Just wondering what the situation is and what some thoughts are concerning the Dande North concession in Zim these days? Any info as to game densities and types of game available in this area would be most appreciated. Thanks

Larry Sellers

Larry,
I hunted there last year with HHK/Swainsons. My sons and I took 3 nice buff, 2 sable, 3 impala, warthogs, croc and 18" bushbuck.

We saw leopard sign several times, several elephant (nothing over 30 lbs.), lion tracks only, a few zebra and kudu along the Zambezi.

We saw more buff than anything else. We saw many everyday and several sizeable herds.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the info Dogcat. Surely there are a few more folks out there who have some thoughts on this area? I have some interest, but heard this concession may have changed hands recently?
Also I didn't know much of what this area held in the way of plains game or DG. Thanks for any additional info yea or nay!!

Larry Sellers

Didn't Terry Carr hunt there this year?

I believe Terry did hunt there and posted a pretty good report on his trip.

Dande North is still in swainson's hands - for at least one more year. A charicter called peter baker made an attemp to get the concession through the back door. It failed- even if the new council wants to give it to him, they have to give swainson's a years notice- which hasn't happened.

What has happened is that both SOAZ and ZPHGA, have complained to the minister that parks have not withdrawn Peter PH's license for illegal hunting activities and the minister promissed at the AGM on friday that Peter and another problem child - Evans Makanza, would both have their licenses pulled.

Thanks dogcat and Ganyana for the additional info. I checked Terry's report and it was indeed a good one. It's this constant state of who has what and when that makes it really tough to plan something a year or so in advance. One never knows when booking a hunt if it's going to be legit or not. Myself and two friends were told a little info on Dande North, sounds good, but really don't know how to proceed on this. It sounds like 2007 would be OK, but would be a crap shoot for 2008 at this point? Does anyone know if Swainson will be at SCI Reno in 2007? It would be good to get face to face info if possible.

Larry Sellers

Would think so - But ask them swainson@mweb.co.zw

Chifuti do most of the marketing for them and they had Craig Boddington helping them signing up the clients this year.

Larry,
I booked my trip via Graham Hingeston with HHK and they sublet/partnered with Swainson's. My understanding is that Swainson's still has the Dande North concession but does not operate safari's anymore. That info came from the PH we had - Dean Kendall. Dean told us that Swainson's is out of the operating business. I understand from Dean that Dean recently did a safari there for Chifuti.

Dean's email is beansie@mweb.co.zw

He may be able to tell you who to talk to.

Overall, the comments we had from HHK and the 3 ph's we had was that Dande North has the highest concentration of buffalo in that part of Zim. We took 3 nice ones 37", 38" and 40" with the smallest boss being 14 1/2", biggest 16".

Larry, All the information given is correct as I understand it. Hunted there last July-August 2006 for ten days.
Swainson's has an outfitter role not an operator role. When I was there even Squirrel and Daryl were hunting with clients, but probably through Chifuti-Andy Dawson, who was doing the bookings.
E-mail Swainson's and ask Julie Meredith for the latest info.
Otherwise, a good area for buff and reasonable lion, although I think they only have three on quota.

Dak

There's an article, with photos, of buff hunting there in the latest Peterson's Hunting Magazine that arrived today. The article is by Kevin Steele and it gives the contact information in it as well.

Now I am really confused!! A friend of mine received a notice that there was going to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 Buffalo available by a "new" operator in the Dande North concession in 2007. If this Swainson is not an operator but still has the concession how does that work? Who determines who gets to offer and run the hunts there? Just trying to find out who the authorized people/agents are for this concession for 2007 so should we opt to book there it's with someone on the up and up and not someone out there in the bushes. I will try and make contact with some of the people who Dakota and Dogcat listed for additional clarification. Thanks.

Larry Sellers

quote:

Originally posted by dakota45056:
Larry, All the information given is correct as I understand it. Hunted there last July-August 2006 for ten days.
Swainson's has an outfitter role not an operator role. When I was there even Squirrel and Daryl were hunting with clients, but probably through Chifuti-Andy Dawson, who was doing the bookings.
E-mail Swainson's and ask Julie Meredith for the latest info.
Otherwise, a good area for buff and reasonable lion, although I think they only have three on quota.

Dak

Larry,
From what I can tell, the owner of the quota and concession can sublet it out to whoever to do the hunts as long as the quota is not over shot or oversold.

