people ,
i am due to go to zim for a lioness and leopard hunt next week , i have seen several people arer fixing to head over there for early season hunts ..

the rains are still heavy , so expect to get wet and take some good breathable goretex raingear and lots of socks , the hunting will be great but you will be getting wet .. also take a few trashbags to put your gear in before it goes in your daypack , that will make a huge difference

its actually pouring in botswana as i type this which could mean an excellent elephant year there too ..

Thanks for the intel Ivan. Be safe, keep your powder dry, and make some memories....

Ivan,

Thanks for the tips.

We both have Goretex shells in a camo pattern. Are those legal in Zim?

Any other handy items we should bring?

Thanks, Ivan

10 families marooned

Bindura Bureau

Flash floods swept across Mbire District on Tuesday leaving about 10 families marooned.

Though details were still sketchy at the time of writing, it is understood that more families have been affected.

Mashonaland Central Civil Protection Unit chairman Mr Josphat Jaji said the provincial leadership had dispatched a team to assess the damage and mobilise assistance.

"We have had floods in Kanyemba in Mbire District near Zimbabwe’s border post with Mozambique and Zambia.

"About 10 families were affected though we believe the figure could be higher. Three of the affected families were trapped in some trees before they were rescued," he said.

Mr Jaji, who is also the provincial administrator for Mashonaland Central, said the CPU received reports of more floods that could hit areas such as Chidodo in the same district. "We have been told that water levels will continue rising prompting fears of floods in Chidodo and surrounding areas," he said.

Mr Jaji indicated floods could worsen when the floodgates at Kariba Dam are opened on March 15.

"There is a risk of throwbacks from Musengezi River that feeds into the Zambezi River and this may cause more floods," he said.

Mashonaland Central Governor and Resident Minister Advocate Martin Dinha said they had established a provincial command centre. He said the centre would receive donations from organisations and individuals willing to assist affected families. Adv Dinha said well-wishers could visit his office or call on 0271-6262/7431 or 0912 240 357.

"The affected families need food, tents, freshwater and drugs for curing or preventing waterborne diseases," he said.

He said they had identified a safe place in Mahuwe for affected families.

Zambezi Authority issues floods warning
http://www.zicora.com/

Posted By Own Staff Saturday, 06 March 2010 01:32

Areas that are downstream of Kariba Dam have been warned of possible
flooding as the Zambezi River Authority plans to open the dam's floodgates
to relieve pressure on the dam wall.

In a statement, ZRA advised the general public to take precautionary
measures, as a sudden rise in the river level downstream was expected.

The huge inflows of water into the Kariba Dam call for the opening of the
floodgates to relieve pressure on the dam wall to avoid cracking and
collapse. The collapse of the dam would compromise the region's power
supplies.The Minister of Water Resources Development and Management, Samuel
Sipepa Nkomo said the dam could collapse and flooding could take place as
there was too much water going to the Kariba Dam.

"The spillway gates have to be opened to avoid over topping of the water and
flooding along the Kariba Dam banks. Once there is too much water, the
Kariba dam wall could also be damaged and that could mean there will be an
electricity blackout in the region," he said.

Minister Nkomo said it was important for villagers living along the banks of
the Zambezi downstream of the Kariba Dam to be informed of the opening of
the gates so that they take precautionary measures.

"Once the gates are opened, there could be a sudden rise in the river
downstream of Kariba, hence villagers need to take precautionary measures,
so that they are not taken by surprise and flooded by the water," he said.

Due to heavy rains that were received in February over the Zambezi River
Basin , there has been an increase in the river flow in the Zambezi River.

There are six spillway gates, but the ZRA opens three at a time, to control
the water. After about two weeks, they then open the other three gates.

The ZRA also highlighted that it was important for precautionary measures to
be taken as forecasts by the Meteorological Department were that wet
conditions were likely to continue for sometime.

However, Minister Nkomo said the filling up of the Zambezi River did not
benefit the country in terms of the water situation.

