cost

fyrfyter32 · Mar 7, 2012

I always see these lowball prices to go to Africa. If its to good to be true, it obviously isnt. With all fees tips airfare, lodging, travel, taxidermy, ect. What do you say the average plainsgame hunt would cost a person. I know there are many variables and the situation is without the least very dinamic. Just ballparks are ok. thanks, Tim

Buckhunter1955 · Mar 8, 2012

You can go to Namibia and hunt Kudu,Gemsbuck,Heartabeest,Warthog,Springbuck,for around 5000.00 plus airfare, 2000.00 to 2400.00 And then don't forget Taxidermy.

littlejoe · Mar 8, 2012

The more species you see the more you will shoot. It is the nature of us. I shot a lot more than I expected. I personally don't think under 10k is very reasonable when all variables are figured in. The more species you shoot the more you pay; plain and simple.

Blank · Mar 8, 2012

1. Airfare to get there (and where is there?). $1600-2400.
2. Daily rate $275-400, for as many days as you like. Do they include VAT tax, transfers, alcohol, etc., or is it extra?
3. Trophy fees for whatever you decide to shoot(50-2000), for maybe 8-10 animals.
4. How about tips for PH, tracker, driver, skinners, house wait staff?
5. Save a few bucks for all the neat carvings and trinkets.
6. Dip & pack for all those trophies. Tanning over there for rugs and flat skins.
7. Shipping and clearance fees a while later when they show up?
8. Taxidermy - spread out or all at once?

Say $10K for low end budget hunt, or $20K for deluxe one

llamapacker · Mar 8, 2012

A budget conscious hunter can do a 7-10 day hunt in RSA or Namibia for 5-8 animals for about $5K. This is what you will pay to the PH /Outfitter. Airfare will be extra, and estimates of $1600-2400 are about right for most major cities in the US. If you have air miles, this is a great use of those and can significantly lower your total cost. A total budget of $7K including airfare can produce a really great plains game hunt.

Things like taxidermy and shipping horns home will be extra, but certainly not required. Lots of hunters just take pictures and leave the horns in Africa. Kind of like buying a new rifle for the hunt, etc. Not really part of the hunt, but you can really rack up the total if you buy all new kit and do life size mounts on every animal you shoot. Remember that taxidermy and trophy shipping costs will also come around about 6-18 months after the hunt, so you have time to budget for these "extras".

You won't be shooting buffalo and sable on a $7K hunt, but you will expereince Africa and have a great time on a modestly priced hunt that most people can afford with a little planning.

Bill

stinkystomper · Mar 8, 2012

Well I'm going with huntessential this year and this is a special copied directly from their page.

Bigbuck Classic

Bigbuck Classic $7 500.00 Per Hunter Xanagas Botswana Including: 7 day accommodation and meals; 4 Animals consisting of: Eland Kudu Gemsbuck Waterbuck Optional Plains game as per price list

This is an all in price which is mid range for specials as namibia may be half this price.

Airfare round trip will be around $2200 including your botswana or namibia connection flight.

Dip pack will run you about $1100

Shipping to the states will run you about $2000

So total all in for botswana for 4 really big animals is $12,800 all said and done.

Here's one from hartzview in South Africa...........

7x Day Budget Package - South Africa

Package Includes:

5x Hunting Days for 1x Hunter,

1x Blue Wildebeest,
1x Impala,
1x Common Blesbuck,
1x Common Springbuck,

*Jackal & Baboons FREE*

Total - $3450

So dip/pack, airfare, trophy shipping is still $5300, the safari cost is $3450 so your total cost for this package is $8,750.

Lets just put it this way. To go to africa and have some hides sent back you are looking at $5,300 roughly. Add to this any safari quotes you get in namibia, south africa, botswana, or near any major airport in any country where you don't need to rent a bush plane to get to camp and you are going to be in the ball park.

