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Really Affordable African Hunting
- Thread starter glang1
- Start date
Coenie, don't be coy, tell us more. Where all ears
Where are my ears? On the side of my head of course. But, yes please we're all ears here, tell us!!
- Location
- Hillbilly shack in the boonies
Ya gotta get there and back ; tags etc?
; tags etc?
Still going to be 10-15K easily after you get your mounts and incld tip and flights. I've seen those packages that include five smaller animals for about $5k but your not going to get a Kudu, elan or gemsbock in those prices. Although the experience would just be awesome.
Still saving my pennys, so much to do so little money to do it with.
Still saving my pennys, so much to do so little money to do it with.
Also need to find out what they offer as a "hunt". I have been planning an African PG hunt (can't afford a DG hunt) for the past two years and was very disappointed to find that a lot of the offerings were not what I would call "hunts" but rather more like "shoots". Even on the larger properties, animals are often on a "put and take" basis. The natural herds can not sustain yearly harvest of several mature males so the operator who knows he has 'X" no. of hunters who wish to hunt Kudu so he will go to auction and purchase enough stock for the season. Although these may become "free ranging" and ensure there are enough quality animals for the hunters it is far from a natural situation. The lower price hunts (usually RSA) almost always fit this description.
Nothing wrong with this concept if you simply want to shoot a bunch of animals but not my idea of a hunt. Check out Sheephunter's post "Back from Namibia" for what a plains game hunt should really be like IMO.
) for the past two years and was very disappointed to find that a lot of the offerings were not what I would call "hunts" but rather more like "shoots". Even on the larger properties, animals are often on a "put and take" basis. The natural herds can not sustain yearly harvest of several mature males so the operator who knows he has 'X" no. of hunters who wish to hunt Kudu so he will go to auction and purchase enough stock for the season. Although these may become "free ranging" and ensure there are enough quality animals for the hunters it is far from a natural situation. The lower price hunts (usually RSA) almost always fit this description.Nothing wrong with this concept if you simply want to shoot a bunch of animals but not my idea of a hunt. Check out Sheephunter's post "Back from Namibia" for what a plains game hunt should really be like IMO.
IMHO, there are no right or wrong reasons for going to Africa and there are no right or wrong ways to hunt there (with the obvious provisos)
You just need to understand what it is that you want personally from the experience. For us, a free-range/fair-chase scenario was very important as were tent camps and a bit of an old Africa experience but for many others it's not. When looking at Africa, it's critical that you decide what's important and what's not and then find the appropriate outfitter. They do not all offer the same experience just because they are in Africa. While price obviously dictates, jumping at the first bargain is not the way to hunt Africa. Decide what you want from the trip and then shop around. It's a big investment no matter how cheap the hunt and saving a couple thousand bucks will soon be forgotten if the trip doesn't measure up to what you dreamt it should be. The hunt cost is only a portion of the adventure but it's the portion that matters most.........
You just need to understand what it is that you want personally from the experience. For us, a free-range/fair-chase scenario was very important as were tent camps and a bit of an old Africa experience but for many others it's not. When looking at Africa, it's critical that you decide what's important and what's not and then find the appropriate outfitter. They do not all offer the same experience just because they are in Africa. While price obviously dictates, jumping at the first bargain is not the way to hunt Africa. Decide what you want from the trip and then shop around. It's a big investment no matter how cheap the hunt and saving a couple thousand bucks will soon be forgotten if the trip doesn't measure up to what you dreamt it should be. The hunt cost is only a portion of the adventure but it's the portion that matters most.........
Depends in which animals they are on whether that's a good deal or not.
Five is on the low end, but much depends on what animals are packaged, the hunting area and which outfit. Without knowing more 5 could be a great deal or a rip-off. Either way, it's just a fraction of the price, and even that is in US dollars. Add 3-3500 for airfare,then tips, then taxidermy, then freight, then go back and double the $5000 because adding onto a package is practically a given. You can hunt buffalo for the price of a plains game hunt, once you start adding in the extra trophy fees, taxidermy and freight.
