Small cats and night-hunting

[MarkB]

No recommendations on SA cat/night critter taxidermist, ones posted above look good. I add 4 or 5 days and have night hunted on every safari, Zim, Namibia and SA, from leopard to genet and many many more, absolutely love it. Cant do here in Canada.

What did mess me up on a SA hunt; take more than 10 mins to fully, totally learn the scope BEFORE starting the night drives. No night scopes in Canada, so the settings, IR, white animal, black animal white bushes, brightness and like screwed me up. Night hunt in Zim and Namibia had big 56 mm scopes so very easy, same as normal looking thru.

Take your eye away from the scope, look at the light then get correct position behind scope, animal will be in full view and in light. If second shot or miss, reacquire animal looking over scope in light then repeat. After I missed serval and it ran I wasted time searching in scope, Gerry my awesome PH said look at light then acquire site picture. After that bang flop.

Take warm, QUIET clothing if sitting in blind or watching bait, ensure PH and those who will sit have same.

Maybe you are from a US state that regularly hunts at night, that would certainly add familiarity and confidence to a SA night hunt.

I envy you, please complete a hunt report upon your return, love immersing in someone else's critter hunt when I am not on my own, maybe 2026?

Have fun.

MB

 

[rdog]

I'm leaving in a few weeks for a night hunt with Kemp African Safaris in South Africa. We'll be going after small and mid-sized cats (civet, serval, caracal, genet + hyena, badger, bushpig, etc...). I've had previous taxidermy done in the US, but I'm thinking to have these done in Africa ($18,000 versus $32,000 for life-size). I've been researching taxidermists in South Africa, and I thought I had a few good options. However, further research has shown that most of the good "cat guys" have recently changed outfitters, retired, etc... Does anyone have any recent experience/recommendations (from the past 6-12 months) for a taxidermist in Africa who specializes in small-medium cats?

Also, this will be my first night hunt in Africa. Any tips would be greatly appreciated (gear, shot placement, etc...). I'll be renting a gun/scope from the outfitter shooting 173 grain 7x57.

I'm leaving in a few weeks for a night hunt with @KEMP AFRICAN SAFARIS in South Africa. We'll be going after small and mid-sized cats (civet, serval, caracal, genet + hyena, badger, bushpig, etc...). I've had previous taxidermy done in the US, but I'm thinking to have these done in Africa ($18,000 versus $32,000 for life-size). I've been researching taxidermists in South Africa, and I thought I had a few good options. However, further research has shown that most of the good "cat guys" have recently changed outfitters, retired, etc... Does anyone have any recent experience/recommendations (from the past 6-12 months) for a taxidermist in Africa who specializes in small-medium cats?

Also, this will be my first night hunt in Africa. Any tips would be greatly appreciated (gear, shot placement, etc...). I'll be renting a gun/scope from the outfitter shooting 173 grain 7x57.

Having shot many Feral cats at night a 17rem , 222, 223, or a 204 Ruger is all that is needed a 7x57 will destroy
them, but would be good for HYENA & PIGS

 

[ryno111]

What a great hunt you should have for some really awesome animals, I love hunting them all.

The 7x57 is only really needed for the Hyena & Bushpig, a 22 Hornet with good bullets or .222-223 would be better a shotgun is also a option on the small ones.

I have shot a lot of these small guys & a very nice .22LR load is the Winchester Super X killed most of them very well, even a few Warthogs, probably not for you on this hunt.

Will you be blind/bait hunting, lighting from a vehicle or chasing with dog team, are you using spotlight - Night Vision (very good for visual identification) or Thermal (very good at killing things & without them knowing)

I have used solids in big calibers to just don’t hit big bones if doing full mounts.

Now all these Cats, Dogs & such are tricky to mount well so you need a very good Taxidermist, I would think take them back to US for best work & find good small animal guy.

Africa is not the place for top work on small cats it will be a Crap Shoot if you do !


For some reason these work very well, Jackal - Caracal, lots of Monkeys & some bigger game that shouldn’t be shot with them.
View attachment 701241


PS some peoples idea of well done & them actually being well done/mounted can be far far apart, you can’t say anything either, it’s like saying your Wife or Baby are unattractive/ugly !

We'll be in a blind most of the time, but we'll be spot-lighting for a few of the cats. I believe I'll be using night vision (not thermal). Thanks.

 

[ryno111]

View attachment 701327

These look great!

 

[Ridge Runner]

I can recommend Lauriston Taxidermy in Grahamstown Esst Cape ask for Danwyn.
Up until this trip Danwyn has done all my taxidermy from mongoose to eland. My mongoose was badly damaged from being shot with a 375h&h. Danwyn worked his magic to do a full body mount on the mongoose.

I would have had Danwyn do this past safaris taxidermy, but he switched employers as I was arranging getting my trophies from other outfitters to KUBUSI SAFARIS taxidermy shop.

 

[dchum]

I can recommend Lauriston Taxidermy in Grahamstown Esst Cape ask for Danwyn.
Up until this trip Danwyn has done all my taxidermy from mongoose to eland. My mongoose was badly damaged from being shot with a 375h&h. Danwyn worked his magic to do a full body mount on the mongoose.

I would have had Danwyn do this past safaris taxidermy, but he switched employers as I was arranging getting my trophies from other outfitters to KUBUSI SAFARIS taxidermy shop.

I would love to see some pictures of his work.
Show that mongoose of yours off

 

[DonPablo]

All these emojis and they don't have the one that says "This thread is useless without pics!" Thanks to the person who did post 'em. For the rest, your recommendations fall a little flat when unwilling to share images.

 

[slam8031]

Nature’s Mirror in Limpopo. Pieter De Klerk

 

[Ridge Runner]

I would love to see some pictures of his work.
Show that mongoose of yours off

I'll post photos over the weekend.