I have been looking to book a hunt in 06 for buff and spiral horned critters. How many safari companies are there? When I search the web looking for information, I could spend until 2008 trying to figure where I want to go, with whom I want to hunt etc. etc. etc. I am a newbie to african hunting so I am not sure which country would be best for my hunt as they all seem to proclaim to be the best. All I am looking for is a good fella to go hunting with (ph) who won't screw me and will provide me with a good opportunity. I get emails from everyone saying " no problem".

I know you all have your favorites so please help me narrow it down to 5 safari companies that I can talk to and get this done.

See private email.

CRL,

Rather than take a shotgun approach by looking at different outfitters spread out over several countries, you would do better by focusing on one country. Since buffalo is on your wish list, you should probably eliminate RSA, due to cost and possible issues with fair chase. The remaining countries, which include Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia and Namibia all have pros and cons, depending on your specific goals, terrain expectations, time available to hunt and budget. The best bang for your buck is Zimbabwe, where on a ten day hunt you should be able to shoot a good buffalo, as well as kudu and eland and possibly bushbuck.

Some of the better outfitters in Zim, in no particular order are:

HHK Safaris
Swainsons Safaris
Big Five Safaris
Buzz Charleton Safaris
Bvkenya Safaris (Pete Barnard)

Any of these guys could set you up with a great hunt. Good luck.

My buddy had a great buffalo hunt with Russ Broom in Zimbabwe. You could probably add that one to your list. Wayne is particular, so if he says he had a great hunt, it was a great hunt.

David and patrkyhntr have hit the nail on the head. Start your planning now, as ZIM books up pretty quickly.

Regards,

Terry

CRL
I agree with David W. Pick the country first to narrow down the list. Some people want to avoid Zim due to the troubles there, although those who have hunted there have been happy with their hunts. I chose Botswana and had a wonderful hunt with Mark Kyriacou's Big Game and Bird Safaris. The Okavango Delta is spectacular. I stayed in a trditional tented camp and took a Kudu, Lechewe, impala, tessebe and warthog in addition to my Buffalo. Botswana is more expensive than Zim though. Tanzenia is another option. I suggest that you check out the trip reports and check with a few of the agents who regularly post here. You will find that there is a huge amount of help on this forum. good luck.
TerryR

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You mentioned Buff and "spiral horned critters". Which ones?? This will also narrow the hunting location a bit. Next, list a few animals as a priority and a few "nice to have". Lastly, how many days can you hunt? I am sure this forum will direct you in the right direction.

Sprial horned crittters of importance to me would be in this order:
Kudu other than lesser (that will come later)
Eland other than Lord Derby (haven't won the lottery yet)
Common Nyala

Then next after that would be:
Bushbuck - common variety that happens to be in the area I am hunting.

I will probably never hunt bongo or sitatunga or lord derby eland so I really don't count those.

I can hunt 14 days which I am assuming will mean I need to be gone for about three weeks from work.

Thanks
crl

Have you considered working with a good safari booking agent? Some are really good and can save you lots of time and effort......

CRL,

Nyala is typically a hunt in itself, ideally in their native range in Zululand, RSA. You might combine that hunt with a buff hunt in Zim or elsewhere, but in my opinion you would be pushing it on a 14 day scehdule.

quote:

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Originally posted by David W:
Some of the better outfitters in Zim, in no particular order are:

HHK Safaris
Swainsons Safaris
Big Five Safaris
Buzz Charleton Safaris www.cmsafaris.com
Bvkenya Safaris (Pete Barnard)

Any of these guys could set you up with a great hunt. Good luck.

---

I agree and would add Roger Whittal Safaris to the list. www.rwsafaris.com

quote:

---

Originally posted by crl:
Sprial horned crittters of importance to me would be in this order:
Kudu other than lesser (that will come later)
Eland other than Lord Derby (haven't won the lottery yet)
Common Nyala

Then next after that would be:
Bushbuck - common variety that happens to be in the area I am hunting.

I will probably never hunt bongo or sitatunga or lord derby eland so I really don't count those.

I can hunt 14 days which I am assuming will mean I need to be gone for about three weeks from work.

Thanks
crl

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You'd only need a 10 day hunt (PHs will say 3-5 days for the buffalo) for one good representative Buffalo (36-40"). That alone will save you big $$$$. The other 5-7 days can be spent PG hunting. Zim is best value choice. You'd be able to get Kudu, Eland and Bushbuck. Nyala is almost strickly a RSA (ZULULAND) or MOZ. choice.

Hunting Moz. for buff and Spirals (including Nyala) is possible but will cost $$$$ more than Zim.

quote:

---

Sprial horned crittters of importance to me would be in this order:
Kudu other than lesser (that will come later)
Eland other than Lord Derby (haven't won the lottery yet)
Common Nyala

Then next after that would be:
Bushbuck - common variety that happens to be in the area I am hunting.

---

I also had as my priority the common spiral horns and buffalo, though I did it over the course of two trips. I know my outfitter, Schalk van Heerden of Bush Africa Safaris in Limpopo Province, can readily provide very good kudu and eland on the properties he hunts. You'd also have a chance at big Limpopo bushbuck; my hunting buddy took the SCI #1 with him in 2002. And Schalk's business partner in a Zambian outfit, who has his own property an hour away from Schalk's in Limpopo Province, has a huntable herd of nyala. Otherwise you'll have to head down to Kwa Zulu Natal, which is where he took me to hunt my nyala before his partner developed his own herd.

The buffalo will be more of a problem, and the trophy fees are expensive in South Africa, but after you factor in additional travel, minimum daily rates, etc., to go to another country to hunt one at a lower trophy fee, it's probably close to a wash. Schalk took me to hunt my buffalo in the Klasserie along the western border of Kruger National Park.

So it's definitely feasible within South Africa. I'd taken my kudu on my first trip. On my second trip, which was 14 days long, we started with nyala in Kwa Zulu Natal, then eland, waterbuck, and bushbuck in Limpopo Province, and finishing up with the buffalo in the Klasserie. The smallest animal, the bushbuck, took the most hunting!

cri,

After SCI they are all probably already booked up for 2006. Better try for 2007. It was a feeding frenzy

Rich Elliott

There are nyala in Zimbabwe ask around. Buff and nyala in the same concession maybe?

Buff for a few days and then transfer to a game ranch of course!