If you were going to the Caprivi in Namibia for buffalo, what is the minimum numbers of days for which you would go?

Ralph,

No matter where you hunt more days are always better so it depends on what you can afford.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by RalphBeagle:
If you were going to the Caprivi in Namibia for buffalo, what is the minimum numbers of days for which you would go?

Mark is right on! You may find a 50" buffalo, ten minutes out of camp, on the first day! I wouldn't hold my breath till that happened for me, however.

Buffalo can be hunted sucessfully on as little as a five day hunt, but you better not hold out too long for a real trophy. IMO, 10 days is minimum, and 14 days is much better. These are actual hunting days, and will usually require another day on each end for settle in, and move out! On a 14 hunting day (16 camp), gives you a little squirming room, so you can pass some of the "ALMOST" trophy Buffalo. The 14 day hunt also allows you, in some cases,to take animals that are not available on shorter hunts.

I've not hunted the Caprivi, so I simply do not know how the Buffalo herds are there, and the sugestions above are for MOST Buffalo country, and may be different for the strip!

How ever long you hunt, have a great time!

I hope I don't have to shoot one until about day 21 on my next trip, so I can stay longer.

Ralph,

5 days is so short, too short for me. If everything goes just right great but it might not. I would prefer at least 7 days and preferably 10. If I had to put the hunt off for another year to get the time I would. Just my 2 cents.

Tom Russell

Generally, PHs don’t like to book dangerous game hunts under 10 days. However, in 4 buff hunts, I have never had to wait more than 4 days for the trophy I was seeking. One 44" buff fell within 2 hours on the first day. In my opinion, buff are easier to predict than leopard or lion. I would not book a cat hunt under 14 days.

Everything depends upon the productivity of the area you book. Make damn sure you are confident of both the PH and the area before booking a buff hunt. Otherwise you may wind up with a poor quality cow...

a bit ago I shot one in zambia within the 1st hours out of camp, sort of by accident. we saw a lone bull go into a bunch of trees surrounded by tall grass. It was just about noon, & we figured he had gone in to the trees to cool off. We could see the tick birds on his back so we made a sneak and got to within about 50'. He woke up and came out of the trees directly towards us. Standing in the tall grass all we could see was his neck and head. Typical of PH's mine had a english accent. A rather severe one at that. After a few seconds of looking he said with his accent Noooo. & I thought he said Goooo. so off goes the 470. The woodleigh hit him in the neck breaking the spine. When we got up to him we found he was a real old timer, diven out of the herds. He was only about 37" but with more character that I could imagine. I was pleased, but the PH wasn't to happy with me. He looks over and asked "you must have really wanted him" I explained that he had said Goooo And he explained that it was Noooo. From that time on he just said shoot.

I hunted buf for 5 days in the Omay last fall and connected 1:45PM the last day. I don't like that expecially when on a package and you have paid for the trophy taken or not. I was happy with a 38" hard bosses although the bosses were not realy big.

In Caprivi, i would not recommend less than 10 days. If in a conservancy, and not state owned concession, 14 days.