Africa vs. Texas Plains/Exotic Game Hunt

I would go with Africa if you really want the wow experience! I have hunted Texas and had a blast, I got a great black buck, but I was also told I could shoot an impala for 3000 dollars. You can do so much for 3000 dollars in Africa. Now with that being said don't go to Africa and shoot a fallow deer. You got 3 years find the right guy and the right opportunity.
 
There are two factors to consider in making the choice between Texas and Africa: cost and the experience.

It is true that trophy fees in Texas are much higher than in Africa. But that is only the beginning of the economic analysis. For example, the trophy fee at Morani River Ranch in Texas for a bongo is $35,000 (2015), while in Cameroon, the trophy fee is around Euro 3,500 (or about $4,000). You could easily look at these two numbers and say "wow, Texas is way more expensive." But a bongo hunt in Texas is likely a one or two day affair, and the other hunt costs are inconsequential. In Cameroon though, the hunt will run you around $35,000 (hunt alone, not including airfare). So all in, it would actually be cheaper to hunt bongo in Texas.

Now if you want to add additional animals to your hunt, the economic equation quickly turns in favour of Africa because the safari cost is fixed, while the trophy fees are variable.

So from an economic perspective, you need to decide what you want to hunt, and if money is the deciding factor, the more animals you want to hunt, the more the pendulum will swing in favour of Africa.

From an experience perspective, you've already seen what people have to say on this site. We all tend to vote in favour of Africa! I don't think there's much to argue about here - while Texas hunts can be difficult (see Boddington's recent article in Sports Afield about Aoudad in Texas), the experience can tend to be short and fairly "benign."

As I said, you can have that bongo in the salt within a day or two in Texas, while it took me 12 days of hell to get one in Cameroon. And I wouldn't trade those twelve days of misery for anything.

Now, you want to hunt with your son. So bongo is unlikely to be on the menu. That means plains game. Again, unless you want only one or two animals, the the economics will quickly favour Africa. If you're driving back to the ranch in Texas and see a blesbok, that's a $6,500 shot at Morani. That's more than the cost of a 10 day hunt in most parts of South Africa or Namibia. In South Africa, that's a $475 shot (Wintershoek pricelist, 2014). Both are, in my view, easy decisions, but in opposite ways!

Without knocking Texas (too much), a hunt in Africa is a lifetime experience. I will hunt Texas one day - game ranchers there do deserve our support for keeping a number of animals from the brink of extinction - but I'm going back to Africa for the eighth time next year.
 
Do both! :) Fly to Texas and hunt the "common exotics" for a long weekend, than take a flight to Africa and hunt some plains game. You may have to scale back on some animals but it doesn't matter, because you will return.
 
As a Texan, we would love to have you and your son come to our state and support conservation. Hell, your son can hunt white-tail deer with me for free ... just make sure he gets to Africa for the total hunting experience.
 
It all really depends on what you want. The price can be the same either way depending on what you hunt. Just like Africa Texas can be very reasonable or very expensive depending on what your hunting. Texas is more convienant but Africa is an experience that can't be matched anywhere. Africa is well Africa and is the most incredible hunting experience anywhere. Texas is fantastic if you go with the right outfitter. Of course as a native Texan I'm a bit bias but I will say Africa was the best experience of my life. Either way you decide if you need some help or questions answered please feel free to call me or shoot me an email. Thanks, Erik
 
The other factor no one has really hit upon is the experience factor of hunting Africa. in a true unfenced concession, you never know when you might encounter an elephant, see a crocodile on the bank, and move out of the way because of a group of giraffes are in the road. Not likely to happed in Texas. I agree with the others if you just want a couple of specific animals and time is an issue, go enjoy Texas.
 
Africa without a doubt, For your son!

Blackbuck and Axis - I'm planning a hunt to Argentina (free range). I looked at Florida and Texas and, personally, I'd rather travel to another country to hunt!

I work for the school system so getting time off in the fall or winter is TOUGH, but I'm off in the summer so I started looking south of the equator. Looked at New Zealand and Australia, and went to Africa! For the value and experience you can't beat it.

Does your son know about your plans? You could ask his opinion if it's not a surprise. I recommend you contact MArius at KMG - you won't be disappointed!
 
That was a fantastic reply to my question, thank you for taking the time! I had no idea Texas trophy fees were that much higher. Other than the length of travel and firearms importing hassle I'm not sure why anyone would choose to hunt Texas...or am I missing something?

As stated time constraints and ability to keep the meat are the only pros for Texas.
As a rule you will be hunting much larger areas in Africa and the thing to understand about Texas as well is that some of the more expensive animals are carefully hand raised then turned out only once someone has committed to "hunt" them, most common game there is not pen raised though.

