Hunting Buffalo in South Africa vs everywhere else

[revturbo9967]

I've been in the debate in my head for quite some time now to hunt buffalo sooner rather than not at all. I'm not in any planning stages right now but I've been reading an awful lot about Buff hunting in the Caprivi. From hunting reports and videos, this area seems like a prime DG destination. It also comes with an heightened cost vs hunting buff in SA. I understand they're much different regulations/fees/costs for the outfitter associated with hunting in the Zambezi region so I understand the cost differences and why. I also know some SA outfits offer some very fine Buffalo hunting, and their hunts are usually far less expensive then other countries.

For those of you who hunt Buff in SA and in say, Zimbabwe or the Caprivi, have you seen a large difference in the quality of hunt? Have you seen a difference in the quality of the animal selections and heard? I have do not have a problem with fences and I'm not questioning hunting within a fence, but rather buffalo hunting in areas which are not natural habitats and are those hunts as good as one in their natural habitat.

 

[375Fox]

I haven’t hunted buffalo in Caprivi but these bulls came out while we were waiting on my hippo. Caprivi isn’t wilderness like other famous areas. There are a lot of people, paved roads, tourists, cattle. There is definitely some great hunting there and I will hunt it again, but I think it retains its reputation more on being a dangerous game area in a very safe stable country compared to the other options. In my opinion, the price tag isn’t so much the trophy quality or better hunting experience as much as more people are willing to consider it and go there than other destinations. My next buffalo hunt is going to be to Zambezi valley in Zimbabwe. My first buffalo hunt was against Kruger in South Africa. We got a great buffalo, but it wasn’t a wilderness experience and I think there are better values in other countries or properly managed fenced areas.

 

[TOBY458]

It depends on the experience you want. I've hunted two buffalo in SA. Had a great time hunting both of them. Both hunts were very exciting. So if it's just a good hunting experience you're after, there is some good buffalo hunting to be had in SA.
If you want a more OLD Africa experience, I'd say go elsewhere.

 

[mark-hunter]

This is very interesting subject, which I will follow with great interest!

 

[Arkansas_Traveler]

Following this conversation as well... interested to learn more about this.

 

[Nyati]

please, not again !

 

[Red Leg]

I have been fortunate to hunt buffalo in the Caprivi, the Zambezi Delta of Mozambique, and the Limpopo of South Africa. All were very fulfilling experiences. Given a choice, I would return to the Caprivi or Mozambique for my next one. The wild places are indeed wild places. However, my South African hunt with Phillip Bronkhorst was a great hunt. If you do decide to go the South African route, make sure you do your homework. Put and take operations do, unfortunately, exist for Cape Buffalo. But the vast majority outfitters will offer animals living on large enough farms that they are a self-sustaining resource.

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

 

[Red Leg]

I haven’t hunted buffalo in Caprivi but these bulls came out while we were waiting on my hippo. Caprivi isn’t wilderness like other famous areas. There are a lot of people, paved roads, tourists, cattle. There is definitely some great hunting there and I will hunt it again, but I think it retains its reputation more on being a dangerous game area in a very safe stable country compared to the other options. In my opinion, the price tag isn’t so much the trophy quality or better hunting experience as much as more people are willing to consider it and go there than other destinations. My next buffalo hunt is going to be to Zambezi valley in Zimbabwe. My first buffalo hunt was against Kruger in South Africa. We got a great buffalo, but it wasn’t a wilderness experience and I think there are better values in other countries or properly managed fenced areas.
View attachment 395395
View attachment 395394

There are also some very remote areas of the Caprivi. Leaving Jamy Traut's concession, we drove for at least three hours before hitting pavement and the nearest "town." The areas we hunted were a further 15 - 45 mins by boat depending on the area. Never saw a tourist and the village that owned the concession was a classic Kraal with stick and mud huts. They weren't watching CNN.

 

[revturbo9967]

I have been fortunate to hunt buffalo in the Caprivi, the Zambezi Delta of Mozambique, and the Limpopo of South Africa. All were very fulfilling experiences. Given a choice, I would return to the Caprivi or Mozambique for my next one. The wild places are indeed wild places. However, my South African hunt with Phillip Bronkhorst was a great hunt. If you do decide to go the South African route, make sure you do your homework. Put and take operations do, unfortunately, exist for Cape Buffalo. But the vast majority outfitters will offer animals living on large enough farms that they are a self-sustaining resource.

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

I suppose I was trying to say it as light as possible, but I do not want to hunt a put and take buff . I know many hunt it and enjoy it, but that is not my interest. I recently saw a buff hunt video which took place in southern eastern cape. it looked like a decent hunt and an exciting time, but the buffalo looked really out of place in the landscape. Not that I've seen one in the wild to know the difference . Again, I have no issues with someone hunting buffalo which are not in their wild setting.

 

[Rickmt]

I too have wrestled with this question for my 3rd trip to Africa. My prior two trips were to SA and I have learned more about what I want and don’t want. Small properties with put and take animals who were born elsewhere is not what I want.
I considered hunting Tanzania with an outfitter I had been with previously but for my son and I to take a Buffalo each we were around 50k plus flights.
I chose to go to Kwazu Natal SA to a 50,000 acre property with 1500 Buffalo all born on the property for a lot less money. No other hunters in camp for our ten days of hunting.
Fly into Joburg .spend the night in a nice place .get picked up in AM and after a 5 hour drive be in the lodge.
You can learn a ton from this forum about making choices that are good for you.