"The filling up of the Zambezi River does not address the crisis of the
water situation in most cities in the country because by the time the water
reaches Kariba it will have gone past the pipeline area," he said.

Zimbabwe is hoping to draw water from the Zambezi River to the
Gwayi-Shangani dam to ease the water problems in the Matabeleland region.

Thank you Ivan. 'Will do.

Jack,

Based on my wet season hunt last year......Doxycycline (or another general antibiotic), Triple Strength AB cream, gun care kit, quick-dry clothing (Under Armor shirts and nylon pocketed/cargo water shorts worked great), ZipLocks of various sizes, Nuun hydration tablets (these are awesome, portable and very easy to use), nylon cartridge/culling belt, non-leather walking shoes/boots, Smartwool light hiker socks, Keens for camp and/or truck bag, waterproof pocket camera (Olympus Tough series)....

I don't think you will have a problem with the "hunting camo" shells. I took a poncho but it was too hot and just choose to get wet.

The red mud is slicker than ice, and the black cotton soil a real hoot. Your terrain may vary.

Think "Southeast Alaska August Sheep Hunt" only warmer and with less hills

http://www.rei.com/product/791943

Hi guys;
I leave to zim the 21 of april. been there a lot of times but in august,october. any good tips for april,may. thanks. anyone knows if it is raining in tsholoho/matingwe right now?thc

quote:

Originally posted by Kathi:
Zambezi Authority issues floods warning


Areas that are downstream of Kariba Dam have been warned of possible
flooding as the Zambezi River Authority plans to open the dam's floodgates
to relieve pressure on the dam wall.

In a statement, ZRA advised the general public to take precautionary
measures, as a sudden rise in the river level downstream was expected.

The huge inflows of water into the Kariba Dam call for the opening of the
floodgates to relieve pressure on the dam wall to avoid cracking and
collapse.

Minister Nkomo said it was important for villagers living along the banks of
the Zambezi downstream of the Kariba Dam to be informed of the opening of
the gates so that they take precautionary measures.

"Once the gates are opened, there could be a sudden rise in the river
downstream of Kariba, hence villagers need to take precautionary measures,
so that they are not taken by surprise and flooded by the water," he said.

Due to heavy rains that were received in February over the Zambezi River
Basin , there has been an increase in the river flow in the Zambezi River.

There are six spillway gates, but the ZRA opens three at a time, to control
the water. After about two weeks, they then open the other three gates.

T

I wonder if Billy R's lodge will stand up to this flooding??
The villagers down on the Cabora Bassa could end up with some lovely lumber..

I hunted Zimbabwe in 1997 after a summer of heavy rains. On a previous hunt I was there during a rather severe drought. What a difference.

After the rainy summer we got stuck in the mud several times a day versus maybe once the whole hunt before. The grass was tall. I once stood on the hood of a land cruiser and a herd of eland passed not 50 feet away and all I could see was the tips of their horns. I was after a steenbok among others of the smaller antelopes. Even if you saw one, picking them up in the scope was futile. The only place to consistently hunt successfully was along woods edges. All in all, still had a good hunt although animal numbers seen were way way down.

So, when is the best time to hunt Zim and hopefully avoid bad weather? I have hunted there at times May thru July and the weather was no problem, it didn't rain at all. I am trying to decide if I should book June or July in 2011. Any thoughts as to one being any better than another; June would be more convenient to my schedule, or would the weather be any different in May as compared to July? I am thinking August too late and April too early.

quote:

Originally posted by RBHunt:
So, when is the best time to hunt Zim and hopefully avoid bad weather? I have hunted there at times May thru July and the weather was no problem, it didn't rain at all. I am trying to decide if I should book June or July in 2011. Any thoughts as to one being any better than another; June would be more convenient to my schedule, or would the weather be any different in May as compared to July? I am thinking August too late and April too early.

August and September would be my preference for game such as Buffalo.
For cats, I would prefer around June.
I'm hunting non trophy Ele in Mid April and hopefully things would have dried up a tad by then..

