The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting Hunting Reports - Africa Buffalo Hunting in the SelousGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Buffalo Hunting in the Selous | Login/Join |
One of Us |
Hey Guys I am looking to anyone that has hunted in the area of L1 in the Selous in the past couple years. I had a few hunters in L1 last season and hate to admit it but was not all that impressed with the quality or quanity of buffalo seen and taken. Just wonder if anyone else had the same take on the issue or if it was just my clients that were unlucky. Before the season started I was told that buffalo were as thick as Impala in the area but according to my clients, who hunted July through September, this turned out not to be the case. Does anyone have any idea on where all the buffalo were last year in that region? Seems like it was real hit and miss in L1. Looking for better area to send hunters in the future. Thanks, Don Lietzau Don Lietzau 1-907-688-6946 Don Lietzau's Outdoor Adventures 20508 Mark Circle, Chugiak, Alaska 99567 | ||
|
One of Us |
Don, is this the area hunted by Samaras? "I envy not him that eats better meat than I do; nor him that is richer, or that wears better clothes than I do; I envy him, and him only, that kills bigger deer than I do." Izaak Walton (modified) | |||
|
| One of Us |
GL, The name Samaras was never mentioned so I don't think so. Don Don Lietzau 1-907-688-6946 Don Lietzau's Outdoor Adventures 20508 Mark Circle, Chugiak, Alaska 99567 | |||
|
| One of Us |
I am pretty certain that L1 is Licky Abdullah from Malagarasi Safaris. He subs out to various PH's. I hunted in the adjacent block LU4 in October of this past year and had a good 7 day hunt. However I will warn that it was very hard work. This was no cake walk. I killed 1 bull about 38" and one that was an old broken horn bull that was smaller. My PH and his crew worked their butts off. The buffalo were scattered around in groups of dugga boys and there were one or two herds of 75 animals or so. Not overrun with buffalo by any means. It is hilly terrain with thick miombo forest. I think L1 is similar. My impression is that with hard work and a good PH you could kill an average, mature, hard boss bull in 7 days in either block. By the way, I am very curious which PH's your clients hunted with. Todd ============== Todd J. Rathner The T. Jeffrey Safari Company www.tjsafari.com 520-404-8096 Please visit our BLOG: http://www.tjsafari.com/blog.cfm | |||
|
| one of us |
Hey Don, Off topic but I can't seem to open your website... Brett | |||
|
| One of Us |
Nor can I open it. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Brett Sorry my web sight is down for now. Plan to bring it back up but not sure just when. Got any questions, just ask or call me. Don Don Lietzau 1-907-688-6946 Don Lietzau's Outdoor Adventures 20508 Mark Circle, Chugiak, Alaska 99567 | |||
|
One of Us |
I am a PH in TZ - I have not hunted the area you speak of; however speaking to other PH's who hunted there and other blocks last year, the general feeling was one of disappointment. They all seemed to struggle to find good buffalo. I think a problem is that a lot of PH's stick to the same hunting roads etc and don't get out too far and walk the more dificult areas. Understand, Selous has been hunted hard for many years, animals are pretty clued up and will find safe havens; they know what a landcruiser and a few humans mean!!!PM me for more etails if you wish, and good luck for 2007. | |||
|
| One of Us |
I hunted L1 in Aug 02. It was just as you stated. Buff were very few and very far apart. My cousin had one brief opportunity for a single shot and he blew it, came home empty handed. Including his lone miss, I saw a total of 3 buffalo. Luckily for me, the one that didn't appreciate me sharing his territory and tried to run me off was a decent bull. I actually saw more elephant than buff. There were a LOT of hartebeest, good amount of impala and zebra, some nice nyasa wildebeest (with the white stripe), occasional lion, lots of hippo and croc, occasional warthog. Saw a few eland and waterbuck. Heres a link, seems to be opening very slow on dial-up: http://sports.webshots.com/album/49477138iSsQfQ | |||
|
| One of Us |
Tundragriz Thanks for the reply. Have been getting a better feel for the area in general. Sounds like the buffalo huntin is tough and has been in that region. Wonder if it's an over hunting pressure thing? Other game seems to be adequate. Would you go back to L1 for buff or do you have any recomendations for other areas? Thanks for the time. Don Don Lietzau 1-907-688-6946 Don Lietzau's Outdoor Adventures 20508 Mark Circle, Chugiak, Alaska 99567 | |||
|
| One of Us |
Don, I haven't been there yet, but I'm booked with Luke Samaras (Samaras Safaris) for September, 2008 and have 2 buffalo on quota. All references and my booking agent confirm that the place is crawling with Buffalo that time of year. Same goes for the other species listed for a short hunt. Good luck. "I envy not him that eats better meat than I do; nor him that is richer, or that wears better clothes than I do; I envy him, and him only, that kills bigger deer than I do." Izaak Walton (modified) | |||
