Greg, My son and I spent a fabulous two weeks in Namibia during the summer of 2007. I grew up on Hemingway and Ruark, and so my expectation meter was off the scale. I can honestly say, had I been given a blank sheet of paper to design every hour of the hunt, I would not have done as well as it actually unfolded. We made great friends, had fabulous, challenging hunting for free ranging game, and dined like kings. A 57" kudu and a leopard were particularly special. I am returning to the Caprivi Strip next July with Cape Buffalo, roan, and sable at the top of the wish list.
I am a member of the Washington area SCI chapter, and I can say our experiences are absolutely the rule. Sure a bad operation turns up, but the reputable outfitters, sponsored by the reputable consultants, are probably better and more numerous than they have ever been. Zimbabwe is a mess, but even there, the established outfitters will insure an incredible hunting experience.
With the culmination of the bush wars which ravaged Africa essentially from the time of the Mau Mau until the creation of modern South Africa, hunting opportunities have only increased. because the game has value, because almost all of these governments and land owners are starved for hard currency, the industry has recovered or developed where there was little in the way of the traditional safari in the past. Moreover, those opportunities include feathered as well as big game.
Would urge you to explore potential if you have ever considered going.
