Whitch is better for Cape Buffalo, Matetsi 1, or Matetsi 3? Where is the best place in Zimbabwe to hunt Buff?

I have not hunted Matetsi 1. Matetsi 3 can be a famine or a feast. There can be no buffalo, or (when, as in my case, the surrounding areas have been burnt off, and Matetsi 3 offers fresh feed on green vleis) you can have several large herds to look over.

When I hunted Matetsi 3, we were solely hunting large buff herds, and it was not the easiest hunting I have experienced. Apart from the fact that it can be difficult to sneak up on a big herd even at the best of times, the vleis in Matetsi 3 are large enough and open enough to allow the herds to put a lot of distance between themselves and the nearest cover useable to predators (human or otherwise). I have seen great buffalo that came out of Matetsi 3, so I guess hunters get lucky from time to time - or that PHs display different skills.

The advantage of Matetsi (3) to me is the presence of dangerous game (elephant, buff and lions - if licences are available) as well as healthy populations of plains game - in particular sable and waterbuck. From what I have seen, the Valley has the buffalo (and other dangerous game), but not the numbers of plains game found in Matetsi (3).

- mike

Have a look at Sengwa research as well as neighbouring Chirisa - both stunning buff areas. Dande is also excellent. Chete can be good but hard hunting

Enjoy

I hunted Unit 3 in 2008 and took a nice buff. But, it took a big fire in Bots to push them across the boundary. There were some resident dagga boys around the different pans, but none of the ones we saw were the size we wanted to take. We did hunt Unit 1 for elephant one day, and there were some big herds of buff there.

You may want to look at Lemco/Bubye Valley Conservancy. They've been taking some very nice buffalo there the past couple of years.

Pete

Take a look at this link

http://forums.accuratereloadin...531084161#3531084161

The Save is tough to beat.

Also vote for the Save.

A sometimes overlooked but great area for buffalo is Makuti. You may not shoot a 45" inch bull but you will see many mature bulls on a hunt.

There is a hell of a lot of buff and plenty of big ones in the Save.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
A sometimes overlooked but great area for buffalo is Makuti. You may not shoot a 45" inch bull but you will see many mature bulls on a hunt.

And my uncle Peter Hulme did actually shoot a 45 inch bull in Makuti on a Zim citizen hunt, can't remember which year exactly, late 90s. If I'm not mistaken it was the biggest taken in Zim that year, maybe the biggest on a citizen hunt... Will find out the details, the African Hunter published something about it.

quote:

Originally posted by David Hulme:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
A sometimes overlooked but great area for buffalo is Makuti. You may not shoot a 45" inch bull but you will see many mature bulls on a hunt.

And my uncle Peter Hulme did actually shoot a 45 inch bull in Makuti on a Zim citizen hunt, can't remember which year exactly, late 90s. If I'm not mistaken it was the biggest taken in Zim that year, maybe the biggest on a citizen hunt... Will find out the details, the African Hunter published something about it.

Yep, Makuti is good and beautiful. It is a tough hunt however with the hills.

I think the Save will compete with almost anywhere on the continent.

Maybe I am not an impartial witness but the Save has to be the best bet for buff overall in Zim and possibly will compete with anywhere in Africa....one operator who I deal a lot with has shot 6 buff this season with clients......the biggest is 45 and the smallest 42...all solid mature bulls

I have just returned from 10 days in the Save and saw several good bulls over the 40 mark....The Save's buff management programme is certainly paying dividends

From what I have seen you should be looking out for buffalo anywhere past arrivals at the airport.

The Save!