Leopard hunt- we got another one!

[Bullet Safaris]

Hi everyone - here is another of our 2015 leopard kills. Broad daylight - Tanzania - Huge Cat.
We also had a nice lion on this same bait.
This hunt cost $24,750 for leopard sable roan and buffalo (no trophy fees or travel included).

 

[gizmo]

Truely awesome cat. Thank you for sharing. I was getting that excited feeling in my stomach watching the cat. God I hope I'm able to get a leopard before too long.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Great video! Shot looked just a bit further back than optimal?

 

[tarbe]

I kept whispering under my breath "shhhhooooooot"!

Quite a bag for your hunter. Congratulations. Your plan came together quite nicely!


Tim

 

[BRICKBURN]

Great video! Shot looked just a bit further back than optimal?

I'm thinking that trophy picture makes it look about optimal.

Damn fine Leopard.

 

[CAustin]

Great leopard! I want one!

 

[Bullet Safaris]

Great leopard! I want one!

I can get you one!

 

[Bullet Safaris]

Great video! Shot looked just a bit further back than optimal?

it was too far back. luckily the client was shooting the load that I prescribed - with out it there would have been a hole in his liver and not vaporized liver material...
a hole in the liver = charging leopard
No liver remaining = dead in 120 yards!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I gained appreciation for how effective a liver shot can be in this year's elk hunt......big bleeding for sure.

 

[Art Lambart II]

it was too far back. luckily the client was shooting the load that I prescribed - with out it there would have been a hole in his liver and not vaporized liver material...
a hole in the liver = charging leopard
No liver remaining = dead in 120 yards!

Just what load do you prescribe for "big Tom's"

 

[Bullet Safaris]

Hi Art,
Any leopard should be shot with a rapidly expanding bullet. Leopard are thin skinned, and even the largest Leopard is easily penetrated through and through by most hunting calibers. Rapid expansion of the projectile should not be confused with unreliable erratic expansion (I say this as many balistic tip expanding bullets are erratic and deflect easily). Controlled rapid expansion with straight-line penetration from a 'bigger than you think you need' caliber is what we're looking for.
With that in mind and the fact we are in a dangerous game area I recommend all my clients use a .375 H&H Magnum, the perfect load is a Nosler Accubond 260 grain bullet loaded at 2900 feet per second.
That is the deadliest and best leopard load that I know of. I have tested it extensively with excellent results.

 

[Royal27]

I'm sure not arguing with your results Nathan!!! Big cat after big cat....

I'm not a balistics junkie, but I think I get it. You want shock power, because any decent bullet is going to go all the way through. So you have that accubond cranked up and smoking.

 

[tarbe]

I'm sure not arguing with your results Nathan!!! Big cat after big cat....

I'm not a balistics junkie, but I think I get it. You want shock power, because any decent bullet is going to go all the way through. So you have that accubond cranked up and smoking.

No kidding! 2,900 with a 260gr out of an H&H is pushing the limits for sure! 2,750 is generally considered a max load with the best powders for the application.

Maybe Nathan has a 375 RUM or 378 Weatherby!

I think my long-throated 300 H&H with 180 gr Partitions at 3,100 would do the trick!

Maybe I should add a Leopard to the two-buffalo deal I am negotiating with Nathan?

C'mon crude!

 

[Art Lambart II]

OUCH!!!

I was thinking of a 35 Whelen with a 200gr bullet at 2900 fps would be perfect Leopard medicine but now I can tell the wife I have a good reason to buy a 375 H&H.

 

[Bullet Safaris]

That 35 Whelen will certainly do the trick, but I would still stick to the story that you need a .375! The more the merrier With guns, except when traveling.

.375 is good in dangerous game areas because of its versatility. I can have a hunter bring a .375 with the leopard load, 300 grain Swift A frames or Barnes, and 300 grain solids; this basically covers every animal we could possibly run into and it eliminates the hassle of traveling with multiple firearms. If a second gun is to be brought on these type of safaris I usually recommend of .416 on the bigger end, or a flat shooting .30 caliber if more plains game is desired.

Another important aspect on these Wilderness Safaris is that we always hunt buffalo and the .375 is the smallest caliber allowed by law to do this with. I personally prefer the H & H over the new Ruger; you can find H&H shells under the seat of any hunting truck in Tanzania!

Of course accuracy is always the most important aspect and I have noticed that most hunters shoot a .375 very well. it has reasonably low recoil for a dangerous game rifle and they are typically very forgiving, shooting any type of load accurately.

 

[Bullet Safaris]

Off the subject of balistic but still related to leopard hunting...check out this cat!

 

[Bruce]

On my Tanzanian safaris I took along my 375 H & H magnum and the 300 WM for the PG.
Found this to be an excellent combo.. especially with the Grant's and Tommies being taken out at 380m +
Now that I have my 458 WM for DG... WHAT WOULD I TAKE? I would feel naked and exposed without my 375 on ANY hunt!!!!! It would obviously depend on what my wish list was for the hunt...if buff, lion and elephant, then definitely the 458 would go....and the 375.

 

[Art Lambart II]

WOW!!! What a great cat.

 

[Bullet Safaris]

WOW!!! What a great cat.

That cat was taken in the same area as my current hunt special for leopard and the same area as the video in this post.
It was the biggest leopard I have ever seen, and still great color in the skin.

 

[Bullet Safaris]

I'm sure not arguing with your results Nathan!!! Big cat after big cat....

I'm not a balistics junkie, but I think I get it. You want shock power, because any decent bullet is going to go all the way through. So you have that accubond cranked up and smoking.

Exactly!
Fast enough to shock their system, fast expansion to open up quick as they have thin skin, but big enough to help out incase of a marginal shot.