If you tag out early what is the normal for the rest of the time left on your safari?

[DukeS]

Hello, I have a friend who purchased a safari at fundraiser. It sounds like the location we are going to should be relatively easy to take the animals on the package. If we get done early and there are days left on the Safari, what is the normal procedure? Do you then leave or will there be something to fill the time. What is expected? We are new to this so we trying to plan appropriately. Should we take insurance so we can change flights if needed?

 

[318AE]

Welcome to AH. Sounds like an auction hunt, which we get questions about frequently here, and people’s experience varies. I suspect this is RSA. For the most part, you don’t really “tag out” in the RSA, you simply run out of time or money.

It’s pretty common for auction hunts to be long on days and short on animals. It’s often an expectation that you keep hunting, off the price list, “since you are already there”. It’s best to talk the to PH/outfitter about expectations and after hunt alternatives specific to their area and operation.

 

[TXhunter65]

Several options, add animals, add excursions to different attractions, ask about activities around the lodge. Keep in mind a lot of the donated auctions have the outfitter making little to no money on your hunt unless you add animals or excursions. It would help if we had more details about the hunt. Always remember it will likely never be cheaper to take a trophy than when you're already there. There may be some exceptions to that but for most plains game it’s true. So, if this is a one and done trip for you and you don't want to spend additional money, I'd just take what's included. On the other hand, if there's a chance this is the start of many a safari, I'd take all I could while I was there unless the trophy fees were out of the world.

 

[eyedok]

Keep hunting, you never know what you may come across that you really like, do some night hunting, bird hunting, fishing…….

 

[BeeMaa]

Baboon is always on the list and a worthy adversary for very little money. Some places will let you take them for free because they can be so destructive. Or do a night hunt for bush pig, something out of the ordinary.

Shopping - Always like a stop into Safari Outdoors in Pretoria along with the Jonsson Outlet. Nothing like these places to fuel your next safari.

Excursions and sightseeing - You should do your research in advance and plan to take a day or two for something other than hunting. Stop and smell the roses.

Fishing and bird hunting - Should also be planned in advance so your outfitter can prepare properly.

 

[meigsbucks]

Welcome to AH. I would inquire with your outfitter before embarking on your safari. As @318AE suggests, you’ll probably just keep shooting animals. Maybe some culls. In Zimbabwe, we took a couple of breaks from hunting toward the end too go fishing a couple of afternoons. In Namibia, I basicly took the last day off. My brother who was along as an observer / photographer, took a cull cow eland in the AM and he went out in the afternoon just to photograph.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Run Forrest, Run away from this hunt. That is unless you have an unlimited budget and no self control.
Seriously, what is the organization/fundraiser and name of the outfitter?

 

[Boyd Brooks]

I was finished a couple days before my buddy, and got to hunt birds for a day, hunted one horn antelope and did some sightseeing with the PH. Did a side trip to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe for a couple days after my safari.

 

[Hogpatrol]

One thing to consider is taxidermy. General rule is that will add on what the hunt costs. Spend $5000 on animals, add another $5000 for taxidermy and importation costs.

 

[DukeS]

It was purchased at a CCA fundraising dinner in Sarasota. The outfitter is Lungile Safaris in South Africa. It is for 2 hunters, 7 days a blue wildebeest, a spring buck, a mountain reed buck and a blesbuck.

 

[DukeS]

I was finished a couple days before my buddy, and got to hunt birds for a day, hunted one horn antelope and did some sightseeing with the PH. Did a side trip to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe for a couple days after my safari.

How was Victoria falls?

 

[Hogpatrol]

It was purchased at a CCA fundraising dinner in Sarasota. The outfitter is Lungile Safaris in South Africa. It is for 2 hunters, 7 days a blue wildebeest, a spring buck, a mountain reed buck and a blesbuck.

There's a possibility all those animals could be taken in one day, maybe two.

 

[375Fox]

What I like most about Africa is you book the hunting days not necessarily the animals. Hunting is managed on area quotas not individual hunter tags like in North America. You tag out on an elk hunt on the first morning you leave. You get your primary animals early on an African hunt you make a plan to keep hunting other species or a 2nd trophy. There is also bird hunting, cull hunting, fishing in some cases.

 

[DukeS]

There's a possibility all those animals could be taken in one day, maybe two.

That's what I've been told by someone. That's why I was curious about what to do with the extra time. If there were expectations by the Outfitter? Or if there are some things I should expect?

 

[Boyd Brooks]

How was Victoria falls?

Loved it!!!! Did a river dinner cruise above the falls, helicopter ride over the falls, zip line across the river, walk with lions, rode an elephant and a few other sites. I was there with my daughter, and a buddy and his daughter.

 

[375Fox]

It was purchased at a CCA fundraising dinner in Sarasota. The outfitter is Lungile Safaris in South Africa. It is for 2 hunters, 7 days a blue wildebeest, a spring buck, a mountain reed buck and a blesbuck.

I don’t know anything about this outfitter. I haven’t looked them up yet. Some newer outfitters use donation hunts to establish a client base. Some low tier established outfitters use donation hunts as a marketing tool to bring inexperienced hunters in then charge above market rates for extras. Think about what you want from the hunt. To make use of the days you need to plan about a trophy a day. Compare the costs of the full hunt you want from your auction hunt with extras then get quotes for the same hunt from sponsors here to make sure you are getting a fair value. You need to ask for custom quotes. Typically the posted trophy fee list will be significantly marked down as part of a package. Many of these auction hunts will end up costing more than buying the hunt outright. It’s a marketing tool. Sometimes however they are a good value and can bring a good outfitter new business.

 

[Bandera]

My first trip to Africa was auction hunt. I tagged out early.
Spent an afternoon in the game tower at a watering hole with a bottle of wine and snacks.
Did a game drive.
Chased Guinea Fowl with a shotgun loaded 2 1/2 shells and #8’s.

 

[Safari Dave]

We had 4 "free animals" on our first auction hunt in RSA.

Get the price list and keep hunting, if you can afford it!

(We ended up "harvesting" 16)

If it proves to be too expensive, our safari company (Adansonia) took us on sight-seeing trips.





During our last trip to Mozambique, Legadema Safaris lined up fishing trips for tigerfish, if we tagged out too early. (There was no option for additional animals)

 

[Safari Dave]

We did bird hunt with free borrowed shotguns for a day in RSA.

(Got a guinea and a francolin)

 

[Red Leg]

Other than the primary target - say a buffalo or a leopard - I do not book an animal list. Should that key target come early then we spend our time seeing what the area offers. I should add, those areas are typically free range. In that way, I have taken bush pig, Nyala, Waterbuck, Bush Buck, reed buck and a number of others.