DPhillips
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Reged: 09/10/03
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Loc: Alaska
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Would appreciate any input on what those that have hunted Lemco or nearby. For a sable/plainsgame safari, when is the best time of year to hunt (overall enjoyment and best chance at good representative mature animals). Advice and suggestions are welcomed.
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Spring
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Reged: 01/04/04
Posts: 104
Loc: Georgia
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I hunted there last year and really enjoyed it. After hunting for my buff up at Chirisa, we drove down to hunt at Lemco for 8 days. The place is huge (950,000 acreas at last count--it used to be 1 million, but the land grab cost them a parcel). You'll have a chance at a remarkable assortment of game when there. The one issue you'll need to investigate is that the place is divided into different sections and each has its own quota of animals. When there, one of the things I really wanted was a sable. The section where I hunted had very few, while another section that had used up its quota by the time that I got there had plenty. You'll want to check with your safari company (probably HHK), to make sure that you'll have the best chance for the species you want. As for the best time to go, they'll tell you that you will more easily find game in Africa when it is dry as the animals congregate near water, making them easier to hunt. That is definitly true, but the driest part of the year is in Sept/Oct, which also happens to be getting late in their hunting season, which could create situations like I found with my sable. The point is that you need to communicate with your outfitter and let them know what you want before you go and where you have priorities. No doubt they'll make every effort to meet your requests. The accomodations there are awesome. They really do treat you well. Here are some pics from Lemco:
Here's where I ate each morning and evening (sometimes inside, sometimes out)
My room while there:
The view from my room (we were up on a hill):
A few giraffes...I chose not to shoot one (no challenge):
Here's what you do (sleep) after spooking eland at Lemco before resuming your pursuit... 
Here's the eland I eventually shot. It scored 101 5/8 with its 38 3/8" horns.
Here's the rest of the stuff I shot while at Lemco. My buff isn't pictured as it was shot, as I mentioned, at Chirisa the week before.
And if you need a bit of refreshing in the evening, your Lemco lodge will have something like this:
Good luck!
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NitroX
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I didn't know they had Lord Derby Eland there. Only joking, but very nice.
-------------------- John aka NitroX
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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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AdamTayler
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Reged: 22/03/04
Posts: 688
Loc: B.C.
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Wow, nice eland and successful hunt.
-------------------- It's the journey, not the destination.
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Spring
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Reged: 01/04/04
Posts: 104
Loc: Georgia
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Here are a couple more pictures from Lemco
Some buffalo we passed one day:
A Lemco fishing pond:
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DPhillips
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Reged: 09/10/03
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Loc: Alaska
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Spring, You are right, I'm speaking with Graham right now. He is recommending September. That is a beautiful camp, I don't know if I'll know how to act if I end up there on a hunt. Sure beats my Sierra Designs dome tent!!!
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Spring
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Posts: 104
Loc: Georgia
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Yes, you'll find the accommodations at Lemco a bit different than what you've enjoyed when out chasing Mulchatna caribou.... At Lemco they do have 6-7 different camps. Some are designed for larger groups or families, while others are more suitable for something smaller. They are all a rather long distance from each other, so you'll have no indication that anyone else is hunting in Africa when you're there. That said, we did stop by two other camps during our travels around Lemco. No one was staying at either and both were truly beautiful. We went swimming and ate lunch at one of them. The guys that were with us (trackers, game scout, ect) played soccer while we took a welcome nap before heading out for the afternoon. The lunches that are packed for you each day, which frequently will be enjoyed at a beautiful spot somewhere in the bush, are amazing considering the remoteness of the setting. When at Lemco, I stayed at the Fimbiri Camp. HHK describes it as follows:
Serving the northern section of Lemco, known as Malangani section, Fimbiri Camp is our newest addition, having recently been constructed. The double chalets have a bathroom ensuite and a verandah. The Camp is sited on top of a small hill with a 360 degree view of the surrounding bush. It has a swimming pool and outside bar/fireplace area, as well as an indoor dining and lounge area. Power is provided by a 220v generator.
