16 December 2016, 18:03
Buzz CharltonCharlton McCallum Safaris - Christmas Newsletter
Hi All,Another great season has come to an end for CMS. While world economics and the political situation resulted in a slightly slower season for us - it was however a highly successful one. Likewise it bodes well for next season as despite been 100% on buffalo we did not sell the whole quota which should mean combined with our increasing trophy quality, an exceptional season next year!
We hunted our core area been the stunning Dande Safari area as well as Charara, Hammond, Kazuma and Nyakasanga and Lower Lupande in Zambia. They all treated our clients well with 12 out of 12 male leopards shot, ( unfortunately one wounded and lost) 100% on good solid buffalo, 2 out of 3 lions with the third having been tracked and unfortunately missed and 5 out of 5 trophy elephant not to mention all the tuskless plains game croc and hippo.
Dande was run very efficiently and we maintained the excellent standards that everyone has come to expect there and thanks must go to Kay our camp manger and Bongi and his team for their hard and tireless work.
We have also drilled and are operating a solar borehole in the North of Dande which will be a great draw card and will pull a lot of animals back from Mozambique where they are forced to go to look for water as the season dries.
HAMMOND
Hammond as usual was excellent if a little easy! The quality of the buff were as good as anywhere in the country and everyone shot exceptional buff. Plains game cats and ele were also easy to come by and most clients ended up having enough time to visit the wonderful Gonerazhou national Park.
CHARARA AND NYAKASANGA
Charara and Nyakasanga hunting was done out of a fly camp that we erect in beautiful and isolated spots. These fly camps certainly gives you the feeling of been in the “middle of no where” while still enjoying all the amenities of a good camp as in flush loos running hot and cold showers great food and iced drinks. It is a solar camp which at night is great as you hear all the night noises! We shot some great trophies there including some dry land hippo which is very exciting.
LOWER LUPANDE ZAMBIA
This year we sent two exploration hunts to lower Lupande for leopard and buffalo. They were 7 day hunts and both clients were successful on great male leopards and buffalo plus several plains game species. The buffalo plains game and cat hunting in the lower Lupande is unbelievably good and this coming year I expect several of our clients will collect some amazing trophies there!!!
KAZUMA
Every year we sell two trophy ele bull tags in Kazuma which is in my experience te very best elephant bull hunting one can experience in Africa today. I hunted both tags with Mark this year and in 11 days we tracked and looked at 243 ele bulls. We saw a bull that was over 75 lbs but one tusk so passed up on him and in the end we shot two great bulls been 53 and 55 lbs. We also shot a nice dugga boy and a fantastic sable that went 46”. Without doubt Kazuma is the “mecca” for big elephant hunted in a pure ethical and rewarding manner!!!!
DAPU – DANDE ANTI POACHING UNIT
DAPU www.dapuzim.com has flourished under the guidance of Bongi and Muno and we are certainly seeing a great difference in numbers of game and trophy quality! We have also seen a reduction in snares picked up and carcasses found which is very rewarding. Financially, despite some amazingly generous donations, the running of DAPU is still a huge burden to CMS. One of our initiatives to try and generate funds was to auction off quality art that well known artists had kindly donated or part donated to DAPU. Our present one is a stunning painting called “Hwange Gold” by Gareth Hook it is a 32x56" oil on canvas. Gareth is without doubt one of the up and coming artists at the shows and this painting would be expected to sell for US$12 000. As it is we are still waiting for an opening bid of US$4000. Not only is this a steal and a good investment it is truly a stunning painting going to a great cause!!!! The bidding will stop at the end of the SCI show and bids can be sent to hunting@cmsafaris.com
DAPU
CMS 4TH DVD FOR SALE - “Giants Of The Jesse”
My 4th dvd is finally finished!!!! I do believe that this is the best DVD we have produced from a quality perspective!! I went to great lengths in capturing the very essence of Africa taking great care in particular to the sounds that are so often lost in dvds today. This near 2 hour dvd concentrates on the excitement of early season elephant hunting in the Zambezi Valley portaying all the highs and lows of extreme ele hunting in a season that is not often hunted! This DVD can be ordered through Safari Press as of the 1 st of January. Like all other DVDs sold through Safari Press it will be in HD. However if you order direct from hunting@cmsafaris.com we can deliver Blue Ray or High Definition.
Finally we would like to say thanks so much to our many return clients for your continued support and to our new clients whom all were a pleasure to guide and we look forward to having you all back soon. Myself, Myles and Len will be at Dallas booth 2112 SCI Booth 4669/71/73 and Salzburg booth 1013 and hopefully we will see many of you there.
Happy Xmas and new year from the CMS team!
