Hello,
Does anyone know what the difference in the various Matetsi units?
Are some better than others and in what way?
Appreciate your feedback.
Thanks

There are 5 blocks I believe. 2 blocks border Hwange and 1 borders both Botswana and Hwange NP. Believe those are the 3 best blocks. Big herds of buffalo but they move in and out of the various areas.

Peter Johnstone had probably the best area for a couple of decades but I don’t know what specific block number it was. Good big 4 hunting.

Thanks
I was told Unit 1 is the very best

quote:

Originally posted by Safari2:
There are 5 blocks I believe. 2 blocks border Hwange and 1 borders both Botswana and Hwange NP. Believe those are the 3 best blocks. Big herds of buffalo but they move in and out of the various areas.

Peter Johnstone had probably the best area for a couple of decades but I don’t know what specific block number it was. Good big 4 hunting.

Did a quick check. Unit 3 borders both Botswana and Hwange NP. Unit 5 also has a long boundary with Hwange NP. I believe # 3 was Johnstone’s Old area.

I hunted #3 in 2012. I was told that early in the season, there are not always a lot of buffalo. I was there in October, and there were plenty.

They pump water into a couple of ponds, so that when water starts drying up in the park more game comes in. My PH said that the elephants can hear those diesel pumps running at night from quite a distance, and they know it means water.

The area is beautiful. Good camp, I believe it was Johnstone's camp when he had it.

I took two tuskless Ele, and two buffalo bulls on that safari. I saw good numbers of lion. We even had a daylight leopard sighting (female). Had a sighting of a wild dog pack as well. Seemed like solid plains game numbers, wasn't really looking for PG. Heard lions roaring at night. Good wild experience.

Very convenient area, as it's so close to Vic Falls. My PH on that trip was Brent Hein. I went through him and he set everything up with the outfitter (HHK at that time, not sure if they still have it). To re-state what I heard: Brent said that sometimes they struggle on buffalo early in the season in that block, so beware of that.

Thank you
So Unit 3 is the best block ?

I don't know that it's the best at all. I have not hunted the other blocks. When I was looking to do a hunt for 2 tuskless, that's what PH Brent Hein came up with.

The whole Matetsi Safari area is, in my opinion, convenient because of its location (close to Vic Falls Airport). Short drive in.

Based on 1. what game you are primarily after, and 2. what time of year you want to hunt, personally, I would start with a good Zim PH, and have him consult me on which unit we should hunt. I was told that early in the season, Matetsi 3 can be a struggle for buffalo. So maybe in June/July, it's the worst unit to hunt. I don't know. I was there in Oct and finding buffalo bulls was not a difficulty. But that's late in the year and October can be awfully hot.

I'm just saying I had a good late-season safari in Matetsi 3 in 2012.

I've heard some very good things about Unit 6 as well but as far as I know it's off-limits for American citizens.

A friend of mine killed a fantastic 70lb elephant there some years ago along with a nice buff and sable.

I have hunted a number of Matetsi units, and they are all great.

Just make sure you hunt with a reputable outfitter.

I think some units might be run by people I would not hunt with.

I hunt Africa every year with the same PH and he suggested Unit 1 as the pick. Have booked the first leg of the hunt there for buff, sable & eland early August. Just wondering what the other units are like? Many years ago I have hunted Deka.

You won't be disappointed in Unit 1.

Mark

If its Buffalo plains game you want. Unit 1 unlike other units has lots of buffalo year round . let me know if you want me to put you in touch- cheers Buzz

Thank you all very much for the info.

What about unit 2? I’ve got offer to hunt tuskless and buff next year.

AB109, when did you hunt Deka? How did you like it?

Unit 6 is held by the wife of a prominent General and as such is off limits to American hunters. You would not want to hunt there anyway, not a good situation.

quote:

Originally posted by DLS:
AB109, when did you hunt Deka? How did you like it?

Hunted Deka Tail in 2010. Got a nice 43" buff there. - But prefer Matetsi Unit 1. We passed up a 45" bull (too young) and seen 500+ a day. Many bulls over 40" - Not that this matters much to me.I don't know what the price difference is but would do Unit 1. any time again. Its just simply amazing.

Who has hunting rights in units 1 -5?

Abe Smit is concession holder on Unit 1. Also remember Matetsi also includes the properties adjacent to Unit 1, 4. No boundary fences and also very good hunting.

My Understanding of concession holders is as follows:

Unit 1: Abe Smit
Unit 2: Guav Johnson - Classic African Hunting
Unit 3: Chattaronga Safaris
Unit 4: Richard Cooke Safaris
Unit 5: Martin Pieters

What about “Unit 8” - the Matetsi ECA ? How does it stack up in the roster?

quote:

Originally posted by JGE:
What about “Unit 8” - the Matetsi ECA ? How does it stack up in the roster?

Used to be known as Kasibi. Shot a 44” sable and a 2.5” grysbuck there in 91’

Cool. I wonder if it is still good. Nobody has any current experience in that Matetsi ECA block? "Unit 8"?

quote:

Originally posted by AB109:

quote:

Originally posted by DLS:
AB109, when did you hunt Deka? How did you like it?

Hunted Deka Tail in 2010. Got a nice 43" buff there. - But prefer Matetsi Unit 1. We passed up a 45" bull (too young) and seen 500+ a day. Many bulls over 40" - Not that this matters much to me.I don't know what the price difference is but would do Unit 1. any time again. Its just simply amazing.

Thanks for that information. I’m glad to see that the buffalo numbers and quality have held up in Deka. I did my first safari there, back in 1983. It was a 24-day full bag hunt, with everything except lion on license (should have made it 28 to include lion, as I could have shot a fantastic one). That place was full of good buffalo back then. To this day, it remains the very finest hunting experience of my life.

It's still good free range hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by JGE:
Cool. I wonder if it is still good. Nobody has any current experience in that Matetsi ECA block? "Unit 8"?

I have hunted Unit 2 a couple of times. Found a decent leopard as well as a 55 pounder a few years back.

The area was run by National Parks for the last few years and while they have apparently done a good job of upgrading the camp (it was already nice - they've apparently added air conditioning!) but perhaps not as good a job with respect to the game. As noted above, Guav Johnson now has it. Guav is one of the top PH's in Zimbabwe (and Cameroon!) and I believe will do a great job with the concession. Depending on the time of year, buffalo can be challenging, but working hard usually solves that problem, if it is one. Sable is very good there - I took a 44 5/8" there - and the elephant tend to be there in reasonable numbers.

I should also note that in the past the various unit holders worked with each other, to some extent, to transfer quota if a hunter was having a hard time finding what they wanted on the unit they were hunting. On one hunt, I was asked if I minded if two hunters came over from Unit 3 (I think), to hunt buffalo, which were scarce in that Unit. I said no problem, and I believe they filled their tags within a couple of days. Hopefully that attitude continues.