ZIMBABWE: Has Anyone Been On Safari With Victoria Falls Safari Services

[Crash2057]

Has anyone been on safari with Victoria Falls Safari Services out of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe? Thinking of doing a late season hunt with them.

 

[375Fox]

You should find out who the PH would be and the area they’d be hunting and ask again. I’ve never heard of them and don’t see a hunting operator by that name with Google. What brought you to them?

 

[Lourenço Fontes]

I hunt there , whats the area ? And name of the operator ?

 

[mark-hunter]

There is some company under that name, I found on google map. But overall very weak internet signature.

To mi it looks like tourist operator, or agency. But I am sure they can connect a hunter to a local outfitter.

 

[cpr0312]

There are plenty of vetted outfitters on this site who operate in Zim. I would suggest reaching out to them and also considering them regarding hunting there.

 

[Crash2057]

Thank you for your responses to my inquiry. The PH is Mike Bilgnaut and the area is Matetsi East. It is listed through the USA agent Sean Scott at Safari Connection at Safariconnedtion.com.

 

[375Fox]

If you search “Blignaut” you find him mentioned several times. Here’s a recent good report hunting with him in a different area. You’ll need to speak with references on matetsi east. I’m assuming it’s a community area bordering the matetsi safari blocks.

Thread 'ZIMBABWE: Elephant, Hippo, Crocodile Hunt With Tokoloshe Safaris'

Sep 14, 2024

Well, I’ve been back in the USA for a week at work and I’m finally making time to post this hunt report. I had a 10 day hunt with @Tokoloshe Safaris in the Lake Kariba/Mlibizi River region of Zimbabwe. This is true free range wild hunting block/concessions that border Hwange National Park, a couple different forest reserves, and other designated safari areas. Because of the animals I would be hunting and the government protected lands we were hunting close to ,I would have a Zimbabwe Council Rep and a National Parks Rep with us the entire hunt. My PH for this hunt was Mike Blignaut...

• Mark Henderson
• Replies: 38
• Forum: Hunting reports Africa

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[Rare Breed]

Ah…@375fox sheds the needed light. While @Tokoloshe Safaris has a great ph in Lisel Denny, Lon’s wife, they use a couple of phs to handle some of their hunts. Having myself both hunted and taken my elephant this past April with them you should feel very comfortable as long as it’s through Tokoloshe. Otherwise I just would not have experience in your situation given I did not recognize “Vic Falls Safari”

 

[375Fox]

Ah…@375fox sheds the needed light. While @Tokoloshe Safaris has a great ph in Lisel Denny, Lon’s wife, they use a couple of phs to handle some of their hunts. Having myself both hunted and taken my elephant this past April with them you should feel very comfortable as long as it’s through Tokoloshe. Otherwise I just would not have experience in your situation given I did not recognize “Vic Falls Safari”

It’s likely that PHs own company. Many PHs freelance for other outfitters as well when they have openings in their schedule. I unfortunately remember the agent and the name safari connection from a past thread that now appears deleted. Nothing against the PH he appears to have a good reputation, but the agent’s behavior was some of worst I’ve seen here (assuming the username was who he said he was).

 

[Lourenço Fontes]

When i hunt there i hunt whit Shingi .
Im gonna send you the contact, he knows very well matetsi area

 

[Tusker]

Thank you for your responses to my inquiry. The PH is Mike Bilgnaut and the area is Matetsi East. It is listed through the USA agent Sean Scott at Safari Connection at Safariconnedtion.com.

Matetsi East is part of ECA on the East side of the road. We hunt there,,, I was there about 2 months ago. No much game in this time of the year. Not very big either (3k-4k) hectare and most water sources are taken over by cattle (specially this year). Is good place for cats at the begging of the season though.

 

[Crash2057]

I appreciate the information on the area and outfitters, it is really helpful in making my decision. This is exactly why I joined African Hunting to learn and share our experiences. Thank you all.

 

[Hank2211]

The best hunting areas - just my opinion - in the Matetsi area are the units, numbered 1-5 (unless things have changed). I know the owners of Unit 2 - who also hunt Kazuma - and they are first rate. Even though I have hunted Matetsi three times, I have never come across Matetsi East. Given what Tusker has said about the size, it would be dwarfed by the size of the Matetsi units, which are enormous.

 

[375er]

Word to the wise, if you can't find much info on them be very suspicious. Plenty of well reviewed and highly regarded outfitters on this site. 3k-4k hectares in Africa doesn't even qualify as postage stamp comparison.

 

[txsouthpaw]

If you search “Blignaut” you find him mentioned several times. Here’s a recent good report hunting with him in a different area. You’ll need to speak with references on matetsi east. I’m assuming it’s a community area bordering the matetsi safari blocks.

Thread 'ZIMBABWE: Elephant, Hippo, Crocodile Hunt With Tokoloshe Safaris'

Sep 14, 2024

Well, I’ve been back in the USA for a week at work and I’m finally making time to post this hunt report. I had a 10 day hunt with @Tokoloshe Safaris in the Lake Kariba/Mlibizi River region of Zimbabwe. This is true free range wild hunting block/concessions that border Hwange National Park, a couple different forest reserves, and other designated safari areas. Because of the animals I would be hunting and the government protected lands we were hunting close to ,I would have a Zimbabwe Council Rep and a National Parks Rep with us the entire hunt. My PH for this hunt was Mike Blignaut...

• Mark Henderson
• Replies: 38
• Forum: Hunting reports Africa

• 
• 

I’m totally unfamiliar with Matetsi East, but Mike Blignaut was camp manager when I first met him in 2010 (I was hunting with Lindon Stanton). At the time he was working on his Zim PH license. Mike is a registered PH now and although I know nothing about that specific area, I wouldn’t hesitate to hunt with him. BTW, Mike’s brother-in-law is Lindon Stanton (owner of Mbalabala Safaris), whom I’ve hunted with 4 times and also highly recommended.

 

[txsouthpaw]

Congrats, Mike on the partnership with Sean on this hunting area. The best of luck to you and maybe our paths will cross when I’m in Zim in December chasing elephant in Ngamo Sikumi. Take care, Gene

 

[dlmac]

This is an interesting thread. I know Sean Scott and have hunted with him several times in the USA. I had a hunt scheduled in Zim with him and Mike 2020, then my health and covid changed all that. Might reach out to him and see if he is still doing Africa. He was going to get out of the business, the bought/leased another concession. I don't think his wife was a happy camper about that decision???