Buffalo Hunting with Diana

Buffalo Hunting

From a historic perspective, amongst the Big Five it was the lion and the elephant that drew the most attention back in the golden age of African hunting, during the period up to the Second World War. They were big, beautiful and very exotic, and seen with western eyes, these two trophies could not be beaten. The buffalo however was often regarded as a large cow, and we knew cows from here at home. That was the attitude at the time, at least amongst Europeans who had never set foot in Africa. To them it was the least valued of the Big Five. However, amongst those people who had actually hunted for big game, the attitude was totally different. To them the buffalo was often held in the highest regard and it was seen as the most challenging of the Big Five to hunt. The hunt was physically hard, made great demands on your hunting skills, and posed a real risk to life and limb. Buffalo were clever and calculating, and could suddenly appear behind the hunters from nowhere.

In recent time most people have come to appreciate just how spectacular an animal the buffalo really is, and not just as an hunting object. Indeed many hunters today believe that the buffalo is the greatest hunting challenge that Africa can offer.

Untamed Africa

I myself have experienced hunting for Uganda’s wild buffalo, which is an incredible experience, not just for the hunting  itself, but also largely because of the culture here. Wild buffalo don’t live in areas that are often visited by tourists, so during a buffalo hunt you will meet the real Africa and real Africans. Africa is known for being both beautiful and brutal, but when you are amongst the people here, who live in small groups in the bush, you are nearly always greeted with a big smile, interest and hospitality.

The same is true for the countries of Zambia and Mozambique. Here you will also hunt in untamed bush, far from the areas tourists often visit, which really gives you the experience of a lifetime.

Large areas of both Zambia and Mozambique are covered by huge wetlands, which provide a really good habitat for buffalo, which are attracted to this type of vegetation. Also you often hunt in dense reed beds, which helps to make your hunting experience even more intense and exciting.

Mozambique as a Hunting Destination

Mozambique is developing into an incredibly exciting hunting destination. Because of its unique habitats and some of the world’s largest game parks, Mozambique can offer some of the most sought after game species in Africa, such as hippopotamus, crocodile, sable, elephant, leopard and a wide range of antelopes. Hunting for many of the species can be combined with a buffalo hunt. Another great advantage offered by Mozambique is that the enormous areas of inaccessible reed beds allow many animals to hide away from people for most of their lifetime, so in Mozambique it is always possible that a trophy of a size you normally only dream about, could appear during your hunt.

Zimbabwe is a Safe Choice

Much has happened on Zimbabwe’s political landscape in recent times. But that has always been the case. You sometimes hear about unrest in the country, as you also often do in Mozambique. But you must not let this put you off hunting here, you should just remember how big these countries actually are. Mozambique is little larger than Germany, while Zimbabwe is a little smaller. If there is trouble in a single German city, it doesn’t mean that Germany suddenly becomes an unsafe country to hunt in, and exactly the same holds true for Africa.

Zimbabwe in particular has a very professionally managed hunting industry. Hunting provides an income to both the state and the local population, which is one of the reasons why you are generally made to feel so welcome here. Zimbabwe is one of the best countries to hunt buffalo in, both in regard to safety and the quality of the trophy that you have come after.