Zimbabwe Buffalo 2023 - Recommendations

[mark-hunter]

Well, since mentioning @John Sharp - he is member of this forum, he may as well join in the discussion.

 

[Zim Fan]

John is too good a man to come on and say anything. He is well aware of Mopani and his comments as are the staff at the BVC.

The BVC is not the perfect place, but no place is perfect. The BVC has done well for me and my family and countless others. It has lots of Buffalo and without knowing the numbers, only a few people walk away empty handed. I would recommend the BVC to anyone and will return again.

Here is John and a client from this week with a 40" Bull with 16" bosses. They have seen hundreds of Buffalo and followed them everyday until this one presented themselves.

 

[IdaRam]

Well, since mentioning @John Sharp - he is member of this forum, he may as well join in the discussion.

Honestly, I see zero reason and zero upside for John to join in this conversation. To me and I bet to most members here, I believe there is a whole lot more to the story than Mopani is telling. He may believe every word he’s saying, but that doesn’t make it so. He claims people, goats, cattle everywhere, no buffalo, not even buffalo sign. Hmmm, that just doesn’t line up with any other report I’ve heard from anyone else who has hunted anywhere in BVC. Sure, it can be tough. Even in the best areas hunting can turn tough. Stuff happens. Sometimes the gods of the hunt piss in your ear instead of raining down sunshine. Anyone who has actually hunted knows this. It’s especially true in the early season for myriad reasons. If you book before about July or August you are not hedging your bet for success. If you want to maximize your chances of success, book in October. In October the leaves are down, visibility is much better, water is much more limited and game is concentrated. None of these things are going for you in May.
The reputation of the BVC and John Sharp have been established over a period of decades. Mopani has shown up and made claims that don’t jive with anything I’ve heard for many years and hundreds, if not thousands of people. I ain’t buying it.

 

[revturbo9967]

One thing to add for the OP - right now many of the good Zim outfits will have their buffalo quota already spoken for for 2023. I know of 2 places which are sold out of buff hunts for 2023. Just keep that in mind. Happy search

 

[WAB]

I have hunted Zim multiple times but I have not hunted the BVC. However, I would consider it an honor to hunt the BVC with John Sharp. The reputation of both the area and the man is beyond reproach.

 

[Mopani]

, I He claims people, goats, cattle everywhere, no buffalo, not even buffalo sign. Hmmm, that just doesn’t line up with any other report I’ve heard from anyone else who has hunted anywhere in BVC.

Sorry guys you are unable to read properly, otherwise you would understand that I didn’t refer to the BVC regarding cattle, goats, people etc but to SSG Safaris (Sengwe1).

At the BVC there were no cattle, goats etc, - but also very little buffalo.

 

[Jeff SN]

I think most guys might be booked as was said. Hunted the valley with CMS for ele and saw lots of buffalo even though not hunting them. Would also say Sharp, or Guy would treat you very well

 

[seth hollenbach]

Dalton & York safaris 100%. Just finished a safari with them. Pm if more details needed.

 

[fourfive8]

Telling us we can’t read properly! No @Mopani… BS! You can’t write or communicate properly! You biffed on buff, twice as far as I can tell. Get over it, it happens. And after the first sour grapes report about your hunt with John Sharp on BVC, you continue the whining blame game after I posted a suggestion for the BVC here in this thread. I have no info on SSG and no comment on the what appears to be your second trip for buffalo this year. You report people, cows, donkeys… sounds like a typical “communal” hunt area. They can be very good but ALWAYS very iffy.

I stand by my recommendations about hunting buffalo on the BVC. I was derelict earlier in not mentioning Jonathan Collett of Touch Africa Safaris to consider for hunting there. I have not hunted with Jonathan but have spent some time with him and have no reservation about recommending Touch Africa. But some internet search of who hunts on BVC will reveal quite a few choices.

Here’s one at my house from BVC.

