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Shakari

Bakes summed it up pretty well. Until about 1978 there was NO guided paid hunting in Australia. It was almost all for free providing the hunters could get access. Most deer hunters were also poachers.

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Price and money is the key issue for an African safari. We do not earn US$ here. If you priced your hunts in South Africa at the same prices you charge internationally to local South Africans you wouldn't sell a lot of hunt locally. Same here.

Ten years ago our dollar was 0.80 to the US dollar and the US$ safari prices were also cheaper. Then the Aussie dollar dropped to 0.50 and also the safari US$ prices continued to rise.

Funny how the A$ probably bought more rand than it used it (ie the rand depreciated more than the A$), but the US$ prices when converted to the $A price were at least 60% higher.

You will find there are a few savy outfitters who get almost 100% of the Aussie market, because they realise this.

Having said this if the US$130 daily rates are good value hunts this is certainly a good price for South Africa.

US$1500 per day to almost every Aussie is an impossible price. Most Aussies hunting dangerous game will look for a bargain or do it different eg I knew some people that used to buy auctioned hunts in Zimbabwe or buy into elephant cull hunts when it was possible. A doctor I know hunts Zim every few years and the camps are very rough but prefers good hunting to good camps.

To be more positive, if you price reasonably a 7 to 10 day plains game safari including say kudu, warthog plus other game it will potentially sell well once you get word of mouth experience out in the market.

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John aka NitroX

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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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