Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Best time for Zimbabwe

Beginning to plan a plains game safari there - was thinking late June. Wondering if that is too early?

Late June is perfect.

Mebbe October. Snakes will be about.

June-July-early August

THIS. October wil be HOT

Agree with ingwe and jorgeI


maddog

I have been in late April and in late June into July. I much prefer the June/July times. The weather was fine in April, but there was still a lot of vegetation that was tough to spot game through.

Mike

That's what I was looking for - thanks guys - sounds like mid june to mid july is right on the money.

3 more surgeries and I am going to be planning to go. Thanks for the information.

I was there is August once ( a sample of one) and weather etc. was good, but the wind was wonky, kept changing�screwed up a few hunts. Mighta just been the luck of the draw, or it might be an 'August' thing...

August brings wind every year and hopefully lots of it so we can have good rain for that season. Wind applies for both SA and Zim.

July would be my pick.

a good question is what is your main animal you are going after.
April is a little early for Kudu and Eland. However most plains game will be available.
May the smaller Kudu bulls will be with the cows and for eland you will have to work. other PG will be available.

End of may and June the big Kudu bulls will be with the cows and eland bulls will be about and about. other PG will be available.

July - August you will have reduced foliage and you will have to hunt for the big Kudu and Eland bulls and the Other plains game will be available.

September, you will be looking hard for the big Kudu and elands bulls. and the other PG will be available.

October - November is doable and you will work for your trophy's

Pieter is the best resource for this question

Nobody has more days year round in the bush here to provide a better opinion

I have had windy days and storms across the board. I've never noticed one month worse. May and June are the typical peak months of hunting.

However I have had lots of hunters in July and August. Much of those choices come down to vacation season in the USA as much as anything else.

Snow in Limpopo is rare to almost non existent but I've seen it twice now. So no matter what you plan weird weather just happens. Playing the odds May could have a last fling of rain and ruin the trip, June is about as safe as it gets, July the days are getting longer, nice to hunt til pushing 7pm every day rather then 6 pm in June.

Gotta go with Pieter, July has a lot going for it. Almost no water on the ground concentrating many species to the remaining pans in the bush too

May 15, 2013

92x91






I've also had good hunting there in September




May thru October is usually good.

You got a 90 pounder in ZIM?



Veddy Veddy cool!

Yes, I was there the week Bobby was leaving, and saw the carcass. As I remember, it was 91-92 before drying. I took this guy right afterwards.

Dats a gnarly looking old big�lots of character!

Great looking trophies, gentlemen.

I hunted buffalo in Zimbabwe in the area just across the river from Kruger in February with my father in 2012. Due to work considerations, that was the only time we could get enough time off to go. We were both successful and took two very nice buffalo trophies, but I would not recommend going that time of year if you can help it.

The outfitter made expectations clear to us before the hunt that it was going to be very hot, humid, and was going to rain several times over the course of the hunt. While we were there, temperatures varied between 85-113 degrees Fahrenheit.

One advantage of going that time of year is that we were the first clients of that hunting year, so none of the animals had experienced any hunting pressure to speak of in the previous few months. The outfitter worked hard for us and we were ultimately very successful, we just had to work our tails off.

It is absolutely possible to have a great safari like we did by going on a very early or very late season hunt, but just make sure you know what you are getting into and can handle the conditions.

I hunted the Zambezi Valley once in September and another time in early to mid May. Good results each time.