Choice of outfitter

[ApexGold]

Something that I am sure must have been asked before but I believe a lot of people still wonder about.
As a prospective client, planning your first safari to Africa, what are the top 5 things you look at when deciding which outfitter/company to book with.
I believe 99% of outfitters can deliver top trophies and have good hunting areas. 99% serve good meals and everyone has the same drink in camp.
The point is there must be certain characteristics that you look for...... what would that be.
I always ask our hunters the same question but I think this a wider range of people for everyone to hear different opinions.

Happy hunting

 

[dailordasailor]

I've booked all my North American hunts off of recommendations for a particular animal. Africa we decided on an outfitter based on a friend had hunted with them and is now selling their hunts in the US. That hunts been pushed twice now thanks to covid/work travel restrictions but i am confident it will be a great experience. As you said, for a run of the mill hunt like we are going on, most would show us a great time. Came down to price/recommendation

 

[sierraone]

Recommendations from other forum members whom have already hunted with the subject outfitter. Being a member of AH automatically gives you reports and photos of a wide variety of outfitters in multiple African countries. Its important for me to be able to hunt certain animals but so called trophy qualities typically doesn't matter since I don't import and mount the heads and skins. And of course the overall cost. If I can't afford it, then I look at other outfitters or just wait another year before going.

 

[mark-hunter]

i you have a friend that has hunted in Africa, and he came back happy, and recommends the outfitter, and you know you two guys are actually best friends, and hunting soul mates- then go there.
Word of mouth, is best way.

But consider that there are various type of hunters, who hunt for different motives:
- record book hunters will go where biggest horns are guaranteed
- some hunters hunt for experience and go where they get best experience, but not collect book record trophies
- some are collectors - who must change countries, outfitters or areas where different animals can be collected, etc
- some can afford high priced hunts, some cannot.
- some hunt big 5, and rhino you can hunt in RSA and Namibia only

So choosing the outfitter in broad strokes will be based on what do you want.
And then secondly on recommendations from friend, from this forum, or from list of references provided by outfitter, roughly in that order.
The you will probably get down to few options, and will choose based on gut feeling.

Let us ask the question, what do you want to hunt?
if you want to hunt mountain nyala, you are down to one or two outfitters, at most.
If you want to hunt impala, the choice of outfitter is endless.

So, it is all down to what do you want to hunt? Then what you can afford? then how to get the references, and then to go hunting. It sounds very simple.

 

[Philip Glass]

Something that I am sure must have been asked before but I believe a lot of people still wonder about.
As a prospective client, planning your first safari to Africa, what are the top 5 things you look at when deciding which outfitter/company to book with.
I believe 99% of outfitters can deliver top trophies and have good hunting areas. 99% serve good meals and everyone has the same drink in camp.
The point is there must be certain characteristics that you look for...... what would that be.
I always ask our hunters the same question but I think this a wider range of people for everyone to hear different opinions.

Happy hunting

This is a good topic and one I’ve been asked to make a video on (sorry I’ll get to it!). Hunters need to know what questions to ask because those who have not been overseas hunting simply don’t know. You will get lots of opinions here. Here is mine after just completing my 16th trip to Africa.
You want to fundamentally know your outfitter. This means asking what land he owns, what land he has exclusive hunting rights on, and what land he has shared hunting rights on. How far away are these properties? What size are the fenced ranches? If you can’t get a quick, straight answer you should walk away.
References from a large number of “first timers” are not worth a whole lot but you should get references. Ask the references how many different African outfitters they have hunted with. Be aware of “hero worship” from the first timers.

Do they exhibit at SCI? It is the most expensive show and it separates the outfitters into two groups. Those big enough to be able to afford it and those whose business is too small to justify the expense. Not the be-all, end-all but something to take note of.
In my opinion meeting your outfitter in person is very important.

There are many important questions to ask when planning a safari. These are just a few to consider.
Regards,
Philip

 

[Hunt anything]

On all of my outfitted hunts I have picked what animal is most important to me, buffalo, sable,roan and so on . Then picked the country, got a list of outfitters in that country, checked as many references as possible and then filled out my wishlist from available game that he offers. Right or wrong this has worked well for me.

