Hey folks, just got a nice email from John with the attached picture below of what was to be "my leopard" . A repeat client from Mexico took it on Malangani, he taped out at 7�5.5�, 180lbs with a skull measurement of 17 12/16�. Oh well, hopefully he'll be able to "grow" another one for me. In 02 he took Two huge leopards out of there, which goes to show you what sound management of game accomplishes coupled with a ROBUST anti-poaching strategy. As soon as I get more particulars, i.e., caliber, time, range, etc, I'll post. enjoy...jo

WOW That is a great cat. Jorge when are you going?

I want that "Rat Dog"!!! 721

Stetson: Not until 08 and that is precluding any "surprises" while I'm still on active duty. The "Rat Dog" is John Sharp's Fox Terrier named "Sashe" after the river. She's quite a character! jorge

Does John Sharp have a web site?

Stetson: PM sent...jorge

What a great photo... every time I see Sharp's pic I can only think "that's a guy doing what he was put on earth to do"... I imagine he's a kick to hunt with!

Brad: YES! to both of your comments. John's totally committed to his profession and very much in the "Old School" of Professional Hunter. He is well-versed in just about anything to do with flora and fauna and a great campfire companion and host. Allen's hunted with him also and I'm sure he feels the same way about him. Can't wait to go back! jorge

Jorge are you just after a Cat this time or is there a Buff in the future on the same hunt?

Nice cat!! Is it a female?

Mike

Nope. It's a male. Genitalia, (dicks and balls for those of you in Rio Linda <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> are either hidden ( dick) and the doo-dads are under the tail. John just flat won't shoot a female, but if it were it surely must be a world's record! jorge

Hey Jorge,

How does one tell, in the field, between males and females?

BTW, good luck on your trip!

Rest easy Jorge. According to Robin Hurt there are many more leopards in Africa now than thirty or forty years ago when he started as a PH. According to him in the Sports Afield interview they are extremely adaptable and although most species have suffered from loss of habitat they apparently are thriving in the new "edge habitat". Of course there's a limit to that too, but hopefully, there's a big 'ol Spots waiting for you in '08.

I've killed a hella lot of Mtn Lions and been involved with a few leopard kills as well. If that leopard is 180 pounds then it's a really bad picture! I would have guessed it at 140, maybe and that would be a big leopard.

A 180 lb cat is huge, and that dude just does not look even close to 180 from the photo here. Remember the lion Photo I had which was held the same way? That was 200ish and looked enormous compared to this cat. Either that cat was "estimated" at 180, or the photo is putting it in a poor size context. But from this angle if it is really 180, that is a poorly done picture. At 180lbs John should be nearly completely hidden behind it, that skinny belly is not consistant with a 180lb leopard in my opinion.

Much like bear photo's the numbers keep growing unless a scale was used, or girth dimensions known.

here is a 205lb Mtn lion,........ think there is only a 20lb difference?



Don't get me wrong, that's a hella nice leopard, but the photo is horrible to show it's true size if it's in fact 180 pounds. It would certainly be one of the bigger leopards ever killed too. With that thin belly it's clearly empty and can hold 25-35 pounds of meat. Had it been full this leopard would have been well over 200 pounds and that is way off the charts on the scale of typical leopard weights!

Not fair, Jim. We know that you're only 4'2"!

I thought that cat was killed in Nebraska at a cattle feeder <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Jim

Wow thats one big cougar, what did you shoot him with?

I think it's the way he's being held up by John that sort of "thins out" the middle. On the Mt. Lion's pic, he's sideways and his belly's being pushed out by your knee. Also, look at the leopard's head. It's pretty big. Regarding sex identity, it is indeed hard on leopards, but John's experience makes it almost impossible that a client will shoot a female. On the weight issue, here's the bottom line; If John Sharp says he weighed 180, then you can make heavy book on it. jorge

I guess their just HAD to be a bigger pussy in the crowd. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Well I'll be damned! You learn somthin new every day!

Thanks,

Mike

Every time I see pics of that guy there never seems to be a hunter around.

