Luangwa Valley Late May Early June

06 October 2018, 12:16

4WD

My hunt dates for 2019 may be changing due to work commitments. I was planning a hunt in Tanzania for late August early September and pretty much had the Tanzania hunt researched and planned. Changing the dates to May/June eliminates Tanzania.
I would appreciate hearing from hunters with experiences hunting the Luangwa Valley in the late May early June time frame. We primarily want to hunt free range trophy buffalo and sable. I have a young hunter going with me and this will be his first major hunt. I am trying to eliminate any major mistakes. What are the pros and cons hunting during this early season? Will the long grass and thick bush be too much to allow a successful hunt? What else do we need to overcome on early hunts? Normal weather in this area the end of May?
Also I am from the school of picking the PH first. Any recommendations ( here or by PM) on a PH specializing in the Luangwa Valley would be greatly appreciated .

06 October 2018, 21:38

BushPeter

Luangwa isn't the best place in Zambia for sable. If you look at free range buffalo and sable in Zambia I would look at the Kafue area.
There are some areas with sable in the Luangwa, but they aren't very common there.
Early hunting is usually good for leopards, with baits staying fresh for longer too in the cooler weather in June. The grass will be tall and thick, but early burning will start in May. Hunting buff in the thick stuff makes it even more exciting though. Lots of good PH's in Zambia, just use the search here and you'll see a few names coming up regularly.
In my opinion, the most interesting bag of animals on a hunt, outside maasailand would be the Kafue (buf, sable, roan, hartebeest, sitatunga, oribi, blue duiker plus more usual stuff like impala, zebra etc). And Kafue has monster cats.

07 October 2018, 00:03

4WD

Possibly we could move camps/areas to get into the better sable areas. We plan on 14 days of hunting. Others are mentioning we should also be looking into Zim for early season hunting for buffalo.

07 October 2018, 01:10

bwanamrm

Nah, lots of buffalo in Zambia!

On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of ten thousand, who on the dawn of victory lay down their weary heads resting, and there resting, died.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch...
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
- Rudyard Kipling

Life grows grim without senseless indulgence.

12 October 2018, 20:24

fairgame

I know of one area for Sable in Luangwa and it is fully booked.

May is thick with green grass.

13 October 2018, 01:58

MacD37

quote:
Originally posted by fairgame:
I know of one area for Sable in Luangwa and it is fully booked.

May is thick with green grass.

………………………………..And cold as Ice in early mornings so take a nice wind breaker jacket with you for those early morning and late evening rides back to camp!

I've hunted both upper and lower Lupande concessions and have never seen a Sable, but both Buffalo and Cookson's wildebeest are abundant along with puku, and tons of Hippo!

Enjoy your safari. The Luangwa valley is my favorite place in Africa.

....Mac >>>===(x)===> MacD37, ...and DUGABOY1
DRSS Charter member
"If I die today, I've had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"~ME 1982

Hands of Old Elmer Keith

15 October 2018, 20:20

Dev Moring

Hunted Luawata on the Luangwa in June a while back, frustrating because foliage made seeing animals (buff) difficult when tracking so you seemed to bump them more often. That said the cooler temps were nice.