Anyone Know the Malapati Zim Concession

Anyone been to the small (relatively speaking) Malapati Concession in southestern Zim by the National Park on the border with Mozambique? I am headed there this year and I understand its known for good elephants (meaning good numbers and decent #s i the 50+ lb range with 3 of 9 last year goging upper 60's=70/side) and really good Leopard - in better than usual numbers (6 for 6 on the quota last year and for a couple of years running).

I also understand that the Buffalo are marginal. I have been plainly and frankly told the Bufs are there in good numbers with lots of dugga boys to hunt but not the really broad horns and deep curls like other areas. We will be looking for a Dugga Boy in the 37-38" range max - just no 40+ animals in the area. If the right hard bossed old warrior in the 35-36" range comes through - I am shooting.

Anyone been there to share an expeirience? I am hunting with a very expeirienced Black PH and his 3 sons, 2 of whom are also DG licensed PHs and a third son (young) with a PH license and needs time to become a DG PH on his own license.

I will hunt with Nixon and his 2nd oldest as my 2nd back-up and Steve (oldest) will do the baiting, checking and rebaiting and blind set-up for the the Leopard until we have some cats on baits.

I have already investigated the PH and he was licensed more than 23 years ago (when a Black PH was unheard off), is well educted, well spoken and I have talked with several hunteres who have taken their wife's with them without any trouble. Apparently being Black is very helpful in Zim these last few years. His concessions have not changed - at all - in 20+ years, except to get larger as his sons have come into the business with DG licenses.

Again, any thoughts on the area?

Thanks

check with mbogobutch - I'm pretty sure he posted a report about hunting with Nixon.

- browningbbr

I took two great elephant bulls in Malapati with Nixon last Oct/Nov. My partner took two great buffalo. It is a great area and I recommend it.

I just returned from Malapati hunting with PH John Wambach and Nixon and his crew. I took a 45" buffalo with 15 1/2" solid bosses, a non- trophy bull elephant and a nice and very unexpected 5" klippie among other things. Nice camp on the river across from the National Park and very friendly staff. Nixon is quite the character and he runs a pretty good operation despite the logistical problems in Zim. The buffalo were rather exceptional. The elephant sign was as thick as I'd ever seen it. We had a nice tom leopard working the baits but I don't like lamp shooting and he never checked in early for us. Excellent waterbuck and kudu and lots of lion about. This was my 7th safari and it was quite a trip.

I noticed that Nixon's concession was termed "relatively small". It is 170, 000 hectares.

Here is a rather poor cell phone photo of the 45" buffalo I took on August 2, 2012 at Malapati (within walking distance of camp...) and my .470 Chapuis using Hornady DGX and DGS factory ammo

Very Very nice Cape Buffalo...hard to beat this one...

PGC1877 said:

Here is a rather poor cell phone photo of the 45" buffalo I took on August 2, 2012 at Malapati (within walking distance of camp...) and my .470 Chapuis using Hornady DGX and DGS factory ammo

Click to expand...