Official Leopard & Cheetah Hunting Announcement by NAPHA

Roger, Keep us posted from your side. I should be posting some updated info here very soon. The official reopening is anticipated to be announced by the 1st of June 2010...

Notification of Leopard tags has been delayed, Namibian outfitters are supposed to find out the result tomorrow, Monday, May 10th. Leopard tags at the cost of N$ 5,000 (Namibian Dollars) per tag will have to be purchased upfront by the outfitter.

Thanks for the updates Jerome. I get more info here then anyplace else. The US amount for tag in $680.00. Outfitters now are only allowed 2 tags. Supply and demand are now kicking in, another outfitter i checked with has now gone to a leopard package rather than the daily rate and trophy fee and has gone up $3000.00.

SA used to be the reasonable priced place to hunt and there still are some outfitters for the budget minded hunter, these are the ones that afford me to continue returning. Now it is Namibia, but it will not be long and they too will be priced right along with SA. So get out there and GET ER DONE!

Here is a notice from NAPHA to its' members.


Subject: Refund of Leopard hunt deposits

Dear NAPHA Member

The NAPHA Office has received various e-mails from hunters interested in Leopard trophy hunting for 2010. We have been requested by the hunters to confirm that the Outfitters selling the hunts are in possession of a tag.

At current no tags have been allocated by the Ministry. Although we have been informed by MET that the successful applicants will be informed in due course and that the trophy hunting season for Leopard and cheetah will be opened on 1st June 2010.

The NAPHA Exco appeals to all its members that have taken deposits from hunters interested in a leopard trophy to please return the deposit if your Trophy Hunting Operation did not receive a Leopard tag for the hunting season of 2010.

We also would like to request our Members not to postpone the hunt into 2011 as your Operation once again has no guarantee of a Leopard tag for the next hunting season.

Thank you for your understanding.

NAPHA Team

Notification of Leopard tags has been delayed, it's now supposed to be announced later in the week, from what I was told perhaps on Wednesday.

I have heard rumors that there will only be 34 permits issued for 2010... I wait to see.

Well, the rumor that only 34 Leopard permits will be issued for this 2010 hunting season in Namibia has been confirmed officially by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET). MET has already started sending out faxes to those outfitters who have been allocated a permit for 2010 so if you are "booked" or have reserved for a Leopard hunt in Namibia, your outfitter should now be able to confirm whether or not they will be able to get a hunting permit for you.

The select Namibian outfitters who will receive Leopard quota have until the 31st of May to pay for the permit N$ 5,000 (Namibian Dollars).

The list of outfitters who were allocated a Leopard permit among the approximately 120 applicants is supposed to be made public soon, I will post the list as soon as it is available.

Attached is the Fax sent by MET to Namibian outfitters who will be receiving a Leopard trophy hunting tag for 2010

Jerome,

This is good news, but I have received e-mail from Executive Secretary of NAPHA asking for the site I have been getting my info. I assume they know nothing of the tag issue dates and now the fax. I hope by now they are informed.

I am just keeping my fingers crossed that my outfitter has been issued a tag !

Roger, I'm rooting for you on getting a permit so you have a chance at your Leopard.

Unfortunately the demand well exceeded the supply and there will be disappointment among outfitters and hunters alike.

Does anyone have any insights into why only 34 tags? Isn't the CITES quota 150 or 200 annually?

Thanks,

Brant

To all who have read and waited to hear the results of the Leopard tags. Anticipation is over and its Official.

My outfitter did NOT receive a tag. So I will NOT be hunting leopard AGAIN in Namibia! Some of you know I had to cancel a hunt last year in August because the leopard quota was filled and I was not awarded a permit. Then MET devised a whole new set of rules for future leopard hunting. These are posted on AfricaHunting archives.

In response, the 34 tags were allocated for Freehold Farmland, 101 leopards can be hunted in the next 6 months, the quota has been divided between State Concessions, Communal Conservancies and Freehold Farmland.

Here is the real kicker why my outfitter did not receive a tag. MET's reason given why he did not get a tag is that he does not have exclusive hunting rights on his own property. How absurd is that?

There are other countries to hunt leopard but the cost is out of my reach. A future leopard hunt in Namibia, I don't think anyone has an idea yet.

I'll just go work away my sorrows.

You all have a great day.

Brant,

Some is explained in my post below. The original quota is 250. Last year there where 290 active permits out on leopard, I was told. I assume to get a handle on the situation MET did what was best for hunting. Time will tell.

Roger, I am sorry to hear and can sense the disappointment in your post. Did your outfitter offer you a full refund on your deposit? Don't give up, contact a Namibian outfitter who will be more than likely getting a Leopard on quota for 2011 and get him to put you first on his booking list for Leopard.

Since a Leopard tag is attached to a property, freelance hunting operators in Namibia will only be able to offer a Leopard if one of the landowners that he works with has one on quota and is willing to part with it and lets the freelance hunt it on his property.

Brant, You got your answer from Roger.

Roger,
it may be hard to take right now, but in some cases, there is reason for setbacks...
Please email me and we can talk about a leopard option in Tanzania that may well be within reach.
Cheers,

I just saw this post yesterday and sent an email last night to my outfitter to see if he was able to get a tag for my wifes hunt in september. When we booked in January he was under the assumption he would get 2 permits along with all the other outfitters as mentioned above. I am hopefull but it doesn't look good. I guess if he didn't receive a permit this year we will have him hold our deposit until next year in hopes of a permit. I'm guessing the price tag on a namibian leopard is about to double or triple.

Just got an email that my wife will be hunting leopard on our trip.

That's good news Dlove.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) confirms that when a hunting outfitter takes out the hunting permit and tag for the Leopard hunt and the hunting client does not succeed in getting his Leopard, the hunting permit as well as the tag can be brought back to MET to re-issue a hunting permit for another client for Leopard for that year.

Dlove,

Congrats to your wife. Hope see gets her cat. Fill us all in when you return.

I contacted my outfitter to see if he knew someone who got a tag but had no hunter at the time. He did, BUT, the price wanted, even my outfitter said was too much. Like I guessed, the price of Leopard hunting will get more expensive.

So, to take the edge off, I will head to Limpopo Province and hunt Bushbuck which I have been unsuccessful with twice now. On my list also, another Kudu, Klipspringer, Duiker, Warthog, Steenbok, if available; Hyena and Hartmanns Zebra.

Some of my previous hunt pictures are now posted. Enjoy.

A bit more information provided to me by NAPHA.

In total 101 Leopard tags can be allocated for the season 2010; this does include the Leopard tags for State Concessions and Communal Conservancies.

12 Leopard Tags for State Concessions 2009
12 Leopard Tags for State Concessions 2010
43 Leopard Tags for Communal Conservancies 2010
34 Leopard Tags for Freehold Areas

The other Leopard tags, out of a total CITES quota, are the rollover for leopard trophy hunted 2008 and 2009.