Hi all.

Being new as an outfitter would just like to ask a few things. I have hunted for outfitters for several years but have always wondered about the following.
Interested to know what everyone expects in hunting packages?
I know its normally very good deals on animals and the rest? But would like to know everyones thoughts, concerns and what they look for in the deal. Being a new business I would like to try and meet everyones needs and try help with all the concerns regarding the hunt in South Africa. We have lots of animals, good accommodation, experienced guides and variety of area to hunt what else do you look for? Would you like to hunt one main concession or have the option to hunt two concessions and see more of the Eastern Cape?

Would like to get some feedback on this please if anyone can help.
Thank you to everyone
Juan
ljhuntingsafaris@gmail.com

Price is always going to be my first concern. If everyone is at the same price point, then the beauty of the lodge, the east of getting there and back home again, and which outfitter comes across as the one I feel I'd get along with the best. And most importantly, the outfitter that I feel is going to provide what he says he will. There are a lot of horror stories of bad outfitters, people saying they have trophy quality animals and they don't, and utter disorganization. Massive deposits scare me away. Nickel and dime charging for every little thing, poor communication and a lack of a web presence are also things I avoid when booking a hunt.

Give your potential clients a feeling that everything will be handled properly, from beginning to end. Meet and greet to shipping their trophies to their home country. (Remind them before they leave to have plenty of tags with their address and their taxidermist's address and for them to set up a brokerage company on their side to clear customs, if they so choose.)

Some outfitters get so caught up in the actual hunt portion that they forget that it's all the other little details, travel, trophy care, is the spouse happy, etc., that the client will think of, either happily or angrily, when he's remembering the hunt and considering whether to recommend you to others.

I did a stag hunt in Scotland last year, with a pretty high-end UK outfitter. Once the stags were in the skinning shed, he acted utterly clueless as to how to get simple boiled-out skulls and antlers shipped to me. 'Don't have a lot of hope of ever seeing them again, but I guess there's a chance.

And what Eddie said about "utter disorganization" - Even if, for some reason, you don't have a succinct plan for that day, don't let your client see that. 'Nothing worse than having a guide wake up bleary-eyed and act like he's pulling a plan out of his backside for that day! (I've been on one of those hunts too, here in the states.)

Thanks for asking and thanks for letting me vent! 'Wish you all the success in the world.

Thanks for the replies Eddie and creekrunner. Very good points you guys brought up, I have been around in the hunting industry and have experienced people not really having a plan once animals are shot because they always expect the clients to shoot more which can't always be done. Down here in the Eastern Cape we have a huge selection of trophy animals and some good quality as well, saying that what about the hunting experience? I have also hunted with people that don't care about the experience at all just the "inches" and yes I know the inches are important but is the experience not more important?

Eddie web presence I agree with but being a new outfitter lack of photos on the web is a problem, I have it and know of a couple of friends that have or had the same problem. Creekrunner taxidermy to me is also very important because it seems this is the area where most problems occur.
Thanks guys

The hunting experience has everything to do with the personality of the guide. If he is a dud, the trip is horrible. If the guide is great, everything else seems to be great. I've only hunted the Eastern Cape once, but from what I understand, there are tons of animals just about everywhere there. It's not like compare elk hunting here in the US where some places you can hunt hard all week and never see a mature animal. If I'm seeing animals, I'm happy. If I tell you I want a quality animal, and you say you have it, then I expect to see them. If I can't get the shot, that's hunting. But if you cannot show me the animals, I'm not going to be happy. I hunted in the mountains for Vaal Rhebock, near the Coast for Nyala and along the Orange River for black wildebeest. In two safaris I have most of the planes game animals that I want, so my next trip will be for specific animals. I like the pricing on Cape Buffalo and Sable packages there, but think I really want to experience hunting them either in Zimbabwe or Mozambique. If I'm going to do it, I think paying more for the ultimate experience is worth it. I'm also noticing pricing on those animals in those countries seems to be on the decline. Not as quickly or as dramatically as they are dropping in South Africa, but there does seem to be some correlation.

Hi Eddie did you get a vaal Rhebuck and black wildebeest? Out of the small plains game they are probably some of the nicest animals to hunt, its one of those animals that you know you are going to work for no matter what, more the vaal rhebuck than the black wildebeest but both nice to hunt. We do offer a huge variety of animals in the Eastern Cape and with the game breeding it just helps with quality.

Are there any of the plains game animals that you still need?