Cancellation Need 2 Hunters For My Party Of 4

You can find just about anything that you want for gifts for the family in the Joberg airport and from what I saw their prices are competitive with shops in the towns.

gebo824 said:

Hunters choice, I think. I'm using rifle.

Thanks to all about caution in Joburg. I wouldn't go walk around anyway, so would get a driver to go to a few places. Mainly to get the gifts for fam out of the way.

I'm not critical of the deal. I won't be out much more than a package deal bought directly. Kyne showed me a pic of a 60+ kudu, so they appear to have very good quality. BTW, it was a Pheasant Forever banquet I bought it at. That donation will help with habitat improvement, so I consider that a plus.

AZDAV, thanks for the recommendation. Like I said, all feedback from those that have gone to them has been excellent.

This is not a used car here. Quality & great time is worth some extra. You most often get what you pay for. I've read many disaster stories of other's trips, so wouldn't go with the cheapest price anyway.

I'm excited for my first trip, so don't bum me out here. Its a done deal for me. If you dont want to go, click off & don't gripe. I'd just like to get a couple that may have been before & know the drill with airports, customs, import/export, etc. Or a newbie just as excited as I am & looking for an adventure.

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I like your attitude. Go, and have a great time, as I'm sure you will. Don't let anyone there or elsewhere get under your skin or cast a pall over your trip. Africa is the last great adventure, and you should enjoy every minute of it.

Ditto the gift thing at Jo airport. Store called OUT OF AFRICA has about all the gifts one needs, and there are others as well. Good luck and have fun.

Take a tour of Joburg and you'll be fine. Went to Soweto and kliptown and loved it. We also went down in the Cullinan diamond mine, it was amazing. There are dangerous areas in Anchorage where I wouldn't walk. Check trip advisor for things to do and get a guide, you will not regret it.

@gebo824
Still no luck finding anyone yet. Most of my friends seem to have prior engagements. I'll keep spreading the word.

Thanks everyone for the info & good wishes. I should have posted much sooner, if to just ask questions & learn! I'm thinking I'll want to go back again, if not next year the year after when maybe my son can go. I'll definitely post sooner to inquire about outfitters, animals, & maybe hunting buddies.

How about some good restaurants for local fare?

Totally agree with Hank .
Lead with your front foot , let your arsehole follow and shoot more than you can afford !!!
Have a great time , you only go to Africa for the first time once >
Cheers Dory .

Dory,

My friend I am going to have to quote you on things Lead with your front foot , let your arsehole follow and shoot more than you can afford !!!"
made me laugh and smile at the same time. Well said.

Dave

Good luck on your hunt! I'm also headed over for the first time this summer-same time as you! - we're making it a family affair, bringing wife, and parents.

Be sure to post a report of your hunt so we can all share in the experience!

rookhawk said:

This is where I think SCI and other orgs go really wrong: they attempt to defy a LAW of economics.

No cost in any transaction isn't ultimately passed on to the customer.

So in a hunt bought at a banquet it can only go two ways:

1.) they donate a hunt and then up charge all other customers to cover this marketing expense

2.) they "donate" a hunt that is actually no deal at all because they intend to charge fees for transport, bags, or some other incidentals to overcome the fiction of "free or included"

I realize this may sound cynical but it is a law of capitalism so don't get mad at me.

I wish SCI wouldn't shake down outfitters for donations because it usually goes poorly for either the seller, the buyer or both.

I'd rather see Outfitters write a check to donate to causes and get rid of these blurred lines in their pricing models.

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I'll try to be polite and just say that I disagree with nearly point you made.

I have just finished helping organize a SCI banquet. There were/are no donation "special" price lists. All outfitters used their standard price lists. SCI allows outfitters to opt for a 70/30 or 100% donation. We declined any donation that was not 100%. The couple that checked 70/30, graciously dropped their 30% share and switched to 100% when I called them personally.

Just like shopping for a personal hunt, a chapter must examine the outfitter closely and place themselves in the bidders chair. We checked the outfitter's reputation, who we knew who had hunted with them, their facilities and their trophy fees. Many of our donors, one or more of the directors had hunted with in the past. We also made the hunt details available in our webpage and Facebook page days or weeks ahead of the auction.

If we found that an outfitter had a special, inflated price list for a donated hunt, the outfitter would not be used, or if he slipped through, he would not be used again.

All the details of the hunts we used were the outfitter's standard terms and conditions, no "extra" fees.

What does the outfitter hope to earn from donating a hunt to a SCI chapter? Expand their name recognition to a broader audience, exposure, filling a slot in their calendar, hopefully the winning bidder brings a buddy, buys more days, or shoots more animals. That is how they recover some of their costs.

If your chapter doesn't do these things, then you need to join the board and make some changes . Perhaps other chapters or fundraisers don't do these things that Calgary does, but they should. It is their reputation and credibility that depends on it.

Alaska Hunter said:

Take a tour of Joburg and you'll be fine. Went to Soweto and kliptown and loved it. We also went down in the Cullinan diamond mine, it was amazing. There are dangerous areas in Anchorage where I wouldn't walk. Check trip advisor for things to do and get a guide, you will not regret it.

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I second this. One of the highlights of the trip was seeing some of the Joburg sites (even if just from the car) and shopping for momentos at Cambanos and Sons. We hired a car and driver from Air2000. Well worth the cost.