Advice on auction hunt

[jpr9954]

This is a little delicate so I won't mention names. I won the bidding for a 6-day hunt in the Northern Cape for a kudu for two hunters with a kudu each. The outfitter had a table at our DSC Chapter banquet and I decided to bid after speaking with him. He seemed knowledgeable and I saw pictures/video of the lodge and area on the edge of the Kalahari. My winning bid was $2,000.

The outfitter doesn't own the lodge nor the farm where we will be hunting so his price list is a little inflated for other animals. I can live with that. The lodge itself has been used by other very reputable and well known PHs.

Here is where it has gotten tricky.

The outfitter had done some business dealings with our chapter president and even stayed at his home as a guest. The president allowed him to set up a booth to promote his hunts in exchange for the donation. A couple of months ago the president said he had something to share with me. He said the outfitter had stolen some of his personal items while staying with him and owes him money from the business venture. The outfitter will be banned from our next banquet and the president is trying to get him banned from any dealings with DSC chapters.

The hunt is not scheduled to be taken until July 1, 2026.

Is it worth taking a chance on a hunt with this guy or would I be better to just consider the $2000 a donation to the chapter? I am torn.

I do have another hunt scheduled right after that with an outfitter in KwaZulu Natal with whom I have had great conversations at the SCI Convention over two years and who has been outfitting for almost 30 years. I had them scheduled to run consecutively.

Any advice?

 

[Doug3006]

I wouldn’t hunt with him. I would politely inform the president that the chapter would not be receiving the $2,000 for reasons he’s all too familiar with. If you have already paid ask for the money back.

 

[MontanaPat]

I’ve done auction hunts and there are several caveats I always keep in mind. In your particular instance I think I might just write it off as a donation and focus on the KZN hunt and spend my money there for trophy fees. You will likely save money in the long run

 

[wesheltonj]

Once a thief, always a thief. Pass and see if you can get refunded. If not, write it off.

 

[mdwest]

Agree… if he is a thief you can’t trust him to be honest or do good business otherwise..

I’d attempt to get my money back or be allowed to use it as a credit for a future bid on something else… if the chapter is disavowing the outfitter and intends on blocking him from DSC at large they should be understanding as to why you won’t hunt with him and should be willing to negotiate a reasonable resolution with you.. they put you in the situation… they should be willing to assist you in getting out of it… it’s the right thing to do…

 

[sureshot375]

I think it’s a no brainer not to move forward with the hunt.

As far as your money spent, I think I would just look at it as a donation to your local chapter. On the flip side, if I was in charge of your local chapter I would probably give you your money back.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Run don’t walk away from that hunt. throwing $2000 away is better than losing a week or 10 days of your time and more aggravation and lost money.

Your chapter should make it right. auction hunts can be great if you do your homework ahead of time and know it’s a reputable outfit.

 

[mark-hunter]

What I have learned on this forum about auction hunts: they bring more problems than solutions in general.
In this particular case, all the red flags are hoisted high!
I wouldn't go. Cut the losses and move on.

 

[Hillcountry63]

I would absolutely cancel any hunt with said outfitter. You might go and have a great hunt, and nothing happen.... then again you might get over there and things go south and now you're at the mercy of the locals. Take it from someone who has worked/traveled out of CONUS for the past 45 years, it isn't worth the chance for $2K.

I would have a conversation with your Chapter President and see what they might be willing to do.

 

[deewayne2003]

Run don’t walk away from that hunt. throwing $2000 away is better than losing a week or 10 days of your time and more aggravation and lost money.

Well said!

Money is only worth what it can buy, time however is priceless and think about being 80yo and how much you would pay to have two weeks of your youth back that was wasted on a bad hunt?

 

[TnKen]

I agree with everyone else, I can see no reason why you would/should go on the hunt. A person that steals from his "friend" is capable of doing who knows what to someone he doesn't know. Although you don't want throw away 2K, I imagine that you are saving much more in the long run.

 

[jpr9954]

I wouldn’t hunt with him. I would politely inform the president that the chapter would not be receiving the $2,000 for reasons he’s all too familiar with. If you have already paid ask for the money back.

I on the chapter board as a director. What I may do is ask for a discount or a comp for our next banquet in 2026.

All good advice here and what I was trending towards doing.

My KWZ hunt is with Willem Basson of Zeekoepan Safaris. Having met and conversed with him at two SCI conventions I have a good feeling about that hunt. While it is an auction hunt, I plan to do add ons for that one.