The Greater Kudu

[Jacques.strauss]

Dear AH.com Hunting Buddies

I am a worried man about our Greater Kudu populations here in Namibia... Majorly because most farmers/ranchers that I talked to throughout Namibia said that their Greater Kudu populations aren't the same anymore. They are decreasing in number slowly but surely over the last couple of years. Mostly because of the rabies outbreak that hits Namibia every four years or so. They are currently doing research to develop a vaccination for Greater Kudu against rabies, but how long we will still wait for a final product is something I cannot say.

Finding big Greater Kudu bulls is getting harder and harder...

However, our area in south-eastern Namibia (Dordabis Conservancy) is still crawling with Greater Kudu... The quality is superb. They are here. Its just hard work in some cases to get the "big boys".

It leads me to a question..... What in your opinion is a "good" price for a Greater Kudu bull hunted on a free range area on foot? Should the prices be set according to sizes?

Kind Regards
Jacques Strauss

 

[BRICKBURN]

I hate price by the inch. If you have a place with quality kudu that is what draws me to hunt there. If I see a price list that is by the inch I immediately move on.

 

[Clayton]

Agree with @BRICKBURN. Size based pricing distorts the whole foundation of the hunting concept. It transforms hunting from it's original roots to nothing more than a commercial enterprise.

 

[Jacques.strauss]

I agree 100%!!! I was wondering what is the general feel out there towards that.

 

[gillettehunter]

I too hate the idea of hunting by the inch. Not interested in hunting a place like that. Having said that, if I know there is a real chance at a Kudu approaching 60 inches then I'm willing to pay more to hunt the property. As long as its free chase and not a put and take type of operation. Then you just have to put in your time and hope for the best. Bruce

 

[Doug McKay]

If I am hunting truly free range land and I come across the "stag of the woods", the last thing I want to trump my excitement is the thought of having to open up my wallet even more to harvest that specific animal. I agree with what everyone has said above and I too have always avoided any hunting operation like that.

 

[Jacques.strauss]

One question still remains; What in your opinion is a "good" price for a Greater Kudu bull hunted on a free range area on foot?

 

[spike.t]

One question still remains; What in your opinion is a "good" price for a Greater Kudu bull hunted on a free range area on foot?

ok a "good" price....... i will give you $50 and when can i come ? and ps it has to be a minimum of 60 inches for that amount....

 

[thi9elsp]

$400 - 500 daily rate and trophy fee of ~$2,000. So, for 5 days you are around $4 - 4,500 USD. And, if you are lucky and get one early, you can shoot other trophies.

Like others, price by inch and I go away. I want the experience and to hunt the best possible for my ability.

 

[gillettehunter]

For Namibia and RSA I see daily fees often in the $300-$450 range plains game. Over $450 and I'm looking elsewhere. Too many good to great operators for less. Kudu is often less $$ in Namibia than RSA. I usually see trophy fees from under $1000 to over $3000. If the expectation is 56 inch or better, and the area consistently produces that size then I would expect the trophy fee to be over $2000. If we're talking 50-55 inches as a general rule and in Namibia then $1000-$1500 is more in line with most that I have seen. Those that have a trophy fee of over $3K are catering to a different clientele than the class that most of us fit into...... Bruce

 

[jeff]

No more than $350 a day and $1500 trophy fee in Namibia.

 

[billc]

Jacques to me it comes down to what guy your going after for as clients. You want the working class family then for Namibia I would say 1500 to 1800. If your only going for upper end clients and can get bulls in the over 55" for most then maybe you can do 2500 to 2800.

I think with Namibia it gets tricky because some of the animals you can take in other countries you can not get there with out paying crazy prices right now. Going to high on kudu prices could just stop a guy from going with you because when he does the numbers your higher end cost for the same hunt. Now your losing out on the oryx, springbuck and so on that the hunter may have taken with that kudu.

Very tough call to make but I would say anything over 1800 for Namibia will cost you some business. I will not hunt a place in SA if it has kudu on a sliding scale or a fee of over 2500.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Check out some of the low-fence operators in Namibia. I took a 55 last year on Eden (probably saw forty bulls and at least ten shooters) and a slightly larger one three years ago with Nick Nolte. We were simply looking for big mature kudu and there is none of this graduated cost which you see on the RSA game ranches. They typically do have a "non-trophy" cost for meat/bait animals. I notice Eden is listing $950 for a kudu on its site. And they will only let you take a trophy bull!

 

[BRICKBURN]

900 to 1400 seems to be the range for many reputable places in Namibia.

 

[cpr0312]

From what I have seen anywhere from $300-$450/day and $900-$1500 trophy

 

[Jacques.strauss]

Thank you all for the feedback! Its dearly appreciated!

Our current daily rate is $395 & $1800 a Kudu bull... The sizes you could expect is 51+ inch kudu to 56 inches, and if you're willing to work hard 58+ incher is doable.

 

[LivingTheDream]

I agree with everything said. The sliding scale really upsets me. I guess a 60 inch kudu is kind of lost on me as I don't really go by the tape measurer. I would be happy with a 50 incher, just to hunt kudu is really cool experience.

 

[sestoppelman]

Its funny. Took me three tries to get a bull over 50 and just over at that. But once I finally had that 50" , I really have had no real interest in shooting more kudu. I passed on a few in Zim a few years ago that the PH said were around 52 or so. I just couldn't get worked up about it. Now I did tell him and the hunt after that, that something over 55 would be shot on sight, but never have seen one that big. Perhaps years ago on my first Zim hunt. Saw one that was probably mid 50's, with real narrow tall horns, no width at all. The PH said lets pass on it. Later I asked why and he said it was ugly.

 

[Jfet]

I hate price by the inch. If you have a place with quality kudu that is what draws me to hunt there. If I see a price list that is by the inch I immediately move on.

If I had seen this was your pricing policy I would not have given Kowas a second look back in 2013. Fortunately, it was not your pricing policy. We came in 2014 and were able to hunt some very large Kudus but more importantly we were introduced to Namibia and Africa by a wonderful family. I am very much looking forward to coming back. We are inside eleven months now.

My question is how do you tell people about what you at Kowas do so very well which is beautiful land, great hospitality, and superb trophies. Spend more time here. PB (Miss Karen) has shown me some of your Facebook post. They are marvelous and speak to the very essence of Africa Hunting.

 

[Art Lambart II]

Hunting free range game with an outfitter is all about the quality of the service not the size of the game. In my opinion the more effort and work required by the outfitter the more the hunt should cost.