2 Person South Africa Safari - must sell

I bought a donated South African Safari at the Texas Tech Chapter of TTHA charity auction and I'm unable to go. Please take a look and I'll provide ALL the info I have including emails with the PH and the auction form showing how much I paid (only $5000.) It's a good deal with a reputable company, but I cannot go (this year.) Details are below. - Call Steve at 210-288-0962 if you're interested in this fantastic safari deal.

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The hunt donation takes place in the Limpopo valley in the northern region of South Africa. The hunt is for 2 hunters for 10 days plus 3 nights at the Kruger National Park.
The hunt consists of: 2 eland, 2 kudu, 2 gemsbok, 2 zebra, 2 blue wildebeest, 2 waterbuck, 2 red hartebeest, 2 impala, 2 warthog and 2 of either steenbok or common duiker. The donation value is $17,500 USD.

The donation consists of:
• All of the taxidermy for the above species (all shoulder mounts except for the 2 zebra flat skins).
• 2 airfares from JFK to Johannesburg, and 2 airfarers return from Johannesburg to JFK.
• A $2000 USD contribution to the trophy fees of the above mentioned species. You only pay for what you wound or kill.
• A $2000 USD contribution to the daily rate.
• Also a 3 day guided tour through the Kruger Nation Park.

Note that the balance of the trophy fees and daily rate are not donated. Thus the client is liable for the trophy fees of the mentioned species (minus the $2000 contribution). Also the client is liable for the day rate (minus the $2000 contribution).

What would be the cost out of pocket if all the listed species were taken and you hunted the full allotted time ie. What is the daily fee per day and the trophy fee per animal. I'm tempted but am also not exactly loaded with cash.

I would also ask, is the taxidermy done on this side of the pond and is there a cost for transporting and importing them into the US?

I'll do my best to answer your questions. The info below is from an email sent to me from the safari company (XOMAQUA). They will be in Reno at the SCI show, as will I. I believe the taxidermy will be done over there.

"...your dep. is worked out as follows: day rate is $450/p. day x 10 = $4500, 50 % dep. = $2 250. The $2 000 donation to the day rate will be deducted of your balance."

XOMAQUA Price list: 2009-07-05
Daily rate: per day 1 Hunter*1 PH 450
Observer 150

Species Price UDS $
bushbuck 1000
bushpig 350
eland 2100
elephant 17000
gemsbok 900
giraffe 3500
hartebeest 1100
impala 400
klipspringer 700
kudu 1500
leopard 4500
nyala 2150
steenbok 350
warthog 350
waterbuck 1700
wildebeest 900
zebra 1100

Thanks for the info.

Can you explain how you get to the $17,500 value?

If you have a total of 2,000 towards daily rate and $2000 towards trophy fees.
Airfares JFK to JNB round trip are typicallly about $1500 each x 2 = $3000 towards airfare.

Depending on where in Kruger you go its about 200 a day for hotel and park fees x 3 days = 600.
That is about $7,600 value.

Does the rest of the donation value make up the difference to the $17,500 value?

Please let me know if my calculations are correct for your offer on what would still need to be paid after paying you for your hunt donation:

This would be the total cost of the safari:
Daily rate 450 x 2 hunters x 10 days = 9,000
minus 2000 donation credit = balance due 7,000.

Trophy fees:
Eland 2100 x 2= 4200
Kudu 1500 x 2 = 3000
Gemsbok 900 x 2=1800
Zebra 1100 x 2= 2200
Blue Wildebeest 900 x 2=1800
Waterbuck 1700 x 2 = 3400
Hartebeest 1100 x 2 = 2200
Impala 400 x 2= 800
warthog 350 x 2= 700
steinbok 350 x 2= 700
Total 20,800
minus 2000 donation credit = balance due of 18,800.

Balance of daily rate (7,000) plus Balance of Trophy fees (18,800) =
$25,500 still remaining due to the outfitter

Who is the outfitter and do you have references?
Are there any other costs that are not included in the daily rates of the outfitter and will be the responsibility of the hunter?
Transfer fees from JNB airport to the lodge and return?
Skinning or trophy handling, tanning or any other trophy care fees? Tranportation to Kruger? Park fees?
Meals during the safari or Kruger trip?
Drinks (soft drinks or alcohol) during the safari or Kruger trip?
What is included in the daily rate?
Did you get an estimate of the shipping, brokerage and customs clearance of the finished taxidermy from SA to the USA? This will be several crates with 18 shoulder mounts and 2 zebra flat skins.
Which taxidermist is doing the work?

Below, I have copy/pasted the information directly from the correspondence with the outfitter, Xomaqua Safaris.

The hunt donation takes place in the Limpopo valley in the northern region of South Africa. The Limpopo is one of the premier trophy hunting destinations in Africa. Xomaqua Safaris is a long standing well reputed hunting outfit that specialises in plains game hunts. Our safari style is personal and professional. We pride ourselves with outstanding accommodation and cuisine without detracting from the essence of the hunt. Trophy quality is excellent as it always is in the Limpopo province.
The hunt is for 2 hunters for 10 days plus 3 nights at the Kruger National Park.
The hunt consists of: 2 eland, 2 kudu, 2 gemsbok, 2 zebra, 2 blue wildebeest, 2 waterbuck, 2 red hartebeest, 2 impala, 2 warthog and 2 of either steenbok or common duiker.
The donation value is $17 500 USD.
The donation consists of:
• All of the taxidermy for the above species (all shoulder mounts except for the 2 zebra flat skins).
• 2 airfares from JFK to Johannesburg, and 2 airfarers return from Johannesburg to JFK.
• A $2000 USD contribution to the trophy fees of the above mentioned species. You only pay for what you wound or kill.
• A $2000 USD contribution to the daily rate.
• Also a 3 day guided tour through the Kruger Nation Park.

Note that the balance of the trophy fees and daily rate are not donated. Thus the client is liable for the trophy fees of the mentioned species (minus the $2000 contribution). Also the client is liable for the day rate (minus the $2000 contribution).

***Below is from an email from the PH, Devlin, at Xomaqua Safaris.****

"I'm so pleased to hear than you've had good responses to your enquiries with us. It puts a little feather in our cap
Yup, the hunt incl. $2000 towards the day rate (which incl. a PH, Vehicle, Accom. Food & Beverages etc.) and a $2000 towards the trophy fees. This is for the hunting safari in total and can be split any which way between the 2 hunters. I have incl. a copy of the voucher we send out which describes and gives a full breakdown of the donation. It also has all the 2009 prices and costs listed. We have a very comfortable lodge and can also accommodate non-hunters at $150/day all incl.
Since PH fees, tracker, driver & vehicles are worked into the day rate per person we allow for 1-on-1 hunting, 1 hunter with his own PH. This also allows for a better success rate of getting all the animals incl. in the bag, cause there's allot of hunting to get through in 10 days."

On the surface it would appear that approximately $10,000 of the quoted $17,500 donation value is being assessed on the taxidermy work, unless I am missing something.

According to the correspondence and documentation I have, everything looks like a good deal,... if you want to go on a plains game safari in South Africa. I'm sure they will try to persuade you to shoot every animal on the planet so they can increase the total amount of kill fees. The terms do state, however, that you only pay for what you kill/wound.

I don't know if you have checked round-trip airfare to South Africa recently, but it is quite a bit more than $1500.

I'd be happy to talk about this safari and the deal. Again, I'm not looking to make money on this. I just can't go in 2010 and would like to get back what I paid for it. Also, I'll be happy to forward any/all of the emails I have from Devlin at Xomaqua Safaris. Call if you would like.

Steve Grams
210-288-0962