Hunting of Leopard at night with artificial light

[AfricaHunting.com]

It is with growing concern that NAPHA currently receives more and more complaints and hearsay reports about our members who still make themselves guilty of hunting leopard at night with an artificial light. Photographs taken during the early morning hours when these animals are stiff are presented to MET as well as photographs of leopard that has been cut strategically to remove the stiffness after being shot at night. This is unacceptable and individuals making themselves guilty of this practice, may potentially negatively influence NAPHA’s negotiations with MET to legalise leopard hunting at night in the future.

As hunters, we fully realize that hunting a predominantly nocturnal animal like leopard is almost impossible, especially on commercial farms. We also fully realize the financial implications and credibility of outfitters by not getting your leopard, however, we urge our members to refrain from this practice until such time the laws in this regard have changed.

This practice under the current legislation of the MET is illegal.



Source: Namibia Professional Hunting Association (NAPHA)

 

[ndumo HUNTING SAFARIS]

Jerome, the problem is that Bureaucrats that only hunt maybe once or twice a year are running the organisation...
Anyone who actually hunts leopards seriously and for a living will know that:
1) a lot of cats are shot just before the end of legal time, and does not drop dead under the tree. This frequently results in a follow up after dark, which frequently are abandoned for the night due to the danger factor, which frequently results in a follow up the next morning, with a "STIFF" dead cat as the result.
2) as above, a lot of cats are shot just before the end of legal time, and by the time the car and the cameras has come closer, it is really dark, so a LOT of clients opt for photos the next morning when they can have decent light for their trophy photos. (Remember that a photograph is as much of a trophy as the actual skull and skin/ mounted animal, especially in recent yeasr where some animals may not be exported to all countries.)
3) a few cats are shot early morning, where you actually wait with a vibrating stopwatch for "legal time", and a pic taken under the tree of a dropped right there cat with a cell phone (now apparently illegal in Namibia, but untested...) may look like its darker than it is. Remember the law states that legal hours are 30 min before sun up to 30 min after sun down. Do yourself a favor and go and take a pic 1 min into or before the end of legal time, especially with a cell, and see how that pic turns out. Especially if in heavy cover....
4) there is too much of a hidden agenda with some of the members of NAPHA, why even listen to hearsay stories???? Maybe jealousy?

 

[Ridgewalker]

Interesting views. I don't think any of us would/should intentionally do this, but Karl has some very valid points of times, searches and rigormortise issues. Not sure how you could prove any of it.

 

[Philip Glass]

It is with growing concern that NAPHA currently receives more and more complaints and hearsay reports about our members who still make themselves guilty of hunting leopard at night with an artificial light. Photographs taken during the early morning hours when these animals are stiff are presented to MET as well as photographs of leopard that has been cut strategically to remove the stiffness after being shot at night. This is unacceptable and individuals making themselves guilty of this practice, may potentially negatively influence NAPHA’s negotiations with MET to legalise leopard hunting at night in the future.

As hunters, we fully realize that hunting a predominantly nocturnal animal like leopard is almost impossible, especially on commercial farms. We also fully realize the financial implications and credibility of outfitters by not getting your leopard, however, we urge our members to refrain from this practice until such time the laws in this regard have changed.

This practice under the current legislation of the MET is illegal.



Source: Namibia Professional Hunting Association (NAPHA)

MET is really stupid to put onerous regulations on hunters while allowing farmers to kill leopards any way they choose. Namibia should allow night hunting, hound hunting, and what about crossbow hunting! Give me a break these idiots have lost their minds. Not to mention outlawing all nocturnal animals! Hunters just go to RSA instead and Namibia is losing business!
Wow I'm wound up! Reason is I love Namibia so very much and I hate to see these regs. I now have to hunt RSA instead for some stuff on my list of wishes.
Philip

 

[RogerHeintzman]

I may have to schedule my third leopard hunt sooner then later. Who knows how much longer they will be huntable where they are fairly reasonable priced.

I will be visiting with Marius in just over a week about his leopard hunts in Namibia.

 

[IdaRam]

On the one hand I feel very much the same as @Philip Glass .
Leopard hunting is very closely regulated and monitord with precise reporting of success (or not) and much scientific data collected from harvest. So what difference does it make if the animal is taken at night or not? Set the quota, manage the harvest, collect the scientific data and manage lepoard populations scientifically. Not emotionally.
Namibia deserves kudos for many of the things it is doing and it's pro hunting mentality. But in many ways both the Namibian government and NAPHA seem to have folks that have a strong "opinion" of how things should be done, ie; their way.
On the other hand, some of their motivation I believe is to make their pro-hunting position less objectionable. I get that, and to a certain degree I support it. Right up to the point it becomes a fools errand. Which I think their position on leopard hunting is.

 

[BRICKBURN]

One step forward, two back.

 

[ndumo HUNTING SAFARIS]

I believe that NAPHA is in the process of negotiating night hunting with MET, as can be deducted from their statement above. Unfortunately I also believe that the strong "my way or not at all" mentality of some of the Gestapo in NAPHA, makes it virtually impossible to push something through which their mentality just cannot stomach. I 100% understand that there are people that are anti-hunting, pro hunting, and neutral to hunting, and that the regulations should be aimed at keeping the neutral group on our side. And mostly MET has succeeded in that. But it seems like some of my colleagues at NAPHA are trying to keep the antis happy. That cannot be done without stopping hunting completely.
If strict quotas are adhered to, what's the problem if night hunting is allowed or not? Or even hound hunting? There is a segment of professional hunters and outfitters that still hunt with dogs/ at night etc... Regulations does not make people that has no respect for the law, law abiding citizens all of a sudden. Make the regulations fair, make the qualification as a hunting outfitter more stringent, make the qualification to guide leopard hunts professionally more difficult, and send a government game scout on all leopard hunts.

