Africa...when will you be priced out??

[Shakka]

I never thought that I would ever think this way, but my Safari days might me coming to a close. It's getting to the point where I can't afford it anymore.

Airfare has almost doubled in the last 5? years. The prices that outfitters are charging, outside of RSA and Namibia have skyrocketed.
For example, I shot a Leopard in Zambia 5 years ago for $20,000 total, and now the same PH is charging $40,000. And that's before baits, tips, govt fees, then dip and pack, shipping, customs broker, etc. Then once the cat is home, you are looking at $5,000 or so to get it mounted. I just can't do it anymore

And that's not even taking into account Tanzania, with $2,000+ daily rates, rip-off Govt fee's, astronomical air charter, etc.

And then there are the specialized hunts in Cameroon, Ethiopia, etc which are on yet another level. A friend of mine shot a Bongo in Cameroon last year, and he just got his shipping quote to the USA.....$12,000!! Just for shipping.

I am just wondering what you guys think about this issue and have you thought of not going any longer

 

[SGW]

Folks are killing whitetail deer for 10k under feeders in Texas. ‍

 

[UNTAMED KNIVES]

Try being an average joe on the ground. I grew up in Zimbabwe, and have lived here my whole life. I remember going hunting growing up every year, sometimes multiple times a year, to the Zambezi, the Save, matetsi and other awesome places. We never shot anything big, a buff hunt is still my gold standard, but it was affordable and I remember saving up for and hunting my fist eland.

Now, as a local, I have an almost zero chance of hunting any of the areas I did growing up. It’s hard enough just trying to survive in general, there’s no ways I can afford to hunt.

My hunting comes down to hopefully having a friend or relative who can afford it and asks me to tag along, maybe I get to shoot the impala for the pot

 

[Firebird]

I couldn’t afford my first safari nor the two that followed that one-but I want to go back for one or two more. So it takes more
Overtime and I have to cut some corners and I can only afford SA instead of zim, but I’ll go again, and again and again. . .

 

[Tanks]

Marco Polo sheep outfitters say, “Hold my beer.”

I was looking at TZ elephant hunt at DSC, $200K if over 90 pounds. So, specialized hunts do cost more.

 

[Firebird]

Some guys will always be able to pay $10k for a whitetail or $200k for an elephant. It keeps the industry healthy so guys like me can be a small part of it. But guys like me also price shop and wait for “a good deal” and sometimes we just can’t be part of it anymore so we hunt what we can still afford-

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I think I will go as often as I can still. Cut costs by flying cheaper seats, or deals early on flights. Hunt will be more cull type or non export animals. I want to keep going but trophy animals and bringing them back is a no for me now. I go for the hunt now more than anything and vacation for the year.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I wonder about this. I hope to make several more trips before I am done, likely to RSA because of the cost factor, though I would like to hunt elephant just once and lion, albeit CBL, if that's still a thing when I am finally able to go.

And SGW is right: it's everywhere. I left Kansas and moved to Alaska because it had gotten to where access to land had become non-existent. It amazes me at what people pay to come to Alaska to hunt moose or bear as a non-resident - it far outpaces what it costs to go to RSA to hunt.

Hunting is becoming a rich man's game. I remember many years ago MR James of Bowhunter magazine predicted that very thing. He even had a predicted timeline that's probably still on track.

I have had many friends who have given up because they can't afford it. I personally believe hunter numbers will eventually shrink in the coming years because of the costs involved. Parents who might have hunted and introduced their kids to hunting will pursue other activities that don't cost as much. I say that as a professional environmental educator and hunter ed instructor.

 

[Shakka]

Folks are killing whitetail deer for 10k under feeders in Texas. ‍

These are probably the same guys who aren't worried about Tanzania

 

[Shakka]

Try being an average joe on the ground. I grew up in Zimbabwe, and have lived here my whole life. I remember going hunting growing up every year, sometimes multiple times a year, to the Zambezi, the Save, matetsi and other awesome places. We never shot anything big, a buff hunt is still my gold standard, but it was affordable and I remember saving up for and hunting my fist eland.

Now, as a local, I have an almost zero chance of hunting any of the areas I did growing up. It’s hard enough just trying to survive in general, there’s no ways I can afford to hunt.

My hunting comes down to hopefully having a friend or relative who can afford it and asks me to tag along, maybe I get to shoot the impala for the pot

As a native Zim, you aren't given special privleges to hunt as a resident?

Thats outragious!

 

[revturbo9967]

Still cheaper to hunt Africa vs US for just about anything unless you are self guided. Elk hunts are going over 15k. I've seen some pronghorn hunts advertised at 6k. I'm going to invest hunts in Alaska now before the prices double again.

 

[analog_peninsula]

Dangerous game hunting has always been the sport of kings. It was only for a short time that it was deemed "affordable" for the upper middle class. That out of the way, ditch the taxidermy and the high end trophies, deal with the discomfort, fly economy, and go hunting. Southern Africa is easily the best deal in hunting today.

The spousal unit wants no more trophies in the house, so I'm doing a cow buffalo + optional cull hunt (giraffe, zebra, impala) this summer. I won't say that it's exactly cheap, but it's a terrific value, and the ultimate costs aren't unbearable. There are also other comparatively inexpensive hunts on offer, like the baboon varmint hunt, and various PG hunts for common species, that are within the means of anyone middle class. If you enjoy the actual hunting, and not just showing off expensive trophies to your friends, the world is still your oyster.

 

[UNTAMED KNIVES]

As a native Zim, you aren't given special privleges to hunt as a resident?

Thats outragious!

