I am exploring options for a bongo hunt for spring of 2024. I am open to other ideas as well but am focused on conservation and adventure!

[Jerycmeach]

You can contact Mayo Oldiri in Cameroon. They have very good PHs working for them and have very high success. It’s also only country you can bring your own rifle.
I think you may be disappointed however in the conservation aspect. I’m told rain forest is nearly impossible to do anti poaching because poachers are invisible as soon as they leave the road and the game isn’t concentrated near water like in dry areas. Also the local trackers are hunters (poachers) themselves, difficult to stop them in the off season. I’m told most of the snares are for duikers but you may find several of these small snares on a bongo that have got caught and broken. I believe the Congo side is under less pressure.

Thanks for the information! I am sorry to hear about the challenges as far as the conservation side of things. It is all a part of the true story though and I want to know the good as well as the bad of course. One of my Kansas hunting clients just returned recently from hunting with mayo in Cameroon for LDE and savanna buff and assorted other game. He had nothing but great things to say about the hunt once he got to camp. Obviously his was a Savannah hunt and I was interested in the forest hunt but it is still the same company. My friend that hunted with mayo had a horrific tale of his experience at the airport in Cameroon. He and another hunter he had not previously met arrived at the airport in the same day and were scheduled to head to camp together with the outfitter. The guns and clothes were lost and after two days of waiting they left for the hunt. Borrowed clothes and guns! But with that said he really had good things to say about mayo’s operation and he said things were great in camp in on the hunt. He said the Cameroon airport experience was like something out of a mad max movie! Worst experience of his life as far as travel and he has hunted all over the world! . .

 

[Jerycmeach]

I was really impressed by this video. Looks like they cover a lot of ground to locate bongo tracks.

Thank you!

 

[Spear Safaris]

Jerry, if LD Eland is of interest to you, I can certainly also help
Info@spearsafaris.com

 

[Jerycmeach]

Having taken 2 Bongo hunts in Cameroon, I can assure you it is a great adventure!! So much to see and experience. I loved seeing the silverback gorillas!!

Sounds incredible! I’m sure it’s so different in the rain forest if africa than what I have experienced so far which is the Savannah and desert ecosystems!
You must pinch yourself having hunted there twice. Craig Boddington is scheduled to come visit my lodge in Kansas very soon. I can’t wait to pick his brain about his past bongo hunts. I recall reading some of his writings about bongo hunting.

 

[375Fox]

Thanks for the information! I am sorry to hear about the challenges as far as the conservation side of things. It is all a part of the true story though and I want to know the good as well as the bad of course. One of my Kansas hunting clients just returned recently from hunting with mayo in Cameroon for LDE and savanna buff and assorted other game. He had nothing but great things to say about the hunt once he got to camp. Obviously his was a Savannah hunt and I was interested in the forest hunt but it is still the same company. My friend that hunted with mayo had a horrific tale of his experience at the airport in Cameroon. He and another hunter he had not previously met arrived at the airport in the same day and were scheduled to head to camp together with the outfitter. The guns and clothes were lost and after two days of waiting they left for the hunt. Borrowed clothes and guns! But with that said he really had good things to say about mayo’s operation and he said things were great in camp in on the hunt. He said the Cameroon airport experience was like something out of a mad max movie! Worst experience of his life as far as travel and he has hunted all over the world! . .

I hunted Cameroon in January for eland. If you go, my advice would be to pack your carry on very wisely. Our guns arrived with us but bags and ammo did not. The previous client who flew Turkish airlines waited 4 days before giving up. They told us to go and not wait. Our bags arrived In Douala two days later. Had they arrived the next day like Air France said, they would have put them on the cam air flight with another client, but instead they arrived late and had to go over land. My dad got his bag on day 8. I got mine on day 9. The ammo was held back at customs and picked up on return.

