How do you afford Africa?

[JimP]

You go to different countries to hunt different animals and you then pay the price for that animal and guide service. I didn't go to Africa expecting to kill a North American elk and I don't expect anyone to come to North America to kill a kudu.

Now if you want to just go hunt and don't care what animals you are going to kill or want to hunt animals that are native to Africa then Africa is where you need to go.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

G'day all,

Like many I want to get to africa to hunt after developing a love from books and stories read over the year.

I read lots of hunting books as a kid (never had interest in kids books) but one book my dad bought me when I was maybe 13 that had all types of africa hunting in it struck me. I loved it thoroughly but despite the big five, mrs grey lechwe, sitatunga, bongo and all the other great animals i read of I fell especially in love with LDE. Now a hunt for them is probably the same as my annual salary but their more common cousin down south is something I've dreamt of for years as a substitute.

I'm 28, married with a 10 month old hopefully more to come, a mortgage for our house on 2 acres outside a small town and a loan from my university days (almost got it paid off!).

I've never been one to bathe in the limelight so I've never had a birthday party in my life. My wife (then girlfriend) tried to organise a 21st party years ago. I refused and instead did a hunting trip and managed to shoot at the time my pb fallow, beautiful white buck (around 225DS for fellow aussie hunters). That was a worthwhile birthday celebration to me. My next goal is to do a special hunt for my 30th birthday 2021.

My choice is between a buffalo hunt in NT, diy hunt in the states or an African hunt. I couldn't afford a buffalo hunt in NT plain and simple, I'm just getting into the points game this year so doubt I'll have enough points to draw a good rifle mule deer unit in USA so that leaves Africa for an eland foot hunt.

I know there are fellas on here who have big budgets and I'm grateful to read their hunting stories but I'm interested in hearing from the guys in similar situations to me on how they afford africa

Do guys in a position like me take on a second job, budget differently on some things, forcibly take money out each pay, something else?

Appreciate any advice.

Cheers

JP bowhunter.
Research what is available that you want, read hunting reports, read offers from outfitters.
Make sure they give you the price in Australian dollars because the dollar fluctuations if prices are in US dollars price will vary.
If you are after bowhuting or rifle you could çheck Osombahe Nord safaris run and owned by Harold and Liezel in Namibia. Harald has hunt eland with bow personally and he does prices in Australian dollars as well. My family hunted Namibia this year in August and September last year and had a ball. Check them out m ate you'll be surprised.
That's why we chose Namibia over buff in the territory
Cheers mate Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have found that a man can go long periods of time not spending money on frivolous things such as food, clothing and gifts for the wife. That money is much better spent on large caliber rifles, optics and ammo. Instead of 18 year old scotch, buy 12! Does the wife really need a nice car when a bicycle with a cart behind it will haul all the groceries home just fine? Bring the bride to your barber, mine costs 12 bucks, the honey badger spends 200 every 2 months or so! That’s 1200 per year or airfare to Joberg! Cancel your dish or cable, this is a savings of 1200/yr! But how will my family stay entertained you may ask? Simple, they can listen and lightly critique your varmint calling practice in the evening! I have already saved you enough money for a good PG hunt in RSA, the rest of the ideas are up to you!
Certainly I am joking! Set your goal, book your trip and work your butt off, you will be there before you know it!
Cheers,
Cody

Bullthrower338
I like your ideas mate only problem is IF I suggested them to my wife she would be paying for a funeral, MINE.
Might just have to save the old fashion way.
This is what I found at the end of my rainbow instead of gold
Cheers mate Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

i have still to get Chital, Rusa and a decent Hoggie, only shot a spiker in the blond bay ballot once.

Chital might happen, rusa wont

as for africa, try Osombahe-nord, they specialise in aussie hunters, and have an AUD list that matches the USD list, but not converted. heaps cheaper, and great hunting

I want to get back to NZ for a chamois, and maybe a better tahr than i have, but didnt get a spot in the tahr ballot this year, and not sure where to find chamois. dont want to fly there, hire a car, get choppered in etc, to a spot that DOC has shot the shit out of, or the locals hammer

Northwest9
My family hunted Osombahe Nord last sept- Oct. We had a ball.
If JP bowhunter wants to he can read my hunting reports hunting with Osombahe Nord safaris run and owned by Harold and Liezel, saves me repeating stuff.
Harald is also an accomplished bow hunter. Check out the website for current pricing JP.
where in OZ are you from Northwest.
PM me it would be great to have a yarn with you about your hunt with Harald.
Cheers mate
Bob Nelson.

