Where to start? First trip, lots of options!

[wildfowler.250]

Hi guys, apologies I’ve been flicking through the forum and there’s a wealth of info on here,(you could lose days!) which I will continue to use but thought I’d start joining in.

I’ve been planning a trip to Africa since a kid but now with my 30th a year away, I think it’s time just to get going with it or it’ll soon be for my 40th ect.

My problem is knowing where to start and where I think I really need to break it down to initially is costs. To paint a picture, very average salary but it’ll,(initially) be a one off so I want to do it properly.

As far as I know, I would like to hunt a kudu, impala, springbok, probably a black wildebeest and maybe 1 or two other things,(would ideally like to add something like a nyala in there but keep it simple initially).

Now, trophy fees seem negotiable to some extent. What I need to grasp is the real costs. I would like most of them shoulder mounted,(maybe not the wildebeest) and shipped back to the uk . I’m quite taxidermy fussy - (have had a look at highveld and they look decent) - and don’t want to cut corners on this. Is it really twice the price of the trophy fee to get it home? What am I looking at cost wise for 4-5 shoulder mounts and shipping?

Another thing is how much are you roughly,(piece of string) on tips and things? In no way am I tight, I just want to budget appropriately before booking. I’d rather do it once to a good standard,(probably including accommodation).

In essence I can’t commit until I know what I’m getting myself into.

How far ahead do most places book up? Is a year plenty time? Or is two years for a good venue and time of year more likely?

The only other real issue is whether a .270,(my usual rifle) would be up to it? Would I need to up it from 130 to 150 grain? Or am I selling my gun and buying a 30-06?

I’ve already thought as much as 1) South Africa most realistic destination. 2) I’m okay with high fence as long as it’s a big area. 3) Probably try and do most of it as a spot and stalk / ‘fair chase’ as possible.


Apologies as I know I’ve asked questions which are incredibly variable but it’s these non-quoted prices I really need to get my head around first. Then there’s the vast amount of outfitters to chose from!


Thank you very much for taking the time to read this and any experiences are hugely appreciated!

 

[Ridgewalker]

Welcome to the forum wild Fowler.250!
I would suggest you start out here:
https://www.africahunting.com/community/safari-planning-guide/
Great info!
Build a spreadsheet of your plan with an estimated column and an actual column. That is how I track everything I do financially. Works for me.

Now for some of your questions.

270 Winchester, should work fine for anything you listed. I would move up to 150 grain premium bullets.

Check out the “package deals” the AH sponsors advertise. They have all been pretty well checked out on here. You can search for reports on most. I am not aware of any with high fences that are not of a substantial size. In my experience high fenced animals ca be even spookier to get in range because they have been hunted so much. That said, free ranging animals is a grand experience.

A year ahead in most cases is plenty of time.

You will typically drive around until you spot an animal or find fresh tracks, then start your stalk. Some places though you can actually walk right out of camp and start your spot and stalk for some animals.

Yep the shipping and taxidermy in my experience can double the cost of the trip at least from the USA it can.

There is a good article under Safari Guide above on tipping. That is only a general start. On a DG hunt the tip can go way up. If animals are exceptional, it can go up. If the food is really good...more. If you always want your bullet, add to the skinners. If your clothes get burned when cleaning ... I’d subtract. But if fresh cleaning on time daily ... add.
These are all up to you. It’s your adventure, so you have to decide how to tip.

Oh the first Africa adventure at only 30! If only I had, I could have gone with Selby or Capstick. Good for you starting so young!

 

[Nyati]

Welcome to AH !

I´m sure you will get all kinds of suggestions from our sponsors.

 

[CAustin]

Welc9me to AH sir! Many people here willing to help. There are threads on just about all your subject questions. With regards to pricing I suggest that you go to the deals and offers page and start looking.

