2002
HUNTING SEASON NEWS
With the 2002 hunting season in full swing we are delighted to report
that trophy results so far are still of a consistently high standard - and
in many respects are an improvement from previous years.
Despite some hard hunting in tough conditions not helped by the
unseasonable late rains - long grass, thick bush, mud and dust were
overcome to produce some of the finest quality trophies we have taken in
many years.
The Masailand areas befitted enormously from an above average late
rainfall resulting in better grass and vegetation cover which in turn
supported a better than usual game population.
Monduli had excellent results with Lesser Kudu and Gerenuk although
good Oryx trophies continued to be difficult to find.
The wetter areas such as Kizigo quickly dried up and produced excellent
Sable, Eland and Roan.
This year saw the Kigosi
swamps being filled again - but Sittatunga are still few and far between.
Lion and buffalo in Maswa were widespread with several exceptional
trophies being taken in the first three months.
Ugalla River Game Reserve was excellent in most respects - but
particularly with regard to Greater Kudu and Crocodile.
Our Selous block was only opened in August - due to a wet July - and the
safaris that went there were all successful.
The recently updated 2002 Trophy Gallery is proof of the fact that T.G.T.S.
blocks in Tanzania are still some of the best and most productive hunting
areas left in Africa .This is due in no small part both to the efforts of
the F.C.F. Anti-poaching
teams and to our dedicated team of professional hunters. Over the past few years we have seen a shift in hunting emphasis
within the company from trophy quantity to trophy quality - and this shift
is paying handsome dividends today.
Highlights of the 2002 season so far have to be:
- Walter Gilberts Lion taken in Kizigo in mid July with Ernst Scholz
- William Boggs's 43 inch Sable from Kizigo taken with
Douglas McNeil
- 17 ft 2 inch Crocodile (a possible new S.C.I. number one!)
taken on the Ugalla by John Sanderson and PH Mark Selby
- Ryan Friedkin's 15 ft 6 inch Crocodile - also from Ugalla River
- Thomas Corbo's Lion , Leopard and 54 inch Greater Kudu,
all taken with Robin Voigt
- Dan Friedkin's 29 1/2 inch Fringe Eared Oryx
- Kevin Rinke's 46 inch Maswa Buffalo taken with Mike
Branham
- Luis De la Pena's 38inch E. A. Eland from Kizigo, PH
Douglas McNeil
- 27 inch Roan from Kizigo, shot by Greg Cooper with
Craig D'oria
- Bob Hixson's 29 1/2 Lesser Kudu shot in Monduli with
George Hartley
TROPHY
LION POLICY
The often controversial T.G.T.S. Lion policy has proved its worth
conclusively this year with numerous sightings of superb mature male lion
with well developed manes . Our professional hunters now have definitive
criteria to determine what is an acceptable mature trophy lion - namely
mane development, skin coloring, nose coloring and social behavior. Trophy
quality of the lion meeting these criteria
is far superior to anything we have seen for some time and we fully
expect this trend to continue provided that we consistently observe our
self imposed restrictions. TGTS
clients supporting this policy by hunting with us recognize that they have
a unique opportunity to hunt exceptional lion trophies.
The trophy lion taken this year and the males photographed (below )
are a good indication of the lion trophy quality we expect to achieve now
and in the future.
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We will be continuously updating this website with current photographs and
hunting news as the season progresses - and look forward to seeing you at
the hunting shows we will be attending in January 2003 - the Houston
Safari Club, Dallas Safari Club and S.C.I. in Reno.