It’s been kinda slow on this Africa forum lately, so let’s liven things up with a discussion of what hunts everyone has booked for this year or hopes to do in 2023.

I leave in less than 2 weeks to hunt mule deer in Sonora. Then, I’m taking my daughter and her boyfriend on a non-hunting trip to Kenya & Tanzania in February. 2 weeks on Masai-Mara and Tsavo combined with time on the coast enjoying the Indian Ocean. They’re going to finish up by climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro after I head back home.

Then in August, I’m taking my son to hunt in the Selous Game Reserve with Alan Vincent. 10-days for him and 16 for me since he has to come home early. Gonna be some great buffalo hunting on MA1/Madaba.

After that it’s whatever I might draw in a western state. Applying for some great sheep and elk tags with tons of points, so it’ll be interesting to see what I might draw.

After all that, I have 3 more African hunts booked across 2024 & 2025 in 3 different countries.


What is everyone else doing in 2023?

CAelknuts you have great plans! Hope they all work out. The Masai-Mara is wonderful especially during the big wildebeest migrations and the Selous is a special place to hunt for sure.

I'm hunting in Zimbabwe in the first week of March, doing a little tour of Victoria falls with my wife first and then on to some game viewing in Hwange National park. After that we will hunt an elephant bull just South of Hwange in a forest reserve where the elephants are overpopulated, damaging the valuable teak trees and are not very welcome by the farmers around there either. My first elephant hunt, so I booked the best, Buzz Charlton. It should be an adventure!

You’re going to also have a wonderful hunt. Vic Falls is a special place. You’ll find that the elephants in western Zim are huge bodied bulls. I’ve shot old bulls on Matetsi 3 and Deka and each was an exceptionally large bodied bull. You’ll love it.

First hunt in Africa. Going with Leon duPlessis. 10 day buffalo hunt in August this year. I am 68 and feel like a child at Christmas!

Zambia with a bow for croc, hippo and buff. Late season in October, which is gonna make the buff with a bow interesting.

Tony, sounds like you’ll be hunting in Luangwa Valley. Which concession and PH will you be hunting with. Gonna be HOT!

Afraid I will be limited to Central Texas this year. But looking forward to 2026!
Kevin

Namibia for leopard in July.

I've taken big toms in Ehi-Rovipuka and Omatendeka Conservancies so I thought I'd give the neighboring Ozondundu a shot.

Headed over next month. SA for a week then to Nam for three.

Early may in NW Zimbabwe for bull elephant with Lin Stanton/Mbalabala.

Going to be meeting with a few outfitters at SCI in Nashiville next month to discuss buffalo/leopard for 2025.

I will not be making the journey this year, my wife and I will be recovering from knee replacement surgery.

I am looking at 2024 now, chatting with different PH’s about hippo and croc hunts and or a leopard hunt.

I plan to take in the DSC convention in 2024 and visit in person with the PH’s that i am trading e mails with.

Eastern Cape, April 10-May 1 (includes travel time). Third time with Hotfire Safaris. Species list is a little up in the air as I have a budget for trophy fees in mind, and I have to fit as much as I can into that budget.

At the moment, I'm looking at barbary sheep, sable, common reedbuck, African lynx (caracal), common duiker. And there goes $10,000.

I'm thinking of a cow buffalo & eland in the Limpopo region of SA.

Nothing planned for 2023 but I will be in Dallas on Fri/Sat and may kick around something for 2024.

Can't remember. Not good with those African regions (all those names sound the same to me). Butch Coaton, my PH is handling the details. Coordinated our schedules for next year. We usually discuss what's next during our hunt and he arranges the rest.

I don't know where but whenever or if ever i make enough cash,I might do a double buff.An eland too and a sable.Sometimes I dream of doing another leopard hunt- liked reading Jim Corbett.Elephant seems over for me.I had a great ele hunt once in Moz..It's kinda fun not having any idea when (if ever)or where the next hunt will be-it's like a sweet mystery.Nothing compares to africa.

In July off to hunt Sitatunga with Charlie Harvey in Zambia and in August a hunt with Nick Bowker Safaris in the Eastern Cape.

2024 Medium Game hunting and fishing with Faro Safaris in Cameroun
2025 Medium Game - Bushbuck, Kobs... in Uganda
2026 Who knows

At least that is the plan.

Singleshot

You’ve got a great plan with interesting hunts.

Zambia for Bangweulu Black Lechwe & Tsesseebe, then Luangwa Valley for Buffalo & Cookson’s Wildebeest. 404 Jeffery & 338-06.

You’ve got a nice deal going with Andrew, seems like you’ve had a good run together.

Surefire7 - sounds like a great hunt and great rifle calibers.

