Paying In Full?

UKHunter · Feb 15, 2016

I am curious as to whether outfitters would entertain the idea of a reduced rate on a hunting safari if the hunter paid in full at the time of booking?

wesheltonj · Feb 15, 2016

No such thing! Can't happen too many animals, that you might not to be able to pass.

bluey · Feb 15, 2016

I havnt seenit once , l like to be paid up before I get there , for my own rreasons , but never seen any reduction
in the over all cost of thing s, not that I expect any , as l say ,for my own reasons I like to pay up front

Royal27 · Feb 15, 2016

Even if this was offered there is no way I would personally do it.

Lets say your safari cost $15k and you receive a 5% discount. That would mean you'd save $750. What if the outfitter goes out of business over the next year before your safari, or what if you change your mind for what ever reason and your money is stuck overseas for a while at best and lost for ever at worst?

I'm not willing to take that big money risk for a relatively small savings.

K-man · Feb 15, 2016

I'm with Bluey on this one. I like to have as much cleared up in advance as possible before going. I wouldn't even give a deposit to an outfitter I don't trust even with my life. You don't need to pay a year in advance, just a month or so. You can always take extra for a couple of animals, souveniers, and tips. I have no idea what the trophy fee was on what Bluey brought back, but he may still be gladly paying on that one.

johnnyblues · Feb 15, 2016

Not worth the risk.

JimP · Feb 15, 2016

The only thing that I paid in full early was for two extra animals that I wanted to take and even then I didn't pay that until I sent my outfitter the final payment 2 weeks before my safari.

gizmo · Feb 15, 2016

Out if convienance for me I put a deposit to book then 30 days out wire the entire remaining balance to the outfitter so I don't have to carry a bunch of cash with me. I still bring more cash to pay for the odd animal I have to have or wire the balance for the extras before I leave. I always tip in cash though. I would only recommend this with outfitters/PH's I know and trust. Of course that's my same rule for booking most hunts in general. I can't afford to have bad experiences because it takes me so long to save up for them.

KWALATA SAFARIS · Feb 15, 2016

UKHunter said:
I am curious as to whether outfitters would entertain the idea of a reduced rate on a hunting safari if the hunter paid in full at the time of booking?

I saw it in the U.S. This year with severely reduced buffalo hunts, it is out there, I guess guys are playing the exchange rate and reckon they can sell at mentioned rate as long as they can convert it quick enough before a significant rate change happens.....
One of my concerns in fact....

I would not do it if I was you.

Divernhunter · Feb 15, 2016

I have paid for the animals I had on my list and the daily rate before going. I had to pay more for the ones I wanted extra when I got hunting. I have booked again with the same people and put down part of it and will pay more if they came over to our sportsman show again in 2017. Then I do not need to carry as much with me when I go over.
I trust them and they trust me. It is not a gamble for me.
My 2 Cents

BRICKBURN · Feb 15, 2016

Jaco Strauss said:
I guess guys are playing the exchange rate and reckon they can sell at mentioned rate as long as they can convert it quick enough before a significant rate change happens.....

True.
You never know when the next finance minister will be escorted out of office by Zuma.

dobber · Feb 16, 2016

or fingers crossed with Zuma

jeff · Feb 16, 2016

I put a deposit on a hunt last Feb and paid the balance this week at the show as then I don't have to carry as much cash. I don't like wire transfers, had money lost for over a week, off in cyber limbo somewhere on a deposit once.

Scott Slough · Feb 16, 2016

I was certainly confused about the pay a small deposit and then the total bill afterward. I asked if I could pay the total amount when I made my deposit (about 5 months before the trip) and we could do a final settlement with me paying 100s of dollars or them refunding 100s of dollars and me not having to worry about the cash. I was fortunate that my outfitter allowed me to write a personal check ... I am not certain that I would have trusted some yahoo that I met for 10 minutes at a show halfway across the world

! But it worked out fine for both sides in the end.

I can actually do international transfers from my online banking now so it should make the whole process easier on the next trip. Once I add the outfitter while making a deposit, it should take less than a minute to pay the final settlement and the outfitter can log on and confirm payment while I am still sitting in the lodge (assuming Wi-Fi!)

lwaters · Mar 6, 2016

I paid my outfitter half before I came over and the rest when I got home. in New Zealand they toke a personal check at the end of the hunt.

Hank2211 · Mar 6, 2016

I think we need to differentiate between two positions. I agree with those who like to pay up front, but something like a month or a week. The odds of the outfitter going under in that period of time would be pretty close to nil, and I feel better knowing I don't owe anyone anything. Sort of like owning my car rather than leasing it. A personal thing, but it matters to my comfort on the hunt.

Paying a long time in advance - and I define a year as a long time - causes me some angst. This is a competitive business, and outfitters can go under, or just out of the business. Getting your money back can be difficult to the point of impossible, half a world away (in terms of geography - might be more than that in terms of legal systems!). My problem is the opposite - my main outfitter in RSA knows I like to pay my bills promptly, and annoys the hell out of me by taking his time sending me the final bill. I think he does it on purpose.

I mitigate the risk by booking with outfitters I know and trust. That won't help a first-timer, but if someone who has been there trusts an outfitter, that's a pretty good recommendation. Which is a great reason to get recommendations from AfricaHunting.com!

Patrick R · Mar 7, 2016

Royal27 said:
...Lets say your safari cost $15k and you receive a 5% discount. That would mean you'd save $750. What if the outfitter goes out of business over the next year before your safari, ....

And this is why you have to book with PH / Outfitters in the business for many years - that has a name with business service in the trade

TokkieM · Mar 7, 2016

I have done it for 2 years now with my Driven Hunt clients. They book a year in advance ( yes we have to due to the volume and planning it takes) they pay in full as far as dayfees and minimum amount of animals per day go. They get to hunt at last years prices, some years we make less, like last year and some years we make more, all a balancing act with currency. We do however have a minimum exchange rate clause we agree on before hand.
After 15 + years doing driven hunts you don't go out of business!
Every year my clients leave with a outstanding bill of around 10 000 to 15 000$ and I carry that risk until the bill is settled, takes a few weeks in some cases, but that's were mutual trust comes in.
If it does not feel right or you don't trust the Outfitter only pay a minimum deposit, saves your sanity in the long run.

Paying In Full?

UKHunter

wesheltonj

bluey

Royal27

K-man

johnnyblues

JimP

gizmo

KWALATA SAFARIS

Divernhunter

BRICKBURN

dobber

jeff

Scott Slough

lwaters

Hank2211

Patrick R

TokkieM

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