 

[RBurg44]

Im about ur age and just got back from my first trip, your askin all same questions i had so let me help ya a bit. 270 is my deer rifle it will do the job for sure but you will certainly need to up to 150 grains. Your list you can prod do for around 5/6k us dollars. Thatll include everything except airfare and taxidermy. Dip and pack run ya like $80/100 per animal and shipping will be around $1000 -/+. As for big fence or not i was good with that too on my first trip now that im planning my second trip i believe im headed to Namibia. Great value and free range is my plan. If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

hi there and welcome welcome welcome

i sent you a pm too on other issues but thought i would answer some of your questions here for benefit of others

a year in advance should be enough, 2 years is actually difficult for most in SA because the exchange rate is quite volatile and who know in 2 years time where it could be

your 270 should be ok, (on well placed shots) definately do the 150 gr option, can only help

there are a lot of good taxidermists around, so keep looking, and be happy when you make a decision.

the animals you picked are a great start for a first hunt, but if you say its a once off, think carefully and take advice from experienced guys

kind regards

 

[Adrian]

Good selection of animals for a first trip.
Add a warthog, a wildebeest and a zebra and you have an ideal list that many sponsors and outfitters here will be happy to help you with.

Taxidermy can be expensive and the shipping costs too for full shoulder mounts so consider getting your trophies dipped and shipped.
The costs will be less and the shipping crate smaller.
You can get the component parts shipped to your address and take them to a taxidermist of your choice at leisure.
Yes it will cost a bit more but you can spread the cost.
I usually do a one in one out arrangement with my taxidermist.

A .270 will do the job with heavier bullets but why not consider a slightly bigger calibre such as the 30-06. It's a popular calibre in Africa for a reason.

As for a one off?

Yeah right.....

You'll go back. In fact you'll be planning your next trip before you return home.

 

[wildfowler.250]

Welcome to the forum wild Fowler.250!
I would suggest you start out here:
https://www.africahunting.com/community/safari-planning-guide/
Great info!
Build a spreadsheet of your plan with an estimated column and an actual column. That is how I track everything I do financially. Works for me.

Now for some of your questions.

270 Winchester, should work fine for anything you listed. I would move up to 150 grain premium bullets.

Check out the “package deals” the AH sponsors advertise. They have all been pretty well checked out on here. You can search for reports on most. I am not aware of any with high fences that are not of a substantial size. In my experience high fenced animals ca be even spookier to get in range because they have been hunted so much. That said, free ranging animals is a grand experience.

A year ahead in most cases is plenty of time.

You will typically drive around until you spot an animal or find fresh tracks, then start your stalk. Some places though you can actually walk right out of camp and start your spot and stalk for some animals.

Yep the shipping and taxidermy in my experience can double the cost of the trip at least from the USA it can.

There is a good article under Safari Guide above on tipping. That is only a general start. On a DG hunt the tip can go way up. If animals are exceptional, it can go up. If the food is really good...more. If you always want your bullet, add to the skinners. If your clothes get burned when cleaning ... I’d subtract. But if fresh cleaning on time daily ... add.
These are all up to you. It’s your adventure, so you have to decide how to tip.

Oh the first Africa adventure at only 30! If only I had, I could have gone with Selby or Capstick. Good for you starting so young!

Thank you! hadn't thought of a spreadsheet so that's a good idea. Glad to hear it. I quite like my rifle,(sako 75) and it does everything I need uk wise so don't really want to change it if its marginal. Am I likely to have to push much beyond 300 yards? I could practice but it would have to be really solid rest for me to be comfortable in any caliber to be honest - I like to get close.

I'll have a look at the safari guide and I'm going to keep this thread as a reference.

Thanks again!

 

[wildfowler.250]

Welc9me to AH sir! Many people here willing to help. There are threads on just about all your subject questions. With regards to pricing I suggest that you go to the deals and offers page and start looking.

Thank you, will do! It's more the prices beyond the obvious trophy fee I need to assess. Theres a lot of things like permits, dip, shipping, ect that are much more complicated than my usual uk hunt.

