[ I am mostly interested in buff, lion, and leopard, but would not pass up some plains game.[/QUOTE]
IMO the only place you will get a true lion hunt, meaning a good full pride to stalk and shoot is tanzania.
yes zambia is good also but lion are not as wild in zambia as in tanzania.
my PH hunted lion with a bow with some clients in zambia.
they hunted 22 days were pushed out of their tree stand by elephant.
the hunt turned out unsuccessful UNTILL they were on the road home and the client shot a young male on the side of the road.
i saw the whole video.elephant , tree , and lion sleeping on side of road and ofcourse the shot and kill.
tanzania on the other hand has alot more wild lion and a better chance But its very very expensive. my knowledge comes from talking B.S. around the campfire with the people who know on many occassions.besides my buddy wants a real wild lion and our PH plans on doing it in Tanzania some day after Cameroon.
we my buddy and i dont need to have our asses totally kissed on safari and our ph knows this so we ruff it a bit and pay a little less. YOU do have the choice.
Leopard is very abundant and reasonably cheap in RSA.
imo its not sporting to shoot a leopard with a rifle from a blind.
so im doing it with a bow.
On the other hand i have seen leopard while glassing for plains game in rsa from a high vantage point.
if i had the permit i would have shot it.
later i was told to shoot and worry about the permit later.
to late.
jim
ps
im back from a road trip and will continue to post some pics if no one minds of course.
Kevin if your ever up for a white tail hunt in N.Y. we could talk alot of shit around the fire while we butcher our deer and roast some over the brie (bry) (brei) (bbq)
jim