Save or Coutada 9, your opinions requested

[TTundra]

Hello AH friends,

Looking at booking a hunt in either Save in Zim or Coutada 9 in Moz. I'm after Buff with any potential PG to add as it comes up. My father is looking for a Crocodile and possible nice Sable. This has steered me to lean toward Coutada, but I have seen many great reports and images from both. Looking for a wild environment which I believe they both are, but hoping to see an assortment of the big 5. My father prefers less heat and humidity if possible....years in Vietnam checked that box.

Anyone hunt both and has a preference to where they would go back? If you had to pick one first, which would you choose?

Thanks in advance all!

 

[TTundra]

Great feedback from some messages w/ @uplander01 . Love to hear more as well!

 

[WAB]

I have hunted the Save and Moz, but not C9. I suspect that you are talking to the Duckworth’s since these are the two areas considered. If so, you are in good hands and can trust what they tell you completely. I had good hunts in both areas mentioned but preferred the Save. However, the area I hunted in Moz does not have the reputation of C9 so it’s an apples and oranges comparison.

 

[Proneshooter]

Best hunting in C9 is late in the year, and it is HOT. Set aside 2 warthog trophy fees, the number of huge warthog there is not to be believed until you see it. Mokore does not hunt crocs in the Coutada, but do about 2 hours away from Tete. The Save is always a good bet, if it were me I would go to Moz, but would not be too disappointed with Zim either. Gary just sent out an email offer for buff in either Moz or Zim, the price was very reasonable.

 

[TTundra]

Thanks @WAB and @Proneshooter !

 

[Tucketed]

Very interested in this thread

 

[IdaRam]

I have hunted Coutada 9 but not Save. I think you would find C9 more wild and accommodations more rustic, but still very comfortable. Open air lodge and safari tents, although there are a few chalets that are very nice and they generally put couples/families in them and the guys in the tents. I’m assuming you are considering Mokore safaris.
C9 is a very large and beautiful area with excellent buffalo and plains game in abundance. Trophy quality is fantastic and diverse. By the way, there are a lot of lions. You will see them regularly. As far as I know there are no crocs, you would have to travel for them.
Last year I hunted the last week of August and the first week of September. It was about perfect from a standpoint of weather and temperatures. It was actually cold and rainy a couple nights and mornings which was excellent for hunting (tracking buffalo). Temps got down in the 40’s on a couple nights, but generally speaking 60 degrees at night and eighties during the day. The hunting was very good, but it does get even better later in September and through the month of October. It will be hot in October. Plan on 100 degrees during the day. The vegetation would be more sparse and more areas burned in October.
Travel to Moz is a bit more challenging and you’ll probably burn another day each way vs Harare/Save. I would discuss the possibility of flying into Beira instead of Tete with Mokore. Tete is a pain in the ass, not familiar with Beira but I’ve been told Beira is better. Not sure if Mokore will fetch you in Beira, but probably.
Either C9 or Save will be excellent! Just depends on which fits your desires better. I have hunted Sengwa with Mokore as well and have nothing but wonderful things to say about them. Top notch outfit, you can book with complete confidence.
Here are a few pics from Moz. Can’t wait to get back. I would happily spend a month there if I could afford it.

 

[TTundra]

To those following this thread, one quote to hunt Coutada 9 for 1 buff and 1 Sable (other PG added as seen) for 10 days for 2 people came to $31k and change. (Daily fees, pickup, tax, rifle import, etc factored in)

Is that about the norm? Thanks!

 

[gillettehunter]

For that kind of money you might ought to consider Tanzania.
Bruce

 

[Aaron N]

To those following this thread, one quote to hunt Coutada 9 for 1 buff and 1 Sable (other PG added as seen) for 10 days for 2 people came to $31k and change. (Daily fees, pickup, tax, rifle import, etc factored in)

Is that about the norm? Thanks!

If you’re paying 20 days of daily rates @ $1000 or more, things add up fast! That actually seems to be pretty par for the course to me. If you were hunting solo, 10 days with a Buffalo and a sable would be about 20k, so add on another 10k in day fees.

 

[TTundra]

For that kind of money you might ought to consider Tanzania.
Bruce

Well, it's about $15k person. I think Tanzania would be $30k per person. That would certainly push me there is that were the case.

