What animal do you think is the most overrated for the trophy fee? Or daily fees that make it expens

[enysse]

For me it would have to be the cape buffalo. I think when cape buffalo hunts where $5000 years ago....I know a while back that was a fair price. I can't justify all the $10000+ hunts I see, and I tend to see a lot $15000 hunts when you add all the cost up. The only way I could see cape buffalo hunting now...is if I could shoot it as part of a leopard hunt or sable hunt as a extra trophy fee.

I know there are a lot of cape buffalo addicts on here, I'm not stepping on your toes hopefully. I grew up on a farm...both dairy and beef cattle operation, and maybe my hate for farm work (hard labor and low pay) has boiled over to cape buffalo hunting. The cape buffalo remind of unruly cattle.

I have always stated I'm more of a plains game hunter.

 

[35bore]

Great topic Eric, (sure to create some waves) lol.

Just by the title I would say Sable, not really sure why they cost as much as they do but as cool as they look I could not justify the cost. Sable vs. any other plains games, I would go for a beautiful Gemsbok or Springbok over a Sable due to the cost... That being said, It seems to me (without researching it) that those Ibex are very expensive hunts, from what I can remember.

I would have to disagree with you (personally) about the Cape Buff, only because it is the only one of the Big 5 that I really want to hunt, so I guess the price would not be the issue for me vs. that of a Lion or Rhino, etc. etc., cause I only want the Buff.

Great topic, you don't really use kid gloves when you ask a question, do you...lol

 

[enysse]

If you asked my wife how blunt I am? She would tell you I don't sugar coat anything. (lol) I don't know if that is exactly true, I know there are a lot of cape buffalo hunters on here. I respect that fact. I think because of their popularity, the price has kept going up and up. I don't think the supply has gone down that much. There are still quality cape buffalo taken every year that are between the 40" and 50" mark.

I think the sable is one of the few animals I wish I'd already taken...ironic. The quality and numbers are steady. Mozambique will probably be the best free range option for the price. I think Zimbabwe had a hell of a sable population 10 years ago....hint should have gone then. I still think it's a option. RSA and Namibia have excellent sable...but it's not cheap. I think it a super great trophy that comes at a huge price. I want one....and only one.

 

[TOM]

Boy, good topic for sure.

For me, it would have to be some of the crazy sheep and plains game prices. Like said above...Sable and particularly Roan seem to keep going up and up....for an antelope. North American sheep are quickly becoming a very expensive proposition, no matter the variety.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Eric,
This is an excellent topic and I look forward to the responses. Just out of curiosity, what do you think is an good deal on a Cape Buff?
Will be posting a Cape Buff deal in the next couple of weeks for 2012.
Looking forward to your response.

Best Regards
Marius

 

[enysse]

In North America, the stone sheep is crazy priced for sure. In Mexico it would have to be the Desert Bighorn Sheep. I think there are plenty of expensive sheep hunts! But the major problem there...is there are not many sheep to go around, there are too many people and not enough sheep to go around. The populations for some are very few in numbers.

Well Marius, I'll be honest, I don't know what the costs to breed and raise cape buffalo are in RSA. From a few of the sources I have talked too. The auctions have really raised the price through the roof and way beyond. I think anything in the $9000 to $12000 range is to be expected on the excellent deal end...and I'm sure well see plenty of $15000+ hunts. The big savings being no charter flights.

I don't mind hunting plains game behind fence, but I won't do it for cape buffalo or any of the Big 5. I hope that is no offense to anyone..it's nothing personal at all. It's not my cup of tea. I do know plenty of hungry hunters that will hunt for the right price...within the law of coarse....that the price for the hunt, is a huge deal for them. So RSA is always a option.

I'm hearing from a lot of older hunters that Africa is too expensive to hunt anymore. I think that is far from true! But I think some hunts have to be ruled out.

 

[Norwegianwoods]

Because of my low income and being realistic, I can only dream of hunting Buffalo, Roan and Sable.
And even if I managed to save up enough money for hunting a Buffalo, and would love to experience to hunt one, I would probably decide to spend that money on hunting PGs instead.
In general I think the daily fees for DG seem steep, but I guess one of the reasons is that you need to pay for much luxury I don't need or want.

I would prefer primitive accommodation, shoot and cook my own food and go hunting with just a tracker, a PH and me.
If the PH is a great tracker and we bring a Jack Russel, then even better with just the 2 of us and the dog
I have no desire to hunt Hippo, Rhino or Crocs.

Of the PGs, I think the Roan and the Sable are the most overpriced. Specially the Roan since I don't have much of a desire to hunt one. I would love a Sable, but the price must be reduced a lot before I would consider to shoot one.
Of the "cheaper" PGs, I think the Waterbuck is a bit overpriced most places.

