Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Cost of hunting Tanganyika in the old days

Here is an old add I found, showing the cost of a 30 day hunt in Tanganyika, now Tanzania in 1948. Note the number of animals you could take on a general license. NO trophy fees. A friend is going to post the add, so will have to wait for it, I guess.

The Advertisement.

i guess I'd spring the extra for elephant and rhino

However, the value in today's dollars of $2,500.00 back in 1948 is slightly more than $25,000.00.

See: http://www.saving.org/inflation/inflation.php?amount=2,500&year=1948

All in all ... You would have a line stretching several miles long to get that sort of a deal today for $25,000.00!

I'd be at the bank today!!!!!!

I think $2,500 would be more like 75,000 today. Back in 1948, the minimum wage was $.25 an hour. Income tax kicked in at $600.00, even at $.50 an hour, is only $1,000 a year. I have seen tax forms with $1,600 for 2 people for a whole year. My dad made $50 a week and had a "good" job, most people didn't make that much. PHs in Tanzania now get $2,500 a DAY, and minimum 10 days. Sure wish you'd see licenses like this now though. NO trophy fees, etc. But today, no real "safaris" unless you go to somewhere like Zambia or Tanzania. You get a hunt, from a lodge on a farm. Not quite the same thing. One thing better today is, you fly over and there in a day. Back then, even if you did fly took several days, and then most of the rest on the ground travel, so unless you stayed at the one camp, could use up half the time there, driving from here to there.

Just looked at calculator place on the net, and it's calculating what $2,500 would increase to, via inflation, but we're talking about what it would cost in todays $ to take a trip like this. At $6,000 a buffalo trophy fees, we have $60K, and Sable trophy fees are something like $7,500 each. Easy couple of 100K in the animals if current trophy fees used. So the 30 day hunt would be $75,000 at todays prices, plus several 1000 more for air shuttle from Dar to the hunting area, and air fare over and back, and so forth.

As ftbt said using a CPI calculator $2,500 is worth $25,000 in today's dollars. So if the today's prices are higher it probably reflects fewer animals about than in '48 and more folks with the money to hunt. The law of demand and supply at work.

The pressure of man on the African landscape from native population and farming interests won't stop any time soon.

NO, it reflects what the countries can charge the PH and get away with. As I noted, today in Tanzania $2,500 a DAY if normal for PH rates. X 2 is $5000 a day, and the one PH I know of won't take out less than a group of 4, so $10K a day. The price on the old add was for 2 people, so was like $40 a day, per person. Then, too, there were not trophy fees. But even at that, if you look at the cost, compared to what a normal person was making, was far higher than some of the hunts to RSA/Namibia, etc. But no where near as many animals. I am aure they could allow this kind of harvest today in some parts of Tanzania, but no one could afford it with trophy fees. If we think of what we make today, then it would be cheap, but how many of us can afford $50K for a 10 day hunt, plus air fares. Like it would cost today.

All of those listed game animals, plus "etc., etc., etc."!

Isn't it interesting that so many people purportedly interested in hunting Africa, but only a few bother to look at or comment on something like this? can't believe only about 4 people. But then, got essentially 3 people comment on the auction of Elmer Keith's stuff in Maine, which I attended and wrote about. Oh well.

Ghost,

Just curious, have you ever hunted in Tanzania or anywhere else in Africa?

As far as "people purportedly interested in hunting Africa", some people prefer to hunt than post on forums about things that have little bearing on reality.

First of all a PH does not get $2500.00 per day, not even close to that. On some very high end hunts the OUTFITTER may charge $2500 per day especially if lion is to be hunted. It is my experience when you book these types of hunts you will have the camp exclusively to yourself unless you want to do a 2 by 1 hunt.

The government cost in Tanzania is very high as well as the cost to operate most good concessions as they are very remote. Many camps have to broken down at the end of hunting season and set back up the next year. Re-Supply takes days. Charter flights have become ridiculously expensive in many cases. All of these items have driven up the cost to hunt in Tanzania exponentially.

That being said I have seen short buffalo hunts all in with trophy fees for buffalo and plainsgame as low as $13,000 this year. I have seen 14 day 2 by 1 hunts in good areas for less than $1100 per day plus trophy fees.

This hunt had to be one of the better priced hunts I have seen in a while for any country much less Tanzania.

21 days, 2x1
$ 900. per day, per person.
18, 900.
+ 9650. hunting permit & Gov Fees

+ 2600. Trophy Handling (DPC)

TOTAL: $31,150. PER PERSON (one leopard & one lion shared) However, both hunters will have a 21 day permit, so can take 3 buffalo each, and sable, kudu, eland etc. each.


