So with 2007 in the books how many people here are booked or will be booking in Zim for 2008? Im actually set up for august myself and have every intention of hunting there until the doors slam shut.

I am going back in 2008.

This will be an interesting thread. Let's set the over/under at 10. I will take the under for when the doom and gloom group weighs in on how irrational it is for anyone to consider hunting in Zim.

I'd go in a heartbeat.

For 2008, the wild card here is what the US government does. It seems that the idea of greenbacks possibly supporting Bob & Co. does not sit well in DC. And with hunting one of the few sources of US dollars left in Zim, there apparently has been some push to get the PH's to share the wealth.

While a bar was discussed, it looks like all that is going to happen at this time is for an update to the prohibited parties list. Who they add to the list will be interesting.

I'm scheduled to go in late September of 2008.

Mind you, this is a hunt originally booked for 2006, and since then postponed due to the somewhat chaotic situation surrounding hunting areas and availability. I sure hope I get to go in 2008...

- mike

How many of us wouldn't have gone in the last ten years if we took the cautious approach. Ive made five trips since 94.

I just got back yesterday and would go again without hesitation. In fact I am planning on it.

Tenative for 2009 with a party of 9 friends. We are going unless Washington forces us to hunt elsewhere. This however will be a much different Safari if we have to change countries. I believe the folks in DC need to hunt in a campfire area and see how the resources are utilized. After taking my Cape this summer we spent the next morning delivering the meat to school children. This is their only form of protein as subsistance is Sudza. Which I suppose is a staple but tough to digest three times a day if they are lucky. There is no doubt that Bob has ruined the breadbasket of Africa but any US sanctions will only hurt the local populations and US citizens as their will still be europeans, russian and chinese citizens waiting to take those bookings. (Off the Soap Box for Now)

I've been three times since '99. I may go in '08. 'Decision is based more on what I've got going on here than anything Boob Mugabe is doing. It would be a bit of a problem though if the situation gets so freakin' disfunctional that they turn the lights off (permanently) at the Harare airport and everyone goes home (if they have a home to go to), which I don't think they're too far away from doing. Don't count this as a doom and gloom. 'Love Zim - want to go - 'just pissed at what's happening.

I'm going back to the Save.

Working on a plan to hunt there in 08. Will get the details in Dallas in Jan.

I'm making a plan to be there in '08 to visit (I'm already in Moz for work) and hunting in '09 for leopard/buff/PG.

Brian,

Who are you hunting with? I will bee in Malipati 09 for ele.

Jeff

I will be there in 08 and can't wait.
Fingers crossed that the promised elections happen and bring a change for the better in the spring, but those who know Africa wont be holding their breath.

After what I saw this year I'm even more confident in the well established safari operators ability to "Make a plan". The hunting is just too good and the pricing too right to write off Zimbabwe as a safari destination and finally it is hard to imagine there is a real safety concern for tourist hunters once you have driven all over the country and seen nothing of concern.

I'm booking clients into '09 in Zim with Mokore and Pro Safaris. Safari hunting anywhere has its risks so I'm cautiously optimistic with Zim as well as any other safari destination.

Mark

I will continue booking with CMS but I am also making a plan with Ivan Carter.

Good post Mark and I totally agree with you. If you see it in person, you feel that way and I can understand why someone who has only read about it would not understand.

I'm scheduled for Aug, 5 days Zim, 5 days RSA.

Should have taken the over.

The pro-Zim guys are just more tenacious Mike. I don't intend to give up easily and neither do you. If someone like Harland can keep his head up after everything then why shouldn't we? Besides, Zim has the best PHs in Africa.

My two boys and I will be Hunting with John Sharp in the lowveld August 7-August 17.

I have placed a deposit and booked 16 days in the Zambezi Valley for April---bull ele and buff. Plan for the worst and hope for the best.

I would love to meet Sharp. His clients are VERY loyal.

I was there in Sept for 19 days and wouldn't hesitate to go back today.

Well there you go! Those that have been there and done that are still going there and doing that.

gunny,

I could not agree more. Unfortunately the media and our government have led people to envision Zimbabwe as a mass of burning buildings and blood running in the streets with wandering gangs of hired thugs herassing tourists. Nothing could be further from the truth. Things even in the cities are quiet to the point of boredom with no obvious signs of unrest or discord of any kind.

