Cape buffalo fees

Bignut

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I just got some paperwork for the safari we won, and it unfortunately looks like buffalo are off the menu. I've always thought if I made it to Africa, I had to hunt a buff. But at $15,000 trophy fee I would be remiss in not sending the kids to receive a higher education!

Is this a typical trophy fee for buffalo? Boy talk about heartbreak
 
I have no doubt they have a fine establishment and great service, I am just sorta shocked at the trophy fee list.
 
JKO they have some real good deal.
 
I rarely book an auction. Inevitably, there is some higher math to be rooted out, to insure you fully understand what you are getting. Dangerous game hunts are another thing entirely. Depending upon region and country, trophy fees have to be balanced against daily rates and both have to be balanced against the hunting experience. A 7500 USD buffalo in Mozambique isn't quite so cheap when added to ten days of daily rates at 1200 USD a day. A game ranch hunt may not be so exciting if you discover your buffalo was released onto 1500 acres a week before your arrival.

I assume you bought a "package" with several specific animals included and any other on their trophy fee list? If so, I would suggest you take maximum advantage of the Plains Game opportunities that you can afford on this trip, and then very carefully plan the buffalo hunt a couple of years from now after a lot of due diligence.
 
Is that quote just trophy fee or are the daily rates included? My trophy fee alone for an old dugga boy was US 10k last year. I'd advise some shopping around and research to see just what you are buying.
 
Way too little information. We need all the who, what, when, where, and how of the hunt and the auction.
Personally I'm always cautious about auctions. Know exactly what you're bidding on before you do it.
 
Trophy fees for buffalo (and certain other species) have come down dramatically in South Africa over the last few years. A little research on the web and some discussions with outfitters should provide lots of options far below $15k.

Trophy fees for buffalo in countries with traditionally higher day rates - such as Zimbabwe - are also much, much, lower than $15k. Whether the higher day rates offset the reduction depends on whether you take other animals.
 
I can tell you that my day rate and trophy fee for a 10 day, truly wild buffalo hunt in Dande North (Zim) is approximately the same number as the trophy fee you are being quoted. I would stick to the package animals.
 
I just got some paperwork for the safari we won, and it unfortunately looks like buffalo are off the menu. I've always thought if I made it to Africa, I had to hunt a buff. But at $15,000 trophy fee I would be remiss in not sending the kids to receive a higher education!

Is this a typical trophy fee for buffalo? Boy talk about heartbreak

As others whom are more experienced have stated, 15K is generally on the high side for a SA Buff trophy price. I have been quoted under 10k including day fees for a 7 day hunt on a game farm with buff that are there full time on about 5000 acres.

I've seen some concessions around Kruger that get into the mid teens, but those have the allure of sharing the border with Kruger...

Next May will be my first Buff hunt so I am always reading, listening, and learning though.
 
@Bignut

As others have already stated, there are many more details to be considered in regard to pricing of Cape buffalo. Comparing a buffalo hunt in RSA to a buffalo hunt in Zim or Moz for example is comparing apples to oranges in both cost and the overall experience. Likewise, not all RSA hunts are created equal either... As Red Leg alluded to, hunting a buff on a small property is a night and day experience compared to hunting herd animals on much larger properties where the outfitter will be able to offer you a more traditional, challenging, fair chase experience.... Plenty of these large properties exist, but you will likely pay a bit more for large properties and bigger name outfitters that have a higher overhead to carry.
 
Yep to everything stated by @firehuntfish .... lots of variables.. but $15K in SA is very much on the steep side of things..

There are plenty of places you can get a buff on a large property, that have an excellent lodge, an experienced PH, etc.. for a good bit lower than that..

Although they will still likely be more expensive than hunting on a smaller property with a lessor lodge, etc (lower overhead costs)..

Its really about what sort of experience you are looking for, and what your max budget is.....
 
To be fair, I can't complain about pricing much since this was an impulse buy. The hunt is in SA, in Thabazimbi, near Limpopo. It is with Numzaan safaris with options to hunt roughly 40 species ranging from porcupine for 350 on up to buffalo. They have 5 or so lodges ( leadwood, kamboo, vaalkop, etc) I have read on here that others have felt they were a bit high on the trophy fees, but went on to have a great time with good reports. I understand the need to make up daily rates and so forth, just amazed as a newby by the prices.
 
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I'd say most animals on the price list are on the upper range of price for SA
 
@Bignut can you disclose your package details? How many days and how many animals included and for what cost? High trophy prices coincide with zero day fees often....but it can even out in the long run.
My first hunt was an auction buy. cost was about normal to the deals here, and when I inquired direct with them his cost were much less than the online posted prices on the site. You may be able to work more of a package deal with him if you send an additional wish list, but always be prepared to see and want to hunt something that isn't on that list and know the prices.
 
Very high
 

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