 

[enysse]

I think your reply Norwegianwoods makes a lot of sense. I have very little desire to hunt hippo, crocodile or rhino too with the ever changing economic environment. I'd rather save for a sitatunga hunt. But even the sitatunga is getting expensive.

I think the one plains game animal that is getting pricey in some areas is the giraffe.

 

[James.Grage]

A touchy topic for sure...

As my mother used to say if you have to quibble over a reasonably priced item, you need to leave it until you can afford it. You need to put your best foot forward to achieve your goals...while wishes are fine they do not achieve results.

What one considers spendy others will think of as reasonable priced...

Just look at the answers so far. Everyone develops a notch (safety zone) in there hunting and usually tries to stay in that realm.

I would like nothing more that to have one of everything...i know that that will not happen...time and money and i and looking at a little of both, and reducing each each year.

If you do not have the money to go on a warthog safari that would be considered over priced...even though you have the ability to save for a year or 2 and achieve your goal. As our hunting appetites grow and we all want a bigger selection, we either have to save more money to be able to afford our dreams or space out our safari from every year to every other year or every 3rd year. What ever it takes, if you elect to go another route that would be your choice. Some put there Safari on there credit cards and go now pay later route, that is not for me it try to stay with in my means.

The thing about prices from outfitters and PH's is that you need to do more research and look to different countries to realize your dreams. You have to have the attitude that yes i can go there rather than, i want to do it however in this location at my price.

Prices are reflective of demand and i have found that to obtain a better price you have to look where you have not been but where should i go.

We all use the internet to look up things and my wife says that i beat a dead horse to death looking for the right options and deals, but that is a part of the safari process.

When one looks at free range for one safari animal and it is OK then to turn around and then to say nay to a fenced (high or low fence) concession for another hunting safari animal does not make sense. The size of the animal should make no difference.

Bottom line if i were to book a safari for a target (selected trophy) animal i will save the money to afford me the best chance of success. I will look at past results from numerous concessions...PH'S...Outfitters so that i will come away with a positive outcome...

 

[Norwegianwoods]

I think your reply Norwegianwoods makes a lot of sense.

I think the one plains game animal that is getting pricey in some areas is the giraffe.

I better hurry up and hunt a Giraffe with a bow before they get to pricey then.
I have no desire to hunt a Giraffe with a gun, but I really want to try to get one with a bow.
There are some animals I am not much interested to hunt with a gun, but that I really would like to hunt with a bow.
Don't really know the reason for this, but that is how I feel

 

[TOM]

This topic is getting very interesting.

In my opinion "cheap" buffalo hunts are some of those offered in Zim for $5,950-$7,500. "Normal" buff hunts seem to be $9,500-$12,500 and the higher end hunts seem to be $15,000-$25,000.

I agree with the posters above about a lot of things. Sheep and Roan/Sable are getting outrageous.

I would want to hunt Big 5 animals in the true wild with hyena and lion night noises, tsetse flies and the whole bit. That is what makes the experience.

Hunting does seem to be getting more expensive as a rule.

And....I think some enterprising outfitter could make good money by having very simple "do it yourself" style camps for guys that want lower fixed costs and trophy fees (plains game). I for one would love a hunt like that. Don't get me wrong, I love being pampered on safari but if I could hunt cheaper with less 'frills', I would do it in a heartbeat. I'm on safari for the experience, animals and hunting. The camp staff and "foo foo" stuff is nice but not mandatory for me.

 

[Upton O. Good]

As my mother used to say if you have to quibble over a reasonably priced item, you need to leave it until you can afford it...

Pretty much sums up my thinking, too.

 

[PaulT]

If I may add one perspective that has not yet been covered entirely regarding the pricing of various hunts and their locations.

As all of you would have noticed in your eveyday costs of living, costs for operators have also risen dramatically.

Specifically so for those operating in remote, hard to get to places requiring costly logistics for supplying camps and paying staff.

In our area the cost of deisel fuel has risen to $2.80/ltr which translates to about $12 + per gallon.
Consider that one an average 6 day hunt I will use an average of over 200ltrs of fuel (sometimes close to double that).
Add to this First World rates for camp staff wages, food at roughly 3 times normal City prices, vehicle repair and maintanance costs (which in an extremely rough environment are very high) plus Trophy fees to landowners and you can get to see the basis of pricing structures.
Ofcourse non of this takes into consideration costs for Insurances (which as a Safari operator premiums can look like phone numbers) marketing/advertising, travelling to shows, running the company etc.

Hunts based in remote wilderness areas will allways be higher priced than those in more closely settled regions. The operators costs will bare that fruit.

Standard business company returns in terms of profit return from expenditure simply do not apply in the Safari Company business as they do in general businesses.
If it did, costs for hunts would be MUCH higher.

