Well, now that I've done the Namibia Plains Game trip, I'm starting to think about a trip back for buffalo. For those of you that have been, where would you recommend I go, and how much should I be prepared to spend?

I did Mozambique and will definitely go back. It is safe, wild, lousy with buff and low cost. I hunted with the Haldane brothers who have Coutadas 11 & 12.

http://www.zambezedeltasafaris.com/

405wcf

Zimbabwe, cheaper than Moz.[depending on what you want to do]. Look into the SAVE. Haven't been there tet, but its coming up in 2011/2012. Just for the hellava it, here is a list to get started on.

Charleton/McCallum Safaris
Martin Pieters Safaris
Brookland Safaris
Mokore Safaris
Zambezi Hunters
Roger Whittall Safaris
Chifuti Safaris
SSG Safaris

There are others. Google up the above, and look at their websites. There are good agents for some of those boys, here in the states. Depends on your time frame, how many days you want to hunt, etc. Before Jorge gets on here, let me add another.

John Sharp Safaris.

There is a wealth of good outfits for a great buff hunt.


maddog

Zim,they are all over the river...like Rats...

That about covers it Moz is great as well.

As mentioned above, Moz. and Zim. offer the most affordable Buff hunts. Depending on outfitter and area, you can do a 7-day hunt in either country for about $10K - $12K, all-in. A 10-day hunt would run closer to $15K. In terms of cost - Namibia, Bots., and Zambia would be next. These days, a 7 or 10 day hunt in those countries run $15K to 18K or more. Tanzania and RSA are probably the most expensive. The one thing about Tanz. is that on a 10 or 16 day hunt, you can take at least 2 Buffalo. (On a 21-day license, up to 3 may be hunted.) RSA has some quality Buff. but the Trophy Fee alone is often more than an all-in 7 day hunt in Zim. I've seen the TF there range from $12,500 to $16,000 for a trophy-level bull.

Uganda might be the dark horse country right now. Middle-of-the-road prices (currently) but has produced some terrific trophies, as hunting has just recently re-opened there. Another option would be hunting Western Savannah Buff. in Central or Western Africa. They're just as challenging and ornery but found in a totally different hunting environment. For example, Burkina Faso has some very reasonable rates but it would be a noticeable difference from what you'd experience in Southern Africa, to say the least.

Just returned from Namibia's Caprivi Strip hunting with Jamy Traut of Eden Safaris. Affordable hunt in terrain very similar to the Okavango. Took a 42" old bull. Had made a plains game/leopard hunt to Namibia in 08, and moving on to buff in the same country was an easy transition. Nice thing about hunting with Jamy, when you have your bull, you can move down to Eden for fabulous plains game including one of the largest eland populations in Africa.

I'm headed over tomorrow to Zimbabwe with Charlton McCallum Safaris. I'll post a full report in 2 weeks when I get back. Zim is prob the best combo of cost, quality of hunt, and quality of animals. Not the biggest Buff but respectable and more affordable than most places over there.
Lee

If you are flexible as far as time, there are usually late season hunts that come up with significant discounts. Have seen some 10 day hunts, all in for around $10,000.

maddog

Here is a good example.

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/832100588/m/7601057531


maddog