Shoot too many animals?

[jphilibert]

Dory
I am not a Africa Veteran by any stretch having recently returned from my first trip at Africa Maximum Safari's in NW RSA but would echo some of the advice others have posted. I spent A LOT of time looking at pictures online of what was on my target list so I had an idea of what constituted good representative samples. I had a package that included three plains game (Impala, Springbuck, and Blesbok) and had created a list of other six other species of interest in a rough rank order and had budgeted for three. I shared this info via email with my outfitter prior to the trip that helped him decide where it made sense for me to hunt (i.e. which concessions). Once there I learned there are species of opportunity (i.e bush pigs, duikers) that although not on my original list I felt I would take if they came along in place of one of my "other three" (plus they are relatively inexpensive). I also trusted my PH as he was very discriminate on what was good knowing what I was looking for. With that said I shot one animal the first day (Blesbok) and three the second day (Springbuck, B. Wildebeest, and R. Hartebeest) of a six day trip and was thinking to myself holy shit I'm going to spend a good part of this trip sitting by the pool if I don't slow down! But despite hunting hard luck would have it we did not encounter, or get a chance on good examples of the other 2 (impala and bushbuck) until the last two days respectively. I did have to practice some patience though as I really wanted a bushbuck but had seen a really nice old Waterbuck bull (also on my hit list) on this property. Walking out of the woods after not seeing the Bushbuck the last night guess who was standing in a field at 70 yards broadside? Yeah... Mr. Waterbuck and to boot my PH whispered to me that the outfitter would "drop the trophy fee down"! I had to take my hat off, bow my head and spend a minute and think this one over as I could not take both if I wanted to have a home to come home to (although I thought to myself maybe I could live in the taxidermy shipping crate if it was bigger? ). I reluctantly ended up passing and God shined down as the next morning, which was the last day of my hunt, at 6:05 am the Bushbuck (14" left, 15" right, 12" bases) in my new Avatar would be a nice new full mount in my trophy room. You just never know. Need to have an idea of priorities and realize as I have already there is plenty more animals left for the next trip back to Africa, and the one after that, and the one after that....

 

[Christina Nyczepir]

Yah. But then there's that thought that "life is short". What if I get hit by a bus tomorrow? Then I'd spend eternity wishing I'd gone after that monster while I had the chance. Just sayin....

 

[LivingTheDream]

I had to take my hat off, bow my head and spend a minute and think this one over as I could not take both

You are a better man than me, I would have probably lit that waterbuck up. But that is a heck of a bushbuck! Congrats!!!

 

[jphilibert]

Yeah had I not taken the bushy it would have haunted me. Especially when I was on AMS's facebook page this past week and saw that a guy there the week after me shot the Waterbuck! I'm happy though

 

[Diamondhitch]

The best advise I can give on this is to decide on a couple "must have" species. Make a small list of critters to pursue once the priorities have been taken but do not limit yourself in any way other than budget. Hunt for the game you picked from the list but rule nothing else out (other than for budgetary reasons) and take whatever comes your way. Define your budget beforehand, tally your trophy fees daily and most importantly memorize, as best you can, the prices of all other critters you may encounter, regardless of interest or lack of before you arrive. It is surprising how often a species that previously (before seeing one in person) can become one of the most treasured or sought after. Once you run out of money relax and enjoy the scenery, culture, weather and your eclectic unanticipated bag of trophies.

 

[Cliffy]

Yes I have nightmares about bushbucks to this day!

 

[Waterguy631]

I printed out the trophy price list thinking about attaching it to my rifle stock.lol

 

[EDD]

Take Senior Management with!!!! AKA "THE WIFE"
Problem Solved!!!!!!!

 

[johnnyblues]

You are a better man than me, I would have probably lit that waterbuck up. But that is a heck of a bushbuck! Congrats!!!

I am with you .If my Ph say's anything near "when can drop the trophy fee some" thats a dead species. And I would have taken the waterbuck too. The way I look at it I have months in between the shipment getting here and the taxidermy being completed...I can worry about saving "up" the cash during that time

 

[LivingTheDream]

Yeah I am planning my "must have" list now. It goes from 1 of the following Kudu, Waterbuck, Nyala to getting a combination of some other sort of animals, and then I think of the shipping bill and taxidermy and then it changes again. It is a vicious cycle..hopefully the PH whispers we can drop the price when something walks out. Hopefully their are some cull animals as well which eliminates some of the costs but gives me some fun. Either way, looks like the credit card will take a hit!

