Leopard Hunts.... How much bait did you shoot?

[deewayne2003]

Considering booking a Leopard hunt in Zimbabwe for 2027 and another post about bait pricing made me start thinking about bait volume.

So for those of you who have hunted Leopard(successful or not) what kind and how many bait animals did it take to complete your hunt?

 

[Rare Breed]

For me in Zim it was 7 goats at $25 each to start then 1 entire cow for $500

 

[Happy Myles]

Depends. Sometimes one bait will do it. Sometimes lots of baits won’t do it. In my experience if you get a cat on a zebra bait the cat will come back they like the flavor and a quarter will provide enough meat to lure them back. One trip we had baits strung out everywhere with no luck getting cats to stay on bait. A charter plane picked me up and dropped off an Italian chap he killed a leopard off one of my baits driving back to camp. Go figure.
For lion I prefer hippo for bait. Tons of meat to lure cats back and they love hippo fat

 

[Andrew62]

5 impala, 1 zebra

 

[Rare Breed]

Depends. Sometimes one bait will do it. Sometimes lots of baits won’t do it. In my experience if you get a cat on a zebra bait the cat will come back they like the flavor and a quarter will provide enough meat to lure them back. One trip we had baits strung out everywhere with no luck getting cats to stay on bait. A charter plane picked me up and dropped off an Italian chap he killed a leopard off one of my baits driving back to camp. Go figure.
For lion I prefer hippo for bait. Tons of meat to lure cats back and they love hippo fat

I was told by Lue Hallamore my PH that Zebra was the best bait for leopard in his opinion.

 

[Sarg]

If possible try to spring for a prebaited hunt, it will also depend on what time of year as warm weather will rot baits out faster for the few that are being eaten, especially try to time your hunt before the seasons fawn-calf drop, also what area !

I’m afraid you are asking “How long is a piece of String ?”

 

[DLSJR]

In Zimbabwe we used impala & warthogs for leopard bait. It was many years ago but I was allocated something like 6-8 animals between pigs and impalas for bait. Put up 4 baits, shot a 165 lb Tom during daylight on very first sit.

In Tanzania we’ve used Zebra, buffalo and hartebeest. We had a bunch of baits and cats were feeding on five different baits.

 

[deewayne2003]

If possible try to spring for a prebaited hunt, it will also depend on what time of year as warm weather will rot baits out faster for the few that are being eaten, especially try to time your hunt before the seasons fawn-calf drop, also what area !

I’m afraid you are asking “How long is a piece of String ?”

Think of the question more along the lines of "How long was your piece of string?"

There are certainly lots of variables so I'm trying to get the some total of what others have experienced.

You make all valid points and I agree on the pre-baiting.

 

[Doug3006]

Two Zebras. I took one and @Jeff505 took the other. We paid the full trophy fees for both. Kept the hides for rugs. Turns out I only needed one…and only the two fron shoulders. My cat played nice and I got him on the first sit!

 

[Sarg]

Think of the question more along the lines of "How long was your piece of string?"

There are certainly lots of variables so I'm trying to get the some total of what others have experienced.

You make all valid points and I agree on the pre-baiting.

I worked in Zim a season as helper, worked on a lot of Leopards & shot a couple myself, back then it was either sex so if something big came in it got shot !

Much different in today’ client hunter world !

 

[thriller]

I shot 1 zebra…. Also I killed my cat on day 2 so probably not the best measuring stick here.

 

[thriller]

Considering booking a Leopard hunt in Zimbabwe for 2027 and another post about bait pricing made me start thinking about bait volume.

So for those of you who have hunted Leopard(successful or not) what kind and how many bait animals did it take to complete your hunt?

Prebaiting is a great way to improve your chances. It’s not free but its cheaper than a second attempt at a leopard

 

[Happy Myles]

For some reason I like to strategize, plan and do my own baiting, so prebaiting is not for me. While I am busy hunting other game i usually have someone else check baits for me. I have set baits all over Africa for a couple professional photographers. No plans to kill another Chui. I have killed several leopards so no more for me. While sitting on baits I have been lucky to observe a wide variety of other interesting animals attracted to bait.