Please tell Graham I said, "Hello." I last corresponded with him about a month ago when considering the possibility of an elephant hunt. Hope all of this helps!
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DPhillips
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Reged: 09/10/03
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Loc: Alaska
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Vic, So you also suggest a September hunt?
I've never been to Africa and have no clue. Please don't think I'm questioning Graham, but was wondering if another month of the year might be a little better. I'll be there to hunt, above everything else, but this will also be an adventure of sorts to me and being in a new landscape has always interested me nearly as much as the hunt. I don't want to go when my chances for hunting success diminish drastically, but would love to see the country at its peak. Kinda hard to explain.
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Spring
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Reged: 01/04/04
Posts: 104
Loc: Georgia
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I think September is an excellent time to go. I would say that is especially the case if you include a buffalo in your hunt (something I would highly recommend). HHK has a great buff/sable/plains game package (12 days). And their buff/plains game deal (10 days) is nice, too. Getting up each morning, heading towards water, and following the buff tracks either from the water itself, or from some other spot where you pick them up after they have had their drink, is awesome. Hunting near water sources is also helpful with plains game, though probably not as critical or predictable as with buffalo. The thing you just want to be careful about is that they put you in sections of Lemco that have plenty of what you're looking for. As I mentioned about what happened with me, the section where I was hunting sable had very few. It was frustrating to see sable in other spots and I was unable to hunt them because the quota there was gone. Mention this to Graham. He'll know what I'm talking about. My HHK PH, Howard Hunter (who may be able to hunt in 2005 after recovering from being shot by a client last July), assured me that the next time I hunt with them, he would make certain that everything I wanted would be available. This is where a previous relationship with a good PH can start paying dividends. That said, I hope to get my sable when hunting in Tanzania for 21 days next July.
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NitroX
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Dave
Zimbabwe has a dry and a wet season. If the country is at its "peak" when wet it will be very green, with very thick bush, water to spread out the game an difficult to hunt. I haven't been there in the wet only the beginning but will find a reason one day. more mosquitoes too.
The hunting is better in the dry season when the game is more collected at watering places, and the trees and bushes have shed much of their foilage. It can be a bit stark but its the time to hunt.
-------------------- John aka NitroX
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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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Spring
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Reged: 01/04/04
Posts: 104
Loc: Georgia
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I thought you might enjoy a magazine article in a local area publication that was released today. It's about safaris and a few of us from around here that enjoy these things. I hope these links are clear as I just scanned them and am not sure how well they worked. Here are links to the pages:
Page one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine.
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DPhillips
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Reged: 09/10/03
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Loc: Alaska
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Thank you both for the information and responding.
Dave
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NitroX
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I like the elephant trophy in one of the photos.
-------------------- John aka NitroX
...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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AspenHill
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Reged: 08/01/03
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Loc: Vermont, USA
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Dave,
One of my close friends and a PH with HHK says May is also a nice time to hunt. He calls it champagne weather and from all indications you would also have a good hunt then. I have sent a few clients to Zims during that time frame and they came home pretty happy.
My favorite hunting time in Southern Africa is the last half of August and well into September. So even then, hunting is going to be very good.
-------------------- ~Ann
Everyday spent outdoors is the best day of my life.
Aspen Hill Adventures
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NitroX
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Vic
I didn't realise you were in the article. Well done.
-------------------- John aka NitroX
...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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Spring
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Reged: 01/04/04
Posts: 104
Loc: Georgia
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Yes, that's me! I really had no idea how this article would turn out or in what direction they would take it. Of course they interview you for 30 minutes and then take some snippet out of the conversation--possibly totally out of context--and include it in some overall discussion. Based on past experiences with newspapers and television interviews, that always makes me nervous. On top of that they downloaded about about 150 of my pictures from Africa to consider for the article. I had no idea which ones they would choose. An interestly enough, the one of me in there with the kudu somehow got transposed, which makes me look like I'm left-handed. You initially read the article out of curiosity--I read it with trepidation!
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DPhillips
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Reged: 09/10/03
Posts: 819
Loc: Alaska
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Thanks to everyone for the input. The hunt is booked!!!