Mark

Gotta get on the list, July 2008, Lemco, got a big group going. If you wait for everything to get perfect, you will be waiting a long time...

I will be there twelve days in September hunting buffalo and sable.

The U. S. is not going to ban you from going to Zimbabwe for Christ sake. Zimbabwe is a pimple on a gnat's ass. Too far away from our shore and no oil.

Late April through middle of May-Doma Area. I cannot imagine the US restricting travel: Zim is not in our sphere of interest

I'll definately be going back to Zim, but it won't be as soon as I would like. I'm doing a big hunt in '09 in Masailand (IF they get their pricing straight. ) so I don't have any plans to go to Africa in '08.

Lee, did your plans change since we last visited? What's the plan for Masailand?

I'm going back to Zimbabwe September 2008; was there in September 2006.

I went to Zambia in 2000 because I was concerned with the safety for my wife. Im glad I went because Zambia closed briefly the next year and when they reopened the were much more expensive than Zim. However except for plains game I prefer to hunt in Zim because of the terrain and the elephant and buffalo, I believe, are better.

I would love to go to Zambia specifically for a sable. I only want to take one sable in my life for personal reasons and would like it to be a good one. Zambia consistently is at the top of most sable lists but it is very expensive. So I continue to book in Zim for DG but not yet for sable! I'm hoping a minor miracle happens in Zambia...foolish I know.

quote:

Originally posted by yukon delta:
Lee, did your plans change since we last visited? What's the plan for Masailand?

Bryan,

I have a full bag 21 day hunt booked, but I am going to cancel if the new pricing holds and look at Zambia, Namibia, or Moz. In addition, I was going to try to go back to Zim in '08 to hunt with Alan again, but I'm still trying to sell my other house so I don't think that will happen.

Yukon Delta, Zambia does have whopper sable. I hunted Mulobezi in 2000 and saw 45 inch sable several times just standing by the road waiting to be shot. At that time I was on a ten day buff hunt and it would have cost 12,000 dollars US to extend safaris days and gma fees and trophy fees to shoot one. Check out the sable Mark Young shot in Zim this year in the hunt report section. Its as good as 95% of the sable in Zambia at 25% of the price. Matetsi is easy to get to and the sable are fantastic. Also they took a 100 pound ele up there this year.

Brian,

Buzz and I saw a 44"+ inch sable in Makuti. We stalked up to well within bow range. It was the largest sable Buzz said he had ever seen. Have some great video of it. With no quota available, all we could do was watch.

That's a nice sable for anywhere but certainly in Zim. I am NOT big on measuring trophies but I would like a sable over 40" as they just look right to me. I will probably end up with a sable at some point and it will probably be from Zim because I just can't justify spending what Zambia requires. The odds are so much higher there but that's the way it goes.

Mike, is that sable on the overall video that Buzz did for you or on your personal video camera? I would love to have a copy of your video anyway but I have probably only mentioned that 1/2 dozen times.

Brian,

It is on the DVD that Justin filmed. We have lots of footage as we stalked up on the sable. Finally Buzz whistled at it and then it moved off. It was very windy and the wind obviously aided our stalk.

I know, I know, I will try to get the DVDs copied over this long weekend . . . if I can figure out how to.

I will be in Zim July 08 to hunt tuskless with Buzz.

Brian,

A 40" sable is a nice one anywhere and I think the first time you hunt them you would be foolish to turn one down waiting for a bigger one. There are some excellent sable in the Kafue area of Zambia and Tondwa has produced some huge specimens but the Matetsi area in Zim is excellent also. Many sable in the mid 40's have come from that area and when the Duckworth's and Whittals had the 80,000 acre ranch there they shot many big sable including a 48" and 48.5" in the same year. All of these hunts are expensive.

If you could be satisfied with a mature bull of 37"-40" they could be hunted much cheaper and in some very wild country.

Mark

[QUOTE]Originally posted by sevenmagltd.:
Gotta get on the list, July 2008, Lemco, got a big group going. If you wait for everything to get perfect, you will be waiting a long time...[Wondering if you could give me some info on Lemco ,heard its great . What outfit are you booking with . Thanks ,Larry Yacubian/QUOTE]