Looking to book a Cape buffalo in the next year or two and was looking for recommendations on countries and areas and outfitters to look into.

Im not into SA at this current time, nothing against it, I may only get a few times I can expierence Africa and I want to see the wilder places in Africa.

More about the adventure then anything. I want to hunt Buff the right way. In thick cover, in tight. So really like to get some outfitters in mind that are like minded. Wouldn’t hurt if they have bull ele too as that’ll be the next trip after.

I’ve always wanted to hunt the Zambezi valley and heard good things. But I’d love to hear experiences and recommendations for Zim, Zambia, Moz, etc

No pampering. Out of tents, lots of walking. Sweat, and blisters. Gluten for punishment hahaha

For most any hunt in Africa but especially for the first time I would recommend contacting a hunt consultant. We have a couple that post here regularly and I have used Mark Young and Wendell Reich and both have lots of knowledge and are very conscientious and can answer your questions.

Your hunt criteria is pretty much exactly what I look for in a DG hunt.

Can't argue against anything Blacktailer said above. A good consultant will have a mountain of experience and ideas if they know what you're after in a hunt.

Based on my limited experience I think / know the type of Buff hunt you want to experience is possible in Zimbabwe. My only hunt to date there was with Charlton McCallum Safaris in the Zambezi. If you research them here on AR you will find nothing but great reports. Much to my delight I learned that Buff hunting is a highly enjoyable form of sport. The camps I had were a little more upscale than tents but definitely not overwhelming. Probably just right.
You should receive plenty of advice from others on this site including outfitters covering several of the southern African countries. There are numerous reputable operators you can choose from and there is a lot of enjoyment in planning your hunt. I wish I could have done the same at your age.
Please feel free to PM me if there is anything you would like to ask.

This is about same I am hoping to experience for my first buffalo hunt in May this year. Have booked with Mbalabala Safaris in Zimbabwe...

Thick bush, fly camp,hoping I’ll have a great experience.

The search button is your friend.

Also read thru hunt reports. You will quickly discover the same names appear again and again.

CMS
The Duckworth's
Roger Whitall

And plenty more.

Your wish list wont be hard to fulfill.

Zimbabwe... there are a bunch of places and PHs that can give you a good hunt. The conservancies have a lot to say for them, and the wild government areas in the north are great choices as well. My first buffalo hunt was in Chewore south with Mokore. It went very well. I have also hunted the Save conservancy as well for buffalo and have no doubt you would enjoy it. Bubye conservancy also has great reviews.

Zambia... the Luangwa valley has great hunting. I’ve hunted with Muchinga adventures a few times, and the DuPlooys are top notch. I also want to give a try with Andrew Baldry (Fairgame here).

Mozambique is a potential option, but a bit less developed game populations after their civil war. Mokore hunts there and would do you well, but they are in the process of building up their herds so it might be harder to find quota.

Tanzania is a great option, if you have the shekels for it. The Selous is wonderful, although some areas have different trophy quality. The northern areas have the classic East African big buffalo, but are quite expensive relatively speaking. Masailand has large human presence so it’s not as wild experience, but Maswa is really quite untouched appearing and game is very numerous.

Namibia has the Caprivi. Never been there, but is quite wild from the folks I’ve talked with.

For completeness sake, I have a hunt scheduled in Uganda as well for Nile buffalo, but you can hunt cape buff as well... my research shows it to be good, but I only have talked with one other guy who hunted there, he loved it. Priced about like Tanz.

One other more budget option is west African savanna buffalo. They are smaller and less impressive horned but every bit as buffalo behaved. I got skunked on them in Cameroon, but Benin or Burkina Faso are options that are fairly reasonably priced... and a less developed safari industry.

For me, any of the first few would be a good starter hunt for buffalo.

I've really enjoyed hunting with Andrew Baldry (Fairgame) in Zambia in the Kafue region. Taken two Buff so far on two different safaris, and I return this year to hunt with him again for Buffalo and other PG species. I highly recommend him as an honest and honorable PH.

Best bang for your $ is in Zim for sure. You will not go wrong with CM Safaris or Mokore. I book hunts for both if you want to have someone in the US to be able to talk to, do payments with, etc. Feel free to drop me an email or we can get on the phone any time.

Crazy: Definitely check out Corris Ferreira at Track-A-Hunt Safaris. Zim prices are way less than say Tanganyika and less than SA. Corris has a great camp on the shores of Lake Kariba in the Gache Gache Campfire Area.

The Zambezi valley is an excellent choice for a hard buffalo hunt. Personally I would speak to Buzz Charlton and I am sure he will cater for your needs. A tent on the banks of the Zambezi would be classic.

Don't make it too hard on yourself and chose the winter months of June/July when temperatures are mild.

Speak to Buzz Charlton of CM Safaris, they hunt in the Zambezi Valley. They have a huge area and it's truly wild and rugged.

