I hunted Namibia this year for leopard and PG and it was a completely successful and enjoyable hunt. I got my leopard on the first day and in doing so, completed the Big Five. Game density and trophy quality were high. We saw no evidence of poaching. Namibia is a stable and safe country. I stayed in a tented camp, but it was quite comfortable in every respect. It was my first trip to Namibia and I liked it so well that I booked an elephant hunt in the Caprivi for 2014.
I have hunted Zim multiple times, most recently in 2010 and 2011. In 2010, I took an excellent buffalo and an elephant. In 2011, a lion in Matetsi Unit 3. I have never had the slightest problem in Zim and would not hesitate to go there again. It is "wilder" than Namibia and the areas I hunted were more remote. There was considerable evidence of poaching. My only complaint was that in the areas I hunted, leopard could only be taken from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset. The end result was that I spent 42 days (over the course of two safaris) and never even saw a leopard! There are areas, such as Dande and Matabeleland where pre-baiting and hunting at night is permitted. I suggest you investigate what is permissible in the area you wish to hunt prior to booking.
BTW, my Namibian leopard was shot in broad daylight about an hour before sunset!
Good hunting.
