Package based on $ spent in lieu of specific animals?

[Rhoyland4]

I have been researching my first trip for the last 6 months or so and it looks like everyone prices packages based on a specific list of animals and provides some discount based on that particular list. One of the Outfitters I am mainly talking to is offering a 20% discount off their list price for my list of animals. However, if you change animals while on the hunt, you only receive a 15% discount on the new animal. Still a good deal as his prices are very reasonable.

My question is, does anyone do a package based on you saying your planned budget is $10K for trophy fees and just have a couple of main target animals, then everything else will be what the bush provides?

Thanks in advance!

 

[wesheltonj]

A Outfitter will sell you what ever you want. Unless he running low on some animal, he will sell what the bush gives you once you are there.

 

[DieJager]

I've read it a couple of times and still do not understand what you're trying to say.
What are you asking? Are you asking the difference of choosing a package vs a la carte ?

From your statement I guess you are talking about South Africa. With the small knowledge I've gathered after two safaris I would look at first what areas your primary targets are in. For example Gemsbok is not native large parts of SA.First choose your primary animals then you know what areas you can hunt in.Then I would like to know how large the area is, is it somewhat self sustaining? What animals are endemic. Then choose what animals you want to pursuit besides your primary targets.

It is more fun, I think, to hunt species in their natural habitat.

Your 10k trophy fee budget CAN get you a great safari in SA.

 

[Hyde Hunter]

I have been researching my first trip for the last 6 months or so and it looks like everyone prices packages based on a specific list of animals and provides some discount based on that particular list. One of the Outfitters I am mainly talking to is offering a 20% discount off their list price for my list of animals. However, if you change animals while on the hunt, you only receive a 15% discount on the new animal. Still a good deal as his prices are very reasonable.

My question is, does anyone do a package based on you saying your planned budget is $10K for trophy fees and just have a couple of main target animals, then everything else will be what the bush provides?

Thanks in advance!

I would look for a hunt in the East Cape of SA, I have found that the prices for animals are lower there than say Limpopo. I know of a very good outfitter that can get you going for 7 days and 5-6 animals and you can get more for a reasonable price. contact me if you wish more info

 

[Tundra Tiger]

A Outfitter will sell you what ever you want. Unless he running low on some animal, he will sell what the bush gives you once you are there.

I think this is probably true, particularly for RSA? On my first trip I posted on this site first, and had a number of really good offers from many sponsors (who are probably all pretty darned good). The outfit I chose offered me a package deal on 5 animals (kudu, wildebeest, impala, zebra, blesbok). At that time my must-have species was kudu, so I was good with the rest. There were no daily fees, just the package fee, and frankly the pricing was really incredible, based on other offers I have seen on here. In the end I had my 5 species in the first 3.5 days, and I added another 5 animals at trophy cost, and their pricing is still the best I have seen. My first trip was right after covid, and there were oodles of animals.

 

[375Fox]

I’m assuming he’s offering you a 20% discount off trophy fee prebooked and a 15% discount at the time because he has to call multiple landowners and reserve the animal for your hunt. Prebooking likely makes it easier on him. Most outfitters don’t have exclusive access to many of the properties they hunt, especially if they are a smaller outfitter with only a few clients a year. Not knowing who you are hunting with, I’d suggest looking for an outfitter with more exclusive access and longer established partnerships with landowners and maybe one that owns land. It should give you a more flexible experience. I don’t enjoy the small farm hopping model looking for a particular species on a particular day. I’ve had to pass animals previously because not discussed with that landowner. I think eastern cape and Namibia provide the best first PG safari experience. I find Limpopo too commercialized.

 

[Throwback]

Just be clear what happens if you dont get an animal in the package. What then? What if you never saw one? What if you did but you missed him?

Personally, I would just go on day rate and take what the bush gives you but let him know your wish list, with the priority of each animal if applicable. Max flexibility this way. Cheers

 

[Art Lambart II]

Every Outfitter offers the package your looking for, its called day fees. If your looking for a package that eliminates day fees you'll have to pick one of the Outfitters standard packages. In my experience most Outfitters will swap similary priced animals.

 

[Andrew62]

Just be clear what happens if you dont get an animal in the package. What then? What if you never saw one? What if you did but you missed him?

