Trophy fees
International
Anyone ever killed something in Africa and how much was the total hunt for a zebra or a black wildebeest with trophy fee included, thanks
I'm not a African expert at all.
Lots of folks on here have hunted Africa extensively. But your question has so many possibilities that the dollar amount would vary greatly.
Where in Africa? What kind of camp? Even trophy fees can vary greatly between different outfitters.
Between $1500 and $150k! It all depends.
If you really just want to shoot one animal like that you are paying a lot per capita, most guys shoot 5-7 trophies on say a 7 day hunt. The travel alone makes it not worth it to me for one critter!
I think a good starting point for a 7 day hunt (with trophy fees included) plus travel, not including getting trophies home or taxidermy is $8-10k. Certainly a lot of good Africa deal out there right now, and I bet you can even get something similar for more in the $5-6k range (including travel) Pretty easily if you shop a little.
Sooooo easy to google a few African outfitters, look at their package, and then kayak for a general airfare price, bingo, exact prices in 10 min or less! Or just click on the Africa forums here.
—jim
If you google African outfitters, you will often find fees listed. Some hunts come with certain animals included. Impala and warthog are commonly part of your package.
As far as what they are, mtnman has hit it on the heat. Varies wildly.
I was thinking Namibia 7-14 days. I google trophy fees and it varies but I wouldn’t want to spend the least amount and get a sketchy outfitter.
Excellent choice, I think Namabia is the place to go for plains game, beautiful country. I think something like that you should be planning in the $10k range with travel, and maybe a bit more depending on what you shoot. Just off the top of my head I would guess those 2 animal at good places in Namabia to average about $1200 each for trophy fees.
—jim
Google several outfitters in the area you are wanting to go. Look them over and make contact asking for more info.
After that, pick a few that you like based off their responses, that are in your price range and start researching them. The outfitter reviews on here are always helpful.
You'll have to do some leg work, but you'll feel much better about your decision.
There are also booking agents that could help you. Although you will only be exposed to the outfits that that particular booking agent works with. Good luck!
When doing your research, keep in mind that Africa is not always "Africa." If you've read Capstick, Hemingway, etc., you may be a bit disillusioned when you arrive in SA or Namibia and spend your week inside a fence, sitting over the only water source around. If you want wild Africa, be prepared to pay significantly more.
South Africa and Namibia can be fun, just be aware of what you are getting.
I don’t mind high fences if it’s thousands of acres there’s a place near me that’s thousands of acres and they have wildebeest but they want 12k.
Lots of threads on this website from people that went on good bowhunts in Africa. Those can be a good starting point for identifying an outfitter. Bowhunting Safari Consultants is a good place to consult. They only list concessions that they have hunted at and approve. Daily and trophy fees will vary from outfitter to outfitter. Count on about $400 per day for hunting fee, $2000-2500 for airfare, trophy fees of about $1000-1500 for plains game animals such as wildebeest and zebra (more for kudu and eland), one or two hotel nights, 10% of total as tip for guides/camp help, another $500+ to have trophies dipped and shipped back to you in the USA.
Tap the zebra icon next to this thread..... look fo the title “ Ken Moody Safaris free range hunts” Ken just listed his trophy fees for plains game. That will give you an idea. Not a bad idea to consider him
I hunted with these guys in 2013. They specialize in bowhunting. http://www.bushafricasafaris.co.za/packages
You can see all of our rates by country here. It will give you a good idea. The most economical way to go is by buying a package. Just read the “fine print.”
Sorry, don’t mean to sound like a moron but do the packages include trophy fee? Considering u said it’s the most economical way.
Yes, packages are inclusive of daily rates and trophy fees. You just need to careful of buying a package from an unknown entity. “Bait & Switch” deals are alive and well in both SA and Namibia whereby you buy a package for certain species and pay for the package only to find that those species are in such low numbers in the area you’re hunting that your odds of taking them are very low. Amazingly, other species not on your package (for which you will pay in full for) are behind every tree. You have to understand the package completely as most are paid for in full whether they are filled or not and many will not allow you to substitute species. This is an old and sad practice that has tainted the safari business for far too long.
And by the way, when it comes to putting your money out there you can never sound like a moron. Ask every single question you can think of. Every one!
There are also other fees that may or not be paid in a package price (or even if paying daily rates and trophy fees separately). Some will charge as much as $600 to pick you up and drop you off at the airport, while with others it is free. Some will charge you additional VAT taxes (14-15% of total daily rates), some will include them in the daily rate or package price. Just these two items can add over $1,000 to your trip, while they might be included on others.
Ollie's estimates above are pretty good in my opinion, I'd say in the mid to maybe a little over average price on most things, but he's very low on costs to get trophies home. That will probably be in the $2,000-$2,500 range in my experience.
Just book with Ken Moody. Honest guy, been doing it forever and a sponsor.
