Have any of you hunted recently with Hillary Daffi in Tanzania? He was an apprentice PH under the old famous Cotton Gordon and how has his own company-Hillary Daffi Safaris- and three great concessions. I am considering a hunt with him to wrap up the plains game I need for the SCI African 29, including some of the Northern species and Sitatunga, Roan and Puku. Obviously, buffalo will be on the list as well.
Your thoughts and expereinces would certainly be appreciated.
Cheers

PM for you

quote:

Originally posted by Leopardtrack:
PM for you

It would be nice if you wouild post whatever information you have so the rest of us might have an idea.

Sorry about that Saeed....I PM'ed Steve John Barth/Adventure Unlimited phone number 361-852-0537 since I belive that John represents Hillary Daffi.

He is still out there BUT I dont believe he has Lunda any longer.

Since we are on the subject of Hillary/ Cotton Gordon: Do any of you guys from TZ ever hear any reports on how the contingent from the UAE is doing in Loliondo? Im sure things are "tight lipped" coming out of there but it sure would be interesting to know how things are in waht used to be Cotton's best lion area. If I am not mistaken this group has had the area for probably 15 years now and again for 13' thru 18'.

Just curious.

I'm told he is good with spotlights
And makes his own quotas......
Learnt from the master of deception himself, Cotton Gordon

May be someone will correct me, but the reason I asked for the details to be posted was that I think I have heard his name being mentioned in not very flattering manner here.

Hey Guys; As a follow up to Saeed's comments, perhpas I have cut a Fart in Church...not so pleasant??
Seriously, I am looking for positive or warnings, as I have been approached about hunting with this Company in 2013.
I am looking for your honest feedback!! The silence is deafening, so to speak, unusual for this group!!
Cheers

470EDDY:

There was a whole lot of crap being flung far and wide a year or so ago - something about hunting beyond his boundary and overshooting of quota.
It was not hearsay as it made for reading material in the local newspapers as well.

470EDDY

Try going to the search box in the top left hand corner and type in: Hilary Daffi - Tanzania

You will get all the answers you wish to know.

I thought this was about our Daffy Hillary here in the U.S.? Oh well.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Sellers:
I thought this was about our Daffy Hillary here in the U.S.? Oh well.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanamich:
I'm told he is good with spotlights
And makes his own quotas......
Learnt from the master of deception himself, Cotton Gordon

That is snarky and crap!!!

++++++++1 bwanamich,if the clients want to replace trophies after shot thats the place to be. totaly unethical,how did he even get an area.tz gov is stupid

I recall AR regular Larry Shores hunted with and wrote a fairly glowing report on a hunt he and his son had with Hilary Dafy.

I remember sable, leopard, etc being hunted successfully.

It seems that more people like this company than is being led to believe.

Care to comment, Larry? You wrote a favorable report on the hunt, so I am assuming it was a hunt that could be recommended?

I ask this to get firsthand info & "on the ground" experiences, not hearsay and rumors from office staff & competitors of the trade. It seems that 470Eddy is looking as well.

Thank you.

quote:

Originally posted by Scottyboy not hearsay and rumors from office staff & competitors of the trade. It seems that 470Eddy is looking as well.

Thank you.

That is the key. Those who's greatest risk is a paper cut love to take shots at the guy. I have hunted with Hilary 21 day full bag and would again.

Jeff

I have hunted with Hilary Daffi twice this past year once in the Lunda Concession and in the Selous. I do know that his one PH Hasalani is no longer with him. Two of his other PH's Rafeal and Andrew are good people and I would not hesitate to hunt with either one. Camps were well maintained, food was good and plentiful. Trophies were shipped back without incidence. In the Lunda I took a 53# ele, lion, lesser Kudu, impala, zebra, dik dik & duiker. In the Selous I took leopard, civet, hyena, Nyassa Wildebeast, Lichenstein Hartebeast,impala and warthog. Two other gentlemen from my home town accompanyied me, one of whom, Gary Christensen wrote an article about hunting the Lunda with Hilary that was published in the SCI magazine two years ago.
I have another friend who hunted cape buff with Hilary in the Selous who was not satisfied with his experience.
All in all my experience with Hillary has been good and given the circumstances would hunt with him again.

