Plains Game Safari

[SDHNTR]

I am planning for a future Africa trip. It may take me a few years to get there and I need to know realistically what the total cost involved will be. Here is what I'm thinking.

I'd like to do a 7 day hunt, 2 on 1. I'd like to take 5 animals. I want one Kudu or Gemsbok, and the rest would be various antelope species. I really do not have any specific preference as to species. I do not have much interest in killing a zebra or wildebeest, and a wart hog would be low on the list. A very fancy lodge is not important to me, but I do want to be comfortable.

I want to hunt wild, free ranging animals. No fences or stocked animals.

I would like to take some animals with my bow and some with a rifle, if possible. If that is too inconvenient, I would just hunt with my bow.

I am not too particular as to exactly where the hunt would take place but cost of total airfare is a consideration. The lower the better. I would be flying from Southern CA.

I would probably only bring the best of two animals home. So I would need to include dip, pack and crate, for those two.

So how much am I looking at for the hunt, trophy fees, dip and pack, airfare, tips, and incidentals?

Thanks a lot. I don't mind paying for quality, I just don't want any expensive surprises.

 

[jjhack]

You had a lot of questions so I'll repost yours here and answer within the text:

I am planning for a future Africa trip. It may take me a few years to get there and I need to know realistically what the total cost involved will be. Here is what I'm thinking. First you have to realize that trying to do this years in advance brings into play exchange rates which change drastic in all of Africa. Then consider that 2 years ago the plane ticket was 950 and last year most people paid 1800. Thats a 50% change in two years. During that time the exchange in RSA was 14:1 and now its 6:1 so the price two years out is all a guess. I do not book hunts more then 10 months in advance for this reason!


I'd like to do a 7 day hunt, 2 on 1. I'd like to take 5 animals. I want one Kudu or Gemsbok, and the rest would be various antelope species. I really do not have any specific preference as to species. I do not have much interest in killing a zebra or wildebeest, and a wart hog would be low on the list. A very fancy lodge is not important to me, but I do want to be comfortable.
With all due respect a 7 day hunt is not long enough. 10 days are needed. If your only counting full days hunting I would still choose 8 days or more. the best situation is about 2 weeks. Let me expalin why. You will lose a day from California so it takes 2 full days travel or about 44 hours. That is to Joburg. Then depending upon where you hunt it will be many hours drive or another flight. so you are now into day three although you have been travelling less then 3 you also lost 9 hours time in the east bound travel.

So the day you actually arrive in camp your not gonna hunt because it's about 5PM and it's dark at 6PM. There is day one, then you have 5 days to actually hunt because the trip home is day 7. Five days actual hunting time to travel all that way and spend all that money is just not prudent. We have a 10 day hunt which has 8 full hunting days. Then add in the 3 full days of round trip travel( you gain the 9 hours going home) and you have about a 13 day or "2 week" trip. This also measn you have a couple days to make the time change right in your mind. I cannot begin to count the amount of guys still unable to sleep through the night on the third and fourth nights there. 9 hours is a big time change and you need to have some memory of your trip besides sleeping!

I want to hunt wild, free ranging animals. No fences or stocked animals.
A bit more research is needed for you on this. Exempt properties in RSA are all going to be fenced. This does not mean stocked or "game proof" fence. The fences are a legal requirment for boundry identification and game population control. Kudu will jump the fence along with eland and many others. it's simply a legal formality. I have a lot of ranch property in RSA to hunt and almost all is cmpletley contained. however the properties are also more then 50 square miles each which means it's much larger then the home range of the animals inside the fence. You will not see even a portion of the property using a vehicle in 10 days and would not see the whole place in years hunting on foot! If you choose to hunt a completly unfenced section you would need to hunt in Tanzania or Botswana, Zimbabwe also has these places but I would not hunt there on a bet right now with the unsafe and corrupt government. Check the state dept warning on Zim before you send them money as a deposit!

Tanzania and Botswana will be in the 20,000 range for a safari and don't have the amount of species RSA, Zim, Zambia, oe even Namiba have. Do not hunt the Eastern cape of RSA. that is put and take non-indiginous game which is stocked. If you stay in the northrn Province of RSA the fences are a complete non-issue for hunting.

I would like to take some animals with my bow and some with a rifle, if possible. If that is too inconvenient, I would just hunt with my bow.
That is easy and not a problem. except for the airtravel of two cases and luggage. you will definately get an expensive surcharge for that extra piece paid for by the pound and thye always choose the heaviest one.

I am not too particular as to exactly where the hunt would take place but cost of total airfare is a consideration. The lower the better. I would be flying from Southern CA.
Airfare from Seattle for me just a couple months ago was under 2K to joburg. Flying outside of Joburg would be in additional airfare and additional dyas travel. Hunting within RSA this would be it. Most outfitters include airport pickup and the 3-5 hour drive from there to the hunting lodge

I would probably only bring the best of two animals home. So I would need to include dip, pack and crate, for those two.
Pack and dip is 50 bucks an animal and 125 bucks for the government paperwork(RSA) then shipping would be about 500 bucks with the broker fees to get through F&W and US customs.

So how much am I looking at for the hunt, trophy fees, dip and pack, airfare, tips, and incidentals? Two years from now???? Lets say 2300 for airfare, 5500 for a ten day 5 animal plains game trip, 300 in tips, and 750 for pack and dip and shipping.

8850 would do it more then likley. I have space this year which would be about 2000 bucks less at current prices. Its a total guess with exchange rates and air travel cost two years away though

Thanks a lot. I don't mind paying for quality, I just don't want any expensive surprises.
There are never surprises with me. I'm there when my hunters are so anything I promise you I have to provide, nobody passes the buck in my camp. If there were problems with my hunts you would certainly know by now I have been on the hunting websites since the internet started!

www.huntingadventures.net

 

[SDHNTR]

Thanks. Please check your email.

 

[Arise_Kill_Eat_Acts10:13]

Jack pretty much summed it up.

You have plenty of time to plan.

My best advise would to (if your not already a member) Join SCI & get involved.

I'm going again next year (Zambia) & SCI has truly blessed me.

There are many guides out the "pimping" out there services.

FYI...I'm very new in this arena (Africa).

Again,You have plenty of time....Join SCI & get involved!

 

[boarhunter67]

I see many hunts for around $3500 for 7-10 days of hunting, 5-7 animals, trophy fees, lodging and food included. Are these discount hunts not what they appear or what? The one person I know who went on one of these seemed happy and got great animals. He did end up paying a lot more because once he was there he added on extra animals, like an extra worthog for $300. It was a great warthog though. What does one need to look out for in cases like this to make sure you are not being scammed or booking a hunt that will not work out like one expects?