Okay, time to plan my dream hunt before I get too old to be able to go. I have always wanted to go to Africa on a DG hunt. Now I can afford it and I am going. Any recommendations on either Cape Buffalo or Leopard for a first DG hunt? I have always wanted to hunt either of these. Also, which countries should I focus on?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Dan

Can't dream your dream hunt for you, but it seems the odds would favor buffalo. After all there are a lot more of them.

Hope you make it and good luck if you do.

hi oneeye66,
does your user name imply a physical impairment? if so, spell this out when researching as leopard hunts are conducted at night in some countries. alot of guys like to combine leopard and buffalo, which can make sense as a considerable amount of time is spent driving around aquiring and checking leopard baits and depending on where you are, anything can happen on the way.
where you go depends on how much you want to spend! Bots., Tz., Zambia and Mozam. allmost allways have considerable extra expenses like charters, concession fees, etc, etc, etc. Zim and Namibia are more affordable, but i have no first hand experience in Namibia. there are good numbers of both species in all these countries.
where ever you decide to go, talk to a few outfitters from each country, get references and call them! if you can hook up with a good one, you'll have the time of your life! i can put you in touch with a couple if you like.
quick thought, my experience is 375 caliber is marginal for buffalo.

hi oneeye66,
does your user name imply a physical impairment? if so, spell this out when researching as leopard hunts are conducted at night in some countries. alot of guys like to combine leopard and buffalo, which can make sense as a considerable amount of time is spent driving around aquiring and checking leopard baits and depending on where you are, anything can happen on the way.
where you go depends on how much you want to spend! Bots., Tz., Zambia and Mozam. allmost allways have considerable extra expenses like charters, concession fees, etc, etc, etc. Zim and Namibia are more affordable, but i have no first hand experience in Namibia. there are good numbers of both species in all these countries.
where ever you decide to go, talk to a few outfitters from each country, get references and call them! if you can hook up with a good one, you'll have the time of your life! i can put you in touch with a couple if you like.
quick thought, my experience is 375 caliber is marginal for buffalo.

Thanks for the great advice. Yes, my handle is correct, as I only have one eye. I lost my left eye in a bowhunting accident (shot by another bowhunter at dark) back in 1983. While I wear eyeglasses, I have better than 20/20 (20/15) vision in my remaining eye. I also have excellent low light vision, so I am not concerned with that. With that said, I will definitely share this with any PH I consider.

Please do send me any PH recommendations you. If you can PM or e-mail if you prefer. My e-mail address is dlfrein@comcast.net

Thanks again.

Dan

416 wud be a better choice as a minimum ..

Sending you an email on a PH I know in Taz..

Dan,
Hope you get to make the trip. Having hunted and shot both species you mentioned, along with a lot of others...I'll share my thoughts, since you asked:
MOST of the time, Leopard hunting is about as exciting as target shooting. Lottsa shooting from blinds, over bait. The only time it gets REALLY exciting is if everything has gone wrong, and a wounded cat has to be sorted out from the thick stuff...and NOBODY wants that experience. Hunting Buffalo on the other hand will be done on your own two feet, tracking, stalking, and finally taking what you hope will be...the one shot to drop your Buff. If he runs off with a bullet in him...well, now you have a problem...sorting out a wounded Buff will get your heart going just as much as that cat I mentioned. My preference is probably pretty obvious by now...I'll shoot another cat if it's a problem and needs to be shot. I'll gladly go Buffalo hunting every chance I get.
Cheers,
Don

a wounded leopard or buff is like the old fighter pilot story of " hours of boredom intersperesed with thirty seconds of sheer terror "

A wounded buff is serious buisness if ya hafta go lookin for him ..

A cat , odds are good the PH will go in with buckshot and leave you behind ..

For a first DG hunt I would favour Buffalo as being the more stimulating, interspersed with plains game. A lot of people go Leopard hunting and spend 14 days sitting in a blind without ever getting a shot.

Tanzania remains top spot for Buffalo although it is probably the most expensive. I think Zambia is a good bet: the trophies aren't quite as large as Tanzania although they are not far off so you should pick up something nice. Zimbabwe offers good cheap hunting as long as you accept the politically unstability and all the problems that could come with that.

...If you're planning on going, go for both of them. Buffalo in the daylight hours, and leopard dusk to dark.
Life's short...hunt hard!

South Africa can be difficult for leopard as they limit the amount of permits. The last I heard they issued 110 for last year.

Kudu40

Buffalo are mean critters dude, so use plenty of gun, preferably a lever or bolt gun.

Leopards are very tenaciuos and wiry vermin..... I've had good experience with a marlin 1895 in 45-70 handloads against 'em.
quick handlin', reeaall fast cycle, and it hits like a semi.

I am going with those saying "Buffalo" first. Guido above, pretty much lays out my reasoning so I won't be redundant.

The only thing I would add, go on a real safari. Not a ranch hunt. I would go for Botswana (first choice) and Tanzania (second choice). Tanzania has the best buffalo but nothing beats the Okavanga Delta for being way "out there" and away from people. Masailand in Tanzania, where the best Buffalo are is just way too covered up with people. My first hunt was a buffalo hunt in Botswana and I wouldn't change a thing.

Just my .02.

Sir;
Peter Capstick (now gone) rated wounded leopard as Africas most dangerous game.
Of course, you don't want to wound one - he said "they are a brown streak at close range (wounded of course!)
HNB