I would also make the point that Hilary typifies the statement "That's Africa" Your gonna have some good and some not so good.

quote:

Originally posted by Tim Vining:
I have hunted with Hilary Daffi twice this past year once in the Lunda Concession and in the Selous. I do know that his one PH Hasalani is no longer with him. Two of his other PH's Rafeal and Andrew are good people and I would not hesitate to hunt with either one. Camps were well maintained, food was good and plentiful. Trophies were shipped back without incidence. In the Lunda I took a 53# ele, lion, lesser Kudu, impala, zebra, dik dik & duiker. In the Selous I took leopard, civet, hyena, Nyassa Wildebeast, Lichenstein Hartebeast,impala and warthog. Two other gentlemen from my home town accompanyied me, one of whom, Gary Christensen wrote an article about hunting the Lunda with Hilary that was published in the SCI magazine two years ago.
I have another friend who hunted cape buff with Hilary in the Selous who was not satisfied with his experience.
All in all my experience with Hillary has been good and given the circumstances would hunt with him again.

I would also make the point that Hilary typifies the statement "That's Africa" Your gonna have some good and some not so good.

Tim...congrats on taking an elephant AND lion on ONE safari in TZ...very rare.

One question ..I heard that Hillary on longer has Lunda...do you know if this is accurate?

I believe that is correct

Does anyone know who has Lunda (South). I have heard that it may have been "privatized" similar to the situation in Loliondo. Though not exactly as it is my understanding Lunda is a "communal" area and is not tendered as are other Game Reserves, GCA's and "Open Areas" by the TZ Game Dept?

Scotty:

Yes, I did go with Hilary in 07. I would post the link but do not know how to do so from my I pad. My apologies.

I like Hilary. I would go again under the right circumstances .

I did not personally witness any of the things that have been alleged against Hilary by some. In fact, I witnessed just the opposite. However, subsequent to the hunt, I did learn certain things that I was not at all happy about. One of these matters related to PH licenses. Hilary sent us with unlicensed PH's. That did not go over well with me. In addition, there were some irregularities in the paperwork. There was also some fairly serious trophy care issues.

I have learned a lot since that hunt regarding Hilary's operation. Trophy care issues are common. There have been some serious quota issues as well. Let me emphasize the word serious.

Hilary has personally approached me at SCI with offers that were no doubt illegal. Needless to say, I declined.

Would I go with Hilary again? Absolutely. However, I would stay right on top of them on both the conduct of the hunt and trophy care.

Hilary is a lot of fun . Nice guy. He is neither the best nor the worst PH I have ever been with. One does have to be careful with him.

wow Larry............. and you say you would go with him again?

Mich:

Sure I would. We had a great time and a great hunt that was strictly fair chase. In fact, it was quite difficult which is what I personally like. We walked long distances in extreme heat virtually every day.

I would:

1- watch over the skinners
2- have contractual provisions verifying quota available with penalties for failure to have quota available.
3- keep aware of how the hunt is being conducted and put a stop to anything that I thought was (a) a waste of time and/or (b) might be in violation of any laws/rules.
4- make sure the PH's are licensed.

I was often with Hilary when hunting. My 22 year old son was with Hassanali Ladak. I was with David Horsley part of the time. I was extremely bother by Hilary putting my kid in that situation. My son has far less experience than me. I am glad he never had a problem.

Personally, if I had a criticism of Hilary's hunting it would be that he falls asleep instantly and snores a lot. Not good in lion or leopard blind.

Neosporin helps paper cuts Mich.

Thx BB.

