NEGOTIATIONS?

I was talking African hunting with an acquaintance. He brought up an interesting point. He has hunted plains game in SA twice now with two different outfitters. He was telling me his story about shooting his two target animals (Wildebeest/Gemsbuck) Couple days later he was waiting in a hide for a warthog to show. Along comes a nice big Waterbuck in which he had no intention of shooting. The PH offered him a 20% discount off list price to take the Waterbuck. He was able to negotiate with the PH a discount of 50% off the list price, which at that time he proceeded to kill the Waterbuck. This acquaintance told me this was not unusual, as he had negotiated lower prices on another Africa trip with a different PH/outfitter for non-target trophy animals.
Is this a common practice? If so, are there some guidelines to this negotiations?
Since I am taking my first trip to Africa I am not familiar with this. I could use some advice.

I think there are always deals to be had. Without getting into specifics, I am going on my second safari this year and my third next year. After I complete these trips I will be able to say I never paid a daily rate. Likely this is not the norm but I would think that like any business transaction, there is always room to negotiate.

My experience is that it is definitively worth a shot.
very often, and especially if you are hunting late in the season, the pH/outfitter will have the choice between selling some trophies at reduced price or having "leftovers" at the end of the season.
I got kind of used of booking a hunt for my specific target animals, not really mentioning add-on, then see on the spot. The only advice, take enough cash (or traveller check) to be able to pay on the spot.
Again, this may not be less likely if you go for low-priced plains game hunt, but negotiating price on, say, a zebra on an elephant hunt should not be that hard.
Key is to be reasonable in your negotiation (those guys need to make a living) and to accept to be rebuked.

When i went in 09 they had too many impala and where going to have to cull a bunch at the end of the season. He offered us a second ram for 1/2 price.

I had the same thing happen on a Namibian game ranch...Watching a waterhole, wanting a warthog, none showed. PH offers deep discount on an old herd wildebeest, plus he threw in horns/cape of an injured hartebeest for a taxidermist friend back in the states...Never hurts to ask, be polite & $ flexible...

I would guess it would not hurt to ask.Worst thing that can happen is they say no I can not do that for that amount.If respectful when asking think no harm would be done.I would say if it is done non stop during the hunt that could be a bit much.Also can get to be to much if the ph is nonstop trying to get you to take more then you want.I have heard more then one outfitter tell me at shows how they need to kill off extra animals at the end of the year.I think some outfitters would be susprised on what some hunters would do with the chance to take some of the extras animals at a good price.I would never just do a cull hunt as I do not want to do there job and pay them to do it.I see nothing wrong with asking if i take one impala can you do any better on a second.There are a few animals I will hunt that I do not plan on taking another.Key word is plan to.I shot what I think is a great waterbuck dont plan on taking another unless it is just to good a deal to pass up.

My advice, there may be wiggle room on the price. Just be careful, this can ruin a hunt. A PH has to make a living, so does the outfitter. I know guys that do this on day one of the safari. I think it's unprofessional to beg your PH for a price break. But if the PH is looking for you to add animals on day one, I say go for it, if you do indeed want to add more hunting opportunities.

Hunting at the end of the season, I have been offered animals at a discount, but I never asked for it. It just doesn t feel right to me.

Normally deals comes from the outfitter/Ph's side while out hunting. But there is no harm to ask as long as you keep to your hunt that you booked and don't change just to chase the new deal.

I see nothing wrong in asking the outfitter if he has some animals he can give you a good price on.
But to ask for a discount on animals already agreed on is not good at all.

I have gotten some great deals while on safari and I have negotiated some great add-ons just prior to some trips. If you have some money in your pocket at the end of a trip, chances are you can work out a way to leave most of it there. I only wish this worked with North American outfitters, it did years ago but for some reason they won't budge very much these days.

Thanks to all. I am new to this so all of your advice is helpful. My wife Packsy and I have booked our hunt which includes all day rates plus $3000 credit on animals of our choice. We have picked out and relayed to the outfitter our top two wish list animals. From there we are taking the "see what gives us a good shot" approach....within our budget. Once we exceed the initial trophy credit, shooting an animal will depend on what the animal cost. Would it be considered appropriate to communicate to the PH once we exceed the credit that some animals may be out of financial reach for us but if an opportunity would present itself and discount was offered, we may be able to fit them into our budget? Or is there a better way or time to ask? I would never be disrespectful in any way. Having fun and absorbing the experience will be our top priority.

When Deb and I went on our hunt in 2010 that package was so good that I still think the Outfitter cut there own throat 9 animals for $4995 but it got better then that as mentioned in my hunting report my PH Rusty owned a 10,000 acre sheep farm and while hunting there for Kudu and Mountain Reedbuck he made us an offer I couldn't turn down all the Warthogs and Jackal on his farm were FREE! and they were everywhere just I'm not fast enough been practicing though. Don't ask for discounts but if the PH/Outfitter offers go ahead and Haggle.

