Sheephunter posted the results of his recent hunt for dangerous game in Masailand. He had problems with lack of game due to dry conditions. He concluded an earlier hunt there would be better. I have heard just the opposite that the best hunts in Masailand are November or December when the short rains occur. What are the opinions of those who have been there as to timing for a 21 day DG hunt in Masailand?

LJS,

The month of May is your #1 pick for prime time in Masailand. #2 would be from mid-November till Christmas.

Hugh

Hugh

You must of meant July not May as the season does not open until July 1.

As a general rule early and late in Masailand are best particularly for buffalo. If you've been following my posts though we have been taking big buffalo throughout the season. Lobo has permanent water so the time of year doesn't really matter. I personlly am hunting Lobo in September at its most dry. I could have picked anytime but September fit my personal schedule. We have been conducting safaris through out the season in Masailand and only 2 people have not shot a buffalo. One guy as some may remember left early and he will get another chance next month. One other gentleman unfortunately wounded and lost a buffalo. Otherwise everybody got a nice hard headed buffalo and our average is still over 40".

Most recently while Sheephunter was struggling with his safari our client in Lobo took a tremendous lion that I will post later. He also had 5 male leopards on bait plus he got his buff and all the rest.

I guess the point is that making generalities about Masailand are just that. Not all areas are equal.

Regards,

Mark

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6321043/m/837102853

quote:

Originally posted by Pete E: I guess what I am wondering is whether everybody's plans/experience was thrown out of kelter by unusually hot weather or was the hot weather was pretty much par for the course for the time of the year?

Pete - Not to answer for Sheephunter, nor am I an expert or a person with an agenda, but I believe it does depend on WHAT concession you are hunting in Masailand in combination with WHEN. I think the area SH hunted was the one owned by Intercon, to the south of the Lobo block (Lobo boarders the Tarangire Park, and has permanent water source and thus less effected by the time of the year). Personally, if I'm hunting lion I want buffalo in the area, and without water there is no buffalo. With the restrictions on lion in place, chances are you need to see more then one, unless one is indeed very lucky. I'll be there (Lobo/Lolkisale) beginning of December, hoping to time it after the early showers but before the heavy seasonal rains that make getting around difficult (they just had some heavy rains). As a whole Masailand I don't think is as predictable as other areas (although I had an unusually dry ele hunt in the Zambezi Valley in July) but one can increase their odds by carefully selecting the concession and/or month. If I hit it right this Dec, it should be great as the animals migrate out of the Park to feed. Last year, Peter Chipman shot a massive lion w/Marc Watts here in December. But I know going into it what to expect. Regards, Bill

EDIT: The rains never came but I still got the majority of plainsgame, but not many buffalo and no shooter lions.

Oops,

Brain fart or bad key boarding. Yes. July is #1. Hugh

I hunted in mid-November and had tough sledding when the rains were late. If I were doing a 21 day full bagger I would insist on being the first one in in July. The cover may be thick and the animals spread out, but at least they would be there! It also depends where in Masailand you are hunting. As others have said some areas, like Lobo, have permanent water. Make sure where you will be hunting and who you will be hunting with. Tanzania ain't Zimbabwe when it comes to quality of PH's! Or concessions.