considering the problems in Save, i am wondering how the Bubye Conservancy has managed to avoid the same fate.. any opinions???

It's my understanding the Russians have some influence with the Bubye and I'm guessing (only guessing), that's why they have been left alone.....for now. That's my .02 worth and may not be worth that.
On the other hand, I don't think Mugabe's cronies will quit till there is nothing left on the carcass and there is not much left as we speak.

I have a hunt booked for 2014 with John Sharp in the Bubye. I contacted him when the Save mess started and asked him that same guestion.He said that in the Save there were war vets there for several years and because of that it was one of the reasons that it led to what it is now. I think another reason is the Save has some native white Zims that own land there and that is a major rub. John didn't feel like it would spread to Bubye but said only time will tell. I am holding my breath.

We hunted the Bubye (Chamalaya camp) July 2012 for plainsgame/ small predators. Saw plenty of The Big Five, sometimes all 5 in one day. We saw well armed anti-poaching patrols, esp. looking for rhino poachers. Good time was had, no interlopers.

If white ownership is seen as part of the problem in Save, who owns property in Bubye and how is it different than Save?

I was referring to the orignal land owners in the Save who had ranches there. When the land grab started years ago they kept most of their land, although they did lose some. I don't know much about the owners of Bubye but I think it is mostly foreign investors and certain PHs have the right to hunt in there and basically divide up the quota.It's just my feeling on the matter.

Large part of Mazunga Bubye is owned by Davy and Renaissance

And Dubai World, I believe.

at least some of the owners of Save are(were) white foreign investors- just like Bubye. the difference in Bubye is that one of the biggest owners was(is??) Charles Davy- a former( perhaps current) partner of Walter Shamu, who is on the US list of banned individuals. follow the money and political connections in Bubye( easy to do with a google search) and a picture begins to emerge. i seriously doubt that Bubye will have a problem with land takeover/theft. personally i think that is a good thing- at least some valuable land will be saved from rampant poaching/exploitation.

I just finished hunting the Bubye Conservancy with PH Martin Nel and returned home yesterday. The Bubye Conservancy is owned by Charles Davey, Dubai World and a Russian Bank. They have managed to keep the black hounds away by deeding a large section of land to the blacks for a communal area along the western boundary of the conservancy, near the road that links Beitbridge and Bulawayo. Their owners and the political connections that they maintain will hopefully keep the conservancy safe for quite some time. I saw plenty of game on a regular basis including lion, buffalo, elephant, black and white rhino, cheetah, etc. Leopard is also in abundance, as are many of the plains game species. The conservancy's quota is split up, for the most part, between four principal PH's: John Sharp, Martin Nel, Peter Fick and Shaun Buffee. Other PH's have been or are given some quota as well. The camps that I visited were quite nice. The anti-poaching patrols are well maintained, as are the perimeter patrols and any unknown/unidentified vehicles and/or individuals are immediately reported. All gun shots must be reported so as to keep track of hunters/PHs, and any unidentified shots are immediately investigated. In short, it is a place that is abundant with game and strict controls are in place. Attached is a copy of the 42" plus buffalo that I shot with Martin Nel using my Searcy 450-400 and Hornady softs loaded by Butch for me. The buffalo would have gone close to 48" had his horns not swept back.

Nice buff. I had a great hunt last year there and got a good tsotsie buff also. Took 375s through lungs and heart and 470 in the spine to put it down.