|
| One of Us |
Don, No I don't believe it is an over-hunted situation, but I could see lions as a contributing factor. My buff was ripped up pretty good. The L1 block is very large and my understanding is that most of the buffalo are transients, of course there are a few residents hanging around and these few are what you are hunting when it is wet. There is a lot of water throughout the whole area, we would get stuck several times every day. There are no vantage points to glass any distance and if the grass is tall, then visibility is short. You basically hope to bump into buff or get on their tracks crossing the road. With the abundance of water in this whole area including the other blocks, there isn't any draw for them to the L1. My understanding is that as the area is drying up more buff move into L1, you have the Kilombero and Lullumbero rivers intersecting in L1. I don't know this as a fact not having been there in the dry season but that is what I was told. I was also told I would see lots of buffalo and again I only saw 3. So I remain skeptical of information I receive on this block. So, No, I would not hunt L1 again for buffalo. I know there are areas much better. If for some strange compelling reason I went back, I would hold off until mid-october or later. | |||
|
one of us |
Don, I sent you an e mail but don't know if you received it? - You shouldn't really judge the area per se by the results of the last 2 seasons. 2005 saw a big drought problem and 2006 saw ultra heavy and late rains. -Neither year was 'average'. Grass was so high and bush so thick in the area I was hunting in 06 I took one Buff at 4 yards....... Two other points are that if the lease is held by Luke Samaras, you can be sure that the quota was adhered to........ come to that, whoever holds the lease would be tied to whatever the quota for the block was. Then factor in the fact that the Selous is totally unfenced and the game free to follow the rains and grazing and so overshooting to any significant degree is highly unlikely. I'm not sure that I'd choose that particular block as my first choice for a Buff hunt as I much prefer the Rs etc but nor would it be my last choice either. As a rule of thumb, you'll usually find that late season tends to be better than early season in most of the Selous. | |||
|
| new member |
Shakari, Me and my friends from Finland are going to hunt buffalo to Selous area L1 and the hunt started first of july, what can we expect there, i mean whats your opinion of that area, is the grass tall , is it dry, hot or what and one of the important things is there buffalos. The guy who orqanized that hunt here Finland, he told we see lots of buffalos and its up to us, do we shoot the buff or not. I dont remember the Ph:s name but i think it was Gary Hopkins or robinson or something like that. Thank you for your answers, i hope i wrote right because my english is some parts littlebit limited! Yatzy | |||
|
| one of us |
Steve, I know that late in the season is usually good for buff. What time of year is good for leopard? Would L1 be a good bet for spots?? Best regards; Brett | |||
|
| one of us |
July early august is good for leopard hunting. they like the additional cover around; makes them feel more secure and are generally bolder when coming to bait. Most of selous has good leopard populations. You need to spend enough time hunting them "...Them, they were Giants!" J.A. Hunter describing the early explorers and settlers of East Africa hunting is not about the killing but about the chase of the hunt.... Ortega Y Gasset | |||
|
| one of us |
Thanks Mich, very helpful. Best regards; Brett | |||
|
| one of us |
Sorry for not getting back earlier folks. - Bwanamich is (as usual) quite correct in what he says...... I'll add that there isn't really a particularly bad time in the Selous for Mr Spots - the main thing is that you have a PH who knows what he's doing. Selous Leopards are pretty dumb compared to most parts of Africa.... Yatzy, Your English is a hell of a lot better than my Finnish - so no need to apologise! As I said, I've never hunted L1 but have hunted fairly close to it. A lot will depend on the rains this year but assuming an average rainfall at the right time of the year, I'd say that you'll probably find the hunting tougher than later in the year - but if you are prepared to hunt hard, you should be OK. - Perhaps Bwanamich might also care to comment? Grass height and thickness of bush will again depend on the rains - if it is ultra thick like it was last year, then your success will depend a lot on your individual PH. Last year was the thickest I've ever seen the Selous in about 15 years and the beginning of the year was very difficult hunting. - One of my clients took his first Buff at just 4 yards!  | |||
|
| One of Us |
Sorry, hit your post by mistake.