I would contact Wendell Reich who posts on this forum for the overall view of how that works.

In my case, HHK had an arrangement with Swainsons to market the hunts on behalf of Swainson's, but all of my payments were to my agent who in turn paid HHK. I do not know how Swainson's got paid. I hunted in Lemco on the same hunt, which was managed by HHK. The PH's from Swainson's went to Lemco with us eventhough it was 100% HHK operated area.

I think overall that the safari business is a fairly small "fraternity" of people and they tend to trade/share/swap quota and access to certain areas in order to maximize the chances to make money and provide hunts.

I was as confused as you are but booked my hunt through an agent I trusted and who I could choke if something went wrong. It all worked out fine for me.

The companies you mentioned - Swainson's and Chifuti have a good reputation as far as I know.

Larry - Peter Baker was banned from the Aim shootrers show for misrepresenting to clients that he had Dande North- and a recomendation made to pull his license in 2004.

Dande may be the best buffalo habitat in Zim but there is no way it can withstand an offtake of 120 buffalo.

Also, A key componant of the hunting in Dande North is the Dande Safari Area - a parks concession. If the council give swainsons notice to vacate Dande north by next December (possible) the safari area will be auctioned seperately.

However, this is Zimbabwe- and the provincial Govenor has prommised that Peter can have the North and Jaun Safari's the south- awkward things like leases not withstanding. The minister of Lands and the Attorney Generals Office have both sided with swainsons- Both obviously reaslise the dangers of back door takeovers on government land and that the council will automattically loose 60% of the hunting (and revinue) when parks take the DSA away from them.

In the South there is a very Awkward loan book and the council owe the operator US$750,000 if they terminate the lease early- and again, council have been told that they can boot the operator out on one years notice, but must come up with the cash.

Personally, I think that the leases will be left to run out to 2009. Who wants to pay 750K for an extra two years of operation (the council certainly don't have it and the incomming operator will have to pay that), or even worse, try and run a split concession, with the main camp in the north and the hunting on the other side of the safari area?

quote:

Dande may be the best buffalo habitat in Zim but there is no way it can withstand an offtake of 120 buffalo.

Swainsons or whoever is really raping the buff in Dande. Probably 3X a sustainable buff quota.

I looked at the HHK web site today and see that they are no longer advertising hunts with Swainsons in the Dande or hunts on the Lemco Conservancy. They only list Charisa, Chete, Deka and Omay. They also no longer have a concesion in Matetsi. Apparently they were out bid on the Matetesi auction, for one reason or another have desolved their partnership with Swainsons and when Charles Davies left HHK he took Lemco with him. I also suspect Davies ties with a banned Minister had something to do with the breakup.

465H&H

465h&h This was my whole reason for starting this thread. It seems this concession is in total confusion at the moment. I was really interested in getting some solid information on pricing and available dates for 2007, but will just stand by for the time being. I had heard that Swainson was outbid on Dande North, so maybe this accounts for the confusion? Maybe it will all be sorted out by the time SCI Reno rolls around? Was really wanting to consider this area and make some arrangements prior to SCI, but don't want to get into something that's as unsure as this seems to be at the moment. Thanks for your input, maybe others will continue to bring facts to the table as well.

Larry Sellers

Larry, Somebody is putting wasps in your head. Dande north does not come up for tender until 2009 (for the 210 season).

The Tribal council was split, and the new council for the valley floor thought they could re-allocate concessions- but were blocked by Government and National Parks, and forced to Hornour existing agreements.

Swainsons have done limmited marketing in the last three years, although they run the camps, supply the PH's etc. HHK marketed their hunting for a couple of years, now it is Chifuti who will be doing most of the marketing in the states.

Matetsi Units 1 & 3 were auctioned this year. Not quite as transparrent as an auction should be, as in both cases the highest bidder failed to pay, but HHK now have Matersi Unit 3.

All parks safari areas are sold by public auction (or issued under the table by the minister). Most CAMPFIRE concessions are sold by Tender.

No invitations for tender for Dande have been advertised, and as noted above, no negotiations with parks on the Dande Safari area. Parks have stated that they will let swainsons hunt the Safari area until end of 2009, even if council terminates the swainsons lease early and offers their little area up for a new operator in 2008.

NB- The quota for dande north is 40% in the tribal area and 60% in the safari area. Three of the hunting camps including the main base (Pedza Pasi) are in the safari area, and only Maruru is on the Zambezi. Pitty the buffalo hunting in the tribal area is mostly on the south side of the Safari Area.

