I am looking at a hunt at Nchila Ranch for Puku, Roan and Sitatunga in pursuit of the SCI African 29. Seems that most of the other concession hunts are full already this year or no quota, wondering if this would be a good option.

470
Boddington and I were there in August. I took a 45 sable, and Craig took his forrest sitatunga among other great game. My company Safari Classics books for Pete if you have any questions. Give me a call 214-360-9599 I'll fill you in. cheers
Dave

Fulson? Forest sitatunga in Zambia? Methinks not! LOL!

Russ
Yes my boy, forest sitatunga, and lots of them. They are native to that tiny corner of zambia and they are in no way similar to the zambezi variety. SCI will be accepting them as such. Total forest dwellers . A surprise for us too!

quote:

Yes my boy, forest sitatunga, and lots of them. They are native to that tiny corner of zambia and they are in no way similar to the zambezi variety. SCI will be accepting them as such. Total forest dwellers . A surprise for us too!

Book that one under "learn something new every day"... I thought the forest sitatunga was indigenous to central African rainforests only?
You are a wise and traveled man, Dave!

I can verify Dave's post about Forest sitatunga at Nchila. I hunted there in 2008 and saw them nearly every day.

470Eddy,

You can't go to Nchila without sable on your list. They grow BIG out there!

Kind regards,

Craig

Would like to see some scientific evidence of this? It is common in Zambia to find Sitatunga in Mushitu forests especially around small isolated swamps. I understand they are claiming that their sable are also of royal blood. Note one of the biggest Sable taken in Zambia last year was a 56.5 incher from Mulobezi which is very distant from Angola and seperated by a sodding great river.

I once tried to convince one of my clients that the small kudu he shot was infact the new world record of the lesser variety. He was having none of that.

I can offer you free ranging Roan and Puku in Luangwa but not Sitatunga. This would be a seperate safari in the Bangweulu swamps.

Johnny Du Plooy may still have quota of all three in Tondwa? Or can offer you just the Sitatunga option.

Would be a shame to come to Zambia and hunt behind a fence.

Thank you all for your input. I have now spoken to Dave Fulsom with glowing ropert and many species!...including his Blue Duiler he had hunted for 18 years...Congratularions, Dave!! I need that one too...and didn't realize they were so tough!!
Craig, thank you as well, I believe you were with Dave? I already have a nice Sable from Botswana and generally not a repeater...that said, I know they are huge and might be tempted!
Fairweather, thanks, and tell me more. No, Johnny is sold out this year in Tondwa. Please PM me as I am trying to put this hunt together in Aug-Sept with two other hunts in SA and Namibia.
FYI, the Sitatunga, interestingly was NOT one of my target species, however, in adding it, it displaces the need for only ONE Gazelle, found in Tanzania, to finish up the SCI African 29...and you know what a one species hunt in Tanzania means...and as Craig said about Sable in Zambia, it would be a shame NOT to take Lesser Kudu, Gerenuk and both gazelles ...and that is a 16 day maybe 21 day foray in Tanzania...and you know the tag on that!!...a King's ransome!!
The downside to Nchila is a $3000 charter into the area, at least in my book...I have owned my own planes and flown them for 35 years...and I have said many times about charters, " I don't want to buy the airplane, just use it for a few hours!!"...I know what it costs, even with gas at $10/gallon!!
Cheers