WANTED: Leopard hunt wanted for 2015

[peras]

Johnny best of luck on the hunt, hope you bag a big one!

 

[johnnyblues]

Johnny best of luck on the hunt, hope you bag a big one!

Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

Awesome, I know you'll enjoy your trip, hope that you don't mind if the thread keeps on going...

Bossie that's a bit harsh on SA don't you think, I know the system has it's flaws but as the country in most probably the world that is a front runner in conservation, I am sure it will be sorted out in the not too distant future, as for the system yup it's a bit screwy, but I firmly believe it will be to the benefit of our Leopard, and as a hunter and conservationist that is were I believe all our priorities lie.

In the mean time those who applied and received tags I hope your hunts are successful SA is a leopard trophy paradise.
My best

 

[johnnyblues]

Awesome, I know you'll enjoy your trip, hope that you don't mind if the thread keeps on going...

My best

Awesome, I know you'll enjoy your trip, hope that you don't mind if the thread keeps on going...

My best

Thanks. No let's keep the comments coming. I want to let everyone know about this booking agent when the time is right. He has already threatened to sue me for slander if a post anything. I told him go ahead. I will post only the truth

 

[ChrisT]

Johnny I think I speak for all of us here if I say we are indeed glad you could come right with a Leopard hunt.

What makes me the happiest of all is that it's not in SA. Shows you our neighboring countries has a system that works.

C'mon Bossie, would you have made that post if you had a leopard tag permit for next year? What is a "system that works"? One where everyone who applies for a tag gets one?

 

[ChrisT]

Jaco,

Thank you for your response - crazy. I have wanted to hunt leopard in Limpopo for sometime now, but it seems it might be a long shot. What is the average cost in hunting leopard in SA vs Mozambique. Have also thought about Namibia. SA seems best option for me due to additional travel time to Namibia/Mozambique. Maybe I am wrong and should consider hunting in these other countries as well.

dt

DT, don't throw SA or Limpopo out just yet. The draw will only be held on January 13th and it is not all reputable Outfitters who did NOT apply for a tag this year.

The fact that we have a tag system with flaws doesn't mean that there won't be good leopard hunting opportunities in Limpopo for next year.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

DT, don't throw SA or Limpopo out just yet. The draw will only be held on January 13th and it is not all reputable Outfitters who did NOT apply for a tag this year.

The fact that we have a tag system with flaws doesn't mean that there won't be good leopard hunting opportunities in Limpopo for next year.

That's the truth could not agree more.

My best always

 

[peras]

DT, don't throw SA or Limpopo out just yet. The draw will only be held on January 13th and it is not all reputable Outfitters who did NOT apply for a tag this year.

The fact that we have a tag system with flaws doesn't mean that there won't be good leopard hunting opportunities in Limpopo for next year.

In my opinion some of the best leopard opportunities are in Limpopo. Best of luck on drawing a tag Chris!

 

[slad68]

I know things might have been harsh from my side but.
With all due respect , how many Leopard draw systems have we seen in the last couple of years here in Limpopo.
These draws charge each year, each year there is new rules and regulation, some very good and some not so good.
From land size to area location to PDI's and all kinds of systems that gets changed each year. If this current system is going to work, we will see it as it currently is with no change for 2016. I strongly doubt it but time will tell.

1. a System that works for me is one where those that implement the system and law, knows what is actually going on, on the ground.
2. a System that works is one where, if there is a deadline, there is a deadline, the deadline doesn't get postponed to a later date.
3. a System that works is one where each and every outfitter in the area is notified about the opening dates of the applications, not just some individuals.
3. a System that works is one where everyone has a fair chance at a permit.

Jaco you know that Mozambique and especially your are is very good for Leopard and that is why you get tags each year. You know what is going on, on the ground and so does the Fauna Bravia in your area. Areas with little or no Leopard numbers don't get tags or might get a tag every other year.

With all these systems in Limpopo I have seen guys with good numbers of cats not getting a permit for a number of continues years and so have I seen guys with almost no Leopard getting permits year after year......?????

I hope this new system comes to a point where it works and works well, not only for the Outfitters who apply for permits but for the Leopard population as well.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

Bossie completely understood the draw system is frustrating to say the least.

Send me your email if you are not receiving the info from LHLF I will add you immediately.

My best always

 

[slad68]

Thanks Jaco.

 

[ChrisT]

1. a System that works for me is one where those that implement the system and law, knows what is actually going on, on the ground.
2. a System that works is one where, if there is a deadline, there is a deadline, the deadline doesn't get postponed to a later date.
3. a System that works is one where each and every outfitter in the area is notified about the opening dates of the applications, not just some individuals.
3. a System that works is one where everyone has a fair chance at a permit.

With all these systems in Limpopo I have seen guys with good numbers of cats not getting a permit for a number of continues years and so have I seen guys with almost no Leopard getting permits year after year......?????

I hope this new system comes to a point where it works and works well, not only for the Outfitters who apply for permits but for the Leopard population as well.

