I am at the Dallas show looking for a 2014 buffalo/sable/eland hunt (maybe leopard too). This evening in the Omni lobby, I was chatting with another hunter that I had just met. He strongly suggested that I look at the Bubye Valley Conservancy. He mentioned there were 4 different PH's operating in the BVC, and they are all good.

I don't know much about the BVC. How does it compare to Sango in the Save? Are they facing the same invasion/take-over problems as the Save?
What type of trophy quality could I reasonably expect on Buffalo, Sable and Eland?
Are there big differences in the various PH's operations in BVC?

Which PH would you recommend?

Any information and advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!

I hunted the Bubye last year 2012 with Brent Hein. Excellent hunting. Tons of game. I took a huge lioness, buffalo, steinbok, 2 giraffe, zebra, warthog, impala and a huge waterbuck. We saw tons of game all day every day. Fantastic place. I've hunted the Save, Omay, and other places in Zim and liked it all but the Bubye is really a piece of heaven.

http://www.mazungasafaris.com/mazunga-species.html

Twicepipes,

Attached is the statistic list for the Bubye, quotas, size, etc.

We have known Brent since 2000 and although we never hunted with him, we have been in the same camp/area together when he was guiding other clients. All the people I know that have hunted with Brent have nothing but good things to say.

We were in Lemco (Bubye) in 2005 and I love the place.

Good luck!!!

I hunted the Bubye in 2011. Andy Hunter set up the hunt and was the PH for my friend that went with me, although I got the understanding that Brent Hein conducts the majority of the hunts on the property. Great place and very nice camp. My PH had to leave early and a very nice appy took me around the last few days. The appy was also doing leopard research for his Phd at Oxford. PM me if you'd like to discuss further.

Hunted the Bubye in 2010 and 2011 with Ade Langley. Both trips were fabulous. Lots of game, accommodations far better than I need but that grows on you too. Great plains game and lots of Buffalo. You'll likely see all the big five on any 14 day trip whether you are hunting them or not - including real (black) Rino so keep a good camera handy, and even saw Leopard in daylight three times on the two trips. Also you might see more Elephant and Lion than you want before it's over! Appears poaching problems are not an issue on the Bubye. The portions of the concession you exclusively hunt are huge and if something special is needed, I saw professional cooperation among the PHs (Brent Heim and George Hallimore) from other areas that can work to your advantage. I got a huge 17+" Leopard with Ade and as of about three weeks ago he had 2 available for 2014. Did not think I needed more than one but I'm rethinking that... ;-)

Good hunting,

Some great info already, but also take some time and talk with John Sharp while you are DSC. Although it's been awhile since I hunted with him, the area we hunted (previously referred to as Malangani) was sold to the people who own the Bubye Valley Conservancy. John continues to hunt much like he did back in 2002 when I was there, but the Big 5 are much more a part of the area than before. I only hunted plains game and had an absolute ball. I can't recommend him highly enough!!

All of the PH's hunting Bubye are top-notch - don't think you would go wrong with any of them. Since you're at DSC, try to speak with them. They will be able to give you a good feel for the hunting, quantity and quality of game and you would get a good chance to interact in person before making a hunt decision.

Good luck - I'm going back with John one of these days!!!


Phil

I have a lioness hunt booked with John Sharp in 2014. I hope to track and film black rino after I get the lioness. From the research I did it is like the Garden of Eden. They also have some nice lakes to fish in but they don't have boats, you have to fish from the bank. Has anybody done much fishing there? I am trying to talk my wife into going, there is so much wildlife it is great for non-hunters.

My dad fishing at Malangani in 2007. It's worth doing!!

Great fish wyatdd!!!

I think we fished out of that same boat in 2002 on my plains game hunt with John. Malangani Dam seemed to have a very nice Florida-strain largemouth population - here's the one I was fortunate to catch. We caught a few others, but this one was really special. I grew up in the South and fished for bass forever and never caught anything like this!!



If you have time, set aside a half day and toss a few lures.

As far as your wife coming along - if she enjoys the outdoors I would encourage her to go. I didn't take my wife that trip but took her on a subsequent trip to Namibia where we had someone show her around and take photos while I was out hunting. It was a great trip for both of us.

Good luck - take a bunch of photos - and don't to forget to share a report with us here on AR.

Phil

Those are some GREAT bass. I will definitely wet a line. I,m not much of a fisherman but it would be a thrill to hook one of those.

My wife & I hunted Chamalaya Camp July 2012 in the Bubye, booked via John Sharp. I took a nice hyena and asst. smaller predators. She was pleased with her 52"kudu. We saw all or some of the big 5 daily and lots of PG. The Conservancy is supposedly at least partly owned by Russians and Dubai nationals, so even Mugabe does not appear to want to mess with it!

Twicepipes,
I hunted the BVC in October last year with Shaun Buffee. I had an incredible hunt and can only recommend it.
My report is posted here on the forum.

I can tell you that going forward effectively all of the dangerous game quota will be split between 4 PH's : Shaun Buffee, Pete Fick, Martin Nel and John Sharp.
The management of the BVC may also award quota to some other PH,s such as Brent Hein but the reality is that the above four guys will have the lions share ( pun intended).
From my discussions with Shaun and Pete at DSC it is clear they are effectively sold out until 2014 for Buffalo and Sable so you better be quick!

You have probably caught up with the BVC guys at the DSC show by now and discussed this directly with them in any case.

