My first animal on my first trip to Africa was a buffalo, followed by a kudu and a sable, in Zimbabwe. A week later, while on a South African Tourism Department junket, I added a gemsbok and a springbok while in Kimberley for a day.

After Zimbabwe, South Africa seemed mighty tame. Because of that, I now tell my friends to hunt South Africa's many indigenous antelope on their first safari, then move up to buffalo and other Big Five animals in less-developed countries on subsequent trips.

A first-timer's first trip will be memorable, no matter what or where he hunts, but hunting dangerous game in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique are Tanzania are so good they need to be saved for later.

Africa is like a potato chip. Nobody eats just one chip or hunts just once on that continent.

I was lucky enough to hunt a place called Kitiangare in northern Tanzania on my last hunt. As one PH who occasionally posts here said, the buff in Kitiangare are born with bugs up their asses. They'd just as soon come as go.

Maybe some guys get to plink a buff at 80 yards with a one shotter. But staking that old dugga boy back in July, 2009 in very thick thorn with almost no visibility and those big bastards all around us, with the leaves on the ground crunching like cornflakes and getting within 20 yards for the shot, was among the most exciting 40 minutes of my life. There are buffalo hunts, and then there are buffalo hunts. The variables are substantial. I guarantee you if you have a hunt like I did, you'll do anything to repeat the experience.

Open country plains game can be very challenging, too. Stalking Coke's hartebeest in Simanjiro is extremely difficult, as are Nyassa wildebeest in the Selous. It's not just bang/flop. You have to work at it, get lucky, and probably make a 180/300 yard shot on either one. I'm not talking ranch hunts.

I hunted with Luke Samaras and they have some of the best people in the business.

The Maasailand experience was wonderful and if my luck changes, you can bet I'll be up there doing it again.

Late season specials in Zim seem to be the best bet for your money. Ask the PH if he can put you onto old solitary bulls or bachelor herds. This has to some of the finest hunting around. If you like it then simply do it again and again.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Late season specials in Zim seem to be the best bet for your money. Ask the PH if he can put you onto old solitary bulls or bachelor herds. This has to some of the finest hunting around. If you like it then simply do it again and again.

This is top advise but one word of warning, you will most likely be hunting in very hot conditions.

quote:

Originally posted by ozhunter:

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Late season specials in Zim seem to be the best bet for your money. Ask the PH if he can put you onto old solitary bulls or bachelor herds. This has to some of the finest hunting around. If you like it then simply do it again and again.

This is top advise but one word of warning, you will most likely be hunting in very hot conditions.

Get yourself fit and practice off hand shooting and over sticks with your large caliber rifle.

Buff followed by plains game. That's what my dad and I did and it fulfilled lifelong dreams. Don't put off the buff for "next time". And I don't believe one prepares you for the other nor does one take away from the other. One is like hooking that big shark and the other like getting into a school of blue fish. Both thrilling but nothing alike and neither substitutes for the other.
Just my opinion based on a single safari - so far.

Here's my 2 cents...

Hunted buffalo on my first trip to Africa. I had more fun trying to stalk Zebra in the Sijirira Forest in Zimbabwe after the buffalo was down.

My advice is: Go to Zimbabwe and hunt plains game in someplace like the Save. You will have a blast hunting PG and you will at least get to see elephant and buffalo. If you go back, you can go back for buffalo.

I will be going back for PG but will do it somewhere where we can at least see DG.

I say do it. The SAVE in Zimbabwe is a great for buff.

In the word of Doc Holiday never put off killing till tomorrow when you can kill it today(close to original quote)