 

[wildfowler.250]

Im about ur age and just got back from my first trip, your askin all same questions i had so let me help ya a bit. 270 is my deer rifle it will do the job for sure but you will certainly need to up to 150 grains. Your list you can prod do for around 5/6k us dollars. Thatll include everything except airfare and taxidermy. Dip and pack run ya like $80/100 per animal and shipping will be around $1000 -/+. As for big fence or not i was good with that too on my first trip now that im planning my second trip i believe im headed to Namibia. Great value and free range is my plan. If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

Thank you sir. I can easy up to 150 grains. I think you get more margin for error with larger calibers but I will take perople's experiences on here first. Shipping I assume will be £1000 altogether rather than per shoulder mount?

Thanks again!

 

[wildfowler.250]

hi there and welcome welcome welcome

i sent you a pm too on other issues but thought i would answer some of your questions here for benefit of others

a year in advance should be enough, 2 years is actually difficult for most in SA because the exchange rate is quite volatile and who know in 2 years time where it could be

your 270 should be ok, (on well placed shots) definately do the 150 gr option, can only help

there are a lot of good taxidermists around, so keep looking, and be happy when you make a decision.

the animals you picked are a great start for a first hunt, but if you say its a once off, think carefully and take advice from experienced guys

kind regards

Thank you for the PM, appreciate it,(havent had a chance to read it yet but I will respond as soon as I can). I have noticed the currency can come into it. Even when looking at quotes last year, people were saying brexit may affect prices which didn't instil much cofidence.. Theres likely one or two others I'd like to add in - if I miss something out it's an excuse to go back right? I still havent mentioned waterbuck / lechwe and so on!

 

[wildfowler.250]

Good selection of animals for a first trip.
Add a warthog, a wildebeest and a zebra and you have an ideal list that many sponsors and outfitters here will be happy to help you with.

Taxidermy can be expensive and the shipping costs too for full shoulder mounts so consider getting your trophies dipped and shipped.
The costs will be less and the shipping crate smaller.
You can get the component parts shipped to your address and take them to a taxidermist of your choice at leisure.
Yes it will cost a bit more but you can spread the cost.
I usually do a one in one out arrangement with my taxidermist.

A .270 will do the job with heavier bullets but why not consider a slightly bigger calibre such as the 30-06. It's a popular calibre in Africa for a reason.

As for a one off?

Yeah right.....

You'll go back. In fact you'll be planning your next trip before you return home.

Zebra has always intrigued me but I think I'd need a new girlfriend if I came back with one! Even hunting africa itself is contentious,( "why cant you just hunt in the u.k?").

Have you got a rough idea what I would be to shoulder mount 4-5 animals and ship all of them over there?

I had considered having them mounted here. Will I really save that much on shipping? Is it charged per animal or by weight / size? I would have though African taxidermists should do a better job as well?

A 30-06 would be my other option but in truth , it would mean selling my sako and as a first rifle, I'd like to hang onto it if possible.

 

[Adrian]

Zebra has always intrigued me but I think I'd need a new girlfriend if I came back with one! Even hunting africa itself is contentious,( "why cant you just hunt in the u.k?").

Have you got a rough idea what I would be to shoulder mount 4-5 animals and ship all of them over there?

I had considered having them mounted here. Will I really save that much on shipping? Is it charged per animal or by weight / size? I would have though African taxidermists should do a better job as well?

A 30-06 would be my other option but in truth , it would mean selling my sako and as a first rifle, I'd like to hang onto it if possible.

To be honest, zebra didn't interest me until I went. It wasn't even on my list.
But now I will hunt them as a first choice animal. I've had many enjoyable hours chasing both Hartmann's and Burchell's so don't discount them.

With the taxidermy, shoulder mounts will obviously take up more room to ship.
A shoulder mounted Kudu is a big thing and wouldn't even fit in the crate I had hides and horns shipped to the UK in.
Add another three or four and it's a large crate which will take up space.
I believe the volume of such crates are how prices are calculated.

Hides are flat packed and the horns come as a whole skull so obviously the crate will be smaller and therefore cost less to get to you.

There are many good African taxidermists and if you search a few threads here, some not so good ones.

