2023 South Africa trip success

[pianoman9701]

Wow, all beautiful animals. I'll be hunting Africa in my dreams now.

[Bob33]

Going to Africa to hunt a few animals purchased on a donated hunt is like going into a candy store to buy a Hershey's bar and seeing this.

[Ridgerunner]

That last pic sums it up pretty well with the Africa hunts at the banquets. 

That being said hunting Africa is an amazing experience, I have yet to meet one person who did it and regretted it. You can get so many more animals on a $10K hunt over there then you can here its crazy.  Not to mention the cultural benefits of hunting another continent. 

I went in 2018 and have no regrets whatsoever.  I'm hoping to get back soon someday.  I think about it most days. 

[bugs n bones]

That last pic sums it up pretty well with the Africa hunts at the banquets. 

That being said hunting Africa is an amazing experience, I have yet to meet one person who did it and regretted it. You can get so many more animals on a $10K hunt over there then you can here its crazy.  Not to mention the cultural benefits of hunting another continent. 

I went in 2018 and have no regrets whatsoever.  I'm hoping to get back soon someday.  I think about it most days.

[Rob]

Worst mistake you can make is hunting Africa.  All you do is yearn to go back and scape up pennies to get there.

I have been three times and have no regrets.  None of the hunts have been wise for my personal finances but I got to go with my dad on each hunt and those memories are priceless. 

Regarding ph's taking advantage of the kid in a candystore situation.  While they dont discourage you in adding animals to your dance card, i never found they would exagerate the size of an animal.  I went with 3 different outfitters and on each trip I was told to pass on animals that I would have otherwise wanted to shoot.  They judge themselves on trophy evaluation before the shot and in Africa an old animal is prized over a larger better scoring one.  I went to Zimbabwe 2 times and Namibia once.  Zimbabwe prides themselves as having the most comprehensive certification process for their PHs-but travel to Zim can be an exersise in pop quizzes.

I went to my PHs and said something like:
"I definitely want a kudu, gemsbok and warthog.  But i would also like 2 from the following depending on what your consession has to offer- zebra, blue wildebeest,  Eland, black wildebeest or Nyala.

[bugs n bones]

Going to Africa to hunt a few animals purchased on a donated hunt is like going into a candy store to buy a Hershey's bar and seeing this.

there are a lot of things wrong with the donated hunts . Someone has to pay for the shortcomings of the donation and usually it going to be the hunter .

[Bob33]

I've been to Africa four times; all of them started as auction hunts. I've only been urged or encouraged to shoot more animals that I wanted to once. I never hunted with that outfitter again.

[RC]

What’s the process for transporting heads and such back to the states and any issues in doing so? How much would you budget to do this? What happens with the meat? Do you bring any of it back, or does it go to the locals?

[bugs n bones]

What’s the process for transporting heads and such back to the states and any issues in doing so? How much would you budget to do this? What happens with the meat? Do you bring any of it back, or does it go to the locals?

your outfitter will deliver them to a taxidermist where they will clean the skulls and do what they call dip and pack . They spray them for bugs crate them up and they have to sit there for 8 weeks minimum before they can ship to the states . During the 8 weeks time if all goes well they will have acquired your proper permits to ship the animals out of the country . If your animal is on cites like say giraffe is on cites 2 right now it takes longer . When all permits are acquired and they are ready to ship , one way to do it is use a customs broker to help you get your skins and horns back into the country and from there you can have them shipped to you or your taxidermist or the tannery whatever works best for you .

As for prices , dip and pack last time for 6 animals cost me about 400 this time it was a 1000.  I’m sure the shipping and brokerage fees have gone up too so I don’t know yet but I’m guessing a couple grand .

You’ll eat some of the meat while you’re there , nothing is wasted . You can’t bring meat back

[starbailey]

Great looking animals!
I’d agree with the thoughts of go hunting now. Prices will only keep going up and the adventure one finds on these hunts are amazing. Going as a group can lesson first time jitters and sometimes help cut costs.
 Africa has always been on my bucket list but my heart is still in the mountain hunts right now.

