Walker, couldn't find my buff pics...

[Las Raices]

They were all pre digital, I guess I should scan them when I get them from down south again.

here are some pictures of some of my other african stuff.

Here are Zebra, Kudu, and Elephant all from Tanzania.

http://www.lasraicesranch.com/images/zebra.jpg

http://www.lasraicesranch.com/images/kudu.jpg

http://www.lasraicesranch.com/images/elephant.jpg

Edit: took out the leopard pic because it was 2.5 meg and it is not letting me shrink it.

[Walker]

Man I love those cape buffalo. I'm planning a hunt hopefully in 08. If water is available I want to go to Masailand

[Las Raices]

Who you hunting with? I hunted with the Pasanisi's Tanganyika Wildlife safari in Masailand and the Selous.

We were on the river in Masailand. Didn't see any buffalo when I was there.

That is the place to go for BIG cats though. They also have Gerenuk (sp?), lesser kudu, and big crocs that they dont have in Selous.

[Walker]

I haven't picked a PH yet. Still doing research, but my booking will have to be flexible until the last 30 days or so. Masailand doesn't have buffalo unless they get Dec. rains. Otherwise the buff stay in the park.
Selous is a consideration if I can swing a longer hunt and go for 2 bulls.
If I go there I'll probably try to Book Pierre Von Tondre

[hatracked]

How many acres is that pen?

[Las Raices]

probably 4 million with no fence.

[hatracked]

Very good !

[Las Raices]

glad you approve. Would be more than happy to help you find a spot in africa to hunt that doesnt involve hunting on a game ranch.

Pretty much all the S african and Namibian game ranches are put and take operations that get animals from other places and set them in there for their hunters to kill them.

They'll even lie to you about it.

Selous is the largest purely native habitat free of humanity left in africa.

The germans kicked all the natives out back in the nineteen teens and made it a game preserve.

[hatracked]

I would definately apprieciate that, and you wont hear me speak a spark of disgust for free range hunting or trophies you took in such a manner.

[Las Raices]

I would just stay away from Namibia and S Africa because pretty much everything there is fenced.

Tanzania, Botswana, Zimbabwe are all good hunts.

Zimbabwe is kind if sketchy as of late.

You have to worry about regional stability when you leave S Africa... and even that isn't as safe as it was.

In Botswana, the Okavongo is coming back nicely. Lots of good elephants, and the plains game is getting back to numbers.

My dad went I think in 2002.

If you are going to hunt outside of a fence it is going to be more expensive.

I personally hate put and take operations. I don't want to shoot any animal that has been touched with human hands or herded and moved in its lifetime.

Just not my thing. But they are MUCH cheaper.

[hatracked]

Thank You no particular outfits in mind?

[Las Raices]

Let me talk to my dad and ask him who he used in Botswana.

Tanganyika Wildlife Safaris in Tanzania is the best outfit in all of africa.

It is tent hunting as close to you can get to it from the turn of the century.

It's REALLY expensive though.

I don't know if they even have a website for the hunting in Selouse and Masailand.

When I did a search all i found was their photo safari branch.

[James Vee]

The outfitter I hunted with and worked for in South Africa purchased 100,000 acres in Mozambique. That land has all of the big five as well as other unique trophies, including cats and crocs. I hope to get there at some point.

As far as your African trophies. Way to go. That kudu is a beast. I'd like to see some more pics of the elephant as well. How many of the big five have you taken? Do you plan to take all five?

[Las Raices]

I've killed lion, leopard, buffalo and elephant.

I have no plans to kill a rhino because all the rhino's I have heard of that you can kill now are behind a high fence and basically rancher's pets and never leave the same 20 acre area even in 20,000 acres under fence.

I don't want to "hunt" something I can get taken directly to any time of day.

Not my cup of tea, but I don't hold it against the people who do choose to shoot them. If it wasn't for the hunting industry and people willing to dish out the cash, they would have been extinct in the wild in the 80's.

[James Vee]

Green hunts for elephant and rhino are both recognized by SCI and qualify for the big five.

[Las Raices]

I have no interest in a green hunt. Darting an animal holds less appeal to me than shooting one.

How many times has it been darted before?

Again, I really don't care about recognition by SCI. I know lots of people that do, and that is great. But Recognition isn't what I'm in it for.

They've already had to bend the rules to make "the big five" still be possible by allowing the rhino to be a white instead of a black.

I think rhino's are cool as hell and I hope we get populations of them back up to where we can have a sustainable yield for the sportsman before too long, but until then I'll work for their continued conservation and expansion without shooting one with dart or gun.

[hatracked]

Im looking to go in 08 and I would apprieciate any info either of you can steer me towards that will land me hunting free range animals fair chase. I just cant swallow the fence deal although I do understand fully well that in Africa they have some truely differring circumstances with not only poacher control but animal control. None the less I dont want to have to start my hunt by going through a fence gate.

[Las Raices]

That's easy bro!

Just cut it like the poachers do!

:lol1)

No seriously, I completely agree with you.

[Walker]

John, I haven't decided 100% yet but I'm leaning towards these guys
http://www.safaritrackers.com
There is a ton, almost too much to digest, of info about hunting Africa
at this site http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve

[hatracked]

Thanks Walker headed there now.