matetsi lions

tap

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I was thinking about starting to look at putting together my safari for next year and figure the best place to start inquiring was right here on ah.

First off I had a friend hunt the matetsi block back in 2008. He saw many lions with massive manes and was completely impressed with them. I've been wanting to hunt a free range lion for some time but have not liked the looks of most free range lions. However, I now believe my friend about the matetsi lions and I am looking toward martin Pieter to book a possible hunt for next year. My only draw backs as of now are that martin Pieter has one lion on his website for 2012 and the lion hardly has a mane. Is this the typical type of lion taken in matetsi? If not does anyone know what the lions look like in matetsi. What can I expect to get. Im assuming that for the price people want for matetsi lions that they must have some very massive manes and provide one heck of a hunt? are any of my suspicions true?

Secondly, I am still looking to shoot my first buffalo. I don't really expect Zimbabwe to have a buffalo I would consider taking but while Im on the subject why not ask you guys as well. I've put it in my mind that I will not shoot a buffalo unless he meets my exact criteria. He going to have to be at least 42" wide. He going to have to have a lot of mass in his horns in the curl and not just in the boss. Hes going to have to have a very deep drop and a lot of curl back inward. Lastly he has to have flat boss's not the knobby boss's you see on most buffalo. In short, I am looking for a very specific look and I wont deviate as I want this to be a challenge. I spent the last 8 years chasing my eland before finally taking my dream eland. Now I need another trophy to seek. I've decided that a buffalo with this look will be my buffalo.

Can any of you lend any help towards answering my questions about the matetsi lions martin hunts?

The other hunt I was looking at doing was a trophy elephant hunt in Tanzania. I was thinking about taking my wife there to find a long tusker and do a massive buffalo hunt for myself and try and see if Tanzania might have my buffalo. I've been told the buffalo I see may be in the area hunted by runguwa safaris. Do they have massive buffalo and ele?

Thanks in advance.
 
Good grief Tony!! You spend more time and money on Africa than just about anybody here except for the pros. Whataya askin' us poor, hick boobs for?
:dancing:
 
quit your complaining ses and hop on a plane and come join me :)

Besides you guys are the experts. Im only taking advantage of all the knowledge on here. If you think my safari hunting addiction is bad now just wait until next year. Im gonna have to hire a full time nanny that's willing to travel just to watch my kids lol

Now about that lion........ tell me what you know! and where do I get my wife a long tusker in Tanzania?
 
I too have heard great stories about Lions in that part of Zim, but you know what they say about high expectations don't you?
My sister always told me nobody has higher expectations in life than you, the problem is you expect the same from everyone else. That is a HUGE problem for me and I have tried let go of expectations in life and go with the flow.
Maybe you'll see one or you don't....it ain't the olden days in Zim anymore!
As far as elephants there are definitely some giants in Tanzania and Mozambique. I personally wouldn't worry about taking the tusks home. Ivan could set you up in Tanzania. I tell you this much watching "track and trail adventures" I saw some GIANTS on film, no one would shoot them because as a USA resident you couldn't import them. If I was doing one elephant hunt and money was no question, I'd probably go there.
I'll tell you one thing I do know film don't lie...for the most part.
 
hmmmmmm, never thought of that. I have several of my crews that are working for me with green cards. I can ship that beast to mexico for taxidermy. Heck I live right on the border. lol
 
I watched Ivan's hunt in Masailand, Tanzania a few times, definitely some big long ivory.
The non exportable elephants from Moz, where thick and long. I think them are living longer because they have anti poaching camp managers and the fact the big boys aren't hunting them because of USA regulations.
 
I am still looking to shoot my first buffalo. I don't really expect Zimbabwe to have a buffalo I would consider taking but while Im on the subject why not ask you guys as well. I've put it in my mind that I will not shoot a buffalo unless he meets my exact criteria. He going to have to be at least 42" wide. He going to have to have a lot of mass in his horns in the curl and not just in the boss. Hes going to have to have a very deep drop and a lot of curl back inward. Lastly he has to have flat boss's not the knobby boss's you see on most buffalo. In short, I am looking for a very specific look and I wont deviate as I want this to be a challenge. I've decided that a buffalo with this look will be my uffalo.

Can any of you lend any help towards answering my questions about the matetsi lions martin hunts?



Thanks in advance.

Sounds like you need to go shopping, not hunting.
They shoot some massively mained Lion in RSA.
Lion in Matetsi area = Rob Style.
 
