I am trying to organize a buffalo safari in Maasailand.

Having said this, which time of the year do you think is best for hunting buffalo in Maasailand taking into account visibility (height of grass) and buffalo presence?

I have read that there is only buffalo presence in the plateau when the small rains start, this would be July and mostly November-December.

December to March - that is if they ever extend the season beyond Dec! But bewar, not all of Maasailand is great buff hunting!

Another great buffalo area is Maswa Game Reserve

We hunted the Simanjiro adjacent to the Tarangire when the season was July to December.
Buff hunting was best there early and late season when water is more plentiful. We did quite well in October, however thanks in no small part to hunting with Blood, an awesome PH! Lots of food in mid-season Simanjiro, but not much water. The animals tended to move mid-season into the Tarangire Park where conditions generally opposite there - lots of water but less food.

I am considering hunting the Lolkisale area.

Would August still be a good month for buff hunting?

AF,

Have hunted Lokisale numerous times its a fine concession. August should be good, however I would prefer later, December. If you can go in August, you will still have a great chance at a big bull, best of luck, it's beautiful country.

Butch

Thank you all for the replies

Try and be later.

The Bulls migrate out of Tarangire after the short rains. I hit the very beginning of the migration out in late November in 2011.

Lokisale is very good if the Bulls have moved in, but the water sources are limited during the early part of the season, and thus can limit your chances.

I have been told that there have been some changes there since I hunted with some photo lodges moving in to the area.

If you want to shoot the masailand plains game, early is better. If you want to have the best crack at buffalo, as late as you can arrange it.

If the experience rather than the results is most important, and I can only speak to one trip to Simanjiro, March was great. The buffalo were streaming out of Tarangire and the lions were following them. The rains were threatening. Every night, you sat at the fire watching a light show of lightning in the distance and listening to the lions in the valley below. Can't beat that.

Of course we did have some serious rains and a hail storm one night.

You better make sure your PH has done many safaris in that, wet season, area. The vehicle and driver have to be set up right if not that rain soaked black cotton soil can ruin your days and nights. Water crossings can get interesting too.

bwanajay is correct, of course. We had some interesting crossings and, we got stuck. Temporarily. Tracking sucks in the rain too. But overall, I'd do it again.

What size buff does one shoot here on average?

Masailand is a rather large area and it can vary tremendously. But Masailand is in my opinion the best place to get a really outsized bull.

Never pass up a hard bossed 40 inch bull

Your second buff may go higher but who knows

quote:

Originally posted by reddy375:
What size buff does one shoot here on average?

I got a 45 and 2 44's in 2011 (Lokisale)

I will admit that my buffalo luck was in then, and someone else shot a 48" that year.

I was told that year the average was around 41".

But one does not turn down a 40"+ bull with hard bosses unless one is willing to go home without one.

If you go at the right time and you are in the right place you will see hundreds of mature bulls. Some big bossed, some droopy, some with wide spreads and occasionally you might find one that has it all.