Best Value Leopard Hunt in Africa

Good day Gentlemen,

What would one expect to pay for a quality leopard hunt with a reputable outfitter with a history of good success rates?

I am open to any country and I don't care about shooting the biggest leopard in the 'book' but I would want to shoot a representative male and have the most chance for success at a competitive cost (not cheap---- just reasonable and not too expensive).

I have hunted internationally and mostly hunt mountain game since my last Africa trip 5 years ago for Buffalo. I love hunting the mountains but the allure of hunting a Leopard has taken hold of me and I would like to plan to hunt one in the next 5 years. I have a feeling all of the big 5 will become non importable to Canada eventually and the Leopard is the only one other than Buffalo that interests me enough to spend my money on it.

My plan for next 5 years it to hunt Marco Polo (for my 40th b-day in 2024) and Blue Sheep (2021 in Nepal). I would like to try and fit in a leopard somewhere in between.

I am sure there are quality offers right now available- I am not really looking to go right now. Just curious as to quality outfitters, times of year and destinations for my best chance at a reasonable sized leopard in the next few years.

Thank you in advance.

Adam.

Hi Adam
Just my opinion, don't be guided by the price but the success rates on leopard, many of us have been on more than one hunt to be successful with Mr spots.I spent 18 nights in a blind without success then got lucky on another occasion on the first night. The Luangwa in Zambia, for example, has a very heavy concentration of Leopard but are on the higher end of costs but this is still cheaper than 2 or 3 safaris to bag your Tom.

Environ said:

Hi Adam
Just my opinion, don't be guided by the price but the success rates on leopard, many of us have been on more than one hunt to be successful with Mr spots.I spent 18 nights in a blind without success then got lucky on another occasion on the first night. The Luangwa in Zambia, for example, has a very heavy concentration of Leopard but are on the higher end of costs but this is still cheaper than 2 or 3 safaris to bag your Tom.

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I don't want to go on 2 or 3 safari's to get one.

I am picking up what you are putting down and I appreciate the opinion. I have heard the same thing with Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep. I have friends who have been several times and not gotten one. I have hunted them once and was unsuccessful in even seeing a single ram in 10 days. Its a tough hunt. A good friend of mine who I just hunted goat with in BC also did a Stone sheep hunt earlier this season and wasn't successful.- his hunt was heavily weighted on the trophy fee so he ended up being ok...and he shot a nice western Canada moose!

I would probably be happy for a reasonable hunt that had a trophy fee component where I could shoot some plains game and pay a daily rate and have the potential for a good leopard if one came in.

These guys have been offering pay trophy fee only if cat is killed deals with great success it seems

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/leopard-hunt-special-offer-zimbabwe.43943/

By carefully looking at the hunt reports here and on the other network you can readily see who has high success rates for cats. Look at the last 5 yrs or so. Occasionally one of the better outfitters posts a bargain on the bargain channel and thats a good place to check.
Bruce

Good leopard hunts are not a dime a dozen. These hunts have a market value, and given margins in hunting today, I would be wary of anyone offering a hunt at much of a discount to that ‘market value’.

Hank2211 said:

Good leopard hunts are not a dime a dozen. These hunts have a market value, and given margins in hunting today, I would be wary of anyone offering a hunt at much of a discount to that ‘market value’.

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+1 on the above!!

A GENERAL approx with an established Leopard Hunter would be $25,000 in Zimbabwe, where you "should" get a chance at a Leopard and $35,000 in Zambia, where you will 99% get a chance at a Leopard...in daylight too.

If you REALLY want one bad, you are going to have to pay the above prices.....not to offend some of the Namibian PH's here but SOME of the Namibia $10,000 day rate and $7,000 if you kill one are hit or miss. Prime area's in Namibia aren't cheap either.

Do your own research!!

I did a lot of research before booking my leopard hunt in Zimbabwe with @Nyamazana Safaris to specifically hunt one area, Drummond Ranch. The success rate is very very high. Expect to pay $25-30,000 for the hunt(day rate), baits (zebra) and the trophy fee.

