It's 2025, where are the most affordable guided hunts domestic and abroad?

[medvedyt]

Be careful with any European hunt...You will see prices like "X species up to X size for $5000" but normally ontop of that price you are paying a 15-21% tax on top of the hunt price. Even when bidding on auction hunts read the fine print and see what is or isn't included and if any mandatory costs are associated.

For Africa...100% look at hunting/conservation auctions...

depending of the country VAT is included or not but yes it can ve a shock,...

 

[Northern Safari]

Thank you to everyone that contributed ideas to this thread. I have my first guided elk hunt coming up this fall followed by guided mountain goat the following year. Both of these western hunts fell well under my stated budget.

Unfortunately they may be my only 2 western big game hunts as everything else I’m seeing in BC/Yukon cost multiples more (Grizzly, Moose, Caribou, Sheep etc).

In terms of international hunts it’s looking like a multi-species plains game hunt in South Africa will be my first hunt abroad. I have already reached out to several outfitters and am getting quotes far under budget.

NZ is also doable for free range Chamois & Tahr combo.

Europe has many options for chamois, mouflon, fallow deer, boar and single species ibex hunts under my budget. Spain, Romania and Croatia are the standouts.

These 3 destinations should keep me busy for the next decade.

 

[Northern Safari]

Forgot to include the Ibex in the Stan's. Can still hunt a Mid-Asian ibex in either Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan for under half of my budget, leave lots of room for airfare, tips, taxidermy etc.

 

[medvedyt]

Forgot to include the Ibex in the Stan's. Can still hunt a Mid-Asian ibex in either Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan for under half of my budget, leave lots of room for airfare, tips, taxidermy etc.

for sure.

 

[medvedyt]

Thank you to everyone that contributed ideas to this thread. I have my first guided elk hunt coming up this fall followed by guided mountain goat the following year. Both of these western hunts fell well under my stated budget.

Unfortunately they may be my only 2 western big game hunts as everything else I’m seeing in BC/Yukon cost multiples more (Grizzly, Moose, Caribou, Sheep etc).

In terms of international hunts it’s looking like a multi-species plains game hunt in South Africa will be my first hunt abroad. I have already reached out to several outfitters and am getting quotes far under budget.

NZ is also doable for free range Chamois & Tahr combo.

Europe has many options for chamois, mouflon, fallow deer, boar and single species ibex hunts under my budget. Spain, Romania and Croatia are the standouts.

These 3 destinations should keep me busy for the next decade.

for croatia i have my doubts on free range for chamois or mouflon but maybe there are some islands with some of them ... you have the neighbour like slovenija for chamois,fallow deer, mouflon and ibex but the days of bargain are gone there and the price will be higher but within your budget for sure.

 

[Dr.Spaniel]

As we're all aware, the price of everything only goes up. Guided hunts are no exception to this rule and many that were once considered "affordable" to the middle class are no longer so.

I'm trying to compile a list of "affordable" options to pursue at home and abroad. My target budget is $20,000 CAD but let's call it $15,000 USD. This seems like an obtainable amount that can be saved up within a year or two.

Looking at today's prices, which guided hunts would be doable within this budget framework in North America and abroad?

The North American sheep are obviously well above that budget, and from what I've been seeing so are guided hunts for trophy Caribou, Grizzly and Moose.

That leaves.....deer, black bear, pronghorn and even elk and mountain goat just makes the cut.

Would this budget be enough for a SA plains game hunt? What about a single bull cape buffalo?

A single Spanish or Mid-Asian ibex?

How about a Tahr/Chamois Combo in NZ or a single water buffalo in Australia?

Any others?

Travel costs, export and taxidermy would have to be taken into consideration.

That budget could go a long way!! I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii for the stay and play Axis deer bow hunt. A nice hotel, plane ticket and a two day guided bow hunt probably under 8 all together. Then Bahamas for bonefish on the fly in the flats. For me it has to be somewhere that my wife will go. Which is wherever she can sit quietly and a have no one bother her, which luckily is all over the world.