That’s a hilarious joke we used to go fishing in the Zambezi valley at the parks camp sites for $10 a day, today there is nowhere along the zam that you can do that anymore. It’s all private camps and concessions only

 

[375Fox]

I get tired of the whining about pricing. Hunts are unaffordable but many seem to have to problem buying a new vehicle every other year. I paid $1500-$2000 for round trip economy tickets 10 years ago and that’s what I still pay today. There were some great deals just out of covid when people were hesitant to travel, but comparing those prices to now isn’t a fair comparison. Most standard hunting countries you can shop for shipping quotes if you’d like. My most recent shipment from Tanzania was $1700. Not everything needs to get mounted or even shipped home. Choose a broker with a bonded warehouse to limit storage fees once it arrives in US. Choose an hunting area you can drive rather than charter. Not everyone needs to shoot a lion or a trophy elephant. If someone really wants to hunt Africa there are plenty of options to make it happen. When someone decides it’s unaffordable they stop looking even when options are right in front of them.

My concern is North American hunting. The costs increase every year. My first sheep hunt (with caribou included) was $11,500 in 2005. That same hunt in same area would be $67,000 now. The low cost hunts continue increasing as well. Whitetail deer hunts with 40%-70% success rates start at $5000-$6000. Even aoudad sheep hunts in west Texas (where they are supposedly a nuisance) start around the $7000 mark. Africa is still a deal for the experience and amount of hunting you get. Hunting on quotas and long seasons also provides an opportunity for end of season deals that aren’t possible with the North American model.

 

[Russ16]

I think a lot about the impact of demographics on economics.

The baby boomer generation is starting to age out of safaris. They’re a massive generation in terms of both numbers and wealth. They also grew up on Hemingway and Ruark etc.

Gen X is a tiny generation in terms of numbers. They are hitting the prime years when the can afford safaris. Their kids are out of the house or nearly so and they’re in peak years for earning and should have achieved a level of savings. But again they are a tiny generation. They also didn’t grow up with as much of the safari culture. Africa was largely a continent of conflict on their formative years. And not as many of them hunt in general.

That’s a long way of saying I wonder if Safari pricing will flatten in the next 15 years. The prices are high because the market accepts it. It’s impossible to predict what will happen but there is certainly a scenario where price growth slows.

 

[Shakka]

That’s a hilarious joke we used to go fishing in the Zambezi valley at the parks camp sites for $10 a day, today there is nowhere along the zam that you can do that anymore. It’s all private camps and concessions only

Wow! I am so sorry to hear that, that is terrible

I figured that as a resident you would be able to hunt and fish

 

[Shakka]

I think a lot about the impact of demographics on economics.

The baby boomer generation is starting to age out of safaris. They’re a massive generation in terms of both numbers and wealth. They also grew up on Hemingway and Ruark etc.

Gen X is a tiny generation in terms of numbers. They are hitting the prime years when the can afford safaris. Their kids are out of the house or nearly so and they’re in peak years for earning and should have achieved a level of savings. But again they are a tiny generation. They also didn’t grow up with as much of the safari culture. Africa was largely a continent of conflict on their formative years. And not as many of them hunt in general.

That’s a long way of saying I wonder if Safari pricing will flatten in the next 15 years. The prices are high because the market accepts it. It’s impossible to predict what will happen but there is certainly a scenario where price growth slows.

Good point, and I don't know even one teenager who dreams of Africa like I did

 

[Betterinthebush]

Even aoudad sheep hunts in west Texas (where they are supposedly a nuisance) start around the $7000 mark. Africa is still a deal for the experience and amount of hunting you get.

Bingo! I’ve been wanting a sheep hunt for years. But after I figure up time lost in traveling (if I drive) plus fuel, hotel, and expenses, I could fly to SA and stay in a beautiful lodge, be served amazing meals look at breathtaking scenery and hunt other critters with @BAYLY SIPPEL SAFARIS Hell, if you’re already there coming off a different hunt, it’s even cheaper.

There is a vast ocean of opportunities left for hunting Africa. Alaska too. One just needs to look, ask and be a little flexible.

There are many very experienced and knowledgeable people on here that I’ve reached out to and have been so generous in advice/areas/operators and availability.

Even the big 5 (as I’ve recently learned) are cheaper to go after (all of them in total) than one stone/big horn/dall sheep hunt. I’m doing a DIY moose/black bear hunt in September. The bush pilots will cost me more than anything else. But, I’d still pay that if I were being guided. So for 1/3 of the money I’ll do it myself. I just had to commit to it and be patient and a little flexible.

 

[Throwback]

Interesting thread. PG hunting in SA and Namibia is still the best value in the world, literally.

I too wonder about the pricing of guided hunting here in North America as it steadily increases to outrageous levels and it is not a day rate + trophy fee model, its money out the door and hope you find it.

I think it will be interesting to see what happens in the hunting market with supply/demand as it's no doubt that a large portion of international hunters are aging out. Just look around at a DSC show or the like. In 10 years, and certainly 20 years, it will have changed dramatically. I just dont see the current level of demand in the future due to there being less hunters, simple. Hopefully this will bring some pricing down.

One thing I keep in mind is that if we weren't spending this kind of money on safaris we might just be spending it on something else anyway. My wife wouldn't hesitate if I said, "hey, lets go tour Europe (or anywhere) for 3 weeks". Many of the kind of people that go on safari have to do something interesting!

All this just motivates me to go make more money and cut corners financially on other stuff (e.g. cars) as I dont see not hunting as a realistic option if you are still physically capable. Cheers

 

[Altitude sickness]

As Russ says. When the baby boomers are gone. The industry will slow and prices will correct to the market.