Game Ranch Buffalo worth it? Or should I just do a Mozambique Hippo/Croc thing instead?

[Muskox]

Wife and I were talking about how much I have been working, and how much money she has been blowing on stupid shit ( to me, pretty much).

Anyway she asked me if I wanted to do a guided hunt next year in 2023 or 2024, to which I replied yes of course I ado. But I am still trying to figure out the $$$ and location.

I have the sinking expectation that all safaris and guided hunts globally are going to be heavily price hiked in the next 2 years. Probably something like 2013, price hikes plus inflation.

So I had a couple of options and I don't know how I want this to play out.

1. Ranch South Africa buffalo, sable, roan, mixed plains game package and maybe a cull package. Not sure if I would bother shipping it back to the USA.

2. Croc and Hippo and some other stuff hopefully a hyena in wild Africa Zimbabwe or Mozambique or maybe Zambia. Probably try to bite the bullet and get it imported.

3. Small cat or night time hunt, hopefully with a hyena and a big plains game package included Sable, roan and the typical stuff. Try to get it all out.

Not sure if I should do a big bag type of deal or focus on a quality type of deal.

Might just go and do a big bag plains game hunt and stay on for a few days culling.

What would you choose.

Budget is $15-20,000.

The only way I am doing taxidermy is if I got a hyena or a civet.

My last trip to Africa was a long time ago. And I got fucked by the importer and paid for a shipment but it never came.

To me taxidermy isn't that important, as I am the only one in the house that likes it and it will be banished to my office.

Both hunts will be 10-12 days.

 

[Aaron N]

I think a croc/hippo hunt would be a lot of fun! Maybe adding a buff on wouldn’t be a killer since I would assume you’d be paying DG day rates. The first webpage I pulled up shows $3700 for permit and trophy fee.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Check out "Own Use" (for tribal use) buffalo/PG hunts in Namibia and same (buff/PG) in Zimbabwe conservancies. If you're going all the way there, you might as well get a big one! That said, BIG buff in croc/hippo land of Moz-but more costly! (You can do the same for less in the aforementioned two countries.)

 

[IvW]

BVC Zim double buff

 

[Tanks]

Charlton McCallum Safaris (CMS) Dande Safari Area in Zimbabwe. ( cmsafaris.com )
- 10 day Buffalo and PG hunt < $20K.
- 10 day Tuskless Elephant and PG < $20K

This includes daily fees, taxes and trophy fees for Buffalo or Elephant. PG fees if you decide to shoot any would be additional but not huge unless you went after a Sable or Roan.

Needless to say, it is not a put and take farm hunting but free range hunting from a reputable outfit.

Edit: The hunt report linked in my profile is from there and many others hunted there last year and posted reports.

 

[Fred Gunner]

Mozambique

Is a War zone ISIS affiliated terrorists own the northern provinces. SA "private contractors" have been evacuating civilians. Watch the news closely and State Dept. travel warnings.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Sounds like you are in for a great adventure

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

While I’m not about to get into a pissing contest this is not factually correct but you are entitled to your opinion. ie. Mozambique being a war zone…
I was reprimanded earlier today and to me this falls in the same category.

Safer than Portland I’d say.

@Muskox enjoy the search Buzz is a great guy and a good recommendation I know him well.

my best always.

 

[TOBY458]

To me....Cape Buffalo should be included in whatever you do. If the ranch is large enough, a SA hunt is quite enjoyable. I've taken two Cape buffalo in SA, and have had good experiences both trips. Also took a bunch of PG on both trips. This is easily done for under $20K.

 

[Ryan]

Which hunt to take, that's totally personal and I won't even try to sway you there.

Do I think a RSA ranch hunt is worth it? Yes. I was convinced of that in 2018 when I was hunting nyala and bushbuck on a place that had them in the East Cape our first day. We saw the buffalo the property had in the morning and then never again that day and we were all over that place looking for nyala and bushbuck. The property I stayed at for that hunt supposedly had them too, but I honestly never saw them. So I can say they can disappear in a big South African property. Then I hunted one last January in the Limpopo and got mine the first day. Not because it was easy, because things lined up. I know other hunts in the same area that took a lot longer from reports. So, for me it works. Talk to outfitters get a feel of things, go from there.

 

[Red Leg]

I prefer hunting buffalo in wilderness areas, but the quality of such a hunt on a large, well managed SA game ranch can be excellent.

SOUTH AFRICA: Up Close In The Limpopo - Hunting Cape Buffalo With Phillip Bronkhorst

The morning started like many buffalo hunts anywhere with the fresh tracks of a small herd crossing a dirt trace cut through the bush. Phillip Bronkhorst, Pieter Taylor (one of Phillip's PHs), our tracker Josias, Rickey (a young videographer in training), and your faithful correspondent bailed...

www.africahunting.com

But if you have no interest in bringing him home, then perhaps you can locate a local use opportunity in Zim or the Caprivi as @C.W. Richter suggests.

While I’m not about to get into a pissing contest this is not factually correct but you are entitled to your opinion. ie. Mozambique being a war zone…
I was reprimanded earlier today and to me this falls in the same category.

Safer than Portland I’d say.

@Muskox enjoy the search Buzz is a great guy and a good recommendation I know him well.

my best always.

