Baited Leopard Moon phase?

wildwilderness

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I am contemplating a baited leopard hunt next year and was wondering about Moon phase affecting the hunt.

Does it matter? Would a full moon get them more active at night? Or are they already so nocturnal anyway?

Would a new moon be better so it’s darker in the hide? Maybe they won’t notice as much? Less movement at night of normal prey animals they would come to bait more?
 
I am contemplating a baited leopard hunt next year and was wondering about Moon phase affecting the hunt.

Does it matter? Would a full moon get them more active at night? Or are they already so nocturnal anyway?

Would a new moon be better so it’s darker in the hide? Maybe they won’t notice as much? Less movement at night of normal prey animals they would come to bait more?
Find out what the laws are where the hunt will take place?
Some areas and countries don't allow using artificial light and you cannot shoot after dark or before first light.

If so then moon phase will be an impact.
 
I booked dates with the darkest moon. On the morning of the 3rd day, we left camp at 4:00 AM, stopped the truck a half mile short of the bait and blind. It was so dark I had to have my hand of the buttstock of my PH's 500 NE to follow him slowly and quietly to the blind. At very first light I heard the whisper "he's in the tree"! I got on him at the bait branch, but he immediately turned to descend, all I saw was hind end and tail, but his descent route sent him back around to a limb at the front, he paused, I was solid, and fired. He ran after hitting the ground, so we waited for full sunlight to pursue/examine the site. I prayed for the solid 30 minutes or so until full sun that I would not be putting my PH and tracker in the dangerous situation of tracking a wounded big cat. Godfrey, our tracker, found him laying dead about 100 yards from the bait tree. I cried dry tears! Mike
 
I’m looking at a community area in Zimbabwe so night hunting is allowed
 
My other thought the dark moon may be better to shoot plains game bait? Or does that matter?
 
Boddington in the most recent SCI magazine suggests avoiding the full moon for leopard hunting. He also says most PH's prefer the early season to hunt cats. Later in the year prey is more concentrated around water. Too much natural food available.
I remember a member here with a leopard hunt that didn't get one I believe n Namibia. He was there when the gemsbok? were dropping their young. Buffet for leopards. Not interested in bait. Boddington talks about the same thing but with warthogs elsewhere. Best success seems to happen when normal food sources have to be worked for a bit by a leopard.
Bruce
 
I believe the right location and PH is far more important than moon phase, particularly where night hunting is the norm. Ask 5 experienced PHs what they think about moon phase in such an area, and you’ll probably get 5 varied answers without any real consistency.

Earlier season may be better for hunters generally because baits last longer and male leopards may be easier to find/pattern because they may more frequently use established roads to avoid brush, etc. But leopards are super efficient killers, and in areas where game is plentiful, they’re likely not visiting baits because hunting is hard - it’s somebody else’s free meat hanging in a tree (genetic/instinct trigger??).

It’s probably become an old cliche by now, but it’s true. The only thing more costly than an expensive, successful leopard hunt, is two or three inexpensive unsuccessful leopard hunts. Location, location, and track record of success = the most important considerations by far.
 
Cats are generally lazy and will feed all day if the baits are in the right place. Zambia specializes in daylight Leopards and many of the Luangwa blocks can boast 100% success. The bigger cats come out of the Kafue region of Zambia but can be tricky to hunt. I have not really given much thought to the moon phase as my safaris have been booked well in advance. Zimbabwe has some big cats in the highlands and here they can be hunted at night. Currently, the biggest cats are coming out of Tanzania but the hunt is very expensive. Personally, I do not like sitting for hours in a blind so the daylight option is attractive. You can take Buff and a host of desirable PG species on a Leopard hunt here which is another bonus. Good luck with your research and it is an enjoyable step in booking a safari.
 

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I am contemplating a baited leopard hunt next year and was wondering about Moon phase affecting the hunt.

Does it matter? Would a full moon get them more active at night? Or are they already so nocturnal anyway?

Would a new moon be better so it’s darker in the hide? Maybe they won’t notice as much? Less movement at night of normal prey animals they would come to bait more?
I prefer new moon, Leopard tend to move more on darker nights. This is quite easily observed just by documenting tracks and movement.

With that said in areas like the Niassa special reserve with an extremely high population density moon phase tend to have a slightly lower influence but few areas compare to the Niassa reserve. Make no mistake there are areas with bigger cats but mostly substantially lower success rates.

I would still if I was you, especially considering the area where you will be hunting consider new moon. Whether night hunting is allowed or not movement is influenced by moon phase.

I would also be weary of hunting to late in the season the warmer it gets the higher turnover on baits you’ll have.
If you are hunting an area where only daylight hunting is allowed a late season hunt is almost suicide not only due to the hot day temperatures but areas like Niassa there are thousands of Impala lambs and warthogs that are newly born and easy prey.
I have found that lowering baits this time of year is almost the only way to convince a leopard to hit. I contribute it exclusively to the massive number of babies (easy prey) running around.

Getting sidetracked sorry.

Bait location, hunting pressure, moon phase, time of year all influence movement.
Best months in my opinion June, July, August.

Enjoy, and remember to focus on Leopard it is easy to get distracted and come home with a buffalo and plains game if you are not careful no matter how good an area you are hunting once the cat is in the salt the others will come.
My best Always
Jaco Strauss
 
Last edited:
I am contemplating a baited leopard hunt next year and was wondering about Moon phase affecting the hunt.

Does it matter? Would a full moon get them more active at night? Or are they already so nocturnal anyway?

Would a new moon be better so it’s darker in the hide? Maybe they won’t notice as much? Less movement at night of normal prey animals they would come to bait more?
IMO dark of the moon is best for most all hunting. The question to ask is: is night hunting legal where you are going? if not then you must be dark of he moon or your chances are slim. If it is Zim or somewhere you can hunt all night with a light then you can make a plan no matter when the cat is feeding.
 
...

Enjoy, and remember to focus on Leopard it is easy to get distracted and come home with a buffalo and plains game if you are not careful no matter how good an area you are hunting once the cat is in the salt the others will come.
...

I have to emphasize this. It is very easy to get distracted when one has multiple species possibilities. Prioritize the most time consuming hunt first (usually cats), then the others will happen once that is out of the way.
 
...FWIW

Zim, Sep 21st, 1988 three days from full.
Zim, Sep 13th, 1989 3/4 moon.
Zim, Sep 28th, 1990 1/2 moon.

Three hunts, three dead leopard. All legally killed the first night in the blind.
 
Have been in on quite a few leopard hunts mostly in August/September but believe the best time would be calving time as they eat quite a few cattle and seem to come to their natural kills better than to baited kills. Just from the Leopards i've seen killed over the 8 years I was present I DO believe that the full moon is NOT the best time to hunt them. Never thought to put a roof on the blinds though but it makes sense. When hunting with dogs it seems that the drier it gets the quicker the scent is lost in the morning.
 

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