Settling up after the hunt with your outfitter

[IdahoMo]

Hey Folks,

I just finished paying for my daily rates for a buff hunt in Zimbabwe. How do you all handle paying the remainder (trophy fees and other costs) at the conclusion of your hunt? For me that’s going to be 8-9k counting my tip money. Do you just carry that much cash? Pay the trophy fee in advance and asked to be refunded if not successful? Somehow have the money wired to the outfitter while you’re in camp? The other two times I’ve hunted was just on game farms in ZA and I pretty much paid for everything up front except for tips.

Thanks!

IdahoMo

 

[wesheltonj]

Wire from camp.

 

[Flipper Dude]

Depends on your relationship with your outfitter. I usually wire final funds when I get home. Amount agreed upon in camp. I would make sure and have that little detail worked out before I left USA for trip

 

[Rare Breed]

Hey Folks,

I just finished paying for my daily rates for a buff hunt in Zimbabwe. How do you all handle paying the remainder (trophy fees and other costs) at the conclusion of your hunt? For me that’s going to be 8-9k counting my tip money. Do you just carry that much cash? Pay the trophy fee in advance and asked to be refunded if not successful? Somehow have the money wired to the outfitter while you’re in camp? The other two times I’ve hunted was just on game farms in ZA and I pretty much paid for everything up front except for tips.

Thanks!

IdahoMo

First I only carry cash for my tip never to pay my final bill period. Second I have either gotten on my outfitters computer to wire my final payment before leaving or wired funds when I got back to US

 

[Red Leg]

I always wire final settlement from the States.

 

[Tra3]

Some cash, some wire.

Final cost is an elusive target. There always seems to be a unique opportunity that adds some expense, but is worth it.

For sure talk about it with your outfitter before the trip.

 

[IdahoMo]

thanks for the replies everyone!

 

[Mekaniks]

Ask your outfitter, he will have a preferred payment method.

Tips are always cash

 

[375Fox]

It depends on the outfitter. I’ve usually paid the major species as a trophy fee deposit prior to start of hunt per contract then wired the remaining balance after returning home, but you need to see what their policy is. I would not carry that large amount of cash. I recently had a significant sum of cash stolen between hotel in Qatar and arriving at hotel in Zimbabwe. I have no idea how or where they did it but someone was good at what they did and left me with an empty plastic bag in my backpack that previously had cash. I really have no idea how they got it but I hope they were disappointed when they realized it was less than they hoped with a lot of small bills making up the volume.
All tips need paid in US dollars cash in Zimbabwe or you are really doing your PH and staff a disservice. Zimbabwe operates on US dollars and has a cash shortage especially smaller denominations. Unfortunately banks there have a habit of converting US dollars to treasury bonds (or whatever their latest variant is) at government set rates but they hold little real value. The PH would also need to pay tax on your tip amount if wired.

 

[MontanaPat]

I take cash only for tips and a little spending money for myself during travel. Out of four hunts done in RSA all of them were settled at the end and I paid with a Visa credit card in Rand with no foreign transaction fees by my card company. I always ask up front if this is possible before the trip so I know in advance. I can then pay the bill when I get home and I get air points or cash back as a bonus. With Botswana the agreed hunt and trophy fees were paid up front before the trip and we agreed additional trophy fees were settled when I returned home and sent them the funds

 

[K-man]

With some P.H.s they are guiding you on someone else's property and the trophy fees must be paid before you leave camp. You should be told that well in advance. Make sure and get written confirmation they have been paid. Most of my trips have been on the outfitters own property so the fees can be wired upon return. Just ask when booking your trip. Tips are cash in camp.

 

[deewayne2003]

July was my first trip and all went well….

Deposit paid at booking, balance of daily rate paid 60 days prior and trophy fees paid upon return to USA with itemized invoice provided and agreed upon before leaving camp.