Headed there this Sept with TGT for Buff...any comments on the land,hunting,game,scenery?Thanks

I hunted there in July 2005. It's a great area that could be ideal this year considering it will be the 4th year under TGT's trophy management.
Here's a lion that should be 7 years old now that I left for you:



And seeing you like to hunt buff, here's one my son shot there; a one-shot kill that ran about 40 yards.

Doesn't MS have a concession there, or does he just lease the area?

A friend of mine flies Micro-lights as part of TGT's anti-poaching patrol. Here he is in action over the Moyowosi blocks. Gives you an idea how expansive the area is. Main vegetation is Swamp, floodplains and Miombo forest....

quote:

Originally posted by 475Guy:
Doesn't MS have a concession there, or does he just lease the area?

Mark used to hunt in Moyowosi, in fact, that's where several of his videos were made. The lion hunting there used to be a lot more liberal than it is now with TGT's policies, which is why it has taken the area a while to recover. I don't believe a lion has been killed on the place in the first 3 years of TGT's control of the concession, though the lions are plentiful there. That's why I mentioned earlier that the area could be ideal now since the younger males have been given a chance to fully mature.

So I guess TGT is also taking pics and keeping a running photo album on the available mature lions. I was wondering how long guys can go in season after season and get their lions without having an impact on the lion population. I take it the mature lions were basically "shot-out" because of over-hunting. If all these youngsters grow up to at least 5-6yrs old, they'd be great trophies.

It's a lot more complicated than that. Tanzania enforces a very strict quota system on all the key species including Lions. Therefore, it isn't that too many Lions have been shot in the past, but more that the wrong Lions have been shot in the past.

The Tanzanian Game Department have a minimum size/age/weight limitation for all the key species and on Lions in particular, they made it a minimum age requirement rather than size or trophy weight. (that being 6 years or older). This age requirement has actually been proved to be a bit controversial as although it's a step in the right direction, it's not possible to state catagorically that this or that Lion is 5 years and 11 months or 6 years and 1 month etc.

Lions are one of the most difficult species to manage properly as there are so many variables. For example, it was always believed that one should never take a Lion (or Lions) that's holding a pride because when a new dominant male comes in, he kills the cubs to bring the females into oestrus so that he can pass on HIS genes. Nowadays, it's been recognised that if there are no young cubs, it is perfectly acceptable to take pride holders as they're probably too old to mate and by taking the one or more usually two, pride holders on a rolling basis, (one after the other) then you're just making it slightly easier for the younger males who are waiting on the sidelines to move in and take over...... Then there's the black nose theory of Prof Craig Parker, which in recent years has been gaining popularity. - This is a whole new thread in itself. There are also a lot more theories out there about Lion management...... so there are no easy, clear cut answers.

TGTS, however have probably done more research on their individual areas and spent more money on Lion research than any other outfitter/safari company in Tanzania and probably in the whole of Africa. A few years ago, TGTS commissioned a report on the Lion management of their areas. To the best of my knowledge, they've never made it public but I do know a little about the report and I know some of the consltants who made the study, and it must have cost a bloody fortune to compile/conduct - This is reflected in TGTS's prices, but also in the quality of the trophies taken. I should say that they're not the only company to have areas that regularly produce great Lions..... Some of the areas in the north of the Selous and also in other Tanzanian areas are also especially good, but also a lot more expensive than the norm. We have access to these areas but 21 day licences only and certainly not cheap..... Most of the clients who book there (or at least with us) are people who especially value their privacy.

One of the most knowledgeable people on Lions I know who actually works in the safari business is BwanaMich and I wouldn't be suprised if he posts on this.

For a more scientific investigation of Lion management, some of the more well known fundis are Prof Craig Parker, ans Dr's Petri Viljoen and Jeremy Anderson amongst others.

I'm sure I haven't covered the entire issue here, but hopefully I've shed at least a little light on a very complicated subject......

I hope this isn't construed as a thread hijack, but if it is, I apologise....

Mitch- Those are stunning photos! From another ultra or a fixed wing?

Some of the areas in the north of the Selous and also in other Tanzanian areas are also especially good, but also a lot more expensive than the norm. We have access to these areas but 21 day licences only and certainly not cheap.....

Shakari please tell us the Huntingblock or the Safari Outfitter !