Who's the best for a first timer

It's amazing how websites sell hunts, pictures are worth 1,000's of words sometimes.

Cruiser Safaris is a great place, have fun.

Husker-in-WA said:

Thanks lbg. Still lots of work to do with taxidermy, shipping decisions to make. Started reviewing those issues on AH

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You're way ahead of the ballgame if you are already thinking about it, which is good. I still think taxidermy and shipping is the hardest most voodoo part of a safari. And the most overlooked. Doing your homework in advance won't guarantee no issues, but it sure will help the odds!!!

enysse said:

It's amazing how websites sell hunts, pictures are worth 1,000's of words sometimes.

Cruiser Safaris is a great place, have fun.

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This! Especially in this day and age and becoming more important all the time.

If you haven't already done so, I would recommend going to the SCI or DSC convention and meet your thee finalists face to face. That is what I did as a "tie-breaker" when I picked my first outfit. Each of the outfits had great folks working their booths, but I really clicked with one particular PH very well so I went with them and asked to hunt with that specific PH. After all, you're going to be spending a lot of time with a single PH so it better be someone you get along with. In my case it it was a guy from Omujeve out of Namibia. They were absolutely fantastic!

Dan W, Locked in to visit SCI in Vegas this Febr. Not so much to find a safari outfit as I already decided on Cruiser Safari. I'll be searching taxidermy, shipping, and equipment issues mainly and of coarse looking ahead for the next adventure.

I went through the SAME thing, and chose the same outfitter.

My significant other has taken a keen interest in hunting, and has been accompanying me on several hunting trips this year and harvested several impressive animals. I love "roughing it" and soaking in the local culture everywhere I travel, but she enjoys great accommodations and other activities just as much as she loves the hunt. She loves stalking a nice animal for long distances in bad weather (and is in great physical condition), but needs a hot shower, big comfy bed, heat/AC, and good food at the end of the day. My decision came down to two of the outfitters that you listed.

I PMed several people who have been to these places. Even the one bad review on Cruiser that I found, the person said that his problem was with the taxidermist and that the lodge was the best place he had ever hunted with the best staff he had ever encountered. I checked references and spoke on the phone with someone who lives near me that has returned to Cruiser twice after their first visit in 2011 (this is very rare, as hunters tend to want to try something different with every hunt).

Cruiser's web page if full of up to date information and prices. I contacted their American booking agent "Cruiser-Bob", and he was a huge wealth of information. Cruiser Bob gave me price quotes that included all taxes/licenses/fees with no hidden costs. Bob emails me every few weeks letting me know how things are going at the lodge and to remind us of preparations we need to make. I have never had an outfitter show me this much attention after taking my money.

The pictures of the rooms, bar, dining area, and pool at cruiser safari had her sifting through their website for weeks to show all of her friends and family where she was going. I think she watched the helicopter video of the lodge 50 times. The pictures and videos of the lodge, with thatched roofs and African art, matched well with her expectations of what staying in Africa would be like. So YES, as enysse states, the website and media definitely sold her, lol. The reviews, pictures of trophies, and booking agent sold me.

I had many questions regarding "fair chase", lease sizes and distances from lodge, other activities in the area, tipping, game care, room amenities, first/last day, additional trophy fees, substituting animals, hunting pressure, effects of the drought, and lodge capacity. None of the information that they gave me contradicted with actual accounts from customers. Cruiser's seems to be a great compromise between my style of hunting and the lady's desire for comfort, all within our budget.

You did awesome by doing your research. The absolute worst thing you can do is get suckered into a crappy hunt at the SCI convention without doing proper research - every hunting forum is FULL of reports from people who got sweet-talked into the worst hunts of their lives at SCI.

I will post a report after my April trip to Cruisers.

Great report and analysis Desert Dog. Thanks for affirming my decision. Gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. somewhat like a tingle up my leg, Oh, Oh, where have I heard that one before.
Good luck in April. Just don't shoot my 60" Kudu.