At the moment the council gets 80% of the revinue from the hunting in the safari area. Change the lease, and parks will take 100%.

This is not to say that in 2008 there will not be two operators sharing dande. but it would be stupid for the council, and close to unworkable for the new operator....Still, if the new council have not given notice in writing for to cancel Swainsons lease by SCI, They are not going to.

Just a feeling I have... as things continue to spiral down in Zim and with the changes that will take place when RGM dies or leaves the "throne", there will be a lot of changes, non for the better of the Safari Industry.

On my last 2 safaris to Zim I have driven all round the country.

It is a real shame to see what once was evidence of a thriving economy.... Now in ruins.

To see vast farms, with awsome irrigation systems in place... Now growing weeds.

To see thousands of stores along the roads EMPTY AND SHUT DOWN.

It is a real pity, as Zim is a beautiful country.

I was told over 60% of the population is under 16 years old.
I predict a total civil war within 20 years.

The current Zim economy cannot support that many people reaching adulthood.

Larry

Please see letter below on some of the problems in the Zim Industry and why you should check with the association if the operator is a) registerd, and b) reptuable.

Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe - soaz@mweb.co.zw

Don Heath
Zimbabwe Professional Hunters & Guides Association
Editor, African Hunter Magazine.



Indabushee Safaris

PO Box 86

0530 Vaalwater
South Africa
Tel/Fax 0-14 755 4113
nico@indabusheesafaris.co.za



To whom it may concern.

Beginning 2005 I had a group of Russian hunters as well as an American hunter for big game hunting and as Peter Baker was recommended by a local friend.

I contacted him, we had a meeting here in South Africa and through email and phone correspondence, I made a booking and arrangements for hunting late May, beginning June in Zimbabwe with him.


Deposits were paid, first by me, then from the Russians and the American, direct to his bank account – ABSA, Musina, South Africa.

I drove from Vaalwater to Victoria Falls and met the PH`s (Deon Steffen and Albert Fritz) who will do the hunting, then went to collect the clients at the airport.

Here we were met by Storm Fitzmaurice (completely unknown to me) and who we will hunt with from there.

This was never discussed with me, I never had prior knowledge of this and I never agreed to a subcontracting of the hunting with anybody.

We were taken to a farm, Waterford, and met by Roger Savoury who was the landowners` son and outfitter. (so I was told)

We came to camp – no food, no drinks, no vehicles, no fuel, no trackers, no skinners, no

hunting permits.

And higher trophy fees now set by Fitzmaurice as this was `his` concession.

Then Storm and Roger borrowed my vehicle, stole 140 liters of my petrol (from a 200liter drum I took with me) and went to Botswana to get food, drinks and petrol.

I arranged for three hunting rifles for the clients and were given two rifles – one with four bullets and the other with nine ! Not even enough for the hunters to sight the rifles.

All in a pathetic state with no telescopes.

The first day we could not hunt, the second day only certain animals may be shot, the third day Storm wanted the clients to shoot buffalo coming in to a waterhole 50 meters from the lodge – at night with a spotlight !

This after we found no resident buffalo on the farm and realized the buffalo came in from forestry area at night, drank and left directly afterwards.

I phoned Baker, he and his `operations manager` Mike (I think), arrived and we had a meeting on the farm, and we were all moved to Panda Masui, a Ngamo Safari area.

Here at least the hunters could hunt and there was buffalo, food, drinks , etc.

The second night Storm drank himself into a stupor and picked a fight with one client.

He also lied to me and the clients by saying that there were wildebeest and waterbuck in the area while there was actually none.

Note.

We (the Russians and myself) paid Baker in full. The total account to Baker came to nearly US$40 000-. This include the American`s money for a 7 day buffalo only hunt.

First deposits were paid into his RSA account, then I paid him the last outstanding moneys in cash in Harare. I was also overcharged by US$1800 as I already paid Storm the trophy money for the Ngamo animals in Panda Masui.

Plus some $300 for a plane flight that I paid anyway.

Roger and Storm came to the clients at the hotel in Vic Falls the night before they left and had them sign the TR2 forms.

They also gave about US$ 5500 to Deon Steffen to pay Matabeleland Taxidermy for the

trophy work.

