Area: unit 5 Matetsi
Dates: September through to November
PH: Lance Nesbitt/ Dean Kendall
Price:US$10300 daily fees
Trophy fee:$5700
7 days package. Hunt one mal buffalo and limited plains game.
Arrive Victoria Falls, easy drive to camp, great for families, see the Wonder of the World. Normal T&C apply.
Email: neshuntbyo@yahoo.com.
Cellular:+263-772168188

Very well priced hunt in a good area with 2 excellent PH's

I hate to say it but $16K for a buffalo hunt, even in an excellent area, is not a "special". The going rate in RSA for a fenced buff hunt is now about half that price. Yes, I know this is an "unfenced concession" but that cuts both ways ... in SA you can do your buff and come away with a couple nice PG trophies in 7 days and have enough left over to pay your airline ticket and tip everyone generously. I don't have a dog in this fight, I am just observing the current reality.

quote:

Originally posted by Russ Gould:
I hate to say it but $16K for a buffalo hunt, even in an excellent area, is not a "special". The going rate in RSA for a fenced buff hunt is now about half that price. Yes, I know this is an "unfenced concession" but that cuts both ways ... in SA you can do your buff and come away with a couple nice PG trophies in 7 days and have enough left over to pay your airline ticket and tip everyone generously. I don't have a dog in this fight, I am just observing the current reality.

I am not sur4e many people like to hunt buffalo as much as I do.

But, I would not even consider hunting buffalo on a fenced farm.

I have hunted plains game in South Africa, and enjoyed it thoroughly , and will gladly do it again.

But, not for buffalo or lion.

Very interesting times and also very worrying for long term on hunting.I fully agree with Saeed on what he saying on buffalo hunting in some areas in Sa.There has been a massive Sable and Buffalo breeding in pens in Sa over the last ten years and now we seeing prices tumble on these two key species.Sable are performing at over 100 % calving in intensive systems compared to natural areas of 30%.It is impossible to achieve every male to be 45 plus inches as desired for breeding.So what we now seeing is all the 38 to 42 " sable Bulls (same scenario to Buffalo)being sold at very competitive prices on auctions and one can now just buy excess Bulls to run on there properties with very minimal costs in all year round maintenance and offer them to clients at reduced prices.What is the difference in this to doing the same with lions or any other species.So my question to all the viewers out there is.Are the days of running huge concessions with natural populations a thing of the past and is it all now down to less days hunting guaranteed trophy and size,as is often the case advertised on the shows.Do we now capture your 300to 400 natural sable population on big concession pen them buy in high genetics on bulls and release them back into big area and then sell them at reduced prices and obviously do a lot more hunts as you are tripling your male numbers in intensive breeding.Makes for interesting thinking.

To hunt with lance for that cost is value.

The buffalo would be just a bonus.

Wish I had the funds.

Lance is a fine PH, and the hunt would be fabulous no doubt! I've enjoyed my time in the bush with Mr. Nesbitt - and I look forward to hunting with him more in July 2017 / Tanzania.

He is however very scared of leopards, just FYI!

quote:

Originally posted by Russ Gould:
I hate to say it but $16K for a buffalo hunt, even in an excellent area, is not a "special". The going rate in RSA for a fenced buff hunt is now about half that price. Yes, I know this is an "unfenced concession" but that cuts both ways ... in SA you can do your buff and come away with a couple nice PG trophies in 7 days and have enough left over to pay your airline ticket and tip everyone generously. I don't have a dog in this fight, I am just observing the current reality.

One is hunting, the other is shooting...

Use Enough Gun and I hunted buffalo, sable and PG with Lance and Dean in the Valley back in 2011 - it was epic! These guys are a blast to hunt with. I can't recommend them highly enough.

As for this price, it's just the reality of buffalo in Zim these days. The daily rates in Matetsi are high, they always have been. I've not hunted there, but I would guess you could bank on better than average trophies there.