Read my hunt report as I asked myself the same questions as you are asking now.

https://www.africahunting.com/threa...alo-plains-game-with-nyamazana-safaris.47141/

I got my leopard on my 40th day of leopard hunting. Success rates are going down but no one wants to admit it. Your best bet is to hunt Zimbabwe. Since you have time I highly recommend coming to SCI and getting the outfitters in person. This is about a $25K endeavor. You are right to put leopard at the top of the list of trophies as it is fantastic to hunt.
Best,
Philip

Contact Adam Barnard of 4Aces Outfitters. This year, two friends of mine got two leopards in three days in Mozambique with him.

He will be at DSC, where you can meet him.

when is the best time to go?

all of these are good insights and I really do appreciate it. I am definitely not looking for a "cheap" outfitter but I don't consider myself "rich" (although that's a relative term) because I do have to watch my budgets and make sure that I can afford to go somewhere each year.

I would say May through August.

Like many mentioned above, if there is one hunt you do not want to hit or miss it is a leopard. Research the areas thoroughly and make sure the people you book with are passionate leopard hunters as that will also make a big difference in the preparation that will go into the safari before you arrive on your safari. I would also say like many others on the thread you are looking at a minimum of $25 000 and up for a quality area and a company that will go out of their way to make sure you get your leopard.

Enjoy the planning and do not hesitate to ask any questions!

Philip Glass said:

I got my leopard on my 40th day of leopard hunting. Success rates are going down but no one wants to admit it. Your best bet is to hunt Zimbabwe. Since you have time I highly recommend coming to SCI and getting the outfitters in person. This is about a $25K endeavor. You are right to put leopard at the top of the list of trophies as it is fantastic to hunt.
Best,
Philip

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Where did you hunt those 40 days?
I would say success rates are best in certain areas in Zimbabwe and the Luangwa Valley in Zambia. Also, some PH's have better success rates than others, it's not just the area. In a good area, with a top notch cat PH, reasonable shooting skills, the right time of the year (not too hot, early in the season often seems better), right moon phase, you would need to be pretty unlucky to not get a leopard in those Zim and Zam areas.

I've booked a leopard hunt for 2020 in the Bubble Valley Conservancy. Will report back on how it goes.

StephenZambia said:

Where did you hunt those 40 days?
I would say success rates are best in certain areas in Zimbabwe and the Luangwa Valley in Zambia. Also, some PH's have better success rates than others, it's not just the area. In a good area, with a top notch cat PH, reasonable shooting skills, the right time of the year (not too hot, early in the season often seems better), right moon phase, you would need to be pretty unlucky to not get a leopard in those Zim and Zam areas.

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Zambezi Valley 21 days. April Lotsof rain and scarce PG for bait. Great lion but not much else. Northern Namibia 10 days. Extreme drought plus wise cats that had been shot before complicated things. Then hound hunt in Zim finally bagged a cat.
It all depends and I am hearing of more and more leopard failures.
PG

Having been on a couple of leopard hunts, I would consider what you want in the experience.
Based on the country, daylight only, night hunt, possibly dogs (not up on current regs).

Philip Glass said:

Zambezi Valley 21 days. April Lotsof rain and scarce PG for bait. Great lion but not much else. Northern Namibia 10 days. Extreme drought plus wise cats that had been shot before complicated things. Then hound hunt in Zim finally bagged a cat.
It all depends and I am hearing of more and more leopard failures.
PG

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It took me two hunts to get the first, and while many get one on the first hunt, I agree that more and more are finding that a leopard will take multiple hunts.

You need to do whatever you can to get the odds in your favour. That begins with an experienced leopard PH, and extends to a good area which has not recently been hunted for leopard. If you're OK with it, and where legal, night hunting can also improve the odds.

As many have said, this is not a hunt to be looking for bargains.

Find an area that has been under the control of one group of people for decades, and intend for the same group to have the area for decades to come. They will have taken better care of the game stocks in their ecosystem and far less likely to have "shot it up." Unfortunately for those looking for just leopard and only leopard, many of the absolute best companies only offer leopard combined with other high dollar species, or alone at somewhat high prices. I can tell you from firsthand experience that the Save Valley Conservancy was crawling with big leopards this past (2019) season. When hunted at night, monster toms were usually taken within a few days.

Hank2211 said:

I've booked a leopard hunt for 2020 in the Bubble Valley Conservancy. Will report back on how it goes.

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Bubye Valley. Gotta love autocorrect!