I had a friend hunt with Ken Moody and had a great time. Piece of mind knowing Ken will provide what he says he will with no hidden fees would certainly be a major selling point for me if I were to ever hunt Africa!
I would consider nothing less than 10-day hunt. The ride across the pond is kinda tough so 10 days+ is good relief on butt. Plus, for me an 8 hr time change is tough. About time my body gets acclimated, its time to return home.
Craig Boddington stated in one of his books that a good average hunt is 1 animal per 1.5 days hunting. A good first-time plains game bowhunt should therefore yield 6-7 animals in 10 days of hunting. I think is pretty much spot on with his formula. Follow up trips can vary based on desired animals after initial hunt.
Fees can vary based on country, species and ala carte prices vs. package deals.
Just because the trophy fee for a (zebra, wildebeest, whatever) varies from one outfit to the other, does not indicate much about trophy quality or the honesty of the operator. It probably does say something about the relative abundance or habitat in the area. Some properties don't really have the habitat to support a large number of certain species (like zebra), but may have another few species in spades. Pricing is often supply and demand, and certain ranches buy huntable animals in a put and take type situation, whereas other have the habitat and ability to let the herd multiply naturally. Tons of variables, that all effect pricing. I don't advise picking the outfitter before knowing the animals you want to hunt or the type of experience you are after. (Spot and stalk, sit in blinds, max, trophy potential, etc.) There are many great operators, but each has a niche, and you need to know what you are after before focusing on the PH.
Bill
When you book your hunt put the package of animals you want as your base package. Then after that it`s Ala Carte....don`t get too hung up on "trophies" for your first trip. They will tell you if it`s a "good representative" of the animal or not.
Enjoy yourself and have fun.
I disagree that trophy fees are not at least partly indicative of trophy quality. Trophy quality is the result of disciplined management on big properties with lots of time and money invested on the part of the land owner/outfitter. Lots of "packages" are for cull, management, and "representative animals", and that's fine as long as you are happy with that. If trophy quality is one of your goals, you need to consider that as part of the cost factor in trophy fees.
For an excellent bow hunt, I would recommend that you take a look at Limcroma Safaris. I spoke to about 7 or 8 other Bowsiters here who recommended them when I was looking for my safari. They are a top-notch outfit in every way. The trophy quality was exceptional, and those guys know their bow hunting. The link to my hunt report is below.
http://www.bowsite.com/bowsite/OUTFITTERREPORTS/detail.cfm?reportid=4711
Just a couple observations, Namibia is not part of Black Wildebeest's natural distribution area which is (highveld grasslands) of S. Africa. They have been transplanted to Namibia and I understand there are doing well there now. So, not every place will them or have good numbers to hunt, even in RSA. I picked this following info up online: "At present, the total population of Black Wildebeest has been estimated to be more than 18,000. It has been reintroduced to its former range of habitat in western Swaziland and Lesotho where the population has been reported to be increasing. Besides its natural range, the Black Wildebeest has also been introduced in Namibia where its number has flourished substantially within a decade. Currently, an estimated 7,000 Black Wildebeests inhabit the grasslands of Namibia. Due to the increasing number of Black Wildebeest in South Africa and Namibia, the IUCN Red List has listed Black Wildebeest in the category of ‘Least Concern’ as the threat of extinction has lessened considerably for this species." Black WB are typically in pretty open country and not that easy to spot/stalk so that could add a significant challenge to the equation if all that your outfitter is offering. However, they also come to water where most bowhunters will take theirs. You also should know that in "some" Namibian concessions only Mountain Zebra (Hartman's) are found not the typical Plains variety (Burchell's). Mountain zebra will likely cost you more in trophy fees than the more common Burchell's. It all depends on where in Namibia you plan to go and what those outfitters have available in numbers to hunt. Keep digging to find the right one. P.S. Are you set on hunting in Namibia or are you also considering RSA? It may cost you more to travel to Namibia and there may be fewer Blk Wildebeest areas or Burchell's areas whereas you can find those commonly and at reasonable cost in RSA. Good luck and plan to go back :-)
I will give you the exact cost for my Namibian hunt as it was done last june, I paid 5500.00 to outfitter for 8 days hunting and lodging.. this was for my daughter and I..airfare was 5200.00 hundred for our plane tickets. We took eleven plains game trophies at a cost of 10,800 in trophy fees, dipping and packing was 2200.00, importer charged 2300.00 to get my trophies from Namibia to jfk in nyc..cost another 2000.00 to get them from ny to butte mt for a grand total of$ 27,000.00. Taxidermy is going to cost me another 10,000 for shoulder mounts...Its expensive but I wouldn't trade my experience for anything!
$4300 for shipping? Holy moly... In five trips to RSA I have never used an importer...I don't get it. I can't see paying a middle man to clear my animals in customs when I can have them shipped to a port of entry and pick them up myself. Not knocking you man...not at all. That is just a lot of money to pay a company for doing basically nothing more than clearing a crate and putting it on a truck or plane.
