HUNTING Leopard

Hello - leopard hunting is one of my favorite hunts to conduct and I would like to share some thoughts on the topic. Talking about leopard hunting never get old to me! I thought I would share the basic around how we prefer to dispatch our leopard.

I have included a couple self-made diagrams that I used at a recent presentation at SCI. I didn’t master the latest in computer graphics to make these diagrams – keep in mind I’m just a PH that has ‘mouse-paint’ on his laptop! I also have listed a few of the main topics that I personally like to go over with my hunters on ‘the shot’.

Topics on the shot:

- The vitals are NOT pushed far forward like african plains game - think more along the lines of your whitetail deer shot placement.

- We are aiming for the kill shot with the largest margin for error. If you try for the heart and go low…big problem; if you aim for the shoulder and shoot high…problem; if you think double lung and wiggle to the rear…really big problem. Give yourself the best chance at a clean kill and aim at the spot on the diagrams!

- cats are to be shot when standing, no shooting while reaching for the meat or lying down, or at strong angles or anything else...wait for the right shot.

- relax, if he is in the tree then he is ok with the situation and has the confidence to feed; have the confidence to relax and wait for the right shot.

- divide the cat into sections. find the top line, find the bottom line, find the mid line. Shoot just below the middle on the crease of the leg.

- pick a spot, literally... and squeeeeze.

We have a .375 load that works great for cats and makes it easy on the clients with using one gun in Africa. We find the .375 H&H to be the best all around for Africa. Most hunters can handle shooting it accurately (most important factor), ammunition is easy to find, it is a 200+ yard gun (seldom needed but once on safari it seems to come in handy for collecting a great trophy that you just cant get closer to), it is suitable for hunting buffalo cats and all PG on the same safari (bring one gun and knowing how to use it simplifies the process all around).

The load is a 260 grain Nosler Accubond traveling 2,900 fps out of a .375 H&H. It has a lot of hydrostatic shock and kills the cats instantly. This is great as the client can use the same gun and .375's tend to handle about any ammunition accurately. We sight the gun dead on at the exact distance of the individual bait, with this bullet and we test fire right before heading to the blind (confidence is key and the shot right before sets everyone’s mind at ease).I usually have the client view the cat through the scope once it starts to feed. He can enjoy the moment while getting over the 'adrenaline shakes'. Then I have him back off and calm down. Then when I put him on the gun again the cat is in the right position and the hunter now has the green light to shoot (this is also very effective as the second time he looks at the cat through the scope he is ready for business and has seen the sight picture before, simple brain training!).

Note that:

We hunt our cats in daylight hours and these cats are more relaxed in TZ than I have seen anywhere else in Africa.
We always have a shooting rest in the blind.
We are positioned well and little movement is needed for anything.
We have the gun set, so all the hunter does is lean into it, no shifting around in the seat or moving the gun into position.
We repeated go through the motions and signals that will take place in the blind (as many of you well know there is plenty of time on the vehicle for discussion while waiting for a cat to feed).

This is the way I have found it to work the best – not right for all leopard hunts and situations but it works great for us in our areas.

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Now...there are always exceptions! Here is a video when we called the shot in a sitting position. Even though this cats rear is high and his back almost level so finding the vitals was easy and no angle to really take into consideration. This client was a very good shot and experienced hunter - as you will notice when the bullet strikes.


Thanks.
Thanks for the info,
so you very happy with the Nosler Accubond performance on leopard ?
I’m going to shoot my leopard with a 338 Blaser mag 225gr Nosler Accubond 2850ft/s so you will say the bullet is perfect ?

will you use it on lion also?

thanks
 
its 250gr and moving at 2730 ft/s
but I don’t get them to groep they don’t groep nearly as good as the Accubonds.

just for curiosity thy not the Accubond on ‘n big male lion? If it’s going to work perfect on a leopard

thanks
Much better and the speed is adequite for leopard.

Accubond is too soft for a big male lion, may get the job done on a perfect broadside shot but if frontal or in any charge situation I would suggest climbing a tree very fast...or uae the swift.

