Next trip to Africa will be for Leopard, I hope, but I have a lot of questions, maybe some of you experienced guys can help me out. I don't want to do a hound hunt, I just want a shot at a mature male leopard, maybe some other plains game if available as well. I've been to Africa several times, on both rifle and archery hunts, so it's not an unknown. I just have never hunted exclusively for leopard.

1. Current prices for a 12-14 day hunt seem to be all over the board, as low as $8000 to as high as $20K. Why the great disparity?

2. What is a reasonable expectation of taking a leopard? How do you find out without sorting thru mounds of outfitter BS?

3. Assuming I want to hunt in 2013, how much lead time do outfitters need to line up permits, CITES stuff, etc.? Is a year's lead time reasonable, or do I need to allow for more time?

4. How would you rate countries as to their ability to consistently produce good leopards, at some reasonable hunt price?

5. Every once in a while, some outfitter will post a smoking deal on a leopard, at a lowball price. Can these hunts be trusted?

thanks,

Well, haven't hunted leopard, but my son wants to. Cheap hunts, are usually Namibia. But if you don't get a leopard, it turns into a rather pricey plains game hunt. Tanzania and others are big time expensive. If it were me, I'd go to Zimbabwe. Probably in the middle of the price you quoted, but probably your best chance at a cat at a semi reasonable price. Google up the following outfitters, they all have websites.

Martin Pieters Safaris
Chafuti Safaris
Mokore Safaris
Zambezi Hunters
CM Safaris

There are others, and a lot of very reputable outfitters there. Good luck on your endeavor!


maddog

If you hunt Zim, the bigger leopards are in the southern part of the country.

You need to be aware that hunting leopard is a specialized hunt. If your dream and goal is to kill a nice Tom, then you simply have to focus on a dedicated leopard hunt with a "cat-man" that has a long proven record of consistently taking cats year in and year out.

The most "affordable" (relatively speaking) leopard hunt with a realistic opportunity at taking a nice Tom on bait will be in the Bushveld of Southern Zimbabwe.

Either John Sharp or Norman Crooks is who you want for your PH.

For a 14 day hunt, trophy fee on leopard, bait, and airfare, expect to pay at least 25k

I agree with FOsteology, just forgot to mention John and Norman in my earlier post.


maddog

I have only hunter leopard once and was very successful. We hunted hard for 7 days and killed the leopard in daylight after sitting in the blind the first time and for only 3 hours.

Here is the complete story. There is nothing for sale on the site, it is just for my personal hunting.

http://www.cowislandoutdoors.com/Africa.php


1. Current prices for a 12-14 day hunt seem to be all over the board, as low as $8000 to as high as $20K. Why the great disparity?

Prices vary greatly between areas and countries. A Tanzania leopard will cost you north of $50,000.00. In Zambia a good area will run around $35,000, the $6000.00 concession fee is a killer. A good hunt in Zimbabwe will run around a $1000-$1100 per day for 14-15 days and a $4000 trophy fee, plus baits, transfer, etc.

2. What is a reasonable expectation of taking a leopard? How do you find out without sorting thru mounds of outfitter BS?

If you choose a proper outfitter in a good area with a good PH you should expect to take a leopard on a 15 day hunt. I believe Shaun Buffee told me he was successful on every leopard hunt he made except for one and the client left early on the hunt. IIRC in his young career he has hunted nearly 30 leopards. No easy way to sort through the good and bad outfitters. The forums help. Going to the shows help.

3. Assuming I want to hunt in 2013, how much lead time do outfitters need to line up permits, CITES stuff, etc.? Is a year's lead time reasonable, or do I need to allow for more time?

I finalized my hunt at DSC convention in January (I reserved a leopard hunt about two months earlier) and hunted in April/May of the same year.


4. How would you rate countries as to their ability to consistently produce good leopards, at some reasonable hunt price?

