Has anyone hunted elephant here recently?

How does it compare in scenery, games, etc to Chewore N/S or Dande? Would you hunt here or go for broke and go to Dande?

I did a search and did not find much. Most results were old references to it being a suspect area in an OaA fiasco.

Thanks

It is a very scenic area (most of the year)- actually the escarpment of the zambezi valley very like that of Chewore South. Come late september the velt fires turn the whole place into a hell of back ash, black rocks, windless valeys, and heat.

Emmanuel Fundera has the concession- he is not on any EU or US banned list. Who he has bought in to do the hunting now Garry Hopkins has moved up to Tanzania I don't know.

Thank you very much for the info!

I hunted Makuti in '03 with Russ Broom Safaris. It is very hilly with lovely scrub forest, lots of conberitum etc. Good number of springs.

Be in good shape, I run 20mi/week and I had to ask the PH to slow down a bit on the up-hills several times...

I shot a 40lb ele and a great old 43in dagga boy. (see photos in the "AR Ele and AR buff" sections of the Nickudu files)

There were lots of ele but few bulls. The PH thought the buff quota was too high so the buff hunting might be tough now. I thought it looked like a great place for leopard due to the high number of wet/green valley bottoms with mature trees. The full leopard quota (3 leapord) had been shot in the early season, May-early June. There was some plains game but not in great numbers.

The area had previously been a public hunting area and had few tracks that a hunting car could use. Broom had buldozed several tracks but the eastern half of the area was really not accessable.

Mine was close to the last safari that year and I took a pitcure of all the buff taken that year. If I have time tonight I'll post it.

Good luck;
Brett

Metalman

I believe Ian Gloss The African Safari Company is putting on the safaris in Makuti.

Mark

It is my understanding that CM Safaris (Buzz Charlton) will have an exclusive camp and at least 50% of the quota for Makuti Safari area for 07, and I think they are doing some ele hunts there end of this year too. Bill

quote:

Originally posted by Bill C:
It is my understanding that CM Safaris (Buzz Charlton) will have an exclusive camp and at least 50% of the quota for Makuti Safari area for 07, and I think they are doing some ele hunts there end of this year too. Bill

I will be hunting buffalo with Myles McCallum next May in Makuti. They (Buzz and Myles) have indicated that the area is fantastic. Leave in 9 months and 2 days!! (damn I wish time would speed up)

Bwana,

Here is a pic of some of the buff shot in 2003. That was the first year it had been hunted commertially. I hope it is as good now. BTW the big buff is mine...

Brett

Just back from a hunt with Buzz Charlton exploring Makuti Safari Area as a "guinea pig".

The area is located north of the road Kariba - Makuti (Charara safari area) and extending almost east to Mana Pools Nat. Prk.
North-west it extends to the Zambezi escarpment and hunting is almost around 1000 m over sea level.
The Chemakunguwo camp is straight 10 km north of the Makuti village.

There are mostly hilly areas with beautiful big valleys and lot of springs.
The hills are very open, so you don´t walk too much because you can spot a lot of animals.

Elephants are plenty, I shot two tuskless cows in three days.
We saw herds of buffalo feeding in the open valleys. Up to 120 animals and excellent trophy bulls.
I think, there was not too much hunting pressure in the past, because plains game was easy to approach.
Nearly every day we saw eland, sable, zebra, warthog, kudu and smaller antelopes.

The camp was fairly good standard, but Buzz has the right to manage the camp and will improve it for the next season.
He has for 2007 the total exclusivity of the camp and access to 100% of the area and 50% of the quota. Ian Gloss is managing
a second camp and market the other 50% of the quota for Makuti Safaris.

In general a fantastic area, different from Dande, much more open sight and really enjoyable.

Hills:


Camp:



Tuskless:

Thanks for the info -- two tuskless in three days is very good going.

BTT for Will.

Norbert -- I read your hunt summary at CM Safaris and quite enjoyed it.

Norbert,

How many trackers did Buzz use for your hunt? Was the old man tracking?

quote:

Originally posted by Charles_Helm:
BTT for Will.

Norbert -- I read your hunt summary at CM Safaris and quite enjoyed it.

Charles,

Thanks.

quote:

How many trackers did Buzz use for your hunt? Was the old man tracking?

500grains,
Buzz used two trackers, Dino and Criton, following one track after spotting. Not his two tracks following technique.
Old Crispen´s eyes are becoming weak, but he is a very strong gun bearer and elephant meat catcher. The other guys are from the camp staff, prepared to recover the ele.

Norbert and Brett,

Thanks for the pictures and the info on the Makuti area. I am now just a little over six months away. My only concern is if the area will be too thick in early May. I think I may be the first one (or one of the first) in fro the season.

Norbert,

Buzz told me you were returning to hunt Makuti later during our July-August hunt. So was wondering what that terrain (Makuti)would be like. Thanks for posting your opinion of the area.

Knocking down two ele in three days is quite a feat. While we got consecutive ele in two days in Chewore, there was a six day dry spell before that.

Such is hunting!

Dak

Anyone have any additional information on the Makuti area? Considering a hunt in that area in 2007 and trying to gather some additional information on the area, e.g., how the hunting went this season in the area, quality of the game in the area, poaching-related problems, etc. Thanks.

Mike

Anyone?