 

[buck wild]

I think your 99% estimates are high. While I do think the overwhelmingly vast majority of outfitters produce those type results across the board. it's likely more like 80+.

BUT for debate sake, let's say they all do for the categories you listed. Only next factor I have then is flat out costs. If everyone is producing as you propose, the cost is the last big decision for me.

As I stated though I don't believe 99% are hitting the items you list and that's where the pre-trip research will get into the details. As Philip alluded to, the last piece I try to fit into place is the hunter to PH chemistry. On my most recent hunt these was borne out before I left actually by the PH who commented I think we are going to get along just fine as he responded to a little of my sarcasm on a topic we were discussing.

And while we are starting .. . This topic of making sure properties aren't too far apart- travel time etc. I think that is slightly overrated. I do understand the concept but I just left hunting one million contiguous acres and can tell you although we never left the property, we burned some time driving to hunting areas. If that same had been done driving to other hunting areas on a highway, I'm sure there would have been complaints from some on here.

 

[Eventually_Africa_Again]

Something that I am sure must have been asked before but I believe a lot of people still wonder about.
As a prospective client, planning your first safari to Africa, what are the top 5 things you look at when deciding which outfitter/company to book with.
I believe 99% of outfitters can deliver top trophies and have good hunting areas. 99% serve good meals and everyone has the same drink in camp.
The point is there must be certain characteristics that you look for...... what would that be.
I always ask our hunters the same question but I think this a wider range of people for everyone to hear different opinions.

Happy hunting

Good morning,

I don't really know about top 5, my top #1 though is communication. If I can get their number and call them (here in the states) or their Whats App for overseas then I contact them to have a conversation. If they are unresponsive, difficult to get a hold of, rude etc. then no matter what deals they may be offering odds are I'll go with a better fitting outfit. Animal availability, food choices, accommodations etc. can all be researched online but there is no substitute for reaching out and seeing if you all click.

 

[Red Leg]

A few years ago I would have answered this question by suggesting a proven hunting consultant (and did so many times on this site). His job is to synchronize your calendar, goals, and budget. The really good ones do it really well, and make the whole financial process much easier. I should note, I still use a trusted one when going into a truly new region. However, AH has changed my perspective just a bit. Using the resources afforded by this site, a hunter anticipating his first trip to Africa, has at his finger tips a vast array of information with which to narrow down his selection. The trip reports here are particularly valuable.

That said, a prospective client needs to read them carefully. A glowing report by someone who has just completed their first trip to the continent, needs to be balanced against the hunter's relative inexperience in hunting Africa. In other words, a glowing report compared to what? The vast majority of African destinations will be miles ahead of some barely washed guide tossing you a can of Denny Moore on the front range of the Rockies (that was not directed at you @Scott CWO!) But that doesn't mean they are best of their class.

Still other hunters return to hunt multiple times with the same PH and hunting operation. That is indeed a very strong recommendation, but again, compared to what?

I think the most important question a hunter contemplating his first safari can ask himself is what is important to him. Is it a specific animal, a specific list, trophy quality, the experience, contrived wilderness or real wilderness, free range or high fence, cost, time, etc. As I was starting to put together my first African experience, I didn't even understand a lot of these questions (well, I did have cost thing figured out).

The hunting reports are a great way to start to get a handle on those questions. Put yourself in the shoes of the correspondent. What did you like, what didn't you like? Gradually, you will discover a particular setting, and hunting style that seems to leap out from those reports. The questions in the list above start to have answers. That process inevitably creates a short list of prospective outfits. That is when to start a dialogue. SCI and DSC are great places to do that in person. Once that exchange begins, your decision will follow quickly.

 

[chashardy]

I agree with Phillip Glass's post above. I recommend you attend either SCI or Dallas Safari Club Convention and interview as many outfitters as you can. You will get a feel for which outfitter best suits what you are looking for.

