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Message
Africa hunting trip
Posted on 12/19/21 at 3:01 pm
Posted on 12/19/21 at 3:01 pm
Just won a heavily discounted hunting trip to South Africa next year in July via a charity raffle. It is through Kuche Safaris and is a 7 day trip which includes all meals and lodging as well as the trophy fees for a Blue Wildabeast, Impala, and Warthog all $550. The flight would be on me (free to me via CC points). Since I'd be over there I would also add on a Gemsbuck ($1200) and a Kudu ($1600). They also field dress and prep animals for taxidermy.
So I'd be looking at a 7 day meals/drinks/lodging included trip with a trophy Blue Wildabeast, Impala, Warthog, Gemsbuck, & Kudu for $3250 (not sure how much a crate for shipping back the prepped animals for taxidermy will be I need to figure that out).
Mainly curious to get opinions/knowledge/recommendations/first hand experiences from people who have done a South Africa trip, and hopefully specifically via Kuche Safaris although that's probably a reach. Everything I've read online from trip reports I can find via other forums seem to be very positive but figured couldn't hurt to ask here as well.
So I'd be looking at a 7 day meals/drinks/lodging included trip with a trophy Blue Wildabeast, Impala, Warthog, Gemsbuck, & Kudu for $3250 (not sure how much a crate for shipping back the prepped animals for taxidermy will be I need to figure that out).
Mainly curious to get opinions/knowledge/recommendations/first hand experiences from people who have done a South Africa trip, and hopefully specifically via Kuche Safaris although that's probably a reach. Everything I've read online from trip reports I can find via other forums seem to be very positive but figured couldn't hurt to ask here as well.
14
Posted on 12/19/21 at 3:09 pm to DukeSilver
quote:
Just won a heavily discounted hunting trip to South Africa
Cool! Don’t drink the water…
Posted on 12/19/21 at 4:45 pm to DukeSilver
Can you bring any of the meat back?
Posted on 12/19/21 at 4:54 pm to DukeSilver
Shipping everything back and getting it all mounted is going to be expensive as frick.
Posted on 12/19/21 at 5:03 pm to DukeSilver
Sounds awesome, post pics of the whole trip not just the harvest! Is it a fenced thing or the WMA equivalent?
Also, that site has a bunch of hunters standing over a giraffe, call me a soft American but wtf
Also, that site has a bunch of hunters standing over a giraffe, call me a soft American but wtf
Posted on 12/19/21 at 5:20 pm to wileyjones
set your mind on what specific animal you will want when you see it(and they will make sure you see it) -ie Leopard,lion etc and how much trophy fee, mount, shipping will be - much higher for more desirable animals - I priced myself out of trip
Posted on 12/19/21 at 5:37 pm to DukeSilver
Fair warning, my buddy in the office took his dad last year and shot a Cape buffalo and plains game. Their taxi just called and everything is done but the shipping bill is $15k right now.
Posted on 12/19/21 at 6:29 pm to 10MTNTiger
quote:Not concerned with mounting, I've already talked to my taxidermy so I know what that will cost up front, and that wouldn't change whether I got them in Africa or on a Texas ranch.
Shipping everything back and getting it all mounted is going to be expensive as frick.
quote:Yeah, I've already set my limit at the above I won't be going after the higher dollar stuff so my $3250 cost won't change. I MIGHT add a Zebra on for $1200 since I'd already be there but even then I'm under $4500 for a week long Africa trip with 5 animals. I couldn't shoot those animals in Texas for that much.
set your mind on what specific animal you will want when you see it(and they will make sure you see it) -ie Leopard,lion etc and how much trophy fee, mount, shipping will be - much higher for more desirable animals - I priced myself out of trip
quote:This is the main issue I'd have to figure out before committing. I won't be going after the high dollar (buffalo, lion, leopard, etc) stuff like I said above, but shipping is my only unknown as of now.
