I am in the beginning stages of planning my next safari. I went to RSA this past year, it was fabulous and can't wait to get back to AFrica.

This next trip, I will be accompanied by 2 first time to africa hunters. Since I have already been before I would like to harvest either Leopard or Buff on this upcoming hunt. Since Zimbabwe has available many of the Plains Game that first time hunters like to harvest we are considering Zimababwe, mostly becuase Buff and Leopard are quite affordable. If it was just me going I would probably do a seven day hunt for Buff and Gazelles to Tanzania but since my 2 first time buddies are going I think Zimbabwe is the best bet. The only thing that concerns me is the situation in Zimnbabwe right now and it looks like, "From what I read here" that it is getting worse rather than better. Should we continue to plan for Zimbabwe in 2005 or should I just drop the idea of hunting the dangerous game and we all just go to RSA?

Baylor,

Who knows where ZIM will be in 2005.

Personally, if things get back to normal in ZIM, I think ZIM offers a better safari experience.

I think it has a much more honest feel of Africa than the ranch hunting in RSA. However, some of the dangerous game concessions in ZIM don't have a lot of plains game. You will have to plan well and book on a concession that offers your hunting buddies plenty of opportunity at plains game while you go after your buffalo. If I were you, I would leave leopard for later or try to take one in addition to buffalo. For your first dangerous game safari, buffalo is the ticket, in my opinion.

I hunted RSA on my first two safaris. Knowing what I know now, I wish I had spent my second safari in another country.

Regards,

Terry

[ 11-02-2003, 09:24: Message edited by: T.Carr ]

If I were you I wouldn't hesitate to book a hunt in Zim for 2005. As a hunter you will be completely safe. I hunted there in July and had a great time. As desparate as Zimbabwe is for foreign currency,they cannot afford to scare off hunters. I'm planning on returning in 2004 if possible, if not 2005 for sure to hunt buffalo in the Zambesi valley. As a foreign hunter you will have nothing to worry about.

I would book but only through reputable outfitters.

I would make an express condition of the booking agreement that the deposit stays in the USA (or in a first world country) until no sooner than seven days before the safari. If you are using an agent, in their trust account. I would only pay the balance at the END of the safari along with any other agreed fees.

2005 is a long way away for that country, but it is great to hunt there.

I'd say that Nitro X has given you some very good advice. If you want to book for 05 there's no reason to book now, give it at least 12 months before committing yourself to Zim..... I like Zim, it's a great country and many of the hunting area's are still fantastic but sadly the political situation is so changeable you don't know what will happen from one month to the next, let alone 18 months in advance.

If you consider Tanzania for a Buff hunt it's a better idea to forget the gazelles as that would mean you need to hunt the northern areas such as Masailand...... which is a lot more expensive than Selous or Burigi etc. If you hunt Selous or Burigi etc you would still be able to hunt 2 Buff, 2 Wilderbeest, 1 zebra, 1 L. Hartebeest, 1 Warthog and an impala on each 7 day licence.

Other options would be to go to Botswana, Namibia or Zambia. All of which will be offering some great deals (compared to RSA) in 2004 & 2005.

I can book you in Zimbabwe with Ndulamathi Safaris with P.H. Paul Zorn...He can comply with your request and you won't have any problems in Zim with him...He is 8 years straight on big Tom Leopards for me, thats a hard record to beat...His Buffalo are extremely good...Sable and Kudu are excellent, his best to date is 67.5" at Chinhoyi...Every year he gets a few over 60, more at 58 and most are at least 56...

contact me at the below address and lets talk Africa...

I also agree with nitrox. You dont need to book two years in advance for buffalo. Wait until the year you go and book at the convention with a reputable outfitter like ray or atchesons. You can talk with your safari company and your outfitter at the same time.

Mamba,
The problem there, although its a good idea sometimes, is that we are mostly booked up by SCI, and with some Safari Companies all the prime dates are gone, if there is such a thing as a prime date?? according to some on this board there is..but on a good concession they have 100% success on every hunt with cats being the exception on some..

