Well, my boy and I have been having discussions about going back to Africa in 2010 or 11. Sounds like the father/son team that went with us to RSA, last summer might be in, also. Looking for a good cape buff/limited plains game hunt. Looking for a quality hunt, don't care about inches, more the experience. Figured for the money, Zim. is our best bet. Would like the actual hunting time to be 10 days. The boy,who has more money than me, may want a hippo or tuskless ele. The rest of us are more about the buff, and some plains game that we didn't get in RSA. Which area, and who would you recomend? Since it is 2 father/son teams, we could hunt 1x1 or 2x1, depending on the price savings. I've read a quite a bit, over the years, here about different outfitters, but what about the different hunting areas? We'd like this to be a somewhat "wilder" experience, than RSA, although we had a great time there. Just looking for ideas, now. We are all thinking of flying to Dallas, next Jan. for the convention, to talk to people, but its not too early to start. If it helps, here are some of the plains game we would be looking for.

eland
bushbuck
bushpig
waterbuck
warthog

Any thoghts or ideas welcome.

Mad Dog

In my opionion the best plains game - big five area in zim is Matetsi. Many buffaloes, lions elephants and also an excelletn number of plains game. Waterbuck, Sable, Reedbuck, Impala, Kudu no Eland there

Mad Dog, see me in Dallas this year.
Cheers,
David

Mad Dog

I recommend the SAVE.
Take a look at Brooklands Safaris.

Their place in the SAVE is a great hunting location.

They have very good buffalo.

Mad Dog, I thought you were just going to Africa just once. Wait a minute, I said that, too. I will let you now how my Zim hunt goes this September.

If you are going to the SAVE as Fathers and Sons, how about going with the Father and Son team of outfitters, Roger and Guy Whittall? I am sure they will be at the shows next January.

Your inclusion of eland will restrict your options as they are not found in all areas of Zimbabwe. Bush pig can also be difficult to find in some areas. You might want to check out the Charisa safari area. By the way some portions of Matetsi have excellent eland hunting. Check out HHK Safaris at www.hhksafrais.com.

465H&H

What 465H&H says is true. I hunted last December with Charlton-McCallum Safaris in the north (Makuti area) and saw several herds of Eland. We counted one group of 31 animals and one had me thinking real hard about committing the extra $$$.
We did see a LOT of game!, and had a marvelous old-time tent safari. All of the modern amenities, and room for four at the camp.

www.cmsafaris.com You will be very pleased with them on a 12-day (10 days in camp).

Rich
Buff Killer

The HHK link should be www.hhksafaris.com

The Save is probably the best overall hunting in Zimbabwe for all the species mentioned. Bushpig are always difficult because of their nocturnal nature but I shot a good boar and a sow on the Save in '07. Of course all the indigenous Zim animals are there including buff, ele, lion, leopard both white and black rhino plus wild dogs, hyena etc. It is an amazing hunting destination.

Mark

WELL BOYS, you have kinda reinforced what I was thinking, the SAVE. It sounds good. The 4 of us will be talking, this summer. We are having a 1 yr./1 month aniversery "safari" at my buddy Doc's farm, Aug. 14-17. We are fishing, squirrel hunting, gettin skeeter bit, drinking beer, and generally gonna have a good time. We'll kick around all our options, and come up with a plan.

RAC, yeah I know....trip of a lifetime... gotta go at least 1 more time before I get too decrepid....

I guess what got me, was the prices Nov./Mar. were out of the question. Then I saw the "special deals". Any agents want to bid the hunt, out a little farther, with 4 deposits paid up front? Seriously.... 4 hunters.....

Mad Dog

BTW... due to job constraints the hunt has to take place July 1-Aug. 30

while there are easier places to hunt plains game in Zim, the lower Zambezi Valley is the best choice, in MHO, to hunt the dangerous stuff.
The plains game is there as well, but it plays second fiddle, as it should, on a serious DG safari.

Thanks Dave. I'm not ruling out any place in Zim., but am also looking at the $$s expended. Not looking to go cheap, but like everyone, I want the biggest bang for our buck.

Mad Dog