What do you do when you fill your package early?

[mark-hunter]

If you're lucky enough to fill your package early what do you do with your extra days? Do you feel obligation to the outfitter to keep hunting? Sitting at camp is no fun. Many times you cant find an alternative.You committed to the days and do you feel the PH has a commitment to at that point "babysit" you. That situation can become akward for both parties.

The best time in Africa is when I fill up my package early, and have some extra days.
Completing the package adds stress and pressure. And when this is completed and animals are in the salt, what follows is complete relaxation and enjoyment, without any pressure.
Its like having all the time in the world!

In regular one week PG hunt, 5 trophies, spare time it is maybe one day, or two days - top.
Spare time then I spend sitting in a blind, taking photos, or driving around hunting jackals, or some extra warthog.
But then, after two safaris I realized, one day of spare time (maybe) is just too short for me.

So, what I did next, in next forthcoming two safaris is this:

I book the hunt, for X days, and then plan to go around after hunt is over for next few days.
In 2022, I completed my Eland hunt on a sunset of a last day. Then, as per my preliminary plan went to visit Etosha for next three days.

In 2024, I completed my buffalo hunt in Caprivi, had extra days, and as planned - went to visit Victoria falls. (Vic falls trip was calculated in additional days of a hunt).

Spare time in African hunting camp, is wonderful!

For me, spare time in Africa is equally important as hunting days.
I can say this after 4 safaris done.

For PH "Babysitting" I ask in advance, "after the hunt is over, can we do that"?
Hunting or no hunting, he has day rate, or additinal fee as agreed in advance.

Put your self in a perspective:
Buffalo hunt is 1000 eur per day. You are my guide. If we take buffalo early, can we do this or that, if feasible?
Now, for 1000 per day, pls tell me how to decline? I would like to hear how that sounds.
Got my point?

The trick is to ask for doable service. (not impossible)
Such as, in case we complete the hunt early, what extra activities I may have at your facilities?

 

[Altitude sickness]

Fishing and birds would be great. Or tell the PH he is free to pursue his business. Or go home. I think many have brought up in the past that it’s not fair to keep a pH held captive in camp just to entertain and feed the clients if they are not hunting, he should be allowed to go to other camps or go home. It’s not fair to the client that have a set budget. They reached the goal sooner than thought and are now being badgered into hunting and spending past their budget. I know have done it. But it was our decision. The PH was professional and did not pressure us for more. We did it one our own. On our last trip, extra time was not an issue. We got our moneys worth and hunted till the end
You could ask before booking if you kill
All DG on day 2 can o pay PH daily fees the remainder. There are scenarios where permit wise you will pay DG through the hunt.



Next time I will be taking a Shotgun for sure

 

[mark-hunter]

Next time I will be taking a Shotgun for sure

Fantastic idea!

 

[jimbo1972]

On a day 10 day 12 animal hunt I added a waterbuck and Blue Wildebeest. Even with adding them I was done at day 8. Day 9 we went to my PHs family summer house in Port Alford with plans to go deep sea fishing. 8 ft seas made us do a river trip instead and ate the best biltong pizza. Day 10 donated some meat to a local senior center and rode around looking for something cheap to shoot. No pressure from the PH.

 

[Rubberhead]

I'm a birder (bird watcher) too so that would have been a good problem. But, I went to Africa with three lists...1) must haves, 2) by-chance and 3) done-early.

The must haves were the ones I told the PH that we should try for every day. I had four and we killed nice examples of all of them.

By-chance animals were usually on the cheaper side but just not ones that I wanted to devote any real time to. So, for these animals, it wasn't the money budget that was the limiter, it was the time budget. Ostrich and diker are great by-chance animals.

My done early animal was a bush buck. Bushbucks are great "done early" animals because they usually have to be hunted differently that other plains game so you can't always expect to bump into a bush buck when hunting eland. And, like @Field28 said, they're addictive. We didn't get my bushbuck but we did see two bushbuck ewes. If I ever go back, I will make quality time for the bush buck.

Some folks mentioned fishing or bird shooting - that's a great idea but just birding around camp can be fun.

 

[Philip Glass]

If you're lucky enough to fill your package early what do you do with your extra days? Do you feel obligation to the outfitter to keep hunting? Sitting at camp is no fun. Many times you cant find an alternative.You committed to the days and do you feel the PH has a commitment to at that point "babysit" you. That situation can become akward for both parties.

It depends on where you are. I always have something to hunt for even if it is just a bigger kudu. In the Eastern Cape where I hunt there are many side trips to be had that are not too far away.
Never feel obligated to keep shooting if it's not your plan.