Hunting the Selous - Best Months

[Gloucester]

Does anyone have a view, hopefully based on recent experience, as to which is the "best" month for hunting in the Selous? I haven't been there before. I am trying to decide between July and September.

I went very early in the season to Zimbabwe this year and found the grass so high and thick that we just couldn't see the game effectively. We could only just see the heads of larger animals.

The hunting season is later in Tanzania, staring in July ,and I want to understand just how dense the cover is at that time of year.

I believe the advantage of going early is that the game is calmer and not spooked by months of hunting pressure, whereas going later means that you have a better chance to see what you are going after.

 

[morioc]

Hi Gloucester,

I am hunting with TAWISA in Tanzania. We have almost 3 millions hectares in the SELOUS game reserve with 10 camps.
If you look for Lion and Leopard, July/August/September are very good. If you look for Elephant September/October/November are very good.
For buffalo and plains game it's good the all season.
The cover depend of the rain and how late the rainy season is. We can, by law, burn untill the end of September. But the grass is not very high like in Zim. or CAR or West Africa.
There is so many animals in Selous you just have to know what is your main priority.
If you go for Lion you must know that it is more difficult now because we have to hunt only 6 years old and older male lions and it takes time to get those clever old guys.....

You will enjoy anyway, it's one of the most beautiful place in Africa to hunt.
Cheers
Christophe

 

[Shallom]

Gloucester,
Christophe is absolutely right about the seasons and expectations. It all really depends on your priority species and area-specific conditions. Earlier in the season the temperatures are cooler, but the grass is higher and ground conditions wetter. Later in the season the heat becomes more intense, while visibility is improved and conditions become much drier.

What exactly are you looking into? Cheers,