Every step forward I take hunting in Africa is unlike my last.

I’m booking with Adrian Salter again for a DG hunt in a very beautiful area with a luxurious camp for my wife’s dream safari in Moz for ‘28. About two weeks ago Adrian WhatsApp’d a voice text to me with an idea: “Would (I) be interested in hunting another leopard on (my) safari? It’s got to be done at night, however, to protect the hounds from tsetse flies.”

Me being me, of course, I said, “uh, hell yes, I would! Get me that tag!”

Now, please, has anyone out there done this before? Where do I, or better put, did you begin with training for something like this? How can I imitate in training something like this? I’m anticipating not having the benefit of using sticks on this hunt. I just can’t imagine there’s going to be time, not to mention the clinking and clacking noise that they make going into the cat and getting set up. I’m figuring that I’ll be shooting off-hand for this work.

Going to use my Dakota .375 H&H for this job. Going to switch out my Swaro for my Zeiss 1.5-5 red dot (which is on my Winchester .375 right now), ditch the sling and really think hard about the clothes I’m going to wear.

I’m really hoping Gavin @PANTHER TRACKERS reads this and can help.

Betterinthebush said:

I’m booking with Adrian Salter again for a DG hunt in a very beautiful area with a luxurious camp for my wife’s dream safari in Moz for ‘28. About two weeks ago Adrian WhatsApp’d a voice text to me with an idea: “Would (I) be interested in hunting another leopard on (my) safari? It’s got to be done at night, however, to protect the hounds from tsetse flies.”

Me being me, of course, I said, “uh, hell yes, I would! Get me that tag!”

Now, please, has anyone out there done this before? Where do I, or better put, did you begin with training for something like this? How can I imitate in training something like this? I’m anticipating not having the benefit of using sticks on this hunt. I just can’t imagine there’s going to be time, not to mention the clinking and clacking noise that they make going into the cat and getting set up. I’m figuring that I’ll be shooting off-hand for this work.

Going to use my Dakota .375 H&H for this job. Going to switch out my Swaro for my Zeiss 1.5-5 red dot (which is on my Winchester .375 right now), ditch the sling and really think hard about the clothes I’m going to wear.

I’m really hoping Gavin @PANTHER TRACKERS reads this and can help.

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Will be happy to help - sent you a DM

For clothes it will depend on what time of year it is, in addition are you comfortable in shorts.
For boots is the area you will be hunting rocky or sandy. Light hikers for moving fast, a bit heavier if rocky and very hilly.

To practice at night do you have a place or a friend has a place where you can put a target in a tree and be able to safely shoot where the bullet doesn't have the possibility of hitting anything when it comes back to earth?

If so get a buddy with a good flashlight to post close to the tree. Take your rifle and go run a half to full mile. Have your buddy luminate the target and you come to a stop take a deep breath and fire a couple rounds and rinse and repeat. If there isn't an area where a 375 is safe to shoot. It it safe for say a 22 or pellet rifle?

Also moving reasonable quick through the bush at night will bring it own special risks and rewards. plan on donating a bit of blood to the hunting gods thorns. I would consider wearing safety glasses also.

Betterinthebush said:

Now, please, has anyone out there done this before? Where do I, or better put, did you begin with training for something like this? How can I imitate in training something like this? I’m anticipating not having the benefit of using sticks on this hunt. I just can’t imagine there’s going to be time, not to mention the clinking and clacking noise that they make going into the cat and getting set up. I’m figuring that I’ll be shooting off-hand for this work.

Click to expand...

After 6 safaris I can tell you this.
There is no such training to equal your hunting experience.

But training helps.
This means shoot from sticks whenever you can, and shoot any field position you can imagine.
This will bring confidence and this is most important.

For proper training you need trigger time.
Trigger time does not mean you have to shoot 458 win mag all the time.
22lr counts for trigger time, as well.

My training for safari, starts with 22lr in most of the cases (50 mtr), then 308 win or 30 06, with cheapest ammunution, at 100 to 200 mtrs, and ending up with several shots of 375 H&H.

Once the rifle iz zeroed, i forget about shooting from bench and rest.
I shoot offhand, and from sticks. Standing and kneeling.

The purpose of training, is to have 100% of shots into vital zone. During training, you do not think about moa, and submoa. Just hits into vital zone.
Standing, off hand and from sticks,

During hunt, try not to shoot anything farther from the disatnce you managed to put all hits into vital zone during training.

Distance, shorter the better

MOA and SUBMOA means nothing. it is only marketing.

When shooting without the rest or from the stick, it is all about coordination. Crosshairs will move. The trick is to coordinate when crosshairs will align to vital area. To squeeze the triger, anticipating the moment when crosshairs will allign. it is never perfect, but once you are trained, it will be acceptable.

The other part of training is psychology.
With training you build self confidence.
Self confidence is 50% of being trained.