 

[tedthorn]

I wanted to hunt Africa most of my adult life.

I payed for my trip by pulling money out of my 401k and paying myself back at 2%

 

[johnnyblues]

I was 58 years old when I made my first trip to Africa. I did hunt quite a bit in North America and honestly I’m not quite sure how I did it. Maybe working two jobs and often working 80-90 hour work weeks had something to do with it I’m not sure. All I know was I made it a priority in my life after bills were paid. I always put money aside every week. Today I booked my fifth hunt to Africa for next April with KMG again. Don’t give up on your dreams just keep working hard and invest whatever amounts of money you can weekly or monthly. Life goes by at supersonic speed trust me.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Thanks everyone for the reply, to be honest I was expecting one or two replies but I guess that's a credit to this forum with so many great folks willing to offer advice.

To address multiple replies, I guess i left a lot unsaid. I have a pretty good paying job in middle class terms, but my priority is always family first as it should. Like many my drive is to provide and protect those I'm responsible for, which is the reason i stick at this job I can't really stand!

My job though is a fixed salary position meaning no opportunity for overtime which sucks but is just the way it is.

For second job, i did a little guiding for a couple of years but gave it up purely for the reason that we wanted to start a family and wanted to prioritize my time with them. That's not to say I couldn't do something else that could work from home.

Student loans in Australia are a bit different, we aren't taxed per se, but we have indexation which is essentially a fancy word for tax and i believe follows inflation. I pay extra already as we do on the house the rate we pay the house cuts years off the loan. But for the most part education loans are from the government and are automatically paid out of your salary before you get paid.

My personal expenses aren't great, I love single malt but have been living off my bottles i built up before we had kids! Haha I'm not much of a drinker really though. When I was about 24 i started getting ill after drinking (not over indulgence related i swear!) so i can't ever have more than two or three beers in a night without bringing on a migraine that can last days. I doubt i pay more than $20-30 a month on alcohol. I brew beer but that's not a great expense.

My only ither regular and by far my biggest expense is fuel (around $5.70 per gallon for my US friends). I own my ute outright and have no pland to replace it while she's still rolling from a to b. Driving in and out of town for work, but mostly I hunt a fair bit, we have 12 month deer seasons for some species and along with bird hunting, small game and fishing I do some driving. I have cut down on that to be with my wife and son more but i find it's good for my mental health to get out regularly. Otherwise I'm a complete outdoors bloke stuck in front of a computer 5 days a week, makes me a bit crazy!

Anyway, thanks again I've got some great ideas to consider and some perspectives to look at I hadn't considered.

I greatly appreciate it, truly.

JP bowhunter
One thing I forgot to mention.
My wife, son and myself did a holiday to Canada, Ireland, Wales, England and Paris by using our family tax benefits. Instead of getting it each fortnight we claimed it in our tax at the end of the year.
Added up real quick, put it in a high interest account and added extra 50 dollars each pay when we could. In ten years we had enough for a $25,000 dollar holiday and almost pay off our medium mortgage.
Hope this helps mate. I was 60 when I got to Namibia, a week after we go home I turned 61 and my wife surprised me with another hunting trip with the family and friends.
I do have a loving non shooting wife that supports my hunting and enjoys going bush, also a great 15 year old son who loves hunting.
Cheers mate
You WILL get there.
Bob Nelson

 

[edward]

I have found that a man can go long periods of time not spending money on frivolous things such as food, clothing and gifts for the wife. That money is much better spent on large caliber rifles, optics and ammo. Instead of 18 year old scotch, buy 12! Does the wife really need a nice car when a bicycle with a cart behind it will haul all the groceries home just fine? Bring the bride to your barber, mine costs 12 bucks, the honey badger spends 200 every 2 months or so! That’s 1200 per year or airfare to Joberg! Cancel your dish or cable, this is a savings of 1200/yr! But how will my family stay entertained you may ask? Simple, they can listen and lightly critique your varmint calling practice in the evening! I have already saved you enough money for a good PG hunt in RSA, the rest of the ideas are up to you!
Certainly I am joking! Set your goal, book your trip and work your butt off, you will be there before you know it!
Cheers,
Cody

how did the divorce go???

