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African Leopard Hunting
offered by supplier M17801 (view this supplier profile)
Key Information:
Tour Duration: 1
- 10
day(s)
Group Size: 2
- 10
people
Destination:
South Africa
Specialty Category:
Others
Season: January - December
Min Price: 800 South Africa Rand (ZAR) per person
Max Price: 1500 South Africa Rand (ZAR) per person
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Elusive and dangerous are the first thoughts any hunter should have when leopard hunting. Leopard are listed on Appendix I and require importation and export permits depending upon the country in which they are hunted. Most countries have an annual quota issued which they are not permitted to exceed. Leopard trophy import into the US also requires a US fish and wildlife permit over and above both the Cites permits. Accordingly only leopard from certain sub-Saharan countries are eligible for this permit.
Habits. Leopard are usually solitary, holding and protecting a large territory which is roamed in its entirety on a regular basis. They are extremely shy animals with excellent senses and camouflage. The perception that leopard are few is testament to this fact. Males are larger bodied with a broader head and generally a darker, yellowish orange tinge to their coats, especially along the top of their back.
They are largely nocturnal and hunt a wide variety of prey from medium-sized antelope down to frogs and mice. They are extremely adaptive and are able to live in a variety of terrain, making them widespread throughout Africa. A couple of years ago a leopard was run over by a startled motorist in the early hours of the morning on a freeway near Pretoria in South Africa.
Hunting tips - the hunt. Due to their secretive nature it would be very difficult to successfully hunt leopard on a 14 or 21 day safari without baiting or dogs. Baiting is the most popular method, lying in wait at dusk from a blind 30-50 yards away. If an area has been hunted before, the leopard are more alert, usually coming to the bait the last few minutes before complete darkness. A quality telescope with strong light gathering capabilities is necessary. Take note of how the leopard is sitting on the bait and listen to your PH's advice as to where to aim for. The older hunters believe "If you can hear the cat hit the ground, it has been shot well ".
There are a number of outfitters who offer leopard hunting with bloodhounds, where the leopard is either treed or hides in a cluster of rocks. In our opinion this is probably one of the least exciting and most demeaning ways to hunt this cat. It is a sorry sight to see this magnificent creature being shot out of a tree or cave, shying away from a crazed pack of hungry baying dogs.
The real challenge is to pit your skill against that of the leopard, try to outwit him and get him to come to bait with enough light to afford a shot. It is illegal and unethical to hunt with the aid of a light. However, like the lion is it quite a common practice! Some countries (Zimbabwe) do permit it, even allowing radio listening devices to alert the PH that the cat is feeding, especially when the blind has to placed at quite a distance from the bait.
Hunting tips - the caliber. Any medium caliber rifle such as 30.06 and upwards is adequate with the best shot being for the shoulder and vitals area. The trophy. With leopard, trophy judgment is usually not that important apart from deciding whether it is a mature male or not. The best indicators are the body, head and neck size. Many inexperienced PHs have a tendency to shoot at any leopard, particularly in areas where they are sensitive and the first cats to the bait are usually females and young. This usually draws ridicule from the older PHs calling this a "handbag job": referring to a small leopard that can by picked up with one hand by all four paws, resembling a handbag.
Hunting tips - where. With its widespread distribution and adaptive nature, quality trophy leopard are hunted each year in many different countries. Zimbabwe is most consistent with a high success rate each year while Tanzania and Zambia also hold some good concessions. South Africa has a good many top quality leopard but due to the proliferation of stock farms, the animals are extremely sensitive and do not readily come to bait. In addition, permits are controlled by a Cites and governmental allocation system each year. Unfortunately the intricacies of this system ensure many leopard tags or permits go unhunted each year.
Also see tour packages in:
Africa
South Africa
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