Book Your Sable Hunts Sooner Rather Than Later

WildRose

AH enthusiast
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Halfway between Lubbock and Dallas
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www.texasquail.com
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Africa
1
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Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, N/S Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Africa
The Sable Antelope has been a "Dream Hunt" for as long as I can remember even knowing of them. To the they are among the most beautiful animals ever to walk on four legs.

3 years ago when I first started seriously looking at a Sable Hunt in South Africa I could have taken a 48" bull for under 5000.00 US.

Since that time however the prices on these animals have been going up steadily and over the last year have just skyrocketed.

According to a friend of mine in RSA there was an Auction this week of breeding stock Sable bulls with one Selling at around 27,000,000 and total sales topping 140,000,000 for 40 some odd animals.

With breeding stock prices going to such insane levels there can be little doubt that the per inch price of trophy animals will soon go absolutely nuts.

If I had not been fortunate enough to take a nice trophy Sable this year, I would definitely be trying to nail one down as fast as I can before the price shock trickles down to every farm and outfitter in the business.
 
I don't know that I agree with this.

The Sable hunting deals seem to be coming down, not going up. Sable breed quickly and there is a focus on them, which means prices will come down based on supply and demand.

And the game auction prices aren't reality, in my opinion. There is a bubble that will pop.

Besides, I will never pay per inch for an animal, so that doesn't concern me either. ;)
 
If it can happen here?:
"Auction house Sotheby's fined £12m by EC for art price-fixing"


This little concept would make me wonder about known individuals (buyer and seller) managing the prices.

This is how you get the greedy hooked into thinking they can get a piece of the pie and even have crooks trying to smuggle Sable out of Zambia to get the genes into RSA.
 
Pieter showed me the ones he has on especial right now and I can tell you they look amazing on That concession. Book with Pieter now fir next year.
 
I agree with the "bubble effect" as a general rule. The problem with breeding stock animals as we've seen here in Texas over the last thirty years or so is that the ROI doesn't come quickly.

Yes Sable's breed relatively young, with females starting at 24-36 months but you're still looking at a minimum of 8 years to grow a really good quality trophy bull.

I realize there are still some very good deals to be had but if I were a gambling man my bet would be that we see the prices really start to get ridiculous over the next 3-5 years and stay that way for five to ten years.

I don't blame anyone really because it's a buyer's market meaning in the end it's the hunters who set the price.

I could well be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time but I've watched it very closely for the last several years and I know what it's like to get priced out of the market for a "trophy of a lifetime" watching the change in the cost of hunting medium and large game here in the US over the last 25 years.

Barring some major economic problems over the southern half of Africa over the next few years I just expect to see cost curve for Sable going way up at a steep angle over the foreseeable future. Mid you I'd love to be wrong because I would cherish the chance at bringing another one home before I'm too old or too broke to try.
 
From what I've seen sable hunting has steadily came down over the last 4 years, now is the time!
 
And don't forget that places like Mozambique, Zambia, and even Zimbabwe have some great Sable and real wild Sable. Do they cost more than a quick sable hunt in SA. Yes. Are they still reasonably priced for the experience you get? Yes.

If and when I hunt Sable this will be my option. Not a SA farm option. Please don't anyone take that wrong. I have no issue with a SA hunt for sable and it is where the money value is, but I personally want a little wilder experience when hunting for one of those bad boys.
 
From what I've seen sable hunting has steadily came down over the last 4 years, now is the time!

Definitely going to be some deals. There are right now and I don't think next year is going to go up in price. And by late next season, there may be even better deals.
 
I don't know that I agree with this.

The Sable hunting deals seem to be coming down, not going up. Sable breed quickly and there is a focus on them, which means prices will come down based on supply and demand.

And the game auction prices aren't reality, in my opinion. There is a bubble that will pop.

