What is your success rate as a client hunting leopards?

[Green Chile]

Wow…that’s wild. You could rent yourself out as a good luck charm.

 

[rookhawk]

This question isn't directed to the outfitters and PHs on the forum but you can answer of course. I'm asking this of the regular forum member who is a client in Africa. If you have hunted leopard, how many times have you gone and what is your success rate? There are many factors but primary would be going to a good area with an experienced cat PH.

So far, this is the one species that has eluded me in several ways. 20 odd years ago, there were permits in RSA for leopards. I booked a hunt and the permit never came through. So old Spots skunked me before I even got on the plane! Most recently, I did a 2 week hunt last year (cancellation hunt actually) in Zim for a cattle killing leopard specifically. Hunt report was posted here...we found him but couldn't keep him on bait...passed up on female cat obviously and also a young adult male. So I'm zero on success even though I have hunted with experienced PHs. Curious about the rest of you? I know some are successful very early in their leopard hunting but there are many stories of multiple attempts to take 1 leopard...and some of you have taken multiple leopards.

Hunted exclusively leopard for 12 days. Fail.

Puttered with leopard and other DG on two hunts. Couldn’t get a suitable male on bait during daylight. Didn’t much care, since it wasn’t the primary objective.

Went on a purpose built leopard hunt with the best outfitter I could find. Success on an 18 day hunt with prebait. I believe I got it on about the 6th day if foggy memory serves me.

The general rule of thumb is it takes 28 days to get a leopard. For most people, that’s 2 hunts. It’s much harder today than it was ten years ago because you usually can’t hunt at night any longer, you can’t kill females, nor can you kill males younger than about 5 years old.

A tremendous amount of time is spent analyzing photos of cats to assess age, then going back to intercept him on a subsequent feeding. Years ago, they’d just have shot a big cat if one came to the bait and called it good.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Based on recommendations from @Red Leg and @Manny R, I booked a 2025 leopard hunt with Nick Nolte.

I was thinking @CAustin would have chimed in by now. Charlie is 2 for 2 with his Namibian outfitter and one of his leopards was a record book kitty as I recall.

 

[Cecil Hammonds]

Great choice, and I also highly recommend Nick Nolte and Isabel. You'll be in great hands with them!! My pics are from my hunt with them in 2023. Best of luck to you!

 

[ActionBob]

I’ve never been the trigger man for a leopard, but I’ve been on a reasonable amount of hunts with friends, family, or while spending time with outfitter friends.

So far I’m batting a thousand.

3 in Zambia.

1 in RSA

1 in Zim.

I must be good luck.

Obviously the OP needs to make friends with you

 

[thriller]

View attachment 627703
I got mine three hours into my first sit with MJK Safaris in Zimbabwe's Makuti Safari Area

Damn I was on day 2 with the same guys. Makuti is a special place