 

[dory]

Yeah I am planning my "must have" list now. It goes from 1 of the following Kudu, Waterbuck, Nyala to getting a combination of some other sort of animals, and then I think of the shipping bill and taxidermy and then it changes again. It is a vicious cycle..hopefully the PH whispers we can drop the price when something walks out. Hopefully their are some cull animals as well which eliminates some of the costs but gives me some fun. Either way, looks like the credit card will take a hit!

Unfortunately not many outfits take credit cards , infact some of the more remote locations struggle with internet and phone coverage .
I have been really lucky that the outfit i am hunting with next month in Namibia have just got credit card facilities on . Yahoo !
Otherwise it would have been hard cash , Hard to book up cash .
I can shoot a bit more than i can really afford now and worry about it later .
Looking for someone who takes major credit cards could be part of choosing my next hunt .
But they seem to be few and far between .

 

[Diamondhitch]

Yeah I am planning my "must have" list now. It goes from 1 of the following Kudu, Waterbuck, Nyala to getting a combination of some other sort of animals, and then I think of the shipping bill and taxidermy and then it changes again. It is a vicious cycle..hopefully the PH whispers we can drop the price when something walks out. Hopefully their are some cull animals as well which eliminates some of the costs but gives me some fun. Either way, looks like the credit card will take a hit!

Don't worry about dip/ship bill or shipping in SA, unless you are bringing back a cape buff or giraffe, your bill will not change appreciably.

Ditto on Taxidermy. Have Universal Trophy services in Pretoria (no others in SA that I know of) or a good NA tannery, tan your capes then freeze them until you can afford to mount them. In the mean time you will have the cleaned skulls as a great trophy.

***Note: DO NOT just allow anyone in SA to "tan" your capes!!! There are far more that will make you wish you had never met them than quality tanneries. Universal is top notch and you will not be sorry allowing them to process your hides.***

 

[johnnyblues]

Unfortunately not many outfits take credit cards , infact some of the more remote locations struggle with internet and phone coverage .
I have been really lucky that the outfit i am hunting with next month in Namibia have just got credit card facilities on . Yahoo !
Otherwise it would have been hard cash , Hard to book up cash .
I can shoot a bit more than i can really afford now and worry about it later .
Looking for someone who takes major credit cards could be part of choosing my next hunt .
But they seem to be few and far between .

Dory , you would be surprised alot of guys take credit cards...My guy in Namibia also takes them but I m thinking I will pay any additional trophy fee's in cash to avoid exchange rate fee's plus the additional 2/3% the PH wants if using a credit card.

 

[dory]

My outfit hasnt mentioned a higher price if i use my card .
2 or 3% would add up in a hurry , is that the norm ?
Everyone i talked to seemed to want cash , but i only looked hard in Namibia and i know phone and internet
are not always reliable , that could have been the reason .
Cheers Dory .

 

[johnnyblues]

Everyone I spoke with said I needed to add the service charge if I use a card. I was originally going to use it then decided to bring the cash. You should double check with your PH.

 

[dory]

Everyone I spoke with said I needed to add the service charge if I use a card. I was originally going to use it then decided to bring the cash. You should double check with your PH.

Thanks for that , dont know if ill talk to them again
Takes a few days to get a reply from Namibia and i start the journey next week .
Might have to take the gamble , they are pretty straight up people .

 

[johnnyblues]

I would plan on the service charge. Maybe you can check their website and see if it mentions it. Or maybe your client contract. Best of luck. Look forward to your report.

 

[dory]

I would plan on the service charge. Maybe you can check their website and see if it mentions it. Or maybe your client contract. Best of luck. Look forward to your report.

Cheers mate .
Im away for a month , leave next thursday .

 

[enysse]

I did have to practice some patience though as I really wanted a bushbuck but had seen a really nice old Waterbuck bull (also on my hit list) on this property. Walking out of the woods after not seeing the Bushbuck the last night guess who was standing in a field at 70 yards broadside? Yeah... Mr. Waterbuck and to boot my PH whispered to me that the outfitter would "drop the trophy fee down"! I had to take my hat off, bow my head and spend a minute and think this one over as I could not take both if I wanted to have a home to come home to (although I thought to myself maybe I could live in the taxidermy shipping crate if it was bigger? ).

That waterbuck would have been dead if it had been me, I have very little patience.

 

[MikeNC]

I have a list and I hope to stick to it.. I know that might not be the case lol.