Here's another that weighed 170#. Looks like the man knows what he's talking about. None of that slick camera angle stuff either.

jorge the belly is up near my thigh, my knees are way down by the leg?

The bottom photo of the one that is 170 actually looks like 170. As I said that photo does not do justice to the a 180 pound lion!

Also quite a bit more stuggle in ihis effort to hold it up in the bottom photo!

I don't know why I'm doing this as I don't want to start or augment a disagreement, but on further review I agree with JJ. There is at least something wrong with the picture or possibly the estimate.
T

Cas,

You asked about how to sex Leopards. There are lots of pointers such as size & musculature etc...... but the ONLY way to be 110% sure is to look for the balls. Luckily, they stick WAY out under his tail and I always position my blind and select my bait tree in such a way that I KNOW I'll get a good view of this. Then I use a spotting scope in the blind and don't let the client shoot until I've had absolute 110% sight of what I need to see. .......... Where I and our other PHs do most of our hunting, it's illegal to shoot a female and punishments can be very severe. - So there is no room for error. If the balls haven't been seen, the cat doesn't get shot. - No matter how big it is, and there is the occasional big muscly female out there.

John Sharp is one of the best PHs in the business and a highly honourable man as well. - and if he says that cat is a certain size I wouldn't doubt him for a moment...... but I personally get puzzled by some statements about Leopard size I see on the internet/in hunting mags. Everyone seems to use a different measurement method, which makes it even worse. Some use between the pegs, some use round the curves, some use tip of nose to root of tail, some use skull measurement and some use weight........ although in 26 years of hunting Africa, I've never seen a set of scales that would be big enough to weigh a whole Leopard in one piece....... but if anyone's gonna have a set like that, it'll be Sharpy. - he's very well organised. I personally use the round the curves and skull measurement method. SCI & RW use skull measurement only for publication and I guess that's the most accurate - but somehow it doesn't give the same drama/impact as the other methods.

However you measure it, that's a darn nice pussycat........ I'll agree it's a strange picture though. The cat looks too long by far in the mid section. My guess is that the spine was broken by the shot and the flesh is stretching..............

Adding onto my comment about the body stretching and as an example of my twisted sense of humour <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> ......... The father of one of the guys who works for us, was the official hangman in his country of residence. since his son made the mistake of telling me that, every time we hunt Leopard together, I always try to give him the job of hanging the baits, as I reckon he has a lot more inherited talent for it than I do! - <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Jorge, do you have the adress to Sharps web site?

http://www.john-sharp-safaris.com/

One thing that's making a difference in size appearance is the photo angle. The photo that JJ put up may be exagerating the size by holding the cat sideways making it appear larger plus the camera angle is enhancing the size as well. Not to mention it's clearly a different beast. The first photo with the Leopard is taken Belly on. Not a flattering pose. To me the cat is not only looking longer but John is struggling to keep that bad boy up. That might have accounted for the pose plus it was taken in the field. The second cat John is holding is a dfferent angle. I can not imagine at the moment why one PH would think another with a sterling reputation might exagerate 10# when has clearly taken other cats in that size class.

Here is his print next to my 300 weatherby..This cat is a big one. Jorge you will get a big one too.

Hi Jorge,

Thanks for sharing this news - certainly a great cat!

As to the varying views aired here on the actual size of this leopard... well all I can add is that John's an out and out pro and I would have no doubts as to the veracity of his statements. Hell, the man epitomizes the original PH and has the track record and credentials to back this up!

I also can't imagine why a PH with a sterling reputation would have chosen such a poor photo to represent such a massive beast! Clearly a moment of time to get a great photo would have been worth the effort. I would suggest it was a film camera and not a digital. Had they actually seen what a poor view this was with a digital preview screen it would have been taken over from a more flattering angle. At least it would have if it were my client's photo, or for myself.

As a taxidermist for much of my adult life, I can tell you that a Mt. lion manniken and a leopard manniken are interchangeable except for the head. The body design and measurements are about as close as is possible between species. I have a 165 pound Mt. lion in my livivng room right now mounted on a Leopard form, with a Bill Lancaster Mt. lion head spliced on to fit the skull and face properly. The leopards head is much flatter and longer then a Mt. lions head, other then that the body structure is nearly identical.

