. They are more comfortable talking about their dreams than realizing them. That's a shame.

If I win the lottery I will definetely go more often. In fact, I might be permanently on safari.

M16,

I understand what Kyler is saying.

Guys looking for trophies feel safe in North America because they know something about it, yet spend twice as much on one animal than what you'd spend for 6 African trophies. They simply don't know what kind of bargain and adventure they could be getting for their money because they're uneducated of afraid.

I have 4 buddys who are going to spend 10K apiece on a Texas whitetail hunt. They will shoot a 140-150-class 10-pointer, just like they shot last year and hunt for only 4 days ... frustrating to me.

I'm personally glad that not everyone wants to or will hunt Africa. My approach is to provide them with the information and pictures if they ask. They are also welcome to visit my trophy room at home or view the pictures in my office. One thing is for sure: Africa is not for everyone, as most (not all, mind you) of my sheep hunting friends have informed me. That's fine too as I am not a grand slam sheep hunter. The best thing is to not shove it down anyone's throat or to do a hard sell. Go and enjoy Africa and gently and carefully share it with those who would have a appreciation for actually going. Then let them decide.

quote:

They simply don't know what kind of bargain and adventure they could be getting for their money because they're uneducated of afraid.

So if you don't go to Africa on safari you are ignorant and gutless? It makes me wonder how they have the intelligence to come up with 10K to go on a whitetail hunt.

Most of my friends have come up with money/time BS whether its hunting in Africa or ? or marlin fishing or...In the mean time blowing all the money and time it would require doing little or nothing.(eg, buying a Porche as a "weekend" car, playing too much golf, chasing a skirt that their wife isn't wearing...) Some guys want to live life agressively, some don't, some don't know what they're missing til its too late, most will never know and don't really care to know.

I show my friends the great times I'm having and the photos to prove it. If this doesn't get them off their butts, well...With some it takes root and a couple of years later they want to do whatever and ask me to include them next time I do whatever. I try but if they back out of things I'm done. Some say, "I want to do this when I,m x years old, or retired or..." I tell them thats well and good but some oportunities will be lost to age, circumstances...

Really its pretty sad.

JPK

I went on a hunt 2 years ago by myself because none of my friends could go because "insert reason here". I still went and had an awesome adventure.

I came back home with photo's, stories, and trophies. I talked about the stars at night, campfires, cold beer, African animals, thorns, snakes, and all the things that make Africa a place you want to get back to.

I guess it perked the interest of several people; as myself and 5 others are heading to South Africa for 2 weeks of hunting and sightseeing this May.

I am looking forward to seeing the faces of my friends when they get to Africa and start hunting; and listen to them retell sotries from the days hunt around the campfire.

Africa makes you feel alive, and if your friends don't want to experience that, I truly feel sorry for them.

Sounds like they aint got it in them!Find new hunting friends.

Tell 'em to stay home, more game for us!

quote:

Originally posted by stagman:
I have several buddies that want to go to Africa, but they all seem to have excuses for staying home: "Can't be gone from the business for 12 days ... The flight is too long ... Maybe I will go next year ...

Any suggestions for getting these numbnuts into putting down a deposit?

Forget about them. Go by yourself and have a ball.

Stagman,

After my first safari was over, and our hunting season came and friends were asking me about my safari to Africa...
This has always stuck in my mind...He said,
" Mike, some guys are talkers and others are doers...Mike your a doer.." I have never forgot that comment...
So just tell your friends I am going to Africa on this day..and the itinerary...So if you want to go, plan by this...


Mike

Fear of the unknown is absolutely most of the problem. Cost is another.

My younger brother and I haven't been close for many years. When he heard I was going to Africa he showed a lot of interest. I knew his son had recently gotten interested in deer hunting. I invited him and his son to join me on the plains game hunt. I even had a "grand plan".

