I know this topic has been hashed over before but a few more questions. I am close to booking a buffalo hunt with luxury hunts. Jeff Martinelli stated that the concession hunted would likely be Good Luck, Melinda or 35 and the PH would probably be Tim Lamprecht. Any input on these areas or this PH? Thanks!

Is this in Zimbabwe? Are Good Luck, Melinda and 35 the name of the concessions? Where are they located? I'm guessing near Hwange Park in the Gwayi Valley. Almost all the game ranches in that area have been taken over. Very few legitimate operators are working in that area.

Have you read all the previous posts regarding Luxury Hunts and Jeff Martinell? Personally, I would be very cautious before booking a hunt with him.

Regards,

Terry

Read this Article on Siezed Farms

It mentions Good Luck and Farm 35.

Reards,

Terry

Did Martinell actually say:

"the concession hunted would likely be Good Luck, Melinda or 35"

"the PH would probably be Tim Lamprecht"

He can't assure you where you will be hunting or with whom you will hunt?

What's the price for this hunt? Is it substantially cheaper than any other hunt you have priced in Zimbabwe? Are you planning on going this year?

Regards,

Terry

They were booking for 2007. The concessions are in Zimbabwe. From e-mail to me "7 full days of hunting buffalo special $8,495.00

Add a Sable $3,000.00

Total $11,495.00

Deposit $2,500.00

If sable is not taken there is a $3,000 refund and if buffalo is not taken refund of $2,500 subject to the refund policy." They are the booking agents for Tuli hunters.
It sounds cheap but before Tony Dacosta retired they were offering a cape buffalo hunt pak for $8000 with Nengasha safaris and I had had a previous good plains game hunt booked through DaCosta so thought some of the more inexpensive hunts may be legit as I believe Nengasha has a good reputation. Also from E-mail "The concession would be Good Luck, Melinda, or 35 Most likely your PH would be Tim Lamprecht.

Regards,"

Terry I read the article you linked mentioning the two farms I asked about. Doesn't sound too promising. Thanks for the info.

I thought Tony da Costa sold his outfit to some guy who was continuing the business? Tony did have good prices and good outfitters.

Regards,

Terry

I guess Tony did not sell his business, see this

daCosta website

Regards,

Terry

$8,495 is about the going rate, so it is not that much of a special.

Average Daily Rate on buffalo hunt in Zim is about $850 and the average Trophy Fee is about $2,500.

7 days X $850 = $5,950
Trophy Fee $2,500

$5,950 + $2,500 = $8,450

This doesn't look like much of a deal. Most outfitters require a minimum of 12 days for sable, so that is a good deal. Allowing sable on a 7 day hunt.

Regards,

Terry

Did anyone else notice this connection between Cabelas and the illegal Zim operations in the Seized Farm article;

American agent:Cabelas Zimbabwean operator: Inyati Safaris
Enio di Palma - owner
Jacob Mudenda – consultant/associate
This company has been seen hunting on Woodlands Estate ‘B’

» They are also logging teak in the Fuller Forest.
» They sub-let hunts to De Marillac Safaris.
» They are based out of Jafuta Camp owned by Forestry Commission.
» The animals are skinned at Mubiya Camp (Forestry) so that National Parks will not know where they are being killed.
» Inyati Safaris have been caught poaching a kudu and a buffalo in Guzu Safaris area which is a photographic area. The kudu was shot at a waterhole from a vehicle.
» (There is also a dispute ongoing about an elephant bull.)
Quota irregularities
France Hobart was reported as hunting, again, on Masuma Ranch early in August.

He shot one of the young giraffe that was bought from Clem Coetsee four years ago. There are no wild giraffe in eastern Matetsi. 6 giraffe were purchased for photographic purposes only. This same Professional Hunter has shot the tame buffalo that were hand reared.
Animals shot in this area since the evictions

On Woodlands Estate ‘B’:
2 Lion (one of which was wounded and only shot three days later and National Parks were not advised.) 6 Buffalo, 2 Sable, 2 Giraffe, 2 Kudu, 2 Impala and various other species whose details have not been received to date.
Other activities in this area

A South African vehicle has been seen on Woodlands Estate. Vehicle registration number:- FBT052N.

A fair number of South African Hunting vehicles have been seen in Victoria Falls and the areas they are hunting in are not known at this stage.

I thought the name Andre De Jaager sounded familiar, but I can't place it.

I would stay well clear of the mentioned areas, especially at that prices. The areas he mentioned are next to Hwange, also known as railway farms. These areas are totally overshot, very small, (2500ha blocks, with a new "owner" every few steps taken in the bush. rather book with a more reputable outfitter with a better area. (BTW I do not know the outfitter, but know that hunts on these "properties" has been offred at around US$ 5000 for a 7 day buff hunt. For what you are getting, trust me, even this is too expensive.

Looks like the government has shut down hunting in that area. [Note: You will see Gwayi spelt multiple ways - Gwayi, Gwaii, Gwaai].

Parks authority suspends hunting in conservancies

From Bulawayo Bureau

THE Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has suspended hunting in conservancies to allow for the improvement of the quality of trophy.

In an interview, parks public relations manager Retired Major Edward Mbewe said the authority stopped hunting in conservancies such as Gwayi and Matetsi about three weeks ago to allow hunting trophy to improve. "We cannot allow people to continue hunting because we want the animals to be more mature before hunting can resume," he said. "We want to improve the quality of the trophies." Rtd Maj Mbewe urged rural communities to avoid killing lions whenever the animals strayed into the communal areas. "Villagers should report any stray lions instead of killing the animals. Lions are favoured by hunters and, thus, generate a lot of foreign currency during hunting seasons," he said. On lions which killed cattle in Hwange District, Rtd Maj Mbewe said officers from his department have since captured the animals and relocated them to Hwange National Park. Rtd Maj Mbewe said there have been complaints from tourists that there were few species in the Hwange National Park because of drought. He said such reports were not true because the animals have moved into thick forests due to heavy rains, which have resulted in the improvement of water supplies. Scores of animals died last year as a result of drought. Meanwhile, Rtd Maj Mbewe said the authority was rehabilitating boreholes and pumps in all national parks. "There has been drought in recent years and the pumps overworked and that is why they wore out quickly. We are trying to boost the equipment, especially water engines before the onset of the next rainy season," he said.

Also see this Related Post

Regards,

Terry

Tony's business did not sell. Tony was a different sort, but he did not sugar coat anything. He told it like it was I enjoyed meeting he and his wife.