Namibia in just over a month

[G Skinner]

Good luck and play safe ....We would like to see lots of pictures when you return !
Glen

 

[kudukid]

Hey Northwest9 as a fellow Aussie I would add a red hartebeest. Also add a blesbok as they are cheap. Wildebeest blue or black. Go for the black as there are good numbers in Namibia. Blue wildebeest are prolific all over Africa. I didnt shoot a black wildebeest on my Namibian safari and i regret it. Have taken a few blues.
In my experience, most outfitters are very reasonable and if the outfitter owns the land you are hunting I am sure he will look after you on the price of the kudu. They are a magnificent animal as my avatar suggests. Hold out for a big one.
Have a great trip.

 

[Dr Ray]

Hey Northwest9 as a fellow Aussie I would add a red hartebeest. Also add a blesbok as they are cheap. Wildebeest blue or black. Go for the black as there are good numbers in Namibia. Blue wildebeest are prolific all over Africa. I didnt shoot a black wildebeest on my Namibian safari and i regret it. Have taken a few blues.
In my experience, most outfitters are very reasonable and if the outfitter owns the land you are hunting I am sure he will look after you on the price of the kudu. They are a magnificent animal as my avatar suggests. Hold out for a big one.
Have a great trip.

Excellent advice.

 

[Ridgewalker]

What ever you decide to take, you’ll be going back to Africa and you’ll have another opportunity.
Have a grand trip!

 

[Rule 303]

I figure after your first African hunt, like me, you will be saving to go back. When it comes to plains game, Gemsbok is my first and top priority. Even then I will only be looking at cull animals as I will not be bringing trophy's back. I am not affluent enough to do that as they add up to another hunt.

Enjoy the trip, shame about the price going up on the Kudu.

 

[Sika98k]

ive been told lower numbers due to rabies??

originally when i booked kudu was 1200, now 2800

 

[Northwest9]

Hey Northwest9 as a fellow Aussie I would add a red hartebeest. Also add a blesbok as they are cheap. Wildebeest blue or black. Go for the black as there are good numbers in Namibia. Blue wildebeest are prolific all over Africa. I didnt shoot a black wildebeest on my Namibian safari and i regret it. Have taken a few blues.
In my experience, most outfitters are very reasonable and if the outfitter owns the land you are hunting I am sure he will look after you on the price of the kudu. They are a magnificent animal as my avatar suggests. Hold out for a big one.
Have a great trip.

i do have the hartebeest and blesbok in mind, i suspect my decision about them will be made depending on how i feel when i see one. at the moment they arent jumping out at me as "must haves" but i strongly suspect that will change when i see one in the bush, rather than just online

 

[billc]

Good luck on your trip. I would add the red hartebeest for sure very good prices in Namibia. Blesbuck is one I would pass on and use that towards the kudu if needed.

Who are you hunting with?

 

[dory]

Excellent advice.

Agree with you Dr Ray ,but !!!!
You never know what life will chuck at you !
take a kudu if you can , it might be your only chance .
I shot two while in Namibia as that is what I went to hunt , but !
My hips are packing up and a real physical kudu hunt might not happen again .
Im real glad i took what was offered at the time .
Just a thought .

 

[MAdcox]

Looking forward to the hunt report. I’m headed to Namibia in June of 19. Seems like forever from now.
Have a great hunt and post lots of pics for those of us biding our time.

 

[Northwest9]

im down to 10 days until departure, and i still cant make up my mind

i want a kudu, but the high price is getting to me.

would you sacrifice taking a hartebeest and impala, to allow budget for a kudu?

my list so far of animals i want is below

Really Want:
Blue Wildebeest
Burchells Zebra
Gemsbok

Cheaper "want" animals, which I think I want to hunt if we have time and have been successful hunting the "Really Want" animals, or if an opportunity arises while hunting the other species:
Warthog
Baboon
Jackal
Springbok

Unsure:
Kudu
Impala
Hartebeest

the Kudu is going to cost $1400 more than the Impala and Hartebeest combined, if i cant negotiate the kudu down.

 

[jduckhunter]

I don't see waterbuck on any of your lists.

 

[Northwest9]

I don't see waterbuck on any of your lists.

too expensive for this trip. they are more than kudu

 

[BRICKBURN]

I wish you luck choosing.

 

[Rule 303]

Northwest you are asking a question only yourself can answer. For example the only Plains Game I really want in Namibia is the Gemsbok. The would like to have are Kudu, Zebra and the rest are on the nice to have list if funds allow but I would probably go for extra Gemsbok.

If it is just the price dictating what you want then go for the 2 cheaper options is all I can advise. Just remember to decide if this is a once only trip. If it is then I would take out a loan if I really wanted something and go for that. Just my 2 bobs worth.

 

[Britt Beck]

Good luck and sorry to hear about the kudu. I'd talk to them regarding the difference from the time of booking. Can't wait to hear your story and see your pics.

 

[Adrian]

Who are you hunting with and where?
I can see the reasoning behind the high price on a Kudu if rabies has decimated their numbers in a particular area but you can get good deals.
I've booked for later this year and a free range Kudu is below €1000.
Some outfitters charge an extortionate amount for a Kudu.

 

[Sika98k]

@Northwest9 , $1400 more than a hartebeest and impala combined
I am off this evening to Namib but looking at our trophy price list a Kudu is €1200, red hartebeest is € 435 and an impala is €400.

 

[billc]

I would rather take a kudu then the others but not at that price. I myself think they are wrong for changing prices if you had an agreement already.

From some of what your saying with there pricing I would have found another place. Waterbuck over 2800 is crazy to.

If you don't think you will ever get back I would be hunting the animals you really want.

 

[Countrylife]

I'm in Windhoek and just finished up my 1st hunt in Africa SE of Windhoek. I'm doing a little shopping before heading home. But, here's my observations on this:
1st - I saw and did take a nice Kudu, they are not easy to come by. And, I was told that rabies did decimate the herds so I can see why there is a high price until the herds get back up in numbers.
- There seems to be lots of springbok, black wildebeest, red hartebeest, gemsbok, and oryx.
- There are enough blue wildebeest, but not as many as the black
- They were also losing animals to a predator which they thought was a leopard, but I left camp before I heard if it was or was not.

The animals I took were:
2 springbok
blue wildebeest
oryx
kudu

I tried for a red hartebeest, but was not successful. They are very skittish and difficult to get close to.

Here's the kudu - I only saw one other large one, all the rest were either females or young bucks.