Ivan,
I’m leaving in 15 days for Zim!
Question: I already have all my rain gear but I was wondering what to use on our rifles (metal and wood areas). Do gloves help in holding onto the rifles? What about grip tape on the barrels? I'll be shooting a 470 Heym.
PS It was nice talking to you at the SCI show.

dwarf 416


Tsholotsho on floods alert

Chronicle Reporter
March 5, 2010



VILLAGERS in Tsholotsho, a flood-prone area, are on alert for flooding following heavy rains that pounded the area recently.
In an interview on the sidelines of the commissioning of two goat dip tanks in Mkhubazi, Tsholotsho, yesterday, the district chairperson of the Civil Protection Unit, Mr Etwell Moses Mbewe said they have since embarked on a series of flood awareness campaigns in most villages.
“We have started to take measures in preparation for any eventuality that might come our way, bearing in mind that Tsholotsho is a flood prone area,” said Mr Mbewe.
He said they had since identified seven wards that were susceptible to floods and education was being provided to villagers to prepare them to react to floods.
“The aim of training the villagers on floods is to enable them to protect themselves. In past years, villagers, have failed to protect themselves and their livestock from floods and most of them lost a lot of property and livestock,” he said.
Mr Mbewe said the occurrence of floods was not going to surprise anyone as the rains have been pouring for the past two weeks.
“We want the villagers to have the full knowledge on how best to act in the event of floods. We are mostly targeting villagers in low-lying areas such as Sipepa and around Tsholotsho centre ,” he said.
He added that the awareness campaigns were implemented in conjunction with Red Cross.
Mr Mbewe revealed that in the event of floods, they had enough funding for relief services.
“If the rains persist like in the past weeks we might be talking of a different story but this is not to make people panic but to equip them with adequate information to their advantage,” he said.
He said the persisting rains brought a bit of hope to farmers whose crops were at an early stage of maturity.
“The rains will help a few farmers while others will not salvage any crops as they had already wilted,” Mr Mbewe said.

quote:

Originally posted by ozhunter:

quote:

Originally posted by RBHunt:
So, when is the best time to hunt Zim and hopefully avoid bad weather? I have hunted there at times May thru July and the weather was no problem, it didn't rain at all. I am trying to decide if I should book June or July in 2011. Any thoughts as to one being any better than another; June would be more convenient to my schedule, or would the weather be any different in May as compared to July? I am thinking August too late and April too early.

August and September would be my preference for game such as Buffalo.
For cats, I would prefer around June.
I'm hunting non trophy Ele in Mid April and hopefully things would have dried up a tad by then..

Thanks for the response Oz. I'll give a little more detail. Trophy Ele will be my one and maybe only item hunted. Hunt length - two weeks. I have a deposit down with some wiggle room as to time and area, but Sengwa is my planned destination. I had a PH tell me about a hunt last year later in the season where his client called it quits after three days and went home; that's why I am a little concerned about later in the season, August and later. All responses will be appreciated. Want to get dates firmed up soon.

quote:

leave to zim the 21 of april. been there a lot of times but in august,october. any good tips for april,may. thanks. anyone knows if it is raining in tsholoho/matingwe right now?thc

yes it is raining there -- april may will be greener but should be somehwhat dryer then than it is now , it will be a a lot wetter than late season and the waterholes in the mopane flats will be full ...

quote:

Question: I already have all my rain gear but I was wondering what to use on our rifles (metal and wood areas). Do gloves help in holding onto the rifles? What about grip tape on the barrels? I'll be shooting a 470 Heym.
PS It was nice talking to you at the SCI show.

just hunt with it - thats what you bought it for right , lots of oil and wiping in the evenings -

quote:

Thanks for the response Oz. I'll give a little more detail. Trophy Ele will be my one and maybe only item hunted. Hunt length - two weeks. I have a deposit down with some wiggle room as to time and area, but Sengwa is my planned destination. I had a PH tell me about a hunt last year later in the season where his client called it quits after three days and went home; that's why I am a little concerned about later in the season, August and later. All responses will be appreciated. Want to get dates firmed up soon.

sengwa communal land or sengwa research ? if its communal then i would want to be there early when there will be bulls in the area as the crops will be green , if its sengwa research then may onwards will be great

I've hunted Zim in March, our summer months, and all the way to December. To stay away from weather issues, I would suggest the period from July 15 through October 15. After October 15, depending on the area, you can expect to get some real storms. You might not lose actual hunting time, but you will get wet, your gear will get wet, and you will get stuck several times. Really though, I've done all of those same things in Texas, New Mexico, Montana, Idaho, etc., and I would still rather be tracking ele in Zim if I have to be wet.

