Safaris at auctions

[Fixfire]

Sounds like winning a Safari at a fundraiser is a less than ideal way to go on a Safari - added fees, less than 1st rate service, etc. is my thinking correct?? I would like to think I’m wrong.

 

[Mekaniks]

Make sure you know exactly what is included / excluded

 

[sierraone]

Sounds like winning a Safari at a fundraiser is a less than ideal way to go on a Safari - added fees, less than 1st rate service, etc. is my thinking correct?? I would like to think I’m wrong.

In general you are right. Pay attention to what @Mekaniks said.

 

[Berettaco]

I had a bad experience with that - won it at an auction and didn’t know what I didn’t know. Once I arrived in RSA I realized the error of my ways but made the best of it. Lesson learned and second safari was with a stellar outfit - Thaka safaris will be who I continue to use in the future. I am certain there are many great outfitters but if you find one you like…..

 

[Red Leg]

I had a bad experience with that - won it at an auction and didn’t know what I didn’t know. Once I arrived in RSA I realized the error of my ways but made the best of it. Lesson learned and second safari was with a stellar outfit - Thaka safaris will be who I continue to use in the future. I am certain there are many great outfitters but if you find one you like…..

Then find another. And another. It is a huge continent with incredibly diverse areas, cultures, and game animals.

 

[Nevada Wapati]

I've purchased two auction hunts and both were as advertised. Both times I contacted the seller before bidding to answer any questions or concerns. I have a second hunt with one of the outfitters this fall and would have no concerns going on another hunt with the second.

With that, you really need to know what you're bidding on. Some a good deals but many are just to lure you in. Many of those have lots of expensive add on cost. Buyer beware.

 

[Hunt anything]

I won one auction hunt and it was great, the outfitter discounted a couple of animals that my wife had shown some interest in and when our flight schedule got screwed up do to Covid he let me hunt another day with no daily rate, only paid trophy fee on a blesbok.
I will probably try again after the taxidermy is delivered and paid for.

 

[Erny]

I have been on several auction hunts over the years. Some were great, some were bad…one real bad. I decided after my last one in 2017 (a good experience) that I was not going to do any more auction hunts and stop on a high note. It’s just not worth the little bit of perceived saving on the cost of the hunt.

I now just book the hunts directly with the outfitters and have been very happy. My Safari last year I went with a outfitter who was advertising on here and was very pleased with both the price and service.

 

[curtism1234]

You might think you are getting a good deal, but in the end you are probably paying full price when it's all said and done. Unless the outfitter is one you would ordinarily put on your shortlist, I think it is best to pick the hunt you want.

 

[lil 2 sleepy]

If you do your research and find out who the outfitters are before you bid, I think you can minimize your issues.

There are plenty of auctions at events from outfitters on this site that are clearly viable.

 

[spike.t]

Then find another. And another. It is a huge continent with incredibly diverse areas, cultures, and game animals.

Yeah I have never got people going back again and again and again to same place...same country possibly to go to different areas...but even then...

 

[Hunt anything]

You might think you are getting a good deal, but in the end you are probably paying full price when it's all said and done. Unless the outfitter is one you would ordinarily put on your shortlist, I think it is best to pick the hunt you want.

Mostly true, my auction hunt cost 5000 at auction, after paying added animal trophy fees total of about 10000. If I would have paid full price, daily rates for me and my wife and the trophy fee on an extremely high dollar antelope it would have bee a shade under 20,000. But this was my only venture into auction hunts so far.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

@spike.t ... I will answer that from my perspective. I have been over once. It was phenomenal. Are there other parts of Africa I'd like to see and experience? Absolutely. But I am not in the subset on this site that knows I will be able to go back another 6 or 7 or 8 times in my life. If I knew I had a bunch of opportunities still to come, I'd likely try other places. At this point, I am just hoping for a second trip. I KNOW the quality and experience to expect with the outfitter I used. There were things there I did not get to do I could accomplish on a second trip. So the very strong likelihood is that I will use them again for a second time, if and when it comes my way. After that? Who knows. I wish my finances were such I could know with some degree of certainty that I will get to go over again a bunch of times. Without that, I know going where I went before will be a rewarding experience for the money. My two cents, adjusted for inflation...

 

[curtism1234]

I should add that by full price, I also mean packages that just about everyone offers

 

[WAB]

We bracketed a buffalo hunt in Dande with auction hunts in RSA and Namibia. In total we paid less than $2,000 for 13 days of hunting inclusive of trophy fees for 2 nyala, 2 gemsbok, 1 red hartebeest, 1 eland, 1 black wildebeest, 1 impala and 1 springbok. I was very careful to understand the hunt basis before bidding and we stayed away from high dollar extra animals.

Accommodations were outstanding. If you are careful and a little lucky there are deals to be had.

 

[Dee S]

I took my daughter to Botswana last year on an auction hunt with Choronga Safaris. I have no complaints and only good things to say about our trip.
They up help their end of the deal and there were no surprises. Our PH was outstanding. Our hosts where we stayed were outstanding. The food was unbelievable. The tent accommodations were 5 star. We were able to shoot the animals included on the auction and the trip up to the Chobe, which was included, was worth the trip alone.
So for me, on my one auction hunt, I have no regrets. And I'd book again with Choronga without hesitation. Maybe to go after a buffalo with our same PH, who I stay in touch with frequently now.

 

[mdwest]

you cant really paint with a broad brush on this one.. every "deal" is different...

I've seen auction hunts go for SIGNIFICANTLY more than retail... bid wars happen, guys start trying to show their "friends" how much money they have, etc.. I've seen people intentionally pay too much because they actually want to support the charitable cause that's being supported as well.. you never know what motivates people..

I've certainly seen auction hunts way over valued by the donor..

and I've seen numerous auction hunts accurately valued..

