ZIMBABWE: African Trails Safaris & PH Shingi - Don't Let The Website Fool You!

[Russ16]

Why is it they an every time someone posts a negative review people feel the need to argue with them? Even if I disagree with their review I view it as just consider it a data point.

Even the beating outfitters and PH have someone that has a bad experience. Just chalk it up to a data point and consider all available information.

I find it a unique thing about this site that any bad review gets and immediate questioning of the poster. They had a bad experience, it may or may not be their fault but consider it in totality of information and move on.

 

[meigsbucks]

That “hunt” with ATS sucked. Glad your hunt in the BVC with Martin Peters worked out well. My first safari was there in 2013. A special place.

 

[Andrew62]

That the Matetsi ECA area is heavily poached was recently confirmed to me by two other PH’s that have hunted most of their lives in Zimbabwe.

I hunted in the Matetsi area earlier this year for elephant, I have no idea what block or area, but in 55 hours of riding in the hunting vehicle and 25 miles of walking, I saw exactly 1 duiker and 6 baboons.

 

[major hunter]

I hunted in the Matetsi area earlier this year for elephant, I have no idea what block or area, but in 55 hours of riding in the hunting vehicle and 25 miles of walking, I saw exactly 1 duiker and 6 baboons.

sent you a pm, curious who you hunted with. Don't want to take over this post!

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Here are my answers Mtn_Infantry:

• I wasn’t familiar with the Zimbabwe permitting system, i.e. how permits are allocated. I assumed that since Elephant Trails stated they had permits for that area, that things would be ok. The Florida owner had stated, referring to Unit 5, “since we go often, they grant us more priority than to other outfitters”. So he made it sound that he was one of the preferred outfitters for that area…
• Again, as in (1), due to lack of familiarity with the Zim permitting system, I assumed that it was a special price to fill his spots. Thoughts about “undercutting concession holders” never occurred to me..
• No, and looking back, I sure wished I had done more research. Live and learn.
• Same as (4).
• Same as (3,4).

These are all good questions, and it is good to emphasize how important it is to do one’s homework.

I did more research for my subsequent hunt in the Bubye Valley Conservancy, from which I just returned a few weeks ago. This turned out to be a fantastic hunt made possible by Martin Pieters. The PH was Chap Esterhuizen; couldn’t have wished for a more fun, kind, professional PH. Now that I have dealt with these guys, I know I will be in good hands for future hunts in Zimbabwe!

Glad your follow-on hunt worked out. Unfortunately you learned a tough lesson, and hopefully other AH members can learn from your mishap. The BVC is a great area and permitting there/quota is done a bit different than the concession and safari areas in Zimbabwe.

I'd encourage you to do A LOT of research on any hunt you're looking into, but especially ones outside the country. If you're using a booking agent or booking through someone, make sure you do your due diligence. I always ask if they've hunted with the outfitter in that area, how long ago, how many clients they've sent to that outfitter to hunt in that area, etc. There are only a handful of booking agents I'd trust when booking a hunt. Below is an example

@Green Chile and I were discussing a potential Muskox and Caribou Hunt last year and I found several dozen booking agents offering them at a variety of prices, as well as a few outfitters. With a little bit of work I was able to trace back each booking agent to the different outfitters they were working with. I think it boiled down to 7 or 8 different outfitters (between direct and agents) and a majority of the "agents" were working with the same couple outfitters. Each agent offered different prices and almost all at an inflated cost compared to what the outfitter quoted me. The couple of agents I'd trust were were the only ones inline with the outfitters direct prices