Unbelievable rates. Chacma Safaris

Patrick, I agree with you that there is a lot of ethical outfitters that doesn't belong to hunting organisations.
I believe that it is a personal choice if someone wants to belong to a hunting organisation, and that it doesn't have to be compulsory.
I still believe in word of mouth as your best reference in any business.

Chacma Safaris said:

Unbelievable daily rates and trophy fees on the following species.
(This is a limited offer to the first 10 clients) Hunt must take place in 2014.

Impala $ 275
Blesbuck $ 285
Blue wildebeest $ 690
Eland $ 1950
Kudu $ 1850
Waterbuck $ 1650
Warthog $ 180
Zebra $ 895
Nyala $ 1950
Gemsbuck $ 950
Red hartebeest $ 950

Daily rates:

-5 day, 3 day hunt, 4 nights @ $ 1 500 1x1 and $ 1200 2x1
- 7 day, 5 day hunt, 6 nights @ $ 1950 1x1 and $ 1 800 2x1
- 10 day, 8 day hunt, 9 nights @ $ 2950 1x1 and $ 2700 2x1

- Observer @ $ 95 per day.

Daily rates include:

- Pick up and drop off at airport.
- Full board accommodation. 3 meals per day, bottled water, soft drinks and beer.
- Daily laundry.
- Hunting vehicle, professional hunter, preparation of trophies.

Daily rates exclude:

- Pre and post safari accommodation.
- Air fares
- Gratuities
- Site seeing tours
- Rifle hire
- Taxidermy costs and shipping of trophies.

Area : The hunt will take place in the Waterberg biosphere
located in the Limpopo province of South-Africa.
Home base will be Chacma Safari lodge situated at
Melkrivier in the heart of the Waterberg.

Outfitter no: 001-cpm-401-00058
P.H. no: 001-cpm-401-00127

Ranch size: 3 500 acre ( home base ) + hunting rights on
various ranches in area that makes the hunting
more exiting.

I am waiting in Anticipation for your replies.

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Wow I am surprised that this would be considered run of the mill it is incredibly low for Limpopo based prices... Look at the Observer rate as well...

I know Wimpy personally and anyone wanti hunt Limpopo and with a professional hunter with the experience Level that Wimpy has should in all honsty pay 20 - 25% more than what Wimpy has quoted.

Good deal Wimpy I am sure that in time it will create interest.

My best to you friend.

Interesting thoughts on this. I've been a member here a while and always look at the deals. My problem is that I can go only every 2-3 years and am booked for a Asian hunt already this year. So I " look" even though I wouldn't "buy" even if the prices were 40% less. My funds to hunt are limited and are already committed. Now having said that I believe that this is a very good offer. The prices on Kudu, Gemsbuck and Hartebeast can be bested in Namibia. By contrast his Warthog is Dirt cheap. VERY good prices on Impala, Blesbuck, Zebra and Blue Wilderbeast. Especially IF the trophy quality is good. Daily rates are decent as well. My biggest problem would be with 3500 acres as the main property. Here is the perspective of many here in the US. A smaller property like this is "unfair" as in not being a fair chase hunt. Or someone will worry that it has been "shot out". Or the next concern may be that the animals are "put and take" farmed animals with no real fear of man. A larger property reduces those worries. Right or wrong those are the perceptions.
I have a farm that I have hunted here in Wy that is 6000 acres so I can visualize the size of this property. Many cannot. How much brush is there will affect how it is hunted and how it feels.
The next thing is familiarity. The more Willem posts here the more people will feel like they know him. Familiarity will help people decide to hunt with him when they are ready to go.
Next is pictures. Everybody loves pics. Lodge, accommodations and most importantly is animal pictures. Both harvested and trail camera. Harvested shows us what to expect in trophy quality. Trail cameras give us a specific animal to dream about. Fulfill peoples dreams and you then have repeat clients that brag about you to others.
For example. My next trip to Africa will include a Sable. I will only be able to afford one in my lifetime so I have been looking for a place to hunt a BIG one. The 2 places I would like to hunt have posted pics of bulls over 44 inches. They have my full attention. I also looked closely at a hunt in RSA for a 37-38 inch bull that was half the money. In 2 years I'll have to decide whether I can afford my dream animal probably in Zambia or to settle for a nice bull in RSA. The point is the pictures have me pre deposed to hunt with one of those 3 outfits. Set up some trail cameras and talk a little about the animals. Someone will see it and say, " hey thats exactly what I want to hunt".
If you can get a hunter or two to write reports on their hunts with you that also really helps. help them with pictures. Again it helps to breed familiarity. We get to know you through their hunts. We get to "live" their hunts vicariously. That is another huge boost to your standing on a forum like this one. People need to feel comfortable to book a hunt with someone they have never met. Many will not trust their precious dollars to someone they have not met with out the above items.
I hope that this post may help you some in marketing your hunts as well as others that post here on this site. Respectfully Bruce