Personally, I would just go on day rate and take what the bush gives you but let him know your wish list, with the priority of each animal if applicable. Max flexibility this way. Cheers

I agree with @Throwback, packages are great and all, but sometimes there are issues with this. I've had packages that included 4 giraffe, I shot 3, at the end of the hunt the outfitter discounted the package. We hadn't had that conversation, but he was a stand up guy, but moving forward, if I were to ever do a packaged hunt again, I would have it in email what happens if we come up short on animals. Running out of days and being short an eland or kudu can give you some real anxiety!

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I’m assuming he’s offering you a 20% discount off trophy fee prebooked and a 15% discount at the time because he has to call multiple landowners and reserve the animal for your hunt. Prebooking likely makes it easier on him. Most outfitters don’t have exclusive access to many of the properties they hunt, especially if they are a smaller outfitter with only a few clients a year. Not knowing who you are hunting with, I’d suggest looking for an outfitter with more exclusive access and longer established partnerships with landowners and maybe one that owns land. It should give you a more flexible experience. I don’t enjoy the small farm hopping model looking for a particular species on a particular day. I’ve had to pass animals previously because not discussed with that landowner. I think eastern cape and Namibia provide the best first PG safari experience. I find Limpopo too commercialized.

Adding on to this, the outfit I hunted with, they own the properties. I am guessing that's why they are able to offer such good rates and packages. And they have expanded since I was over 2 years ago: they bought a large property 3 hours north of the place I stayed and now offer a north and south camp, with some variation of species of based on different terrain. My understanding - and based on photos I have seen - is the north property is much more mountainous. But that's a bit off track I guess - finding a outfitter that actually owns the place is probably helpful.

 

[Rhoyland4]

Sorry! I did not explain my question well enough. I have a quote for a 7-day hunting trip in Namibia, for my daughter and me.

The hunt includes 1 giraffe, 2 kudu, 1 eland, 2 impala, 1 warthog & 1 dik-dik.

The package total is$14K with the trophy fee cost being$10K for those 8 animals. The other $4K is day fees and airport transfer. The Dik Dik is the only thing not available on his 23K acre property.

Our main animals are an Eland and a Kudu for me, and a Giraffe and a Dik Dik for my daughter. The other animals are just to fill the budget.

He is also offering a discount on his published day fees as part of the package. My guess is that this is due to the number of animals on our list. If I pay the day fees and trophy fees straight up, the package is about a $4K savings.

I am just asking if anyone has based their package on the Dollar amount in lieu of the specific animal list. It is only a minor difference in the end, but since he is offering a 20% discount upfront, but only a 15% discount in the field to switch animals, it could allow for an extra small animal to be taken.

Hopefully this makes more sense.

I was going to ask the PH, but figured I would pose my question here first.

 

[375Fox]

I’ve never done a package. I’ve only hunted on day rate and trophy fees. Some animals I state an interest in before hunt and others not. I pay a deposit to book hunt. Then I pay remaining daily rates and a trophy fees deposit before hunt. Then I pay remaining trophy fees after the hunt finishes. I’m not sure the 20% discount prebook vs 15% while hunting but if he owns property I’d take what’s available if you want it. I wish more outfitters would just write realistic trophy fee lists and minimum days and animal expectations instead of special quotes.

 

[Sabre]

I’ve never done a package. I’ve only hunted on day rate and trophy fees. Some animals I state an interest in before hunt and others not. I pay a deposit to book hunt. Then I pay remaining daily rates and a trophy fees deposit before hunt. Then I pay remaining trophy fees after the hunt finishes. I’m not sure the 20% discount prebook vs 15% while hunting but if he owns property I’d take what’s available if you want it. I wish more outfitters would just write realistic trophy fee lists and minimum days and animal expectations instead of special quotes.

Preach! I would really be frustrated if I just finished hunting with an outfitter and paid posted day rates and trophy fees and then learned other people were hunting the same animals from a discounted list.

I have heard of it multiple times and I find it frustrating. I can understand if in the moment they offer a good deal on an animal standing right in front of them they want to remove. But having clients hunt from two completely different price lists feels like something that could easily create unhappy clients.

 

[DieJager]

Preach! I would really be frustrated if I just finished hunting with an outfitter and paid posted day rates and trophy fees and then learned other people were hunting the same animals from a discounted list.