I have no vested interest in the weight, Makes no difference to me whatever. This should however be a great lesson to be sure when you photograph your trophies that you take the time to make them right. You never get to go back and do them over once the hide comes off and you're back at home. It would be a hella big shame to know this was the best photo of that magnificent leopard. I know I would be awefully pissed if it were all I had to show for the photos!

As it is with the lion, we had no (working)camera when we were hunting and had to take it to my shop. The rain was pounding relentlessly and we are now stuck with this exsisting photo from within my shop building. It's an ugly photo but at least shows a real size relationship. It was not made to appear larger..........it was larger! #5 BC alltime, not much needed to "stretch" that truth!

There is no "camera angle" tricks either. Just two guys in a shop building with a cannon 1SIS digital camera. Simple stuff and a real no BS photo. Just as it should be. I'm not even sure how any angle used could enhance the size, it's already friggen huge, what more could be done with any tricks or special "angles"?

I suppose, I'm just not smart enough about photography to understand all my options with this stuff!

Am I just naive, stupid or an old phart who has lived too long? When somebody I don' t know says something that isn't obviously a windy Bill I believe what they tell me unless I was there and saw it myself.

I wasn't raised to call perfect strangers liars or exagerators.

I believe what folks tell me unless I KNOW FOR A FACT different.


BCR

Jorge, it looks like you've got a lot to look forward to on your '08 safari with John! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

He seems to have a tremendous area for leopard, not only on the Malangani property, but also on some of the surrounding properties. I'm not aware of any Zimbabwe PH in recent years who has collected as big a series of leopards for his clients as John Sharp.

He's also one of the greatest PHs I've ever personally hunted with, and an extremely hard-working and honest man.

What amazes me about this photo is the fact that John is a very big, tall, and powerful man, and anyone who's been around him and around very many trophy leopards can tell you from examining the photo, beyond question, that this is one of the all-time biggest leopards that anyone has ever collected.

AMAZING!!!!!!!

AD

Allen,

Good point about John as "scale" for the leopard - he is by no means a small man - the last time we ran into each other at the Powder Keg Gun Shop in Jo'Burg - my son's comment was "was that Hulk Hogan?"

Folks: As promised, here's the rest of the story on the cat and as you will read, it was a tough hunt. I have more pictures available to post, but I am unable to do it from work, but I'll try as soon as possible to post them. Here's the scoop as related to me by John Sharp:

Place: Malangani
Time: 21:00
Client: Angel Zamora Estrada � Guadalajara, Mexico.
Caliber: .300 Win Mag
PH: John Sharp

I named this Leopard �The Road Warrior� - for many years I have followed his tracks along a road for as far as 20kms at a stretch before losing them as he turned off into the bush.

I have been hunting this particular cat for four years. I believe he was caught in a trap in the tribal area a while back (he has a penchant for goat from time to time) and this is what made him skittish. His right front foot was bigger than the left side (probably due to damage from the trap) and used to scuff the earth when he walked � this made his tracks easy to recognize. Because he would only hit a bait once and then move on I have been documenting his movements over the past 2� years so that I could attempt to anticipate his next port of call and outsmart him.

On June 7th he had hit one of my baits and practically finished a leg and a shoulder of Kudu � and then left. I knew where he would go next and sure enough, we got another hit. In the soft river sand at bait #2 it was difficult to say whether it was him or not. On the 8th nothing had fed but the cat had been close and watching. I decided that we would sit on the evening of the 9th.

