I just got an e-mail from a PH friend, Martin Naude, who just got back from a 5 bull elephant hunt with Spanish clients. They hunted the Tjolota area in Zim. Biggest bull was 90 pounds. The others were 70+, 60+ and two in the mid 50s. It is really a good area for big bulls.

Who is the operator in that area?

Thanks,

African Hunter:

I'll e-mail and ask but I believe it is Penny DeVries and I think his company is Lions Den Safaris.

LJS
Great animals....any photos???
With 5 big bulls taken from the area, how many are left??
In which part of Zim is the location of Tjolota?? Are these big guys migrators???


Mike

These are the bulls they try to nail that accidentally stray out of Hwange during daylight.

quote:

They hunted the Tjolota area in Zim.

Don't know if you mean Tsholoto or not, but the area has been known for it's quality elephant for awhile.

This is great news! Let us be hopeful that the game populations of AFRICA continue to improve.

quote:

Originally posted by bwanamrm:

quote:

They hunted the Tjolota area in Zim.

Don't know if you mean Tsholoto or not, but the area has been known for it's quality elephant for awhile.

I think that is what he meant. I hunted there this year. My elephant was 54 lbs.

Yes it is the elephants that come out of the park, right off of the Botswana border. Same elephants many of the Botswana guys are taking.

"I just got an e-mail from a PH friend, Martin Naude, who just got back from a 5 bull elephant hunt with Spanish clients. They hunted the Tjolota area in Zim. Biggest bull was 90 pounds. The others were 70+, 60+ and two in the mid 50s. It is really a good area for big bulls."

LJS:

Would you please send Martin's email address to me at

billrquimby@cs.com

He was a PH for another hunter in S.E. Pretorius's Westwood Wildlife Safaris camp in Zim's Matetsi on my first trip to Africa in 1983 and I'd like to touch bases with him again.

Bill Quimby

quote:

Originally posted by LJS:
African Hunter:

I'll e-mail and ask but I believe it is Penny DeVries and I think his company is Lions Den Safaris.

Pen de Vries with a French client shot a very good bull in the Tsholotsho or Sikumi Forest areas a few years ago, plus another elephant, both 90 lbs plus.

If the report is accurate it is good to hear he is hunting in Zimbabwe again. I hope to catch up with him when he gets back. Hopefully the story is true!

quote:

Originally posted by LJS:
African Hunter:

I'll e-mail and ask but I believe it is Penny DeVries and I think his company is Lions Den Safaris.

Website?

I believe Lion's Den is represented by John Barth of Dakota Safaris. He posts here from time to time.

Brett

The area is Tsholotsho South. The Tsholotsho region is geographically divided into a North and South Block. The South has always produced some very big bulls. The North only occasionally produces good ivory.

And yes, my company Adventure Unlimited is the booking agent for Lions Den and Thys DeVries (Penny's brother). Penny use to hunt for Lions Den (family company) but moved to Australia and is doing some hunting in Tanzania now. The concession is legally operated by Jack Andrews who works in partnership with Thys on several different ventures.

We only do a few hunts in Tsholotsho every year as Lions Den has primarily focused their hunting in the Botswana Chobe concession.

The PH was I believe Calvin Nobrega who has won a few of the past Zimbabwe Professional Hunters Awards for biggest elephant taken in Zim out of this concession. He also works for us full time in the Botswana block.

If anyone wants more details on either of their operations please just let me know and I can send you an email.

Regards,
John Barth
safaris@trip.net

John:
Thank you for the clarification. I had enough information to be dangerous. Martin mentioned the elephants in passing but my eyes lit up when I saw the 90 pounder. The DeVries family are very nice people and the accommodations I visited when hunting with Rosslyn Safaris on the adjacent property were first class.