You can get your mounts done in Africa of course and it will be cheaper but if there is a problem, a breakage or damage or a moth eaten cape that's been patched up you will have a battle to get money back and then still have to pay a taxidermist in the UK to fix it.

So it roughly evens out.

Taxidermy done in Africa will be cheaper but the shipping more expensive for shoulder mounts.

Dipped and shipped will be cheaper to ship but shoulder mounts more expensive to get done in the UK.

Your Sako in .270 will do the job perfectly if you shoot it well and accurately with premium 150gr bullets.
And if the rifle has sentimental value then you should keep it. I would recommend Norma Oryx bullets if you can get hold of them.

Can you apply for another calibre on your licence?
If you book a trip then you have 'good reason' to apply and should be granted another.
Even if you don't end up taking it.....
Which police force do you come under?

 

[wildfowler.250]

To be honest, zebra didn't interest me until I went. It wasn't even on my list.
But now I will hunt them as a first choice animal. I've had many enjoyable hours chasing both Hartmann's and Burchell's so don't discount them.

With the taxidermy, shoulder mounts will obviously take up more room to ship.
A shoulder mounted Kudu is a big thing and wouldn't even fit in the crate I had hides and horns shipped to the UK in.
Add another three or four and it's a large crate which will take up space.
I believe the volume of such crates are how prices are calculated.

Hides are flat packed and the horns come as a whole skull so obviously the crate will be smaller and therefore cost less to get to you.

There are many good African taxidermists and if you search a few threads here, some not so good ones.

You can get your mounts done in Africa of course and it will be cheaper but if there is a problem, a breakage or damage or a moth eaten cape that's been patched up you will have a battle to get money back and then still have to pay a taxidermist in the UK to fix it.

So it roughly evens out.

Taxidermy done in Africa will be cheaper but the shipping more expensive for shoulder mounts.

Dipped and shipped will be cheaper to ship but shoulder mounts more expensive to get done in the UK.

Your Sako in .270 will do the job perfectly if you shoot it well and accurately with premium 150gr bullets.
And if the rifle has sentimental value then you should keep it. I would recommend Norma Oryx bullets if you can get hold of them.

Can you apply for another calibre on your licence?
If you book a trip then you have 'good reason' to apply and should be granted another.
Even if you don't end up taking it.....
Which police force do you come under?

Brilliant reply, thank you. What I'll do is email a taxidermist here to get an idea of costs,(I've used "pennine taxidermy" before for my CWD ). If theres any other uk based taxidermists you would recommend then happy to hear them.

I was using nosler accubonds in 130 grain and impressed with them but switching to sierra prohunters to see if I can get smaller groups. There is an accubond 150 grain long range which I could look at and I will have a read of the Orxy.

Im police scotland and couldnt see a problem there but I think a change or rifle would add another grand or two onto the project. I could chop both my tikka and sako in for a blaser 30-06 but neither of my rifles are in production any more and ideally I'd like to hold onto them

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Welcome to the forum @wildfowler.250 !

Please be so kind to drop me a PM. It will be my pleasure to present you with some ideas and answers regarding a possible trip.

All the best with your planning,

Take Care,
Marius Goosen

 

[johnnyv]

Welcome to AH. We sent you a personal message.

Looking forward to your response.

Regards

The Wintershoek Safaris Team

 

[CAustin]

Thank you, will do! It's more the prices beyond the obvious trophy fee I need to assess. Theres a lot of things like permits, dip, shipping, ect that are much more complicated than my usual uk hunt.

You might PM @norfolk shooter who is a member here and lives in UK. He may be able to answer some specific questions with regards to getting items shipped to the UK.

 

[GAME Trackers AFRICA]

Hi Sir

Welcome to AH. We have some excellent safari packages for first time hunters. We have a excellent free range hunting area in South Africa - Eastern Cape. Should you require more information. Please feel free to contact us at magdel@gtasafari/jaco@gtasafari.com
Thank you

 

[Limcroma Safaris]

 

[jeff]

A word of warning, before your first trip is over you'll be planning your next!!!! It's addicting!