Lots of free range exotics in Texas as well if you find the right outfitter but my vote still goes squarely to Africa, you will get an experience that Texas cannot begin to match and an experience to last a lifetime...

There are two factors to consider in making the choice between Texas and Africa: cost and the experience.

It is true that trophy fees in Texas are much higher than in Africa. But that is only the beginning of the economic analysis. For example, the trophy fee at Morani River Ranch in Texas for a bongo is $35,000 (2015), while in Cameroon, the trophy fee is around Euro 3,500 (or about $4,000). You could easily look at these two numbers and say "wow, Texas is way more expensive." But a bongo hunt in Texas is likely a one or two day affair, and the other hunt costs are inconsequential. In Cameroon though, the hunt will run you around $35,000 (hunt alone, not including airfare). So all in, it would actually be cheaper to hunt bongo in Texas.

Now if you want to add additional animals to your hunt, the economic equation quickly turns in favour of Africa because the safari cost is fixed, while the trophy fees are variable.

So from an economic perspective, you need to decide what you want to hunt, and if money is the deciding factor, the more animals you want to hunt, the more the pendulum will swing in favour of Africa.

From an experience perspective, you've already seen what people have to say on this site. We all tend to vote in favour of Africa! I don't think there's much to argue about here - while Texas hunts can be difficult (see Boddington's recent article in Sports Afield about Aoudad in Texas), the experience can tend to be short and fairly "benign."

As I said, you can have that bongo in the salt within a day or two in Texas, while it took me 12 days of hell to get one in Cameroon. And I wouldn't trade those twelve days of misery for anything.

Now, you want to hunt with your son. So bongo is unlikely to be on the menu. That means plains game. Again, unless you want only one or two animals, the the economics will quickly favour Africa. If you're driving back to the ranch in Texas and see a blesbok, that's a $6,500 shot at Morani. That's more than the cost of a 10 day hunt in most parts of South Africa or Namibia. In South Africa, that's a $475 shot (Wintershoek pricelist, 2014). Both are, in my view, easy decisions, but in opposite ways!

Without knocking Texas (too much), a hunt in Africa is a lifetime experience. I will hunt Texas one day - game ranchers there do deserve our support for keeping a number of animals from the brink of extinction - but I'm going back to Africa for the eighth time next year.

Bongo being one of those Texas pen raised then turned out "trophies".
 
Bongo being one of those Texas pen raised then turned out "trophies".
I've visited many parts of Texas, but none that looked (or smelled, frankly) like Cameroon! I'd have thought it was quite a chore to raise bongo in an environment so different from their natural habitat.
 
Hunting Africa is more than just about the animals.
If you have a closed mind, stay home.
 
Seems a bit harsh Code4. Seems to me Lomadelray was asking for input . . .

Unless I got the tenor of your note wrong, in which case, ignore this!
 
Hunting Africa is more than just about the animals.
If you have a closed mind, stay home.

Not sure what you are getting at there. I was just hoping that people who have hunted both places could give me a compare and contrast about their experiences and overall perceived value.

I was wanting to go to Africa but when I found out there was plains/exotic game in Texas it seemed like a reasonable question to ask.
 
I've visited many parts of Texas, but none that looked (or smelled, frankly) like Cameroon! I'd have thought it was quite a chore to raise bongo in an environment so different from their natural habitat.

Im sure it is but for 35k they are willing to put some effort into it. :D
 
The whole pen raised argument can be said for Africa too on the super exotics. You can shoot sable, roan, elephants, lions, and the rest many of which aren't native to SA. But.... That being said its all about the outfitter. I know outfitters in both Africa and Texas that do it properly and some in both that don't. That's an empty argument imo and I'm not saying that to be rude. I know an outfitter in Texas that has bongo, sitataunga, and roan none of which are pen raised. Are they under high fence? Yes they are just like they are in SA. Are they pen raised? Absolutely not. There are a lot of misconceptions from both native Texans and outsiders alike. Texas is the same as any other place in the world, choose the right outfitter and it will be great. Choose the wrong one and it will be a disaster. Africa is the same way, so is everywhere else.
 
Part of the problem in both places is that one or one's friend goes somewhere and has a bad experience and that experience is applied to everything. You have to choose wisely no matter where you go.
 
Africa no questions asked. It will be a memorable trip and shooting animals in their natural habitat will just add to the experience.
 
All of that being said, go to Africa it will be the best experience of your life.
 
Living here I am biased, BUT listening to all the banter going on here at AH as well as my own experiences with foreign hunters, it is hugely pleasing to see the passion around African hunting from non Africans. RSA ha s some of the best PG hunting and at affordable rates. Going to Tanzania/ Mozambique/ Zimbabwe for this particular hunt will just ADD ON costs... get yourself a reliable outfitter and book this hunt in RSA... you cannot go wrong.
 

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