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Spring
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Reged: 01/04/04
Posts: 104
Loc: Georgia
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What are the specifics??? Planning your first safari is almost as much fun as going!
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DPhillips
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Reged: 09/10/03
Posts: 819
Loc: Alaska
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Well, I'm sure I worried Graham to insanity with all of my questions. I'm sure he's heard it all before, so I tried to group them into as few phone calls and emails as possible. Still ended up with about a dozen emails and a few phone calls. He was very cordial and very responsive.
I booked for Lemco in mid September for 12 hunting days for Sable and Plainsgame. I did reserve a Nyala tag(?). Other primary animals I hope to have the opportunity to hunt are Kudu, Eland, and Bushbuck (along with Sable and Nyala). Warthog, Hyena, Impala, Bush pig, and others would be opportunistic critters.
I'm thinking of taking my pre-64 M70 chambered in 300 H&H shooting 200 grain NP's or North Forks. I'm considering just taking the one rifle with an extra scope pre-zeroed in QD rings and a small maintenance kit. This was based on Graham's recommendation, rather than taking two rifles. I'm still considering taking two, but leaning hard toward taking just the one.
But, basically I am excited to have this finally booked and confirmed. This has been a long time coming. I've been planning this trip for about 18 years now, on and off, since I was in college. Unfortunately the good friend that first got me so fired up to do this won't be able to make it.
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Spring
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Reged: 01/04/04
Posts: 104
Loc: Georgia
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Graham didn't try to talk you into including a buffalo?
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DPhillips
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Reged: 09/10/03
Posts: 819
Loc: Alaska
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Oh of course he did!!! I just could not finance that right now or anytime soon. I was/am afraid I would miss hunting in Zim completely if I didn't go ahead and book something now, though.
Maybe I'll get another chance in a couple of years. I'll definitely include Buff for that one. Maybe a Buff and leopard hunt.
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cowboy
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Loc: Northern Wyoming, USA
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You should have a great safari, I've hunted with Graham in the past & he is very organized. On my two previous safaris in Zimbabwe (neither in Lemco), animals became available on quota that I hadn't planned for (elephant, lion,...), so don't be surprised if a buff comes up for you? Anyway, maybe have a little extra money set aside just in case. Good luck & can't wait to see pictures from your adventure!!
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ForrestB
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Reged: 04/03/04
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Loc: Texas
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David, Way to go! I'm glad to hear you have something on the books. It's going to kill you to see those buffalo and not have one on license... thinking about that big 500 in your sweaty hands as you follow after a big bull... 
You might as well book your return trip now. Of course it'll cost you your marraige, but we'll make room in Texas for your pretty little wife.
Seriously, you'll have a great time. Sable are a beautiful trophy and a thrilling hunt. You'll be planning your next trip before you get home.
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DPhillips
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Reged: 09/10/03
Posts: 819
Loc: Alaska
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Well, lookie what the dogs drug up and the cats wouldn't have, my old friend Mr. Forrest B!!! Glad you could stop by. Might bring that gun mechanic of yours by sometime too. I need to tell him that the gun was broke into two pieces when I got back up here and I had to take a welding torch to it to get it back together. Got it secured for sure with some baleing twine and duct tape. Then I had find a nice synthetic stock to put it in since the wood was in two pieces. A nice Bell & Carlson. 
It it will dig right into my inner being to see a nice buff and not be able to do anything about it. Especially since I got that rifle of Duane's all welded up and back together. I just could not swing it this time, with daily rates being half again as much and the trophy fees associated with it. I really wanted to get to Zim before it fell into chaos. Figured it would mean never going or book for this year.
How's the triad of Reno Accounting rifles coming along?
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NitroX
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In reply to:
I just could not swing it this time, with daily rates being half again as much and the trophy fees associated with it. I really wanted to get to Zim before it fell into chaos. Figured it would mean never going or book for this year.
David
Keep your ears and eyes open. As you are going there anyway, you never know what other sort of deal might be available or offered.
-------------------- John aka NitroX
...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"
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