Fair warning, my buddy in the office took his dad last year and shot a Cape buffalo and plains game. Their taxi just called and everything is done but the shipping bill is $15k right now.
I would be going with a decent group, could be as many as 6-10 of us. I'm guessing we'd be able to cut down on shipping just by bulk which would lower the cost for each of us rather than just being over there alone but that's just an assumption.
This post was edited on 12/19/21 at 6:56 pm
Posted on 12/19/21 at 6:52 pm to DukeSilver
Are you committed to shoulder mounts? My neighbor and his wife go every year and he has a couple things mounted but a ton of euro mounts. They look incredible. He has them in every room and on his back porch
Posted on 12/19/21 at 7:17 pm to DukeSilver
You may want to check on taxidermy. At one time you couldn’t ship back here. You had to have taxidermy done there and then ship the finished mounts back to America.
Also don’t forget gratuities. They add up on a 7 day trip and you’ll have a few people helping you.
Edit— oh and good luck!!!!
Also don’t forget gratuities. They add up on a 7 day trip and you’ll have a few people helping you.
Edit— oh and good luck!!!!
This post was edited on 12/19/21 at 7:18 pm
Posted on 12/19/21 at 8:12 pm to TrueTiger
quote:
Can you bring any of the meat back?
No.
USDA regulations. I learned that hunting stag in Argentina.
ETA: for your trophies, talk with the guide about a broker to handle your shipment back to the states. Talk with your local taxidermist and make sure he will accept shipments and you’re good. Just have to pay the broker ($1-2000ish)
This post was edited on 12/19/21 at 8:14 pm
Posted on 12/19/21 at 8:18 pm to JDPndahizzy
Arrange to ship via surface transport. it will take 3-6 months but is way cheaper. Did that from Keyna. for 250 lbs. Getting an agent for US customs has good value also. Severe penalties for anything on an endangered list. including serious jail time.
Posted on 12/19/21 at 8:49 pm to wileyjones
I’m a soft arse white boy but I don’t think I could take a monkey or a giraffe.
Posted on 12/19/21 at 9:02 pm to CBLSU316
I think it’s a cool trip; assuming with Covid it will even happen…
Posted on 12/19/21 at 9:20 pm to CBLSU316
I’m with CB,no way I could shoot a giraffe.Not too sure I could shoot a zebra either.
The only one of all those critters I would love to shoot and get mounted would be a warthog.
The only one of all those critters I would love to shoot and get mounted would be a warthog.
Posted on 12/19/21 at 10:38 pm to DukeSilver
Lived in SA for 3yrs for work. Your best bet and least expensive would be to have the taxidermy done there and shipped to the US. Helluva lot cheaper and they do quality work.
If I remember correctly you can not bring any meat or carcus back to the US. Get your tax done there and ship home much cheaper.
If I remember correctly you can not bring any meat or carcus back to the US. Get your tax done there and ship home much cheaper.
Posted on 12/19/21 at 10:43 pm to DownHome
quote:
If I remember correctly you can not bring any meat or carcus back to the US. Get your tax done there and ship home much cheaper.
Good to know, I was assuming the other way around for shipping just do to the size of crates that would be needed for completed mounts vs all in one box.
And yeah, you get to eat the meat while you’re there but the remainder gets donated to local villages because you can’t bring it back.
This post was edited on 12/19/21 at 10:44 pm
Posted on 12/19/21 at 11:29 pm to DukeSilver
After it’s all said and done, your trip will end up costing you $10,000 ~ $12,000.
$1200 ~ $2000 airfare
$200 per day for PH Guide fees.
$250 tip to Tracker for trip.
$200 for the cook.
$100 each for lodge wait staff and housekeeping.
$100 for Skinners for entire trip
You take care of them, and they will take care of you.
You’ll spend approx. $500+ on souvenir gifts in town for family (wife & kids).
$1500 - Dip, crate, ship from RSA to US.