The buffalo in my thumbnail to the left is one of two I shot with Dean that year. It was a classic hunt, an 18 yard shot with the double and a crazy follow up. My best of 4 buffalo I've shot. York Mare, who is now a fully licensed PH was on that hunt as an appy.

Bwanna's correct. On that hunt I took a 44" Sable bull with Lance. I've never had so much fun with two PH's! Epic hunt it was!

I know both Lance and Dean, and have shared camps with them.

Fantastic PHs, and I can guarantee you won't go wrong with either of them.

Two great PHs indeed. In my eyes you simply cannot compare a canned buff with a free range buff and while you may conn a few first timers once you have hunted open areas there are not many that would then go back to a fenced/ canned set up ( not talking about the massive million acer conservancies where animals are still wild) regardless of the "deal" . Sorry Russ the two hunts should not even be in the same conversation .
Mazvita some interesting thoughts there for sure.

Thanks Buzz the bubble in Sa has finally burst and canned Sable Buffand lion far to common got to try get everyone back to promoting fair ethical chase.Lance and Deano both renowned and highly respected PHs in the industry and great company in camp.

Thanks guys for all the great comments and support. I look forward to the day we share a hunting camp again if the future of hunting permits it. Some interesting points raised and some not so interesting, one thing is for sure, the " breeding to shoot" program in SA is huge and definitely will have a place, but like all markets it will get to a breaking point, as it has done recently with the drought, and some game prices will drop to ridiculous low levels. No doubt some hunters will feel this is the moment to capitalize on and buy a " deal".i don't believe that true wildlife areas should be prostituted to compete with " intensive breeding programs, please do not compare this to hunting in a wildlife open area. It's just not in the same arena. I have always maintained that if you pay peanuts you will most likely get monkeys.
Secondly, the wildlife areas need to pay their way, they are not some personal " farm" that can be used alternately for some other programs should breeding fail, and we as hunters should be doing our utmost to support these areas. To maintain them as true wildlife reserves with as little as possible human influence, so I disagree that the animals should be captured bred and released again,

We all fully agree on maintaining areas wild and natural and with the recent great rains we should see some stability back in the market next year,so have a good year stay downwind and shoot straight

quote:

Originally posted by cameronaussie:
To hunt with lance for that cost is value.

The buffalo would be just a bonus.

Wish I had the funds.

Poor lance, and Dean for that matter.

They both had to hunt with Walter

Lance and Dean , welcome to AR.

I think your offer is spot on in the price range and good value for money.

I hunt both Free range areas and ranches ( albeit not put and take ). There is definitely a difference , and hence a difference in price. To each his own.

This debate however is not for this thread and anyone feeling strong about it should start ( another ) new thread on this subject.

Good luck selling your Buff hunts .

Saeed: Did Lance and Dean receive additional hazard pay for hunting with Walter?

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Saeed: Did Lance and Dean receive additional hazard pay for hunting with Walter?

Are you kidding!

We should have asked them for a substantial discount, for all the additional comedy they enjoyed!

As I understand it, the biggest difference between a buff hunt on a private game reserve and free range hunting, is that if the buff spook on open range, they might travel for miles.

On a fenced area, they can't travel as far if they spook.

Other than that, I would imagine the hunting to be just as dangerous, if not more so, since the buff know they can't just run away from the hunter.

On a really large tract, I doubt there would be much difference at all, other than there might be more buffalo and perhaps larger buffalo, due to less poaching.

For the record, I have hunted buff both ways, and although I prefer open range, I have no problem with buff hunting on a really large, private tract, especially if my chances of scoring a really big buff are much greater.

BH63

Obviously free range would be better but that is if you are actually free to hunt the whole wild area and there is no BS to prevent you in some way.For example being told that this section is better this time of year or there are clients hunting there already- just too much control...and then your wild hunt is not so wild.

Great offer in a great area !!
As Jan said , you just can't compare the two hunts.

Each to his own for sure ,but this is a great deal for one of Africa's last prime locations.

In good hunting
Dave