We have about a 40% return rate and then we are booking from Oct to Jan. and in many cases we are filled, and booking for the 2005 year at SCI...

I would suggest booking now and visting with your PH at SCI whatever and enjoy the trip....

I could highly recommend HHK Safaris. They are the biggest outfitter in Zimbabwe, and they have some great areas and facilities. I have hunted with them and sent many clients there and never had anything but praise from everyone who has hunted with them. I am going back again in May for Buffalo & Plains Game with 10 doctors from San Antonio. I would be happy to send you some information on them if you drop me a line.

Baylor,

I'd pay close attention to what Ray and Greg told you. Another thing to consider is if you use a good agent he will be holding your money until just before you actually go on safari.
Consequently if the whole country blows up just before your safari your investment will be safe. If your booking out to 2005 you probably will not need a full 50% down to hold your dates so I would book ASAP just to get the best dates or the ones that are most convenient for you.

Send me and e-mail if I can help.

now, I've never been to africa, but you'd have to pay ME to even contemplate flying over zimbabwe, much less landing there... sorry guys, but as long as Mr. Mugabe is still in control, I don't want to be the odd-man-out on that block.

as much as the RSA "fenced" hunts seem demeaning, I'd rather go there than Zim based on the current political conditions.

maybe there are no other better alternatives, but if that truly is the case, I'd rather spend a few weeks bird-hunting in South America or holed up in the middle of no where hunting North American Bison or a 400+ Elk...

dasMafia,

You are welcome to your opinion, but you're going to miss some damn good hunting.

Regards,

Terry

dasMafia,

Terry is right. You are missing out.

Also, it is probably much more dangerous to go to Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and a few other cities here in the good old USA. That is if you don't watch what you are doing or in what areas you go. That is the same in Africa (Zim and RSA included). Book with a reputable outfitter, follow their program, and have the hunting trip of a lifetime.

Now, you could fly to Los Angeles, blindly try to find your way around, and there would be a decent chance that you could be shot, robbed, beaten, carjacked, mugged, raped, etc. if you wandered into the wrong areas. Or, I could meet you at the airport, pick you up and take you to the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel, golf at Pelican Hill, shop and dine in Newport Center and the worst thing that might happen to you would be to get hit by a kid riding his skate board. Maybe not a great analogy, but not far off in my opinion.

Tim

[ 11-11-2003, 08:47: Message edited by: Shumba ]

never been to LA... don't ever plan on it either!

my opinion is obviously as the interested observer. knowing what I do about geopolitics (mostly with regard to economics), I am too convinced of the current governments ability to do bad to risk myself or my family's well being with a trip to such a place. now, I have no doubt that the hunting is out of this world, but for my money, I'll wait a few years for things to settle down... who knows, the hunting may well get better!

I just returned from Africa in July. I killed a leopard on the fourth day of the hunt and took several plains game. My pH was Wayne Bartlett and he has 98% leopard kills off of bait and is one hundred percent with dogs. His brother runs Sable Ridge Safaris. They could hunt several plains game. If interested email me and I will give you their names and numbers. They hunt east of Bulawayo. If you are going to hunt buffalo I would go up to the Dandy areas.

DasMafia,

I completely agree with T.Carr, you will be missing out on some damn good hunting.

I also wholeheartedly agree with Shumba who so very appropriately points out the various unknowns and perils of life in general.

Meaning no disrespect to you, or your opinion, there are risks involved in traveling anywhere to hunt. There are also various risks involved during the course of any hunt, anywhere.

In general, Zimbabwe's political situation has not targeted or been a threat to the foreign hunting community.

Baylor, Zimbabwe made it through the war it will probably make it through this trying time. Check out Tony da Costa's web site for Zim hunts. He has some great leopard hunts.

Zim is not a safety issue it is an ethical one. You better be sure where you are hunting and who gets the end rewards. I wouldnt hesitate to go to Zim in a minute. That said I will not hunt on confiscated land or with Ph's of ethical question. It would save me a whole lot of money if I did. Each of us must make our own decision as to what is ethical and right and wrong. All I ask of anyone is that you do your research and know what you are getting into. Zim is a fabuolous place even in this troubled time. I believe that you and I should not hunt on areas or with people who hunt on areas that are under dispute.