I agree. I will gladly return to Mozambique. The violence was in the north, and SAMIM troops have had some success in dealing with the extremists since the fiasco in Palma. The vast majority of the country remains a fabulous and safe destination for a hunt.

 

[spike.t]

Is a War zone ISIS affiliated terrorists own the northern provinces. SA "private contractors" have been evacuating civilians. Watch the news closely and State Dept. travel warnings.

Bit of a sweeping statement to say moz is a war zone Fred....and the northern provinces are a very large area with the issues mostly around coastal areas....apologies to OP for side tracking....but been a bit of this misinformation around just now about goings on in countries over here....

 

[375Fox]

Nothing compares to the experience of wild Africa. If those are options do the croc/hippo hunt. Some fishing would be an added bonus.

The own use buffalo in Caprivi aren’t all that inexpensive, but they actually have own use croc and own use hippo in Caprivi and they are priced very well if you aren’t interested in exporting. The trophy fee on my own use hippo was only $1850. Own use croc were available during my hunt as well and there was one the village was demanding removed for eating cattle. My PH sold it to another outfitter after I declined.

 

[Scanos]

As others have said, Moz is not a war zone. That is a ridiculous over generalization. I was there last year and I am booked to go again this year. The Niassa Special Game Reserve is a truly special place. It is one of the last truly wild places left in Africa. Moz is safe throughout the majority of the country and filled with many friendly people.

 

[R.M.C.]

Sounds like either way you're gonna have a great time.

 

[Fred Gunner]

While I’m not about to get into a pissing contest this is not factually correct but you are entitled to your opinion. ie. Mozambique being a war zone…
I was reprimanded earlier today and to me this falls in the same category.

Safer than Portland I’d say.

@Muskox enjoy the search Buzz is a great guy and a good recommendation I know him well.

my best always.

Rwanda: A force for good in Mozambique’s "War on Terror"? | African Arguments

While Rwandan troops have helped stabilise the Cabo Delgado conflict, some are concerned by the lack of transparency around their involvement. In July 2021, the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) deployed 1,000 soldiers and police officers to northern Mozambique, where, since October 2017, the...

africanarguments.org

Mozambique: Islamic State Massacres Dozens in Natural Gas Hub Siege

Islamic State jihadists in Mozambique killed dozens of civilians over the weekend during a violent seizure of Palma.

www.breitbart.com

Rights Group Decries ‘Horror’ of Mozambique Islamist Insurgency

A leading Catholic charity has condemned the Islamist uprising taking place in Mozambique, which has involved atrocities such as...

www.breitbart.com

 

[Scanos]

Rwanda: A force for good in Mozambique’s "War on Terror"? | African Arguments

While Rwandan troops have helped stabilise the Cabo Delgado conflict, some are concerned by the lack of transparency around their involvement. In July 2021, the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) deployed 1,000 soldiers and police officers to northern Mozambique, where, since October 2017, the...

africanarguments.org

Mozambique: Islamic State Massacres Dozens in Natural Gas Hub Siege

Islamic State jihadists in Mozambique killed dozens of civilians over the weekend during a violent seizure of Palma.

www.breitbart.com

Rights Group Decries ‘Horror’ of Mozambique Islamist Insurgency

A leading Catholic charity has condemned the Islamist uprising taking place in Mozambique, which has involved atrocities such as...

www.breitbart.com

Fred you are several months behind. Yes they had an issue in March/April of 2021 with an Al Shabaab uprising. This was very limited geographically and was well under control within a couple of months. It had no impact on my October 2021 safari in Moz. Moz is a large country and the vast majority is safe. You are posting old news.

 

[cpr0312]

I vote for Mozambique, zim, or Zambia !

 

[Tanks]

One question regarding Mozambique. I remember people mentioning due to circumstances over there airlines were not allowing firearms to be transported. I'd check to make sure that one can take their firearms with them if they wish.

 

[Red Leg]

Rwanda: A force for good in Mozambique’s "War on Terror"? | African Arguments

While Rwandan troops have helped stabilise the Cabo Delgado conflict, some are concerned by the lack of transparency around their involvement. In July 2021, the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) deployed 1,000 soldiers and police officers to northern Mozambique, where, since October 2017, the...

africanarguments.org

Mozambique: Islamic State Massacres Dozens in Natural Gas Hub Siege

Islamic State jihadists in Mozambique killed dozens of civilians over the weekend during a violent seizure of Palma.

www.breitbart.com

Rights Group Decries ‘Horror’ of Mozambique Islamist Insurgency

A leading Catholic charity has condemned the Islamist uprising taking place in Mozambique, which has involved atrocities such as...

www.breitbart.com

Your two Brietbart stories are from April of 21. That is almost a year ago and do reflect the attack on Palma. The reporting reference the Rawandan deployment is current. However, its lead-in acknowledges:

"While Rwandan troops have helped stabilise the Cabo Delgado conflict, some are concerned by the lack of transparency around their involvement."​

Their bold font and misspelling of "stabilize," not mine. I rather suspect anyone would be hard pressed to find any Sub-Saharan African nation that is particularly transparent about any of its security issues.

I would be more concerned shopping in Johannesburg than hunting a safari area in Mozambique.