With my 20+ years of Professional Hunting experience I have been fortunate to hunt in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Tanzania and now Mocambique. A thread sometime back questioned the choice of hunting with a PH who has vast experience from one area as opposed to a PH who hunts numerous countries?

Having started my PH career in Zim, I have the greatest memories of the Valley, Matetsi, Gwaai Valley, Save, Matabeleland and the various plains game operations dotted around the country. I guess I would be biased to Zim as a first time DG destination; and granted, the species count is lower than Tanzania for example, and the species available can be hunted elsewhere, but the country is pretty small and getting around is pretty simple and costs can be kept low.

South Africa just does not feature on my places of "want to go". The game farms and fences just don't do it for me, and that pretty much makes up the bulk of hunting in the country - no thanks. As I alluded to earlier, I have hunted SA as well, but never got any satisfaction or thrills out of it.

Tanzania was a destination we often spoke about around pubs during our off season, and were rather envious of fellow PH's who had been hunting there, which resulted in me going there.

The all round experience one gets in the country is awesome. The huntable species is fantastic, and Tanzania became everything I had hoped for in a career as a PH. It is a huge country and getting around becomes an adventure in itself, but to me the rewards are well worth it. In this modern age to find those pieces of Africa so far off the beaten track, is a dream and a rarity, and although hunting blocks are easily accessible by light aircraft, one still gets the feeling of being so far removed from society.

My adventures continue in Mocambique right now.I welcomed the opportunity to get involved in opening up and developing an area not commercially hunted for over 40 years. It has been a challenge, and will remain a challenge. The area is nowhere near the Zambezi, but in the northern parts, somewhat south of the Niassa Reserve. Sadly the subsistance hunting that has been the mainstay of the locals continues unabated for years and years, and game numbers are tragically low. Rounding up all the gin traps, filling in all the pit traps and gathering in the snares is going to take many years, and the locals will need to be educated on what the benefits of a safari operation can be for them - a daunting task in an area like this. That said, with the right policies in place there is no reason why the game numbers wouldn't bounce back. Elephant numbers are pretty good, and I have seen some big tuskers (80lb), Leopard and Sable are easily hunted, but unfortunately Buffalo numbers are way low.

I am digressing somewhat, but to get back to the main point about hunting destinations; Zim certainly is a favourite first timer DG country, but for a great all round experience Tanzania, I believe, is hard to beat.

I like Zululand (Hluhluwe area) maybe because it was the site of my first safari but will be returning there in 17 days for a week before heading to the Zambezi valley.

quote:

Originally posted by David Hulme:
Go babwe! The only industry which has not done a complete nosedive during the last decade in Zim is the hunting industry. Because of you guys and those like you.

David, above all - it is still there because of you Zimbos! Bunch of great hard core die hard guys there - the industry as a whole owe you guys quite some...oh and DOJ - no need to emphasize the Zambezi valley - there is only one Valley - isn't it ?

In regards to the mention of the 80lb jumbos, if an outfitter/guide knows that there are larger elephants like that possible, do they charge the clients more? I'm guessing there are many hunters that would gladly pay more for the larger ivory, I'm just wondering if that plays into it.

Red

mouse93 the way some on here speak and think I just want to try and be clear in all my posts. There is the Rift Valley and I wish I could hunt there some day.

Dago Red,

Some countries charge trophy fees on the size of ivory that is taken, in other words if the mass falls within certain parameters it will cost x amount. The fee generally increases the higher the mass of ivory.

understandable, from the few posts I'd read on here it seemed that 50 was about the biggest guys are getting recently. so getting bigger than 90% of the other hunters would to me understandably cost more.

Red

quote:

Originally posted by Die Ou Jagter:
mouse93 the way some on here speak and think I just want to try and be clear in all my posts. There is the Rift Valley and I wish I could hunt there some day.

I bet you do (still wonder why anybody would look for anything like a "Rift" when you have "Valley" )

Anyway - just stumbled upon a blog with a straight wisdom of my understanding (that is always wrong btw) of Miss Zim that goes:

"Red Hot Zimbo Love"

The first night I met Giselé, all blonde 6’1” of her, she drank me under the table with a combination of sledge-hammering Zim cocktails, including the “Clan Special”, a beer mug of red wine chased with a glass of brandy. I have not the words. As I lost consciousness, she picked me up and fireman-lifted me the three blocks back to digs. I was in love.

So in love, in fact, that at the end of that year I took the long train from Alicedale to Harare, to her country. 18 hours later I stepped off the train at Harare, with its lush tree-lined streets, exotic shades and colours, and fell in love with the place at first sight. Giselé may have helped. She was waiting on the station platform. I hugged her, we kissed, and I was home."



Source

Now - still looking for anything like it from another safari destination

I remember the day I killed my Leopard with Norm Crooks near West Nick and that night I was the only sober guy in camp. We went to a PH's home near by to celebrate and Norm told the cook we wou;d be back for steaks about 9:00 PM and we got back to camp about 2:00 AM for dinner. The PH we were with decided he was returning ot camp with us and about a quarter of the way back he fell of the back of the bakie and then decided he should go back home and we return him to within about a quarter of a mile of his house and told him he had to stagger the rest of the way.

They could party!