Hearing Badgers feeding is a common sound at Malangani, and this night was no exception. At around 18:30 a Badger entered the scene but only fed for ten minutes and then all went quiet � most unusual for a Badger banquet. I suspected the Leopard was near but had to live with the silence and an over-active mind. It was cold and the moon was almost full � conditions could not have been better. The time was heading for 21:00hrs and my listening device had been silent for a long time already � too long, and I was starting to lose hope. Then I heard the cat approaching and leaned silently forwards into my binoculars. I could not believe my eyes as this monster slid plainly into view, bathed in ghostly moonlight. I warned Angel to get ready but the cat was nervous and was moving in and out of my sight picture. My heart was thumping in my chest with adrenaline and the thought that he might not stay to feed. He eventually started feeding and was plainly visible to Angel through the scope on my Leopard rifle, reticule slightly illuminated. I turned up the rheostat on the red light ever so slightly for insurance. The shot shattered the silence and the cat dropped, growling horribly, and then took off. We heard it growling once more about 50 meters to the left of the bait and then silence.

Once the vehicle arrived we started the follow-up. Quinn Kloppers (who had been filming), Isaac, Khevin and I took the trail, hearts thumping with that fearsome high that you only get from a continuing flow of adrenaline. The bush was getting progressively thicker as we slowly edged forward but we found no sign of blood. I didn�t like this at all. Something was not right so I decided to pull the lads back � someone was going to get badly hurt. We returned to camp and spent a sleepless night before returning early in the morning.

Once on the trail again we did find small amounts of blood but not the usual trail of a cat well hit. We also found the place where he had lain in wait for us and I realized that I had made the right decision to pull back the previous evening � someone or all of us would definitely have been badly mauled. Rounding the side of a granite kopje we heard a growl from a cave above us � another surge of adrenaline. We climbed cautiously up through the thick bush towards the mouth of the cave. As we reached the mouth Isaac shouted as he spotted the cat bounding up the rocks above us. Quinn had a clear view and loosed a shot from his 3�12-guage but the cat never flinched. I jumped left to get a clear shot and dropped him off the rock with one shot from my Binelli, 3 �� 12-guage loaded with 00-Buck. I am still amazed that he did not come at us. The .300 mag had broken his right shoulder, gone through the meat of his chest and lodged in his left shoulder � no organs were hit.

So ended the reign of �The Road Warrior� � he had over the years expanded his personal territory to well over 80,000 acres and was ousting other big males from the area. Hopefully things will now return to normal.



As you can see, it was not an easy hunt and the client should count his lucky stars he had John as a PH to sort this mess out!

Jim, regarding your comment on the cat's positioning, yours is sideways with your legs behind the belly while the leopard is straight on with John Pulling up by his shoulder blades. If your cat weighed 205 and this one 180, that's a 15% difference which IS significant. Regardless, I'm very glad to read that his fellow PHs are giving him the accolades he so richl deserves. He is extremely well organized. He is the typical Type A perfectionist and it shows. Go visit his website and you'll see his other big cats. jorge

Riveting. More More More! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Kitty looks a wee bit chubier from that angle. Dang I guess the worst that can be said of John Sharp is that occasionally someone takes a bad photo of him. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
Really an amazing story and a great trophy. Here's hoping you get one just as nice.

It looks like mountain lions have longer and denser fur than leopards do - could that account for some of the visual difference in size?

Lets not forget that in spite of another posters math faux paux 205-180=25 pounds of difference. Without getting my handy dandy pocket calculator out that's roughly 15% larger. A noticeable difference to be sure.

Nice to read the rest of the story - I had been wondering since seeing the first photo if the Leopard raked John's arm, or if the blood on his arm and leg was from the Leopard. I figured it was the Leopard's since John looked in such good health and his arm looked at most barely scratched, but good to know he won't have infection to worry about. I figured if a Leopard got close enough to get his claws into him, he would have a lot more damage, and it sounds like if he had pushed the Leopard that night that someone might have gotten unzipped!

Thanks for the pics and the story!!

DJ

Weird photo, all right (the first one), but there's no question the head looks pretty darn big!

- TJM

Shakri,

Thanks for the info. I wondered if that was it. Sort of like the way we sex middle sized hogs here. If you can see the nuts, it's a boy.

I imagine that with Leopards you have a pretty good idea of size before you shoot, as there is the bait to use as reference, though I imagine there was no doubt with any of the cats posted on this thread.

