What is your success rate as a client hunting leopards?

[Red Leg]

Great point...anyone can get lucky but to repeat it over and over at 90% is something else. By the way, I reached out to Nolte after hearing your story months ago and didn't get a response. Maybe he's just booked up but let me know if you think I should contact him by a certain means. I went through his website email.

I'd simply try again or go through their FB page.

 

[rcgarcia84]

For leopard I am 1 for 4. All hunts were done with Sean Grant in Zimbabwe. First 3 were on Shangani Ranch back when he had the hunting rights. I was an anomaly though and am only the second client who failed on a cat hunt with him in 25 years. It really was just plain bad luck as I did everything to up my chances. PH is a leopard specialist, right time of year, right time of moon phase, uneducated cats, can hunt at night. We were holding out for a giant as that area is known for, but they just didn’t like me. We hunted last year on his new leopard area in West Nicholson and took a great old male during daylight on night 6. With counting the days of pre-baiting that’s 76 days. Planning on going again in 2027 to try for another.

I have a much better record with cougars going 3-4. First hunt was done back in 2002 in the Okanagan Valley in BC. Snow was horrible and did not even come across any good male tracks. Since then I have hunted solely with Byron Stewart of Tracks n Trails Outfitting in Alberta. Have taken my cats no later than day 6 of my hunts. Alberta has the best cougar management for trophy quality in the world.

 

[JHT]

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

 

[Green Chile]

For leopard I am 1 for 4. All hunts were done with Sean Grant in Zimbabwe. First 3 were on Shangani Ranch back when he had the hunting rights. I was an anomaly though and am only the second client who failed on a cat hunt with him in 25 years. It really was just plain bad luck as I did everything to up my chances. PH is a leopard specialist, right time of year, right time of moon phase, uneducated cats, can hunt at night. We were holding out for a giant as that area is known for, but they just didn’t like me. We hunted last year on his new leopard area in West Nicholson and took a great old male during daylight on night 6. With counting the days of pre-baiting that’s 76 days. Planning on going again in 2027 to try for another.
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I have a much better record with cougars going 3-4. First hunt was done back in 2002 in the Okanagan Valley in BC. Snow was horrible and did not even come across any good male tracks. Since then I have hunted solely with Byron Stewart of Tracks n Trails Outfitting in Alberta. Have taken my cats no later than day 6 of my hunts. Alberta has the best cougar management for trophy quality in the world.

What a story. What were your feelings being successful after 76 days??

Good to know about Byron Stewart. I will look him up. I might want another one someday.

 

[Andrew62]

I shot this leopard just 45 minutes into my first ever sit for leopard. This was 1988, Buffalo Range Safaris, Butch Coatan was my guide, Omay area of Zimbabwe.

 

[Green Chile]

That seems to be the two main patterns...really fast success...or tons of effort and many days before being successful. The interesting thing is how many of us have been unsuccessful even when going to operators who are very successful. My last hunt, the PHs had been successful the last 4 years running until my hunt. My hunt and another recent one were both unsuccessful with that operator. Luck is some kind of factor and if you focus on a specific cat, be prepared to go home without one.

 

[whitetail]

My October 2020 leopard specific hunt in Namibia with Jacques Spamer of @JKO Safaris- was successful but of course the usual chess match with baiting which certainly tests the patience. But I was very fortunate to connect as many have been on leopard specific hunts multiple times and come home without a leopard in the salt. Definitely need to be with a great PH and quality location with plentiful numbers of cats (and of course, a lil luck).

 

[Green Chile]

Beautiful cat! I love the look and color of the big Namibian cats.

 

[Rare Breed]

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.

Awesome thread I am watching with great interest!!! Leopard is the last for my big 5. I saved him for last given he is the hardest to get based on success ratios

 

[rcgarcia84]

What a story. What were your feelings being successful after 76 days??

Good to know about Byron Stewart. I will look him up. I might want another one someday.

It was surreal, and after it all sank in it was almost sad. Like a piece of me was missing. I had been obsessed and passionate about leopards and leopard hunting for about twenty years. It was like a “Now what?” feeling. Luckily it all came back and I am still as passionate and obsessed as ever!

 

[Green Chile]

It was surreal, and after it all sank in it was almost sad. Like a piece of me was missing. I had been obsessed and passionate about leopards and leopard hunting for about twenty years. It was like a “Now what?” feeling. Luckily it all came back and I am still as passionate and obsessed as ever!

I hear what you're saying...after that much focus, now what do I do? I have felt that at different points in life...it's real.