I leave for Zim in less than a month hunting with Buzz in the Deka Tail area. The press about Zim keeps getting worse and worse. I have been there four times and have never had any problems, but this time I am taking my new wife and am more concerned about security. We will be staying three nights in Vic Falls before our Safari. To those who have recently returned from there, how are conditions on the ground? Are things getting so desperate that the even the nice people are dangerous? Am I worrying for nothing?

Thanks

What camp in the Deka will you be at?

Will Buzz be your PH?

What game are you after?

Be sure and see the Falls.

I was there in Feb and Oct 2006, had no problems.

I was there this past May/June. Flew into Harare and hunted in the Doma area. No problems whatsoever. Ran into several roadblocks with soldiers, but they never even asked us any questions. We just slowed down and they waived us on. Checking guns into Zim is a piece of cake compared to RSA.

Corecpa,

I returned last Wednesday from hunting with Buzz in Makuti and Nyamuswa. If you decide to cancel, let me know, I will take your spot.

All kidding aside, I had zero, zip, nada problems. We were waved through every roadblock without even being stopped, everyone was friendly and courteous, the airport was a breeze to get into and out of, etc. At the end of the hunt I spent two days in Harare and never felt threatened riding all over town, shopping, going out to eat. Without question there are shortages of many supplies, but the office staff at Charlton McCallum (Carla and Charmane) work very hard to ensure that the camps are well supplied and we did not seem to be lacking in any essentials.

In retrospect I spent a lot of time before my trip needlessly worrying about safety and other issues in the country. The situation could obviously change and it is always wise to be prudently alert, but I left a week ago last Tuesday and would not hestitate to go back tomorrow if I could.

Corecpa,

I spent three weeks there in July/August. My wife and I spent eight days in Vic Falls and were married there; we then went on a 14 day hunt with Charlton McCallum at Makuti. We had no problems at all. There were inconvienences due to shortages, but none at the CMS camp. We never felt like we were in any danger due to the political situation.

I got pretty concerned not long before we left for Zim, but all the worry was for nothing. We had a great time and can't wait to go back.

I returned fro Zim Sept 2 and found absolutley zero problems. SAA even got all 10 of our bags including guns from Orlando to Harrare and back without hiccup. Kinda brings a tear to my eye. Go and have fun. Remember hunting is the only real source of forex available to Zim so hunters are cherished.

Jeff

I was in Zim around August 1-4th mostly in Vic Falls, and then traveling to Kasane. I NEVER had any problems. My wife and I just did the tourist thing, but we never felt threatened. We did find that when bartering, people wanted hats and shirts and cigarettes more than US Dollars. In Zim, it didn't seem like it was hurting from looking around but it FELT like it was. Until I got home and started thinking I didn't realize how there was a lack of vehicles on the road, along with some upkeep.

Besides that is was an awesome country.

I talked to some of the above guys before they left and reassured them as I had been with CMS in Makuti in early June of this year. No problems, no issues, no shortages in camp...and like the others, I would go in your place if I could swing it!

Go and have a great time. I wouldn't walk around Zim on my own but I would go wherever CMS would want to take me with no worries whatsoever. It won't be long and you will be posting a good report of your trip with Buzz.

What is on the hunt list?

I have not given up on Zim yet, in fact I am thinking about booking a hunt there in 2008 or 2009. It is still the best bang for your bucks. However.......I don't know if I feel comfortable with taking my spouse with me. Zim has some serious problems. As my PH said on my last trip, you took a good lion, buffalo, and leopard, and I never saw you smile as much as you did when that plane came down over the Zambezi to take you back home! Caveat emptor!

Ok, my concern has been relieved. Thanks for the reassurance. I was just a little nervous taking my wife there. We leave Oct. 13th and I have booked a 10 day late season tuskless hunt. I will be one of the last hunters of the year and hopefully will have the opportunity to pick up some animals left on license.

Cheers,

Mike Core

One thing I would do differently is bring more small bills. I brought some, but not nearly enough. I have never felt so broke as I did in Vic Falls with a wallet full of $100 bills.

quote:

Originally posted by corecpa:
I will be one of the last hunters of the year and hopefully will have the opportunity to pick up some animals left on license.

There happens to be the unresolved matter of a lion left on quota...oops, wrong block.

My wife and I hunted Zim in June with Roger Whittall Safaris.Flew into Chewore South. Drove out to Harare, saw alot of countryside. Overnighted in Harare, did a little shopping,dining with assistance of PH. Had a great time, no problems whatso ever. Can't wait to go back. Scott Hayman

I just returned from Metetsi #3 and #1, close to Deka and spent a day in Vic Falls before the hunt. There is some subtle changes amongst the people but not in a threatening way. They are by and large feedup with the decay of a wonderful country where the money is useless and everyone is scrambling for any decent foreign currency that they can get, including the Government. I don't believe you'll have any problems but keep the direction to the Botswana border in mind just in case. Enjoy your hunt. I saw many record class plains game, Buffalo, lion and elephant in the Metetsi and don't think it will be much different in Deka.