I thought I could take a year off, and cheerfully let my friends go ahead for plainsgame without me. Let's just add that to the list of things I've been wrong about. They're in SA right now, and I'm wishing I drank so I could cry in my beer. If it was an elephant or even buffalo hunt, I'd be gone.
I thought I could take a year off, and cheerfully let my friends go ahead for plainsgame without me. Let's just add that to the list of things I've been wrong about.
They're in SA right now, and I'm wishing I drank so I could cry in my beer. If it was an elephant or even buffalo hunt, I'd be gone.
NZClaybuster
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Calgary, Alberta
Go to a Safari Club International Dinner fundraiser. Sept 12? in Drayton Valley or June 11 in Calgary. Hunt trips sometimes go really cheap.
safari
How do,
After many years of saving it is time to go back to Africa. I have to get bang for my buck so shopped around pretty hard. Plane fair with an overweight charge has set me back 2500 return to Jo burg out of Cowtown, booking my flight 10 months in advance. Rented my wheels for touring around after my hunt managed to get a Range Rover for the same price as a Volkswagen rabbit if I had rented it in country, also booked 10 months in advance, even my B&Bs have been booked 10 months in advance with huge savings. By looking into things I was able to up my hunt to 12 days with door to door service with an outfitter in the Limpopo area. I have Kudu, Impala x 2,Gemsbok x 2,Gnu,Warthog x3, Blesbok and hopefully a Hyena on the list. Total for the hunt just shy of $7000.00 US. 5 star accomodations even in spike camp. Hell if your American thats what we charge for a combo Moose and Bear hunt. Your staying in a wall tent theres no guarantee your tagging out and it is usually fairly cold and miserable crawling through a slough at 0dark hundred. Taxidermy with shipping is probably going to be about a 5000.00 touch but it does not have to be paid off all in one shot. So when the smoke clears I am into the hunt, taxidermy and travel for just a little over 18,000 Canadian and I have the potential of 11 animals to hunt for. Keep shopping you will find somthing in your price range safaris are usually 5 days, 8 days, 10 days where I am going. Now if I can only make it through the next 10months before heading out. Peace
How do,
After many years of saving it is time to go back to Africa. I have to get bang for my buck so shopped around pretty hard. Plane fair with an overweight charge has set me back 2500 return to Jo burg out of Cowtown, booking my flight 10 months in advance. Rented my wheels for touring around after my hunt managed to get a Range Rover for the same price as a Volkswagen rabbit if I had rented it in country, also booked 10 months in advance, even my B&Bs have been booked 10 months in advance with huge savings. By looking into things I was able to up my hunt to 12 days with door to door service with an outfitter in the Limpopo area. I have Kudu, Impala x 2,Gemsbok x 2,Gnu,Warthog x3, Blesbok and hopefully a Hyena on the list. Total for the hunt just shy of $7000.00 US. 5 star accomodations even in spike camp. Hell if your American thats what we charge for a combo Moose and Bear hunt. Your staying in a wall tent theres no guarantee your tagging out and it is usually fairly cold and miserable crawling through a slough at 0dark hundred. Taxidermy with shipping is probably going to be about a 5000.00 touch but it does not have to be paid off all in one shot. So when the smoke clears I am into the hunt, taxidermy and travel for just a little over 18,000 Canadian and I have the potential of 11 animals to hunt for. Keep shopping you will find somthing in your price range safaris are usually 5 days, 8 days, 10 days where I am going. Now if I can only make it through the next 10months before heading out. Peace
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Sure I get lower quotes. Go in a month I'm not interested in and save a bundle. Go through the States where there isn't hardly a legal way to get a gun through and save a bit. Go through England or France and watch them bust you for laws that they make up as they go along and save a bit. I had one suggest a 5 stop flight to Zimbabwe that required 3 different airlines and a rosary. No thanks.
On the otherhand, if you can find July and August flights through Germany, with baggage handling agreements straight through to destination with airlines that don't have gunaphobia, then I like to save a buck as much as the next guy. Are you in the travel business?
What do you think is an appropriate price? I can find variations, but the difference won't get anyone to Mars. Last minute seat sales aren't any good.
