really wanting to go after a Cape for my first hunt.Any suggestions and what should i expect to pay for a trophy on one ?

Check out the "Outfitters - Offered and Discounted Hunts" forum - there are several very good offers.

The "buff or no buff on a 1st trip" topic is debated frequently here on AR, some feel that one should start out with plainsgame while others feel you should jump right in. Although I did the progression, if somebody hunts at home, knows their rifles, and does the best job possible at educating themselves beforehand (participating here on AR, read the hunt reports, talk to the PH's and references, buy the DVD's and watch the TV shows...) - I say GO FOR IT!

Pick a good area, a quality outfitter/PH, the right time of the year for that area...and have a great time.

I'd suggest you look at total cost of the hunt rather than just the trophy fee alone and cost will vary dramatically depending on where you book, who you book with and quality of area and camp etc.....

If price is an important criteria Zim will probably be your best bet and there's a few good options here on AR. Amongst them (but not restricted to) are Graeme Pollock, Aubs458 & Don heath etc.

If you want a more expensive but different option, you might consider Tanzania.

Yet another option is Mozambique which is often a tougher but still very enjoyable hunt and again some good guys here. Amongst them (but not restricted to) are Jason van Aarde, Johan Strasheim (Bahati) & Kwan.

Go For it. As Bill said, if you are a hunter and do your homework, you will be fine. My very first African animal was a buff.

Bill hit it right on. My first African Animal was a Cape Buffalo in the Selous. I have since been to SA for "plains game" but there is no comparison. I don't want to downplay the hunt in SA, but there is no comparison. If you can swing the cost of DG hunt, go for it.

I will save as long as it takes to return to the Selous.

Design your hunt to please yourself. I might (probably will) go back sometime and include Cape Buffalo on the grocery list, but for someone who has not had the thrill-a-minute experience of hunting plains game, I think that concentrating on buffalo might be a mistake.

With a good plains game hunt you can expect to take a half-dozen species or more and both see and shoot one or more trophies virtually every day for as many days as you care to do it. In other words, it is a continuous thrill for someone who likes to hunt (and has never experienced it.)

Conversely, hunting buffalo is typically a much "slower" activity, usually (but not always) involving days of scouting, tracking, and looking, with only a relatively few moments of the excitement of actually shooting. And despite the romantic concept to the contrary, most of the time the buffalo is going to run from you like a deer, not threaten your life. I don't mean to diminsh what is undoubtedly a great experience hunting buffalo, but comparatively, a first time African hunter may get a lot more satisfaction and enjoyment from a good plains game hunt. And for a lot less money.

By the way, did you realize that an eland will weigh more than a buffalo?

Another name:

Martin Pieters has a great hunt offer in a good area on the "Outfitters" offered hunts : Buff Hunt at Omay.

Martin is a well respected P.H. and owner of a fine company. Omay is full of buffalo and you should be able to get a respectable trophy there.

The others Steve mentioned are all folks with whom I'd go, of course.

My first shot at live game in Africa was at buffalo in Tanzania and I never looked back.


To me the scouting, tracking, and hunting is more exciting than actually shooting.

This a link to one of the quality operators in Zim. It wall give you a good idea what the cost is. I have hunted with Martin and am heading back to the Omay this April.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...861097741#3861097741

Pokerguy;

quote:

My first shot at live game in Africa was at buffalo

And after several safaris and lots of plainsgame, I wouldn't go hunting in Africa without including a Buffalo hunt.

Best regards, D. Nelson

quote:

Originally posted by JudgeG:
Another name:

Martin Pieters has a great hunt offer in a good area on the "Outfitters" offered hunts : Buff Hunt at Omay.

Martin is a well respected P.H. and owner of a fine company. Omay is full of buffalo and you should be able to get a respectable trophy there.

The others Steve mentioned are all folks with whom I'd go, of course.

Oops. I did mean to include Martin in my post.... sorry about that.

The first animal I ever shot was an impala, the second was a Cape buffalo. I don't mean the first animals in Africa, I mean the first animals period.

There is no reason at all not to take a buffalo on your first safari, and all sorts of good reasons to do so. Just practice shooting your big bore rifle a lot.

Zimbabwe buffalo trophy fees seem to be in the $2,750 to $3,000 range. South Africa is much higher. Namibia is higher than Zim. I think in Tanzania a two buffalo hunt has relatively low trophy fees. Mozambique seems to have about the same trophy fees as Zim.

But as Steve said the daily rates and trophy fees need to be looked at together, as well as travel issues, i.e., do you need a charter flight?

I agree 100% with the guys above, I can't imagne going to Africa and not taking a buffalo. I've hunted three and that's just not near enough!

There is no reason at all not to hunt Cape buffalo on your first hunt, providing of course that:

You know where to shoot a buffalo.
You can accept the fact that the average buff coming out of Zim now is less than 38 inches.
You're not going to cut and run if the buff gets wounded and charges.
You don't blame the rifle for a screw-up or a thorough ass cleaning by a wounded buff, as some have done in the past.

Steve:

No appology needed.