Besides, I will never pay per inch for an animal, so that doesn't concern me either. ;)
I echo the same as evidenced by the prices and deals by the outfitters on AH. Booked my hunt and got a great deal on a trophy sable - not under $5000k though;)

dy
 
our trophy fee has been unchanged in 4 years and really dont see it changing in the near future..........we will never be able to compete with some of the deals offered in SA , but dont think we are unreasonable for what you can get. you are looking at the game auction prices that are fueled by new people wanting a slice of the action , and the existing people already in who seem to like outbidding each other for the one upmanship. remember that there are a lot of these auctions in SA and the prices are bananas at most of them. i dont think there is much correlation between the auction prices for a breeding bull and a one for hunting. i have seen on here a sable hunt inc the daily rate for i think $6,000.00 in SA so probably not too much off what you paid taking into account a bit of inflation. some people will pay fantasy money for a specific big trophy just to put it in the book and show off to their friends, but that can be arranged for any animal by some outfitters for the right price if you dont mind paying and walking up and shooting it........................
 
I don't pay attention to the auctions, that is fools gold. Sable prices are very good now. I'm not worried about them skyrocketing.
 
Guys I think some of you may be misunderstanding me a bit.

I think there's a good chance that there will be an upward ripple in the price and maybe a substantial one in future years so if it were me, I'd move the Sable up on my list for sooner rather than later if I didn't have one already.

I feel extremely fortunate to have been able to take mine this year but if the price had been higher it would have definitely knocked other animals out of the budget or I'd have had to choose to skip it this time around in favor of the other animals.

I don't think the price is going to double or triple overnight or in the next year or so but I have yet to see prices stay stable for long when quality breeding stock goes through the roof.
 
Most people will only shoot one sable. Me....I might shoot more than one, just because I'd rather hunt sable than cape buffalo or something else on the BIG 5 list. It's a majestic animal, breathtaking for sure.
 
Most people will only shoot one sable. Me....I might shoot more than one, just because I'd rather hunt sable than cape buffalo or something else on the BIG 5 list. It's a majestic animal, breathtaking for sure.
I'd be very hard pressed not to agree with you. If there's anything I'd like to have a pair of it would be to add another sable in the same class as the one I currently have to the collection.
 
@spike.t , I agree with you, we haven't increased our sable prices much over the last few years, the only increase is on the govt tag. We will more than likely still run a special on sable for next season, roughly 6500$.
 
I agree with Brick, I think there is some price fixing.
 
Guys I think some of you may be misunderstanding me a bit.

I don't think the price is going to double or triple overnight or in the next year or so but I have yet to see prices stay stable for long when quality breeding stock goes through the roof.

but you are talking about "quality breeding stock" in SA............what has that got to do with anywhere else? ok on govnt areas as simon @TMS says the govnt/game dept will increase the fee they make the operator pay but thats not down to him, and other countries where we own the animals its up to us what we charge, but as i said we havent upped our sable trophy price in 4 years or have plans to...........if we were pricing in any other business i have a sneaking suspicion the price wouldnt be the same as 4 years ago...................................
 
If it can happen here?:
"Auction house Sotheby's fined £12m by EC for art price-fixing"


This little concept would make me wonder about known individuals (buyer and seller) managing the prices.

This is how you get the greedy hooked into thinking they can get a piece of the pie and even have crooks trying to smuggle Sable out of Zambia to get the genes into RSA.

I must agree with you here , there is an undercurrent here in RSA that the game breeding bubble will burst and that the prices are manipulated by consortiums driving the prices upwards amongst a few select individuals.
 
@spike.t , I agree with you, we haven't increased our sable prices much over the last few years, the only increase is on the govt tag. We will more than likely still run a special on sable for next season, roughly 6500$.

now come on simon thats way too cheap........;)....we need to sort out our price rigging as we are obviously out of touch with modern ways........:whistle::E Big Grin::D Beers:
 
There have been discussions on other threads about exchange rates and what, if any, impact on trophy fees, etc this might have. Opinions vary. The dollar does continue to strengthen against the Rand and other currencies. My opinion is that prices quoted on US dollars should be flat to slightly decreasing.

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