Many of you know me from my posts on Cameroon and Congo. I have specialized in setting up self guided hunting in Cameroon and explorations in French speaking West Africa.
Although I had a full time job I outfit about 10 hunters a year in Cameroon. I am the only American licensed as a PH in Cameroon. Over time I reacquainted myself with the king of the northern part of Cameroon, called the Lamido of Rey Bouba. He offered me his personal hunting estate to manage, which I have successfully done for the last 4 years.
Now the king would like to offer me a much larger concession, 110,000 ha. or about 250,000 acres. It is an area I have hunted extensively with great success, but civilization is starting to encroach and success has correspondingly dropped. This would change if the area was declared a “community hunting zone” as proposed by the king. Problem is I do not think I have the resources to pull this off, as you really do have to cut the community in and give the king a present each year. A full time anti-poaching crew will need to be staffed, much as I already have done in the King’s zone.
I am looking for someone who wants to be part of this adventure. I am not sure what kind of money we are talking about but would guess it to be in the neighborhood of $100,000 to turn back the clock and have a fantastic hunting block. Once we sign papers the block would be ours/yours until we/you no longer want it.
The block has always held good numbers of northwestern buffalo and lord derby eland. Following are some photos of the animals we have taken in the last few years.











I would be glad to email a more complete report to any interested party.

Camshaft

What a dream to be a part of such!

I could not agree more. At the same time if someone does not take over the zone the poaching will soon decimate all the game and it will just be another loss of a wild area to civilization. Seems like there are fewer and fewer places where animals are given priority. If I can act in a prudent and reasonable time frame it could be one of the best zones in Cameroon.

Camshaft

This looks like an opportunity where one of our more wealthy AR members would be very fortunate if they should step up to the plate and help this cause.

It would be a shame to lose hunting in Cameroon.

A rare opportunity indeed for someone with some expendable cash. But what would make the prospect considerably more appealing would be a 50 year transferable leasehold on the property as is the case in Botswana for example.

Another possibility (though some might find it somewhat distasteful) would be fencing it in and developing it along the lines of a game-ranch while retaining its status as a “community hunting zone” - but restricting access.

A successful game-ranching operation in Cameroon might spark a revolution there as has happened in southern Africa. Fantasy? Maybe ... but worth a thought. No?

quote:

Another possibility (though some might find it somewhat distasteful) would be fencing it in and developing it along the lines of a game-ranch while retaining its status as a “community hunting zone” - but restricting access.

Just as an observation, if one plans on high fencing 250,000 acres or roughly 390 sq miles, he better have a helluva lot more than $100,000. And I do understand that this is not the proposal.

50% of the boundaries of this concession are up against the boundaries of other well managed hunting concessions, so a source of game inflow. Those concessions are up against a national park, so again more opportunity to have game replenish faster than natural growth.
I own a game fence in RSA and only 10,000 acres cost more than $100,000, so Gatogordo is 100% correct on costs.
Camshaft

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:

quote:

Another possibility (though some might find it somewhat distasteful) would be fencing it in and developing it along the lines of a game-ranch while retaining its status as a “community hunting zone” - but restricting access.

Just as an observation, if one plans on high fencing 250,000 acres or roughly 390 sq miles, he better have a helluva lot more than $100,000. And I do understand that this is not the proposal.

No doubt. I figure maybe a quarter of a million $US for fencing alone ... but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

I wouldn't try to get by cheap on something like this ... but rather go high end ... look for someone willing to put up at least a million US$ ... and that's even cheap for an opportunity like this.

quote:

Originally posted by camshaft:
50% of the boundaries of this concession are up against the boundaries of other well managed hunting concessions, so a source of game inflow. Those concessions are up against a national park, so again more opportunity to have game replenish faster than natural growth.
I own a game fence in RSA and only 10,000 acres cost more than $100,000, so Gatogordo is 100% correct on costs. Camshaft

I made the previous post without having read your reply. But doesn't that mean that you'd only have to fence the parts not adjacent to the other concessions? Like Greater Kruger?

Either way, Cam, I think its a rare opportunity and I wouldn't try to get by cheap.

By the way, I've read your stories in African Hunter and I think having a partner who knows the land, the languages and the culture would be big plus for any investor.

Thanks SteveGI. I am not trying to make any money on this, just trying to keep a unique hunting opportunity open. I am uniquely placed with the King to make it happen, but have not the funds to follow through. Hopefully someone out there would like to help out and we can provide more hunting and conservation opportunities.
Camshaft

I know a guy that spent 7 million to fence his elk ranch. I realize that is U.S. pricing but it was 4,200 +/- acres. Fencing is not cheap anywhere for a good quality game fence that I can see.

This is a very interesting proposal and something that some of us could afford to do. My question (not knowing anything about Cameroon law) is how solid is your contract and guarantee of an exclusive area if something were to happen to the current King. Can the next king just declare all contracts null/void and start over with his own plans? What type of rules are in place regarding the status of investors. Can they get citizenship/residency as an owner. What are the requirements for gaining a PH license. I guess I need a crash course on the stability of your government. As someone with a few resources and a large desire to be involved in something like this we may need to talk.

Hell, I'd move there

Cameroon is probably the most stable of the West African countries. No significant issues in the 30 years I have been there "doing my thing". President was just "re-elected" for an 8 year term this year.
The king is key, as he is the traditional potentate, but the contract is actually signed with the Ministry of Eau and Foret, a government entity that controls all of the hunting concessions in Cameroon. There are probably about 50 concessions, all similar in size to the 250,000 acre one +/-.
I am happy to call anyone and anyone who is serious is welcome to California to meet me and discuss it.
The season is over at the end of July and my last hunter is in the field now.

Camshaft

That first forest buff looks pretty big in the body for the dwarf variety.

You are correct, Forest buff are smaller in body than these buffalo. They are actually savannah buffalo or the French call them Equinox buffalo. Cameroon has both forest and savannah buffalo on license, but you can only shoot one per year. The problem is people will enter the mix or equinox as a forest buffalo in order to climb up the charts of inches.
In any case they are a fun animals to pursue and we have good places to hunt both species.

Cam Greig

This sounds like an outstanding opportunity to both invest and save some critical wildlife habitat for hunting and conservation. If I was a bigger man with $$; I'd be all over this.

Thanks for sharing Mr. Cam.