Just got this email from an agent. Is this true?:
Please pardon any perceived sense of rush in regard to this email, and please revert instead to Bubba's judgment that I am a straight shooter. I just concluded a rather alarming phone conversation with representatives in Africa and the time is now to act on safaris for 2014. Here is why.
First, Zambia will shortly announce that there will be no hunting in 2014. I have seen some of the pre-press policy information. Zambia had already suspended safaris in 2013 for all but 4 concessions, and had stopped all lion and leopard hunting. People were opening it would re-open, but it almost assuredly is going in the wrong direction. I myself have a safari planned there for 2014 which is in jeopardy.
Secondly, RENAMO (a rebel group) is disrupting safaris in Mozambique. A PH and vehicle were recently fired upon during a recent safari. The security situation there is forecasted to erode to the point that safari operators will eventually halt safari operations, or the rest of us will become concerned and op out of Mozambique as a hunting destination. It appears that conditions will erode to the bush wars of the past.
The consequence of these two factors is that demand will shift almost entirely to Zimbabwe for buffalo and lion for that matter. Consequently, anyone who is considering hunting in Unit 5 Matetsi for 2014 should book it immediately. It already was a best option regardless of conditions in and beyond Zimbabwe, but now more people will become aware of it due to available credible options becoming more limited.
I do not want to appear as an alarmist, but I monitor and pay strict attention to leading indicators. This message is going out as an alert to several people who are considering safaris for 2014, and I wanted you to be among the first to know. If Marco Polo is more preferential for 2014, no worries, except that the rise in demand will mean higher safari costs in 2015.
Please pardon any perceived sense of rush in regard to this email, and please revert instead to Bubba's judgment that I am a straight shooter. I just concluded a rather alarming phone conversation with representatives in Africa and the time is now to act on safaris for 2014. Here is why.
First, Zambia will shortly announce that there will be no hunting in 2014. I have seen some of the pre-press policy information. Zambia had already suspended safaris in 2013 for all but 4 concessions, and had stopped all lion and leopard hunting. People were opening it would re-open, but it almost assuredly is going in the wrong direction. I myself have a safari planned there for 2014 which is in jeopardy.
Secondly, RENAMO (a rebel group) is disrupting safaris in Mozambique. A PH and vehicle were recently fired upon during a recent safari. The security situation there is forecasted to erode to the point that safari operators will eventually halt safari operations, or the rest of us will become concerned and op out of Mozambique as a hunting destination. It appears that conditions will erode to the bush wars of the past.
The consequence of these two factors is that demand will shift almost entirely to Zimbabwe for buffalo and lion for that matter. Consequently, anyone who is considering hunting in Unit 5 Matetsi for 2014 should book it immediately. It already was a best option regardless of conditions in and beyond Zimbabwe, but now more people will become aware of it due to available credible options becoming more limited.
I do not want to appear as an alarmist, but I monitor and pay strict attention to leading indicators. This message is going out as an alert to several people who are considering safaris for 2014, and I wanted you to be among the first to know. If Marco Polo is more preferential for 2014, no worries, except that the rise in demand will mean higher safari costs in 2015.
