Hi Guys; this week I received the trophys from my last African trip, Now, obviously Im starting to save some money for the next Hunt, but Im a little disconcerted.
Now What?, Im very far away ($$$) to think in the Big Five (Except for a leopard maybe) but now, Im more focused in a nice and challenging hunt and wild adventure than a particular or exotic trophy, Maybe, I will be very happy chasing poachers & corrupted politicians in Zimbawe with Don Head, but my familly would never forgive me this kind of suicide trip.
I hate to hunt in fenced lands, I just enjoy hunting in the right way, free range, all the day, not just killing animals in a big African fenced zoo.
I like to stalk, pursuit and chase the animals like I do in our Patagonia with the RedStags.
The Hippo in dry land looks to me very atractive, But I didnt have any info about places, $$$, etc, Otherwise a good free range hunt that includes the posibility of Eland, Waterbuck, Bushpig, Impala, Hiena, will be good, Any Recomendation based in Your experiences, will be apreciatted, Regards: Guille.

I think it all depends on your budget. Although Zimbabwe is in the tank, there are some very good outfitters operating there and I would feel perfectly safe hunting with any of them. I had no problems whatsoever in Zim a couple of years back when the exchange rate was only 7 figures. Understand it is now more like 10 figures.
Mozambique offers some unique opportunities as does Zambia, Camaroon, Tanzania, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Namibia and a whole nother list of countries in Europe and Asia. Since you only get one shot at life, my motto is that I can always make more $ and life is too short to hunt with an ugly gun. I'm currently saving my meager resources to hunt Cameroon or Central African Republic. But then, I'me perhaps a bit more adventerous than some.

G,
Currently, we are cutting roads into our new camp area in Niassa, Mozambique. Yesterday's update reported excellent numbers of Sable and Reedbuck, and Leopard sign. On two midday occasions, they were heard grunting. The area holds a number of desirable species of plains game, including Oribi, Red and Blue Duiker, Lichtenstein Hartebeest and Bushbuck sporting outstanding horns. Lion's are said to be a problem in the area. I will be one of the first going in to hunt this September. If you would like to join us, just contact me via email. I think it will be more than just the usual safari.
Good hunting,
David

without knowing what plains game you have already hunted and an approximately what amount your budget is, it is hard to make any recommendations. always remember though, that buffalo will be the cheapest big five you can hunt( definitely cheaper than leopard except in a few areas in Namibia). most areas of Africa that have buff in good numbers will have at least decent numbers of several species of plains game. as David said, from what i have learned, Moz has a lot of opportunities for unusual or somewhat rare species of plains game in a free range environment, plus hippo, croc, buff. good luck and good hunting. just counting the days until i pitch up in the Zambezi delta!

Remember that buffalo are NOT the cheapest big 5 you can hunt. PAC or tuskless elephant are a lot cheaper.

you can do a 7 or 10 day hunt with johnny duploy in zambia pretty reasonably. buffalo, croc hippo,puku,bushbuck etc. can all be had. trophy fees will decide the end cost of course, but its about the only place i can think of that you can take buff, hippo, croc on a 7-10 day buff hunt & have a good success

David,
I'd still be interested in your Moz trip in September but was waiting to hear back on whether there was any buffalo?

G, there are several 7-day buff hunts out there reasonably priced with options to take a variety of PG. Hyena hunting is a blast, if anything to see what else drops by the bait, like a front row seat to the nature channel.

Guille,

As a general rule, the "unfenced miles and miles of bloody Africa" hunts are $1000-$2000 per day, due to the high lease payments and high demand for DG hunting. These operators are not really that interested in filling up their camps with plains game hunters so they don't offer $400 per day hunts.

There are also (almost always, except Zim) charter flights to be paid to get to these remote areas.

The only exception I am aware of is a Chasse Libre hunt in Burkina Faso, where the daily rate is around 500 Euro. This allows you to hunt in a National Park with local trackers, all on foot. But only PG available now, they used to offer buffalo but no longer.

There is one other possibility in Tanzania. It's not dirt cheap but it's great value for Tanzania. If you can find a partner, we can do a 10 day buff/pg hunt in Mahenge Tanzania for you for $14000 each, incl. road transfers, 2 buffalo each plus PG, trophy fees extra per normal schedule.

But if you are on a budget, your next best thing is to find a LARGE private property, which will normally be fenced although there are some (eg in Namibia) that are low fenced. The downside to low-fenced is the species are limited and of the more "common" type eg Kudu, Warthog, Duiker, Steenbok, Gemsbok. We have one property in RSA that is 75000 acres and it's open on one side to Zimbabwe, so there you will find buff, ele etc. plus the normal PG. Buffalo hunt is about $11,500 and you can add PG. PG hunts are $400 per day plus PG trophies.

Regarding "Cheap" DG hunts....the only hunts that I can offer that can be classified as "cheap" are PAC/Non-Exportable Elephant (mainly in Zim but also in Botswana at around $7500); leopard hunts in SA, Namibia or Zim at around $10K; and very late season hunts/cancellation hunts again mainly in Zim. You could get a late buff hunt for $7500 last season, and probably will be able to again this season due to the political shenanigans.

If you want to roll the dice, you can book a hunt now for next year in Zim and hope that things have settled down.

Pancho, L. David Keith, jdollar,Yukon Delta, Butchloc, Russ Goul: Many thanks to all of You for Your time and advices, Maybe I have to define first how much money I can spend this time, and what kind of free range, African hunt can I affort for that money. Maybe I have to forget Africa & look for other horizonts over the world.
Russ Gould; Thanks ! ! ! You taught me a lot with Your comments, some aspects for who is out of hunting bussines, that we never thought (like cheap Hunts in free range...)
I see a lot of canned trophy hunts (Big black mane Lions in electric fenced farm, or just released under drugs effects kudus, warthogs & canned leopards etc...) and I have been a victim of that in some farms in my country, and if this is the only way that I can hunt, sorry, I dont enjoy it, is not for me, I preffer just hunting doves, ducks, pidgeons or wilboards and Redstags in my country, in free range farms, otherwise to hang my rifle. The search continues...Thanks to All, Regards Guille.

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
you can do a 7 or 10 day hunt with johnny duploy in zambia pretty reasonably. buffalo, croc hippo,puku,bushbuck etc. can all be had. trophy fees will decide the end cost of course, but its about the only place i can think of that you can take buff, hippo, croc on a 7-10 day buff hunt & have a good success

Bahati Adventures offers buff, hippo, and croc on a 10 day hunt in Moz. ( plus good hunting for nyala, sable and a variety of duikers ) for less than the comparable hunt in Zambia.and it is all free range. just FYI