Also chat to Guy Whittall of Roger Whittall Safaris who have Humani on the Save Valley Conservancy. Humani is a beautiful place and the Buff hunting is awesome especially in the thick stuff.

I have hunted/filmed in both these areas and you will not be disappointed I assure you.

Mike

Zim, Zambia, Mozambique are all good choices, but dont forget about the Caprivi in Namibia. I may have exactly what you are looking for on this deal:
http://forums.accuratereloadin...761054932#2761054932

Zim is certainly the most "bang for your buck" when it comes to buff hunting.

Check out Lin Stanton of Mbalabala Safaries. He will get you into the thickest buff cover (jess and thornbush) you would ever want to experience.

Just make sure to "use enough" gun.

BH63

quote:

Zim is certainly the most "bang for your buck" when it comes to buff hunting.

Not strictly true and some of the operators in the Luangwa last year were offering packages inclusive of trophy fees for $11,500. Remote unfenced concessions.

Sent you a PM.

My first hunt in Africa was with Peter Bernard, and camp was right on the Zambezi. My tent was less than 50 feet from the water. My first African animal was the buffalo. Then I took impala, hyena, and baboon. I would definitely recommend a hunt with Peter.

One place I would like to hunt in the future would be the Niassa.

Thank you everyone so far! Had a lot of great PMs and messages. I’ve definitely started to short list my choices when it comes time to book. Maybe wait and hope for a deal from my list of outfits or a cancellation

Thanks everyone!

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
The Zambezi valley is an excellent choice for a hard buffalo hunt. Personally I would speak to Buzz Charlton and I am sure he will cater for your needs. A tent on the banks of the Zambezi would be classic.

. . . that would be my $0.02 as well.

Following.......

quote:

Originally posted by Crazy_farmer:
Thank you everyone so far! Had a lot of great PMs and messages. I’ve definitely started to short list my choices when it comes time to book. Maybe wait and hope for a deal from my list of outfits or a cancellation

Thanks everyone!

Good stuff and don't let price dictate your decision. If someone can over you a tent on the Zambezi and a crack at a good solid Buffalo in a remote concession then take it. The AR hunt report forum is an invaluable reference.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by Crazy_farmer:
Thank you everyone so far! Had a lot of great PMs and messages. I’ve definitely started to short list my choices when it comes time to book. Maybe wait and hope for a deal from my list of outfits or a cancellation

Thanks everyone!

Good stuff and don't let price dictate your decision. If someone can over you a tent on the Zambezi and a crack at a good solid Buffalo in a remote concession then take it. The AR hunt report forum is an invaluable reference.

I agree and understand you get what you pay for. Problem is I can’t do anything about the exchange rate. It was only a few years back the USD and CAD were par and I took advantage of it. But now it’s 25% extra. So for all intensive purposes a 15-20k Hunt is 19-25k for me to save up for. Not making excuses just the way it is for me. I can do 15k but creeping up to 20 and more with flights is harder.

I work in the US often and find it funny how my counterparts on that side make the same yearly income yet their dollar goes so much further. For the same hunt I have to save 25% more.

I also really enjoy your posts on Instagram. I love having more africa content on my feed.

quote:

Originally posted by Crazy_farmer:

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by Crazy_farmer:
Thank you everyone so far! Had a lot of great PMs and messages. I’ve definitely started to short list my choices when it comes time to book. Maybe wait and hope for a deal from my list of outfits or a cancellation

Thanks everyone!

Good stuff and don't let price dictate your decision. If someone can over you a tent on the Zambezi and a crack at a good solid Buffalo in a remote concession then take it. The AR hunt report forum is an invaluable reference.

I agree and understand you get what you pay for. Problem is I can’t do anything about the exchange rate. It was only a few years back the USD and CAD were par and I took advantage of it. But now it’s 25% extra. So for all intensive purposes a 15-20k Hunt is 19-25k for me to save up for. Not making excuses just the way it is for me. I can do 15k but creeping up to 20 and more with flights is harder.

I work in the US often and find it funny how my counterparts on that side make the same yearly income yet their dollar goes so much further. For the same hunt I have to save 25% more.

I also really enjoy your posts on Instagram. I love having more africa content on my feed.

Late season deals are an option and I will let you know if anything comes up this side of the Zambezi.

quote:

Originally posted by Crazy_farmer:


I agree and understand you get what you pay for. Problem is I can’t do anything about the exchange rate. It was only a few years back the USD and CAD were par and I took advantage of it. But now it’s 25% extra. So for all intensive purposes a 15-20k Hunt is 19-25k for me to save up for. Not making excuses just the way it is for me. I can do 15k but creeping up to 20 and more with flights is harder.

I work in the US often and find it funny how my counterparts on that side make the same yearly income yet their dollar goes so much further. For the same hunt I have to save 25% more.