 

[Hunt anything]

You must also remember that you may not even see the outfitter or owner of the concession. You will spend the majority of your time with your PH. Try to meet him or her and get to know them.

 

[Berettaco]

1. Size of concession - I do not enjoy small high fenced “hunts”
2. Word of mouth from informed acquaintances/friends
3. Friendliness and availability of staff for setting up the hunt.

 

[Scott CWO]

A few years ago I would have answered this question by suggesting a proven hunting consultant (and did so many times on this site). His job is to synchronize your calendar, goals, and budget. The really good ones do it really well, and make the whole financial process much easier. I should note, I still use a trusted one when going into a truly new region. However, AH has changed my perspective just a bit. Using the resources afforded by this site, a hunter anticipating his first trip to Africa, has at his finger tips a vast array of information with which to narrow down his selection. The trip reports here are particularly valuable.

That said, a prospective client needs to read them carefully. A glowing report by someone who has just completed their first trip to the continent, needs to be balanced against the hunter's relative inexperience in hunting Africa. In other words, a glowing report compared to what? The vast majority of African destinations will be miles ahead of some barely washed guide tossing you a can of Denny Moore on the front range of the Rockies (that was not directed at you @Scott CWO!) But that doesn't mean they are best of their class.

Still other hunters return to hunt multiple times with the same PH and hunting operation. That is indeed a very strong recommendation, but again, compared to what?

I think the most important question a hunter contemplating his first safari can ask himself is what is important to him. Is it a specific animal, a specific list, trophy quality, the experience, contrived wilderness or real wilderness, free range or high fence, cost, time, etc. As I was starting to put together my first African experience, I didn't even understand a lot of these questions (well, I did have cost thing figured out).

The hunting reports are a great way to start to get a handle on those questions. Put yourself in the shoes of the correspondent. What did you like, what didn't you like? Gradually, you will discover a particular setting, and hunting style that seems to leap out from those reports. The questions in the list above start to have answers. That process inevitably creates a short list of prospective outfits. That is when to start a dialogue. SCI and DSC are great places to do that in person. Once that exchange begins, your decision will follow quickly.

I’m not quite sure what the point of comparison is @Red Leg between an African camp that can be driven to with a cargo truck and a wilderness camp in the Rockies legally accessible only by foot or horse but our outfit offers everything from sheep/goat hunts in small backpack tents eating freeze dried food to private land hunts for elk/deer based from a ranch house with marble countertops and stainless appliances. North American outfitters are also not afforded the luxury of camp staff making $20 a day. Put another zero on that is where our base pay starts for Wranglers and Guides up to $500 per day. It’s a different world, as you know. Apples to oranges.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Do they exhibit at SCI? It is the most expensive show and it separates the outfitters into two groups. Those big enough to be able to afford it and those whose business is too small to justify the expense. Not the be-all, end-all but something to take note of.

Is this a good thing?

 

[fourfive8]

1. Size of concession - I do not enjoy small high fenced “hunts”
2. Word of mouth from informed acquaintances/friends
3. Friendliness and availability of staff for setting up the hunt.

I kinda like that summary! Concise and well written.

Might also add what to be leery of…. Large clusters of glowing reports on forums like this one where the reporters have very few posts and these clusters show up all at once. What commonly happens is an outfitter will get a bad report or two or several, then try to swamp the review process with a bunch of syrupy reports by hand picked “shill” clients. Same holds where the outfitter himself or a middleman or a “consultant” floods the net with all kinds of unsolicited, too good to be true reports and photos. Both of these techniques are easy to spot if you know what to look for. Good luck!

 

[Red Leg]

I’m not quite sure what the point of comparison is @Red Leg between an African camp that can be driven to with a cargo truck and a wilderness camp in the Rockies legally accessible only by foot or horse but our outfit offers everything from sheep/goat hunts in small backpack tents eating freeze dried food to private land hunts for elk/deer based from a ranch house with marble countertops and stainless appliances. North American outfitters are also not afforded the luxury of camp staff making $20 a day. Put another zero on that is where our base pay starts for Wranglers and Guides up to $500 per day. It’s a different world, as you know. Apples to oranges.

