The Law of Diminishing Return

[Flbt]

Quality camera. I was surprised later when I saw the photo. Around was much more darker

Year 2024 (I need to make that report yet), I went for Buffalo hunt. When buffalo was in the salt, I had few more days left.
There was a leopard around, and we knew it comes to the local waterhole.
I was waiting for that leopard (having nothing better to do. .)

Entire day we spent in the blind.
I denied myself smoking all day long, and was pissing in a coca cola bottle, to prevent smell around the blind.
The sun fell down.
We were about to move to car in a few minutes. My guide suggested we can go.
Before going from blind, I told myself I can reward myself now with a cigarette.

The dark was coming soon.
I lit the cigarette.
When cigarette is finished, I told my guide, we can go, as I considered the light conditions as non shootable by the that moment, as well.

Now, a minute or two later, when I was at the half of cigarette, he kicked me in the ribs, and whispered: "Leopard!"
Where?
There, on the left on the waterhole!
First, i took Leica geovid bino, and I could see the cat. (with naked eyes, forget about that)
From previous observations I knew it was 147 meters distance.
I took the rifle up, safety off, put on power 6x, and aimed in that direction.
The cat I saw, was there drinking water!
I couldnt beleive my luck!

I aimed at the shoulder, but visibility was running out fast, and as the first moments of aiming passed, I was not able to recognize the spots, just a shilouette, in its entire size, and legs, light colored against the much darker bush.

I still could shoot. But I was waiting for confirmation.
Seconds pass.
I asked: "Shoot, or not shoot?"
silence.
"shoot, or not shoot?"

"Not shoot. Female".
Safety on. I still look through the scope, first time seeing leopard in the wild, and grasping every moment of it.
Less then minute later, it was so dark, I was not able to see anything, neither through swarovski on the rifle, nor Leica bino.

If that was a tom cat, this story would be different.
With lower quality glass, the story would probably be the same. Of this I am 100 percent certain.

Man those cigs can be a mess.

 

[CJNJ]

I've gone through these internal arguments with watches. At one time I had to have a Rolex. Had two. Eventually traded one for an Omega Planet Ocean which was objectively a superior watch, discounting the snob factor. Gave the other to my son. Now I mostly wear a quartz Elliott Brown. Tells the time better than a mechanical and is actually tested in the ocean. Everyone has their own point of diminishing returns.