I am looking at Omay the first 2 weeks of June '07 for tuskless ele with Buzz. From the archives, I know that several of you have been there but most of you sound like you went towards the end of the season and got fried to a crisp. Who has been there in June and what can you tell me about that?

Omay is split into 2 sections correct? Are they both communal or only the South section? Anyone have photos of Omay scenery?

I found this map of Omay on HHK's website along with this description...The Omay is a relatively remote concession and although it can be accessed by road from Harare or Bulawayo via a 10 hour drive in a hunting vehicle, it is advisable that most clients charter in to the concession. This involves a 1 hour 30 minute flight in a single engine light aircraft or 1 hour in a twin engine aircraft from either Harare, Bulawayo or Victoria Falls.

Elephant Hunting on Omay
The Omay has a stable, year round population of elephant and although the area does not consistently produce the large tuskers that Chirisa or Matetsi do, each year elephant in excess of 50 pounds a side are taken, with the average bull being between 40 and 45 pounds a side. The quality of the hunt is excellent, with walks through the Zambezi valley an essential part of the hunt. The best time of year to hunt elephant is early in the season when the big bulls come out of the Matusadona National Park to crop raid the local villages' maize and watermelon fields as they ripen in March and April.

Sounds like a big PAC location?

I'm thinking the HHK map of Omay is the northern section only? HHK says it is a long 10 hr drive but Buzz seems to be talking about a different location. Here is the description of Omay South from Buzz's website...

OMAY SOUTH
A private 60 000 acre private hunting concession with no high fences, Doma borders the southern section of the Doma Safari Area (DSA) It is situated to the north of Harare, conveniently midway between Harare and our Zambezi Valley destinations. Rugged terrain, excellent for sable, eland and leopard. Buffalo and elephant are here 10 months of the year.

The Northern Omay area concession rights are owned by Butch Walker/Bulembi Safaris and operated through HHK. They are communal areas and part of the CAMPFIRE schemes I believe.

I was speaking to Buzz Charlton a couple of weeks ago and he hunts the Southern Omay area I believe.

To the best of my knowledge, Omay South is National Safaris. Also marketed by HHK.

Regards,

Terry

quote:

Originally posted by yukon delta:
OMAY SOUTH
A private 60 000 acre private hunting concession with no high fences, Doma borders the southern section of the Doma Safari Area (DSA) It is situated to the north of Harare, conveniently midway between Harare and our Zambezi Valley destinations. Rugged terrain, excellent for sable, eland and leopard. Buffalo and elephant are here 10 months of the year.

Isn't Doma in a completely different area from Omay? ie almost straight North from Harare (NNW) to the Zambezi rather than Lake Kariba?

As John points out, that is a mistake on Buzz's website. He used to hunt Doma and seems to have left the description of Doma but titled it Omay South.

Also notice, he mentions Chifudzi Camp, which is on the map of Omay in a previous post above. So he seems to have described the camp properly.

Regards,

Terry

P.S.
A typo on his website. It is Mukanga camp in Dande North (not Mkanga).

We were actually discussing going to Chewore North but the area has not been "tendered" (Buzz's words) so he suggested Omay (didn't say South but I assume that to be correct) as he already has a quota there and he mentioned it being communal. I've gotten the impression, that Buzz is able to buy some of the quota from other operators. I probably am not saying that correctly but that is just my impression so far. Is that correct? Not everyone wants to mess with tuskless but Buzz specializes in it. In fact, I found it interesting that Buzz prefers PAC and tuskless hunts and his partner, Myles, does most of the trophy bull hunts.

So, Omay South and North are both communal CAMPFIR areas from what we are saying here. I'll know more over the next few days when I talk to Buzz again. I was just wondering what it looks like, where exactly it is on the maps and who has been there in June.

I believe the lease for Chewore North is up at the end of this season. Then the lease will be bid out, so that is why Buzz can't confirm a hunt there in 2007. He doesn't know who the leaseholder will be, nor whether the new leaseholder will sell off some of his quota.

Yes, for guys who don't have a lease on a concession of their own, they buy quota from various leaseholders. A common occurrence in Zim and should not be interpreted as a "negative".

Regards,

Terry

P.S.
When you talk to Buzz, you might mention the mistake on his website (having a description for Doma under the Omay South title).

Thanks Terry. That jives with what I was thinking. I didn't mean to imply anything was negative. Sounds great to me.

I will try to remember the website error when I talk to him again.

I hunted the OMAY for 21 days with HHK in June 2004. I stayed in the Manyuli camp.

I had a great hunt.
Great area for elephant cows.
I killed a 55 lb bull and a good buff as well.

Thanks 450 #2. Anyone have photos from Omay and particularly Omay South? Also, if the website has the incorrect description for South, can someone give a better description or link to one?

Yo Yukon
I just got back from a PAC hunt with Buzz in Omay and the ride wasa 7.5 hrs with a couple short rest stops. It was a pleasant drive except for the mule carts on the highway. By African standards the roads were excellent. The hunting was great and it was quite hot by mid-day.The village people (not the disco band) were very nice and happy to get the meat from my Ele. I ended up shooting a nice bull on my 3rd day. I can't say enough good things about Buzz and his trackers they really make for a memorable hunt. I do have a few pictures of camp and the surounding area and I also should have my video of the hunt in a week or so. Send me a PM with your address and I will send you some stuff to look at..

yukon delta

See my report on a hunt in Omay south this past March. I have hunted it the past three years. I have seen tuskless there but they are not as common there as some other places. You will have to look over a number of groups to find one but that is the fun of it. Not as much fun when you take your ele on the first day.

465H&H

I talked to Buzz today and he said it's Omay North that he wants to hunt with me...right next to Lake Kariba.

He said he just got back from Moz and tried to film a croc hunt but the rains were so bad it didn't work out. Something about hunting crocs in severe rain causing him problems...can't imagine why

YD- Are you going to add croc and hippo to your wish list?

I would be keen on adding either or both of those...only problem is I could be adding another tuskless for the fee of either of them I can tell that I'm in trouble already. I hold a number of you personally responsible for this!

i have hunted the north on both sides in april 05 and may 06, I stayed most of the time on the ume side and Mackenzies a few nights, its humid and sticky on the Mack side, the hunting is OK on either side lots of elephants but nothing great as far as trophy quality goes. Its a good time but I like Matetsi alot more. More to see and take pictures of. But I would go to the Omay again and probsbly will