For the price Zim is hard to beat. Zambia and Tanzania also produce nice cats. I have had no interest in Namibia and South Africa so maybe somebody else could weigh in on those countries.


5. Every once in a while, some outfitter will post a smoking deal on a leopard, at a lowball price. Can these hunts be trusted?

Depends on the outfitter and PH. The good guys typically sell out by the SCI show. The real good guys could sell out for two years. You may luck out with a cancellation in a good area.

These are some good areas in no particular order.

Save Valley Conservancy:
Mokore Safaris: Any of the Duckworths are excellent hunters
Zambezi Hunters: A friend of mine loves these guys (PH Thierry Labat) and has killed three leopards.
There are many other good operators on the save such as Brooklands, CM Safaris, and Roger Whittal Safaris.

Omay Communal Areas: Martin Pieters Safaris

Bubye Valley Conservancy:
Shaun Buffee Safaris
John Sharp Safaris
Brent Hein Safaris
Pete Fick Safaris

CM Safaris operation in Dande

Walker Watson Safaris: Cliff Walker

And many others reputable Zim companies with reputable PHs. (Gavin Rorke, Peter Barnard, HHK, Chifuti)

There are areas to avoid.

Gwayi River is one. It is stolen land and illegal to import trophies to the US.

Other than Matetsi One (Mabalengwe) and Matetsi Three (HHK) be very cautious of the other Matetsi Areas.

Another thing to consider. If you hunt a conservancy or a communal area you can hunt at night. Safari areas in Zim are daylight only afairs. This affects your chances. The cats in the lowveld (Save and Bubye) are generally bigger than the Zambezi Valley cats and they are much smarter as for years they were considered vermin and shot on sight.

Book with a reputable Zim company with Zimbabwe licensed PHs and you will have taken the first step to enjoying a good hunt.

Good luck with your adventure.

+1 on Zambezi Hunters and Thierry Labat.

Hunting with him this June, his record on leopards is remarkable, something like 25 out of 29 or possibly even better.

I probably just jinxed myself.....damn.

Most has been answered above and here is my 2c

3. Assuming I want to hunt in 2013, how much lead time do outfitters need to line up permits, CITES stuff, etc.? Is a year's lead time reasonable, or do I need to allow for more time?

Without too much outfitter BS: Yes

4. How would you rate countries as to their ability to consistently produce good leopards, at some reasonable hunt price?

Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe (in alphabetical order) will produce good leopard consistently. With trail cams and track sizes you can determine relatively well in advance what size leopard you have.

5. Every once in a while, some outfitter will post a smoking deal on a leopard, at a lowball price. Can these hunts be trusted?

It is usually an end-of-season deal. If it is advertised by a reputable outfitter the hunt can be trusted. In SA your PH must have a DG license to hunt leopard.

Hope this helps some.

Lou Hallamore at HHK is excellent (Zim), as is Dirk DeBod (Namibia).

Recommend you read Hallamore's Chui, Into the Thorns by Wayne Grant and Leopard by Boddington.

Being able to prebait and hunt at night is a real plus. Check with your outfitter.

Nick Nolte outside Omaruru, Namibia is superb with an eye-watering success rate. Great camp, great people and lots of cats.

Can't put it any better myself, but I will add the Duckworth boys of Mokore, Buzz Charlton and of course Chifuti. Any of these have been running in the 90th per cent success rate. Remember, you get what you pay for. jorge

I have a friend in Zimbabwe who has an excellant record on Leopard. He was one of the first in Zimbabwe to run hounds but he hunts both with blinds and with dogs. He had an excellant concession around Turk Mine and usually has a good quota,but it goes pretty fast as they are a high demand animal. His company is Bushman Safaris out of Bulawayo. His name is Theo Bronkhorst. An excellant PH with a superb record on Leopards is Wayne Bartlett also of Zimbabwe. He is an independent PH so can't say who he is currently working for. Honest people with good work ethics and reasonable prices. I would say if you want to hunt next year you had better book soon.