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I posted this on another site but figured I would use the expertise here too. If I wanted to go on a safari with the goal of taking Leopard, Kudu, Eland, Zebra and Wart Hog could this be done in one area? What would be the best area and outfitter? What length hunt should be booked for a reasonable expectation of success? What would be t? Finally, would a .300 H&H Mag be suitable for Eland?
Guns don't kill people, it's mostly the bullets
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Campfire Oracle
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It would have to be Namibia or Zimbabwe..Namibia would probably be cheaper. Jan Oelefse would be the first guy I contacted there.
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
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Namibia would be my suggestion. A buddy killed all animals listed. We hunted ozondjahe safaris. Was a pleasant expiernece but my only expierence in Africa. He used a 7mag of some sort. 300 h&h should be plenty
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PM incoming.
Last edited by RipSnort; 10/20/16.
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Campfire Ranger
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I'd rec Namibia too. It's a fantastic place. You must check with Kowas Safaris as well. Better yet, go to DSC in January and meet them face to face. The biggest problem you'll have with Kowas is hoping there's an opening.....they have a 75-80% rate of returning customers.
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
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Yip, would also agree with Namibia.
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Zimbabwe. Bubye Valley Conservancy, Save Valley Conservancy, or Nuanetsi or several places on the Zambezi valley.
Book with a Zim outfitter and Zim PH. Shaun Buffee, John Sharp, Pete Fick are all very good on the BVC. Mokore is great in the Save. Lindon Stanton is a very good choice for leopard. Louis Mueller with Pro Safaris and CM Safaris are two more good people to talk to.
The bigger cats will come from the lowveld.
A 300 H&H would be great for everything you listed.
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Hunting leopard I would book 15 days and focus on leopard until you take one. Got mine around day 8. Only sat in the blind for a total of four hours. Shaun Buffee was the PH on the Omay.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Zimbabwe. Bubye Valley Conservancy, Save Valley Conservancy, or Nuanetsi or several places on the Zambezi valley.
Book with a Zim outfitter and Zim PH. Shaun Buffee, John Sharp, Pete Fick are all very good on the BVC. Mokore is great in the Save. Lindon Stanton is a very good choice for leopard. Louis Mueller with Pro Safaris and CM Safaris are two more good people to talk to.
The bigger cats will come from the lowveld.
A 300 H&H would be great for everything you listed. I'll second this motion, especially for the leopard
A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
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I took all those species in Namibia a couple of years ago during a two week hunt and would recommend Dirk DeBod as the PH. A .300 H&H would do the job with careful shot placement. I would recommend two different bullets. A Nosler Partition for the leopard and either a 200 grain A-Frame or TSX for everything else. You should be able to accomplish your goals in the same hunting area and 15 days is about right.
Don't know what the current regulations regarding the importation of leopard from Namibia is, so check carefully.
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They Bubye would get my vote as well. I spent two weeks there in August and it was absolutely the experience of a lifetime. I am way late on posting the hunt report, but it is coming. The sheer number of animals is incredible. I hunted with Brent Hein and cannot wait to go back. The trophy fees are comparable to other places, but the daily rates are pretty steep. It was worth it to me because of the sheer size of the Bubye and the amount of game. Not to mention the fact that there arent too many places you can go and see the big 5 all in one place. I would highly recommend the Bubye and Brent Hein.
FWIW, I took most of my animals including the eland with a Sako AV safari in 300 WM and 180 AB's so your H&H is plenty
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Dad hunted last October in the Save for lion. An infection from a hip replacement sent him home earlier than expected. He got a lion, zebra, 40" cape, klippy, and kudu in 4 days of hunting. He passed on a monster eland, as he already has one. He said the place was lights-out and would love to hit it again. I had already taken-off too much time for a hunt in Tanzania earlier in the year and had to pass on this trip (otherwise, I'd probably have a really nice eland).
Zim has the big leopards. Southern Zim to be exact.
PM me if you want some leads on the PHs he was with.
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Sorry for the late reply but thanks for all the suggestions. I think I may forgo the Leopard since this will be my first trip to Africa and I don't want to shortchange the experience. Cost is a factor and I know if I take a Leopard I want a full body mount which adds significantly to the cost. It may be better to have a second trip dedicated solely to Leopard and concentrate on the plains game for a first trip.
Guns don't kill people, it's mostly the bullets
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I'd rec Namibia too. It's a fantastic place. You must check with Kowas Safaris as well. Better yet, go to DSC in January and meet them face to face. The biggest problem you'll have with Kowas is hoping there's an opening.....they have a 75-80% rate of returning customers. +1 on Kowas. Great outfit!
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As much as I love Namibia (go there a couple of times a year) if they don't get good rains this year, hunting will be damn tough county wide. There is a LOT hanging on this season's rainfall.
Leopard a specialized hunt. Doing a combined leopard/PG hunt can be done but, in my opinion/experience if you are after leopard THAT should be your primary and then IF you have time/energy for PG go for it. Sitting in a blind all night and then trying to hunt PG during the day really wears you out by day 7 or 8.
As others have said, if you do leopard, it really should be a 14-day hunt minimum. In Namibia, a Tom makes a circuit of his territory every 10-12 days. If he finds food, he MAY hang around for a day or two before continuing patrolling his territory. While some hunters have been VERY lucky to get a cat within the first couple of hours the first day, it seem there is probably a significantly higher number of hunters who come back empty - even after a couple of dedicated leopard trips.
As I say, as much as I truly love Namibia and have traveled most of the country and hunted in the NW mountains a lot, I would not be in a hurry to book a hunt there for next year until a little later to see how the rains come.
300 H&H with TSX bullets will be more than enough PG. Taken all of those with a 308 and 30/06 with 150gr and 180gr TSX.
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I have found a hunt in the Eastern Cape of RSA for Kudu, Eland, Nyala and Bushbuck for $5500 including trophy fees. I am checking references and if Zebra and the pig could be added.
Guns don't kill people, it's mostly the bullets
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Personally I would hunt the Save Conservancy in Zimbabwe with Thierry Labat.
And I have, several times.
He success rate on big leopards is unparalleled and there is unbelievable hunting for all the other species you mentioned.
I've shot some huge eland in the Save (3 over 38") and my daughter shot a 60" kudu.
The plainsgame, leopard and buffalo hunting there is unrivaled in my opinion.
PM me if you'd like to hear more.
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