Desert Dog said:

The absolute worst thing you can do is get suckered into a crappy hunt at the SCI convention without doing proper research - every hunting forum is FULL of reports from people who got sweet-talked into the worst hunts of their lives at SCI.

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DD,
Sorry, but I can't say that I agree with the above statement... I can't speak to the dozens of other sportsman's shows, but the SCI convention show holds a very high standard for the outfitters that they let in. The outfitters, by and large must be well established, and highly reputable to get into that show.... I personally think the SCI show is an excellent tool in researching a safari. Besides doing one's due diligence in thoroughly researching prospective outfitters by reading reviews, hunt reports, internet searches, contacting references, etc., having the opportunity to speak personally with the PHs and outfitter you may be spending considerable time and money with is a great additional tool to the vetting process.

It's not always possible for many safari clients to meet with the outfitter at a show, but I think it is a great opportunity to see if there is a level of comfort, trust and chemistry that usually comes from a personal meet. Of all of the research sources available, a website is probably the least valuable in my opinion. I personally have walked in, and then out, of many a hotel room that had beautiful pictures of their accommodations on the website..... Although I am speculating, my experience tells me that there is likely to be many more negative hunting reports from clients who booked from a website versus those who have done complete and thorough research supplemented with a visit to one of the shows.

I am on this site quite frequently, and I think I have read every hunting report ever generated. Where are the negative reports from clients who have been sweet-talked into the worst hunts of their lives from vendors at the SCI show? I also frequent other hunting sites such as Archery Talk, **NOT**PERMITTED**, and the Texas Hunting Forum. I haven't seen one negative report from a dissatisfied client who visited an SCI show on these either....If you can find them, please provide the links. One or two I could believe.... There is always going to be one or two for various reasons....FULL of negative reports?? I find very hard to believe...

firehuntfish said:

DD,
Sorry, but I can't say that I agree with the above statement... I can't speak to the dozens of other sportsman's shows, but the SCI convention show holds a very high standard for the outfitters that they let in. The outfitters, by and large must be well established, and highly reputable to get into that show.... I personally think the SCI show is an excellent tool in researching a safari. Besides doing one's due diligence in thoroughly researching prospective outfitters by reading reviews, hunt reports, internet searches, contacting references, etc., having the opportunity to speak personally with the PHs and outfitter you may be spending considerable time and money with is a great additional tool to the vetting process.

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We can agree to disagree. I have booked exactly 2 hunts through the SCI show, both of which were the worst experiences of my life. One guide, Todd at Sonoran Outfitters has finally been expelled from SCI this year after ripping off thousands of people. The other horrible experience I think still does the show. By contrast, all of the best hunts I have ever been on were with outfitters that do not exhibit at SCI. I have Africa and New Zealand hunts booked next year with outfitters who do not exhibit at SCI, (probably because they have no need to since they fill 100% every year). So just because an outfitter exhibits at SCI does not make them a GOOD or BAD outfitter, just that they are spending advertising dollars to fill hunt dates in a manner that they feel works for them.

There is no special vetting process that SCI does to qualify exhibitors; they simply have to be dues-paying members of a professional organization and pay for their booth at the show - thats it. Almost any outfitter can pay to advertise there if they choose.

If I had simply searched the internet and relied on that for the majority of the vetting process, I would have been much happier. I do agree that meeting face to face with the outfitter, and especially the PH, goes a long way and the SCI convention is very useful in this regard. But putting more than half of your faith in an outfitter based upon their sales pitch at a hunting convention is just plain stupid, and trust me, I have been the stupid one.

DD,
You can agree to disagree with me all you want, but it doesn't change the fact that you made an outrageous insinuation about booking a hunt with any outfitter that represents themselves at the SCI convention show. You made a blanket statement about how all of these hunting forums are filled with negative hunting reports from clients who had bad experiences with outfits that they booked through an SCI show. I'll ask again...Where are they?

Desert Dog said:

I have Africa and New Zealand hunts booked next year with outfitters who do not exhibit at SCI, (probably because they have no need to since they fill 100% every year).