Jorge,

Thanks for sharing the trophy leopard pic and story, thats a trophy in anybody's book. May the Hunt Gods bless you soon too.

JJ,

Did you shoot that B&C lion with your '06? Interbonds? Were you calling alone or with a pard? Calls?

MtnHtr

JJ -So what is more wrong, having someone else post a picture of your leopard that doesn't show it's scale well, or posting your own picture with someone else's mountain lion with your name emblazoned across it and then not answering the question when someone asks if you shot it? -Maytag

Well, Mr. Maytag, I was unaware of the time constraints to reply to all questions anyone askes of me here. I must have missed that part of the rules when I signed up?

There is nothing wrong with any part of this thread to my observation. It's a good series of posts which is as far as I can tell what this forum is all about! I think there is a very big leopard shown in a poor photo to represent it's full magnitude. If anything was taken any other way then the person reading that into the thread has an issue with his own comprehension.

That lion photo has my name across it because it's been cut and pasted so many times now with other peoples faces that I won't post it without that label again. You must be unaware of the history behind this photo and the 30 plus states it's been killed in along with the dozens of regional newspaper stories telling of the events in dozens of different ways in each of those locations by dozens of different people. Do a web search if your so inclined. No point in me telling you anything as it's clear from your posts where I'm concerned that you only wish to disrupt things.

I'm not sure why this is, but during your short 63 post lifetime here you have more then a few times been a very negative and rude poster here, with me and others. It's obvious enough to us that people just ignore you already. I must admit that is quite an accomplishment within only 63 posts!

It's too bad that you're so unhappy with your life that your only happieness is visiting a site like this to attempt to stir the pot!

For further info click here:
http://www.yakima-herald.com/page/out/285262239282438

Good grief Man you all but called John Sharp a friggen liar and a cheat. It wasn't so long ago you left the campfire because some fool on the internet attacked your character and buisiness. You had good reason to be PO'd. Now you come back and do the same thing to a man with an excellent reputation and he is not even here to defend himself!
Apparently a number of us have comprehension issues because your posts on this strand IMO most certainly DO NOT reflect what this forum is all about.
Perhaps you might consider dedicating some of that energy to finishing the prizes for the postal match.

JJ -Two posts and twenty-one minutes after you posted a picture you were asked "Jim Wow thats one big cougar, what did you shoot him with?" Then six posts and sixty-seven minutes later you posted a response to the thread and you have now posted a couple times since and you still have not answered the question of what YOU killed the cougar with your name on it with. While berating a respected PH for allowing a picture to be taken that does not allow you to judge the animal. I see where you might consider me to be rude. I have no reason to tell you what I think of you, but I will tell you your opinion means nothing to me. I see your ridiculous chest beating over and over again when you could not possibly be farther off-base. Even here you do not have class enough to apologize. -Maytag

Stetson,

For sure, the Campfire is all about second-guessing the size of game animals from photos. There have been at least two bear threads most recently that went way over the top with FAR worse stuff than this.

I didn't read the same things into JJHack's posts as you did. I actually thought he questioned the size of the leopard in a tactful manner - better than lots of guys around here do. I know zip about big cats, but that first photo is horrible. It looks more like Snagglepuss ("Heavens to Murgatroid") than a 180-lb. leopard.

Stetson and maytag you both may need to take a rest from this site or get some reading comprehension training.

"If that leopard is 180 pounds then it's a really bad picture! I would have guessed it at 140, maybe and that would be a big leopard."

That is the exact cut and past quote I put up. If that is calling someone a liar and a cheat you certainly have some very serious issues with reading the English language. It's a comment on a bad photo that does not do justice to the magnitute of the animal.

Another exact quote:
"Don't get me wrong, that's a hella nice leopard, but the photo is horrible to show it's true size if it's in fact 180 pounds."

Where is that calling anyone a cheat? Where does the word cheat come into this thread or any comment I made or for that matter anywhere anyone else has posted it? When was the word cheat stated or even implied a single time?