Don't forget you still have taxidermy but I've just started getting flat skins and euro mounts done in africa and my entire bill come out to about $1200 for about 8 big animals.

sigboy66 · Mar 8, 2012

Plains Game hunt to Northern Cape of SA

$6400 hunted 11 animals, 7 trophy (Eastern Cape Kudu, Gemsbok, Black Wildebeest, Blesbok, Impala, Common Springbok, Black Springbok), 3 culls (2 common Springbok, 1 Copper springbok, ostrich), for $6400.00. This was an 8 day hunt. Food/lodging/beverages (leaded and unleaded)/daily laundry/pick up and drop off from airport all included.
$1900 airfare but should have paid $300 more and flown Delta as opposed to United and SAA (less stops, shorter layovers).
$150 Overnight in Joberg With Pickup and drop off to the airport with breakfast.
$700 on tips (PH, trackers/Skinners, cooks).
$300 on travel insurance,
$300.00 on shots and inoculations
$200 on a hard sighted rifle case.
$150 kaki hunting clothes (really cheap from sportsman?s guide)
$100 on rifle and hunting equipment insurance and SCI membership (needed for rifle insurance).
$40 bucks on a lockable pistol case for my ammo.
$20 bucks on tick repellent (not needed in the Northern Cape during Winter).

Money Spent $10,260

Taxidermy
$5000 on taxidermy
$2900 on shipping and customs and clearance and brokerage fees for 7 Shoulder mounts, 2 euro, one tanned ostrich hide.

Taxidermy and shipping $7900.00

Total: $18,160.00

Memories and Time of my life PRICELESS

Of course I am not including all the bribes I had to pay the wife to let me go. I am not rich, I work hard for a living just saved up money for many years to pay for it.

woodruffhunter · Mar 8, 2012

LAST EDITED ON Mar-08-12 AT 05:38PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Mar-08-12 AT 05:37?PM (MST)

Here is a deal the Outfitter I hunted witn offered at the Utah Expo for $3500!

1- kudu (no trophy fee regardless of size)
1- gemsbok or Blue Wildabeest
1- warthog
1- blesbok
1- steenbuck
1- impala

This was for a 14 day hunt with free pick up from
airport and no daily rates!

By the way, I would never ever do a 7 day hunt!!

When I went I shot 17 or 18 animals. I had a zebra rug made,
some flat skins tanned, a few euro mounts, tusk carvings (warthog)
And all my other hides prepped for taxidermy and shipped
for around $3400.

Pick up a sky miles card and save for a flight. There are
deals out there. I could buy a plane ticket for the money I spend on gas
scouting and hunting for one season.

kevinp · Mar 8, 2012

Yeah...certainly the best deal I have ever seen....Woodruff, you for got to mention that he was offering this deal with no observer rates/fees..in other words, Wife/companion goes free....I believe that alone sold several hunts for him at the Expo...

stinkystomper · Mar 8, 2012

woodruff, you shot 18 animals????? No way!

I'm guessing they all were well under 400 yards and not once in a lifetime animals?

ROFDL! You will never live that one down my friend, bahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

woodruffhunter · Mar 8, 2012

Tony:

You are the one who told me to aim a foot high, close my eyes
and pull the trigger!

Besides, you were so scared of your wife, you just told me to stop
and shoot! No use getting closer lol..

You need to give me a call! You know those guys you saw, on your
way out that Saturday? He called me after they got back from hunting
in there a week after we left

woodruffhunter · Mar 8, 2012

"the best deal I have ever seen....Woodruff, you for got to mention that he was offering this deal with no observer rates/fees..in other words, Wife/companion goes free....I believe that alone sold several hunts for him at the Expo..."

Yeah, I did forget! Even if I went down with my
wife and rented a hotel, and paid for meals, it
would cost a lot more than what he offered.

joesikora · May 29, 2012

Woodruff does your guy have a web site we can check out?
Thanks for your time as always.
Joe

Hey Stinky what do you do for a living if you don't mind me asking? Hope you have a great hunt. When are you going?

"Sometimes you do things wrong for so long you think their right"

-Joe E Sikora

woodruffhunter · May 29, 2012

Joe:

Here is the link to the website:
http://www.motshwere.co.za/

The website NEEDS to be updated. If you are
seriously considering Africa, I'd suggest you meet
with the owner in person. He will be at the Hunt
Expo in Salt Lake, in February.

Absolutely, look for a package deal. You can find
deals that are all inclusive (daily rates and trophy fees).
It will still cost some $$$ but it is a great experience
and my hunt exceeded what I had hoped for.

