Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa choosing outfitter/PH/etc

kind of interested in how folks go about picking an outfitter in Africa, when there are some right on the campfire, and are known quality, etc. I see names of outfitters, farms, etc., we've never heard of, which isn't that hard, probably a lot of them we haven't heard of. Where are ya'll getting the names, etc. And what made you choose who you did?

I think the best way is to go to one of the shows (DSC, SCI,or a regional one ) and talk to different outfitters that offer your desired species. It will help you determine if your personalities mesh. Then do your research on the web (here and accurate reloading are 2 of the best sources). for reviews of your prospects.

What he said!

donsm70

Referral/references. Picking 'em by guess or the internet is asking for trouble.

Second that.
There is no substitute for personal experience, IMO.

If it is your first time, going through a booking agency may be best. You will have a ton of questions and getting answers from somebody who is available and knowledgeable is very comforting. Also once you have narrowed your search to a few outfitters, finding out which shows they will be at and meeting with them is very helpful.

ghost.. I won't disagree with the advice already given, it's good. I might suggest that you do a couple things before you start those steps, though.

First, decide what it is you really want to hunt, and what grade of trophy you'll be satisfied with should it turn out that you'll only get to hunt for that species one time in your life. If you just go with a vague idea of what you want to hunt, you're going to have a much harder time selecting location and outfitter. So do your personal inventory.

Now, this doesn't mean you can or should put together a plains game list: "First, I want a kudu, then I want to shoot a gemsbok, then a klipspringer, then a warthog..." etc, etc. Africa will offer you what she will offer you when you get there, and your plains game takings will in large part happen as the various animals present themselves during your hunt.

But if you really want a good (50" plus) greater kudu or a really good (45" plus) sable more than anything else, then make sure you put that at the top of your list and tell anybody you talk to about your hunt that this is your priority. Most hunting locales will have a broad spectrum of plains game, but they may not have a great selection of the species you really lust after.

Also, if your one and only African experience wouldn't be complete without one of the dangerous game species then make that your priority from the outset and don't waste your money and time looking at general plains game... you'll probably be able to shoot a few good plains game heads on a DG hunt, but don't waste dollars on klipspringers when what you really want is leopard.

Second thing: once you know what it is you'd like to hunt, start culling countries and regions from your list by availability and price of your intended quarry. For example, I discarded South Africa as a destination for my recent safari because my primary quarry was Cape buffalo, and SA simply can't compete with Zimbabwe or Tanzania for numbers and size of buff, nor on the basis of price (MUCH higher trophy fees in SA, at this time).

Once you've selected species and country/region, it's time to start talking to PH's, and that's where your compadres here on the 'Fire can help you with referrals.

Good luck in your search!

Been over 4 times, 1st through Jack Atcheson in 1972, last 3, through a reference by John Barsness, and one guy I met through the campfire, and one a management hunt. Only problem I've had was not tent hunts, or out in the boonies where lions might be heard, and no real, around the campfire BSing. Thanks for the input. Was mostly asking because see folks saying how they went with this or that outfitter, etc., and wondered, where did they find this guy? Have been to the big sportsmen's show at Harrisburg a number of times, but trying to talk to outfitters seemed difficult as most of them, to me, were evasive on what's really there, and such. But I now know folks in Africa, I can rely on for good information. Like I was saying, mostly interested in why others seemed to come up with their outfitters. I tried on a few occasions to refer folks with "who to go to" to people to talk to, in one case the head of the Namibian PH association, but think they never did. Thanks for the input folks. Your suggestions will probably help a number of others who read this post. BTW, when I went over in 72, went to a new farm just opening to hunters, and the person who sent up over there, said since we were the 3rd people this farm had had, and all 3 hunters were named Jack (Jack Atcheson, Jack O'Connor and I), they were wondering if all American men were named Jack. I revisited the place in Namibia in 2009, when on a mgt hunt further south, and it had become even better. We saw 27 Kudu in one day, and lots of other game. I agree with knowing what you want, before you go over. Again,thanks for the input.

I think one of the reasons for our success is having lived there and become a PH in South Africa with an outfitter license and then living in the USA to run the business now.

This is a huge advantage over most other hunting business's in Southern Africa. Speaking, reading and writing English, and being in a functional time zone to help communicate with all the hunters going over is quite confidence inspiring to them.

Having our hunters consulted by an actual professional hunter that has spent over 20 years in the bush and now running the business. Directly on the properties being hunted. Being available on the phone any time they have a question, and being able to answer anything asked without the usual " booking agent" reply of " I'll find out and get back to you. There is no middle man here with us.