Oh good Lord. Find a bit of a sense of humor. I get that - done just a bit of it.

But that is exactly the point I was trying to make. Someone who has only experienced North America likely will be blown away by any of that 80% of the operations in Africa. Apples to Oranges as you suggest. The key is to develop enough understanding of the African experience (without having been there) to make an informed apples to apples decision. That takes either a lot of research or a trusted consultant.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Something that I am sure must have been asked before but I believe a lot of people still wonder about.
As a prospective client, planning your first safari to Africa, what are the top 5 things you look at when deciding which outfitter/company to book with.
I believe 99% of outfitters can deliver top trophies and have good hunting areas. 99% serve good meals and everyone has the same drink in camp.
The point is there must be certain characteristics that you look for...... what would that be.
I always ask our hunters the same question but I think this a wider range of people for everyone to hear different opinions.

Happy hunting

Your question is certainly a good one, but it also varies by your experience level. What I look for now versus my first time is quite different. But I'll try to convey what I wish I'd thought about but didn't for my first trip.

1) What do YOU want out of the hunt? Do you want to see tons of animals and shoot frequently? Or do you want to get off the truck and put in some lengthy stalks?

2) What is the property size and terrain like? A couple of thousand acres in relatively open country is going to get covered fast. A couple of thousand acres that is densely packed with brush can take quite awhile to cover. Large properties regardless of vegetation will take longer too.

3) How many other clients should you expect in camp? Do you mind being in a fairly large crown in camp and sharing the hunting property with them? Or do you want to only see a few that are finishing as your starting your hunt and vice versa?

4) Are you bringing a significant other? What if any activities outside of tagging along hunting with you might you need?

5) What animals are you most intrigued with? Try to keep that list fairly short. Reason being is not all the animals are endemic to a specific area of the country when talking about RSA and possibly Namibia. The animals endemic to a certain area, the likelihood is the trophy quality will be better.

Finally, I do also recommend attending DSC or SCI, they're the biggest shows going. Take time to research the outfitters ahead of time you'd like to visit with. At the show take time to get to know them and ask these and/or other questions.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

There are many good answers already. There is a great deal of subjectivity to it, IMHO, because we all want something just a bit different.

For me, it was finding a place that could work with my teenage daughter. It was to be a father-daughter hunt. She was recovering from some pretty major foot and leg surgery, so we had some constraints. So that was my primary concern.

After that, it was this site, wholly and completely. I signed up. I made it known about my daughter. People came out of the woodwork to offer their services. From that, I started a list that seemed to hit on other aspects that were important to me. I then hit up members on here, via phone and email, who had went over for similar reasons: father-daughter. That narrowed the list further. From that, through other conversations with outfitters on my short list, I eventually selected the one that felt right to me.

In the end, due to covid and our hunt getting pushed back, my daughter was unable to go. Because of the time and research I'd put in, I decided to stay where I was at, and I'm glad I did. It was an outstanding experience.

Other factors for me after my daughter included hunt area size (fences were acceptable, as long as the hunt areas were large enough) and species available (although trophy size was not a consideration).

Though strictly anecdotal, I'd agree the 99% is high. Even with my little bit of first hand experience and time on here, I've come to realize that it is possible to select the wrong outfitter. In some cases that can be due to someone who is in fact disreputable but maybe other times it's just a matter of being the wrong fit. I do think most who are found on here would provide a very good experience, and I feel like probably everyone on my short list would have been just fine. That said, I am super satisfied about the choice I made.

 

[Mountaineer]

I would suggest this question “what did they do during Covid shutdown “. I would want operators who took the time to improve camp or accomplish tasks that will better the clients experience.

 

[Red Leg]

I would suggest this question “what did they do during Covid shutdown “. I would want operators who took the time to improve camp or accomplish tasks that will better the clients experience.

Noble suggestion. But, that can be rather tricky with no income on the balance sheet.