Do some load development with the swift
 
A big male liin weights 3 times what a big leopard does and has much bigger heavier muscle mass.....
 
The biggest leopard in the world is not gonna break 200 lbs, and they are thin and fragile. They are not built like a big hoofed vegan!

Shot placement with an animal that quite frankly scares me when wounded is critical, but after that it's very likely gonna be an animal that weighs 90-130 lbs. They have the attitude of a 1300lb buffalo with speed that makes a lion look slow. They also don't growl when tracking or charging like a lion will.

With this "spooky" stuff understood, I like cartridges 30 caliber or over for blood tracking. Makes life a heck of a lot easier for the crew that must go look for the cat. Anything 243/6mm with a great expanding bullet is gonna kill a leopard when put through the chest. They are usually well below 150lbs, Leopards on Average are much smaller then American Mtn Lions, or Cougars.
 
The biggest leopard in the world is not gonna break 200 lbs, and they are thin and fragile. They are not built like a big hoofed vegan!

Shot placement with an animal that quite frankly scares me when wounded is critical, but after that it's very likely gonna be an animal that weighs 90-130 lbs. They have the attitude of a 1300lb buffalo with speed that makes a lion look slow. They also don't growl when tracking or charging like a lion will.

With this "spooky" stuff understood, I like cartridges 30 caliber or over for blood tracking. Makes life a heck of a lot easier for the crew that must go look for the cat. Anything 243/6mm with a great expanding bullet is gonna kill a leopard when put through the chest. They are usually well below 150lbs, Leopards on Average are much smaller then American Mtn Lions, or Cougars.
You do not know much about leopard or hunting leopard seems like...

I have hunted 2 leopards over 200lbs...one 221lbs one 216 lbs...
90lbs leopard hunted?? Hopefully the hunter missed the mother......
 
I am real curius how many 90-130 lbs leopards have you hunted with a 243??
 
I am en route to Africa as we speak and I am serious when I say that I would rather not shoot a Leopard, than shoot a 90lb Leopard lol.
 
@IvW I was thinking that seems a bit light, 130-145lb maybe, we get 160-180lbs some times & my guys got a 210lb in Zim way back but that was crazy big (and I think had a bit of calf in it) !
 
Anything 243/6mm with a great expanding bullet is gonna kill a leopard
Legal minimum in Zimbabwe is 7mm and 2213 ftlbs. So a 243 is illegal in Zimbabwe. You are looking at 7 x57 or 7 mm -08 as the legal minimum area and I think most PH's would recommend a little larger ?

Lion minimum is 7 mm and 3172 ftlbs. Practically, I dont know of many who would recommend a 7mm Rem Mag but that is legal.
 
Much better and the speed is adequite for leopard.

Accubond is too soft for a big male lion, may get the job done on a perfect broadside shot but if frontal or in any charge situation I would suggest climbing a tree very fast...or uae the swift.

Do some load development with the swift
Hi, I did some load development on the swift first went up in grains but it opend more the groupin, I loaded some lower grain and got a perfect groep and is moving 2710 Ft/s but groups perfec.

so you say the Swift A frame 250gr will work perfect on leopard & Lion males?

this is the first time hunting with A frame if there is an opportunity on a hippo bull in the water will you shoot it with the A frame head shot?

thanks for the help
 
Hi, I did some load development on the swift first went up in grains but it opend more the groupin, I loaded some lower grain and got a perfect groep and is moving 2710 Ft/s but groups perfec.

so you say the Swift A frame 250gr will work perfect on leopard & Lion males?

this is the first time hunting with A frame if there is an opportunity on a hippo bull in the water will you shoot it with the A frame head shot?

thanks for the help
Yes, perfect for hippo brain shot in the water you do not want to use a solid for that
 
I'm headed for a Namibia leopard hunt late July into August '22. It's my first trip to Africa, at age 67, realizing a lifelong dream.

Shot placement is a subject that I continue to study; how optimistic is it that my PH could whisper the shot placement he prefers for the angle presented if we're in a blind? And calm me down!

