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Hunting >> Hunting in Africa & hunting dangerous game
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500Nitro
.450 member


Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
Loc: Victoria, Australia
Re: Why an agent when booking a hunt [Re: 500grains]
      #74134 - 18/03/07 06:56 PM



500grains

"For example, charging $200 per day for an observer who consumes $10 worth of food per day."

Whta about Insurance, Camp Staff, use of facilities, cleaning up after 1 more person and other things apart from the $10 worth of food - I'd eat more than $10 worth ?

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NitroXAdministrator
.700 member


Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39325
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Re: Why an agent when booking a hunt [Re: 500Nitro]
      #74137 - 18/03/07 11:39 PM

Using an agent is a personal choice of the consumer. as outfitters sell direct one can choose to use an agent or book direct. It's one's own choice.

Outfitter's claim to not like the commissions and no one likes additional costs. But if you ever have to deal direct with an outfitter when they are out in the bush for months on end and it takes four weeks to get a reply to an email or phone call, then find you need to contact them again immediately and find they are away for several more weeks, it shows the value of having some one in an office. Which costs money. Otherwise it is lost business.

I prefer to deal direct when possible however. And if I use an agent, I always try to deal direct with the outfitter on any issues or requirements. Even better make sure YOUR PH knows as often the first anyone has heard of it, is when you tell them on the way to the concession and then it is often too late.

The main thing I would NOT like to see is if the "agent industry" keeps pushing for more commissions is that it increases the price to ME! I disagree with the comments about commissions not increasing prices. Personally I can't see why I shouldn't get a discount if not booking through an agent.

So make you own choices. No one forces anyone to do it a particular way.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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NitroXAdministrator
.700 member


Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39325
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Re: Why an agent when booking a hunt [Re: 500Nitro]
      #74138 - 18/03/07 11:46 PM

Quote:



500grains

"For example, charging $200 per day for an observer who consumes $10 worth of food per day."

Whta about Insurance, Camp Staff, use of facilities, cleaning up after 1 more person and other things apart from the $10 worth of food - I'd eat more than $10 worth ?



The cost for a non-hunting observer can be as low as $25 per day in some African safari camps. If everything has to be flown in it might cost quite a bit more. If staff only get room and board, and tips are expected to pay their wages then THAT cost is negligible!

If the client books an exclusive camp (ie no other clients), then theoretically he has already paid what the outfitter has asked for in terms of profits for the camp. The gross margin on the observers' fees is icing on the profit margin.

Nothing wrong with any of that. The word is "negotiation" when booking.

I got burned on my last safari for the video cameraman. I was asked for a full observer "client" daily rate. However the guy I hired as cameraman was accomodated in the PHs quarters and the place was over-full ie about 6 guys to one hut. No way was I going to pay $175 per day for that. I think I asked for $50 per day, and paid $70 in the end. Still too high. Cost would have been about $30 per day.

My point is next time I will negotiate this well before I sign on the dotted line.

The word is "negotiation".

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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500grains
.416 member


Reged: 16/02/04
Posts: 4732
Loc: Salt Lake City, Utah USA
Re: Why an agent when booking a hunt [Re: NitroX]
      #74145 - 19/03/07 05:32 AM


Most camp meals center around meat killed by the client or a prior client. Add some mealie meal, and perhaps a vegetable or salad and that's fine. I am not sure what lettuce and veggies cost in various parts of Africa, but the starch is very inexpensive and the meat is typically paid for by a client.

Booze is a different story. A drunk in camp can run up the overhead, but I generally stick to water.

In the U.S. this would not cost $10 per day, so I can't imagine it costing more in Africa.

So I have a hard time accepting the notion that adding an observer to an existing safari would justify a $200 per day increase in the bill.

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SAHUNT
Sponsor


Reged: 27/12/04
Posts: 900
Loc: Centurion, RSA
Re: Why an agent when booking a hunt [Re: 500grains]
      #74153 - 19/03/07 09:32 AM

When an observer comes along there can be quite a bit of extra cost excluding the food. When it is only 1 hunter he can drive with me in my cruiser. If there is an observer there is no way I can get 3 adults in the front of my vehicle for a 4 - 6 hour drive. I must rent an extra car and I need to pay a driver. In all the camps I hunt I pay per person per day. If there is 1 person Rx.xx per day, if there are 2 I pay double. If anybody can buy decent food for R70-00 per day in RSA, I would like to hear about it. This is just some of the major expenses.

All the facts must be taken in consideration before one can say it is an overcharge or a rip off.

--------------------
Life is how you pass the time between hunting trips.
Sometimes I do not express myself properly in the English language, please forgive me, I am just a boertjie.
Jaco Human
jacohu@mweb.co.za
SA Hunting Experience

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hoppdoc
.400 member


Reged: 02/03/06
Posts: 1791
Loc: Southeastern USA
Re: Why an agent when booking a hunt [Re: SAHUNT]
      #74156 - 19/03/07 09:59 AM

As a present and future African hunting newbie--

The quality of the hunt with a DG outfit come first as well as your relationship with them re DG hunting. Research/referals should reveal several quality outfits. Initially I would think this more important than a lower negotiated fee. That established, then on subsequent hunts I would try to negotiate the agent fee out of the hunt as discussed above.

Of course if one gets a flood of personal accolades about an outfit and the price is great----- sign up before the price goes up!!

--------------------
An armed man is a citizen of his country, an unarmed man just a subject.

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