Looking at options. Zambia or Zimbabwe? Why would you choose one or the other?

Quality of camps, style of hunting, availability of random plains game, overall experience?

My wife will be with me, but we don't need a luxury camp. Just a good bed, and good food with good company.

Thanks,

Jeremy

I know you said Zambia or Zim,however I can't say enough good things about Jamy Traut amd his elephant hunts in the Caprivi in Namibia. His camp is great along with food and the elephant numbers late in the year are huge. It hot but the water is cold. You really can't go wrong with him.

You need to narrow it down a bit. Are you looking for a trophy elephant? Exportable? If so, do you care if it has long, thin tusks or thick, shorter tusks?

Do you want to track elephant every day and are in shape to do so? Assuming day hunting only, but night PAC hunts can be cheap.

Is tuskless an option?

I took mine in East Caprivi many moons ago. I would pick Zim based on sheer numbers and a variety of areas both government and private to hunt ele.

quote:

Originally posted by farbedo:
Looking at options. Zambia or Zimbabwe? Why would you choose one or the other?

Quality of camps, style of hunting, availability of random plains game, overall experience?

My wife will be with me, but we don't need a luxury camp. Just a good bed, and good food with good company.

Thanks,

Jeremy

Overland gave you a lot of legitimate variables but...
The basic premise being Zim or Zambia...
Probably Zim if for no other reason than availability, but also as noted Namibia is a top potential option and don't forget Botswana is likely to open back anytime and that's absolutely where I would go all things being equal...
Also..Tuskless..I've only done one but would highly recommend as would others here.
But Exportable vs Non Exportable is issue 1 (and probably 2 and 3)

The Luangwa in Zambia consistently produces good ivory and in a classic setting with lots of PG including Hippo and Croc.

In addition we can also can also offer Roan, Lechwe, L. Hartebeest, Puku etc.

Camps are basic but comfortable.

Trophy exportable (I hope, one day) bull. Best for the area. Something 40lbs or better. Not interested in tuskless on my first elephant hunt.

No real preference for tusk shape.

We want a daylight tracking hunt. No night time crop raiders. Yes, my wife and I are in good shape. No issues going many miles a day.

I have looked at Namibia and it doesn't sound like the hunt I want. From what I gather, too many people, and plains game can be limited in some areas. Also not really a tracking hunt, at least on the Caprivi. I could be wrong on these points, but this is what I have been told.

If Botswana opens, I expect the price tag to be very high out of the gate. Those first couple of years will likely yield some big bulls. May also have a sliding trophy fee, which I dislike on a free range hunt.

I've considered the tuskless and non-trophy hunts a lot, but just can't get past wanting to shoot a good bull on a traditional style tracking hunt. So, that is what we'll try to do.

Thanks for the suggestions and help.

Jeremy

http://forums.accuratereloadin...043/m/6481046931/p/1


Jeremy,

I would wait for Botswana's decision. The announcement one way or the other should be out soon. When we hunted with Johan he had a sliding scale but Jeff Rann had a flat rate.

The Okavango is an incredible experience, and from what I read recently the people in the NG units really want it to open.

We were in NG32, photos on page 2 of link.

Botswana has incredible elephant hunting.

Kathi,

Thanks. You guys had a heck of a hunt in Botswana. Elephant hunting out of a boat is pretty neat.

I hope it opens.

Jeremy

To have a real good and proper tracking hunt in unspoilt areas I think nothing can compare to the Zambezi Valley and Buzz Charlton is 1 of the best if not the best elephant hunter in Zim.

quote:

Originally posted by Pieter Pasques:
To have a real good and proper tracking hunt in unspoilt areas I think nothing can compare to the Zambezi Valley and Buzz Charlton is 1 of the best if not the best elephant hunter in Zim.

i would agree with that.

I have hunted with Buzz and have had wonderful experiences every time. I will be back for ele in the Valley for the seventh time in 2020. Ivory not importable to the states, but after taking a couple of bulls I am sticking to tuskless.
Still a tracking hunt, and lots of approaches and contact with herds.

There are not many areas today where you can realistically target a 60lb+ elephant, stay in nice camps, see Black & White Rhino, close to 1000 head of game a day etc. Sango or Humani in the Save Valley Conservancy in Zimbabwe would be my choice for an elephant bull hunt. The last 4 elephant taken on Sango 77lbs, 74lbs, 60lbs and 54lbs.

Contact me if you’d like more info on this hunt.

Tusk size is something that I have thought about, but don't have a number. I'm more interested in getting the right experience and finding a good bull in whatever area I hunt. It's free range hunting. I'll roll with whatever mama nature throws my way. That said, my luck runs from ridiculously bad, to ridiculously good, so I'll probably shoot a pygmy bull that looks like an eighty pounder, but only has 28lb tusks.

It's a first hunt, so I don't know what I don't know. Even though I have talked with many folks so far. I can't seem to nail it down. Probably because it will be the most money I've ever spent on anything I don't live in or drive.

You folks that have been there, what made you return to a certain area, or outfitter?

Maybe a better question is what should I avoid? Other than snakes.

