Omay leopard? Correct choice???

[Nhoro]

Dalton and York can be trusted. Nothing is 100 % and I am sure they gave you a fair idea. Zimbabwe has many areas of high concentration of leopard and good operators with good areas have a good chance. Areas like Nuanetsi and others have leopard densities that are among the highest in the world. But do your homework because there are sharks in every country !

 

[Rockwall205]

@Rockwall205 thank you! Haven’t thought of hounds but definitely an option.

Did you get both cats with your sons at the same place?

No first down in lowveld near Gonarezhou park Combo hunt Elephant leopard Buffalo.

Second up north Dettai 2 not sure of spelling combo Leopard buffalo near Victoria Falls . I just keep heading back to Zimbabwe because you just get more for your dollar when hunting dangerous game . Have hunted Tanzania and Cameroon for specific Plainsgame to those areas , we did add a leopard in Tanzania because we hunted for Trophy price only no extra on daily rate .

 

[tygersman1]

In Zim, the highest density and highest success rate areas tend to be booked several years in advance and are disproportionately expensive to other areas. But they are 90+% on spots with PHs that frequent those areas. In my book that’s still a significantly better investment than 50-75% chance (unless the leopard is an opportunity add on to another primary hunt). 2-3 moderately priced (but unsuccessful) leopard hunts tend to be far more expensive than 1 higher dollar one. I started 0-2, and now am 2-2 since picking premier areas. I’m going again this summer, but am after a super-sized cat in Zim after taking two big ones (Zambia and Zimbabwe) - I suspect my odds are a bit lower bc of this, but am also hunting ele.

The most successful leopard PHs I’ve been around and have hunted with place location/density above all else. Then time of year and ability to hunt at night as may be necessary. One of the most minor factors was moon phase …. But why not stack everything you can in your favor - you can do that by booking far enough in advance.

Including dogs is no guarantee. BUT a good houndsman and pack of dogs drives up your chances significantly. There is some offset to this as typically the premier areas don’t allow dog hunts (but then again, you don’t really need them there).

 

[DALTON & YORK SAFARIS]

Im about 99% on booking a leopard for 2027 with D&Y in the Omay. I feel it’s a solid choice. But never hunted leopard before. I have seen many hunt reports. Anyone thats had this experience i would appreciate any info. You can post on thread a pm. Thank you for taking time to respond.

Thank you everyone for the positive comments they are truly appreciated. Just for common knowledge the omay is secure until 2028 . As for success we have not failed a leopard hunt in the omay since 2021 . With a vast amount of area distinguished with huge river systems, mountains and rocky outcrops it’s a great place to hunt leopard . 2024 saw 2 of the 3 cats shot in daylight . The south has not been hunted for 2 years and always being our prime area for leopard it’s going to be absolutely incredible to hunt there this year. No one can ever guarantee a true wild leopard hunt but we can guarantee hard work , persistence and a lot of fun . Our average age of leopards in the last 4 years is currently at 5 and half years old , oldest being 9 . We run a huge data base on over 25 leopards that we monitor age and territory. Again thank you

Regards dalton

 

[Wild Willy]

I have not, but they have some good areas. Omay would be good for leopard because opens up day and night hunting on community land but might have more people than some hunters would like to see. Chewore South would be good to see a true safari area without people or villages but limits hunt to daylight hours. It depends what someone’s goals for hunt are. That’s why I asked what other expectations for hunt he had. If someone wants a combination hunt or is focusing just on leopard success it will change where they should go. D&Y seems well regarded so far, but they don’t have proven stability yet. They are still relatively new and concession areas carry a lot of risk.

I've been hunting with York since 2017. The reason we met was because Buzz from CMS Safaris who I booked my first leopard hunt through wanted to go on a holiday instead of being my PH. (This was my first time to Zimbabwe and Buzz never told me till breakfast after we arrived that he would not be my PH) talk about a shock! When I arrived at Matombo camp on the banks of the Zambezi York was there to greet us with a smiling face and a firm handshake. We have killed 6 leopards & 1 lion together over those years. Both Dalton & York have been in the industry for years they care about every client like you are part of their family. You will not go wrong with them. Don't worry about areas everything changes in Africa by the second. Trust me they will make it happen! You don't get anymore stable than D&Y safaris. I'm heading back in 3 weeks for a lion & leopard. I wish Quest #1 all the best on your hunt!

 

[Altitude sickness]

My wife hunted Leopard May-June 2024 with Dalton in Chewore South. Daylight only.

Dalton and his team worked their tail off to get my wife her leopard. We had several good cats on bait and camera. It’s really nice they use video cameras to get a good Look at the cat.

As these hunts go, the cat would often be there when we weren’t during daylight. As we were hunting Buffalo and elephant at the same time.

After all the hard work she missed her leopard on the last afternoon of the hunt.

You will not find a more driven hunter than Dalton. His other PHs seem to be top notch also.

When I go back. I will hunt elephant and Buffalo. Leaving the leopard blind to my wife. I would rather be walking

 

[towserthemouser]

If you will pay for prebaiting, book a 14 day safari, have the ability to sit quiet for hours in a blind, and hunt dark of the moon you will almost certainly kill a nice cat with D&Y. Actually I am surprised they have an opening for 2027. Jump on it!
They have one client that has taken something like 8 cats and almost always in the first 3 days! I am not that lucky. I was able to take a cat on a 10 day safari recently Hunting with York. It was quiet for the first part of the hunt but by the time we got my cat in bait there were several others.
Do not worry about the size of the cat. These days, with so many failures, you just want to connect on a nice mature Tom.

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LOL @Philip Glass says "Don't worry about the size of the cat" ......while holding up a huge cat.