You deal with a PH, Business owner, and get my cell phone to ask any spur of the moment question you, your wife, or your hunting group may have. You can text, email, or call. I'm in the Pacific time in the USA most of the year now.

Going to a show is a fair way to differentiate outfitters, but it's tough to monopolize the time of a man in a booth with the amount of people that are waiting to talk. Then when that show outfitter/ PH leaves to go back to RSA. The communication becomes far more difficult with a 6-10 hour time change, and poor cell connections. The folks in RSA that are not sitting in an office but rather away in the bush with the nature of the business they are in.

This was the way the birth of the "booking agent" was developed. They are the local USA travel agent representing the outfitters they sell hunts for. That business team may have been to the property and with the owners one time, or maybe a few trips, or quite possibly never been to the location!

Even with a few visits, there are a lot of decisions and questions they will not answer because they don't have 100% control of the price structure, schedules, and camp operation. Nor are they Professional hunters that can speak to the hunters individually about the strategy and techniques that are used on the hunts. Nor will they know where the PH will be taking them to hunt on what properties, travel times, trophy handling, shipping, taxidermy in RSA, Log book paperwork questions, etc etc.

Anything wrong in the presentation by a booking agent, becomes the problem of the safari company not doing what was promised. This is a common issue when the finger pointing begins as promises are not kept. There is no recourse by the hunter with a Booking agent much of the time. With us we promise what we deliver and tell you straight away what we cannot or will not be able to do or provide. Rather we lose a client to another outfitter/ booking agent, then promise to do something we cannot manage.

For this it's really a huge advantage to have an actual PH to talk with. One living in the USA that speaks clear English, and holds your deposit money in the USA is very confidence inspiring to the first time hunters that we take every year.

On websites just like this across the internet, you will not hear or find a bad review, or a critical complaint of the business we have. The presentation we provide and the services we deliver are always honest, and meet the exact description we speak about before you get there.

What Doc Rocket said.

I talked to several, had my dream list, prices were about the same, got it down to three, let my son pick and couldn't been happier with his choice!
People that return to the same outfit (repeat customers) speaks volumes!
We had a local "agent" he was booking for an outfit he'd never actually hunted with!

Several great recommendations on this forum, and look at other (Africa Hunting) forums.

Search my name, you'll see who I hunted with!

when I was looking to book my first African trip, I started here at the campfire and then began reading a lot on Africahunting.com . I love this site for the overall hunting around the world info, but the AH site gave me more info on hunting specifically in AFrica.
I also joined and perused the accurate reloading site, but that site didn't appeal to me as much and had more "drama".

The best thing to do is search on Campfire for threads about hunt reports and AH has a separate forum listing dedicated to hunt reports. REad as many of those as you can and get a feel for what is being said about specific outfitters you are interested in.

Main things on my mind...
1. availability of the animals you want to hunt.
2. Hunt reports and reputation of the PH.
3. Price figures in somewhere. But be careful here. One man's advertised 7 day hunt is 7 hunting days. Another man's 7 day hunt is 5 hunting days and 2 travel days. Try to make sure you are comparing apples to apples.
There are many other details in figuring the "all in" price, so get well informed.

If you decide on a plains game hunt, save yourself a lot of work and just book with JJ Hack. Check all the positive reports about his operation on the campfire. I hunted with him twice and both were great hunts.

I have been to Africa hunting 4 times. first time in 1972. I posted the post I did, because wonder how some of the people going over end up with who they went with. As noted JJ Hack on here, Pieter Kriel, and some others have adds, etc., but no one seems to say they went with them. I am now looking for a tent hunt in the outback somewhere, where we can hear lions etc., as while the farm hunts are okay if you're just wanting to go out looking and shooting, to me they lack the Africa hunt feeling I want.

Step up to Robin Hurt in TZ and stand in line.

I hunted with Peter Kriel in 2003 on my second trip to Africa. He's a great guy and very knowledgeable, both about hunting, African history, and all things African in general. At the time he was working for another outfitter, but he spent 2 weeks with our group, and every one enjoyed their time with him.

Hunted with Pieter 2 years ago. Took the god grandson over to see what Africa about and get in some hunting, as seasons here during his school year. Pieter noticed the boy was shy so hasseled him some, but couldn't get the kid to be particularly talkative, lol.

Tent seems to = Tanzania these days. IIRC they do not allow "permanent" dwellings in the concessions, so tent hunts are the norm. In other countries, I know PH's that dig a septic tank, pour a slab, and build a hut out of traditional bush material that is quiet comfy. They put in a gravity feed shower and a proper commode. Livin' is easy!

In Tanz, they do a tent safari up right.