My nephew didn't own a rifle. I offered to let him use my Remington Model 600 in .308 Win. I didn't mention it but at the end of the hunt I was going to tell him to keep it. That is a big deal to me. That was the first deer rifle I ever bought. It has a tremendous history in my hands. My son is not a hunter, so I wanted it to end up with someone that would appreciate it.

To shorten a long story, after all the hoopla of "preparing", and in all fairness 9/11, I noticed doubt, worry, fear start to creep into the equation, followed by excuses. I kept my plan, didn't push them, let my brother tell himself ghost stories. He shifted the blame towards his son, and bailed out. Not a problem. I had a fine hunt. To each his own. We don't talk hunting anymore. We don't talk anymore. The Model 600 is still in my hands. In June I go back to Africa.

In the case of my brother-in-law's son, it's money. He'll have to continue to hunt deer and elk in New Mexico and dream of Africa. That's O.K. too. I did the same for many years.

My wife and I had a hunt booked then 9/11 happened. We could not be sure that WW4 was not going to start or that air travel would be safe. So she decided to stay home. I started asking around and found a co-worker who was interested in taking her half of the hunt. He had not hunted Africa and his total hunting experience consisted of a few quail hunts with his dad years earlier.

He bought a .375 that I helped him set up. We had a few range sessions and before you know it we were on a plane to RSA.

We are now friends and he is an avid deer hunter.

At the time I thought the chances of finding someone to go with me that soon after 9/11 was close to 0 percent. You just never know.

What 500 Grs. said. I gave up on them. This way there will never be a decision on who gets to shoot first.
Better yet we should be talking people out of going. Lower demand makes lower costs.

I've actually talked one friend into going this year for Buff. In all fairness there wasn't much talking involved from my end. I told him I was going and he asked to come along.

Another friend was supposed to go as well, but his doctor advised against. He's in a wheelchair and has been fighting infections of late.

Most of my other hunting buddies would have problems scraping the money up. But I keep working on them anyway.

-Steve

My problem is everyone wants to go to Africa with me while I'd prefer to do my own thing before and after the hunt.

BillQ

Stagman,

Looks like you need some better friends. Have gun, will travel.

Give them a copy of Death in the Long Grass and after they've read it say to them "see what can go wrong?".

quote:

Originally posted by odie:
Give them a copy of Death in the Long Grass and after they've read it say to them "see what can go wrong?".

I encouraged my wife to read my Capstick books and then all she and my kids could say was "You're going to come back in a cigar box!"

Enter my booking agent to reassure them. Wendell says "There are a lot of really nice woods in Africa -- we can come up with something better than a cigar box!"

In the end, 500 Grains is correct. Go yourself and have a ball.

This is what I've done for most things, like fishing in foreign countries for marlin, ...Finaly went Africa alone and it was fantastic. Plus when your freinds actually follow through, being tourguide and coach and repairman and phycologist...can get pretty old.

JPK

The problem is, I've been twice and want to share the experience with my buddies next time round.

I love those guys and want them to experience what I have. I'm not quite ready to give up on them yet.

But one of you said it best, "Africa is not for everyone." ... Guess I will just have to go it alone again!

Why would this be a pet peeve of your's? I mean why should you give a shit about what someone else enjoys doing. Should everybody be like you?

my sentiments exactly.

It's not just going to Africa that siezes people up.

Several years ago my parents were told that airline pilot friends had a condo in Hawaii that would be sitting empty and would let them have it cheap for a week. This was in February and we lived in MN. They looked into charter flights finding some very cheap flights.

Dad said to us kids we were going to learn a lesson in indecisiveness. They called several friends and neighbors, told them about the trip- how much fun it would be for almost nothing. Everone of them were retired or had kids of their own that could take up the slack in their farms or businesses. Not one couple could decide on a moments notice to go. Mom and Dad went alone and had a wonderful time.

Inabitily to snap-decide anything is what chokes a lot of people up.

Stagman-

I understand you wanting to share the experience of Africa with your friends. Being able to rehash stories for years itself is worth it. I was pumped when a bunch of friend Wanted to go with me this year.