 

[Jerycmeach]

Jerry, if LD Eland is of interest to you, I can certainly also help
Info@spearsafaris.com

Thanks for the offer but at this time I want to do a different ecosystem. The Savannah type habitat I have had in previous africa hunts. Thanks very much for offering.

 

[Philip Glass]

I am new to africa hunting with three safaris under my belt in the last 22 months. I am a full time outfitter in Alaska and Kansas. Well I should say I WAS a guide and outfitter fie the last 32 years in Alaska but COVID changed all that and I have sold my Alaska guide business. The COVID shutdown is what caused me to head to Africa and now it has become my passion. I have done a full bag safari in Tanzanias Rungwa, a Kalahari plains game and leopard with hounds in Botswana, and this past April an elephant near the Okavangoo. I am looking for another opportunity and Bongo is heavy on my mind. With that said if there is a hunt that you think may be of interest to me please don’t hesitate to describe it. I am passionate about the benefits hunting brings by finding conservation and the adventure side of the hunt. Thanks

Jerry,
I have been kicking this around quite a bit as well. It is a very expensive hunt and you are right to do the due diligence And look at all the options. I'd love to go around and talk to outfitters next year at SCI with you.
Philip

 

[Rem280]

Also

I was really impressed by this video. Looks like they cover a lot of ground to locate bongo tracks.

OMG the python!

 

[R.M.C.]

Thanks for the information. Are they in the C.A.R. For their Bongo hunts I wonder? I will check. I had dismissed the central africa republic as being off limits at this time. I had talked to a member of AH who had a close call their I believe! Maybe I have my countries confused! I will check and thanks again!

Yes , they hunt in CAR, it probably is more dangerous than the average basement stairs but full of adventure. It's my dream destination for bongo and giant forest pig. Good luck with the research!!

 

[Andrew62]

My friend that hunted with mayo had a horrific tale of his experience at the airport in Cameroon

Having hunted Cameroon 4 times, all of which I flew through Douala, you just have to understand it is going to be a real s*** show, it will piss you off more than anything ever you've ever experienced, you'll sweat your a** off, you have to go through multiple check points coming and going, you'll wait and wait and wait for your gun to clear, no one knows their a** from a hole in the ground, but other than that, it'll be a grand time!! ROFLMAO!! Seriously, Douala Airport is miserable, hateful, a real cluster, but it's the only way to hunt Cameroon!! Just go knowing the 1 1/2 to 2 hours after you land will be miserable and the 1 1/2 to 2 hours before your flight will be miserable, then you'll be fine! Or, travel through there without a gun, that would save a ton of misery, but I'm the guy who wants to hunt with my own gun!

 

[Rem280]

Read the comments from the poster and others. Interesting.

 

[buck wild]

I thought you spent all your money on your "once in a lifetime trip", three trips back ??

You're living the dream!

 

[Jerycmeach]

Jerry,
I have been kicking this around quite a bit as well. It is a very expensive hunt and you are right to do the due diligence And look at all the options. I'd love to go around and talk to outfitters next year at SCI with you.
Philip

Thanks! I’m checking with everyone I can at this time. I appreciate your offer!

 

[Jerycmeach]

I thought you spent all your money on your "once in a lifetime trip", three trips back ??

You're living the dream!

I know! I can’t believe I’ve become addicted to the adventure aspect of africa hunting! The conservation side is important to me for sure! But also seeing truly wild places and animals I have never seen before is fantastic!

 

[Jerycmeach]

Jerry,
I have been kicking this around quite a bit as well. It is a very expensive hunt and you are right to do the due diligence And look at all the options. I'd love to go around and talk to outfitters next year at SCI with you.
Philip

I called the hunting consortium and spoke with them this morning. They are sending out information to me. I had been told Jacque spammer was setting up a three way call with me and another outfitter or sales rep in France fie this week but as yet they have not contacted me cow the call. Also I have reached out to Jean Luc and Christophe. I am hoping to talk ti them further soon. Jean Luc and Christophe have flown back ti Paris for a month and will return to the Congo to hunt later.