I would love to return to Africa after three previous trips. It becomes an obsession as “The Dark Continent” gets into your blood. But, there are other trips to consider. Therefore, come July 1, we will land in Maui for a week with two days hunting for Axis deer.
Make no mistake about it. I would so enjoy another trip to Africa. But I have promised my bride of nearly 52 years other trips to enjoy. So, for those that have not been to Africa I say go for it. MTG

Southwest Tanzania in august for me. It’s been 9 years since I went to Zim. I guess this is a 40th birthday present to myself.

May I ask who you are hunting in Sonora with? On my bucket list.

Wife and I are headed to South Africa may 12 for 3 weeks. We will be hunting with Dinkwe safaris

Surefire7, let me know if you need 404 Jeffery Ammo. I have some for sale and know it's been scarce.

Namibia
SA
Mozambique
Will be culling Buffalo
Have max points in AZ so maybe sheep hunt
Alaska for Dall’s if I get lucky

Closest I get to anything African, is when occasionally I go down south into CA and have to pass thru Oakland...

Fortunate to have found a large bull near Hwange some years ago. They are very much like the large old Botswana bulls. You should have a great safari.

Since the import ban on eles, I’ve been focusing on tuskless. Will be back to Zim in July after a couple more. Getting into the herds always keeps it interesting.

Unless the M-70 460 G&A is ready in time, it’ll be the 404 Jeffery again. Happy with either.

Deer and hogs in both Alabama and Arkansas, elk in New Mexico, pheasant in Kansas.

well I am 89 days away from the East Cape with Intaba Safaris for 10 days, going after Kudu, Sable and a Cow Buff, second trip will be a lot of fun

Griz, black bear & moose in the Talkeetna Mts

Would love to hunt Africa but won't spend a penny there until I can bring all the meat home for consumption ....

Eastern Cape of Africa April 22- may3rd then may 14-22 in Saskatchewan for bear with the recurve and then finish in Kansas for an archery rut hunt in nov! Busy year!


Roy

I have a great outfitter in South Africa if anybody has been looking. My wife and I hunted with him this past summer and we had an absolute blast.

Planning to host a small raffle for a hunt package with him soon. 4 days/5 Nights for 2 hunters with a choice of packages. 1) Nyala or Waterbuck AND Impala or Blesbuck or 2) Warthog or Babboon AND Impala or Blesbuck AND Zebra or Blue Wildebeest to be split between the two hunters.

Thinking 1-in-300 chance @ $50 each. Includes just about everything including roundtrip airfare from major US airports to and from South Africa through United Airlines, taxidermy prep and shipment back to the states, pickup/dropoff at Polokwane Airport, Hunting Guides, Gun Rental if needed (we took bows), Lodging and Accommodations, Laundry Service and Beer (in moderation). Additional animals would be encouraged but at your own expense as well as final taxidermy once in the states and cash tips to the lodge staff (highly encouraged)

Can PM me if interested in more details. Just trying to gauge interest before I set it up.

"Saskatchewan for bear with the recurve" RTJS that is awesome

This will be the 3rd one hopefully. Did it in 2020 with a longbow out of a lockon at 7yards and last year in Sask with my recurve from the ground(no blind). Got it all on video as well at a whopping 7 yards. Let me tell ya that is very very intense! Wish I knew how to put the pics and video on here.


Roy

We hunted on Isla Tiburon, with Sonora Desert Trophy Outfitters. Our group of 4 shot three bucks. I didn’t shoot anything but am going back next year. Tiburon is a neat place with some interesting deer.

Wow, I can’t believe I haven’t returned to this thread in this long time.

Yes, CAelknuts, I have had a good relationship with Andrew. He’s a great PH, and this will be my 6th safari with him. We have hunted a bit of Zambia together, and I hope to hunt/see more with him.

I also have my eye on a return to South Africa in the Drakensburg Mountains, and then on to Mozambique and Uganda. But first, I return to hunt the Luangwa Valley again with Andrew this summer.

Just returned from Cameroon, got Lord Derby, buffalo, Roan……
Was an awesome hunt/experience

congrats Eyedoc, a lot of wonderful trophies. Who did you hunt with?

JKO safaris, had excellent camps, concessions were great - lots of game, first class operation

Eyedok,

Sounds like a tremendous safari. Congrats on some great animals.

Congratulations! Was this in the Faro region? I’m not familiar with JKO, so curious and may PM you. I’m hunting with Mayo Oldiri in Feb of ‘24 so very interested in any advice you could share.

Mayo Oldiri has several concessions, but one was across the river from where we hunted, hardest but most rewarding hunt, alot of poaching going on, hopefully it will remain as is- incredible unique safari, hard to put into words what an incredible hunt it was

Advice-be ready to shoot quick, opportunities are few, and you may have a shot window of a split second, also be in shape, our unit had alot of big hills, have proper clothing for extreme heat, a stiff sole in your boot is very helpful w the millions of worm casings