Could not agree more Bruce, due to the exact reason of internet being not quite as personal due to the lack of personal interaction, references are of the highest importance...

References can be obtained in various ways though.... I do find it interesting that as far as Internet marketing goes that price is often the largest or rather dictating factor.

Guess it comes with the lack of personal interaction over a table and or rather an eye ball to eye ball conversation..

My best always

SNIPER59 said:

Another couple of points that may be slowing things down for you, are that you have no reviews on the AH forum, and secondly I cannot seem to find you on PHASA?? Both of these are quite important to most, when checking out a hunting outfitter. Just my opinion...

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Sniper59

As you know we have met in the Kalahari and had a great time there.
But I also have my opinion regarding PHASA.

You see an organization such as PHASA does not make an Outfitter better or worse, it all depends who you are and what your personal values are. Yes we are human and we all make mistakes as we go, but we have to be prepared to correct those mistakes.

Some of the very well-known Outfitters in South Africa who has been banned from SCI, PHASA and more organization were allowed back just because of the donations the dished out.

I personally will never become a member of PHASA just because some of the board members who I personally know are doing things that is unacceptable.

I and most of the Outfitters here have our own standards, being a member of PHASA will not make you a better hunter or a better host.

lbgsafaris said:

Sniper59

As you know we have met in the Kalahari and had a great time there.
But I also have my opinion regarding PHASA.

You see an organization such as PHASA does not make an Outfitter better or worse, it all depends who you are and what your personal values are. Yes we are human and we all make mistakes as we go, but we have to be prepared to correct those mistakes.

Some of the very well-known Outfitters in South Africa who has been banned from SCI, PHASA and more organization were allowed back just because of the donations the dished out.

I personally will never become a member of PHASA just because some of the board members who I personally know are doing things that is unacceptable.

I and most of the Outfitters here have our own standards, being a member of PHASA will not make you a better hunter or a better host.

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Hi there Bossie,
we remember you from the Kalahari hunt, as you were a big part of making it a great time over there, and we really enjoyed you and your stories and contributions, thanks again sir!
My comment to Chacma safaris was just my thoughts on his question of why he was getting no responses to his offer. Because I had not seen him advertise hunts previously, I decided to check to see who he was, and how well he was reviewed etc...but I wasn't able to find any reviews on the AH forum site, so tried PHASA with no result either.
I just felt that may have been the reason for his less than expected replies. I wasn't trying to say that belonging to an organization had anything to do with the skills or reputation of an outfitter. I just thought it would be a tool in trying to find out some information, and giving an offer some due diligence in finding out about someone.
I emailed with Willem and found him to be a complete and total gentleman, and his references had nothing but 100% respect and good things to say about the man and his outfit, area and skills.
I am sure his hunts will sell quickly....

Hi Sniper59

I totally understand what you are saying.

All I would like to say to the members is that you should not look at an organization as a resort for reference.
We all have our opinions about all these organizations and that is why some of us are not members of them.

I have no idea who Willem Van der Merwe is but I had a look at his website and it looks really impressive.
I am sure that Willem as most of the outfitters in Africa, will do his best and more, to assure any hunter a great experience and time with him.

Hi jaco, nice to hear from you. Thanks for the reply. Let me know when you are back, so we can have a beer in Valies.

Bruce, Thanks for the post. And I really appreciate your thoughts. I will make a plan to get more active on this site.

Now as for the 3 500 acres not being a fair chase hunt. Lets say everyone is allowed to their own opinion. I know that 3500 is not big enough for someone to run a year round operation on. That is why I have hunting ranches around me that I use as concessions to hunt on. I manage my animals and have a yearly quota that I take off.
Once again thanks for taking the time to post.

Willem

Hi Bossie. It is like I said before, at the end of the day in any operation it comes down to word of mouth. And not which organisation you belong to.
Good luck on your season, hope to meet you some day.