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Now you make this statement and insult every outfitter on here that has ever marketed themselves at a sportsman's show, which I will go out on a limb here and guess is about 100% of the outfitters on this site.... By that train of thought, I guess it's safe to assume that all of the outfitters who buy banners on this site must not be good outfitters because if they where, they would be booked full to capacity and have no need to advertise...? C'mon man...

Desert Dog said:

every hunting forum is FULL of reports from people who got sweet-talked into the worst hunts of their lives at SCI.

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Desert Dog said:

I do agree that meeting face to face with the outfitter, and especially the PH, goes a long way and the SCI convention is very useful in this regard.

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Your words above DD, not mine....Help me out here and make up your mind. You are flip-flopping like a democratic presidential candidate. Do I think you should walk around a sportsman's show cold, talk to and handful of outfits and pick one on site? Absolutely not. Now that would be just plain stupid... But, to disregard the value of meeting your outfitter and guides in person would be just as stupid. I'm not aware of the particulars in your bad experiences, but if you fell for a sales pitch and failed to recognize it as a sales pitch, then caveat emptor my friend...

The elite outfits don't utilize used car sales pitches at the shows. Their reputations precede them. They explain in detail what they can offer to you as a client, and the rest is up to you to do the leg work. If they have what they say they have, the outfit sells itself. I personally attend a half a dozen shows a year. I speak to countless outfitters, PHs and guides, and I have encountered very few hustlers overall. And, the few that I have encountered, stand out like a turd in a punch bowl.

I'm going to give you a pass on providing us with all of those negative hunting reports because I truly believe your bad experiences have pissed you off. No one likes to hear about bad hunting experiences regardless of how or where they came to be. That is understandable..... It sounds to me though, that you are more mad at yourself than the show experience. I forgive your comments. I hope the outfitters who advertise here will as well.

Best of luck to you in New Zealand and Africa.

firehuntfish said:

DD,...Where are they?

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Just a quick 2 minutes of Google got this. I am sorry, but I not going to exert anymore effort than that. For a self-proclaimed master of internet hunting forums, your memory is pretty limited;

http://www.africahunting.com/thread...e-and-impala-african-safaris-nightmare.10044/

http://www.africahunting.com/threads/mozambique-beware-of-safrique-lda.6385/

http://www.africahunting.com/thread...r-linked-to-sa-wildlife-scam.5384/#post-28752

http://www.africahunting.com/threads/zimbabwe-bad-hunt-with-shingani-safaris.7136/

http://www.africahunting.com/thread...-pace-mozambique-zimbabwe-south-africa.15591/

These outfitters were selling/auctioning hunts at SCI.

Please stop creating fake drama and putting words in my mouth. I said nothing bad about any particular outfitter (except Todd at Sonora Outfitters) on this forum, or any forum. I said that outfitters who are booked solid for the next two years are NOT going to pay for a booth at the SCI convention. I also said there are good and bad outfitters at the SCI convention. I also said that booking agents are salesmen, which is what their job is - SELLING HUNTS. Then you attempt to stir up fake outrage, like a teenager who saw a confederate flag on facebook, by over-dramatizing the whole ordeal. Nobody is butthurt but you. It must suck to go through life so easily offended by everything.

I think the OP gets it. Do lots of research and enjoy the show this year.

Thanks DD. I can't add anything to what you said. This forum should be about sharing information, constructively, about our adventures. Tearing down peoples opinions is not constructive.

End of discussion. I need another scotch, make it a double.

Best of luck to you and your hunting partner at Crusier. Relax and have fun. Look forward to your postings of your trip.

Husker, I have only one safari under my belt, but can't wait to go back for #2 and 3 and ........
I had the taxidermy work done by Jim August in Portland and I am very pleased with his work. He helped with lining up the import broker and he even delivered to my house in eastern Washington when the mounts were done. Once I left Africa, I never had to worry about the animals until they came through the front door. If you're still thinking over your taxidermy options, give him a look.
https://www.facebook.com/augusttaxidermy/
One more thing, practice standing shots from Africa type tripod sticks. You're going to have the time of your life!

Thanks sanity. Will check him out.