 

[WAB]

Telling us we can’t read properly! No @Mopani… BS! You can’t write or communicate properly! You biffed on buff, twice as far as I can tell. Get over it, it happens. And after the first sour grapes report about your hunt with John Sharp on BVC, you continue the whining blame game after I posted a suggestion for the BVC here in this thread. I have no info on SSG and no comment on the what appears to be your second trip for buffalo this year. You report people, cows, donkeys… sounds like a typical “communal” hunt area. They can be very good but ALWAYS very iffy.

I stand by my recommendations about hunting buffalo on the BVC. I was derelict earlier in not mentioning Jonathan Collett of Touch Africa Safaris to consider for hunting there. I have not hunted with Jonathan but have spent some time with him and have no reservation about recommending Touch Africa. But some internet search of who hunts on BVC will reveal quite a few choices.

Here’s a bull at my house from BVC.

I know Jonathan’s brother well. That is a good family.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

John is too good a man to come on and say anything. He is well aware of Mopani and his comments as are the staff at the BVC.

The BVC is not the perfect place, but no place is perfect. The BVC has done well for me and my family and countless others. It has lots of Buffalo and without knowing the numbers, only a few people walk away empty handed. I would recommend the BVC to anyone and will return again.

Here is John and a client from this week with a 40" Bull with 16" bosses. They have seen hundreds of Buffalo and followed them everyday until this one presented themselves.

View attachment 478685

That’s a great buff and one fat dog lol

 

[Bill C]

Is it really you Bill C ? Back after all those years of being "gone"? Or maybe you are a different Bill C

Sorry for the late reply. That is a hard one, I have been Bill C on the forums since 2002, so I suspect you are thinking of another “BillC”

 

[Luederitz]

Thanks so far for your recommendations. I am in contact with several outfitters.

Another issue: there is a EU weapon-ban on Zimbabwe which does not allow to bring your weapon from Germany (or any other EU country) to ZIM.
Do you have any experience how to deal with it, what can I do to travel with my own rifle?

A hunter in Germany has been arrested at the Munich airport trying to travel to ZIM with his double rifle...

Jagdreise endet am Flughafen: Strafverfahren gegen Jäger

Trotz ordnungsgemäßer Verpackung und europäischen Feuerwaffenpass: Jagdreise endet für Jäger am Flughafen mit Strafanzeige.

www.pirsch.de

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

I cannot picture anyone having any type of a problem with John Sharp. He is not only one of the best PHs in Africa, he is also one of the finest gentlemen that I have had the privilege to know.

Lon

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Thanks so far for your recommendations. I am in contact with several outfitters.

Another issue: there is a EU weapon-ban on Zimbabwe which does not allow to bring your weapon from Germany (or any other EU country) to ZIM.
Do you have any experience how to deal with it, what can I do to travel with my own rifle?

A hunter in Germany has been arrested at the Munich airport trying to travel to ZIM with his double rifle...

Jagdreise endet am Flughafen: Strafverfahren gegen Jäger

Trotz ordnungsgemäßer Verpackung und europäischen Feuerwaffenpass: Jagdreise endet für Jäger am Flughafen mit Strafanzeige.

www.pirsch.de

In recent years we have had several German hunters traveling from Germany with firearms, no problems encountered. There may be a problem with the airline that he was traveling?

Lon

 

[Christot]

Thanks so far for your recommendations. I am in contact with several outfitters.

Another issue: there is a EU weapon-ban on Zimbabwe which does not allow to bring your weapon from Germany (or any other EU country) to ZIM.
Do you have any experience how to deal with it, what can I do to travel with my own rifle?

A hunter in Germany has been arrested at the Munich airport trying to travel to ZIM with his double rifle...