Regards
Steve

2pipes,
I have hunted the BVC three times and going back in May. I have also hunted the Save twice as well as S.A. and Botswana so I can provide sound advice on hunting the area vs other areas or countries. Feel free to pm me with any questions.

I have hunted BVC four times since 1999 and I can confirm all of the positives related by other posters both regarding the numbers and diversity of the game and the fishing. Camps are top notch and I think you would be hard-pressed to find a better overall private area operation in southern Africa.

I do take exception to the characterization by Steve that Brent Hein does not have quota allocated to him. That is not the case. Brent does share in the available dangerous game allocation and in fact he has been particularly successful in guiding his clients to some monster cats in the past several seasons.

Since HHK gave up marketing and management of Lemco (now BVC) several years ago, I would venture a guess that with the possible exception of John Sharp, Brent has hunted more days there than the other gentlemen combined. No slight intended to the other guys or to what is a fantastic place to hunt.

Finally, Brent's wife Michelle is the bookeeper for the conservancy, so to portray their involvement as peripheral is misleading at best.

Good Hunting,
David

You will not go wrong by hunting buff/leopard and plainsgame in the Bubye. I have never personally guided there and would love to someday, but all the PHs that guide there are top notch. Pete Fick, Jannie Meyer, Brent Hein, Sharpe John are all great guys. The Bubye produced Best leopard, lion and buffalo ( SCI ) taken in Zim in 2012.

I have hunted with Brent Hein for four safaris, two in BVC. I can tell you that you cannot get better than Brent in BVC. I just returned from a safari with Brent in BVC the first of December. I had an exceptional less than trophy bull elephant hunt. We took a huge elephant. I also took a few plains game species of excellent quality. I don't know where one could find a better area for dangerous game as we were "knee deep" in lions. elephants and buffalo. As stated above, the camps are excellent, damn close to 5 star accommodations and the food is good as one can get. Simply stated, you cannot go wrong with Brent Hein.

I'd go with Brent Hein or John Sharp in a minute.

Or Pete Fick, Shaun Buffee, or Martin Nell. Great area and well run.

Gents,
Thought it best to clarify my comment re Brent Hein (and other PH's) having dangerous game quota allocated on the BVC : this was information that was quoted to me by the BVC guys.
The draft text below was shown to me at DSC and no doubt will be posted offiocially by the PH's concerned :

**********************
"2012 Bubye Valley Conservancy

Looking back at another fantastic season .It was one of our driest years, and produced totally different hunting conditions and wildlife movements through the season. However 2012 was with out doubt our best hunting season thus far.

Buffalo Hunting
The B.V.C produced 27 trophy bulls over 40 inches, the Widest being 47 1/2. To date our most successful season of buffalo hunting. With some of the up and coming bulls we turned down this season, 2013 should be very exciting !

Zimbabwe Awards :

Winner 2012 Best Buffalo. (SCI Score)
Area : Bubye Valley Conservancy
Score : 134 7/8 (outside width 45 inches)
Ph Pete Barnard.


Leopard Hunting

Again the B.V.C lived up to its reputation of producing Monster Tom Cats. We finished the season with a 90 % success rate over 17 tags. Amazing considering all leopard hunting is done over bait.

Winner 2012 Best Leopard award
Area : Bubye Valley Conservancy
Score : 17 10/16
Ph Kevin Thomas


Lion Hunting
Arguably one of the finest wild lion hunting areas available today, 2012 was no exception boasting a 100% success rate over 7 Tags in 2012. Since reopening lion hunting, the BVC has produced 27 lion from 28 lion hunts.

Winner 2012 best Lion award.
Area : Bubye Valley Conservancy
Score : 26 9/16
Ph : Shaun Buffee


Considering the Bubye Valley Conservancy does not offer Trophy Elephant Tags. It is an incredible achievement to have produced best Lion, Buffalo and Leopard awards for 2012, all out of one area.

Moving forward the Bubye Valley Conservancy have handpicked four professional hunters to control the Marketing and hunting of key species tags available each season. These are : John Sharp ( www.john-sharp-safaris.com ) , Pete Fick (www.peteficksafaris.com) , Martin Nel (www.martinnelsafaris.com) and Shaun Buffee (www.shaunbuffeesafaris.com) . These four PH's have decided to work very closely together ensuring this magnificent area is marketed and hunted ethically, and to its full potential.

Out side of the above mentioned PH’s, The B.V.C employs a select few permanent professional hunters, who will guide any extra hunts booked on the BVC. Brent Hein has also retained a limited quota allocation.

With the intended increase of buffalo off take, the BVC will also hold a small portion of that quota to keep supporting some of their regular agents.

Credit for this amazing wildlife success story must be given to Blondie Leathem and his management team, for turning a cattle ranch into arguably one of the finest dangerous game hunting areas available today."

*********************

It is a great area and all of the PH's who hunt there do a great job.

Cheers
Steve

I was there is September last year with Shaun Buffee and I can recommend it completely. The amount and quality of game is amazing. There are so many lions they actually become a bother. Eland, buffalo and I think sable should be no problem. I wasn't in the prime sable areas, but we did see a few. Shaun said they might be moving the sable off the property, because they were trying to avoid feeding lions a weekly $7,500 trophy fee. Regardless, the sable would still be available for hunting. As with other key species, the buffalo and sable there have to be reserved before the hunt on a quota basis. Plains game is plentiful. The giraffe and zebra are just lousy everywhere!