I also really enjoy your posts on Instagram. I love having more africa content on my feed.

I looked around for a late season deal last year and Charlton-McCallum put forth a nice offer. Made for a package of tuskless/buffalo and some plains game in the end.

I had several plains game hunts including un fenced wild areas and this was a terrific first time DG hunt.

Crazy farmer I can relate with your exchange rate issues and having to pay an additional 25% is ridiculous but true. As some have mentioned late season end of quota hunts are the way to go with the dollar situation and there’s always plenty of options as the months role by. Don’t be in a hurry and contact outfitters you would like to hunt with and ask for them to keep you posted. Your going to find a great offer in a wild place with good animals just a matter of time!

Good luck

quote:

Originally posted by AR MAN:
Crazy farmer I can relate with your exchange rate issues and having to pay an additional 25% is ridiculous but true. As some have mentioned late season end of quota hunts are the way to go with the dollar situation and there’s always plenty of options as the months role by. Don’t be in a hurry and contact outfitters you would like to hunt with and ask for them to keep you posted. Your going to find a great offer in a wild place with good animals just a matter of time!

Good luck

Yeah I think that’ll be my best bet. Have my list narrowed down and know who I’d like to hunt with. Then see if a late season or left over quota is available and jump on it.

Can’t lie I’ve watched a lot of videos on YouTube these past weeks and all I think about is getting to Africa.

You have to do your homework as many if not all outfitters will try to sell you hunts that are in their interests not yours.Once you've done your homework you need to stick to your guns.To an outfitter, any place they hunt is wild country.The best hunts I've had were ones that I had decided myself where I wanted to hunt or just had a very strong input.

Sage advice, thank you

Mozambique would be great but not if you want Elephant later.
Zimbabwe's Zambezi Valley has been my pick on many occasions for exactly what your after.
C&M Safaris
Andy Hunter Chipitani Safaris
Mbalabala Safaris
Thery Labat Safaris.
if you want extra adventure then request Bed rolls for a camp out under the stars for a night or two in some out of the way place.

Just remember that the hunt costs more (sometimes a lot more) than just the initial cost of the package.

Some countries charge up to $300.00 just to bring your rifle in for a couple of weeks. Also the cost of travel into some countries can add thousands to the hunt (if you have to take a bush plane).

Make sure you understand all the costs associated with getting into your hunting area, hunting, skinning and field care (some outfitters charge extra for this), getting your trophy out of the field, dipping and documentation charges, and then shipping charges from point of origin to final destination.

Hunting buffalo is one the greatest sports I have ever participated in (although hunting lion would probable be even more of a rush), and hope I have at least one more buff hunt before I leave this planet.

Cheers,

BH63

quote:

Originally posted by BuffHunter63:
Just remember that the hunt costs more (sometimes a lot more) than just the initial cost of the package.

Cheers,

BH63

what in life doesn't cost more??? especially if its fantastic

Well I must update with the good news.

My wife changed her mind and wanted me to go this year before we have any more rugrats. So I started looking more seriously.

After much correspondence between a few outfits, all of which I knew I was in great hands and couldn’t go wrong with my choice.

I’m over the moon to say I’m headed to Dande with CMS this September.

Couldn’t be happier. And the prepping and preparing is gonna just as much fun.

I’m rather tickled pink that I’m finally going to see Africa and the experiences it holds!

Good for you Crazy Farmer.
You have booked with great guys, so maybe not crazy at all ! CMS will do everything possible to give you the Buff hunt experience you hope for. That's how they are.
I'm hunting Buff with CMS in July and definitely counting down the days.
Hunt hard and best of luck to you.

I shot two buffalo with my 450-400 in Dande South in the Zambezi Valley, with PH Lance Nesbitt. My companion hunted with PH Dean Kendall at the same time and also shot two nice buff. The Valley is a special place. You'll enjoy it very much.

Wonderful choice!!
Ive hunted numerous times in Dande and the surrounding concessions CM control. Some wild country for sure and the buffalo are excellent !!

You can ask to fly camp a few nights and this way you can rough it a little as well.

You will have a great time.

cheers

Nick

Sounds wonderful and no doubt Buzz will do his very best to find you a crusty old buff. September is hot so be prepared.

recommend talking to Tim Herald, especially about hunting with CM Safaris. Zim definitely has thick jess.
Tanzania has big buff and they like to hang in the thick stuff as well. Both are great destinations.

I have never hunted Buff in Mozambique, but I read a story of a guy who went after big buff and spent a week and a half, sloshing through swamps, without getting a clear shot at the buff due to the height of the grass.

If you want to experience the real deal of buff hunting at its hardest, you might want to look into that.

BH63

Hunted buffalo in Dande North with John Sharp. Absolutely wild and great country.