Jagdreise endet am Flughafen: Strafverfahren gegen Jäger

Trotz ordnungsgemäßer Verpackung und europäischen Feuerwaffenpass: Jagdreise endet für Jäger am Flughafen mit Strafanzeige.

www.pirsch.de

Incompetence i would say. The embargo is Based on Regulation 314/2004 which prohibits:
(a) knowingly and intentionally, to sell, supply, transfer or export, directly or indirectly, equipment which might be used for internal repression as listed in Annex I, whether or not originating in the Community, to any natural or legal person, entity or body in, or for use in Zimbabwe, see
Http//eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32004R0314

As hunting weapons do not stay in Simbabwe this regulation doesn't apply.

The weapons mentioned in Annex I are defined in Directive 2021/1047. Weapons as described in category ML 1&2 do not cover rifles constructed for hunting, See ML 1b.

Delegated directive - 2021/1047 - EN - EUR-Lex

eur-lex.europa.eu

 

[grand veneur]

Nach simbabwischem Recht ist die Einfuhr von persönlichen Jagdwaffen (Gewehren) für eine Jagdsafari mit dazugehörender Munition prinzipiell zwar erlaubt. Für die Einfuhr ist jedoch eine befristete Erlaubnis (Temporary Import Permit) notwendig, die man an jedem internationalen Flughafen Simbabwes erhalten kann. Die Einfuhr von automatischen Langwaffen sowie von Faustfeuerwaffen ist nicht gestattet. Die temporäre Ausfuhr von Jagdgewehren (welche von Teil I Abschnitt A der Ausfuhrliste erfasst sind) aus Deutschland nach Simbabwe ist aufgrund eines bestehenden Waffenembargos jedoch verboten. Weitere Informationen sind beim Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle erhältlich.

Simbabwe: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise

Letzte Änderungen: Redaktionelle Änderungen

www.auswaertiges-amt.de

A direct travel with rifles from the EU to Zimbabwe, also with transit, is therefore not possible.

I am currently planning a hunting trip to Zimbabwe. According to my intermediary in Germany, you have to enter South Africa with your rifle and then travel on from there to Zimbabwe. Everything is not that easy, so I will rent a rifle on the place.

 

[mark-hunter]

So what are suggested airlines and route to get from Eu to Zim and back?

 

[mark-hunter]

Simbabwe: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise

Letzte Änderungen: Redaktionelle Änderungen

www.auswaertiges-amt.de

A direct travel with rifles from the EU to Zimbabwe, also with transit, is therefore not possible.

I am currently planning a hunting trip to Zimbabwe. According to my intermediary in Germany, you have to enter South Africa with your rifle and then travel on from there to Zimbabwe. Everything is not that easy, so I will rent a rifle on the place.

So what are suggested airlines and route to get from Eu to Zim and back?

Translation from above:

According to Zimbabwean law, the import of personal hunting weapons (rifles) for a hunting safari with the associated ammunition is in principle permitted. However, a temporary permit (Temporary Import Permit) is required for importation, which can be obtained at any international airport in Zimbabwe. The import of automatic long guns and handguns is not permitted. However, the temporary export of hunting rifles (which are covered by Part I Section A of the Export List) from Germany to Zimbabwe is prohibited due to an existing arms embargo. Further information is available from the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control.

So question is:
Does this apply for Germans travel to Zim, or for other nationalities transiting via Germany to Zim, or it Applies for EU citizens, od exclusively to Gemans only?

I must admit I am a bit confused

 

[grand veneur]

So what are suggested airlines and route to get from Eu to Zim and back?

This has nothing to do with the airlines but with the restrictive laws of the EU, but in all probability it only affects the gun owners of the EU.

The procedure for a member of the EU :

Flight to RSA, import of rifles in RSA and then from RSA travel to Zimbabwe with import of rifles from RSA to Zimbabwe. A lot of additional forms and visas. Rent a rifle is much easier.

Ultimately, I don't care about any of this. Everyone should just do what they want and deal with an accusation if they enjoy it. I won't take any risks, also because sometimes there can be changes in a travel itinerary.