This paper analyses Zambia's experience with community-base wildlife management (CBWM) system called the administrative and management design (ADMADE), highlights its successes and failures and recommends design and implementation issues to improve community participation and wildlife conservation. The paper first reviews and summarizes the theory and practice of CBWM in selected countries in Southern and identifies the salient features/factors that underlay any successful community natural management system in the developing world. We combine this evidence with experience from the Blue Lagoon Game Management Area in Zambia to recommend design and implementations issues that can improve community likelihoods and lead to sustainable wildlife management in game management areas in Zambia. Evidence suggests that CBWM programs have had little impact on the local behavior, community livelihoods and wildlife conservation. In order to promote the stability, productivity and sustainability of wildlife resources and its ecosystem and contribute to rural development, an integrated portfolio approach to wildlife and ecosystem management needs to be explored as any alternative.