tell me about hunting leopards

Over bait or with hounds ? which is your favorite ?

Ive only done it with hounds but the hounds were not all that useful. Ultimately the bushman trackers pushed the cat until we were close enough for a shot. It was a wild time

Hello Dogman,
For me leopard is my 2nd favorite hunting animal after bongo. One of the most beautiful and prestigious of the African hunting game.
I never hunted them with hounds but I think it is very exciting, would like to do it one day. I thinl the countries where we can do it are, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
I use to hunt them over bait and I enjoy it very much, looking for good size track, understand the way he is moving and hang the baits around his supposed area and of course wait for him coming. Listing babouns, bushbucks, francolins when he is on his way......and here he is, looking at you, you should stand still untill he eats and cool down.....
Great hunt and great animal...
CHRISTOPHE

only ever hunted them with bait and blind and hope to score this season. Using Dogs does not interest me but each to his own.

My preference is for the classic dawn to dusk baited leopard hunt without the use of any artificial light. I find the entire experience to be an adventure.

Isolating a likely location and finding a tree with a limb that can be baited in a manner so that the leopard will present himself for a good shot. The artful building of a blind (hide) using only structural materials and foliage found in the surrounding environment. The preparing of a long pathway leading to the blind which will be cleared of all leaves and twigs to afford a completely silent stalk to the entrance. Maintaining a complete silence while in the blind and concentrating your senses on the sounds associated with the arrival or presence of the leopard. Finally, waiting for just the right moment to pick your shot on a big tom leopard as he is silhouetted on the limb over the bait on which he is feasting . . . and then, Bang!

Win, lose or draw that's hunting. But I find the classic baited leopard hunt to be a great overall experience

PHASA have had a moratorium on hunting leopards with hounds for many years so although it's not technically illegal, if you do hunt them with hounds in RSA it'll either be with a non PHASA member or with one who is breaking the moratorium and I think you'll find that Namibia banned hunting with hounds a year or two ago after they had their debacle over the quota etc.

You can still do it in Zim though.

I hunted from a blind in Zimbabwe,enjoyed shooting my baits, dragging and checking them every day.We had 6 baits and started getting hits after the first night.When it came time to sit in the blind I was using a power ear muff as my hearing is shot.The nite sounds were some of my lasting memories and I highly recommend it. I was successful with a 146 lb male of 6' 10".

Thanks for the reply. My hearing is shot also.Sounds like you had a good hunt.

From one deaf old bastard to several others, you might like to consider buying yourself a set of game ears.

I've lost over 40% of hearing in one ear and 60 odd % of hearing in the other ear (through rifle fire) and bought myself a set of game ears about 18 months ago........ it's one of the best things I've ever done.

Not only do I wear them when I'm hunting but I often wear them at other times as well..... and the volume control means I can tuen them up and down as necessary.

They're also fantastically useful in the leopard blind as well because when turned up, you can hear a mosquito fart.

I hadn't been able to hear the jackals calling for at least a decade and it's such a pleasure to be able to hear them again.