Storms are not my main concern, but more so the visability and plant growth and heat. I will probably be hunting with a PH who I have hunted DG with before, and he suggested I go for a shot at about 20-30 yds. I will probably not be shooting a double, so doubt I will go for a frontal brain shot. I am kind of looking forward to the change to get in close, but not get stomped!

For visability as a priority, I would still stick with the time frame I suggested (July 15 through October 15) and the end of the Zim winter and before the green up begins in November. Also, some areas are certainly more open than others --- for sneaking into the best position for that rear brain shot. Twenty yards is a better experience than thirty; ten yards is better still. I'll second not getting stomped.

As a variation, I like the heavy leaf cover to allow you to get really close sometimes. Just a thought. It all works.

I have been within 20-30 yards of elephants before, I don't know if I can handle 10! They sure look big at 30 yards!!

Thanks kathy and Ivan. it is a luxury having such a quick response from you so fast. Ivan, do you think I should push my ele/leopard hunt with dogs further up May? I am hunting with Matupula once again (m. Butcher). Thanks once again for all the suportandn info

Ivan
are you getting web feet from all the rain yet? are you missing the warmth of south texas?Tim and the crew are pretty good host's

quote:

do you think I should push my ele/leopard hunt with dogs further up May? I am hunting with Matupula once again (m. Butcher)

being that you are hunting with hounds you really must make the dates decision based around the elephant - the only conditions that are very hard on hounds is very dry - they need the moisture so i would say you would be good right the way through july , with late april early may being optimal , cover will be thin enough for visibilty but green enough that the ele bulls will still be moving

quote:

are you getting web feet from all the rain yet? are you missing the warmth of south texas?Tim and the crew are pretty good host's

i head over on tuesday - you are right tim and dave are great hosts

Ivan
Thanks once again. Hope sometime we will meet in the bush hunting

Hundreds evacuated in Mozambican floods
March 08 2010 at 05:56PM



Maputo - Mozambique's authorities have reinforced rescue operations in the central province of Sofala, where hundreds of families have been evacuated from areas hit by seasonal floods that have killed at least two people.

Heavy rains have been battering the region for days, causing the Pungue river to burst its banks last week, flooding a stretch of road between central Mozambique and Zimbabwe to the west.

O Pais newspaper reported that although some trucks continued to ply the flooded 10km stretch of road near the port city of Beira, smaller cars were being ferried across by freight train as the river rose 2.3m above flood alert levels.


Two people have been reported killed so far after being swept away by the flood waters. One was reported to have been eaten by a crocodile.

A spokesman for Mozambique's National Disaster Management Institute said the agency had sent extra rescue workers and boats to the area to rescue people from swamped islets in the river.

At least 2 000 people living along the river bank have been moved to relocation camps on higher ground, where they are receiving food and medical assistance.

Each year, Mozambique suffers severe floods when the multiple rivers that cross the country en route to the Indian Ocean swell with rain and burst their banks.

The rains have nudged up levels in the Cahora Bassa, a major dam on the mighty Zambezi river, which is also running high. The dam authorities have increased the discharge from the dam to ease pressure on the dam walls.

The worst flooding in recent memory in the vast impoverished country of 20 million people took place in 2000 and 2001, when around 700 people were killed and half a million displaced by floods.

Since then, Mozambique has managed to minimise the loss of life by evacuating people to higher ground at the start of the rains. - Sapa-DPA

For future information: www.wunderground.com for weather world wide.