Bobpuckett said:

I couldn't turn down all the Warthogs and Jackal on his farm were FREE! and they were everywhere just I'm not fast enough been practicing though. Don't ask for discounts but if the PH/Outfitter offers go ahead and Haggle.

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Thanks Bob. I would run out of arrows if I was offered that.

it got better then that as mentioned in my hunting report my PH Rusty owned a 10,000 acre sheep farm and while hunting there

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....and Bob said "I was only helping the sheep cross the fence, really!"

Bobpuckett said:

When Deb and I went on our hunt in 2010 that package was so good that I still think the Outfitter cut there own throat 9 animals for $4995 but it got better then that as mentioned in my hunting report my PH Rusty owned a 10,000 acre sheep farm and while hunting there for Kudu and Mountain Reedbuck he made us an offer I couldn't turn down all the Warthogs and Jackal on his farm were FREE! and they were everywhere just I'm not fast enough been practicing though. Don't ask for discounts but if the PH/Outfitter offers go ahead and Haggle.

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Frank Bowker had this "deal" on his sheepfarm; If I shot a jackal he would owe me 500 $, if I shot and missed , I would owe him 500$.... lol

I don't think it hurts to ask. But I say do it before you hunt or the first day, and leave it at that. You never know when an offer is made to the ph. Maybe the day before you leave the outfitter is told by a land owner he needs to kill some ____? If you don't ask he may wait for another hunter? We came accross a dead Kudu on our trip. My dad had no intention of shooting one. But the land owner the next day made an offer to my dad he couldn't refuse to shoot any old Kudu bull. He had to many old bulls and didn't want them dieing of old age. Don't make him money when they die of old age. So I feel its ok to ask once and leave it at that.

Wolverine67 said:

Frank Bowker had this "deal" on his sheepfarm; If I shot a jackal he would owe me 500 $, if I shot and missed , I would owe him 500$.... lol

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WoW generous indeed!!!!!, I would book a hunt for 14 days spend the first 4 evenings shooting and calling Jackal, and then take trophies for the balanace owed for ther remaining days!......

Mu best always

Wolverine67 said:

Frank Bowker had this "deal" on his sheepfarm; If I shot a jackal he would owe me 500 $, if I shot and missed , I would owe him 500$.... lol

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Never take that offer up if you have a flinch! Four jackals and you get a Bontebok as a prize. Like that.

I did this on an absolute impulse in Namibia, and I mean this in the purest sense with absolutely no fore thought.

I had not intended to hunt Warthogs at all, but trophy hogs just kept coming by every day. At first they were just simple photo opportunities and it was great to watch the wildlife.
Then I must have started paying some attention with a hunters eye. It dawned on me that these were not small everyday Warthogs, there were Rowland Warthogs going by.

I had stared at trophy Warthogs for FOUR days. Not just one hog many times, repeated trophy Warthogs at various points and took pictures of most of them.
Some within easy bow range, some within knife range, all within rile range.

Here are a few

The start of the parade


So,close...



I call this one "the Straw". The next big Warthog met his demise because of him.



Finally, one afternoon I was looking off to the left and appearing form the bush The sun beaming off those white tusks, tilted slightly backward ensuring that glint caught my eye. (Warthogs are malevolent that way) All that came out of my mouth was "holy s***"!

I watched this hog approach, closer and closer and he finally walked by and I continued to stare.
At this point I just blurted out a number, quite loudly actually. The PH was slightly taken aback, by the volume alone, because the last thing I said out loud was the aforementioned whispered outburst.

Without much delay the PH simply responded with another number in counter offer.
I paused momentarily and sealed the deal with one shot.

I had expected a rejection, but in after thought, I had taken the second most expensive animal on the property and that was not in the hunting plan either. So, the reduction in the price was enough to push me over the edge and take the shot after watching a parade of Rowlands.

A word of warning: If you have poor impulse control, attend your physicians office before the trip and get some medication.

BRICKBURN said:

I did this on an absolute impulse in Namibia, and I mean this in the purest sense with absolutely no fore thought. watched this hog approach, closer and closer and he finally walked by and I continued to stare.
At this point I just blurted out a number, quite loudly actually
A word of warning: If you have poor impulse control, attend your physicians office before the trip and get some medication.

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This why I am asking questions now. I like to be prepared. You experiences and advice gives me an idea what to expect. You know, when a big animal approaches so I don't blurt out a price out-loud

I have poor impulse alright. I like to shoot animals. Been known to empty my quiver. I have all kinds of control once all my arrows are gone. When an animal approaches, is it a bad sign to start salivating and mumbling? Not sure what affect that would have on negotiations.