*Includes: all daily rates, Deluxe tented camp & full staff, hunting permit, Trophy Handling fee (DPC); Licensed, experienced PH; Government Concession & Conservation fees; One Firearms Permit; Meet & greet; Airport transportation; all meals on the hunt, including fresh fruits & vegetables, soups & deserts; All beverages: bottled water, soft drinks, juice. Also beers, wines, liquor (reasonable consumption). Note: We have fresh brewed coffee & ice machines in our camps. Daily laundry. Fully equipped 4x4 Land Cruiser hunting car & driver, and first aid kits and sat phone. Trackers/Gunbearers, Tent boy, waiter, English speaking Camp manager, skinners, cooks, Gov game scout.

*Does NOT include: Air charters or ground transport to camp (see below), Trophy fees game wounded or killed (paid at safari conclusion); Hotel stays & food before /after the hunt; shipping of trophies; Side trips; Plane fares; Taxidermy; items of a personal nature; Extra firearm permits @ $250 each (if bringing more than one rifle); tips; Any calls from camp Satellite phone (we recommend bringing your own, or buying minutes in Dar es Salaam); Non hunting observer fee;

Trophy Fees (includes anti-poaching & Community development):

Buffalo: $2,300 (each-3 on your license) *** Leopard $4,600. *** Lion $7,900.***Sable: $2,990. *** EA Eland $2,200. *** Bushpig: $480. ***Hyena $660. ***Ratel $345.

Lichtenstein Hartebeest: $800. *** EA Greater Kudu: $2,640. *** Baboon: $140. *** Hippo: $1,900. ***Klipspringer $1,380.

Warthog: $550. ***Zebra : $ 1,440. *** Wildebeest $800. *** Bushbuck: $675. ***Civet: $230. ***Duiker: $330. ***Oribi $300.



Is it expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? Deals like the one above certainly are.

Will the old days return? Never.

BTW the median price for a home in 1948 was around $5,000 or less and today it is $188,000. It is doubtful we will see $5000.00 homes again.

Thanks for posting the ad, I do like reading those.

The quota on the license is equal to the entire quota for some fairly large hunting blocks.

That is so low in today's market that the red flags are flying. If all is legit and it is a good concession, tht is a bargain today.

The above offer was on AR May of this year.

Operator/Outfitter: Federico Gellini Tanzania Safaris / Safari Club Tanzania LTD.
Area: Kilwa / Mbwemkuru (1,840 Sq Kilometers, & Kilwa /Nakiu (1,800 Sq Kilometers)
Professional Hunter: J.D. Andrews

While I do not personally know this outfit I believe them to be not only legit but a good operator or I would have not posted it.

Here is another. This one in one on one with Luke Samaras or Paddy Curtis, two well known PHs. Around $1500 per day with many of the trophy fees half of what they are in Zimbabwe, Zambia, or Mozambique

21-days - $32,000 inc all gov fees

Dates and PH's:
Sept 8-28 Paddy Curtis
Oct 24-Nov 13 Luke Samaras

Location: Luke Samaras blocks in the Selous

Hunt Details: All 21-day species, less Elephant.

Trophy Fees
Baboon $170
Buffalo 1st $2500
Buffalo 2nd $2600
Buffalo 3rd $2800
Bushbuck $750
Bushpig $500
Civet Cat $300
Crocodile $2300
Duiker Common & Red $350
Eland East African $2300
Hartebeest, Lichtenstine $800
Hippopotamus $2500
Hyena Spotted $600
Impala $490
Jackal 1 $300
Klipspringer $1400
Kudu Greater $2900
Leopard $4700
Lion $7000
Oribi $350
Reedbuck $550
Sable $3300
Suni $300
Warthog $550
Waterbuck $1200
Wildebeest $900
Zebra $1500

Hunt Fees Include:
The service of a Professional Hunter and safari team of trackers, skinners, etc. All Meals and accommodation while on Safari
Skinning and preservation of trophies in the field.
A company representative to assist you on arrival and departure.

Mike, that looks like a heckuva deal. I've heard of Paddy, good things. Sounds like a great opportunity. Of course, you'd have to have the money saved up and on hand to snag a deal like this one...

Both of those hunts were posted early in the year.

My point is there are still some very good hunts in Tanzania at what are reasonable prices in todays market.

To some degree today's market is not reasonable. Trophy fees in general are too high. This has been driven by greedy governments. Good outfitters are spending more and more on anti-poaching as it is an ever increasing problem. This drives cost up.

What is a reasonable day rate? If I do consulting work in the US my rate is around $125.00 per hour plus all expenses, mileage etc. A full day will cost you close to $1500.00. By comparison in Africa we get a PH, tracker, driver, vehicle, complete camp staff, food, drinks, and many other extras for less than what I charged for just me. This cost also has to cover the camp, facilities, linen, concession cost, etc., and one more little thing called profit.

