how much $

[fatercat]

JJ, as most of the people here, we've always dreamed of hunting the dark cont. the only thing that i want is a kodo, kudo, 60" or better. i do not walk far anymore and i don't want to ride on a el-na-font. i do not want to get et. buy a lion or tigger. your wart hogs are far too ugly. so, how many guns do i have to sell? how much$. regards richard

[Graybeard]

In addition to the hunt cost don't forget to budget for taxidermy on return, the cost to get the trophy back home to the taxidermist and of cost the really big one the cost of travel there and back. Most often the only thing mentioned in the cost of a safari seems to be the cost to the outfitter/guide and those other costs which are even greater are over looked or ignored.

Those other costs are why I've not yet taken a bear which I'd like to do but the cost of the hunt which I might could afford pale in comparison to the other costs once I do it and so far have kept me from doing it and likely always will.

[GRIMJIM]

That's exactly right. I was looking into this a year or so ago and the actual hunting is surprisingly affordable. Then you have to add the two grand for travel and the other two grand (maybe more depending on the animals) for trophy expenses.

I would also like a grand kudu (maybe not a record book but a good solid animal) but unlike you I would also like a set of warthog heads for my trophy room.

[JJHACK]

In 15 years and many hundreds of beautiful Kudu trophies taken I have seen less then 5 over 60" The odds of a 60" kudu actually measured and scored by a legitimate and credible person are about like winning the lottery. I cannot tell you how many PH's will say to the hunter that the kudu they shot is "55 inches" later when everyone is sitting around the campfire I will head down to the trophy area and measure that "55 inch" Kudu to see it's 51" or maybe only 49" but it is absolutely beautiful and I would have had my hunter shoot it as well. There are a lot of estimates tossed around by PH's, landowners, and Outfitters when a big bull hits the salt room. But when they actually get measuered they are rarely as big as the estimate. I've only measured a handfull of Kudu in my whole career (I'm an official scorrer too) that were actually bigger then the estimates.

The fact is, and this is based on now over 15 years and thousands of measured trophies in my career that the very great majority of Kudu are going to be between 48 and 51 inches. These same Kudu are shown on the internet and in trophy photo's claiming 55" to 58" or even bigger based only on that the hunter was told by his PH or other "credible" person during the hunt. Kudu over 55" are simply rare and a very great exception, those actually measured and actually 60" or over are about like being hit by lightening.

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There are no tigers in Africa outside of Zoo's
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A three animal hunt is going to run about 5000 bucks everything but airfare and personal expenses. If you hunt the eastern Cape these prices will be lower, but they will not have natural indiginous game, it will be a game farm with stocked or farm raised animals. The three included animals will usually be impala kudu and warthog, these can be changed or the outfitter/ PH will usually work with you to get what you want. Anyone who tells you they will find you a Kudu over 55" is Full of crap or they are stocking Kudu for people to shoot. Nobody can suggest you will see a kudu that big with any certainty. I've hunted some of the best Kudu areas in the world and that is just not a truthful claim. I would suspect everything they say if they make this silly claim!

[rex6666]

JJ are you trying to say their are people in Africa that will s-t-r-e-c-h
the truth just to get my money just as their are in the U.S.A.
guess people are the same every where.

[Grumulkin]

In Africa, EVERYTHING you shoot is "a really big one."

I still love going there though.

[WL44]

Hey that's a really big klipspringer in your picture 

(must say the small pic in the avatar still has me not 100% sure that it is one on my small screen and I can't quite make out the facial markings).

Some thread drift.... please excuse this JJ....

Actually my comment is to draw attention to it.... people come here to hunt the big stuff like kudu amongst others (which is great and a wonderful trophy no doubt at all), but the small species do not get the attention they deserve and they can make for a very (or even more) challenging hunt. So hat's off to you for seeing past that. Whilst I can understand this approach from people who travel a long way and are paying top dollar all around and tend to fall for the "quintessential African trophy collection", for us locals the focus should change a little I think! I'd like to see it change a little all around. It's not just the hunters, but the industry too that promotes this. This is not a criticism, but it is a pity!

With this in mind I've booked a Vaal Rhebuck hunt for June and that is an animal that doesn't get the attention it deserves IMHO. By the way, the Eastern Cape is generally a good area for them.

Of course people must do what makes them happy and work for the trophies they want, but maybe this will at least encourage some lateral thinking when you choose your African trophies. More room in the house for the small species too  .

For the record, I'm not a PH or an outfitter, just another hunter.

I hope you get here!

WL

[Bushwack_007]

Grumulkin,

No, it should read TEXAS USA. I had some clients from Texas a few years back and was all thinks bigger as in Africa...LOL

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  One option for your trophies is the European mt. I have done that with all of my game, but sheep and one antelope and one whitetail. I should have never done the whitetail. The European mt. is cheaper easier to clean, smaller, and if one gets a bigger animal, it is easy to move, the smaller guy to the shed, or another room

[moony]

I bought a $7400.00 5day/4night Namibian safari at a Whitetails Unlimited banquet for $400.00, was the only bidder. Included 2 hunters, 2 observers/(wifes), and $1000 trophy fee per hunter. Most plains game trophy fees were 500-1500. (Kudu-$1200?) Airfare from Chicago 7-4-08 was $2200 per person. Shipping etc. was $500 for 4 animals. Then talk to your taxidermist. I would highly recommend an African trip, considering a whitetail hunt could cost that much. Also some trophies are not measured in inches and Africa is something you will NEVER forget. 5 days is plenty if you're on a budget otherwise the game is so abundant you could rack up a BIG taxidermy bill.

[ziplocjoe]

Like most hunters I have always wanted to hunt in Africa. At age 62 I thought it was about time. From reading this forum , reading JJ's book, and searching the internet, I decided I wanted to go to the Limpopo District of South Africa. Last February I attended the International Sportman's Exposition in Phoenix, AZ. There were about ten outfitters from South Africa. After talking to all of them I chose Limcroma Safaris. They had a "special offer" for before June or after August 20. A seven day 1:1 hunt including 1 Blue wildebeest, 1 Gemsbuck, 1 Impala, 1 Warthog or Steenbuck for $3,350.This was about one-half their regular cost. The airfare from Peoria, IL was $1800. I decided on European mounts for the Wildebeest, Gemsbuck, and Impala, and had the full skin of the Gemsbuck made into a rug with a felt backing. The cost for prep, paper work, and shipping was $1220. I also spent about $1000 in tips. Total for everything was $7370.
At the Phoenx show the PH I hunted with talked my wife into going . As a non hunter the cost was $125 a day. Again about half cost.  $875 plus $1800 for airfare.
Total for both of us with all expenses was $10,045.
On the plane ride home there were several hunters that had hunted at different places. We all had stories to tell. They all sounded similar in that the the PH's were great, the hunting was fantastic, and the accomodations were excellent with the food ( wild game for lunch and dinner ) out of sight. I gained ten pounds.
This is not what it might cost, this is what it did cost.