On a negative note, we did run the camp totally out of tomato juice for bloody Marys.

THE HUMANITY!!!

We hunted Omay South in May with HHK Safaris, excellent hunt no problems at all.

I hunted and traveled across Zim in May with no problems and will be back there in a few weeks.
Have been told there is no food in shops now .

Just come back from a hunt on friday. Considering how difficult it is to get supplies in Harare I was amazied at how well stocked the camp was.

Deka is good for ele at this time of year .

Do not expect the range of "soda's" in camp that there used to be. If they have coke and sprite that will be good. Beer- there is but one brand still available.

We are nearing the end of a two day "strike" called by all the Unions- no trouble and all the workers pitched up anyway- a total flop. even the police didn't bother to put on a show of strength.

I suspect that by the time you arrive supplies will have begun to improve, but if you have any "must Have" items (like diet soda's) let Buzz know asap. I do know old man Banks who runs the camp makes periodic foraging forays into Botswana to get supplies so given enough warning that can be arranged - but nothing in Africa happens quickly...from the time you order something to the time of delivery can be anything up to three weeks so don't expect the camp to be able to find special supplies at short notice.

As LRH270 discovered- His tomato juice re-supply arrived three days after he left- I know because the last hunt I did down there we even had tomato juice in the cooler boxes and everybody was talking about these two lads who drank a country dry- and then left before they could drink the 6 cases that came in by courier from SA!

Nice to get feedback for those who have just returned that while things certainly are not good, they appear to at least be reasonably safe. I leave 60 days from today for Chirisa and get comments from my family, friends and colleagues almost on a daily basis that I am crazy to be going to Zimbabwe.

Well, I know that Ganyana lives there and travels all over the country so he is an excellent source of info. Sounds like the biggest change since I have left a few months ago is a shortage of drinks. Wow...some of you guys should really reconsider your trip unless you like tomato juice.

Try coming up to Alaska on a guided hunt and requesting some of the things that some of you do on your Africa safaris...but don't hold your breath.

Mike, I was in Deka in March w/my 16-year old son - and would be on the plane again tomorrow if I could. It is a very nice camp and Mr/Mrs Banks (Pops/Mumzie) are terrific people and do whatever they can to make your stay there special. Have a great time. Bill

In early August, I hunted in Gokwe North. I flew in to Bulawayo and was driven to the hunting area and back. There were no problems with safety or security and none of the 3 roadblocks made us stop.

There were many people on the roads, even late at night. Many of them walking, others in carts pulled by donkeys or oxen. They often appeared to have their possessions with them. They frequently held out their hands as if begging. It was sad.

There was evidence of poaching in the hunting area.

All the people were very nice and I had a wonderful time.

quote:

Originally posted by Lhook7:
One thing I would do differently is bring more small bills. I brought some, but not nearly enough. I have never felt so broke as I did in Vic Falls with a wallet full of $100 bills.

You can get a crap load of curious for a C-note!!!!!

My wife and I have been back in the states for all of 12 hours now from the Save camp of Mokore Safaris (the Duckworths). The first thing I did was contact my boss to see if I still have a job because otherwise....I'm getting back on the plane!
We took Delta to Joburg and enjoyed Louie's hospitality then flew SAA to Vic Falls where we spent 2 full days. The falls were wonderful, locals friendly and all went well. I would do one thing differently - I would pony-up for staying at the old colonial Vic Falls hotel. While there we took a game drive and boat tour in the Chobe park of Botswana, a must do in our view. Fabulous time and photos. Do a private boat tour...you will really like the attention and ability to linger or move on as YOU wish. Your lodging can arrange this. Our flight to Harare was...interesting. Does anyone out there fly a Boeing 737? Is the yaw damper a "no go" item?
Arrived at Harare in the dark. Really. It was dark in and out of the terminal. Pack and keep a flashlight handy. PH met us and took us to his place in town for dinner and overnight. There was quite a bit of traffic on the streets but power outages were evident so caution was duely exercised. The AM drive to SAVE took 5 hours with only 2 checkpoints. Waved through one and PH asked to produce a driver's license at the other. Our impression is favorable from a security standpoint. We never felt in the slightest danger but it is very sad to see the obvious degradation of the country. For instance, fence lines evident on farms but no posts or wire - all used for building huts and snares! Ground not prepared for crops except on a single White owned farm we saw, which was in excellent shape. Rural folks obviously very poor living in huts and clothing in rags very often. In the rural areas we saw quite a few children with evidence of malnutrition. The Harare bakery we drove by had a line in the early AM that must have contained over 500 people hoping to get bread. The gas station we stopped at had no fuel and the only thing on the shelves for sale was condoms. A high percentage of retail shops were closed and those open seemed to have little to sell, even in Vic Falls which was much better than Harare in that respect, at least in our sampling. In camp we had no shortages and ate very well indeed. A big hit was the "Folgers Singles" (ground coffee in "tea" bags) I took as I'd heard that they only have instant coffee. Take a couple of boxes worth in zip locks to save space. You'll be a hero.
So as all the others have said, go and have a good time, take small bills and soak it all in! Good luck on the hunt and stay hydrated, its gonna be hot.
Gary

Corecpa, I also just came from Zim 10 days ago where I hunted south of West Nicholson. Like others, I had no problem in the country. The road blocks were looking for miners who were stealing from the mine. They waved our vehicle through.

