Got the urge to hunt Buff. Have a possible hunt in the Caprivi strip for 3 buff 7days $12k all inclusive. Any ideas or thoughts, I hunted with this PH this past year for 12 days for plainsgame and had a great time. I would like to extend the days some and go after a tips outs Kudu and a 40" gemsbok. Also, I will need to purchase another gun "dagnamit". I am looking at another Mod 70 in 375 or 416. I currently have a 338.

Thanks,

Wayne

I feel your pain, I hate it when I have to buy a new rifle, not.

Sounds like a pretty good deal. We paid about another third more for a 10 day hunt for three buff.

I cannot pretend to have expertise in this area, as even though I have hunted the buffalo I never took one. Never again, size or no size, down - period. I am reading a fine book by Tony Sanchez-Arino and although his favorite seems to be the .416 Rigby he has very high regard for the .375. Unless one has plans for considerable large and dangerous game in future, the .375 H&H would be my choice only because it is such a fine cartridge for even our large North American game. Federal offers a Trophy Bonded .375 solid load that would be excellent.

3 buff for 12K is an excellent price these days, as long as the hunt is legitimate. But make sure to do your homework because some hunts are too good to be true. For example, an extremely low priced 21 day ele hunt in southern Zim on which no game was seen other than impala because it was conducted when ele and other game had moved off the concession. So it ended up being an extremely expensive 21 day impala hunt.

quote:

all inclusive

Montana

That is one hell of a deal if it's true. The Caprivi Strip usually has a very small sport hunting buffalo quota with.1x1 seven day hunts running around $14.000 Is this hunt some sort of meat hunt? Make sure to spell out what is included, Trophy fee for buffalo, Dipping / transfer of trophy to Windhoek, Vat/Tax , Flight to hunt area. Spell out what is included in all inclusive. I have learned from personal experience some outfitters have a different definitions of "All Inclusive"


If it checks out you have to go!

As a veteran of ONE buff hunt in the Selous this year I'll offer my professional opinion. I too had a 338 Win Mag and needed a bigger gun. I decided on the 416 Rem simply because of the overlap of the 338 and 375 terminal ballistics. I've always wanted a 375 H&H but am happy with the 416. I ended up shooting a buff with the 338 and the 416 and both died quickly but the 416 hit noticably harder. If push came to shove I'd much rather have the 416 in hand than either the 338 or 375. Also loaded with a 350 Trippleshock my gun turns in 2600 fps with the trajectory of a 3006 with very manageable recoil. All in all I'm glad I went with the 416.
As for the price of the hunt, like all the other guys said, check it out carefully. I spent considerably more but was gone for 16 days of hunting. Hope this works out for you, both my wife and I had a great time.

Wayne,

The price is good and about as cheap as the cheapest out there when you concider it includes 3 buffalo. I'd be curious as to what "all inclusive" does include. Also as suggested check out when the buffalo are in the concession and what the PH'S connection is to the concession. If he is buying quota from the lease holder I don't see how they're all making any money. Allan Cilliers in the Caprivi on his own Kwando concession is offering a 7 day buffalo but can't come close to that price.

Either the 375 or the 416 will make you happy.

Mark

Thanks everyone

I am leaning towards the 416rem because "You can never have too much gun" right?

I have sent an email with the questions raised here. I trust this guy but having it explained would be better.

Will let you guys know when I know

Thanks again

Wayne

quote:

Originally posted by Lewis50:
As a veteran of ONE buff hunt in the Selous this year I'll offer my professional opinion. I too had a 338 Win Mag and needed a bigger gun. I decided on the 416 Rem simply because of the overlap of the 338 and 375 terminal ballistics. I've always wanted a 375 H&H but am happy with the 416. I ended up shooting a buff with the 338 and the 416 and both died quickly but the 416 hit noticably harder. If push came to shove I'd much rather have the 416 in hand than either the 338 or 375. Also loaded with a 350 Trippleshock my gun turns in 2600 fps with the trajectory of a 3006 with very manageable recoil. All in all I'm glad I went with the 416.
As for the price of the hunt, like all the other guys said, check it out carefully. I spent considerably more but was gone for 16 days of hunting. Hope this works out for you, both my wife and I had a great time.

i thought the minimal cal. for buff and other dangerous game was 375. i'm a bit surprised your gov't game scout allowed you to shoot one with a 338( at least without the usual bribe)

A good rule of thumb with hunting as with everything else in life is that if something looks too good to be true, it probably is. - If it looks too cheap you need to ask yourself why...... Better to spend a bit more money on a good product than save a few dollars on a bad product......

Since you're getting a great deal on a hunt, why not get a nice double rifle.. that's the way to hunt buffs. It's easy to find 470s and 500 nitros around the $8k range, and those guns don't seem to lose value...

