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Reputable African Bowhunts Reasonably Priced

6K views 26 replies 13 participants last post by  Bow God 
#1 ·
Does anyone know of a few outfitters for a decent priced african bowhunt? doesnt have to be fancy. Take a few animals. Warthog, impala, kudu?

Feel free to post some pics and links

rick
 
#2 ·
We've made three trips. Sounds like you would be happy with Limcroma in the Limpopo province of South Africa. A wide variety of game and plenty of it. They have a comprehensive web site (?Limcroma.com?) that I recommend you check.

I've done a lot of research on this subject, and what I've learned is that most hunts cost about the same if you look at the big picture. Daily rates, trophy fees, and airport transfer charges vary, but when you add it all up there's not a great deal of difference. What can run the price up a bit is if you have to add an extra flight. Like if you fly into S. Africa and catch another flight to a neighboring country.

I will be sending you an email shortly.
 
#6 ·
Depends on the critters. Dangerous game? I have no idea.

Plains game (antelope, swine, primates, small varmints and small cats) you can figure about $12,000 plus taxidermy. This assuming you'll take 5 to 8 critters probably not including the really high dollar stuff like Sable and such.

The really big variable is airfare. Some flights are a lot cheaper than others, but you pay the personal price. First trip we took Egypt Air from Amsterdam to J'burg and back the same airlines. Never again. Not worth any cost savings you may see. My wife will no longer even say the word "Egypt".

On three trips we've not really had to spend any cash for flights. Airline credit cards can be really helpful. We can usually book seats on miles in early January for a July or August trip.

Not counting the taxidermy bill it's not out of line with a fully guided Western trip and surely cheaper than sheep or goats, and maybe even cheaper than a brown bear hunt. But, the downside is having enough wall space for all those heads. A decent Kudu sticks out about 3 feet from the wall and is about 5 feet tall.

What a problem to have, huh?
 
#8 ·
i cant spend that kind of money. I really am not that picky and dont need the best. If i could get a warthog, impala, kudu or bleskbok,etc and do the whole trip for $5k i would be happy

I have been doing some research. Seems really possible with limbcroma and they have a great reputation.

rick
 
#9 ·
I surely hold Limcroma in high regard. On our trip the owner, US reps, PH's, and staff were excellent.

Warthog, Impala, Blesbok are all but guaranteed. Kudu is very close to guaranteed for an average size critter. Here I'm talking really good shot opportunities, the rest, of course, is up to you. I have a friend that went last year for Cape Buffalo. Had a really nice set-up on a very good bull at close range. Shot right over his back. Nocked another arrow and shot right over his back. The PH took his bow away from him and layed it on the ground. Talked with him and got him settled down and then let him take the 3rd shot. Double lunged him, but not a passthru. Best I remember the PH found him 3 days later and put him down with a rifle. Butchering proved that it was a double lung hit. This whole process was videoed, but he didn't offer to let me watch it. I probably wouldn't have either. LOL

Face it, whoever walks into your house will never have any idea if that Kudu, or whatever else, is small, average, or huge. My Kudu is only 49" witch is small. I liked him because he was a full double curl and very mature. No-one yet has asked why I shot such a small Kudu except my hunting partner. It's not unusual to see 55 to 58" bulls that are a curl and a half or 1 3/4 curls.

Do whatever it takes to make the trip. You'll never be the same again. I'm sitting here getting goose bumps just remembering some of those moments.

FWIW -- Some folks go and kill and take only photos with no intention of ever bringing the heads home. Others opt for skull mounts and save the mounting fee. Both of my Warthogs are on the wall as skulls. One way to save some money if you're inclined that way.

Keep researching.
 
#11 ·
i have no intention of getting them mounted. Saves me some big bucks. I like skull mounts and wouldnt need all of them from whatever I shoot necessarily.

I'm looking at doing a $3300 package. $1500 for airfare sounds doable. Add some more for tips,etc. and travel. Still pretty reasonable.

rick
 
#12 ·
Rick,

Thinking back on things, the $12,000 figure I threw out above did include taxidermy.

If you're happy with skulls you'll save at least $5,000 or more.

Your can do the whole import thing yourself and save several hundred more. I've not tried it but have talked with a number of folks that have.

Not sure of the rules here on AT, but you should try Bowsite.com, go to the African sub-forum. Do some searching there. This time of year that sub-forum is not very active, but there's a ton of history.

Just be warned that African hunting is like Ebola or AIDS. It stays with you for life, and there seems to be no known cure. No way you can grasp that at this point-- just know that it exist.

Best of luck to you.
 
#14 ·
Zak Grobler at Sahu Safaris is a great PH. He is also one of Tom Miranda's guys he hunts with over there. I'd tell Zak what you want to kill and a budget and he will accomodate you the best he can. Doing skull mounts will save you some money but shipping is shipping. It depends on the size of the crate and not the number of animals. I opted to use a company to handle customs in ATL but being I lived an hour away, I went and picked them up myself instead of having them shipped to the house. It saved me some money. But regardless, Flight is going to be $1800-$2400, Kudu have a high trophy fee in most places, you have to pay for dip, pack crate of your trophies, shipping to the shipper, shipping to the USA, customs fees with your export company of choice ( unless you do it yourself)....I bet everyone could agree that AFrica trips always cost more than you anticipate. But you cant take it with you when you die so have fun with it! Good Luck
 
#17 ·
check out Jurie Myer safaris went with him in 2004 and can't say enough about my trip! had a good time, very accommodating. 5 arrows and 5 kills
 
#18 ·
The wife and I just bought our airline tickets for what will be our 4th safari with Limcroma Safaris this September. Over the years, we have hunted with them in 3 African countries and all of the provinces of South Africa. When you find an outfitter like Hannes Els, who has earned our trust, it's an easy decision to keep hunting with them. They are priced very reasonably considering the first-class accommodations, and the quality of animals you will be hunting.
 
#20 ·
Where, and, with who will you be hunting?

Be aware that there are apps. that let you plug in you departure, arrival, whatever, and give you a countdown to that time. That will raise your excitement level by several factors.

Will this be your first trip?

What are your target species?

It is exciting, isn't it?
 
#21 ·
August 21-31 in SA with Limcroma (there seven nights). This is my first trip. I have an unreasonable long list of wish animals, but my first and primary is the Kudu. I have always wanted to hunt for Kudu form the first time I read Green Hills of Africa.

I'll do the count down. I have evrything I need and ready to go. Need to verify if I need a form 4457 for my bow and I'm all set.

Very excited and ready to go.
 
#22 ·
Things can change quickly, so I may be way off, but as of this past July we didn't need any forms. On this and a previous trip we were asked to go to a special little room where they looked at some of our gear and had us sign a book. Took no more than 15 minutes.

After you claim your luggage (bow cases come out at a special place due to their size) head for the "Nothing to Declare" door and walk right thru and meet your outfitter.
 
#24 ·
Thinking back on it, there are 2 (or maybe more) places to claim the oversize stuff. Pretty close together. Best I remember they are for different airlines.

We got conflicting answers to our question of which one we should watch. Since there were 2 of us we were able to watch both and remain in sight of each other. Seems that it took about 20 or 30 minutes for the bows to come out after we had collected our duffels. Long enough for me to get nervous, but not so long as to become really worried.

Hope you have a great trip.
 
#25 ·
In South Africa there are plenty of smaller outfitters that charge a lot less than big name ones. Daily rates are typical something like 100-150 USD and trophy fees starting like warthog under 100 USD. If you want to have a guaranteed kills on big farmed trophy animals then big name outfitters are for you. Not that more affordable places don't have big trophies, but you probably won't find those that easily.
 
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