No place in Africa is suitable for those that are light in the shorts, any of those countries can turn around in a heartbeat and you might consider the simple, but well hidden, fact that Zimbabwe is much safer than RSA and always has been...Check it out!!

As we speak, Zimbabwe is quiter than its been in several years, not much is happening, but rumors and inuendo from the sky is falling crowd is still active!!

I have a question from the less educated bunch that seem to think Zim is a war zone, who was the last American hunter to be bothered in Zimbabwe much less injured, and how many hunters have suffered injury or even been bothered by the Zim Govt...Lets be specific, and cut the BS........

Ray,

I got a thorn in my shoe last I was in Zim.

In my personal opinion. Zim is a time bomb waiting to explode. The newest development causing Zim to be removed from the common wealth is a clear indication on what is going on there. A friend of mine cannot get any of his trophies out, because Zim has declared a state of extreme anthrax danger, so nothing in and nothing out. I agree that the hunting is phenominal, but the risks are to high.



So that been said, there are a few con artists now claiming to get the trophies out at a small fee. This ends up to be a huge cost, if you can locate the "shipper" again once he has been paid.

I must say that I live pretty close to the Zim border, but have not heard anything about anthrax.



Some parts of Zim still have great hunting, but one needs to be careful about who you do business with there, and if something sounds too good to be true then it probably is...but that applies to anything, anywhere in the world, but perhaps especially in Africa.

Even during the Rhodesian war I only heard of one hunter being harmed and it was a real war zone then.



Now for the Aussie, if it is a true story, Mugabe has a boner on for them. The gay Aussie, a political figure if I remember right, was trying very hard to get Mugabe to Australia to bring charges against him for human rights violations. Unforetunetly he failed.



I would go tomorrow if I could.

kudu56

I don't think the person is the same as you are talking about ???

The fellow that was murdered was an accountant working for a British tea company which had farms in Zim. The murder was during a farm invasion and also may have been tied in with claims on the farm. Officially it was a bunch of robbers, but what is the difference there.


Was there much safari hunting going on during the bush war? A Australian friend of mine built and ran a winery in the East (Marondera) there during the war and has many tales to tell of that time.

No not the same! I was just saying Mugabe has it in for the Aussies after the attempt to get him in Australia and tried.

WOW Jason... Some harsh words there, and I apologies if I have offended anyone with my only 2 posts. And never mind my character been attacked, but that is fine, all I am doing is sharing my feeling, opinions and what I have heard from friends and family in South Africa. I started my post by sating, �In my personal Opinion�



Here are only to mention 2 listings I have found on the Internet, this took 2 minutes to find.



With regards to the anthrax situation, here are some web sites that you can visit to confirm the anthrax situation and I state.

�A senior veterinary officer however said his department, which had run out of vaccines owing to foreign currency shortages and the strained relations with donors, was on high alert after reports that three people from Gutu, four people in Bikita and one in Masvingo district had died of anthrax.

We are in a serious crisis, my brother. Anthrax, rabies and foot and mouth disease have become major problems threatening both human beings and livestock in Masvingo province. And we don't any have any vaccines for that," said the official.



http://allafrica.com/stories/200312150327.html



http://allafrica.com/stories/200312240374.html



http://www.zwnews.com/issuefull.cfm?ArticleID=8169



Masvingo provincial medical director Dr Tapiwa Magure said the outbreak of anthrax and rabies was a cause for concern. He said the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare was now working flat out to contain the disease.

"Two people and about 50 cattle have died of anthrax in Gutu district while one person and 10 cattle also died of anthrax in Chivi district since the end of November this year.



With regards to the trophies not been let out of the country and stopped at the boarder, this happened to a friend of myne last week. Jason, If you wish I could forward his details to you and you can confirm with him direct if you wish.



I feel that any potential client with book and go with who ever he wants, no matter what information is given him.It is just of vital importance to get all the facts before going on the trip.



I am not even going to get into any sort of contest regarding your other comments.