 

[Bullthrower338]

how did the divorce go???

Which one? Neither went exceptionally well but I hunt a lot more and nobody complains when I leave the toilet seat up!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

When it finally comes down to it there are a lot of people that never can afford a hunting trip to Africa.

They just live through our stories and pictures and dream.

Jump
I was one of those.
Now I can live thru my own pictures and tell my own story. It may not be as exciting as some but I can now at 61 say been there done that and shit it was worth it.
Cheers mate Bob

 

[edward]

Which one? Neither went exceptionally well but I hunt a lot more and nobody complains when I leave the toilet seat up!

right on dude'

 

[CBH Australia]

I cant speak for your budget or how you spend your $ look at what you can do without we seem to change our ways when we need to.
Remembering they will quote in US $ i done a cull hunt recently and had to reevaluate my priorities for a bit its doable.
Happy to discuss if you PM i waited until i was 47 and married 25 years .
I really want an NT Buffallo now.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I think the truth is that it's different for each of us.

I have wanted to hunt Africa since maybe my mid 20s... though I did nothing really to work towards making that happen. It was simply a desire, often stated to others. And the goal was to go by age 50.

I am going in April - first time. I am 53. The truth of how it's getting paid for, in my case, two fold. First, I have a very, very supportive wife. Second, we're debt free. She's a financial genius. I had a mountain of debt after my divorce. When my wife and I married 14 years ago, she had a plan and that mountain was whittled down to literally nothing within the first 5 or 6 years.

We are not uber-wealthy. We both have decent paying jobs that we very much enjoy, but no debt aside from monthly living expenses. In the case of my job I put in my 40 hours a week and I'm done. With my wife's blessing, I'm going to be headed to Africa with our 17 year old daughter. Now that I know it's happening I find myself hoping/praying that this will be the "first" trip.

Again, I'm sure it's a wee bit different for every person. For myself, I'd offer up that being debt free sure helps makes things happen each year. For those that are familiar, my wife is a big Dave Ramsey fan, and used his principles to get us debt free. And for those that know about Dave's program, I'm very much the free spirit in our marriage and my wife is very much the nerd. ;-)

 

[CBH Australia]

@Tundra Tiger perhaps i shouldn't say this but the post reads you have a 17 year old daughter with your second wife and you divorced 14 years ago. Its all good a a friend was saying her father had 2 kids 6 months apart, she is from the second martiage that ended the first. Im sorry you went through divorce etc. I havent but ive seen friends go through it. as long as your happy now
Beside that as long as you are happy. Im not smart or wealthy but reducing debt was always important. It frees you up earlier. I know there are various models and systems. Paying a little more often or early can put a big dent in the debt. That can work for anyone pending loan terms.
If we have a little excess we can throw it at the loan reducing the principle and in turn reducing the loan term and interest paid. If you have to wait a week for something new you might decide you font need it. Its easy to overspend but if you throw that little extra on the loan and defer something it might free you up earlier in life.
If you choose to sacrifice something or go without it can pay dividends and you can always redraw or reborrow if you have a good credit history.
Africa at 53 is still not bad. Some will never get there but im an average person and its doable.
I would like to hunt dangerous game but i have other priorities and if things change i might be able to afford it one day.
If i had a terminal illness it might shift my thinking but otherwise im hoping to have something behind me at 50 and maybe be able to invest a little, do thst for 5 years and assess what do i want or do i try build for a comfortable retirement.
Maybe i will save for something bigger.
Anyone reading this who dreams of something special just consider that it is possible but we cant have everything. I was probably old before my time and may be old and cranky but in Australia we see the next generstion, my kids generation that think money grows on trees, maybe they think they are entitled they want instant gratification they deserve everything and will live now pay later. I see that going south for the majority if the majority of a generation live for today.
Tundra Tigrr and his wife turned things around, anyone can do it. You dont have to be a financial genius be patient determine want from need and work together. His Tigress msy be the brains behind the opetation but im sure he had to play his part or spend a little less to turn things around.
Its do-able.