Bossie, I agree with all of what you've said. The current tag system is flawed as were the previous ones....

I share your frustration about able Outfitters / PH's in areas with good cat populations not drawing tags for year on end while others with a low (or non-existing) success rate draw tags year after year... Jan Dumon used one such Outfitter as example on another thread - a guy who pretends to be THE cat man who has drawn three tags over the last three years and is yet to have a picture of himself, a client and a leopard on his website...

We have plenty of cats here where I live - in fact, I had a big tom walking through my garden at night time just a few few weeks ago. The following morning one of my neighbour's workers walked into two leopard feeding on a young waterbuck they'd killed the night before...I have leopard visiting my hyena bait frequently and a motorist bumped a leopard on the main road a week after that. I came across fresh leopard kills twice on my other neighbour's property while hunting there two weeks apart...

Whilst I won't claim to be the best cat hunter in Limpopo - I've had my fair share of success hunting cats in other areas... Problem is the last Limpopo tag I drew was 4 years ago...

Guess what I'm trying to say is that to discourage clients from booking a Limpopo Leopard hunt because of the unfairness of the system would be as unfair to reputable guys who are lucky enough to draw a tag as what the current tag system is.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

Completely agreed, the root of the problem, is the 53CITES Tags in Limpopo, as long as it's open to all we will still receive 53 tags with 1500 + applications.

We should strive and work on a scientific based formula to achieve a quota increase down the line, a rotational system would also work well, I still do not know how one can receive 3 tags in 3 years as an outfitter you are either seriously lucky (which I doubt) or you it requires an investigation.

As for the PDI system it was a forced program, but according to the contractual agreement such outfitters had with LEDET, the system falls away for the 2016 draw.

This still leaves the problem as stated in opening.
As another FYI Limpopo was not going to receive a single CITES tag for 2015 if the system was not based on scientific formula, hence the involvement of Ross and Pantera, and the revamped system (not allocation to outfitters but rather research based non concentrated tag allocation)
We were going to be shut down by CITES on Leopard.

As far as the zones and age appropriate harvesting is concerned there is very little doubt that it will be to the benefit of our Leopard population.

My best

 

[ChrisT]

Completely agreed, the root of the problem, is the 53CITES Tags in Limpopo, as long as it's open to all we will still receive 53 tags with 1500 + applications.

Jaco, please help me see if I understand this right...

May any Outfitter - even if he/she is not registered in Limpopo apply for a tag as long as he/she is a registered Outfitter in a Province of SA and as long as he uses a Limpopo registered PH for the hunt?

The way I understand the Limpopo Ordinance is that you can only obtain hunting rights to an area and market hunts there if you are registered in a particular province?

 

[slad68]

May any Outfitter - even if he/she is not registered in Limpopo apply for a tag as long as he/she is a registered Outfitter in a Province of SA and as long as he uses a Limpopo registered PH for the hunt?

I think you have to be a registered PH/Outfitter in the province but you don't have to be resident in the province.

You see another problem is the following; there are outfitters/ph.'s who lives in PTA and JHB who hunts once or twice a year just to keep the license active. They are ordinary business men who makes a living from something else that hunting. These are also guys who apply for Leopard tags with the hope to get one and some of them do.
This is where these 1500+ outfitters come from.

Unlike us who HUNT for a living and does nothing else besides hunting or has something to do with game farming.

 

[ChrisT]

Thanks Bossie,

Yes I can understand the problem with such an arrangement. I myself almost fell out of my chair when I heard there were 1,600 applicants. Never knew there were that many Outfitters in Limpopo.

Best,

Chris

 

[slad68]

Never knew there were that many Outfitters in Limpopo

The sad thing is there aren't a 1600 Outfitter in Limpopo. There might be 1600 Outfitter registered in Limpopo but they are not all from Limpopo.
Who her on the forum has a Gauteng PH license?

 

[peras]

I stay in Gauteng, it is central to the provinces I hunt, I am a full time outfitter and PH. Any outfitter licensed in a province should be able to apply if all requirements are in place. I do however believe applicants must be bona fide outfitters who makes their sole or majority of income through the hunting industry.

 

[JustinC]

I don't think discriminating against outfitters who have chosen to practice as an Outfitter/PH for a few weeks a year to keep their permit open would be very fair. The hunting industry is extremely cut throat and competitive and clients are at a premium these days so I can understand why they do it.

IMO only allowing Outfitters with a DG permit to apply would probably be the most effective way of cutting down the number of applicants for Leopard permits in SA. This would obviously create other issues with people abusing the system but would be the most "fair" way of doing this.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

Chris/Bossie, the ordinance only differentiates provinces amongst PH's a outfitter is National there is no provincial legislation prohibiting an outfitter to operate in each and every province, as long as he has obtained hunting rights to the area he is operating on and as long as his PH is registered in the relevant province.

While some might deem it to be unfair, I believe it's quite obvious the problem that we are confronted with by having outfitters from different provinces apply.

My best.