Never met a "rich" PH. In the "old days" (think Harry Shelby and before), they all supplemented their income by hunting ivory on there own license in the off season.

$31k for 21 days in Tanz is about as good as it gets, but it still makes a $50-60k trip al said and done. Man, that's big cheese. I suppose a 21 day safari has never been for the average Joe. I could pay for 2 years of college for my kids or go on safari??? I suppose the kids can get a job.

Agreed, Hatari, that's big money for most. Like others have said, $2,500 back in '48 was a princely sum, most likely equal to $60-75K in today's dollars, and the number of people who could afford to take advantage of a "deal" like that were even fewer than those that could today. Sure, there are folks who can afford to do this type of hunt every year, and more power to them, but most of us common folk can't even hardly dream of doing it once. So...why some of those prices quoted above for hunts in Tanzania might be deals, as Doc said, you'd have to have that kind of money burning a hole in your pocket for you to take advantage of it. Wish I was one of them!

Outlook out of office memo: Dr Hatari is out of the office for 60 days.

Oh yeah! At those prices I'd be in the bush for a long stretch.

to withdraw, borrow, or rob?

lol.jk.

1. Yes

2.)yes

3. If needed

The ad is interesting, but not as cheap as many would assume.

1948 prices that I looked up:
Average Cost of new house $7,700.00 Average wages per year $2,950.00 Cost of a gallon of Gas 16 cents Average Cost of a new car $1,250.00 Loaf of Bread 14 cents

A fully outfitted safari in Africa was never cheap, and even today there are some good values compared to the past.

I'm glad to see this thing finally took hold. See tons of responses to what colors do you like on your mcswirly stock, but no interest in comparing hunt prices. For what it's worth the average income in 1948 was closer to $1,000 a year, (I have copies of income tax forms showing two people and $1,600 for a year) not $2,900. Minimum wage in 1948 was $.25 an hour. My parents, before dad got his good job, made $13.00 a week for the two of them. My dad had a very well paying job and made $50 a Week. House prices were closer to a $1,000 back then. A new Chevy was about $600.00, though the bread prices seems right. I could go to the store, get 4 loaves of bread, for $.64 and bring the change home. In 1960 had friends working a secretaries who made a $96.00 a MONTH, I was making $144.00 a month In 1964. When I said PH, I meant outfitters, I guess. One guy I know there charges $2,500 a DAY per hunter, with a minimum of 4 hunters and a minimum 10 day hunt. Then you have to get there, and fly in with a shuttle from Dar, which is another couple of grand per person. Then start adding up the trophy fees. multiply those by the number of animals on the full license in the add, and see where we are. I have hunted Africa, a number of times, 1st one being back In 1972, and last one two years ago. Want to try Australia or NZ before I go back to Africa again. I also am pretty cognizant of the expenses to the outfitter/ph, as have explained to a few folks, that the $12,000 it costs to hunt a Dall sheep reflects the shortness of the hunting season, the camps that have to be set up, guide fees, etc. The other hunt costs in Canada/Alaska, are in the same situation.

When I posted the old add, thought it would get a conversation started, and finally did. Could not believe with all the discussions about other things, this add wouldn't spark one. I have always wanted to hunt Tanzania, but never been able to afford to. A guy I know who was supposed to go this year, but couldn't get a party of 4 up, said it was real easy to run up a $50k bill, and that did not involve shooting a LOT of game.

Well back then there was no cheap quick jet travel so it would be mostly travel by seam ship then by truck to get were ever it is you were going! Figure a Month traveling going and then a month on the return! Going on Safari was a major undertaking in both time and money - We have it pretty good these days with good safe jet travel, you can go anywhere in the world and get there in 72 hours or less- good medical care to ward off some of the less pleasant things one could catch or step on, not to mention getting tagged by the game hunted! Different time and place! In 1960 my mom had an income of 90 per week as a single parent- we had a house, car and all the other things and were well fed and could even pay for the doctor to make a house call from time to time! Different time and mom would say that prices were out of sight and that money was not worth anything any more, when 20 dollars would buy 9 bags of groceries, I did my food shopping this morning a 20 bucks did get me much! As I said different time!

I knew people in 1960 with incomes of $97 a MONTH. $90 a week would have been good money. My dad had a "good" job and made somewhere over a $100 a week, but not much, and $.10 an hour raises were the norm.

Realize about the getting there, but I'm talking about spending some time hunting. at least a month. Just finished a book by C.J. McElroy, and he took 30-45 day hunts all the time. But the flights over and back, as opposed to a steam ship, though even in the 50s people flew, just took a few days probably, but time on the ground once there. Not many people out there these days interested in going out for that long, for some reason.

Kongoni? What is that?