We could add lots of folks like Brent Hein, the P.H.'s of HHK (Lou Hallamore is my favorite), the SAVE guys... C&M Safaris.

I'll bet that ZimFrosty could hook him up...

Making a list is risky because you always leave out someone who might get miffed. I just thought of Martin because he had a good deal just posted.

Keep 'em in the road down in RSA!

Until we meet at the Sea Cliff again...

No one but the hunter himself can judge whether he's ready.

But many hunters misjudge their own abilities!

With a Cape buffalo, that's not a good thing.

Poker guy,

Just do it. You won't regret it.

Another thing to consider is the area. The Zambezi valley has good buff, but limited amounts of plainsgame. You might want to consider an area that has a lot of animals to see, and maybe even shoot. The Save, Matetsi, and my favorite - Malapati, all have good buff and a ton of other animals for your safari pleasure.

Another option would be a Zambia buff hunt, around 12k all in if I recall. Zambia has some plainsgame you won't find anywhere else. Makes a very nice add on.

Have fun!

I wish I would have went for a Buff first. You could always shoot some plains game on a Buff hunt!!!

By my own choice I am more of a plains game hunter than a big 5 hunter. The main reason is I bow hunt more than gun hunt. If I had been going on gun hunts,and If money was not involved in the consideration ,I do not think I would have any issues with adding any of the big 5 on my first trip. I am very comfortable with any firearm and have proven myself under fire with the big bores,, I shoot a 416 rigby and 375 H&H regularly. If the pocket book can take it,, and you are good in the field with guns and sure your not going to wilt under pressure,, go for it. Failure on a plainsgame hunt can result in lost trophies, failure on a big 5 can get you or folks with you mashed or chewed up, you can always shoot plains game on a buff hunt. My first hunt would not of been for just a buff,, back when as a newbie I wanted to shoot a bunch of stuff, it was all new,, now the walls are full and collecting is not important,,, the bigger stuff has a most definite appeal. The bigger stuff also is a lot more WORK!

quote:

eally wanting to go after a Cape for my first hunt.Any suggestions and what should i expect to pay for a trophy on one ?

Just as a general rule.....over and above a plains game hunt, one should expect something in the neighborhood of a $6,000 addition to decide to add a Cape Buffalo to the hunt. Many things change when we add DG to the plains game hunts...it's not just the trophy fees!

Lots of choices all over southern Africa for Buffalo. As mentioned however, it's the overall cost you should examine, not just the trophy fee. Also, research as to what type of bull your looking for. Each hunter has his/her own goals. Most PH's will hunt for a mature bull, not just any bull. If you need practice, consider Australia. We have a few herd reduction hunts remaining for $8,500 1x1 and $7,900 2x1. You get 10 Buffalo, and these are big and tough bovines.
Cheers,
David

Pokerguy,

If your talking about a 10 day buffalo hunt which is the minimum I recommend the hunt all in will run you $14,000-$15,000. Gratuities, trophy shipping and trophy fees for animals additional to the buffalo will be extra. So if you can gather up $20,000 your going to be able to book a very nice 10 day safari.

I booked a buffalo on my first safari and am so glad I did. I personally don't see that the standard ranch plains game hunt does much to get you ready for a future buffalo.

Mark

Buff will be your steak. Plains game will be the side items. While enjoyable, I don't go out for the great side items...

Jeff

My first trip to Africa was last September. It included plainsgame on a low fenced ranch in Namibia and then Buffalo with plainsgame in Zambia's Luangwa valley. Both trips were enjoyable but for different reasons.

If I could only do one it would be the latter. The benefit of the Namibia ranch hunt was to showcase how special the trip to the Luangwa was. There is no comparison.

Go to the Save and do what Pegleg did on his first safari.

Here's the report: http://forums.accuratereloadin...161098911#9161098911

Do your home work and an talk to all the non bias people who have been there. read everything you can about buffalo hunting and the areas your interested in

My first African animal was a Buffalo as well.

If you have the resources to do it right the first time, going on a 10-14 day buff and plains game in a wild area is going to be the experience of a lifetime.

By doing it right, as several others have said, know your game's anatomy, practice with your rifle, and try not and have unrealistic expectations as to trophy quality or "romance" of DG hunting, as it is not a continuous sphincter tightening event.

Just go and live it day to day and have fun.

If you are only going to do this once, then by all means go for buffalo. However, the experience (of hunting in a concession) will ruin PG hunting for you (on a ranch). So if you plan to go back again and again, do your PG hunt(s) first, you will enjoy them tremendously, and build up to the buff and elephant. There's also something to be said for using a PG hunt to develop a relationship with a PH. If you click, then your buff hunt will be more fun.

I absolutely say to hunt anything you can when ever you can. If you have some experience there is no reason not to hunt Buffalo on a first safari. Africa is a long way away, and life is fickle enough that you may never get a second chance. DO IT!

By no means do I think a Buff should be the first animal you ever try to kil, but I cannot imagine someone simply wanting to begin their hunting career with that approach.

