NAMIBIA: My Leopard Hunt Begins

[Bobpuckett]

Good Luck Johnny hope you get him, awesome read so far even your culls are trophies. Good looking animals Congrats for the the ones you've taken so far love that Duiker.

 

[BWH]

Knock down a big'un!

 

[LivingTheDream]

It just takes one!! Go get em!!!

 

[johnnyblues]

Well so far today has been productive. Wind died down a bit so the animals were just "very weary " . Lol. Made several unsuccessful stalks this morning on 2 nice oryx Bulls. Could never get close. On our way back to the truck my PH spotted a lone bull oryx standing about 100 yards away he spotted us and hesitated just long enough for the sticks to come down I shot and my PH Said good shot he's hit. We ran up to the spot and foundry the oryx 40 yards in the brush looking at us , I quickly fired again hitting him in the lungs. 30 yards later he was down.

After the crew came in a removed the oryx I told my PH lets go try and see how badly the zebra can make us look again, we've had nothing to show except cuts on our legs and arms. Both animals have been giving us heck for 8 days now, hard to believe but true. I of course could have shot meany female oryx but wanted to hold out for a mature bull. These bulls are smaller than the Kalahari oryx but very difficult to hunt due to the dense brush here.

But getting back to the zebra hunt. We went to where we have been seeing them and the driver who is also a PH said let's climb the side of the mountain and see what we could possibly spot. We did manage to find some a long ways off. We got into the truck and tried to get close but we were unsuccessful once more.. We then headed out making our way back for brunch when my PH told the driver to stop and back up. There were several zebra just off the edge of the brush. We jumped out and stayed close to the brush line. The zebra spotted us and we're getting nervous, my PH put the sticks down and said second one form of he left shoot!, I asked how far....300 meters was his response I held and let the 180 TSX go my pH said you hit him, we ran up to where he was to find the zebra 40 in the brush I fired again hitting him in the lungs or at least that's where I aimed. 50 yards later my PH said the zebras down congratulations. Theses two animals have been very difficult on this hunt but I'm happy with my trophies.

Stay tuned everyone we leave tomorrow for the other farm where we have leopards hitting baits. Man I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[johnnyblues]

Look at what was in the watering hole in front of the house. Python caught a bird.

 

[Royal27]

Great job Johnny!!!

Amazing how quickly things can change.

 

[Red Leg]

Lovely gemsbok. Like you, I much prefer the look of a 36 inch bull to any spindly 40 inch cow. The Python experience is very nearly unique. I am envious. Good luck with the cat, but you have had a wonderful hunt regardless. And it can happen. My leopard was the last hour of the last day of a ten-day hunt.

 

[ActionBob]

Cool experiences and challenging hunts make for memorable trips. You're stacking up em up, keep it going and best of luck at that other farm!

 

[johnnyblues]

Lovely gemsbok. Like you, I much prefer the look of a 36 inch bull to any spindly 40 inch cow. The Python experience is very nearly unique. I am envious. Good luck with the cat, but you have had a wonderful hunt regardless. And it can happen. My leopard was the last hour of the last day of a ten-day hunt.

Dont know if my nerves could take that. Lol

Cool experiences and challenging hunts make for memorable trips. You're stacking up em up, keep it going and best of luck at that other farm!

Thank you sir. Id better stop shooting plains game before the wife divorces me! Lol

 

[Foxi]

Hi JB,
You are getting wonderful hunting days.
Great.
You did not shoot the Python,why ?
Leopard yes or no, up till now it seems a good journey.
And the best things are always come finally.
Ciao
Foxi

 

[BRICKBURN]

Nice trophies in the thick stuff.

 

[vette447]

Thanks for the updates. I have been following since before you left and excited to check in each day. Looks like you are scoring some very nice trophies and great experiences along the way. We are all pulling for you to down that leopard and look forward to your reports from the other farm. Hopefully you will get a big tom to make a mistake in quick order once you get there.

 

[Royal27]

u did not shoot the Python,why ?

I wouldn't have shot it either, but I wouldn't be surprised if most would have. Watching that python eat would have been worth way more to me than a skin on the wall. Especially with those pictures he got!!!

No issue at all with anyone who would have shot though. It would definitely make a great trophy and story.

 

[kathy]

Great trophies,
zebra is probably my favorite planes game. and damn that is a big snake, I don't do snakes. Forrest

 

[thi9elsp]

Congratulations on the continued success and adventure. And, that snake, way cool!

 

[Diamondhitch]

Congrats, hard earned trophies are also hard to forget.
Looks like that python is having fits with those wings Lol. Good to see you can appreciate the little things along the way, its amazing how powerful seemingly meaningless random encounters can be to us.

 

[johnnyblues]

Ths

Hi JB,
You are getting wonderful hunting days.
Great.
You did not shoot the Python,why ?
Leopard yes or no, up till now it seems a good journey.
And the best things are always come finally.
Ciao
Foxi

The staff relocated the snake I'm not sure why the didn't kill it as they have three kids and dogs running freely. I would have shot it. Tomorrow we leave for the main farm they have two active baits being hit daily. Wish me luck.,

 

[Warbird782]

That python is awesome! Good luck on Mr. Spots!

 

[Outdoorlad]

That's a very nice looking Oryx, they are on my list along with a nice zebra skin, good luck with the leopard. Enjoying the reports

 

[BWH]

I would have relocated the snake too..... To the afterlife.... Boom!