Don't let the airlines route you through London. I found out first hand that London will impound your gun. United made me miss my connection in Washington, so they re-routed me through London to Johannesburg to Bulawayo. Bad idea. London (and all EU countries) have an embargo against guns going to Zim.

I'm sure you are aware of the shortages in the cities. This is one of the problems. Without meat, cooking oil, butter, and Meelie Meal many city dwellers can no longer raise a family. However the degree of their desperation is matched by the severity of punishment if they publically object. Everyone looks over their shoulder if they make public statements. As a consequence, there is little evidence of trouble, even though you can see that the end is approaching.

The Safari areas should be relatively free of trouble. One observation I had was that there were almost no kudu (possibly due to drought in previous years) and there were lots of fences down and cattle grazing on private property where they shouldn't be. Best of luck on the hunt. Bill

Zim's probably safe until the day it is not ...

It's good to hear things are going well there up to now and that everyone seems to have had a good time. My next concern would be getting the trophys back.

quote:

Does anyone out there fly a Boeing 737? Is the yaw damper a "no go" item?

It was in the type of airplane I flew in the Navy. You can get yourself in deep kimshee if you get into a situation where a lot of rudder is needed and you develop increasing yaw excursions that might exceed structural limits. yikes. jorge

quote:

Originally posted by bluefin:
It's good to hear things are going well there up to now and that everyone seems to have had a good time. My next concern would be getting the trophys back.

Is that what they call seeing the glass half empty?

If I wanted a safe sight seeing tour I'd go to the zoo. LOL
You bet I want to know that I'd be getting my trophys back. Why else would you pay those trophy fees??

quote:

Originally posted by ozhunter:
I hunted and traveled across Zim in May with no problems and will be back there in a few weeks.
Have been told there is no food in shops now .

Did you get any shit from immigration because Australia had withdrawn from the cricket?

Blair.

quote:

Originally posted by Blair338/378:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by ozhunter:
I hunted and traveled across Zim in May with no problems and will be back there in a few weeks.
Have been told there is no food in shops now .

Did you get any shit from immigration because Australia had withdrawn from the cricket?



It seems that providing us tourist have $$$ to spend there is no problem. Even for us Aussies.

Got back last night. Not a single problem. All is well and I think will be until the lid comes off. Even then I wouldn't expect anything other than some delays in flights coming in or going out.

Only problem that I have ever had in 5 trips now is with the ignorant authoritarian jack asses at TSA or with the the air lines on the USA side. Where they get some of these idiots is totally totally beyond me. I swear to god that they have to be going around to the psychiatric wards to get some of them. I don't mind it if they are just ignorant. As long as they will let you talk them through the process but some of these subhuman Nazi bastards are totally out of control. I have decided that the next time I go I am going to start videoing the entire interaction during check in here in the states so that I can document just how ignorant some of these characters are. With out video evidence no one on this board would believe some of the the shit statements that have come out of some of them.

I have never had a minutes problem with South African Airways or with anyone in Zim or South Africa.

quote:

Originally posted by NitroX:
Zim's probably safe until the day it is not ...

That is the best assessment of the situation I have seen so far, one of these days all hell is going to break loose.

I was in Chewore North August 23 to September 2. No problems and the camp was well supplied. Andy Hunter was in camp at the time and had a leopard drop out of the tree at the client's shot and take off, no growl, grunt, nada. Since he was mauled on the arm earlier in the season, as mentioned on this forum, the pucker factor was a wee bit high when he came back into camp for back up. Thankfully, when the cavalry went back in, they found a beautiful cat, stone dead.

All of these reports and the only complaint is running out of tomato juice.

Thanks fellas. I am going with Russ Broom in two weeks for tuskless. My Parrents is getting totally paranoid. I am gone show them this thread.

Morten

You will have a lot of fun with tuskless. That's exactly why I went to Zim this summer and I ended up falling in love with the area and the people. Now I can't wait to go back. Tell your parents that.

Cool I will. Has anyone hunted Tuskless elephants with R BRoom before?? How is it and what can you say about it?? I cind of had to jump on the oppertunity, and am realy an elphant hunter vergin. Any good tips??

I didn't hunt with Broom but I did post a report of my Zim tuskless hunt here...
https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6321043/m/560100986

I recommend that you look through the hunt report section as there is lots of good info and experiences there. When you get back you will have to add your own report to the rest.