If you’re paying 20 days of daily rates @ $1000 or more, things add up fast! That actually seems to be pretty par for the course to me. If you were hunting solo, 10 days with a Buffalo and a sable would be about 20k, so add on another 10k in day fees.

It's actually quite a deal considering the hunter day fees vs total. For 15-16k per person, it doesn't seem too shabby.

 

[IdaRam]

To those following this thread, one quote to hunt Coutada 9 for 1 buff and 1 Sable (other PG added as seen) for 10 days for 2 people came to $31k and change. (Daily fees, pickup, tax, rifle import, etc factored in)

Is that about the norm? Thanks!

Sounds about right to me.

Do you have an idea yet of what you want you hunt dates to be?

 

[Scott CWO]

Hello AH friends,

Looking at booking a hunt in either Save in Zim or Coutada 9 in Moz. I'm after Buff with any potential PG to add as it comes up. My father is looking for a Crocodile and possible nice Sable. This has steered me to lean toward Coutada, but I have seen many great reports and images from both. Looking for a wild environment which I believe they both are, but hoping to see an assortment of the big 5. My father prefers less heat and humidity if possible....years in Vietnam checked that box.

Anyone hunt both and has a preference to where they would go back? If you had to pick one first, which would you choose?

Thanks in advance all!

I have also hunted both but in July because I cannot go later. I did very well in July. August or September would be great as well.

I would lean towards C9 due to the numbers of plains game there and don’t forget to get a Nyala as well as a sable. As others have mentioned, there are some huge warthogs there and big kudu as well. Reedbuck are also big. Impala size did not impress me but I’ve killed some big impala in Tanzania. The Mokore camp in C9 is awesome and you can have either a chelet or a nice safari tent. Food is top notch. Book with confidence.

At $15k per person for buffalo, sable and plains game, that’s a good deal. Their buffalo hunts are $10k alone. I believe I paid $9k for Nyala and PG.

I flew from JNB to Tete without issue but that was back in 2014. From what I understand, the hunting is even better now. Good luck!

 

[TTundra]

Sounds about right to me.

Do you have an idea yet of what you want you hunt dates to be?

Waiting on open dates now, but hoping for August.

 

[IdaRam]

Waiting on open dates now, but hoping for August.

It will be beautiful there in August

 

[WAB]

To those following this thread, one quote to hunt Coutada 9 for 1 buff and 1 Sable (other PG added as seen) for 10 days for 2 people came to $31k and change. (Daily fees, pickup, tax, rifle import, etc factored in)

Is that about the norm? Thanks!

Is that 2 buff, 2 sable with two hunters hunting 1x1? If so, at 15.5 each that is a deal. If it is 31 per hunter to hunt one buff and one sable each that sounds quite high.

 

[cajunchefray]

Well, it's about $15k person. I think Tanzania would be $30k per person. That would certainly push me there is that were the case.



It's actually quite a deal considering the hunter day fees vs total. For 15-16k per person, it doesn't seem too shabby.

Sounds like a great adventure! I've had my eye on Mozambique for a few years, so that I can have a true, remote African experience.

Being a newby here, what are the preferred travel routes? Fly into Joburg and connect to Beira or drive over from Limpopo province? Or other options?
Will fly out of Houston.

Quatar Airways out of Houston is a limited schedule to Beira.
It's been a long time since traveling to Middle East, Africa, but the right schedule makes it easier.

I appreciate any feedback from seasoned travelers.

 

[TERMINATOR]

For that kind of money you might ought to consider Tanzania.
Bruce

Have you hunted Tanzania? If so, with whom?

 

[TTundra]

Is that 2 buff, 2 sable with two hunters hunting 1x1? If so, at 15.5 each that is a deal. If it is 31 per hunter to hunt one buff and one sable each that sounds quite high.

That's 1 buffalo for me and 1 Sable for my father on the quote with 10 days. Buff trophy fee is 5k, Sable is 6k. Roughly 15k per person

 

[WAB]

That reasonable on the buffalo. I’ve never had a desire to hunt sable so I’m not the right person to comment on the price of that hunt.