If I think somebody is full of crap I just simply state that as my opinion, I'm not one to beat around the bush with my opinions here. If you read more then what has been stated here then that's your issue dude, not mine!

I never implied or even remotely suggested that he was a liar or a cheat those are all your words. I simply expressed my opinion that it was a horrible photo of a fantastic trophy!

Another exact quote:
"I would suggest it was a film camera and not a digital. Had they actually seen what a poor view this was with a digital preview screen it would have been taken over from a more flattering angle"

How is that calling anyone a liar or a cheat, it's an opinion of how this poor photo might have been taken.

Another quote along the same lines from this thread:
"This should however be a great lesson to be sure when you photograph your trophies that you take the time to make them right. You never get to go back and do them over once the hide comes off and you're back at home. It would be a hella big shame to know this was the best photo of that magnificent leopard"

Why would I directly state that it's a magnificent leopard within the same thread you claim I am calling him a liar and a cheat? Do you read all the words in these posts or just scan them for your desired end result?

Get a life guys, this is suppose to be fun and entertaining not a freaken battle every time we put up a post!

There is a wee bit of difference in my book between regular members second guessing and a PH or outfitter talking about another PH or outfitter in a less than favorable light on the open forums, especially armed with nothing more than a photo.

Here's another few quotes from your posts ...

"here is a 205lb Mtn lion,........ think there is only a 20lb difference? "

And another,

"Much like bear photo's the numbers keep growing unless a scale was used, or girth dimensions known. "

And......

"if it's in fact 180 pounds"

Or Maybe....

"At 180lbs John should be nearly completely hidden behind it, that skinny belly is not consistant with a 180lb leopard"


Your certainly implying that the animal is not anywhere near 180 and you even suggested 140. Call it what you like. I have no problem comprehending your posts.
I'm off to get a life now. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

JJ -Once again you missed the points. Were you off in that "happy place" that let you get so much insight into rotational velocities? Reading comprehension is not the problem on this end but it is on your end. The question has still not been answered and you are leaving a picture posted that implies you killed an awesome cat and questions the integrity of a PH with a far better reputation than yours. Since you won't even say you didn't kill the cougar, but posed for the picture and planted your name all over it and left off the name of the actual hunter it all adds up to something. And like I said earlier you don't have class enough to apologize. -Maytag

CAS

There's tricks to every trade, and here's one of 'em. Not only do we have to be 110% sure of the sex of the animal we have to comply to a minimum size requirement. I mark the tree with two pieces of reflective tape to show the legal minimum...... then go from there. The pic shows these marks and also shows the vertical branch that forces the cat to show me his nuts as he feeds........ he can't eat without having to go around that branch by stepping onto the lower one. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> As far as I'm concerned it's the perfect Leopardy tree and I keep its location a big secret from my competitors.......... last year I even took two monster Leopards from the same tree, less than two weeks apart...

My only criticism of the tree is that the surrounding bush is a bit thick if you have to go looking for a wounded Mr Spots. - You're right on top of the cat before you see it.

Geez Steve, I can smell that bait from here and I'm upwind <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Peter,

So could the Leopards! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I can't help but noticing that the Newspaper article used for validation not only clearly states the cat was not shot by Jim but also that it weighed 200 not 205. Apparently there really only was only a 20# difference betwen the Leopard and the Cougar Although 205 - 180 still = 25# !

How bout we just acknowledge the fact that those are 2 big beautiful cats and let it go at that boys!

Shakari,

That is a very cool picture of the bait tree. I've seen lots of pictures in books and such but yours clearly shows what you're looking for. Nice job!

Allen

If I ever win the lottery, the first thing I do with the winnings will be to go on a hunt guided by John Sharp. I have a friend from South Africa who worked as a guide and in the game department, and it was evident from the way he spoke about John Sharp that fellow PHs and hunters have a high opinion of the man.

Time to go buy some lottery tickets...