 

[PARA45]

Since I was I kid, I had a dream of one day going to Africa. I thought hunting in Africa was for the wealthy, until I started doing a little research on this site. I set a goal to go for my 50th b-day, and started saving at 47 1/2 years of age. I opened a saving acct which I named Africa hunt, and religiously put XYZ amount of money into it, some months more, but never less. By age 49, I had enough $$ saved to go, and to take my wife with me. It's not out of reach, and I believe anyone can do it within reason. I hunted plain games, and I was able to take 7 animals. Wife and I are planning another trip for when I turn 60. She said I have too much empty wall space, and need more mounts.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

CBH... I did not consider any timeline inconsistencies in what I shared, nor would I have thought it important anyway. My first two kids (20 and 30) are from my first marriage. My 17 year old was adopted when she was in elementary school, hence what's posted above.

Divorce... Things happen in life, and I'm certainly not complaining about mine at all. God has been very good to me.

The main point - and maybe I didn't communicate this well above - is two fold: getting to Africa is probably a bit different for everyone and if you're able to get your life as debt free as possible... that can facilitate a lot.

 

[CBH Australia]

CBH... I did not consider any timeline inconsistencies in what I shared, nor would I have thought it important anyway. My first two kids (20 and 30) are from my first marriage. My 17 year old was adopted when she was in elementary school, hence what's posted above.

Divorce... Things happen in life, and I'm certainly not complaining about mine at all. God has been very good to me.

The main point - and maybe I didn't communicate this well above - is two fold: getting to Africa is probably a bit different for everyone and if you're able to get your life as debt free as possible... that can facilitate a lot.

Mate, it wouldnt worry me if you daughter was the start of your second marriage. If you are willing to adopt then you may well have made an enormous difference in one kids life.
I agree with both your points and hopefully reiterate them to people who find its a high bar to set to get to Africa
My management hunt was all i wanted but its the first time ever we spent more than $10k on a holiday.
Pay down the debt you cant go wrong. Earlier the better.
You give the Mrs all the credit but you had to work with her to achieve the goals.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Congrats on your hunt. Here in a couple of months I want to be like you: someone who has been to Africa.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I think the truth is that it's different for each of us.

I have wanted to hunt Africa since maybe my mid 20s... though I did nothing really to work towards making that happen. It was simply a desire, often stated to others. And the goal was to go by age 50.

I am going in April - first time. I am 53. The truth of how it's getting paid for, in my case, two fold. First, I have a very, very supportive wife. Second, we're debt free. She's a financial genius. I had a mountain of debt after my divorce. When my wife and I married 14 years ago, she had a plan and that mountain was whittled down to literally nothing within the first 5 or 6 years.

We are not uber-wealthy. We both have decent paying jobs that we very much enjoy, but no debt aside from monthly living expenses. In the case of my job I put in my 40 hours a week and I'm done. With my wife's blessing, I'm going to be headed to Africa with our 17 year old daughter. Now that I know it's happening I find myself hoping/praying that this will be the "first" trip.

Again, I'm sure it's a wee bit different for every person. For myself, I'd offer up that being debt free sure helps makes things happen each year. For those that are familiar, my wife is a big Dave Ramsey fan, and used his principles to get us debt free. And for those that know about Dave's program, I'm very much the free spirit in our marriage and my wife is very much the nerd. ;-)

Tundra Tiger
Your wife is amazing. You should surprise her by taking her with you, she would really love the experience and the culture.
I took my wife and son. My wife is a non shooter but had a ball watching my son and myself full fill our dreams and share in them. We also organized other stuff that she could do and enjoy. She really enjoyed the experience.
Cheers mate Bob

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Thank you; I tent to think she's pretty amazing as well.

Actually, the game plan was for her to go as an observer. However, back surgery put a halt to that. She's fine, but the recovery long. That's another reason I'm hoping for a second trip: so that she gets to go along.