I haven't hunted Africa yet, but am planning to go in the future when I get out of grad school etc. Lately on this board a lot of people have been talking about sustainability issues, mostly with lion. I'm wondering what the overall situation is for cape buff in the majority of counries in east africa. From what I understand, there are pretty big herds in most countries and I know they are capable of reproducing rapidly (as they did from Rinderpest epidemic in early 20th century). But then the pessimist in me rises up and worries that there won't be enough cape buff 10 years from now, or that the prices are going to be, for example, what they are for lion now.

Anybody have any thoughts on this. Put my mind at ease!

Do not fret.

I would not worry for a decade or two. Africa's hunting space has been shrinking slowly and steadily since the late 50's. The was a time not too long ago when 30 day Safaris were the norm not the exception. You could hunt as far as you had petrol to take your hunting car or as far as your legs held up. Elephant hunts by Elephant hunters could take two weeks walking daily. Brooks Berry almost died on his last one do to lack of water. They folowed a 110 pounder for threee days only to find his left tusk was broken off . He merly turned around and walked back to camp, if it were not for one of the camp boys he and his PH would have died from thirst. What i am trying to show you is, Africa is only a sliver of its former self and will contnue to shrink. Proper game managment and rising prices will stem off the enevitable for some time, but the end will come some day. Charlie

I think James Mellon's line is the best on this subject. To paraphrase:

"The best time to hunt in Africa is always now."

So don't put it off any longer than you have to.

But having said that, I do realize that no one can go until it is the right time for him. It takes will, time and money. The first isn't usually the problem, but the last two can be. They surely were for me.

Still, it's hard to imagine how cape buffalo hunting could be in any real trouble within the next decade, or even much longer--unless another rinderpest or similar epidemic breaks out, God forbid.

Go when you first possibly can. Money will always be an issue, unless your great uncle dies and leaves you more money than you know what to do with. Then comes marriage, children, a mortgage, etc. etc. and the list just goes on and on. And, you'll just get older and not any younger.

I know that hunting pressure will do nothing to seriously weaken a herd. If anything, I think hunting pressure can actually increase herd size, as it has for deer in America.

Seems to me the more insidious threat to the c. buff (and all african wildlife) is loss of habitat. As everybody here knows, land everywhere (especially africa) is shrinking...and that is what worries me. Everybody has the right to eak out a living from some meager little plot of land but how far does it go? This is what angers me so much about people who are "against" hunting in africa. Hunting gives the governments and normal citizens an incentive to keep wild places, well, wild. When hunting is stopped, what incentive will either the general populace or government have to preserve land? Part of me says that the African govts. are on top of this issue, but they get a lot of pressure from anti-hunting groups both inside and outside their countries. Sadly, most of it comes from America where the vast majority of anti-hunters know little, or nothing, about the issues involved.

quote:

Originally posted by mrlexma:

"The best time to hunt in Africa is always now."

I think the hunts that are being done right now will be looked upon in as little as ten years the same way we look back at the guys hunting in Kenya before it closed. The good old days are now!

quote:

Originally posted by RBHunt:

quote:

Originally posted by mrlexma:

"The best time to hunt in Africa is always now."

I think the hunts that are being done right now will be looked upon in as little as ten years the same way we look back at the guys hunting in Kenya before it closed. The good old days are now!

Thanks. That makes me feel good.

I hear this story about "go now...you aren't getting any younger...it isn't getting any cheaper..."

A lot of this is a bunch of bull. Not getting any younger? You better go sheep hunting - you can hunt Africa as an old man. Price going up? Well, it might be, but think about your own personal circumstances. Do you expect your income to increase faster than the cost of African hunting? If so, waiting is not a show stopper.

However, remember that the pleasure of reminiscing about those hunts, the photos, the full trophy room, etc. only comes by going out and doing it.

International hunting will continue to see opening and closings of windows. There may not be a better "window" for getting an elephant at an affordable price than right now. Those who have not already taken their lion, and don't have unlimited funds may find it difficult. Like the previous member said, if you want the mountain sheep and goats, better get them first while you still have the legs and lungs to do it.