Pugs,

Thanks, glad you like it - I try to keep a good selection of pics from my hunting activities - The odd one gets published but mostly, they're for my own pleasure. Heck, maybe, I'll write my memoirs one day when I'm even older and greyer than I am now <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Shakari,

Thanks again for the info. I normally detest stand hunting, but I think that hunting Leopard would be an entirely different cup of tea. I imagine that I could muddle through it <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

CAS,

I'm not a fan of sitting in a blind either - but luckily I have a few other trade secrets up my sleeve that I can use to keep that time to a minimum. Last year I only ever sat in a blind once per cat and the longest was for just under an hour - the shortest was 20 minutes! - (and of course, how educated they are. In Tanzania, they're not very educated at all!) It's all in the preparation and in how comfortable you can make Mr Spots feel beforehand.

Leopard hunting is all a mind game. - You have to think like a cat and give him exactly what he wants and expects..... get that bit right and the rest is easy.......... As long as the first bullet gets put in the right place. - If it goes in the wrong place then (if you're lucky) you end up with a Leopard with a hole in his face as in the picture.......... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> - If the follow up goes wrong, it's face lift and tummy tuck time... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I know Im new and by no means an expert but I do know how to spell JEALOUS

I know many of you go by how many posts a person have, but I can tell you one thing it does not take an expert to know where the bear [bleep] in the buckwheat. Most of the time if it looks and smells like [bleep],,,,,,well you know the rest.

Pauly
Pretty perceptive, perhaps, for a new guy. Time will tell.
A big conditional welcome. Tell it like it is.
T

Welcome to the forum. Going after John Sharp for a bad photo was just not a very good move.

Keep talking Stetson....
The more you post....More folks will get what you really are...

Cyber Touretttes flaring up again? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Keep on posting...

typical,,,,,im a newbie but i have been around the block boys....the magnum pi mustach dont scare me

I think I may have misunderstood who your "jealosy" remark was directed at. I withdraw my agreement pending further information which I hope is not forthcoming, as this is enough of this. IMO.
T

Your point?

You come in Bart and give a few words of ignorance none towards the subject at hand like to scare people by saying ....keep posting, if it was not towards the subject why even bother trying to be tough guy. Anyone that would ridicule a PH like john Sharp for something as stupid as a picture which was poor in their opinion. If thats all you can get to pick on him about and it makes a person feel bettere than he is or that they know how to take better pictures than he can. There is no need to even say why I would stick up for John his track record speaks for itself. If i was a PH personally I would try to model myself after John not try and pick something as arbitrary as a picture.

The Jealous comment was a general statement i shouldnt have to explain the jealousy thats shown by multiple people in this thread.

I dont need the typical, or whatever comment about being new here. You mean to tell me Bart you were a stupid moron when you first signed up for this forum and then you miraculouslybecame a genious all knowing person when you hit the 2000 post mark. Give me a break. I should be able to voice an opinion if i have 1 or 5000 posts. If you want to imply I dont know anything cuz i have only a few posts, good for you, you know what they say about people that assume things.

WOW

good answer more constructive posting on this thread.

Pauly
Just for your benefit, you don't know as much as you think you know because some of this relates to posts before your time and makes perfect sense if you knew what was going on. You might want to bide your time before you assume too much about who's who and what's what.
Just a friendly suggestion.
T

You sure have a lot to say for a guy that doesn't want to get involved and thinks enough is enough. Pretty darn curious. You have been here how long?

Don't worry im tuned in now.

Ya see Pauly...The longer that you hang around this place...
The more you learn <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />...
Keep posting Stetson!!!

Long enough to figure you out, pal.
T

Jealous? I wouldn't know about jealously. I'm a public school teacher, what man wouldn't envy me? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Cats? We got a few, big 'uns too.

This guy f'rinstance, he'd been seen around for more'n two years, or so I heard.....

Or rather his spoor had been seen around, monstrously large..... in the dirt... along the roads.....

Then one night he came to the bait, and the night fell silent...
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(...and if PW has anything to say about this pic... well lets just say finders keepers)

WOW, you're new and a [bleep]' idiot ... JJ in no way shape or form ridiculed Mr. Sharp ... just simply stated the pic was very unflattering.