 

[wesheltonj]

It depends on where in RSA you are going to hunt Buffalo. Unfortunately, the majority of places in RSA to hunt them will not qualify for inclusion into Rowland Ward's Records of Big Game. I would only hunt them, after checking if that location was acceptable to Rowland Ward. The last thing I would want is to harvest a monster, only to find out it will not qualify for the Record Book.

 

[Sarg]

Just a note on Cape Buffalo Habitat, they can live from top of Mountains to endless Plains to endless Swamp & that is just the Cape Buff.

Historically South Africa was the home to Cape Buffalo from Limpopo in the North to the Cape in the South, most of South Africa had Buffalo so can be found in most habitats in that country one of the most diverse in Africa !

The other main area was East Africa again some very different habitat but I think most hunters think of the classic East African Plains & Bush from reading books, off the Internet or TV shows.

I fully understand that & I think I to would love such a hunt, but SA has some great hunting for Buffalo at near half the cost of others, safer, easier to reach & family friendly with the added bonus of many other animals to hunt in abundance, do the research & you can find a great hunt in SA .

I myself really enjoy wildness area hunts & guided in Super remote areas of Outback Aussie, great place to do a hunt but a night mare to operate in, from logistics to dealing with local tribes .

Much much easier to guide near Darwin or Katherine on massive Ranch's & still great hunt but not true wildness .

Same can be said of Cape Buffalo in Africa & I have been to a lot of the county's Cape Buffalo are found, from Kenya to Caprivi

 

[IvW]

I dont hunt for the book rather the experience that way you end up with great measuring thropies anyway. The older the better.....

There is a lot of excellent buffalo hunting from self sustaining herds, on huge areas availible in RSA.

Many are not aware of this....

And yes this hirse died a long time ago and is a mere dried up skin and bone.....

 

[Red Leg]

There are also some very remote areas of the Caprivi. Leaving Jamy Traut's concession, we drove for at least three hours before hitting pavement and the nearest "town." The areas we hunted were a further 15 - 45 mins by boat depending on the area. Never saw a tourist and the village that owned the concession was a classic Kraal with stick and mud huts. They weren't watching CNN.

View attachment 395402

In fairness, and having been politely reminded by @375Fox, my Caprivi experience was a decade ago. Like everywhere, I shouldn't be surprised that human activity and modernization have taken their toll in recent years.

One thing that I can promise hasn't changed is the remoteness of Mozambique's Zambezi Delta Coutadas.

 

[Happy Myles]

I have successfully hunted buffalo all over the African continent. Luckily for the hunter, buff are well scattered. i enjoy the Caprivi. One night in the eastern portion a herd of bufflo were pushed through camp by a lion pride and the tent grounds smelled like a Midwest stockyard the next morning. In the same camp one evening a couple boys were bringing water to my tent and bumped into three lioness. I had hapana maji moto ( no hot water) that night. Another Caprivi elephant safari to the Western end a croc tried to ambush a camp man cutting reeds along the river. Remember a main highway runs the middle of the strip from end to end and you many hear an eighteen wheeler downshifting while you ar tracking.
As I recall, the only buffalo I have taken in South Africa was in the Timbavati in the Mpumalanga Provence hard against the Kruger Park borders. It was a great 45 plus inch buff, but not a difficult hunt except you needed to drop the critter so it did not get into the Park. We did have a lovely tented camp, which I prefer.
I have found buffalo in the Zambizi Delta to be of smaller size than in the North but still good buffalo. Hunting the tall, vast grass of the Delta is a unique, wonderful experience.
Zimbabwe have taken many buff in the North all good ones.
Tanzania everywhere good buffalo and is my favorite Mbogo country, but is expensive and sometimes a longer hunt required.
I am assuming your interest at this time is not in Forest, Western Cape, or Central Cape buffalo.
i should add my buffalo hunting has occurred over several decades so things may have changed in many places. I enjoy hunting old beat up Dagga Boys with broken, battered horns as much as big horned ones

 

[Tanks]

The pictures below show the two extremes, first one is in the wild where the buffalo fends for itself against all comers. Second pic is a typical herd of RSA buffalo that is raised, protected and then released to be hunted. Of course there are also some in between the two extremes. Also, a 7 day buffalo hunt in the Zambezi in Zimbabwe is not that much more than an RSA buffalo hunt.

 

[IvW]

Here we go again.....all the experts will chime in....

 

[mark-hunter]

From above posts, a new question of this endless subject, comes to spotlight.

What are the conditions of Rawland Ward, for South African cape Buffalo, to be recognized by them.?

How to find the list of outfitters in South Africa, offering Buffalo, recognized by Rawland ward?

 

[Red Leg]

Here we go again.....all the experts will chime in....

At least the horse doesn't mind.

 

[IvW]

From above posts, a new question of this endless subject, comes to spotlight.

What are the conditions of Rawland Ward, for South African cape Buffalo, to be recognized by them.?

How to find the list of outfitters in South Africa, offering Buffalo, recognized by Rawland ward?

It only states that Rowland Ward will only accept entries of African buffalo from self-sustaining fenced populations if they naturally breed on such properties.
That is all it sais, nothing about South Africa or which specific sub species.....
Yet some make assumptions and twist things and exagerate....