Hunt value Africa VS North America

JJHACK

New member
Joined
Jun 21, 2001
Messages
302
Location
Rural Wa. State/ Ellisras South Africa
What is holding you back from experiencing the greatest hunting on earth? I know....... MONEY!

But is there something else? Government? travelling with guns? Bugs? snakes? Lions? What are your feelings on making the trip to the dark continent?

The money is the biggest issue. I think the cheapest hunt a guy could do would be to go for 7 days and shoot three inexpensive animals. You get the whole adventure without the massive bank crumpling expense. A hunt like this would be about 2200.00 bucks plus airfare. Airfare is gonna run about 1300.00 or so depending upon where you leave from. So 3500.00 bucks could get a decent adventure in Africa.

Where could you go in North America and be waited on, catered to and spoiled during a week long hunting trip for that much money and shoot 3 animals? In North America you would pay more then that to have the chance to shoot just one animal in a camp that would not likely be the same level of 5 star accomadations.

Open bar, Wonderful meals many of which will be of the game shot during your stay, laundry done every day, private bedrooms with hot shower. These are not some plywood shanties either. This is top of the line high end hotel like accomadations in a rustic stone lodge with a thatch roof. Heck we even have a big Swimming pool! A full time cook, maids, skinners trackers, Professional hunters and 100,000 acres to roam around with 28 species of plains game and three of the big five. Plus hyena, jackals, African lynx, and plenty of monkeys and thousands of birds.

I doubt you can price anything in North America that would compare. I know there are several black bear and deer hunts which are a bit less money but again it's for one animal and you won't be seeing a giraffe from your treestand or see zebra and rhino in the bush. The camps don't compare. I know I was a bear guide for 20 years. It's why I moved my operation to South Africa!

Hunting in beautiful sunny weather of 80 degrees every day with no bugs or snakes in the winter months. My wife said it perfeclty the first time she was there. "This is like a relaxing vacation resort where you get to go and shoot stuff"

Don't misunderstand me, it's hunting and there will be belly crawling stalks and long walks but it's so nice to get back to the lodge and sit around the fire each night and share the days events with the others who are there hunting.
 
It definitly sounds like a winning combination for a hunt. One of these days I hope to be able to do an African hunt, but right now is not the time for me.
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JJ you are right on that. It being a good adventure at a good price.

It also isnt the time for me either. But someday it will be(I hope).

From what I have seen ther is mainly flat land? or is there areas that is hilly and such?
 
South Africa has vary diverse habits. Much of the country is coastline. The north western area is the Kalahari Desert, the central eastern seaboard is a high rainfall forest habitat with rolling hills. The north central area is bushveld thick scrub. The very central portion of the country is high mountains to 9000ft. Snow with pine trees and plenty of open grassland. If you have ever been to Wyoming you could imagine the exact same views and elevations.

The huge majority of species live in the north central area where the bush is thick and the food plentiful. It's also where we operate our lodge which has 100,000 huntable acres. We do have approx 90,000 acres to hunt in Zululand(rain forest) and about 50,000 acres to use in the orange free state( the mountains). We only own directly about 37,500 acres but the other land is within the family business of my partners father. So we have it to hunt on when we like.
 
What is the best time of year? I definitely want to do a plains game hunt within the next couple of years. About how much are we looking at for a 7 day hunt with 6 or 7 types of plains game like kudu, eland, impala, etc.? I was looking at around $6500? How much more will dipping/shipping trophies run?
 
I would suggest ten days if you want to shoot 6-7 animals. It's unrealistic to expect an animal per day when your hunting wild game. There are "put and take" properties throughout the eastern cape which will release the game they buy at auction from up north. The open grassy habitat of the eastern cape you can shoot all your game in a couple days. If you really want to hunt multiple species of wild indiginous game then you need to hunt the Northern Province. The Northern Province has more indiginous species of big game then anyplace else on earth. We actually make more money selling game we capture on our property and sell to the Eastern Cape "game farms" then we make from our 24 hunters per year!

The best time of year is May and June. Those are the peak rut months and the likely hood of the best weather. The middle of winter in June there so you would be there in the cooler and mostly bug free time of year. Check out my web page for some more detials on the time of year. There is also a weather graph to show you the temps and rain fall.

I have a 5 animal package for 10 days that is going for 4500 bucks now. What is included is also on my website. You would be welcome to shoot all the additional game you like for the cost of the trophy fees alone. The game included is:
warthog
impala
Steenbok OR blesbok OR caracal cat,
and two of the following animals: Kudu, zebra, gemsbok, hartebeest, blue wildebeest.

It's a good selection of plains game and you can take any other species you like for the trophy fee alone.

Send me an email with your phone and I'll cal you directly if you like.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 01-15-2003 20:04: Message edited by: JJHACK ]</font>
 
Steve and I have talked about doing a hunt in africa for year's.
We keep saying "one day we will do it"
Well that day never get here LOL its always something that gets in the way.
Money of course is always a factor.
We are comming up on our 30th anniversary and would like to do something we havent done before.
I keep telling Steve we should just spend the money and go.
We are still kicking around ideas.

We have never used a guide for any hunts,and no doubt Africa is the best deal around . For how many animals you can hunt then add in the sight's ,im getting excited just thinking about it

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I guess it really comes down to the money.
 
JJHack.... my step-father and I have been making this arguement for years! All factors considered, it's extremely cost-effective to hunt plains game in Africa.

We hunted on the Devuli Ranch in '84 and had a tremendous hunt. Mike Vickery ran the ranch was also our PH. After a week there we moved to the highveldt to hunt with Dave Masson of Kavidja Safari's... in total we took 17 species and spent about $17,000USD before taxidermy... would love to talk about going back, likely not before 2004 though.
 
remember.. This year is Bear in Saskatchewan. Next year is Bou in Alaska. And '05 is African GAME !!!!!!

We'll see you there !! Mark it on your Callendar !!!
 
Indyjay, that's a horrible time of year! Hot and rainy, or at least thats the normal conditions. Go in the spring time during the Rut! Email me bud, I hunt there every year for about 2 months taking 20-24 hunters each season. We can have the time of your life hunting big game during the day and varmints at night until you begging to go to bed!
 
Until a few years back, hunting in Africa was associated with lavish accommodation and big five quarry, thus only for the stinking rich Americans, presented by up-market fat-cat outfitters. Nowadays, thanks to the transparency of the Internet, the hunting outfitters in RSA are under huge pressure. They now compete also in the "entry-level" categories, just like JJHack explains his affordable plains game safaris for the first-timer-to-Africa. The Rand is weak against the Dollar, which makes South Africa beyond doubt extremely attractive, despite the airfare.

Lochi.
www.affordableafricanhunting.com
 
I'll be gathering information in a few years, then I'll determine if it was worth it!!
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-memtb
 
Cali, let's try to swing it... honestly though, 2004 maybe a little premature. I have to sort out a lot of details first. Perhaps we need to start talking...

Cali, you have a pm

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 01-29-2003 21:08: Message edited by: IndyJay ]</font>
 
I got your message, Jay. I'll call you tomorrow. I could swing it next year if I start saving now - I think $6500 would be a good, all-inclusive figure? (Airfare, trophy fees, dip & ship, tips, etc.) You've been, so you'd know better than me. But I'd rather go with some friends from HuntTalk...so I can be patient and it WOULD be easier to save over a couple years rather than one.

My .338 and my .300 Wthby ought to be good to go, right?
 
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