For fun, what do you think is a fair rate in July from say, Saskatoon to Balawayo? Like I said, I like to save a buck as much as the next guy, and if you can tell me/us how to do it a thread on affordable African hunting is a good place for it.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
The less time you have to book a flight the higher the cost will be, because the cheap seat are taken quickly. If you are watching for safari cancellations, where the real money savings occur, it may require you to be on the ground in country within a month, and often within a couple of weeks; good luck getting the cheap seats then. I strongly advise anyone who is intending on making the investment in an African Safari to not take less than 10 days. In 7 days you have just got used to the idea of being in Africa when its time to go. Ten days doesn't sound like a whole lot longer, but a 10 day license gives you more game to shoot, and more time to shoot it. Sadly all of the additional expenses will continue to apply, and those can quickly run up to about $1K per day, separate from the trophy fees.
Good points Dogleg......it was important for us to make getting there with guns as painless as possible and the Lufthansa/Air Namibia connection was the way to do it. When flying on a hunt, there are far more things to consider than which air line is the cheapest. I think our flights were $3k and as seamless as everything went, it was money well spent.
airfare
Maybe I have a little bit more know how when it comes to planes being a pilot, it is common knowledge the earlier you can book your flight the cheaper the ticket, if your trying for a cancellation on a safari you bet your ass the plane ticket is going to cost a bundle try and book a flight to joburg a month before you head out could cost you upwards of 5000.00. I agree choose your airline wisely. It breaks my heart not to fly with our national carrier but there service really does suck. I am going via frankfurt with Lufthansa luggage forwarded right through. Check it in at cowtown and pick it up in Joburg. make sure your air carrier is gun friendly and make sure the country your going through is also going to be ok with your special luggage. I asked 8different people before booking my flight also asked the local constabulary everyone has been very happy with Lufthansa. If its to confussing for you hire an expediter to do your paper work but alas it will add to the total.
Maybe I have a little bit more know how when it comes to planes being a pilot, it is common knowledge the earlier you can book your flight the cheaper the ticket, if your trying for a cancellation on a safari you bet your ass the plane ticket is going to cost a bundle try and book a flight to joburg a month before you head out could cost you upwards of 5000.00. I agree choose your airline wisely. It breaks my heart not to fly with our national carrier but there service really does suck. I am going via frankfurt with Lufthansa luggage forwarded right through. Check it in at cowtown and pick it up in Joburg. make sure your air carrier is gun friendly and make sure the country your going through is also going to be ok with your special luggage. I asked 8different people before booking my flight also asked the local constabulary everyone has been very happy with Lufthansa. If its to confussing for you hire an expediter to do your paper work but alas it will add to the total.
I assume you mean Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, right? We have a place there. With Mugabe, clearly we don't use it much. We usually now only use it as our stopping point to Zambia and Vic, Kafue, Chobe, etc. when driving.
I would have to make some calls, but my first though if I was going myself is a jburg flight on a major carrier, (there are 2 agents in Vancouver that sell BA/SAA wholesale) and then a small prop charter to Bulawayo or direct to your lodge if possible.
Thinking outside the box, EG exclusive use of major carriers and airlines from Canada, and thinking more local can be very rewarding trip and wallet wise. Especially if sharing the trip, or with connections.
PS - You can also travel westward to get there rather than passing through Europe.
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http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0fc_1235989196
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CNgwZgoKFc&feature=channel_page
I’ve seen those two videos HIGHLY suggest watching them I posted them above that will get your BLOOD PUMPIN!! I like hunting dangerous game, something that can fight back. As for a trip costing 5thousand that would be absolutely cheap, very curious on the 5 harvested games, and if that was USD you were looking at. Perhaps since I’m only twenty but that it seems like a lot of money for a hunt that could get you nearly any toy you wanted. But wow a trip like that you would never forget.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CNgwZgoKFc&feature=channel_page
I’ve seen those two videos HIGHLY suggest watching them I posted them above that will get your BLOOD PUMPIN!! I like hunting dangerous game, something that can fight back. As for a trip costing 5thousand that would be absolutely cheap, very curious on the 5 harvested games, and if that was USD you were looking at. Perhaps since I’m only twenty but that it seems like a lot of money for a hunt that could get you nearly any toy you wanted. But wow a trip like that you would never forget.