Some animals will allways be priced higher than others, that is and allways has been a fact of life.
It is very hard to compare apples with oranges and it is up to the individual to discern value according to their personal desires and their financial placement.

One thing I am farily confident of predicting is that prices will only move in one direction.
UP !

If you really want/need that hunt/Trophy try get it done, it aint going to get any cheaper.

If in your mind's eye it is over priced/unjustified then move on and console yourself in the knowledge that there is still plenty of affordable proper hunting available out there currently at prices that havn't been seen, (and probably won't be again), for years.

 

[Skyline]

If I may add one perspective that has not yet been covered entirely regarding the pricing of various hunts and their locations.

As all of you would have noticed in your eveyday costs of living, costs for operators have also risen dramatically.

Specifically so for those operating in remote, hard to get to places requiring costly logistics for supplying camps and paying staff.

In our area the cost of deisel fuel has risen to $2.80/ltr which translates to about $12 + per gallon.
Consider that one an average 6 day hunt I will use an average of over 200ltrs of fuel (sometimes close to double that).
Add to this First World rates for camp staff wages, food at roughly 3 times normal City prices, vehicle repair and maintanance costs (which in an extremely rough environment are very high) plus Trophy fees to landowners and you can get to see the basis of pricing structures.
Ofcourse non of this takes into consideration costs for Insurances (which as a Safari operator premiums can look like phone numbers) marketing/advertising, travelling to shows, running the company etc.

Hunts based in remote wilderness areas will allways be higher priced than those in more closely settled regions. The operators costs will bare that fruit.

Standard business company returns in terms of profit return from expenditure simply do not apply in the Safari Company business as they do in general businesses.
If it did, costs for hunts would be MUCH higher.

Some animals will allways be priced higher than others, that is and allways has been a fact of life.
It is very hard to compare apples with oranges and it is up to the individual to discern value according to their personal desires and their financial placement.

One thing I am farily confident of predicting is that prices will only move in one direction.
UP !

If you really want/need that hunt/Trophy try get it done, it aint going to get any cheaper.

If in your mind's eye it is over priced/unjustified then move on and console yourself in the knowledge that there is still plenty of affordable proper hunting available out there currently at prices that havn't been seen, (and probably won't be again), for years.

And that pretty much sums it up.

 

[James.Grage]

Paul T

Great reply...

When individuals keep looking back wards at opportunities missed...continue to miss the opportunities that are available today....

 

[35bore]

PaulT, I agree with you as the price of everything is rising, I am in the construction business and hear the question all the time, I say talk to my suppliers, but, as Erics original title/question "What animal do you think is the most overrated for the trophy fee? Or daily fees that make it expensive to hunt?" I don't think he was attacking the hunting industry in Africa at all, was more just a general question of why some animals cost so much more or are "overrated". That's the way i took it anyway.

You brought up some very interesting points and valid one's at that. If the desired animal has a cost more than what I am willing to spend then I will save up or hunt something else, I don't have to have one of everything on the wall, (even though it is a really cool thought) lol...

 

[desertloper]

This really pertains to hunting in the southern US..rather than Africa-but what about the cost to go and shoot hogs?

It's like paying to shoot prairie dogs in my opinion..

 

[Bobpuckett]

Ok there are some good ones listed Cape Buffalo, Sable, Roan, now for mine in just the last month I have gotten quotes on this one I'll give you a hint the farmers for the most part as I have read think of it as a pest the cheapest hunt I could find was 30,000+ US dollars NOT including trophy fees plane tickets or tips rifle import fees or anything else as far as that goes just the Safari if you guessed Giant Forest Hog you are right that is my most Ridiculous priced animal in Africa and as far as the gas prices most of the hunt is done on foot.

 

[35bore]

Posted by TOM..... And....I think some enterprising outfitter could make good money by having very simple "do it yourself" style camps for guys that want lower fixed costs and trophy fees (plains game). I for one would love a hunt like that. Don't get me wrong, I love being pampered on safari but if I could hunt cheaper with less 'frills', I would do it in a heartbeat. I'm on safari for the experience, animals and hunting. The camp staff and "foo foo" stuff is nice but not mandatory for me.

Excellent point TOM, being pampered is great, and as you so graciously put it, cut cost by getting rid of some of the "foo foo stuff". I personally have hunted here in the U.S. in a rough area where baby wipes and alcohol wipes were my shower, granola bars and jerky were dinner, it was one of the best hunts of my life.

 

[buckcurtin]

In Africa I would go with Roan, however I think the prices in the States to shoot a large Whitetail are getting absurd. Would much rather hike all over Africa after a big Buff than pay an outrageous amount to sit in a stand all day to shoot a big Whitetail.