New prices, see Bottom.

I have a 14 day hunt for Elephant, Red Lechwe, Hippo and Croc in the Caprivi Strip. The Elephant will be hunted on Impalila Island. This is the first time Elephant have ever been hunted in the area.

Best dates for Elephant are July-September. The operator (Vaughan Fulton) has been there very recently and says there are big Bulls on the island now.

Red Lechwe, Waterbuck, Hippo and Crocodile are available on this hunt as well. This is the first time Lechwe and Waterbuck have been allowed. (they will be hunted in Kasika concession just next to Impalila Island.)

Lechwe should not be a problem, Hippo and Croc can take some time, but are definitely possible.

Impalila Island is at the confluence of the Chobe and the Zambezi, just across the river from the Chobe park, and not too far from The Falls (Victoria Falls).

Vaughan holds three concessions in a line in the Eastern Caprivi, so there is the possibility to hunt all three concessions if the need arises.

The hunt will probably be out of a fly camp on Impalila island. It will be a primitive camp.

This is a very good hunt for good Elephant and Lechwe. Since the Lechwe and the Elephant were added to the quota today, he will consider a discounted cost for the hunt to sell it this year.

$25,000 (see new price below)includes Elephant trophy fee, day rate and VAT. The normal cost for this hunt is $39,800.

You can get to camp via a commercial flight from Windhoek to the Caprivi which is currently about $550 round trip. Observer are welcome at $150/day.

Some of the plainsgame is scarce, like Kudu, it is not a great PG area, but the Lechwe will not a problem.

There has been a price reduction and some more options and dates for this hunt.

10-Day Hunts $21,900

10-day hunt Dates
21-30 August
11-20 September
25 Sept - 4 Oct
Maybe 22-30 Sept (9 days only)

13-day Hunts $23,900

13-day Hunt Datess
18-30 August
11-23 September
22 September-4 October

These prices Include
Elephant Trophy Fee
Day Rate
VAT

These prices do not include
Flight to Caprivi from Windhoek $500 round trip
Dipping and transfer trophies to Windhoek $300
Crating
Shipping fees
Gratuities

Other trophy fees
Lechwe $4000
Waterbuck $2250
Hippo $2800
Crocodile $2200
Burchell Zebra $675
Baboon $50
Striped Jackal $100
Hyena $450
Impala $375
Duiker $325
Kudu $900
Warthog $350

Please call or email for more details.

When I hunted there last year (Kasika) we saw red lechwe in large herds on the island and several jaw dropping elephants as well.Very large bodied with exceptional ivory.If I understand this area has been off limits to hunting in the past and as such the game is quite calm. Should be a great opportunity for someone to get a couple great trophies.

Is that $ 4000 trophy for a Lechwe correct?

BigBoreCore,

Yes it is correct. I see it increasing in the next few years.

The problem is, after this year, where do you find a free ranging Red Lechwe? The hunting opportunities for Lechwe will dwindle to next to nothing once the Okavango closes (this is the last year).

Where else can you hunt them? (honest question) are there fringe areas on the Okavango that get any quota? What about Western Zambia, close to Caprivi?

I do not know of any area other than Okavango and two areas of Caprivi, but Maybe there are some elsewhere. Any one who has any info, please share it.

I did a quick search of the SCI record book and there were some taken in the 90's in Western Zambia but I do not see any within the last 12 years.

SDHall hunted here in 2008

Here is his report.

He took this photo of a Red Lechwe.



And a Waterbuck in front of camp

I didn't realize the Red Lechwe's hunting was becoming so restricted. I have been to the Okavango and frankly they were as common as Impala in the RSA!

Kasanso Busanga (Hunters and Guides) and I believe the nieghboring concession Kasanso Luwishi? (Zambezi Wildlife Safaris) have them in Zambia in the Kafue region. To my knowledge that's it aside from the Caprivi.

Brett

Brett, I believe those would be Kafue Lechwe. I think it is too far from Caprivi area and the native range of the Red Lechwe.

Red Lechwe range from Caprivi, down into Botswana and the Okavango.

The Lower West Zambezi block in Zambia mighthave some. They are close enough. But I do not know. There is a park there that may be around the wet areas. that may block any Lechwe hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by Wendell Reich:
Brett, I believe those would be Kafue Lechwe. I think it is too far from Caprivi area and the native range of the Red Lechwe.

Red Lechwe range from Caprivi, down into Botswana and the Okavango.

The Lower West Zambezi block in Zambia mighthave some. They are close enough. But I do not know. There is a park there that may be around the wet areas. that may block any Lechwe hunting.

If you look at Hunters and Guides page http://www.huntersandguides.co...tinations/zambia.htm and look under Kasonso Brochure and Hunting Area: Kasonso they are advertising red lechwe. In the brochure they also differentiate for prices of red, Kafue, and black lechwe. I also saw a per concession quota list from the ZAWA that had I believe just these two concessions with red lechwe on quota. Perhaps they are calling the Kafue lechwe a red lechwe, but they seem to be saying there are red lechwe.

Also Royal Zambezi Wildlife Safaris http://www.royalzambeziwildlife.com/hunts.html with the Lunga Busanga (apparently I made up Kasonso Luwishi last night ) concession report having red lechwe. Look at there game list it has all three lechwe listed. There is one picture of a lechwe in their gallery, but I'm not sure what kind.

Sorry to go so far off topic. It looks like a great hunt.

Brett

Wendell - Brett's right, a couple of the GMA's at the north of the Kafue have Red Lechwe. Lunga Busanga has a few too!

Well, that is pretty interesting. I was going off the a map that showed the ranges for each and now I do see that there is a couple small dots of Red Lechwe North of Kafue. I thought those would be Kafue Lechwe.

Thanks Brett.

Wendell,

I don't think there are many and they may get hit hard by poachers or at least that was the impression I had listening to some PH's when I was there in '98. Zambia still is the only place that you can take all 3 lechwe species on the same safari.

Mark

Mark,

Thanks. I know few people enter their trophies in the SCI Book, but it is a good representative sample of locations. Looks like there are maybe a dozen Red Lechwe entries from Zambia and none in teh last 12 years.

95% of the entries come from the Okavango.

Wendell is this one of those last min. too good to
be true hunts with sub-par a company you are always selling me??

I have been on this island. Would be the easiest ele. hunt a guy could take. Damn wish I had not just bought one of those last min. hunts.
Heading to Zambia for another Leopard in 3 weeks.

quote:

Wendell is this one of those last min. too good to be true hunts with sub-par a company you are always selling me??

Yep!

quote:

Originally posted by Wendell Reich:
Well, that is pretty interesting. I was going off the a map that showed the ranges for each and now I do see that there is a couple small dots of Red Lechwe North of Kafue. I thought those would be Kafue Lechwe.

Thanks Brett.

Not a problem! Does this mean I'm an honorary booking agent since I know sooo much? Do I get a badge?

Brett

quote:

Does this mean I'm an honorary booking agent since I know sooo much? Do I get a badge?

Be careful what you wish for!

I'll second the above.

Wendell Reich, what size ivory should one expect to harvest here.

As an average, I would say 40-45 to be comfortable. I do know that the Island has some very good Elephant on it, so if someone shot a 55+, it would not surprise me one bit.

But, to be sure, hunters should go with 40-45 in mind and they should not be disappointed.

Great.

I can just hear yours and Vaughans phone conversations.

"Isn't Mark out of vacation for the year?"

"I believe so."

"Great, offer up the most fantastic hunt you can think of......and INCLUDE THE TROPHY FEE!"

It's you two that keep my blood pressure in a race with my hairline.