END TO BOWHUNTING DANGEROUS GAME IN MOZ
International
Received notification from a long time Mozambican outfitter that we’ve been working with for years that he’d received an official communication from the Provincial Office of Nature Conservation in Tete Province stating BOWHUNTING DANGEROUS GAME IS NO LONGER AUTHORIZED. This specifically applies to Elephant, Buffalo, Hippo, Lion and Leopard.
The outfitter reported that he also followed up with Nature Conservation and apparently this applies to the entire country.
This is certainly a blow to Bowhunting the Big 5. However, all of those species can be legally bowhunted in Zambia, Tanzania, some in Zim (by special permit), and Cape Buffalo in South Africa.
While this decision may appear baseless to North Americans where Bowhunting is wide-spread, many African counties have their own and sometimes very different cultural ideas of what constitutes “proper hunting.”
Isn't this old news? Pat and I had a bowhunt elephant booked with Ken Moody in Mozambique in 2015. It got shot down for the same reason.....didn't it? Perhaps Ken Moody can comment.....
Jake, don’t know if Elephant had been previously prohibited but some other DG bowhunts were still selling this year, especially Buffalo. Just checked and BSC has a Moz Buffalo hunt listed in their catalog. The outfitter reaching out to us did so in relation to a buffalo hunt, but said the new proclamation is slamming the door on all Bowhunting of DG in Moz. Pity, remember bowhunting the Tete Province and it was one of the wildest places I’’d ever been.
Not surprised. Mozambique has always been the ‘wild west’ of southern Africa. It’s so 3d world it makes Mexico look like Utopia. Decisions like these are almost always made in a vacuum and most likely the result of animal rights groups initiatives. I haven’t seen any updates on this so I cannot comment but nothing surprises me there. I spent five years hunting Mozambique and while the hunting is great, it’s a logistically challenged, backwards country where almost everything is determined at the provincial level.
If it's that 3d world, somebody has not been greasing the $skids$ to keep things going in desired direction.
It's how things get done, right Hunter B.
My wild duggaboy from Mozambique
My wild duggaboy from Mozambique
This really upsets me. Of all the hunts I’ve done in both the US and abroad I still can’t top my free range, wild Cape buffalo bowhunt. It was incredible stalking these magnificent animals in the razor grass and papyrus swamps. I stalled to within 22 yards of this ancient bulll and put an arrow in the triangle. He lived for 30 seconds. Only twice in my life I got choked up and this was one of them. Three hunts over 4 years in one of the wildest places on earth. If there was one hunt I’d do anything to go back and do again it was wild Buffalo in Mozambique.
This decision sucks. But like many things in Africa, the decision may be reversed down the road.
Man that is an old Bull. Beautiful
That was the best African hunt ever recapped on the bowsite. Out in the bush after them. Left the troughs piles puddles and cement blinds behind. Africa as Africa was meant to be. Epic
I was also booked with Ken Moody at that same time for elephant and was planning to use a rifle. That hunt was not canceled because of archery prohibition, or I’d have hunted elephant with my rifle. It was because the hunt itself was made illegal by my understanding. The permits as arranged were no longer valid, as that type of population management hunt was eliminated.
Maybe Ken can elaborate more?
It was something I was really excited about, that’s for sure. I wound up killing a HUGE Cape buffalo, rather “mysteriously” for those keen to this site.
And by "AR Group Initiative" you mean bribes to officials making the decisions. Seriously doubt the general population gives a rip where the jobs and money may come from. My guess is hunters pay better than poaching and Birkenstocks.....
That was the best African hunt ever recapped on the bowsite. Out in the bush after them. Left the troughs piles puddles and cement blinds behind. Africa as Africa was meant to be. Epic
Pat, although I’ve seen it before, I never get tired of seeing that old buffalo.
Agree, one of the best African hunts recorded on Bowsite. What a beautiful bull! I think T. Roosevelt would written about this hunt.
That was a cool story of Pat's hunt, enjoyed it much...
I don’t suppose anybody could surface that one here, could they?
It’s an old feature so the formatting is off, but it’s still viewable.
Probably the best bowhunt I’ve ever experienced. Hunting free range Cape buffalo in the razor grass swamps of Mozambique and killing an absolute giant old herd bull was an experience like no other. Damn shame the opportunity has been taken away. I really can’t stand how our opportunities keep getting chipped away and nobody notices or even cares because it’s not something 99.9% of hunters would ever experience.
I should post the video on YouTube. One arrows at 22 yards, bull lived for 30 seconds.