I have heard of it multiple times and I find it frustrating. I can understand if in the moment they offer a good deal on an animal standing right in front of them they want to remove. But having clients hunt from two completely different price lists feels like something that could easily create unhappy clients.

I'm always bargaining to be honest. A price is never set in stone. But I'm Dutch so this used to be our national sport

 

[HPLoveHunt]

That makes a lot of sense. Prebooking probably does make life easier for the outfitter, especially if they’re working with multiple landowners. I hadn’t really thought about how much behind-the-scenes calling and reserving goes into it. I’m with you on the appeal of having more flexibility — I think that’s why a lot of folks point newcomers toward Eastern Cape or Namibia for a first trip. Feels like you get a little more room to just enjoy the hunt instead of worrying about which property you’re on that day.

 

[Brandon.Gleason]

It sounds like a situation where you're looking to negotiate a lower day rate for a guaranteed spend on trophy fees, but variable trophies up to that limit based upon what you want/see at that time? I'd say that's a gamble for an outfitter, based upon their profit margin per animal, which I'm assuming varies species to species (property to property?).

 

[PARA45]

I've hunted SA and have hunted set packages. Luckily, those packages had the animals I wanted to hunt, and the package was better priced. However, I've always added additional animals beyond what the package offered. Next time I go, I'll be hunting animals I have not hunted before. Oh, and every time I hunt Africa, I will always hunt a Kudu.

 

[mark-hunter]

I have been researching my first trip for the last 6 months or so and it looks like everyone prices packages based on a specific list of animals and provides some discount based on that particular list. One of the Outfitters I am mainly talking to is offering a 20% discount off their list price for my list of animals. However, if you change animals while on the hunt, you only receive a 15% discount on the new animal. Still a good deal as his prices are very reasonable.

My question is, does anyone do a package based on you saying your planned budget is $10K for trophy fees and just have a couple of main target animals, then everything else will be what the bush provides?

Thanks in advance!

I never made "full package". I always swapped something from package trophies to something else, or i made my own package. 5 safaris done till now.

Then there is a, question of multiple safaris. If you will go to 2nd, 3rd safari and so on, are you willing to shoot and pay for the same animals?
I personally prefer not to take same trophies. But we are all diferent. Each answer is valid.
I always wish to hunt something new, and each time i dwelve deeper to african continent.

But if going that route, eventually you will get to the point to make your own package from the list.

 

[AZDAVE]

In SA and Namibia you can get a solid package that is usually discounted to make it appeal to the customer. If you book the package and add animals off the trophy list you should have a copy of the price list going into the hunt. If you book a hunt that you pay the daily rate and then state you have 10K for trophy fees, negotiate the price list before the hunt so their is no confusion that will lead to hurt feelings at the end of the hunt.

If you are looking for something special it is your responsibility to get the daily rate and trophy fee list sorted before your hunt. The outfitter is running a business. Getting upset because another hunter got a lower price for an animal that is one africa provided on the spot price is kinda petty. They may have come across an injured animal one that is a problem animal etc that would lead to a different price that what is on the trophy list for a healthy animal.

The other question that was mentioned is that if your package has a number of animals and you don't see one or have a chance to shoot one. You don't pay the trophy fee for that animal. Once you shoot and draw blood you pay the trophy fee.

The last is that your trigger finger and your wallet are absolutely tied together.

 

[Dinsdale]

Preach! I would really be frustrated if I just finished hunting with an outfitter and paid posted day rates and trophy fees and then learned other people were hunting the same animals from a discounted list.

I have heard of it multiple times and I find it frustrating. I can understand if in the moment they offer a good deal on an animal standing right in front of them they want to remove. But having clients hunt from two completely different price lists feels like something that could easily create unhappy clients.

I've done exactly what the OP is asking about, as I booked a hunt with a pair of outfits who had a partnership on two properties. I had a rough list of priorities for 14 days split between the two, and an expected budget to spend.

It was enough that they gave a healthy discount in trophy fees.

They knew they'd have a good profit, and a client that was willing to take quota.

And I let them select dates and moved my itinerary around with another week in SA on the same trip.

Low fenced ranch hunts in northern Namibia, it was a fantastic trip.