 

[siml]

@Ndumo Hunting Safaris, I agree with you, often photos are taken well after the animal was shot due to follow ups, getting cameras etc. But I also have to agree with some points from the OP, I read a report of leopard hunt, where the client said.. "the moon was high in the sky when the leopard eventually came in...." hunters at times can be their own worst enemy, not just referring to leopards.

 

[BRICKBURN]

It certainly helps compliance if the laws/policies are fair, well researched and make sense.
If not, ......

 

[ndumo HUNTING SAFARIS]

Simon, yes but remember the moon can come up and be high in the sky when its still daylight... Not that I believe thats what the guy meant who posted the sentence...

 

[Wheels]

@Ndumo Hunting Safaris, I agree with you, often photos are taken well after the animal was shot due to follow ups, getting cameras etc. But I also have to agree with some points from the OP, I read a report of leopard hunt, where the client said.. "the moon was high in the sky when the leopard eventually came in...." hunters at times can be their own worst enemy, not just referring to leopards.

I remember that post. As I recall, the hunter that posted that sentence got a pm and changed his report. There have been at least a couple of hunting reports on AH referencing hunting leopard at night in Namibia. I don't think the hunters that posted these reports even knew it was a problem. I think they were kept in the dark by the outfitter/ph.

I don't have a problem hunting nocturnal animals at night. Most hunters probably feel the same way. Breaking the law is a different story.

 

[CAustin]

I'm with you @Wheels . The night critters can see you long before you can see them. I hope they do change the rules so that spots can be taken at night in Namibia.

 

[Philip Glass]

Shhhhh let me tell you a secret. ALL Leopards are killed at nigh in Namibia! Just don't tell anyone ok.
Philip

 

[ndumo HUNTING SAFARIS]

Phillip, not all. Every single leopard we have shot this year was also filmed, to prove we shot it in day time.

 

[Red Leg]

Shhhhh let me tell you a secret. ALL Leopards are killed at nigh in Namibia! Just don't tell anyone ok.
Philip

Phillip it is true that most in cattle country were taken at night because they were almost completely nocturnal. I am sure some are still taken that way - as well as being poisoned and trapped. Most of the specialists have picked up additional concessions in Bushman land and other tribal areas where they seem to be having good success on natural light cats.

 

[brettp]

Jerome, the problem is that Bureaucrats that only hunt maybe once or twice a year are running the organisation...
Anyone who actually hunts leopards seriously and for a living will know that:
1) a lot of cats are shot just before the end of legal time, and does not drop dead under the tree. This frequently results in a follow up after dark, which frequently are abandoned for the night due to the danger factor, which frequently results in a follow up the next morning, with a "STIFF" dead cat as the result.
2) as above, a lot of cats are shot just before the end of legal time, and by the time the car and the cameras has come closer, it is really dark, so a LOT of clients opt for photos the next morning when they can have decent light for their trophy photos. (Remember that a photograph is as much of a trophy as the actual skull and skin/ mounted animal, especially in recent yeasr where some animals may not be exported to all countries.)
3) a few cats are shot early morning, where you actually wait with a vibrating stopwatch for "legal time", and a pic taken under the tree of a dropped right there cat with a cell phone (now apparently illegal in Namibia, but untested...) may look like its darker than it is. Remember the law states that legal hours are 30 min before sun up to 30 min after sun down. Do yourself a favor and go and take a pic 1 min into or before the end of legal time, especially with a cell, and see how that pic turns out. Especially if in heavy cover....
4) there is too much of a hidden agenda with some of the members of NAPHA, why even listen to hearsay stories???? Maybe jealousy?

What's illegal? Cell phone photos?

 

[ndumo HUNTING SAFARIS]

What's illegal? Cell phone photos?

Brett, apparently all photos/ videos are banned from placed on social media. But if you read the actual "condition"on the new hunting permit, it actually mean I am breaking the law by advertising any trophy hunting using the internet... so I am not allowed to send you an email.... or a whatsapp... Not of a photo, a contract, or even answering an enquiry... Nor are you allowed to have a website or a Facebook page...Good luck in enforcing that... BTW my Facebook page and my website are still up and running, so I guess I have broken the law now???? (According to them anyway, as I said good luck on that one).

 

[VonJager]

@Ndumo Hunting Safaris, I agree with you, often photos are taken well after the animal was shot due to follow ups, getting cameras etc. But I also have to agree with some points from the OP, I read a report of leopard hunt, where the client said.. "the moon was high in the sky when the leopard eventually came in...." hunters at times can be their own worst enemy, not just referring to leopards.

Well, the moon can be visible in daylight. I think it is reasonable to say in that quote it was probably not daylight, but just want to throw it out there.

 

[Royal27]

Well, the moon can be visible in daylight. I think it is reasonable to say in that quote it was probably not daylight, but just want to throw it out there.

I remember that quote too, before it was changed. It talked about first seeing the cat in the moonlight, or light of the moon. It was pretty clear it didn't happen during daylight hours.