I'll be renting a rifle, and have a choice between a .30-'06 or a .300 Win. Mag. Any preferences between those two? I don't know what ammo they have, I need to ask that question. I'll also be hunting plains game up to Eland size. A .375 is also available.

Thanks, Mike from Iowa
 
I'm headed for a Namibia leopard hunt late July into August '22. It's my first trip to Africa, at age 67, realizing a lifelong dream.

Shot placement is a subject that I continue to study; how optimistic is it that my PH could whisper the shot placement he prefers for the angle presented if we're in a blind? And calm me down!

I'll be renting a rifle, and have a choice between a .30-'06 or a .300 Win. Mag. Any preferences between those two? I don't know what ammo they have, I need to ask that question. I'll also be hunting plains game up to Eland size. A .375 is also available.

Thanks, Mike from Iowa
Congratulations and good luck on your hunt!
 
I'm headed for a Namibia leopard hunt late July into August '22. It's my first trip to Africa, at age 67, realizing a lifelong dream.

Shot placement is a subject that I continue to study; how optimistic is it that my PH could whisper the shot placement he prefers for the angle presented if we're in a blind? And calm me down!

I'll be renting a rifle, and have a choice between a .30-'06 or a .300 Win. Mag. Any preferences between those two? I don't know what ammo they have, I need to ask that question. I'll also be hunting plains game up to Eland size. A .375 is also available.

Thanks, Mike from Iowa
Heck yeah! Good luck on your hunt, I can only imagine the anticipation!
 
I'm headed for a Namibia leopard hunt late July into August '22. It's my first trip to Africa, at age 67, realizing a lifelong dream.

Shot placement is a subject that I continue to study; how optimistic is it that my PH could whisper the shot placement he prefers for the angle presented if we're in a blind? And calm me down!

I'll be renting a rifle, and have a choice between a .30-'06 or a .300 Win. Mag. Any preferences between those two? I don't know what ammo they have, I need to ask that question. I'll also be hunting plains game up to Eland size. A .375 is also available.

Thanks, Mike from Iowa
Use the 06....and no he should not wisper the shot placement in the blind....do some homework and practice shot placement at closer range....your PH will explain exactly where to aim before the hunt...
 
I made that trip in November 21 for Mr Spots. We spoke a lot about shot placement but we didn’t talk in the blind. Hand communication and touch was used to take the shot. The 30-06 worked for me! Study anatomy. Breathe and squeeze! Memories last!!! Have a great trip!!
 
..and no he should not wisper the shot placement in the blind....
Exactly. You want zero noise in that blind.
PH's will have an agreed upon silent signal for go time.

You have to be able to visualize a 3D version of the chest. Know where the heart is from any angle.
Practice.

For some easy practice at home.
Watch a house cat as it moves and sits and imagine the shot placement.

When you are aiming: Pick one spot, it will help you focus and shoot small.

Oh, and do some deep breathing exercises.

Good luck.
 
Unbelievable that we leave in two days, depart July 21 from Des Moines, arrive Windhoek mid-day Saturday July 23. 12 full days hunting leopard and PG at Ozondjahe Safaris. Thanks to Jerome Philippe and Phillip Fourie for all they have done to assure a great hunt following a late change of plans. I've started deep breathing already, so pumped for our first trip to Africa! Mike
 
You do not know much about leopard or hunting leopard seems like...

I have hunted 2 leopards over 200lbs...one 221lbs one 216 lbs...
90lbs leopard hunted?? Hopefully the hunter missed the mother......
I realize that this is an old thread but do you have pictures of those 2 Leopards?? I would love to see them as well as hear more about them if you feel like sharing
 
I'd like to see photos also. Looking at my cat's skull from July '22, all of it's canines are cracked past the gum line, an old cat, and it weighed 120 lbs. From Namibia south of the Waterberg Plateau. It was measured at 7'6". I can only offer congrats to anyone who takes a 200 lb. leopard. Mike.
 

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