 

[Jerycmeach]

I called the hunting consortium and spoke with them this morning. They are sending out information to me. I had been told Jacque spammer was setting up a three way call with me and another outfitter or sales rep in France for this week but as yet they have not contacted me for the call. Also I have reached out to Jean Luc and Christophe. I am hoping to talk to them further soon. Jean Luc and Christophe have flown back to Paris for a month and will return to the Congo to hunt later. I’ve discounted the C.A.R. hunting opportunities at this point I think. All I hear is “don’t go it’s not safe”. Who knows the real story! Heck it’s not safe to go to a lot of places here in the untitled states either! I just don’t know how them deeming C A R as “unsafe” compared to my perception of “unsafe”.

 

[buck wild]

I had been told Jacque spammer was setting up a three way call with me and another outfitter or sales rep in France fie this week but as yet they have not contacted me cow the call.

@JKO HUNTING SAFARIS

 

[Altitude sickness]

How about a Bharal “blue sheep” hunt. native to the high Himalayas.

Hits the conservation and definitely the adventure.

 

[Jerycmeach]

How about a Bharal “blue sheep” hunt. native to the high Himalayas.

Hits the conservation and definitely the adventure.

You are right about that! That hunt would hit the adventure and the conservation aspects for sure! I must say that with nene having hinted outside of North America until 23 months ago I am new to international hunting! Also after the NG 13 elephant and the full bag Rungwa Tanzania hunt and a plains game and leopard hunt with hounds in the kalahari of Botswana by hunting budget is getting a little thin! Ha! Actually i financed my hunts with the sale of my Alaska sportfishing business. Not to smart I’m sure but you only live once right? What adventures I have had! I am only now getting comfortable traveling to africa. I can only imagine if I got addicted to the area of the world that you mention and hat would I do? More species and huge cost of hunting them! Thanks for the advice but I better stick with africa and North America for the forceable future!

 

[Jerycmeach]

Well, fellow AH members…ready or not the time has come for me to throw some things together and head to Camaroon to hunt with Mayo Oldiri!
I have been so busy with projects at my lodge in Kansas as well as having done a brown bear hunt on Kodiak this Spring that I have just not taken the time to get ready for this hunt! I had some Amish families move into our area here in Kansas, thirty miles away or so, and they were looking to put their carpentry skills to work to put food on the table. It is so hard to find anyone that will work out here in the remote Flint Hills of Southeast Kansas; I had to take advantage of the opportunity and embark on a big “hunting lodge building project”! The timing was not good for me and especially as far as it negatively impacted my getting ready for this big camaroon hunt but I just had to do it!

I will be staying for the whole month of July if necessary having arranged two back to back safaris. I am the last client of the year and chose that for the flexibility of the lengthy hunt window.

I have gotten news today that a forest elephant remains in quota so who knows??? Maybe something will come together on that opportunity for me; or maybe not…. The Bongo is my main target animal.

Once again, thanks to all the AH members for helping me with my quest for another adventure hunt in Africa! It has been quite an amazing ride so far as I consider all I have experienced with my past hunts for leopards, wild lion, elephant and plains game! All of this since COVID stole my Alaska charter fishing business of 32 years! I can only hope this forest hunt is all I dream it will be! I’m just mad at myself for not having it making the time to prepare better and departure is a little over a week away! I’ve been told Herve will be my PH and I have chosen the most remote and hard to reach camp that Mayo has. Right on the border with the Congo and CAR as I understand it.

I was told today my PH will be Herve a Frenchmen that has been with Mayo foe 18 years. I have heard good things about him and his expertise so I should be in great hands as far as my PH.

I plan to do a hunt report on my amazing brown bear adventure but for now let me post a couple of pics. I took the bear one hour before dark on the last day of my hunt and the last day of the season! May 15. I can’t wait to tell the story in my hunt report when I have some time. Foe now let me post a couple of pics to peak your interest possibly. Ha!