African game in North America

Boomer454

Boomer454

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Southern Alberta
I have always wanted to hunt the African plains game, and had decided to set a goal of doing that when I am 50 (I am 34 now). Kind of a birthday present to my self...
Then I saw in a magazine that you can hunt "exotics" in quite a few southern states. And quite a bit in Texas specifically. For a vast amount less than going overseas...

There are a few that seem like fair chase hunts. The last thing I want is to shoot a "canned" animal as it runs out of a box or corral!

Has anyone here ever done this. Is there a lot of loop holes or scams to be aware of
 
To hunt plains game in Texas it will cost way more than going all the way to Africa to shoot them.

Wildly expensive to hunt exotics in the US. They fo have wild freeranging Gemsbok in New Mexico on a huge military base with limited raw hunting.
 
As already pointed out, it's a mistake to assume that hunting exotics in Texas is cheaper than hunting plainsgame in Africa. There are a lot of outfitters on the Dark Continent offering fantastic package hunts for under $5,000. I just got back from hunting with one of them (Pierre Moolman of Sun Africa Safaris), who offers a 10-day all-inclusive hunt for kudu, gemsbuck, impala, blesbuck, springbuck and steenbuck for the grand total of $4500. Yes, you have to fly to Africa, and no the airfare isn't cheap. But the value for the money is entirely on the side of the Africans right now.
 
Neo said:
As already pointed out, it's a mistake to assume that hunting exotics in Texas is cheaper than hunting plainsgame in Africa. There are a lot of outfitters on the Dark Continent offering fantastic package hunts for under $5,000. I just got back from hunting with one of them (Pierre Moolman of Sun Africa Safaris), who offers a 10-day all-inclusive hunt for kudu, gemsbuck, impala, blesbuck, springbuck and steenbuck for the grand total of $4500. Yes, you have to fly to Africa, and no the airfare isn't cheap. But the value for the money is entirely on the side of the Africans right now.
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X2 what Neo said.

Pierre offers fabulous value for the money. Ten days of accommodations, excellent food, being driven around to your hunting locations and the services of a qualified PH plus the fact that you are hunting African game in Africa - I don't think it gets any better than that. :rockOn:
 
The attraction of hunting African game is to hunt in Africa...Part of the hunting experience is to look back at your trophies and relive the experience. Texas?.....bahahahha :eek: That's like panning for gold in Toronta :(
 
A-zone said:
X2 what Neo said.

Pierre offers fabulous value for the money. Ten days of accommodations, excellent food, being driven around to your hunting locations and the services of a qualified PH plus the fact that you are hunting African game in Africa - I don't think it gets any better than that. :rockOn:
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I had no idea... I thought the Texas thing was for the "economy " hunter...
That $5000 is equal to about 2 and a half Texas whitetails...

Well that settles it.! Going to Africa... And I just got my passport and everything!
 
Check out Huntersgame safaris, nihan Engelbrecht, they are based near kimberley. We had great food, we enjoyed Nihan and his people immensely, and we hunted high quality game.
 
Would you go to Zimbabwe to shoot Whitetails? No, because it would be dumb. Likewise with hunting African game in Texas. I went to Africa this year with Constantia Safaris and had a blast. Can't wait to go back!

As for hunting "exotic" game...the locals here would say... Ever Dumb!
 
Neo said:
As already pointed out, it's a mistake to assume that hunting exotics in Texas is cheaper than hunting plainsgame in Africa. There are a lot of outfitters on the Dark Continent offering fantastic package hunts for under $5,000. I just got back from hunting with one of them (Pierre Moolman of Sun Africa Safaris), who offers a 10-day all-inclusive hunt for kudu, gemsbuck, impala, blesbuck, springbuck and steenbuck for the grand total of $4500. Yes, you have to fly to Africa, and no the airfare isn't cheap. But the value for the money is entirely on the side of the Africans right now.
Click to expand...

What about trophy fees? or is that part of the hunt cost?
Is there extra cost to getting your mounts back to canada?
I have heard that can be the most expensive part...
 
of the top of my head the only african game i would consider hunting in the the US would be barbary sheep, apparently they have "naturalized" and are a real challenge.
 
Boomer454 said:
What about trophy fees? or is that part of the hunt cost?
Is there extra cost to getting your mounts back to canada?
I have heard that can be the most expensive part...
Click to expand...


The $4500 fee is a pretty inclusive package. In addition to ten days of accommodations, food, drink, the PH, a tracker and a skinner, it includes the trophy fees for the six animals included in the package. But, like Neo said, you have to get there - so airfare is a separate expense.

Taxidermy is extra (mine is about $3,900 for seven shoulder mounts and wall pedestals). Getting the taxidermy done locally (Karoo Taxidermy) is definitely saving money compared to getting it done here. Shipping by air is expected to be around $1,500 - $2,000.

Bear in mind that not all of these expenses are paid at the same time. That may help with budgeting for the trip.

One of the things I found interesting was that a stay at a 50,000 hectare game reserve (where Pierre has hunting access) charges around $450 a day for simply wildlife sightseeing (!). So, we were able to hunt the area (and take game) for about the same per-day cost.
 
Boomer454 said:
What about trophy fees? or is that part of the hunt cost?
Is there extra cost to getting your mounts back to canada?
I have heard that can be the most expensive part...
Click to expand...

We are getting three shoulder mounts(a kudu, gemsbok and mountain reedbuck), 5 skull horn mounts and a zebra rug, done shipped airfreight to Edmonton for a total of $4400 US, and the best part is I will have them in April. I took a bear rug into a guy in Sherwood Park that was highly recommended by a bear guide in Oct 05 and still don't have it back, he lost all his staff like every other business in Alberta.
 
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