After showing them all your pictures, trophies, and stories, they can't have one good reason not to go. I never heard anyone on their death bed say "I wish I had work more days, or I wish I had not gone hunting with my friends to Africa".

We are only on the earth for a finite amount of time, better get busy with living and enjoying the time we have here. If they still don't want to go, they are hopeless toads who have no adventure and you would be better off going back to Africa alone.

You can lead a horse to water.....

Forget your friends, take your kids. One of the highlights of my, and my Sons', lives is the Botswana safari that we went on.

TerryR

Say you've found this really awesome butcher shop that has an incredible bargain price for a marbled ribeye, and you try to tell a bunch of hotdog eaters that they are paying more for their weenies than the ribeyes.

They want to try the steak, but won't make the longer drive across town to buy 'em when the gas station next door has juicy jumbos already cooked.

... My pet peeve is that, in my heart, I know they are missing out on something special ... AFRICA, not that they want to hunt other places ... Yes, I do give a $h1t!

It is interesting. I get a lot of comments like "how could you spend that much to hunt" and this comming from people with $40k SUV's, $20k Harley's, $15K boats, ATV's, Snomobiles, etc., all losing more money in depreciation than my entire trip cost. Go figure.

I'm with Mr. Carr, most people are pretty misinformed as to what's going on in the "COUNTRY OF AFRICA". Most people have missed a geography lesson or two during school. Many people don't know the difference between the Somalia and South Africa where a map is concerned. Most of the people I talk with also think you have to be a multi-millionaire to hunt anywhere overseas. It would help I suppose, but I think it's more discipline to save your pennies than anything else. Going on any hunting trip where it's guided is relatively expensive for most people. It's all in what you are willing to give up. I enjoy eating out for lunch everyday to get away from the office. At $10 Dollars a day average with tip and gas to get to restaurant I spend $2600 or so a year. That's airfare, driving my vehicle till it's paid off and one more year that's $5-6K per year I'd save. My point is, most of us aren't that committed to staying with a goal no matter what. I talked with my wife last night about buff hunting in '08 or '09. First thing she said was, I better starting taking my lunch and go for the hunt with the 375 H&H instead of buying another rifle. The not buying a rifle part was the hardest thing to give up, but that's $1,800 plus brass, dies, etc.

I also think that there are deals to be had, and once you start hanging around people in the know, things starting becoming cheaper. I've learned huge amounts from people here on the site. Ask these guys what they've given up to go to Africa after there first and what was supposed to be a "once in a lifetime" hunt.

Stagman- Now you can just show them this thread. One thing I have noticed in the last couple of years is with the airing of the 2 or 3 "Bubba" networks, that Africa is a bit more digestible for the xenophobes I know.

Crane - You're correct. In fact, some of the TV shows make the whole process look easier than it is and may get a few people into adventures they're not ready for.

M16 - I guess I care (not that I lose much sleep over it) because I'm in the hunting business and people are constantly asking me how to get more bang for their hunting buck. But some of the same people that are asking will continue to spend all of their hunting money flying around to take whitetails in four different states EACH and EVERY year and think that's all there is to hunting.

Maybe you're right and I shouldn't care, but some of these guys are really good people and I consider them friends. As such, I think they'd really enjoy a safari (or six) and would add something to the sport.

I'll work on becoming more calloused toward my fellow hunters for your sake.

Kyler

Friends and hunting seems to go something like.

8-10 Wisconsin Deer
4-6 out west for bear, deer etc.
2-4 for Alaska
1-2 for Africa.

This year I may go to Africa by myself except that my best and always reliable hunting buddy who is my wife will go.

I gave up asking friends to go and just tell them the hunt I am planning and ask who is going. Close and less expensive means I need room for a crowd. Far away and expensive means one or two. I have managed to get two friends to go to Zim and both loved it.

But then last year I took a lot of shit because only 3 of us out of 6 got a bear in Idaho.

I still plan and we still go, it is a hell of a lot of fun hunting with buddies.

BigB