My wife is fine with rsa. However i dont see myself hunting africa much longer if i cant find a challenge. Ive been chasing free range elk in the us for 12 years now. Ive yet to kill my 400" bull. Lets just say i put a lot of boot leather down for elk. The most challenging animal ive found close to that is a 60" kudu and a true blue eland. I can always see myself coming back to hunt those as they are most definitely a true challenge but grocery shopping is something i dont care to do. I want big things because representative animals arent hard and i want a challenge. Im sorry if i have offended you and you think im a grocery shopper or someone of that sort. I simply eat sleep and breathe hunting. If it makes you feel any better i own a dozen anims that would make top ten sci. Not a single animal i ever kill will be entered. I hunt for the "kid at christmas" feel i get from it and when the day comes that it no longer excites me i will hopefully live those same memories through the eyes of my kids who i hope are as adimant about hunting as i am. Now as for my original question, i would "like" an opportunity at a large maned lion. Do those possibilities exist in matetsi?
 
I have seen very nice lions in the matetsi!
there are a lot of lions, and they have nice full manes, 42" Buff with your criteria, yes im sure there are some somewhere in the Matetsi, but you will have a challenge!
good luck
 
if money were no object I would look at the Sabie area in Mozambique for the lion.
for the buffalo you may want to contact one of the outifts that get kruger park buffalo permits, they shoot some big buffalo there but it will cost you. Other than that probably Western Tanzania
 
Kruger buff = Johan Herman rigby big game safari's
 
Jaco

I spoke with johan in dallas. Ive also looked at his new website and i really didnt see any biffalo that impressed me. The pictures may be bad pictures but i wasnt impressed. Heck even my old tried and trusted sa ph of the last 10 years is telling me to hunt with him. Its sounding more and more like im going to have to give it a try.

Thanks jaco
 
Tap,

The lion on Martin's website is from the Omay. There are some very nice lions on Matetsi. You contact Martin or Tim Farren (Tim416) as to the availibility of lion hunts on Matetsi (at least in their areas). My guess is 2014 and 2015 is sold out in that area. Another good area is Bubye Valley Conservancy. Yes it is fenced, over 1,000,000 acres or 1600 square miles. It is as free range as any area in Africa. Quota is very limited and probably sold out for the next couple of years. John Sharp, Martin Nel, Pete Fick, or Shaun Buffee is who you would want to deal with on the BVC for lion.

This is an example of the quality of the lions. It was taken last year.

BuffeeLion_zps21c9e31a.jpg



In regards to the buffalo that may be a tough bill to fill if I understand what you are looking for.

Look at these three buffalo I shot.

Buffalo one is from the Selous. It is probably the youngest. Around 38", wide boss, good drop, swept back horns.

Buffalo two is from Mozambique. Around 49" Smoother boss not as much sweep back, decent drop, probably two years older than buffalo one.

Buffalo three (two pictures) is from Omay South. Around 40" It is about as old as a buffalo can be and still have horns. The boss is smooth, it did have good drop, but it has no sweep in the horns.

My point is a young buffalo will have its horns swept back. As they become older they look more like buffalo number three. I have found in my experience the older the buffalo the smoother the boss. Others may have different experience.

BuffI.jpg


49InBuffaloI-1.jpg


BuffIV-1.jpg


BuffI-1.jpg



Buffalo two mounted

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Wow that lion is absolutely amazing. If that's the type I can possibly get in the matetsi I will definitely have to look toward martin for a hunt. I spoke with John Sharp last year about leopard and various other hunts. I don't know about his lion but his leopards in 2012 were sold out all the way until 2015. I would think he lions would be in higher demand than that. I could be several years waiting on john sharp. I was mainly wanting to know the quality of the matetsi lion as I met martin in las vegas last year and he seems like the type of guy I would like to hunt with. Hopefully martin can save me a lion tag and I can go hunting with him next year. We will see.

Thanks for the replies. I do appreciate them very much.
 
Tap I personally hunted a 48" and a 47,5" on Mtimkulu with Johan these two were taken in a matter 2 days by the same client after this I successfully hunted a 46 and 2 x 44" connecting with a 42" + should not be to hard,,,, go early Around March to April... You should be extremely happy with the result....

My best always.
 
Jaco do you have any pics of those buff?
 
I do as I recall Johan had them on his site as well, I am in town as we speak but will be happy to forward them to you as soon as I get in front of my desk later tonight or in the morning....

My best always
 
Tap,

We have had one lion per year on quota until this year, (2013) Parks and Wildlife has allotted us an additional male lion for this year as well as 2014. I have attached a photo of last years lion. This is indicative of what we have been shooting in unit 1
Buffalo average 38" with good bosses. Last year we took eighteen buffalo and seven were over forty. With this being said,
the average still lands in the 38" class. We still have one lion left for 2014 due to it just a short time ago being added to the quota.
Here are a few pictures of buff from the past couple of seasons.

If you want more info let me know and I will e-mail you.

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Last edited by a moderator:
do you have more lion pics from the matetsi area that you guys have been taking?
 

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