[idaho guy]

Worst mistake you can make is hunting Africa.  All you do is yearn to go back and scape up pennies to get there.

I have been three times and have no regrets.  None of the hunts have been wise for my personal finances but I got to go with my dad on each hunt and those memories are priceless. 

Regarding ph's taking advantage of the kid in a candystore situation.  While they dont discourage you in adding animals to your dance card, i never found they would exagerate the size of an animal.  I went with 3 different outfitters and on each trip I was told to pass on animals that I would have otherwise wanted to shoot.  They judge themselves on trophy evaluation before the shot and in Africa an old animal is prized over a larger better scoring one.  I went to Zimbabwe 2 times and Namibia once.  Zimbabwe prides themselves as having the most comprehensive certification process for their PHs-but travel to Zim can be an exersise in pop quizzes.

I went to my PHs and said something like:
"I definitely want a kudu, gemsbok and warthog.  But i would also like 2 from the following depending on what your consession has to offer- zebra, blue wildebeest,  Eland, black wildebeest or Nyala.

I had a similar experience as far as choosing which animals to take. I was told to pass many, many times . I never was encouraged to shoot anything extra and they took judging the animals pretty seriously. I only went once but also took my dad. Literally one of my best hunting experiences ever.

[Ingwe]

I went to South Africa and Zimbabwe 4 times in the 1990’s. It was cheap then. I hunted Cape buffalo, leopard, sable and many other animals then in Zimbabwe. I hunted a 150,000 acre ranch in South Africa and had great hunts. but the wild of Zimbabwe was incredible. I saw many elephant, lion, unbelievable number of Cape buffalo many other animals. I look at my trophies every night will never forget everything I saw on those trips. Back when I went it was so cheap and easy to send trophies home. I know it is a lot different now.

[Gettin Birdie]

Awesome!  How much roughly does something like that cost?  I've been wanting to take a trip there forever and would like to bring my dad for his 70th birthday, just wanted a general idea on what I need to save up.  Any input helps, thank you.

South Africa seemed actually inexpensive compared to other guided hunts when I went. Took a dozen animals for the cost of what I see a lot of guided elk hunts advertised for. Of course it depends on what and how many you shoot 😂 it’s expensive compared to a diy hunt in your home state but I thought it was a good deal for what we got. I took my Dad on the Africa hunt as well. Go for it totally worth it

Thanks Idahoguy and bugsnbones, that sounds like a great time and good memories to boot!  I was thinking/hoping to spend somewhere between 10-20k for 2 of us, but wasn't sure if that's doable, I don't care if I get the big expensive trophies, just want to shoot a few of the abundant ones with cool horns, etc. maybe 5-6 animals.  I'm glad you got to go with your dad, like a few of the respondents, what a great opportunity.  I'll be looking more into it shortly!  Who was your outfit/outfitter you went with? A PM is fine if too, if I'm being to forward in asking and fine if not    

[Rob]

Include airfare in your price estimates.  That can add 2 to 4 k per person to costs. 

[bugs n bones]

Awesome!  How much roughly does something like that cost?  I've been wanting to take a trip there forever and would like to bring my dad for his 70th birthday, just wanted a general idea on what I need to save up.  Any input helps, thank you.

South Africa seemed actually inexpensive compared to other guided hunts when I went. Took a dozen animals for the cost of what I see a lot of guided elk hunts advertised for. Of course it depends on what and how many you shoot 😂 it’s expensive compared to a diy hunt in your home state but I thought it was a good deal for what we got. I took my Dad on the Africa hunt as well. Go for it totally worth it

Thanks Idahoguy and bugsnbones, that sounds like a great time and good memories to boot!  I was thinking/hoping to spend somewhere between 10-20k for 2 of us, but wasn't sure if that's doable, I don't care if I get the big expensive trophies, just want to shoot a few of the abundant ones with cool horns, etc. maybe 5-6 animals.  I'm glad you got to go with your dad, like a few of the respondents, what a great opportunity.  I'll be looking more into it shortly!  Who was your outfit/outfitter you went with? A PM is fine if too, if I'm being to forward in asking and fine if not

sent you a pm