Top 10 Beginner African Plains Game

[seattlesetters]

Just wondering what your top 10 trophy list would be for a first-timer to Namibia or RSA.

Trophy fees in Africa have gone up immensely in the last few years and I can go on several guided USA elk hunts for the price of an even modest safari, so please keep fees at the top of mind. Perhaps mostly inexpensive animals and a few of the more desired “expensive” trophies.

I’ll probably pick five or six based on area, outfitter and price but want a good idea of what might make the experience top-notch for a first-timer on a limited budget.

I’ll take a 6.5 Creedmoor shooting 127 grain Barnes LRX and a .338 Federal shooting 185 grain TTSX. Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 40394]

I’m my opinion an Africa hunt is cheaper. The taxidermy isn’t though. A nice elk hunt is what $6000 average. You can kill 5-6 animals in Africa for that if you do some research. I’m going in 2020 for the first time.

 

[K-man]

Without being condescending, have you looked under the "deals and offers" on this website? one that stand out to me is the offer by Game4Africa safaris that is 7 animals and day rates for under $5k. I think prices have actually been going down in the last few years. I have hunted with them myself and posted a report. Your choice of guns is more than adequate, you could even consider only taking one. Good luck with your search!

 

[revturbo9967]

guided elk prices have gone through the roof. Wyoming archery hunt is 7500 plus tag and preference points . New Mexico is in the 11k range for some areas. i hunted guided public land for elk and paid 4500 plus tags and travel. not cheap
yes prices have gone up in africa but nothing is more expensive then the ole mighty usa

i have yet to hunt africa but the animals i plan to hunt are kudu, zebra, blue wildebeest, black wildebeest, hartebeest, gemsbok, warthog, springbok, impala, blesbuck and maybe steenbuck. in the process of looking for a place i feel comfortable hunting

 

[seattlesetters]

I’m my opinion an Africa hunt is cheaper. The taxidermy isn’t though. A nice elk hunt is what $6000 average. You can kill 5-6 animals in Africa for that if you do some research. I’m going in 2020 for the first time.

Yeah, I figure with taxidermy and flight and day or two on each end, Africa for 7-10 day hunt for 5-7 animals should run about $20K. I can do four elk hunts for that.

That’s not a gripe and I am not saying this is an either-or type of thing. It’s just some perspective.

I’m really looking for what animals to concentrate on in which areas and how to stretch the dollar by making four or five of those animals “value” propositions.

 

[Deleted member 40394]

Kudu, gems, red hart, zebra, black and blue wildebeest, impala, blesbok, nyala, bushbuck

 

[Deleted member 40394]

That’s about right but you could get to 10 animals and mount all of em for 20k.

 

[Deleted member 40394]

I already basically have my mounts planned and I am 2 years out. I want to wall pedestal everything and my costs will be around $8500

 

[revturbo9967]

Yeah, I figure with taxidermy and flight and day or two on each end, Africa for 7-10 day hunt for 5-7 animals should run about $20K. I can do four elk hunts for that.

That’s not a gripe and I am not saying this is an either-or type of thing. It’s just some perspective.

I’m really looking for what animals to concentrate on in which areas and how to stretch the dollar by making four or five of those animals “value” propositions.

i don't think anyone can tell you what to hunt. only you can figure that out. i wouldn't attempt to make it work finically just to try and get there. my father in law hunted africa and had a budget package that cost 3700 for 6 animals. he was very happy with the trophies he harvested, but wish he budgeted more . there is always more you want to hunt

and those 4 elk hunts have no guarantees unless you're hunting fenced property. you only pay for what you harvest in africa

 

[seattlesetters]

I have a guest/observer, too.

 

[Deleted member 40394]

Yea in my opinion if you are going to fly over there then make it a big trip 10 days minimum and have enough money to be able to be flexible and shoot more animals if the opportunity presents itself.

 

[billc]

It is all about looking for the right deal.. South africa breaks down in basically 3 prices range. You have impala, blesbuck, duiker. steenbuck, warthog, springbuck in the 300 to 450 range.

Then you have blue wildebeest, black wildebeest, red hartebeest,zebra and oryx in the 750 to 1000 range.

next group is kudu ,nyala ,waterbuck ,eland, in the 1600 to 2000 range.

There is other animals but those are some of the more common in south africa. You can find place that charge more for them all but with good research you can have a good hunt for above prices.

Day fees will vary but I have not seen a better time then now to go to SA even with taking someone else with you fees are down overall.

Namibia has other prices and some great deals also.

The best thing you can do is make your list and then match it up with the places you may want to go. Talk with them and then pick the place you think will work best for you.

 

[BRICKBURN]

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/top-10-plains-game-trophies.21313/

 

[seattlesetters]

I’d certainly adjust my two or three “expensive” animals for where I end up....like maybe kudu and Bushbuck in Limpopo, gemsbok and kudu in northern Namibia, Nyala and Bushbuck in the East Cape or KzN, etc.

The only two that are for sure on the list are impala and warthog. Zebra more than likely, as well. All three just scream “Africa!” to me.

I’d add one or two higher priced and two or three bargain priced to those and be very happy. Trophy size is less important than enjoying the experience and hunting the indigenous animals in the region selected.

 

[postoak]

It's hardly fair to compare the cost of shooting several animals in Africa PLUS the taxidermy to an elk hunt with taxidermy on only one animal. A trophy elk hunt at Vermeho Park is $20,000 BTW.

 

[seattlesetters]

It's hardly fair to compare the cost of shooting several animals in Africa PLUS the taxidermy to an elk hunt with taxidermy on only one animal. A trophy elk hunt at Vermeho Park is $20,000 BTW.

Also difficult to factor in an extra freezer full of a couple hundred pounds of elk meat.

It’s really just that all the folks I’ve talked to who have done “$5,000.00 package hunts” in RSA or Namibia have told me they ended up spending between $15-20k when they add up everything spent on the trip from the planning stages to the last trophy finding its final display position in the trophy room.

 

[brandondd24]

It’s true after everything added up its spendy to hunt Africa, but remember you will hunt multiple animals, and have your hides wet tanned, then you can spread out the taxidermy cost back home

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think the animal choice is really up to you. I’m headed over in a month with Game4africa, to me they seemed to have the best combination of quality, value and customer service. They also run very High success on my top two animals, kudu and impala. After that we will see what Africa has to offer and how the budget is doing. I think Africa has a lot of value for the dollar compared to a lot of hunts here in the states.

 

[mikeinarkansas]

Going for the first time in May. My list is Kudu, Gemsbok, Zebra, Impala, and Warthog. I’d like a Baboon if we run across one. And I might add a Springbok. But the first 5 for sure.

 

[Hunting Sailor]

@seattlesettlers the price etc has been covered above by others, but you also asked about the top 10.

You’ve been around here on AH way longer than I have, so I guess the below is nothing extraordinary.

Top 10 Beginners Plains Game for Southern Africa in no particular order.

1 Kudu
2 Impala
3 Zebra
4 Warthog
5 Springbok
6 Duiker
7 Steenbok
8 Blue Wildebeest
9 Gemsbok (Oryx)
10 Blesbok

5-6 of those above in a mixed bag with 7-10 days of hunting all inclusive shouldn’t be too hard to find either here in AH or elsewhere for $5K.

What you do before and after, ways and means of travel, taxidermy etc, would of course add to the “total”.

Good luck with the planning and hope you get what you want.

//Gus