BTW, what's your resume that would give you the right to second guess JJ or his opinion?? Guy probably spends more time hunting in a single year then most of us do in TEN ....

Well boys, this has deteriorated into the cyber counterpart of MD's article in Game Trails in the latest SUCCESSFUL HUNTER, "How To Be The Camp Jerk."

God bless Texas

my nose isnt brown like some, and it never will be, but i guess im just a "[bleep]' idiot" lol no need for my resume who would even give the time of day let alone listen to a "[bleep]' idiot"

DAMMIT!! I MAKE A VERY FUNNY POST WITH A STOLEN PICTURE YET AND EVERYONE HERE IS STILL MARKING THEIR TERRITORY, KICKING DIRT and growling....

No one has insulted anyone's mother. Few of us here will ever be shooting even 40 pound leopards or cougars out of tree stands in Africa, that leopard looked uncommonly long and skinny in that first pic.

John Sharp AND JJ Hack both have experiences and life styles that most of us can only drool at.

End of story, ain't it?.....

Hey, Birdwatcher
That stolen picture is a riot and your post was very funny.
See, I can play nice.
T

Gotta admidt I did a little chuckle at the kitty post as well. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Jim's remarks with regards the first picture don't surprise me at all.

I don't say that in a negative way, but rather I know that Jim takes a lot of interest in what I would call "trophy photography."

I have only hunted in South Africa twice, but one of the things that I noticed on my first hunt was the time and care the PH took in setting up, and taking the trophy photos.

Previous to that trip I had given up taking such photos, as my personal attempts were always so bad...

When I got back I vowed to try again and put more effort into the process.

I searched the various forums for tips and ideas and that where I first came across various threads on the subject by Jim.

Jim's threads were very imformative and he obviously took a keen interest in the subject. This included posting a secection of his own photos, both good and bad, with various critiques of them.

I don't have a particular talent for photography, but I would still like to be able to take decent trophy photos though and Jims previous posts have helped me no end.

In addition to that, we have exchanged PM's and emails on the subject and last year, we got to discuss it quite a bit in person. If Jim's assesment of the first photo seems harsh, I can vouch that he is equally harsh about his own results if he feels they are not up to standard.

With regards that first picture, I agree that it very poor and makes the leopard seem "strange" but the second photo with it on the rocks is much, much better.
I think the first was a simply snap without much thought, while the second is one of what might be termed the offical trophy photos.

As to Jim's picture with the mountain lion, that cat has traveled further on the Net than it ever did in real life! I think its even got an entry in Snopes!

If I recall Jim's account correctly, he called the cat in and a friend or client shot it as it responded to the call...

Just as John Sharp takes credit as PH for the various big leopards his clients have actually taken, Jim is doing the same for the mountain lion.

This in fact seems a pretty common practice with most PH's/Guides when they discuss their clients trophies.

As to the difference in poses between Jim and Johns pictures, Jim is leaning back, but I think thats simply due to the weight of the cat and trying to get it clear of the floor...

I've never met John, but having seen various pictures of him, I suspect when he poses with any trophy he tends to "down size" it with his presence!

Somebody posted the word "jelous" earlier in the thread and I have to admit that I am certainly jelous of all the cats posted in this thread (except maybe Bag Puss! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> ) and would loved to have taken any of them!

Regards,

Pete

Pete E: Your observations are pretty much right on the money. That first picture was taken by John's client probably without much thought to posing. Both of John's trackers, Isaac and Khevin, take some pretty good pics. For reference, John's probably about 6' 1" or so, but as everybody knows, he's as big as Hulk Hogan. Bottom line it's a great cat and a great PH and I feel privilileged to hunt with him..jorge

That photo may not be the best, but the leopard John's holding speaks for itself........... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

AD

Jorge,

Like i said i've never met John, but I keep expecting to see a picture of him holding up a big leopard by the scruff of the neck! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

regards,

Pete

LMAO! Most outstanding! Skull measurement? Book score? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I have to say that is a horrible picture of that pussy cat,,, does the cat no justice what so ever. Its all stretched out look at how thin it looks. What a shame. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />