It seems that every year there are some pretty good late season specials. I expect they will begin appearing very soon. With the economy being so slow in recovering, there is no reason to think next year will be any better. Why is it that safari companys don't offer good deals now for next year in hopes of booking clients before the shows? History should tell them that they will offer them late next year anyway.

Maybe you could ask the folks over on the Discounted Hunts Forum?

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

This is the right forum, IMO. And, IMO, the answer is the future is so uncertain right now, that no-one is willing to judge whether there will be huge inflation or huge deflation--too unsteady a situation-- and the next year looks to be the most potentially life-changing year in the US since the US civil war--with potential for even more change in the future. Other countries may face similiar changes but perhaps not so drastic as that facing the US.

Every year at the conventions these guys all "hope" things will just go back to normal. Here in Arizona homes are selling at 40% of what they were 3-4 years ago. They will not go back to full price for ages.

Hunting is 100% disposable income....

Steve

quote:

Originally posted by SBT:
Why is it that safari companys don't offer good deals now for next year in hopes of booking clients before the shows? History should tell them that they will offer them late next year anyway.

A major reason for the late season specials is that the outfitters would like to utilize some quota that was not taken by hunters who were paying full price.

The reason they can't offer these deals for next year is the fact that they would limit what they could offer to full price hunters at the show(because they would have it tied up with you).

I am sure some outfits would be willing to let you set dates and book an end of the year "quota clean-up hunt" for next year at a discounted rate if you were willing to put down a deposit now without knowing what will be available on quota until just before your hunt. As crazy as this sounds it could be a great deal if you weren't too picky and the outfitter was willing to give you great prices, and possibly a backout clause if all the premier species were shot out.

I think this would really work great if you were to book end of the year quota clean-up hunts with two different outfits(back to back dates) as this would give you a better chance of having quota available for the species you want.

Jason,
Your response makes sense. However, if I were an outfitter and had pretty regular left over quota each year, I would offer a limited number of specials up front to avoid losing money.

I wonder also if outfitters have not yet purchased their concession for next year. They may not know what their costs will be and therefore could only plan for full fare bookings.
I agree that a piece of the pie is better than losing a full slice but it seems to be a very slim margin they are playing with.I do recall I had the option of two extra bulls in Zimbabwe by adding days to my special buffalo hunt.


Frank

In Most cases, well at least in Zim, it is a question of quota.
In Zim quotas are allocated annually by national Parks and are based, in part , on the previous years animals.
Therefore, there is always a degree of uncertainty as to what the following years quota will be.
The other glaring reason is simply income. As mentioned before economics play a big role in peoples lives nowdays and many operations need the income to simply survive.

I think it's obvious from some of the discounted hunts offered and subsiquent hunting reports that you can get a giant "bang for your buck"! On the other side there's something to be said for buying a full price lion hunt and getting the absolute best date to hunt a lion in that concession and getting a $15k discount on the same hunt at the worst time of year to hunt lions in the concession. Sure it may work out.......but is it worth $15k to not have all the cards stacked in your favor? 1 $70k lion hunt is cheaper every time than 2 $55k lion hunts or a $55k and $70k lion hunt. Buuuutttttt what if it works out?

Brett

Starting about NOW; prices go down on inventory in the new car business, and on Safari.

But, you always want to get the maximum price for that inventory.

It's like going to a gunshow with a firearm to sell. If nobody wants to buy it, you can always drop the price. Heartbreak is when you come in, and the first guy to see it buys it for your price and says he would have paid twice that much for a clean one like yours.

Rich
DRSS

Is there really such a big "market" for last minute discounted hunts? Is that a wise strategy to adopt? I don't see anyone jumping on Wendell's SUPERBLY discounted 21 day hunt with Luke! Or Aaron's Namibia lion hunt at half price

Me thinks not......

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanamich:
I don't see anyone jumping on Wendell's SUPERBLY discounted 21 day hunt with Luke!

You're wrong. Actually two people did last year when the same type of offer was given. They both had wildly successful safaris by anyone's standards. To add to that if you read this year's offer he has in fact sold one of the hunts for a 28 day safari upgrade. I'm not saying that's always the way to go, but it can work out if you do your homework. I can also think of Aaron's Kafue lion hunt that was a HELL of a deal in a great area at a good time of year.

Brett

BwanaMich,

Last year AnotherAZWriter and notlim bought the same discounted hunts.

AnotherAZWriter took:

"elephant
lion
leopard
2 buff
eland
hippo
hyena
etc.

The elephant tusks were 72 inches long with 15.5 bases. The lion had a full mane. Very lucky. I think your odds of smacking a lion with Luke are far better than average. We turned down a young one, and Dan turned down two males before he shot his."

and notlim took:

"No ele I didn't even see a legal bull.
but to drown my sorrows we got :
lion
leopard
3 buff
hyena
sable
eland
hartebeast
wildebeast
impala


we also saw and could of shot but for whatever reason didn't:
honey badgers
red duiker
sunni
common duiker
hippo
croc
kudu"

Brett

I stand corrected then

I understood that Wendell is still trying to sell that 21 day hunt for this year despite the notice being up for grabs for over a month!!

I was the one that bought the upgraded 28 day hunt from Wendell in the Selous. When I saw that Luke was offering some time in Masailand to try and move the August hunt in the Selous, I asked and Luke let me tack on 5 more days in Masailand as well (could not resist a chance at a lesser kudu and grants). I booked the hunt largely based on reports on AR about Luke's operation and talking with AnotherAZWriter about his experience last year. If my hunt is anything like his, I will be ecstatic. I leave October 23 and return November 27. Hopefully it will be the experience of a lifetime. It would not have been possible if it was not a discounted hunt. 85 days and counting.

quote:

Originally posted by Vince Hazen:
I was the one that bought the upgraded 28 day hunt from Wendell in the Selous. When I saw that Luke was offering some time in Masailand to try and move the August hunt in the Selous, I asked and Luke let me tack on 5 more days in Masailand as well (could not resist a chance at a lesser kudu and grants). I booked the hunt largely based on reports on AR about Luke's operation and talking with AnotherAZWriter about his experience last year. If my hunt is anything like his, I will be ecstatic. I leave October 23 and return November 27. Hopefully it will be the experience of a lifetime. It would not have been possible if it was not a discounted hunt. 85 days and counting.

you will do good, Wendell don't sell shit hunts
My policy is never bood a hung before july 4th
Why pay full price when your can get it for half.
Just be patient. Its a buyers market now, 3 years ago it was a seller market. the worm has turned. That said you got to be able to travel on short notice. Say 45 days.
I have also bought hunts for less they the asking price on the discount hunt page.
Wendell loves to hate me

From our side...On most 'discounted' end of season specials, the operator isn't making a cent...he is just covering what he has to pay parks or council...nobody stys long in buisness if he doesn't make some profit You don't offer a discount until you have tried everything else!

Also, the market is changing. Until a couple of years ago ALL my clients were American- now only one repeat client and the rest are from south America or eastern Europe. The hiccup in the world economy has created many more true millionairs in eastern Europe - and many of them are from poorer backgrounds and have a hunting tradition...

America will always be animportant market becuase it is the one country where the 'middle class' can aford to save up and come hunting but it is no longer the premier market.