Jeremy

Thierry is right, in that most dangerous game areas don’t offer high concentrations of common game. The Save’ is certainly an exception, and Sengwe comes to mind. The Duckworths offer quality experiences in these areas. I have hunted with Mokore Safaris a couple of times and have nothing but praise for the operators, areas, and level of commitment.
There is just something about the Valley that draws me back.

I would talk to Buzz. Like you I am all for the free range tracking hunts. You would not be disappointed in the Valley

Good Hunting
Carl Frederik

Carl,

I have talked with Buzz and sat down with him at DSC. Without doubt he is on the list.

The tricky bit is comparing the hunting between the two countries. Many folks whose opinions I trust said that Zambia was a better hunt than Zim. The plains game were generally more plentiful, and of course there are a few more rare species there (puku, L. hartebeest).

Others have said the same about Zim, but it seems there is much more variation in the Zim hunting areas and campfire areas.

Plains game isn't the priority, but I could shoot my elephant on day 1 or day 14.

Just trying to get more info on different areas, and what to expect.

Jeremy

quote:

Originally posted by farbedo:
Carl,

I have talked with Buzz and sat down with him at DSC. Without doubt he is on the list.

The tricky bit is comparing the hunting between the two countries. Many folks whose opinions I trust said that Zambia was a better hunt than Zim. The plains game were generally more plentiful, and of course there are a few more rare species there (puku, L. hartebeest).

Others have said the same about Zim, but it seems there is much more variation in the Zim hunting areas and campfire areas.

Plains game isn't the priority, but I could shoot my elephant on day 1 or day 14.

Just trying to get more info on different areas, and what to expect.

Jeremy

You are asking great questions...I can tell you based on my own view..,I've Hunted the Luangwa valley in Zambia (saw many elephants daily) and it was a great hunt (was hunting Lion and Leopard not Elephant) I did see the ONE elephant that was tagged (Zambia has just gotten their tags back..I believe 20 in all of Zambia)..Zambia takes are few
I hunted the Zambezi Valley two times in Chewore South and Dande East....
I've hunted the Save Valley as welll...
Out of those three top choices....I would hunt Save valley (budget not withstanding) as there is little doubt this would give you a better chance at a better trophy. Thierry is giving good advice and he can hunt independently in Numerous areas. The Save Valley gives you a rare mix of everything you want in my opinion and the quality is inagruable.

quote:

Originally posted by farbedo:
Carl,

I have talked with Buzz and sat down with him at DSC. Without doubt he is on the list.

The tricky bit is comparing the hunting between the two countries. Many folks whose opinions I trust said that Zambia was a better hunt than Zim. The plains game were generally more plentiful, and of course there are a few more rare species there (puku, L. hartebeest).

Others have said the same about Zim, but it seems there is much more variation in the Zim hunting areas and campfire areas.

Plains game isn't the priority, but I could shoot my elephant on day 1 or day 14.

Just trying to get more info on different areas, and what to expect.

Jeremy

More info on hunt with Buzz here; http://forums.accuratereloadin...961022381#7961022381

quote:

Originally posted by farbedo:
Tusk size is something that I have thought about, but don't have a number. I'm more interested in getting the right experience and finding a good bull in whatever area I hunt. It's free range hunting. I'll roll with whatever mama nature throws my way. That said, my luck runs from ridiculously bad, to ridiculously good, so I'll probably shoot a pygmy bull that looks like an eighty pounder, but only has 28lb tusks.

It's a first hunt, so I don't know what I don't know. Even though I have talked with many folks so far. I can't seem to nail it down. Probably because it will be the most money I've ever spent on anything I don't live in or drive.

You folks that have been there, what made you return to a certain area, or outfitter?

Maybe a better question is what should I avoid? Other than snakes.

Jeremy

I would not worry about the money and remember you cannot take the trophy home and the price for Elephant hunting is the lowest it has ever been. Another option is to split the hunt and see a bit of Africa.

However if I had this option and wanted to pursue elephant on foot then I would probably choose Buzz and AR is a wonderful reference and his name if often repeated here and has outstanding references. Personally I would avoid the conservancies and hunt rugged and remote Africa in the way that you envisage.

Tell Buzz the experience that you want and he will design the safari to suit your needs.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043&m=7401037002

Best of many Valley hunts taken with Buzz.

Fairgame, We're planning on a few days to a week after the hunt to see Victoria Falls, and the surrounding area. That is a law that my wife made, and I must follow it.

Cost isn't a big concern, but it is always a concern. I can't go back if I'm broke. Gotta leave enough seed dollars to grow more play dollars.

Ivory size is secondary to a good hunt. If they go together, all the better, but 40lbs as a min sounds reasonable in any decent area. A 70 pounder anywhere just means I was lucky.

I'm getting the impression that the people you hunt with make or break the hunt. Very few comments have noted anything about the scenery and land they were hunting. Except for Kathi, but its hard to argue with the Delta as a place to hunt.

Of course, a few animals around helps, but most of the comments and PM's I have recieved (thanks for those), intimate that elephant are elephant, they live where you find them, but you need to be on the same page as your PH.

I've been re-reading a lot of the reports. One line from Marty struck me:

From Marty's report: "By about noon, we were getting close. The turds were glistening."

Whether tracking elk or tracking elephant, I know exactly what you mean.

Jeremy