Hello Gentlemen,

Im considering a trip back to Zim and wanted to know who is the top outfitter in the matetsi area. Thanks

9iron ,matetsi has 7 units and only 6 for hunting there are a lot of people that think matetsi runs from the vic falls to Bulawayo so if you wish to hunt the matetsi safari area managed buy zim national parks remeber the are only 6 , what are you going to hunt maybe I can help point you in a direction

I would recommend Ron Oliver of Africa Hunting Safaris Inc. He is the exculsive booking agent for Matetsi 5.

Africa Hunting Safaris Inc.

1 830 336 3345

quote:

Originally posted by Jerry Huffaker:
I would recommend Ron Oliver of Africa Hunting Safaris Inc. He is the exculsive booking agent for Matetsi 5.

Africa Hunting Safaris Inc.

1 830 336 3345

+1

HHK has Matetsi 3, I believe and I hear that it is wonderful. I've only hunted Matetsi 1, back when HHK had it. I was impressed with the lions, sable, elephants, waterbuck, wild dogs, roan, cheetahs... you name it... that I saw.

I don't think you will go wrong with either HHK or Ron's concessions.. it really boils down to the PH you want.

I've been to Matetsi Unit 2 and Unit 3. Never saw so many sable in my life.

As JudgeG said HHK has Unit 3 now and Cabela's books hunts in Unit 2 and maybe others. Unit 3 is a pretty big camp; I bet it can hold ten hunters, maybe more. Unit 2 is smaller and can hold six in the three 'chalets'. I understand Unit 2 is about 70,000 acres.

I think Unit 2 is maybe a 2 hour drive from the Vic Falls airport, which is nice.

Thanks for the info guys. I'll look into both of them. Whats the best time to go there for buff?

9iron,

For buffalo, I would strongly suggest contacting the safari operator/PH for the area you are considering to determine the particular climate and seasonal influences for these areas during the hunting season, such as HHK for Unit 3 and Ron Oliver for Unit 5, to name a couple of the operators/responsible parties. Generally, water conditions can be a large factor, but I did very well on a Unit 5 hunt (with HHK at the time-- 2004) in July. It is, of course, colder in the mornings then, and at the height of winter, thus vegetation is brown and low.

I personally prefer buffalo hunts in September or October when the vegetation is lowest and the herds or small bands are easier to locate and track. Good, local feedback is the best and most reliable information. Good luck and good hunting.

Matetsi 3 and 5 used to be great areas.
They probably still are. You should ask Saeed and the Vincents to give you a description of what has been happening to the areas. They used to be bloody excellent. I am not so sure now. Also ask them how they were forced out of the concession after having done a first rate job running it. Find out what Zanu Pf colonel or generall is now calling the shots and using the "warvets" to do the dirty work. Hell most of these so called bush warvets were not even a gleam in their daddies eye let alone crawling around crapping themselves when the bush wars went down. They are just Zanupf enforcers trying to make themselves look at least a little legitamite. HHK is a great outfit but you better have it in writing and notarized that you are not hunting on confiscated property. Also a compleate list of all partners,board members, and land owners as well as anyone else with a vested financial interest in the properties. You dont want to loose everything you hunted hard for because a "partner" is on the banned list. Just make sure you do your homework. Also talk to references who have hunted recently in the particular areas. I also thought parks had taken over unit 3 and were running it. I think Ganyana could give you a heads up on that.

Hey Mike I hunt unit 3, 5 and 2 as a PH , unit 3 is run by HHK, unit 2 By Les Evans and unit 5 by the Zim Nat parks agreed anyone hunting in Zim needs to do there homework on areas and operators ,9iron hope this help and you have a good time

Kelly,

I agree on the September for buffalo advice, I have had luck in 2006 and 2008 in mid September.

When is your next hunt?

Go Bears!

My wife and I had a great buffalo hunt in Matetsi Unit 4 with Mark DeWet last year. You stay in Russ Broom's historic old farm house boasting a vista all the way to the Hwange National Park (which borders the concession). Lots of sable, zebra, and kudu. Mark is one of the legendary old-school PHs who is as skilled as he is fun to hunt with. Check out his website - he usually has some great deals on buffalo:

Mark DeWet Safaris

psmith,

Good to hear from a fellow Brazos River traveler. I have a May and September rodeo that I have to do from the production side, so that severely limits some of the best times of the year. Despite that, I will be sneaking through the rain forest in Southeastern Alaska in early September with an open-sighted .458 for black bear, looking for a close shot, doing some wolf vocalization calling on some islands there, and then off to Zim late this year to track some elephant. I'm doing coyote damage work right now -- and still feeling my Baylor experience most every morning when some joint doesn't want to work.

I don't know if I will look at adding anything else for the hunt in Zim, but I get pretty focused on the ultimate enjoyment of elephant hunting.

Kelly, I hear ya. I took a tuskless in 2008 along with a couple of buffalo in Dande. Now all I can think about is more elephant and more buffalo! Of course, between you and Mike Jines, I think maybe Zimbabwe is running out of elephants.

Good luck in Alaska and Zim.

Sic 'em

PSmith,

What did you use for the tuskless and buffalo? And what bullets, if you don't mind the request? And Mike is the crazy elephant man; he just posted videographic proof of such two weeks ago. I told him I don't think I can shuffle back and hit the brain at the same time; I just have to stand there and take it. Mike made some dancing with the stars moves and stopped the angry cow. Talented.

Kelly,

I used a Krieghoff in .470 with Barnes solids loaded by John LaSala at Safari Arms.

Next trip will probably be the new-to-me Wiebe .500 Jeffery, and maybe even the Westley Richards Farquharson in .450 No. 2. But then again there's nothing like the double rifle.

I enjoyed the video of Mike's ele charge. I've seen some pretty good video of yourself and elephants too.