What is your success rate as a client hunting leopards?

[Beck]

I'd look into Cabassa Safaris. They've got a spot in Mozambique where they've had a 100% success rate for three years in a row.

 

[Cme1983]

I’ve hunted leopards 4 different times, taking 3 nice Tom’s.

May,1983, Deka Safari Area, Zimbabwe. This was my first ever safari, a 24 day full bag hunt with Roy Vincent as my PH. I shot a big Tom about 2 hours into my first sit. IIRC, we had 4 baits up and 3 were being fed on.

June, 1989, Kalahari Desert, Botswana. Another 24 day hunt, with the first 8 days in the desert. Our 1st day we cut a big track and the Bushmen jumped off the truck and started tracking. About 4 hours later we had a beautiful, pale desert cat. It was long and lean.

Late October, 2021, Mlele Reserve, Tanzania. This was my unsuccessful hunt. It was late season and hot. There were lots of young animals everywhere so leopards had easy pickings and didn’t need to hit baits. Still, we had nice Tom’s feeding in 3 different trees. But the cats zigged when we zagged, had no pattern and at the end of 16 days I left without having a leopard opportunity. Saeed preceeded me and had the same problems. I will not hunt leopards during late season in the heat and after animals have dropped their young.

August 2023, Selous Game Reserve/Madaba, Tanzania. This place is absolutely lousy with leopards and Alan Vincent is a damn good leopard hunter. We had 7 baits up with cats feeding on 6 of them. We built a blind where we had pictures of a nice Tom feeding and sat the blind the next morning. The Tom came in at 7:55 and I shot him at 8:00 AM. The hunter before me also shot a cat right about at 8:00 AM. Interestingly, I shot the leopard on a full ‘super moon’.

I think anyone interested in a quality leopard hunt should focus on area first, then PH. I’d also hunt earlier in season when it’s a bit cooler and newborn animals haven’t yet dropped. Stick to places like the Selous, Luangwa Valley or Niassa Reserve and you’re likely to get an opportunity without too many days invested.

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You hit the nail on the head. Save for an extra year and go to one of the places above and 99% is the expectation when leopard hunting.

 

[Billcollector]

3 Leopards hunted, 4 sittings and 3 Leopards killed. Zim, Namibia and Zambia.
Area, PH and costs are huge drivers. Certain areas are known for big cats and high success and you pay for it. A big cat is smart and needs a really good experienced “Cat man” to outsmart them. Some areas have high success but on average, smaller Leopards…Selous, Niassa and Luangwa. Many areas are marginal and the price is what entices hunters only to leave with no cat and lack of sleep. There are exceptions to everything, positive or negative.

 

[dogcat1]

2 for 2, used dogs and it was a riot....
If you are hunting without dogs, then go to the area that has best reputation for cats and go with the most experienced PH you can get - Thierry Labat, Dean Kendall, most of Buzz Charlton's guys are who i would invest in.

 

[Billcollector]

Many times, a cancellation hunt for a leopard means that someone didn’t get one and a tag is available. Tells you something right there and should be avoided unless it is with someone you have researched and would normally schedule a future leopard hunt with.

 

[Green Chile]

I know of at least 3 leopard cancellations last year that were unsuccessful, including my hunt. Nice thing is you get a lot of baiting experience and there is always the luck factor and it's a cheaper experience but you get what you get. It works out for some.

 

[ActionBob]

Many times, a cancellation hunt for a leopard means that someone didn’t get one and a tag is available. Tells you something right there and should be avoided unless it is with someone you have researched and would normally schedule a future leopard hunt with.

I've often wondered about some of the last minute or late season deals.
For a $28,000 leopard hunt, it probably breaks down to $1500/day plus a $7000 trophy fee. Plus bait animals and if any pre-baiting, a fee for that.

If an Outfitter only has two leopard on quota, they can sell those hunts and maybe gross $80,000 with the extra fees and a couple higher end plains game like a sable and eland, etc.

On the other hand if they are unsuccessful on two hunts. They basically sold 2 plains game hunts at $1500/day. So for simplicity let's say they shoot the same amount of extras so minus the $7000 leopard trophy fee x2, they gross $66,000.

Then sell 2 more hunts, and get the cats later in the season to use the quota. Now those two tags have grossed $146,000. Even discounted, they bring in a lot more money than if successful during the first hunts.

Not saying this would happen but I am saying that going with a reputable Outfitter who stays busy because of a good reputation is comforting.

As has been pointed out, successful leopard hunting requires an area with good leopard populations. Preferably large enough to encounter uneducated cats And then an experienced PH who is a true Cat Man. And a reputable honest Outfitter who has a good track record and wants to maintain it!

 

[Billcollector]

Yep. For some reason, good outfitters with good areas rarely have cancellations and when they do, they get gobbled up quickly. Wonder why? They kill their leopards on quota!
Not saying cancellation hunts are a bad thing, I just would steer clear of them for Elephant and Leopards.