You can give me a call and I'll break down exactly what I spent
on my hunt.

stinkystomper · May 29, 2012

Hey woody, I found the deal of the century. check this out.

A guy is transitioning from photographic safaris to a hunting lodge. He has over 1500 head of kudu alone and way more eland. 60 inch kudu are all over his trail cam pics hes sending me and his oryx are insane. Its not like werner where you are hard pressed to find a blue eland bull. He has tons and has got to shoot some off. If you've everh wanted a monster eland, kudu, or oryx you have to go there next year. Thats where I'm taking the fam buddy. Heres his current package.

1 eland
1 kudu
1 gemsbok(oryx)
1 zebra
1 bluewildebeast
1 red heartabeast
1 warthog
1 impala

8 days hunting 9 days lodging food trackers ph etc.

total cost $6400! thats insane and the quality of animals is better than I've ever seen in Africa. Im telling you after you go to werners for the 2nd time your gonna be ready to see some different country thats when I'll give you another hookup. Anyways the trophy fees on extra animals are as follows.
oryx $500 bulls up to 38" are everywhere!
blue wildebeast $300
red heartabest $800
zebra $800

etc.

check out his website www.kanana.info
so far 7 of us are going next year. I possibly have another friend or two who may be buying a package and going as well. You need to hurry before they build up a clientelle and are full time into a hunting lodge.

BTW. I have oil rigs and work for the major oil companies on their oil and gas wells. Basically I'm a babysitter.

littlejoe · May 29, 2012

I am not a package person at all but the one Stinky mentions above is incredible. Doing tons of research on them right now.

Zeke · May 31, 2012

LAST EDITED ON May-31-12 AT 03:29PM (MST)[p]Remember, I have a 10 day 2x1 hunt package for 4K, both hunters not each, which need to be sold this year. It's with Dumukwa safari and they are great people, excellent PH, food, trans, lodging and 3 animals to get you started. Normally 10 days w/o any aminals is 6500 for BOTH hunters not each.
I've been but have too much on the plate this year to return (NWT Dall sheep, caribou and Premium LE elk and UT Mtn Goat)
email for details please.
[email protected]
Zeke

edit; I've hunted there and it's a great hunt. I will email all the pics you could want.

llamapacker · May 31, 2012

Dumukwa is a first class south african operation. It has been quite a few years, but I hunted their property for plains game. Sounds like a good deal....
Bill

kevinp · May 31, 2012

Zeke,

I would love to take that Safari off your hands, but I've got the same problem as you....I have drawn tags that I wasn't planning on this year along with a couple other hunts I had originally planned.

From the looks of it, were both going to have a very busy fall....I'll get the word out to some of my clients about your Safari and see if I can help you sell it....Good Luck and happy hunting!

KP

Zeke · Jun 1, 2012

Thanks guys!

I actually have 2 packages (4 hunters) that I'll be selling. I have a gentleman who wants 3 spots but has not committed totally yet so if a single hunter wants to go for 2K please let me know. We can probably make it work. Just contact me for more details if interested.

Thanks again,
Zeke

Navaluk · Jun 1, 2012

As to the original question: my rule of thumb for Africa hunts that works for me and my wifes safaris is " 3x daily rate". That's what I need to set aside before I am ready to book the hunt. This covers every expense from malaria meds to taxidermy delivered to my house and all photos and frames.

patientlywaiting · Sep 17, 2012

Woodruffhunter,
It sounds like you had a hunt of a lifetime. I'd love to see the pics of the animals you took. I'm looking at going in 2013. What time of year did you go? Thanks.

"I hate being bi-polar.....Its awesome"

woodruffhunter · Sep 17, 2012

PW:

Send me an email: [email protected]
I'll send you a bunch of pics.

I went in July and will be going in June, in 2014
They are both great months IMO

littlejoe · Sep 28, 2012

Just got back from Kanana and I cannot say anything more than it was just totally amazing in every way. Had the trip of a lifetime to Blaauwkrantz last year and to Kanana this year. Both truly amazing places. I will be posting a hunt report and many pictures as soon as I can see the light of day at work.