The stated value really has little to do with it though.. What matters is that you do your homework and know what the hunt is valued at FOR YOU... and then refuse to bid a penny more than that price..

Ive won a 3 day dove hunt for 2 people in Argentina, all-inclusive (other than the shells) for $1000.. I thought that was a pretty great deal...

Ive won a 3 day duck and dove combo hunt for 2 people in Peru (all-inclusive, to include the cost of shells) for $600... I thought that was a pretty incredible deal...

I won another 3 day dove hunt for 3 people in Argentina that we paid $1200 for (all-inclusive other than shells) for $1200.. it was a good deal (maybe not "great")... but it was certainly below their advertised retail price on their website and worth every penny we paid (I had hunted with the outfitter before and knew it was going to be a great time at a very fair, even below retail, price..)

I won yet another 3 day dove hunt for 2 hunters and 2 observers in Argentina that we paid $1100 for (all-inclusive other than shells) that I think is a great deal compared to the price on their website for the same package.. I've never hunted with this particular outfitter.. We'll be there over thanksgiving this year.. so.. more to follow if it ends up being truly great or not..

and.. finally.. I won a 3 day sika deer hunt in Ireland for a hunter and an observer that we paid $1200 for.. that has some additional costs (we have to pay for the hunting license and a few other things).. but considering they list their trophy fee for a sika at $3000 alone.. and we're getting lodging, meals, etc.. included.. I think we got an excellent deal.. We're doing that hunt in October.. so.. more to follow on that one as well..

In short.. you can get some AWESOME hunts for great prices if you are patient, and control your bidding, and stick with reputable outfitters, etc.. (every one of the outfitters in the hunts listed above have been exhibitors at DSC for a minimum of 10 years for example, with lots and lots of happy hunters on their resumes.. and we knew this well in advance of bidding)...

Dont do your due diligence.. and it is certainly just as easy to get burned as it is to grab a great hunt at a great price..

 

[spike.t]

you cant really paint with a broad brush on this one.. every "deal" is different...

I've seen auction hunts go for SIGNIFICANTLY more than retail... bid wars happen, guys start trying to show their "friends" how much money they have, etc.. I've seen people intentionally pay too much because they actually want to support the charitable cause that's being supported as well.. you never know what motivates people..

I've certainly seen auction hunts way over valued by the donor..

and I've seen numerous auction hunts accurately valued..

The stated value really has little to do with it though.. What matters is that you do your homework and know what the hunt is valued at FOR YOU... and then refuse to bid a penny more than that price..

Ive won a 3 day dove hunt for 2 people in Argentina, all-inclusive (other than the shells) for $1000.. I thought that was a pretty great deal...

Ive won a 3 day duck and dove combo hunt for 2 people in Peru (all-inclusive, to include the cost of shells) for $600... I thought that was a pretty incredible deal...

I won another 3 day dove hunt for 3 people in Argentina that we paid $1200 for (all-inclusive other than shells) for $1200.. it was a good deal (maybe not "great")... but it was certainly below their advertised retail price on their website and worth every penny we paid (I had hunted with the outfitter before and knew it was going to be a great time at a very fair, even below retail, price..)

I won yet another 3 day dove hunt for 2 hunters and 2 observers in Argentina that we paid $1100 for (all-inclusive other than shells) that I think is a great deal compared to the price on their website for the same package.. I've never hunted with this particular outfitter.. We'll be there over thanksgiving this year.. so.. more to follow if it ends up being truly great or not..

and.. finally.. I won a 3 day sika deer hunt in Ireland for a hunter and an observer that we paid $1200 for.. that has some additional costs (we have to pay for the hunting license and a few other things).. but considering they list their trophy fee for a sika at $3000 alone.. and we're getting lodging, meals, etc.. included.. I think we got an excellent deal.. We're doing that hunt in October.. so.. more to follow on that one as well..

In short.. you can get some AWESOME hunts for great prices if you are patient, and control your bidding, and stick with reputable outfitters, etc.. (every one of the outfitters in the hunts listed above have been exhibitors at DSC for a minimum of 10 years for example, with lots and lots of happy hunters on their resumes.. and we knew this well in advance of bidding)...

Dont do your due diligence.. and it is certainly just as easy to get burned as it is to grab a great hunt at a great price..

Don't forget me when you steal one of those dove hunts again...

 

[mdwest]

Don't forget me when you steal one of those dove hunts again...

Ive actually thought about potentially putting together something of a consortium of hunters with similar interests for the purpose of bidding on hunts before.. There have been a lot of auction hunts that I've passed on that went for outrageously cheap prices because of parameters that limited the number of people willing to bid on them (lots of slots, or short windows of time that you can hunt, etc)..

For example.. 3 years ago at DSC there was a dove hunt in Argentina that was up for grabs.. it was for 6x hunters.. It went crazy cheap (maybe $2K if I recall correctly)... but.. at the time I couldn't think of 4 additional hunters that a) would want to go, b) that I knew could take the time to go, etc..etc..

I should have just bought the hunt and figured out who to "sell" the other seats to on the back end..

If I knew going in that there were 2 or 3 more people that would definitely be "in" I would have absolutely thrown down on the auction..

I think there ended up only being 2 bidders on that thing.. and it went stupid cheap..


Ive also found that if you look at hunts outside of Africa, its really hit or miss in terms of how high or low the hunt will end up going for.. Some stuff will go really high if its something of a difficult hunt to arrange or something pretty exotic.. but most of the time more "common" hunts like dove in Argentina or deer in Ireland don't get a whole lot of attention.. and will go pretty low..

 

[Tanks]

I have looked at auction hunts at SCI, DSC etc., most of them seem not worth it (mostly cull hunts) compared to what one could get at this site through regular advertised hunts for about the same cost.