Roger was to deliver the trophies from his place to the taxidermy and Joseph Mpofu (from forestry, I think) was to take Ngamo`s trophies to the taxidermy.

- this was not done until October or November. And some trophies never arrived.

- some trophies landed up at Matabeleland, some at Taxidermy Enterprises.

- also no paperwork was delivered or supplied by either Ngamo or Baker.


Since November 2005 I have been trying to get the necessary paperwork to the taxidermist from Ngamo and Baker/Fitzmaurice /Savoury.

Eventually I had to pay a lot of money to Ngamo as Baker did not pay the `tourist levy` whick I knew nothing about.

This year I have tried on a number of times to get something done about the Russians and American`s trophies – with absolutely no result to date.

I have written letters to Sally Brown (never received a reply from her), Don Heath (he at least gave me information and names to contact) and some people I cannot even remember (have lost the letters/names) and a copy of some of my letters have been forwarded to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

I was told to take Baker and company to court in Zimbabwe and upon his being found guilty of wrongdoing, I can apply to the Government for export papers for the trophies on these grounds. What a joke.

Final Note.

Now, on this day, eighteen months after the hunt ;

- I have spent thousands of SA Rand, hundreds of phone calls, bundles of emails, have

lost my comlete Russian client base, lost a huge area of USA clients,

- the trophies are still sitting at two different taxidermists in Bulawayo,

- still no paperwork has been supplied by either Ngamo or Baker,

- I still have 5 hugely unsatisfied hunting clients in two countries badmouthing me

and African hunting in general,

- Baker took $40 000- from hunters and cannot be kept accountable for his actions,

- Fitzmaurice still advertises Zimbabwe hunting all over and especially to South African

outfitters and Professional hunters.

A week ago I read an article in the Hunting Report of some arrests and an investigation that is in progress about fraud and irregularities in Zimbabwe hunting and I see a name that came up some time ago. Then upon some more phone calls and emails I found the following ;

- Peter Baker has collected and not repaid (stolen) the taxidermy money from

Matabeleland taxidermy.

- Roger Savoury has left the country and is living in the USA – and he was only an

employee at Waterford Farm

- Storm Fitzmaurice is not licenced to hunt or operate in Zimbabwe and advertises to sell

`his` hunting consession

- Storm Fitzmaurice made an arrangement with Lalapanzi Safaris (in exchange of

payment that was never made) to use their hunting registers and paperwork. Again I

was never informed of this and it was done without my consent.


I have a complete file with names, dates, notes of incidents, bank details and payments and I am prepared to give this to anyone in a position to use this information to bring the people involved to book.

And help me get my clients` trophies legally out of Zimbabwe.

Nico Vos

December 6, 2006

Thanks everyone for the good information on a confusing situation. I will try and contact Chifuti, as with the current "hero" status of Andrew Dawson and Craig Boddington here in the US, I am sure they would not give out any false information on their area. Any additional information as things sort out will still be most welcome. I know they will be at SCI Reno so can most likely get some first hand info there as well. One more thing, does anyone know where Russ Broom will be operating over the next couple of years?

Larry Sellers

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Sellers:
Thanks everyone for the good information on a confusing situation. I will try and contact Chifuti, as with the current "hero" status of Andrew Dawson and Craig Boddington here in the US, I am sure they would not give out any false information on their area. Any additional information as things sort out will still be most welcome. I know they will be at SCI Reno so can most likely get some first hand info there as well. One more thing, does anyone know where Russ Broom will be operating over the next couple of years?

Larry Sellers

I hear the prices are quite steep, but perhaps you can let us know after obtaining a quote. It seems there are a lot of people who need to be paid Swainsons, Chifuti, the booking agent Danklef, Boddington, Parks, the communal council, etc. Perhaps that explains the relatively high prices.

Flash Vickery seems to run the Zimbabwe operation these days 263-4-851665 or 263-11-404990

They hunt binga communallands and have a small game ranch up towards doma that Flash's son runs

Thanks Ganyana - I am assuming that you are referring to Mike "flash" Vickery? I spoke with them at last years' SCI show and suppose they will be at this years event as well. I'll try and ring them up prior to SCI. I hunted the Binga area with them 3 years ago with good results.

Larry Sellers

quote:

Originally posted by Ganyana:
Flash Vickery seems to run the Zimbabwe operation these days 263-4-851665 or 263-11-404990

They hunt binga communallands and have a small game ranch up towards doma that Flash's son runs