What is it that the Chewore North has over the Chewore South? There are many more discussions, at least here on AR of the north, when relatively little can be found on the south even in the archives. Is the north bigger? Does it have more quota? Is it the operators? The north is a much more popular destination and I'm just wondering why so many prefer it over the south?

I spent a few weeks in Chewore North this past September and it has this. The beautiful Zambezi River.

The big river and more Jess Thickets.
Have hunted both.
ozhunter

So that's it then, just the river?

I've hunted the Chewore South. Had a great hunt! Saw lots of everything! Shot a nice buff, kudu, bushbuck, waterbuck, and impala! Saw a nice leopard in the daytime. Another hunter killed a 47 lb ele and a good lion.

Western Safaris has the concession. The Rosenfels had the camp I stayed in. It was great!

Good Question, RayRay! I've been wondering same thing.........

Glad to hear about your good trip ledvm, I'm headed over to hunt with Western Safaris on 8-4 thru 8-14-07. Any other pointers about the area or the Rosenfels' will be appreciated.

The Chewore North holds my memories of a first Safari, and Africa experiences now unavailable. Rhino charge anyone? First Buff, and Leopard, Kudu 10 inches longer than my expectations. But above all it would have to be the mighty Zambezi river (which looks to be in it's Thursday flood stage) and the plentiful Crocs and vocal Hippos which I see haven't yet beaten the grass. The added diversity which the river ecology and history brings to a Safari. Those should do for a start.

Go there!

Hi Hammer,

The Rosefels are wonderful people. They are an old colonist family. You will really enjoy your hunt and the camp. "Trust" (a name) the camp manager will take the upmost good care of you. Is James going to be your PH or do you have a contract PH? What are you going to hunt?

Are you actually hunting out of Rosenfels' camp or the Duckworth or Whitall camp?

quote:

Originally posted by MAU MAU:
I spent a few weeks in Chewore North this past September and it has this. The beautiful Zambezi River.

Ah, nice to see my chair is still there! It's the one in the back on the right.

I can smell the Mopane smoke from here!

Chewore South is shared by the Rosenfelts - Western Safaris, The Duckworths - Makori Safaris, and Roger Whittall - Roger Whittall Safaris.

I understand that they all keep their interest closer, meaning fewer visiting PH's from other operators with their own clients. Not a lot of selling of quota to "outside" PH's in other words.

All three operators are first rate. All of the PH's who work for the three that I have met are very good - some by my personal experience some by reputation - and good guys too.

All of the rivers in Chewore South dry but there are an infinite number of springs. According to some of the PH's I've talked to that hunt there and have for better than a decade each, James Rosenfelt, Richard Tabor, Tierry LaBatt and Peter Wood amoungst others have told me they find a new spring almost every long hunt.

The road net is good, but there are a couple of areas there that would take a three week back pack trip to get to hunt and that may never have seen a white man - certainly none in the last thirty or fourty years.

JPK

I will be with James Rosenfels as my PH out of Western Safaris camp. I met them at DSC this year and kinda struck a..........bond, if you know what I mean.

There may be less expensive hunts out there........but "they" (the Rosenfels, both John and James) just felt right. I trust that my instincts will be correct.
All that I've heard and/or read here on AR, seems to back up my initial impression and subsequent investigation.

HAMMER'em
I hunted with Brooklands Safaris this Oct/Nov.
My PH was Dale DesFountain of Brooklands, but we did our first 15 days in Chewore South out of Western Safaris Camp. I met James and his wife while I was there. They seemed nice.
I had a lion, bull elephant, tuskless elephant, and buffalo cow, on quota.
I shot the buff cow for lion bait. We had 3 baits being hit, but in the heat the baits did not last long. We needed fresh bait bad when we spoted a bullelephant in the 35/40 lb range with pretty ivory, so I brained him.
This kept the lions in the area and I managed to shoot a male on a stalk.

So I must say I had a good hunt in the area.

However I must give you the following WARNING.

The tents were right on a river that did have water in it, just in front of our tent, at about 20 to 25 yards.

At night we saw 2 different crocs and a hippo.

Waterbuck were in camp most nights.

A leopard came to the skinning shed and ate some of my lion bait.
The staff chased it away and it killed a real nice bushbuck about 50 yards from camp that we had seen a time or two.

You should have a good hunt there.

N E 450 No2,

Thanks, I'm feeling better and better about my decisions. I'll try to watch out for the "camp" beasties as well!

SBT and 30tt6 tell me good things about my Namibian hunt choice as well -- Otjandaue Hunting Farms. I'll spend 12 days with them hunting PG and leopard, and then on to Chewore South with Western Safaris.

My first time to Africa, I realize I might be trying to do too much at once, but..........as the song says "I've never had too much fun".

If it kills me, I'll die very happy!

Jeff

Hammmer'em,

James Rosenfels is a very nice fellow. John too. Very nice camp. You will have a great hunt in a great area.

James' client shot a beautiful 42" buff while I was hunting with Richard Tabor of Roger Whittall Safaris in the area this past September. Topped his earlier 39"er which was also beautiful.

I hear that James can walk your legs off if you're not in shape. So if you're not in shape you're warned! Best to start getting your legs ready sooner rather than later!

When are you hunting?

JPK

I definitely NOT in shape currently! I have started walking......2 miles to 4 miles per day and do plan to increase it gradually.
Thanks for the warning (and you are right), I hadn't factored his young age into the equation, quite as much as I should have. Hunting with youngsters tends to re-emphasis how far the old body has "slipped".
I will "step" it up another notch.

42 inches surpasses even my dreams!

Thanks

Hammer,

I really haven't heard that much about the Rosenfels but everything I have found has been good. For those that are interested I did find Johns website, It's little slow loading but a very nice trophy gallery.Western Safaris

A little tid-bit I found through a quick search was John Rosenfels father and Ganyana's dad used to ride to school together on horse back, apparently they had to kill a lion that was stalking them one morning. For those of you that had it bad growing up, did you ever have to fight off the lions on the way to school? Ganyana's dad took John on his first elephant hunt in Chewore South back in the 50's, so he probably knows the area petty well.

For anyone thats hunted both sides, did you encounter more game on one side or the other?

Hammer'em,

I think James' nick name is "Fats" or "Tubby" or something like that. I understand its a two ended joke. Yes, he's powerfully and squarely built, but he is the energizer bunny when it comes to going and going and...

Just a reminder that pace is as much of a challenge as distance!

So, when ya huntin'?

JPK

RAYRAY, I read the same thing.......thought same thought, if they've been hunting this area since the 50's they ought to know it very well.

JPK, booked 8-04/8-14-07 buff, tuskless ele.....if I won the lottery would love to bump up to Ele Bull. but the extra $9k, just kinda leaves me out.

N E 450 No2,

Do you know what river you were on in Chewore South? My rememberance is of no rivers holding water let alone hippos, crocs and waterbuck. In '96 when I hunt Chewore South with the Duckworths there were 2 camps on the seasonal Kachowe river and I believe that was it. I'm just curious and not trying to start a pissing match.

Mark

Mark

No offense taken.
I was there in Oct Nov 06. All the other rivers I saw were dry.
Cannot remember the name but it was the one at Western's camp. I have emailed my PH for the name.

I believe that Western Safaris camp is on the Kachowe, but it doesn't run late season. There is a BIG pool at the site, IIRC.

At the Duckworth's camp there were croc tracks near the pool where they draw water to irregate the grass.

We had hippos in camp every nght in Roger Whittall's camp - also from a big pool.

Saw plenty of crocs too near camp by the big pool and around other pools.

JPK