DD,
Let's do a quick summary....
You claim that the worst thing anyone can do is get suckered into a crappy hunt at an SCI show...
You claim that every hunting forum is FULL of reports from people who got sweet-talked into the worst hunts of their lives at the SCI show....And then you go back 7 years and post links to 5 reports....
You claim that a "good" outfitter has no reason to go to the SCI show because they are already 100% booked...
And then you state that actually meeting your PH/guide/outfitter face to face at an SCI show goes a long way and is very useful.....

By calling you out and asking you to support your claims, I'm the one creating false drama?? C'mon dude... Really?

I realize you feel you were sold some magic beans at the shows, twice and you self-admittedly felt stupid for it. It seems that you were the one that got "butthurt". I am truly sorry to hear that you had bad experiences, but to make blanket statements generalizing all outfitters who attend the SCI shows is irresponsible. You are discouraging a lot of folks from utilizing a very valuable research tool in planning a hunt.

Husker-in-WA said:

This forum should be about sharing information, constructively, about our adventures. Tearing down peoples opinions is not constructive.

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Mike, I agree with you completely. The problem though is that opinions offered out of emotion or personal agenda and not out of facts are the ones that are not constructive. This forum and the internet is a very powerful and influential tool, yet there is very little accountability that comes with using it.

It's understandable to be angry and wary after a couple of bad hunts, but I don't think its fair to blame the venue hosting the outfitters for that. As the consumer, the responsibility is ultimately ours for the choices we make.

That is why I found this site to be so helpful. I got a lot of advice on how to properly research, and I have been very satisfied with my results. You really do need to use all of the resources available, and make a choice based of off the collective information. I think the outdoor shows are great especially the SCI and the DSC convention shows. Where else would you find so many outfitters under one roof to compare?

I think it's a definite advantage to be able to speak to your guide/outfitter before the hunt. Still, I would not base my choice on the meeting at a show alone. Just my2cents.

Husker-in-WA said:

Thanks to all you guys for the input. Brickburns original post got me thinking that I didn't have a handle on my priorities, especially with the wife involved. After she reviewed the three outfits websites we agreed that Cruiser Safaris was the place for our first visit. It just looked more inviting was her comment. I'm sure we would be happy hunting out of the other two camps. They were all helpful in answering our questions, especially Limcroma, but we just liked what we saw in photos, read in hunt reviews and with the kicker being the price list.

Safari September 2016 here we come!!

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Great and I wish you both the best of luck, straight shooting and have a WONDERFUL time in our PRECIOUS AFRICA!!

References guys... either through the AH members on this forum OR from the websites/ outfitters lists. Contact these references and personally chat to them... I did this in the beginning of my DG hunting safaris and it really paid off.

Husker-in-WA said:

I'm having a tough time deciding who to choose. Did my research for a Plains Game hunt and got feedback from each.

If anyone has been to two or all three, I would appreciate your feedback.

My top three are Limcoma, Cruiser and Lianga in Limpopo, not necessarily in that order. Can't believe it's this difficult, but they are all excellent operations, from what I've read.

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Last November 2016 we hunted at Lianga Safaris, LT, Limpopo. I hunt since the 1980es (RSA, Zim, Mozambique, Botswana, Tanzania, etc) but my son's (11) first hunting safari. An outstanding experience with the guys at Lianga, great professionals, superb trackers, friends, good vehicles, everything. Perfect for families too. He bagged one antelope every day, one shot, one kill. He's a natural.

@Captian Jackal congrats on your son's first safari.

My sons and I hunted with Cruisers last August. We were very satisfied with the animals we took (13 of 17 met SCI trophy levels) the PHs all spoke English, their Honeymoon Suite where I stayed has a Jacuzzi, the food was beyond excellent. They are out in the bush, there is little for your wife to do other than read, swim in the pool and or tour the "breeding operations." Some of the PHs are on AH although Cruisers is not a member of Sponsor. My PH (Hans) has been a Professional Hunter for 16 years. He rates five stars in my book.

PM me if you like to "chat" in private.