$150-$200 - A basic euro mount in Africa.
$750 - $1000 Taxi work in the States per shoulder mount
$1200 - Pedestal mount
$1200 ~ $2000 airfare
$200 per day for PH Guide fees.
$250 tip to Tracker for trip.
$200 for the cook.
$100 each for lodge wait staff and housekeeping.
$100 for Skinners for entire trip
You take care of them, and they will take care of you.
You’ll spend approx. $500+ on souvenir gifts in town for family (wife & kids).
$1500 - Dip, crate, ship from RSA to US.
$150-$200 - A basic euro mount in Africa.
$750 - $1000 Taxi work in the States per shoulder mount
$1200 - Pedestal mount
This post was edited on 12/19/21 at 11:52 pm
Posted on 12/20/21 at 6:03 am to Got Blaze
These figures are pretty accurate. My hunting buddy just got back from his second trip over. He’s done European mounts for almost all of his, the exception being a trophy warthog he took on this trip that will be a shoulder mount. Absolutely have all the taxidermy done over there, getting anything into the states otherwise is nearly impossible. Cannot bring any meat home, but you should be eating it for dinner and breakfast the entire trip. Much of it gets donated to local villages, which keeps relationships very cordial. He got out a couple of weeks ahead of the lockdown.
Oh, and for both his trips, he kept a handwritten journal chronicling the trip, leaving spaces for photos once he got back. It made for a fascinating read, and a great record of what for most is a once in a lifetime trip. I think he said he was in for somewhere between $12-15K, but a chunk of that was his business class airline ticket. Not sure that includes taxidermy costs.
Oh, and for both his trips, he kept a handwritten journal chronicling the trip, leaving spaces for photos once he got back. It made for a fascinating read, and a great record of what for most is a once in a lifetime trip. I think he said he was in for somewhere between $12-15K, but a chunk of that was his business class airline ticket. Not sure that includes taxidermy costs.
Posted on 12/20/21 at 7:52 am to DukeSilver
Did a bowhunting plains game trip to SA pre-covid and shot two impala, warthog and kudu. I had the kudu euro mounted,$200, had the wart hog skull bronze plated, $450 and the two impala skulls were euro mounts and mounted on a Zulu shield $650. Total taxidermy work was $1,300 and it was all great work. $1,100 to have them crated and shipped to Atlanta. Shipping costs would obviously be more if these had been shoulder mounts. I think I paid the customs broker in Atlanta $500 to clear customs which is a set fee regardless of crate size. I picked the trophies up at the custom brokers warehouse near the airport in ATL so you would have additional costs if you wanted it shipped somewhere else in the States.
The tip costs discussed earlier were dead on. We also tipped the driver that took us to and from the airport, about a five hour drive to the camp. Once you are at the camp there is no place to spend money. Alcohol was even included in the price. Below is a link to the taxidermist we used. I couldn't find the price list they sent but I'm sure they would send it if you email them. Usually the outfitter will have a taxidermist they work with and will drop your trophies off after the hunt. Great communication with the taxidermist and the customs broker. Really easy to deal with and they sent pictures as they were working on the mounts and after they were done.
Link to Highveld Taxidermy
LINK /
Link to Africa Hunting BB. May be able to find info on your outfitter.
LINK /
The tip costs discussed earlier were dead on. We also tipped the driver that took us to and from the airport, about a five hour drive to the camp. Once you are at the camp there is no place to spend money. Alcohol was even included in the price. Below is a link to the taxidermist we used. I couldn't find the price list they sent but I'm sure they would send it if you email them. Usually the outfitter will have a taxidermist they work with and will drop your trophies off after the hunt. Great communication with the taxidermist and the customs broker. Really easy to deal with and they sent pictures as they were working on the mounts and after they were done.
Link to Highveld Taxidermy
LINK /
Link to Africa Hunting BB. May be able to find info on your outfitter.
LINK /
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