Most of this forum hates/disagrees with my position on these donation/auction hunts. I believe its just bias, like trying to persuade someone extended warranties are a scam after they have bought them. They just won't hear of it because their pride is invested.
Three kinds of donation/auction hunts out there.
1.) The zero value hunt. Its an honest donation, but the person could have negotiated a package hunt just like it with the outfitter for the same price or less, all-in, without winning a thing. Not a bad thing, you gave money to charity, the operator got the same net they would have with you paying directly, the charity got a few bucks.
2.) The scam hunt. These typically have a few different angles.
A.) Free daily rates for infinite days...but you get to pay $4000 for a kudu/eland and $1500 for a springbok.
B.) Fairly priced animals but the incidental fees are enormous. $750-$1200 daily rates. $600 observer rates. $500 per person transport fees both ways. Required to use their taxidermist.
C.) The animal quality is very low and the hunting areas are basically pens.
3.) The legit donation of an epic hunt by a very affluent or successful operator. In the hundreds (more than a thousand?) of auction hunts I've reviewed, I've found maybe 1-3% that fit this bill. An example is the famous fellow that was offering roe deer hunts at Balmoral Castle, or lowland stag adjacent to the queen's property. I bid on this one and bid hard, it had an estimated value of $8000-$12000 but the high bid at SCI was $20,000. Generally, the really good auction hunts are bid far above their value, are never a deal, but at least its a tax deductible charitable donation for the difference between purchase price and FMV for the buyer.
Which one of these three categories do you think the OP bought?