I'm looking forward to the stories when you get back, be sure to bring a journal, with that much hunting, you don't want to forget anything.

THere is no such thing as a free lunch. The price for that buff hunt appears to be a free lunch.

Be very careful...

PS - either rifle should work on buff

Sounds like a great opportunity!

I would go with the 416 Remington Mag. I bought a Blaser in 416 and went for buffalo last year. I shot alot of plainsgame with it and second to the last day a 40" buff. He went down hard and never got up...I used 400 grain Swift A-frames.

This year I went back for leopard and took a 30.06. I shot plainsgame and a leopard, but it did not have near the effect of the 416. Plus, with all the pissed off female elephants in the Save River Conservancy, I definately wished I had brought the 416.

For what it's worth.

Dr. Tim

Montana, get yourself a scoped .416, although the .338 is legal in Namibia for buffalo. (You need only 5400 Joule or about 4000 ft/ lbs for buff in Namibia, no minimum caliber...) Who is the outfitter? Seems too good to be true. Can you export 2 of the trophies? (No way you can export 3.) This buff must be part of a consumptive quota?

I would go with the 416 rem mag. Since you already own a 338 there's little to be gained from a 375. You will appreciate the the noticably more potent 416 on your next buffalo hunt.

More info,

2 Buff bulls 12day hunt $12K

He picks me up in Windhoek we drive to the lodge about two hours, overnight there. Next morning drive up to the Strip. Beats the charter cost as he is only to charge the observer fee. I think this is a plus as I will get to see the countryside from the ground.

My question to you guys is the hunt is the middle of October. Is this a good time to go, what will the temps be that time of year. I had hoped to go June-Sept sometime to escape the heat here.

Input please, last thing I am not looking for 45" buff will take one. I just want to have a good time and enjoy myself. I threw away my tape measure.

Wayne

Montana,

If this includes the 15% VAT, dip/pack, and 2 trophy fees its a heck of a deal. Glad you opted for a longer hunt you'll enjoy it a great deal more.

Mark

quote:

Is this a good time to go, what will the temps be that time of year.

You should read mrlexma's report from his Caprivi hunt in October.



[I shamelessly stole the picture from his report.]

quote:

Originally posted by Montana:
My question to you guys is the hunt is the middle of October. Is this a good time to go, what will the temps be that time of year...

Wayne, I hunted in the West Caprivi (the "Strip", to the west and along the Kwando River…east of the Kwando is considered East Caprivi) in Oct 2003, on a reduced-cost tracking hunt for lion and roan. It was very HOT and very DRY. I have hunted the Selous in Oct and Masailand in Nov, but there was no comparison. I like the heat, but during the days nothing moved except the thermometer which hit 120F in the shade and 130F++ in the sand (or on the dash of the truck). Much of the area had been burned by the Bushman who live there, and there was no water in the concession except along the Kwando River.

Although I had a buffalo on license, we did not see any buffalo or even tracks in 14-days of hunting including a lot of driving on the Bots and Angolan sides. The hope was that the early rains would begin before the trip, and bring the buffalo back up from Bots. Most every night I saw lightning storms off in the distance to the east, however, only one small area near to the Botswana boarder received any rainfall and it was just a few drops. Email me if you would like to chat...

I cannot stress enough that my experience could have been unique (it was the third year of period of drought in the area). Talk to your outfitter regarding the particular concession in the Caprivi where you will be hunting in regards to the heat, rainfall in recent years (I think last season was wet - so conditions might have been totally opposite compared to what I experienced), available water for the game, and the impact of the above on the buffalo in TYPICAL years. It is indeed a GREAT price assuming you have a reasonable chance on shooting two. The buff are not known for huge spreads, but have knurly, thick bosses with a lots of character.

I also hunted the Strip in April and it was beautiful, green and lush with a good amount of game if not many buffalo then either.

Here are a few scanned (pre-digital) pictures I had on the computer:

Temp in OCTOBER (note thermometer maxed-out in the sand):


Buffalo shot in APRIL for leopard bait (not wide but great-looking boss):


Digital picture of a 370gr Northfork from a .416 Rem, recovered from the buffalo (a thing of beauty!):

120 thats what I was afraid of, no way in hell I am going if I can't change the dates. I do not like 95 here. Thats part of the reason I go to escape the heat.

The concession is in the North-East.

Question for Mark, I thought the VAT was only for trophies not exported. I have read somewhere and that was my understanding the tax is not charged if you ship them home but leave them there and you get hit with it. I have only been on one trip so I really don't know just recalling what I thought I read somewhere.

W

Montana:
I was charged VAT on exported trophies. It's suppose to be 8%.
EDIT:
Correction. I just looked at the invoice and it has VAT crossed out. Just says Tax Invoice.
NAPHA says ....15% VAT on trophies not exported..
.......0% on exported trophies.
I wonder if there are other export taxes? Must be I paid one.