StephenZambia
AH senior member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2015
- Messages
- 54
- Reaction score
- 43
Research the area, and research the PH. Don't just look at success rate, but also try to find out at which day of a hunt the cat has been bagged, or how many of the baits got hit.
And sizes vary too. You have a chance of a huge cat in any area, but some produce more big cats than others. Then in some areas in Zimbabwe you are allowed to shoot after dark too, which could increase your chance. In other areas, such increase in chance isn't really needed.
For example, in Zambia, the success rate in the Luangwa Valley is very high and often taken early in the hunt with many baits hits, often by multiple males. The Kafue area is good too, but has maybe a slightly lower success rate, but the Kafue produces real monsters.
Pre-baiting is not allowed in all areas. In Zambia it isn't, but if you're in a good block the previous client might also be hunting leopard, or lion, or hyena, and have plenty of baits hanging around.
Namibia produces monster cats, but I also read quite a few reports of people having to go multiple times to get their cat, and in some areas they routinely bait to increase their chances. So research area and ph well.
Zimbabwe has some very good areas, and big cats and lots of good ph's.
Some operators offer deals with a low hunt price, and high trophy fee. So in case you don't have fair chance at a shot than you save quite a bit of money for a return trip. This might look attractive, but make sure you and the operator/ph are in full agreement on the contract. What consitutes a fair chance at a shot?
Hunting leopard, even though you will usually shoot from a blind, is definitely not a shoot. There's a lot of luck involved, and you can increase your luck a lot by chosing a right area and a right (skilled and experienced) ph, but still realize there is a reasonable chance you don't have to pay the trophy fee.
And sizes vary too. You have a chance of a huge cat in any area, but some produce more big cats than others. Then in some areas in Zimbabwe you are allowed to shoot after dark too, which could increase your chance. In other areas, such increase in chance isn't really needed.
For example, in Zambia, the success rate in the Luangwa Valley is very high and often taken early in the hunt with many baits hits, often by multiple males. The Kafue area is good too, but has maybe a slightly lower success rate, but the Kafue produces real monsters.
Pre-baiting is not allowed in all areas. In Zambia it isn't, but if you're in a good block the previous client might also be hunting leopard, or lion, or hyena, and have plenty of baits hanging around.
Namibia produces monster cats, but I also read quite a few reports of people having to go multiple times to get their cat, and in some areas they routinely bait to increase their chances. So research area and ph well.
Zimbabwe has some very good areas, and big cats and lots of good ph's.
Some operators offer deals with a low hunt price, and high trophy fee. So in case you don't have fair chance at a shot than you save quite a bit of money for a return trip. This might look attractive, but make sure you and the operator/ph are in full agreement on the contract. What consitutes a fair chance at a shot?
Hunting leopard, even though you will usually shoot from a blind, is definitely not a shoot. There's a lot of luck involved, and you can increase your luck a lot by chosing a right area and a right (skilled and experienced) ph, but still realize there is a reasonable chance you don't have to pay the trophy fee.