So far we have a report from a previous client (Larry) acknowledging that your hero PH broke the law. Then we have documented evidence by the TZ authorities that he overshot his quota and entered the excess animals on the permit of a different block - for which he received an official fine if I am correct!

I will stop here.

PS Pls note that I am not the one that brought both of these facts out onto AR, others did!

This has been extremely interesting for me. Thank you all for the input...even the funnies.

Interestingly, the booking agent that put me on this..."to earn my business" was pumping the fact I could surely collect the Northern species! According to the US partner, there are NO NORTHERN species in thier areas...they are working on leasing a Northern concession.

I looked at the map of concesion locations and questioned the BA. Well, they did get Lesser Kudu in the Lunda concession...but they don't have that any longer...

I did speak to two hunting references, one commenting above, and US Partner. All three have had excellent expereinces and did NOT mention any "issues".

I sincerely appreciate the "Heads Up" but it looks like I will not pursue this one!!...can't get one of the gazelles, sitatunga I need...I could get Roan and Puku, but that would be a pretty expensive alternative to fill out the African 29!!

I still want to hunt Tanzania one of these days!! Who would you Choose...Buff and the Northern species??...a cruise through the Selous for posterity too....

Cheers

470Eddy, try and get hold of Dave Radermeyer of Northern Operations Africa. They operate in Cameroon, CAR, Ethihopia and I know he deals with someone in TZ. A lot of their clients are people who collect species for Weatherby awards etc, so I know he can point you in the right direction, should he not be able to help you out. His email is daveroders@hotmail.com
Cheers
Thierry

470Eddy:

Why try a different agent of whom there are several on AR or if you prefer to go directly, refer to one of the more reputable, well established outfitters who are resident in Tanzania?

470:

Even if he still had Lunda, there were relatively few lesser kudu there.

Fujotupu- that is what I prefer! That's the point of asking .... either from Operators directly or AR members who have had great expereinces with specific operators. Then hopefully visit at one of the shows to make sure we "click"....

Cheers

The species you need require a 21 day Gov package. Therefore it probably won't be all available on a short 10 - 16 day hunt with 21 day license.......

You need an outfitter that has blocks in Masailand and Western Tz (for Sitatunga).

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
470:

Even if he still had Lunda, there were relatively few lesser kudu there.

Larry..you dont know who has Lunda (south) now do you?

Thanks

My Compliments to 470 Eddy on conducting due dilligence in selecting an outfitter & PH. This thread certainly provided him with a great deal of information to aid in decision making. The AR Website is a tremendous asset my hat is off to Saeed and the moderators for making it work.

Miombo has the rights but Adam Clements subleased it.

Regardless of who has it, let me reiterate that there are very few of the northern species . No sitatunga. Few roan. No puku.

There are a few lesser kudu. Lots of dik dik. A few defassa waterbuck .

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Regardless of who has it, let me reiterate that there are very few of the northern species . No sitatunga. Few roan. No puku.

There are a few lesser kudu. Lots of dik dik. A few defassa waterbuck .

Larry I am sure you are correct on this..I was looking at it more in terms of a really good Big 4 area. Probably one of the best, if not the best area in TZ to get a good elephant and a good lion IMO.

Honestly, I think there are better areas for both.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Honestly, I think there are better areas for both.

Larry I agree there are better areas if you look at the 2 animals separately. But if you are looking at a single area in TZ to take BOTH that narrows the field considerably...Lokisale would be another one that comes to mind. As far as the Selous blocks..well see what effect the poaching has had on elephant success there.

Has to be a good reason for Adam Clements to jump on it.

I am not set on only one area. I would go to a good Northern species area then perhaps into the Selous for the experience...I just don't want to "buy the airplane " for charters!!
I only need 2 species to complete the African 29 of which, Tommy or Grants work, then Kob or Puku, Roan, Sitatunga...or Bongo a totally different proposition.
So really I only can use one of the Northern species...but if there would collect both and Lesser Kudu and Gerenuk....
I really would like to hunt Tanzania...just doing my homework!
Cheers