| |||
|
| one of us |
Joe - You've confused me...... he's not MY PH and why would I want Gary Hopkins to contact me? - I think that you're comments should have been directed to someone else..... Yatzy perhaps? - No need to tell me what to expect up there, - I've spent half of every year up there for the last umpteen years! | |||
|
| One of Us |
| |||
|
| One of Us |
Don/Shakari_ I know for a fact the concessions have not been over hunted for cats or buffalo as I discussed when I hunted there last October. They are limiting the numbers harvested to well under the quotas numbers established by the Gov. Thanks,
| |||
|
| One of Us |
Don: I can only assume based on your falling out with Gary Hopkins and Dingwall that you have an axe to grind here. So I contacted Gary and want to set the record straight so everyone can make up there own mind about L1 and Dingwall as you do not seem to know what acutally happended with your clients on the buffalo so here is the truth. You sent 6 clients this year with 3 hunters getting buff. The first 2 hunters were at the start of the season, a husband and wife. The wife missed a good buff on the fist day of the safari, her husband could not hunt because he lay in his bed sick from a stomach bug that he contracted while in Dar before the hunt started for the first 4 days of his safari. Dingwall gave him 3 extra hunting days but his condition was severely weakened, and although numerous buff were tracked and stalked no shot was taken by either of these clients. The second group of your hunters were successful in bagging 2 very respectable bulls and both clients were very happy. The fifth hunter was actually a lion hunter and a very good friend of Gary's, most of his 16 day lion hunt was invested in taking a good male lion and leopard, buff was hunted for the last couple of days but he did not take a shot, however the client left extremely satisfied with his safari. The last hunter was on a 1x1 hunt for 10 days, he did take a bull on the last day however during the course of this safari he did take 2 shots at buff. This hunter indicated he was totally satisfied with the safari and is in fact looking at booking for 2008 in the same area. I hope this answers you questions Don and all those who visit this area.
| |||
|
| new member |
Thank you all your answers, i hope we have succesfull hunt there, it is our first trip to Africa. We`we been hunt Canada, Alaska, Magadan, Baffin islands, Kamchatka, Estonia and Russia bears, moose, boars and everything earlier and now it`s a first time to buffalo. I have read lots of exiting stories about it and we really look forward to . Best regards to all Yatzy from Finland | |||
|
| One of Us |
Joe, I do have a problem with Mr. Hopkins but that is not the issue here. What I did is report on how "my" hunters faired in the L1 in 2006 on cape buffalo. The first hunt did have a hick up with the guy on the husband and wife team getting sick but the fact remains that both did hunt and nether hooked a buffalo. The second group did get 2 buffalo for 2 guys. The thrid hunter was on a lion hunt and he is also a good friend of mine. What the hunter told me was that he wanted 2 buffalo, in fact had paid me trophy fees for 2 buffalo before leaving on the hunt and came back reporting that he felt there were 2 buffalo in the L1 when he was there and he never saw a buffalo. Yes, he was happy with the hunt over all, as he did get his cats, a hippo and a croc but told me he would not likley go back there for buffalo. Last but not least was the client on the 10 day 1x1, 2 buffalo safari, looking for 40" and better. Reports were he hunted hard and did miss one dugga boy. Finley did take one rather modest young bull in the end. Joe, I have no grip with you and if the buffalo hunting turns out better next season, so be it, but my reports from clients in the field was that the buffalo hunting was hard in L1 in 2006 and that is just the way it went. Enough said on my end. Don Lietzau 1-907-688-6946 Don Lietzau's Outdoor Adventures 20508 Mark Circle, Chugiak, Alaska 99567 | |||
|
| One of Us |
My hunting partner and I hunted L1 in early Sept. 05 and both took good Buff as did the other two hunters in camp. We saw lotsss of Buff and other animals several lion but no mature males ele. but no great bulls. Eland weren't everywhere but two big blue bulls were also seen. I'd love to go back and will if I can. Adrian | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting Hunting Reports - Africa Buffalo Hunting in the Selous
Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia