Omay leopard? Correct choice???

[Daisy]

Definitely in Namibia, but I think the continent might be a stretch. Zambezi valley areas, Niassa, Southern Tanzania all have extremely high success rates on cats. A Namibian leopard might be much larger on average, but also much more educated by farmers and a lot more likely to be taken a night as opposed to daylight hours. I think it’s difficult to compare a Namibian Leopard hunt to Zimbabwe. They are two very different hunts.

Have you been with D and Y Fox? They seem to be well regarded here.

Also, if going on first leopard hunt, would you recommend one of the cat specialist outfits?

 

[Rockwall205]

Have you been with D and Y Fox? They seem to be well regarded here.

Also, if going on first leopard hunt, would you recommend one of the cat specialist outfits?

If funds are available I always like to combo hunt . Leopard buffalo is one of my favorites. That way you have something to do after checking baits . Of course picking a place with planes games you are after works as well.
I did one leopard only hunt and it puts all the focus on one animal . I did it once with dogs to increase my odds and enjoyed the hunt , just not as much as ones I combo hunted .

 

[375Fox]

Have you been with D and Y Fox? They seem to be well regarded here.

Also, if going on first leopard hunt, would you recommend one of the cat specialist outfits?

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.

 

[Quest#1]

@Obi Wan Kenobi Thank you! I will be using an illuminated scope. I have plenty of aframes. But if something was better i will definitely change. I
have a couple death grip bog pods. I haven’t used them but ill bring one and leave it….

 

[Quest#1]

I will be adding a tuskless and plains game of opportunity. Possibly a buff not sure on that yet. Main focus is to check off the leopard. I will be back so will worry about other targets on future trips.

Hopefully this trip will round out 5 of what i see myself doing of the dangerous 7. Unless i hit the loto rino and lion wont happen for now at least.

I know they are new but seem serious to the cause of sticking around/giving back for the long haul. But its africa and can change in a minute.

That said i hope I'm making the correct choice…


Thank you all for the responses! Will take anything ppl want to share.
I appreciate it all!

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I think if you will poke around a bit, Nick Nolte almost certainly best regarded leopard specialist on the continent. https://nicknoltehunting.com/ He doesn't advertise much because he doesn't need to and is fully booked every year. A number of notables have hunted with him, and his success rate is in the 90th percentile. He hunts central Namibia which is an area swarming with cats. He and Isabel are also truly delightful people with a lovely lodge in the Erongo Mountains.

I will be hunting with Nick in July and another AH member is booked right after me. I booked this hunt based on @Red Leg and @Manny R recommendations.

 

[Red Leg]

I will be hunting with Nick in July and another AH member is booked right after me. I booked this hunt based on @Red Leg and @Manny R recommendations.

Lots of photos or it didn't happen!

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I am staying away from ladders between now and July too.

 

[CAustin]

Im about 99% on booking a leopard for 2027 with D&Y in the Omay. I feel its 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.

Hunted leopard twice and out two in the salt. Pm me with any thoughts or questions

 

[revturbo9967]

Personally I want to hunt leopard during daylight only. Deep into the night hunting really doesn’t interest me, although it did at one point. I have hunted the omay before. Pm questions if you would like

 

[Quest#1]

Had lots of advice and info on this topic. Via this thread and pm thank you! Heard somethings I didn’t want to but feel it’s very important and glad i did.

Ive heard choose a specialist. Can you all name some. @Red Leg i reached out to Isabel waiting for a reply.

Can anyone that has been with D&Y reach out pm and let me know how it went? More so with dalton than york. I would really appreciate it.


Thank you everyone that has taking the time!

 

[DLSJR]

I second the lowveld for biggest cats . However big open concessions are nice .
Being the first leopard safari of the year in the area can be helpful . But my biggest tip for leopard is to hunt the dark side of the moon. The first thing I do when leopard is on the list is get out the moon calendar a check with the outfitter for availability.
Booking for 2027 now should give you a wide open schedule of dates available.

I’ve always thought the same about moon phase, but then killed a really good Tom during a ‘Super Moon’, so I guess I don’t think moon phase is as important as I used to. But if I was booking a dedicated leopard hunt, I do agree that I’d try to book it during the two weeks when moon is darker.

And I would not book a late season hunt.

 

[Rockwall205]

Had lots of advice and info on this topic. Via this thread and pm thank you! Heard somethings I didn’t want to but feel it’s very important and glad i did.

Ive heard choose a specialist. Can you all name some. @Red Leg i reached out to Isabel waiting for a reply.

Can anyone that has been with D&Y reach out pm and let me know how it went? More so with dalton than york. I would really appreciate it.


Thank you everyone that has taking the time!

Depending on what you are looking for I really enjoyed my dog hunt . To that point I had already done two bait and wait hunts . Both successful first with my oldest son . He got his cat the very first night we sat in a blind 11th day of the hunt . He came in right at dark .
Second hunt with my second son we sat one night but chased off by lions coming to the bait. He shot his second sitting in daylight.
I spoke with Zane Bronkhorst he was my PH on a Buffalo Hippo Croc hunt . Over the hunt spoke with me about a dog hunt . Until then had never considered it as an option. His dad and one other company in all of Zimbabwe are certified to run dogs . He explained the hunt and showed me pictures of several massive leopards leopard’s they had taken that year . If you’re interested I will forward them to you .

I decided to jump in since I already had a Leopard safari booked and paid for with Wayne of @nyamazana Safari’s. My schedule was tight that year so booked it for 10 days. It was a true hunt . We let the dogs out every day usually twice a day walked ran busted brush for 9 days ! I don’t know how many miles we put in , but the dogs and handlers way more than me .
I shot him on the ninth day . I had a great time enjoyed watching the dogs in action.
Not a guarantee but increases your odds of success and you get to see your leopard in daylight hours .
Food for thought I enjoyed both blind hunting and chasing with dogs .

 

[Rockwall205]

Forgot to add pictures if no pic didn’t happen right !

 

[375Fox]

Had lots of advice and info on this topic. Via this thread and pm thank you! Heard somethings I didn’t want to but feel it’s very important and glad i did.

Ive heard choose a specialist. Can you all name some. @Red Leg i reached out to Isabel waiting for a reply.

Can anyone that has been with D&Y reach out pm and let me know how it went? More so with dalton than york. I would really appreciate it.


Thank you everyone that has taking the time!

I’d look into what a leopard specialist means. I think the term has some value In Namibia because most are only conducting PG hunts. Each outfitter is entitled to an allotment of the leopard tags. Certain outfitters will buy other outfitters tags to hunt more leopard in a year. In a place like Zimbabwe though they are all DG specialists but don’t get a title because that is the normal hunting there. Look into long term leopard success rates on specific areas and choose PHs with proven track record on leopards over less experienced PHs. I’m thinking leopard for 2028. I think I’ll hunt with charlton McCallum in Dande. The cats aren’t huge in Zambezi valley but come to bait well with a high probability of a daylight cat, but also the option to hunt ar night in event of difficult hunt. You’d have to look into but success rates are very high.

Terrible photo (screenshot of video) but here is the leopard cub that came walking up river during my last hunt there while hunting bushbuck.

 

[375Fox]

This is a pretty good recent podcast to listen to also

 

[Quest#1]

@375Fox thank you!! listening to it as i type this
As far as specialist lol i don’t know. Its What i keep hearing! Ive sent multiple emails only two outfits replied in a timely manner or at all in fact. I know the two i have talked to are very confident on getting a cat. Not sure if thats the salesman in them or not.

 

[Rare Breed]

As the great Lou Hallamore says who wrote Chui. leopard is really 50-50

 

[Quest#1]

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

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

 

[Rare Breed]

If all you are looking at is leopard success rates I’m sure they can answer that. Have you hunted concession areas before? What else do you expect from the hunt? I’d confirm the year they hold the concession through on current contract to avoid any surprises anywhere you book.

I will say of all the Big 5 the leopard requires the most homework on outfitters and areas to hunt