Feedback wanted

[Hank2211]

I am going to try and keep this simple and to the point. I am just looking for good honest feedback from anyone who wants to give it. Can be a guy who has done 10 safaris to a guy looking now to go on his first safari.

Ok here is my the question. Your planning your first hunt to south Africa for plains game. You have narrowed your search down to lets say 3 outfitters and checked on them all. They all check out good and your thinking all 3 can do the hunt you want.

So here is my question and please just put them in the order how you would use them to decide on which of the 3 outfitters you would pick.


1- area to be hunted say. east cape,limpo,northwest,northern cape,natal do you start your search by area is what I am talking about

2- size of areas to be hunted yes all places are fenced for all 3 outfitters

3- quality of lodging be it 3 to 5 star

4 quality of food

5- quality of game.

6- cost of game and day fees.

7- other things to do outside of hunting

If you like just list them by number in the order you think. For me it is
5,6,2,1,4,3,7

Thanks to anyone who helps me out with this.

Billc, I see you said you're looking for people who have not been on safari as well as those on their 10th. That's a bit of a problem, because I'd rank these differently today (after 7 visits to Africa) than I would have on my first visit. If this were my first, then 1, for example, would not be all that important, although 5 would be. I say that because when I first began hunting Africa, I wasn't too focused on particular game ("plains game" is a pretty broad category), and certainly not in their native habitat. As I've gotten more "sophisticated", which may be a nicer way of saying picky, I'm looking for particular species, and most of those in the areas where they are native (hard to move grysbok or vaal rhebok around, for example).

Now I know you said this was for a first safari, and a plains game one at that, so going only with that, and what I'd have been thinking on my first safari (which was to Zimbabwe), which I repeat is not how I think today, here goes:

5. Good game and lots of it is a prerequisite.

2. I like the feel of "old Africa" and you don't get that on a small place with lots of fences.

3 + 4. I put these together because they generally go together.

6. I put this here because there is a fairly narrow range of prices and day rates, with some outliers, which I'd eliminate, and within that range, the difference won't likely decide the matter.

7. I go to hunt. The rest doesn't matter.

Hope this helps.