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Outfitter: Pierre van Wyk Safaris / Nemba Safaris
PH: Pierre van Wyk
Location: Zimbabwe, Gwayi Valley & also Matetsi Safari area
Game sought: Cape Buffalo & some plains game
Game taken: Cape Buffalo bull, Waterbuck, Zebra, Impala, Chobe Bushbuck
Game missed out on: Cape Buffalo were my MAIN target. Everything else was icing
Date: 2002
Satisfied: Yes
Recommend to other hunters: Yes - Pierre is a very experienced PH and willing to go the extra distance to ensure the safari is successful

I arranged a short buffalo hunt of seven days hunting with Pierre van Wyk in the Gwayi Valley of Zimbabwe for September/October 2002. Pierre is the principal and his operation at Gwayi is known as Nemba Safaris. He also conducts safaris at other locations including Tanzania and also uses the name Pierre van Wyk Safaris. Pierre at the time of the safari was also the President of the Gwayi Conservancy.

I was picked up at Victoria Falls airport and Pierre eases the way through customs by maintaining good relations with them. A drive down to the Gwayi Conservancy on the Bulawayo Road reminded me of the previous times I visited this region and changes over time.

The camp is the main homestead on Nemba and is immediately on the banks of the Shangaani River. The Shangaani River at the time I was there is dry and is a sand river. The homestead has several nice thatched guest chalets and a lovely semi-open dining area, kitchen and lounge room. Lovely African gardens surround the buildings with many flowering bushes, bamboos and palm trees.

The staff were attentive and never missed a thing in service and helpfulness.

Started off the hunt with the mandatory rifle zero checking and then off to the familarisation hunt - ie the PH checking to see if the client can shoot

. This hunt was along the banks of the Shangaani under the beautiful river trees. Waterbuck were sighted and a nice representative buck taken.

Following this a very nice Chobe Bushbuck and representative impala was taken and a zebra secured. Unfortunately I wounded the zebra and we spent a couple days off and on in pursuit (I wanted to finish it off if we could). During these pursuits we encountered buffalo and called off the zebra pursuit to attempt a buff bull in the evening. Instead we found the zebra were now in front of the buff not behind and the wounded animal with just a flesh wound (which would have festered) was identified and despatched.

A bunch of duga boys were stalked coming to within 20 yards in thick thorns but never sighted well enough to ID a trophy. They were spooked by predators in the area (lion - see below).

The Gwayi is a big game area and inaddition to cape buffalo has elephant wondering down the Shangaani when it flows. Lions moaning were heard one morning of the hunt and confirmed my view the buffalo the previous evening were spooked by predators. Leopard are also present. I love to hunt the big game areas.

A herd of 200 plus buffalo were also stalked in open country using an innovative method with a good bull (38 inches plus). A shot could not be taken during that stalk. Planning to return in the afternoon when they would have moved out of the thick thorns we were interrupted by a group of Police and "Warvets". A discussion ensued but unfortunately Pierre was ordered to leave his own property. Note this action by the Police was completely illegal and Pierre subsequently returned and operates safaris on his property again. Assisting him I drove one of his cars to Vic Falls where we subsequently met up again that evening. On the way it became apparent that the whole Gwayi Valley was being done over and families being turned out to the road - babies, furniture, plant etc by the hooligans masquerading as authority.

Pierre arranged a nice stay at a lodge at a very discounted price on the Zambezi near the Bots border while he tried to organise an alternative hunt for me. His concern was to provide value to his client and ensure I left satisfied as much as could be arranged. I could have left and received a refund but instead if possible wished to finish a hunt. While at the lodge I enjoyed game drives in the local Nat Park, a local safari area - the track is the Bots border and river cruises on the Zambezi.

Pierre organised an alternative buffalo hunt with HHK Safaris in the Matetsi Safari area, which I had to pay for again but at a discounted price. His charges were only for the days already hunted and trophies already taken.

Again the camp at Matetsi was the usual high standard and comfortable thatched chalets with a swimming pool (whoever gets to use that!) overlooking a waterhole and valley below. As we hunted hard I wasn't there a lot during daylight.

The main targets were No1 buffalo and either a seconf buffalo or a Sable bull.

We hunted for buffalo hard for several days, visiting waterholes, looking for tracks along a couple of rivers and were sighting tracks but no buffalo during the daylight. The whole day was spent in the field with lunch siesta being taken under a shady tree somwhere. Buffalo tracks were found near a waterhole one morning and an ambush planned for the evening, the buff believed to be in the broken country South of the waterhole and likely to return in the evening. Setting out later that day driving slowly we unexpectantly sighted buffalo on the track in front and stalked them over a kilometre or so off the road. A very old bull with good bosses was taken right on nightfall.

The rest of the days were spent looking for a second buffalo bull or a good sable. A good sable was taken but not by me

but by a HHK client on a different block. A sojourn on one morning to another property nearby yielded a second zebra - this one for a shoulder mount. Given that this was only a seven day hunt this wasn't a bad result and certainly better than what it could have been seven days earlier.

So the hunt overall was far from ideal, but that is Africa and can be the case with any operator. The good operators show their stuff when things go wrong outside their control and how they fix it. There were obviously other things on the PH's mind on this hunt but he did the best to ensure the safari was successful in the end.

I can recommend Pierre van Wyk as a reputable outfitter and capable PH and don't believe you will go wrong if you hunt with him. I think you will learn a few things, I certainly did. It is always good when you meet as a client and PH and leave as friends.

The Nemba property is a real jewel along the Shangaani and I definitely want to return there to hunt again. Pierre can also organise hunts in the Matetsi Safari area and Tanzania as well.

For prospective clients from Australia and New Zealand I can put you in touch with Pierre and help arrange a safari for you. Ann Horsman on this board is also able to book safaris with Pierre for North American clients.

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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"