01 May 2015, 19:13
TNJohnHunt with David Langerman in Niassa L7 (pre Jim and Joyce)
L7 Leopard Sable HuntSeptember 2014
David Langerman Safaris
Last September I hunted with David Langerman in the L7 Luwire Concession along the southern portion of the Niassa Reserve. This is the same area that Jim and Joyce are now hunting. I thought it would be nice to post a few pictures while they are off in the bush.
The L7 concession is run by Derek Littleton and his companion Paula. Derek started as a PH in Zimbabwe and found a home in the Niassa Reserve. While hunting is a passion he and Paula are very dedicated to the community and anti-poaching efforts. He rarely uses the entire quota and the area is massive so the animals grow to very old ages. Jim and Joyce should be having a great time as both Derek and Paula are very outgoing.
Pemba
I arrived late as the President of Mozambique was holding a rally and they took the firetrucks from the airport to the rally, placing a hold on all aircraft coming into Pemba. When I did arrive, the relatively simple process of obtaining a Visa and checking through customs was three hours, two and a half spent on the tarmac waiting in line. Three planes landed at the same time and the SAA flight was the last to unload. Obtaining a Visa in advance would have saved an hour but on a normal day might not have saved much more.
Spent the night at the company quarters right on the beach in Pemba. It was dark when I arrived at the Rondovals so nothing much to do or see. We showered and headed to town to eat prawns and drink beer. The next morning spent some time on the beach looking for shells and ate a hearty breakfast before heading to the airport for a charter flight.
Concession
The concession stretches along the Lugenda River for 250 kms along the southern edge of the Niassa Reserve. There are four East African style canvas tent camps with en suite ablutions, and hot and cold running water camps one of which is dedicated to Photo Safaris and no hunting is conducted in this area. Electricity is supplied by a 220volt generator, with only the Photo Camp currently having internet.
Jim and Joyce spent some time in the Photo Camp that is considered a luxury Tent Camp. This is the main camp and is built to cater to tourists rather than hunters so the accommodations are very nice. The second camp they transferred to is being geared towards anti-poaching donors and while a step down from the main camp will someday be a close equal.
At this camp they had the normal comfortable tent setup found with most hunts in Tanzania or Zimbabwe of this type. Camp staff were very friendly and as few hunts go through these camps each year they are extremely happy to have a hunter in camp supplying some fresh meat. A little Portuguese to English dictionary would help with some of the staff but the tracker spoke English.
The food was at times excellent and never less than good. We had lobster one night, prawns, fish and fresh meat both from Pemba and the best cuts from the animals we shot. As they are Muslim in camp, their efforts on Pork were not stellar. Beer and wine were not in short supply.
It was hot at times and the Teste flies could be wicked. Many Kopjes and Mopane areas with roads cut throughout. Towards the end of the hunt there were fires throughout the concession. A week or two later might have been perfect as the vleis would have been full of game. Then again it might have been too easy to hunt.
The Last night we went up on a kopje overlooking a bend in the river and watched the sunset. A few miles up the river a herd of elephants moved out of the concession at dusk heading to the reserve. It was a great place to watch a sunset.
Anti-Poaching
Luwire runs the largest and possibly the only dedicated anti-poaching patrols both within their area and the surrounding areas using ground patrols and light aircraft. It does not appear that apart from hunting none of the other concessionaires in Niassa perform any dedicated anti-poaching efforts, definitely none outside their concession. The anti-poaching efforts by Luwire are one of the reasons I chose this area to hunt above the other concessions.
Much of the elephant poaching just before my hunt had been done by someone that was experienced in hunting elephant as most multiple kill sites revealed the elephants had been shot with a single shot from a .375. Several of the elephants died within feet of each other and most were small tusked animals as these are target since it is easier to carry and hide smaller tusks.
During my hunt they managed to capture a group of poachers who in turn led them to the guys with the .375’s. Unfortunately soon after they were arrested they escaped jail and are likely back in Tanzania. There are thoughts that the poachers have close ties to ISIS or Al Qaeda.
Luwire Anti Poaching
Fisherman
The river has fisherman and they are taking every fish they can. We tried for a nice crocodile and even told the fisherman where we would be, yet a couple guys couldn’t resist and the big Croc just was too spooked to come in close. They were setting fires and a couple times it altered our plans. Of course a few days after the fire there is game in the burns.
