I've seen enough buff charges in SA on video to know they will gore you just as fast as one outside of a fence.massive generalisation !!!!!!!!
This was certainly far from where I thought this conversation would go.
I've seen enough buff charges in SA on video to know they will gore you just as fast as one outside of a fence.massive generalisation !!!!!!!!
I do wish I could collect my thoughts as well as some of you( and write them down). You hit the nail right on the head. The difference in the flavor of the hunt is really what I was looking for. Well said.I believe you can have a fantastic or a terrible buffalo hunting experience in every huntable country on the African continent. Per your question from the OP, it may be more of a question of flavor of the hunt as opposed to quality of the hunt. And while you can maximize your bang for the buck so to speak by careful shopping for what you are looking for, ultimately I believe you do in fact get what you pay for. A high quality buff hunt in SA is not likely to be “inexpensive”. Possibly less expensive than the Caprivi, yes. But a very different “flavor” hunt indeed.
You might ask some questions such as, how important is cost to me? For most of us working boys it is in fact a real determining factor. If we all had our way we’d probably be going to Tanzania for 20 or 30 days and shooting 3 or 4 buff. Alas, we were born with good looks and empty wallets so we choose another option. In some cases it may be a 7 day hunt in SA on a property of limited size. If that is what our budget allows, better to have hunted cape buffalo within our limited budget than not at all, right? I think so.
But if we have a larger budget, say $15K - $20K it may expand our opportunities and we need to start answering some additional questions. Questions such as, do I want to also hunt some PG animals and if so, what are those animals? Those additional animals may dictate where we want to hunt because the are found naturally occurring there.
Dropping back to the second question quoted above, quality of the hunt, I think you really must define what this means to you. Everyone’s answer to this question is a little or a lot different. I have had a truly excellent quality hunt in Zimbabwe. The best of my three trips to Africa. I’m going to Mozambique for buff in August. I expect this may be even better than Zim. There are superb buffalo hunting areas and excellent outfitters in every country including SA, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, etc, etc. I really don’t think you can compare hunt quality between countries. Just how the quality of the hunt you choose stacks up against your expectations. And that comes back to finding the area and outfitter best suited to your desires.
Physical fitness and how physically demanding the hunt will be are another huge consideration. If you will not be satisfied unless you put down 10-15 miles of boot leather a day and crawl into the rack exhausted every day for 10 days, I would choose a large area in Zim or Mozambique, for example. If being into herds of buff every day of the hunt and looking for that “perfect” specimen is the answer, maybe it’s something else. If you don’t mind wading around a swamp and being exhausted and wet, maybe it’s the zambizi delta. If you are less physically fit or just expect to stay in a luxury lodge and spend more time driving and less time walking and sweating, that’s another answer still. All can be high quality hunts and highly enjoyable. Just comes down to what is the right answer to you.
Enough rambling, I hope some tidbit of info helps you in your search. Enjoy the process! It’s all part of the fun
Hunting PAC elephant in Zim or RSA as a foreigner is illegal....A PAC hunt for elephant would also be high on my list.
That is normal no matter where you hunt buffalo if it is done right.....There's nothing like being in a herd of buff trying to not get winded.
They may own the rights to hunt a block not a block of animals. Each block ar area is alocated a quota of different animals. Other outfitters may hunt on anothers area by arrangement.They buy a block of animals in an area and then mark up the prices. They don't like you to know that. At least that's the way it works in Zim. Pretty much everything in Africa is negotiable, US cash dollars talk.
That is what you concluded from a trip to Zimbabwe. That is not exactly how their (or any) business model functions. They purchase hunting rights to a concession (government, tribal community, etc). That block of territory will have a shooting plan associated with it. Using that harvest plan, the concession's cost, the cost of operations (camp, food, PHs, transportation, staff, etc, etc.) a trophy fee list can be developed from a cost basis. At that point if all goes well the business breaks even. The owner then looks for profit margin so he can do little things like feed his family. Among his dials are trophy fees. When playing with that one he has keep a weather eye on his competition, his bookings, any cancelations, etc. Depending upon those factors in a given year, a particular trophy fee might indeed be negotiable if the shooting plan is not otherwise going to be met. There is nothing mysterious with respect to how an African hunting operation balance sheet is created.I was in Zim in 09. We hunted buff and plains game. If I were to do it all over again I'd pass on on the plains game and buy 2 buff. There's nothing like being in a herd of buff trying to not get winded. A PAC hunt for elephant would also be high on my list. License fees are sometimes negotiable with the PH. They buy a block of animals in an area and then mark up the prices. They don't like you to know that. At least that's the way it works in Zim. Pretty much everything in Africa is negotiable, US cash dollars talk. And like every has said the flight sucks. Senegal is an armpit. If you can fly direct to RSA, do it.
Mark - I can't ignore it any more - it is ROWLAND not Rawland!Speaking of Rawland ward, endosrement for trophy.
As it seams, Rawland Ward endorsed outfitters to check.
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In order for a safari company to qualify, it must have a spotless record with IPHA and or its local outfitter organization such as PHASA, NAPHA, etc. Such an outfitter must not have been banned from any of the major international hunting organizations for inappropriate conduct and, where applicable, must be fully licensed with the local authorities. Thus, when a customer sees the Rowland Ward Ltd. emblem on an outfitter’s brochure, website, or business card, he will immediately know that he is dealing with a company that is serious about the conservation of wildlife and habitat and one that will really go the extra mile to involve local, indigenous people wherever possible in the battle to preserve local wildlife and habitat.
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So to hunt fair chase buffalo, in South Africa, Rawland Ward endorsed outfitters should be contacted.
This should be inline with this thread topic.
I have family in this business and some friends too. I can tell you straight up there is no money in this business, I dont even know how or why they do it - I can only think for the love of it.That is what you concluded from a trip to Zimbabwe. That is not exactly how their (or any) business model functions. They purchase hunting rights to a concession (government, tribal community, etc). That block of territory will have a shooting plan associated with it. Using that harvest plan, the concession's cost, the cost of operations (camp, food, PHs, transportation, staff, etc, etc.) a trophy fee list can be developed from a cost basis. At that point if all goes well the business breaks even. The owner then looks for profit margin so he can do little things like feed his family. Among his dials are trophy fees. When playing with that one he has keep a weather eye on his competition, his bookings, any cancelations, etc. Depending upon those factors in a given year, a particular trophy fee might indeed be negotiable if the shooting plan is not otherwise going to be met. There is nothing mysterious with respect to how an African hunting operation balance sheet is created.
A few things, first only a Zimbabwean PH (or a game ranger maybe) can do a PAC animal. It would be illegal for you to do it and I am sure the game scout along for the hunt (required for DG) would nix it. Also, they do not buy a bunch of animals in an area and sell them. They get a concession with rights to it and there is a quota associated with that concession. They do the complete management including poaching patrols etc..... A PAC hunt for elephant would also be high on my list. License fees are sometimes negotiable with the PH. They buy a block of animals in an area and then mark up the prices. They don't like you to know that. At least that's the way it works in Zim. ...
Second pic is a typical herd of RSA buffalo that is raised, protected and then released to be hunted.
Awesome video.Watch the last 45 seconds of the video of this "fenced" South African Cape buffalo hunt. Maybe it's just me, but I with all of the excitement, I had a hard time making out the bull's ear tags...?
NO!!!! What do you mean charging me you cheeky bastard??!!!! You’re wearing an EARTAG!!!Watch the last 45 seconds of the video of this "fenced" South African Cape buffalo hunt. Maybe it's just me, but I with all of the excitement, I had a hard time making out the bull's ear tags...?