I thought that one of the most helpful things to have on the site would be a few questions to ask that would help you choos who to book your trip.

• Have you been to Africa on a hunt like I am proposing to book?
An agent that has, will be well able to answer your questions with a lot more detail than one who hasn’t. You will be able to ask him details about the outfitter and experience that he would not know from hearsay.

• Do you have clients who have been on a hunt like I am proposing to book? if so, could I please have their contact info so I can contact them as references?
He should have a list of people he has booked. Except in extreme cases or very different hunts, you don’t want to be the first he has ever sent.

• Is there a choice of operators that you use in the area and if so what are the differences?
They may not know of other operators and there may be better operators that they simply don’t know about. Also, they may only work with operators that give the best commissions, not necessarily the best hunting.

• What factors have you used when choosing the operators? Is it service, cost, or trophy quality?
Again, make sure that they have chosen the place with the best experience, not just the place that gives them the best commissions.

• Can I see photos of my key animals taken in the area that you are about to send me? Also, please include the hunters name and date.
The outfitter should have a bunch of these. Some will be likely to send the best of the last five years. Make sure that there are some medium to low quality trophies in the mix!!

• How many of this particular animal are taken in the area each year where I will be going?
The importance of this question varies with the species. Regarding buffalo, an area that can support removal of 50 bulls may only be able to support removal of two lions.

• Is the area fenced or free range?
Very important...a ranch adjacent to a great game reserve means nothing if its totally fenced.

• If the ranch is fenced, how large is the property we will be hunting? Are there internal fences, and is the camp inside the area we will be hunting?
Some outfitters will tell you that they hunt 100,000 acres. This may be true, but the acres may be split between 10 properties, which is less than ideal. You can find yourself doing more traveling than hunting.

• Will I be the only hunter in the CAMP?
This is a key issue with smaller areas. Some areas of over 1 million acres its not a big issue. It comes down to personal preference.

• Will I be the only hunter in the AREA?
Again, importance is relative to the size of the area, and also to the species being shot. A leopard hunter will in no way effect an elephant hunter.