I asked for some info yesterday, but have had this opportunity come up.

I am about to book a hunt with HHK for this year and have a couple of options.

First, I can hunt Chirisa for buffalo and plainsgame and then move to Sijarira for hippo toward the end of my trip. (August 25-Sept 5) or...

I can hunt the Omay for everything. (August 15-24).

I want buff and hippo as main species and would also like to shoot some plainsgame like bushbuck, warthog, bushpig, heyena, kudu, possibly eland, zebra, etc.

Can you guys shed some light on the differences and which you think would be best and why? If they are equal for buff, which would be best for everything else? Is one better for bigger buff?

I would really appreciate some info as Graham and I will talk tomorrow and make the final decision. I would like to have all the info I can get by then. Thanks in advance...TH

Chirisa has plenty more buffalo than Omay south. Also, the drive from Omay to where you can hunt hippo, is a long way. also, you will see 2 areas if hunting Chirisa. The flip side is that some people do not like moving camp. Say hi to Graham. Ask for Ernie as your PH, if none has been assigned.

I hunted the Omay in 05 for Buffalo. Saw Elephants, Waterbuck, Warthogs in addition to the Buffalo. You won't want a tougher area to hunt for sure.

You may also want to ask them about Matetsi which I understand was only recently secured by them for 2007.I will be hunting buffalo there in Aug 2007. Chete is also a wild place to hunt. A lot of walking but a wonderful area.

I hunted the Omay this past Sept. for Buff. In 7 days, we saw 3 shootable bulls...one I took. There were some nice hippo bulls we spotted also, but I wasn't hunting them. As far as the other species you list....good luck. I saw 1 "respectable" kudu bull and a few nice impala and a few decent warthog. If you were hunting strictly plains game...I'd look somewhere else. The game has been very heavily poached in the area of the Omay that I was in....this per my PH and our Zim Game Scout...but is is rugged and beautiful country.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer

GarBy, which camp did you hunt from?

Thanks a bunch. I think the Chirisa route sounds like the way to go from everything I can gather. I appreciate all the input and info...TH

DOJ:

I was in the Mackenzie camp.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer

GarBy, I see that camp is no longer maintained. Only two Manyuli and Chudizie. I hunted out of Manyuli but visited Chudizie.

There wasn't much activity there when I was. The camp's manager was named Steve...nice chap...that Butch had hired. Steve was trying to keep things up, but was getting very little support from Butch. He ran a nice operation while I was there, however. The landscape was fantastic...camp was perched hilltop above Lake Kariba...but the game had been badly poached. We removed somewhere around 40 snares that we discovered while there. The roads anywhere near camp were in terrible condition. My PH, Craig Robinson, said that our trip was the worst he had seen the roads.
Oh well....so goes another nice area in Zim.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer

Tim, some of the comments are on Omay north (Butch Walker/ Bulembi Safaris area, subleased mostly), and not south, what HHK/ National Safaris hunts most. Just make sure what Omay area Graham has in mind for you. I can send you some pictures of buffalo we shot this past year in Omay South, if you PM me an email adress.

DOJ:

After I posted, I went to HHK's site and looked at the area....you hunted a bit further to the east than where I was. The Mackenzie camp was perched overlooking Lk. Kariba....we could see Zambia across the lake. On the way from Bulawayo (via Land Cruiser as no charters were available) we came thru the area you were at, but didn't hunt there.
The Mackenzie camp was shown on another map of the area, but I can't find it right now.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer

I have hunted Omay Twice and in 05 we hunted for a couple Buff at Omay north then moved on to hunt Ele at Chirisa.
Both spots are nice with IMO better game at Chirisa Safari area.
Hunting both for a ten to fourteen day Safari is a great way to go.
ozhunter

GarBy, the camp manager Steve, did he look like weight lifter? That trip from Bulawayo is a hoot, we stopped in a couple of towns for the staff to obtain rations and just could not find any corn meal. The shelves where just empty and ever petrol station had cars lined up awaiting petrol. I was happy to make the long drive as I got to see the country as one would not have seen via charter. Chartered out to Vic Falls which was nice also - prayed the plane would hold togeather.

DOJ:

Yes, Steve was a bit stocky...looked a bit more like a power-lifter type. He was maybe early 40's or very late 30's. He ran a nice camp while I was there...food, etc. was first rate. Yes the Bulawayo trip was interesting. Luckily the PH had filled up both the Cruiser and 2 saddle tanks before he met me at the airport....because we saw the same thing you did...long lines. It's sad how things have deteriorated in Zim. I actually was SUPPOSED to have a charter...no fuel available for the plane...unless I wanted to wait 2 days. You're right...the road trip gave me a chance to see a lot of the countryside...it's beautiful...and quite varied in terrain.
I'd go back, though......in a second!

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer