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I'm looking at a 7 to 10 day hunt for plains game. (maybe 5-7 animals)
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Sounds like a reasonable proposition for the number of days and game animals sought.
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What you want to do is define either is the area/region important and decide what animals are available there. Or decide which game animals are important and then look for the area which has most of them.
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Many hunters like to hunt game native to the area, though many game ranches (fenced) will introduce all sorts of game not native to the area. I prefer the first ie hunting game native to the area.
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When you are listing what animals you want, work out your preference - eg Is kudu your main goal? But you definitely also want a zebra, a warthog and an impala. If they are available a waterbuck, an eland would be nice. Then discuss this with the outfitter so he knows, as he may have to set aside quota for you. And the PH will know what mainly to target. Could mean a shift in locations as well.
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Also discuss trophy sizes representative to the area and what you can expect. Do some checking to see what is "representative" or better for the area.
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My advice is not to be a "tape measure" hunter, aim for nice or better representative trophies and AIM TO HAVE FUN! If you do you will be back.
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I'm told that Namibia is one of the most overlooked areas and is one of the last unspoiled places on the continent. I'm not sure what to believe any more as I've heard so many differing opinions.
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Namibia is both very safe, well organised and a fun and nice place to hunt.
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It is well priced for plains game hunting.
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My first thought was to stay away from high fence hunts. Then someone told me that the fences are there for a reason and explained that in Africa, most places that aren't fenced are poached out. He went on to explain that these huge ranches are managed just as a trophy whitetail ranch would be here in the states, except a lot larger, and assured me that I wouldn't see a fence all day.
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I don't really like the comments you were told, but can't comment much as I don't know their specifics or context.
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High fenced ranches can be quite different in their range, size, stocking of animals etc. A very large high fenced property may not be a lot different from totally free range.
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It is not true that non-high fenced places are "totally poached out". I have hunted in at least nine locations. The only places where plains game was scarce was the big game areas of the Zambezi Valley. Hunters generally hunt there for elephant, buffalo, lion etc, and do the bulk of their plains game hunting in the high or low veld (in Zim). The free range and high fenced hunts were of a par but most hunting I did was free range. I classify cattle fences (low fenced) are free-range or "unfenced" by the way.
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If you don't see a fence on a high fenced hunt it is because the PH is driving the vehicle so you never see it.
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You mentioned Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, Caprivi. Are all of these areas safe? (my wife thinks everywhere in Africa is dangerous and says "why don't you just go back to Newfoundland or Alaska?")

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If your wife is nervous, Namibia would be excellent. South Africa also is pretty good. And if you pick a good outfitter/PH they will arrange for you to be met at the airport and you won't have much to worry about.
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I can't comment on Caprivi in Namibia or Mozambique as I haven't been there.
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Tanzania was a long time ago, but from others it sounds pretty good.
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Zimbabwe is a mess. If you book well ahead, I suggest you place your deposit with a US based agent and insist it be held until close to the safari. At the moment almost everyone hunting in Zimbabwe is having no problems ie for the client. Outfitters face a tough business but the good big ones do an exemplary job. So good, you as a client wouldn't notice. Myself as a client I would have no problem going there, but would make sure the outfitter was of a high standard, legally able to operate there, and would make sure my deposit was protected if things changed in the meantime.
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When I say "real African experience", I don't mind a tent camp, I just don't want it to seem like a canned hunt. I recently talked to a fellow SCI member who returned from a lion hunt (actually i think it may have been a lioness hunt)On the first morning out, they drove a jeep maybe a mile or so, saw a lion under a tree, drove up and shot it. I would be terribly disappointed in a hunt like this (apparently he wasn't).
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Make sure if you hunt in a high fence area the area of continuous unfenced areas is nice and large.
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Lots of places to choose and Namibia sounds like a great place to start.
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