Yeah, you never know what the future will bring. I thought I was going back for another buffalo, but it looks like I'm not. So my advice to you is go hunt buffalo. Anything can happen, and usually does.


BTW, Craig Boddington's video, Boddington on Buffalo, is excellent to prepare you for your first hunt. Lots on anatomy and hunting strategy. The strategy will vary with the location, but that video helped me tremendously.

If you want to shoot a cape buffalo the first time over I say do it. Life is too short ...

i shared camp with a guy from Wyoming last year in Omay North. he described himself as "just an old cowboy who has saved my money to go to Africa". he had never been on a guided hunt ANYWHERE and he was in the Omay for 12 days hunting buff, then on to Deka for a 10 day elephant hunt!!! talk about jumping in the deep end of the pool! he got a nice buff and had to shoot another one( along with his PH who fired) when it charged at close range- it had been snared, broken the wire and was in a thoroughly pissy mood. point is, if you know your stuff- go for buff and maybe shoot some plains game too.

quote:

Originally posted by JudgeG:
Steve:


I'll bet that ZimFrosty could hook him up...

.

Judge thanks for the Vote of confidence. Thats two beers I owe you.

I would agree with most of the posters here that there is no reason that you cant hunt a cape Buffalo on your first hunt PROVIDED that you have a good PH and outfitter and that you are familiar with your firearm of choice.

I agree that Zim would be a good choice as far as price goes, but I would also add that Trophy quality in Zim is certainly not bad. Some really good trophies have come out of the Save Conservancy this last season and the Omay, Dande etc continue to provide excellent options.

Feel free to PM me and I would be happy to provide you with any and all Free info you might need on costs etc

Dear Porker

If you have the $ then go for it.

If you do a DG hunt first then it is all down hill from there. Plains game just dose not offer the same thrill.

Now I have done my first DG hunt that is all I want to do. But do not have the money to go as often as I would like.

In saying that it is a personal choice. Either way make the most of the hunt and it will be the best time you have ever had. Just allow for a few things to go not to plan.

I went up through the ranks but this was mostly reflected by my income. If I had the coin I would have done a buff first hunt.

Good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:
My first trip to Africa was last September. It included plainsgame on a low fenced ranch in Namibia and then Buffalo with plainsgame in Zambia's Luangwa valley. Both trips were enjoyable but for different reasons.

If I could only do one it would be the latter. The benefit of the Namibia ranch hunt was to showcase how special the trip to the Luangwa was. There is no comparison.

Well said. Where there are Buffalo there are Lion.

I saved an extra year so that my trip would include a buffalo, and am very happy that I did. I did the ranch-style plains game thing first in Botswana, and loved every second of it...I don't regret it at all, but probably wouldn't repeat that type of hunt unless I was taking my granddaughter along next time. My buff was taken in the Caprivi the following week, and the experience was so different in every way that it's difficult to even compare the two hunts.

Doing the buff, either along with or instead of plains game, is IMHO the way to go. If you don't do it, who knows? You may spend a long, long time regretting the choice.

You're going to be in AFRICA!! Of COURSE you must hunt a buffalo!

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:
My first trip to Africa was last September. It included plainsgame on a low fenced ranch in Namibia and then Buffalo with plainsgame in Zambia's Luangwa valley. Both trips were enjoyable but for different reasons.

If I could only do one it would be the latter. The benefit of the Namibia ranch hunt was to showcase how special the trip to the Luangwa was. There is no comparison.

Well said. Where there are Buffalo there are Lion.

Hope so.

A hunter can do a hunt for Cape Buffalo on their first trip to Africa and do just fine, You'll most likely get your Buff, and maby some plains game to. I talked to a guy in the airport in Harare who had done just that, He told me it was a little anticlimactic."Kind of like shooting an old cow out in the pasture back in Texas". I don't blame the PH in this case because I know him, and he is as good as they come.

My point is you do a buff hunt on your first trip, the only person you will be short changing is yourself. There will be all kinds of things going on, and the mind can only process so much at one time. JMHO

The only thing a buff hunt on your first trip to Africa will do is get you back to Africa sooner to get another one.

I did a couple plains game hunts before my first buffalo. If I were starting over, I'd start with buffalo.

The advice to start with plainsgame may make sense for those with little hunting experience and can't shoot. Many PHs and guides seem to think everyone fits into this class, something that irks me more than a little.

Go for Cape Buffalo. I did on my first safari and have no regrets. I would suggest Zim as it has lots of buffalo and reasonably priced.

My first hunt was a ranch hunt in Namibia and I don't regret it. I shot a tremendous kudu, four gemsbok, a red hartebeeste, and all the other usual stuff. It really added some pizzaz to my trophy room; I still think about what a great time that trip was.

I have since shot buffalo on all my hunts and will do so on my next one. The Namibia hunt in no way prepared me for the buffalo hunt, but then, my first two buffalo were pretty anticlimatic - they both died with one shot. The second one I brained. Of course, I thought there was nothing to killing buffalo. Of course, the ones after that didn't die so easily.

My advice is do whatever you want. One thing I have learned is that shooting an average buff is no great challenge. Shooting a big one is, at least for me.