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Leopard is one of the most sought after trophies but also one of the hardest to come by. Listed as endangered by CITES, only relatively small quotas are available from the various countries throughout Africa. Not that their numbers warrant an Appendix I listing, that having to do more with politics and the Western World’s perceptions than reality as they occur widely and at reasonable densities throughout most of their original range. Not that good densities makes that much difference to hunting them, which is notoriously hard work.
Leopard are solitary animals, and predominately nocturnal. They hunt alone and both sexes maintain their own territory only joining up briefly during the mating season. They are cleaver and very wary which simply
adds to the difficulties of hunting them. To compound the difficulty, the cats have been persecuted in most areas for killing domestic live-stock, and those that thrive on the game ranches, commercial farms and ranches and in tribal lands have all been well schooled in outwitting man. Success rates in hunting them
are much lower than with most other species. To quote Lou Hallimore, a noted Zimbabwean leopard hunter “ If a professional hunter does five leopard hunts in a year and shoots four, that is only 80%. That by the way is an outstanding year. So your chance when hunting is only 80% at the very best. When you see at the conventions people advertising that they are 100% on cats, what they are really saying is 100% on quota, i.e. five cats, seven clients.” Which brings us on to the art of hunting them. There are two principal methods of doing this.
Bait and Blinds is the most common, but following them up in daylight with specially bred hounds or Bushman trackers is increasing rapidly in popularity. Let’s first deal with the more traditional bait and blind method and I can do no better than to quote from Lou Hallimore’s excellent book on hunting “In the Salt”. (Published by Trophy Room Books).
There are many variants to this most essential part of leopard hunting. There are few visiting sport hunters who would not like to be involved in this aspect of the hunt, and there is much to be learned from the PH one is hunting with.
Each will have his own methods Hallamore advises - “This is probably the most critical part of the hunt. On reaching an area a good pro will work out pretty quickly what the leopard population is surviving on. Some areas for example do not have big populations of impala and so the leopards feast on duiker. This can be a problem as a big male leopard can finish this in one sitting. Basically these are your options:
- Impala
- Duiker, klipspringer, steenbok, grysbok
- Warthog, bushpig
- Bushbuck
- Block meat:-Zebra or Buffalo
“Impala make up a large percentage of the ungulate population and so they rank high on the menu of a leopard. The small four also rank high. Leopards are opportunists and these little guys take a pounding when leopards are hungry. Bushbuck, although not taken as bait animals (too exotic), take a hammering along the riverine areas.
Placing the Bait
The hunter can expect to shoot several baits for his leopard hunt, giving useful hunting practice early on in the safari whilst making a meaningful contribution to the whole process. You are probably best advised to use the same rifle to shoot the baits as you intend to use on the leopard as this not only builds confidence but also acts as a “live fire” equipment check. It is advantageous to shoot and place the baits in the afternoon, often dragging it some distance to the chosen blind site so as to leave a good scent trail for the leopard to follow. Be careful to keep unnecessary human spoor around the drag, bait and blind sites to a minimum. This is important, but the actual hanging and positioning of the baits is critical. Again, Lou Hallamore explains... “It’s not just a matter of throwing a piece of meat into a tree. That’s asking for trouble. The position of the bait must be considered in relation to the blind and positioned so as to give the client the best possible shot.
I was watching a video about a leopard safari in the far north. The pro had hung a bait in a Hemingway tree, a very good situation. The problem was that above the bait was a very thick leafy shady area. The cat climbed the tree and disappeared into the foliage and eventually what I consider a dicey shot was taken through the foliage. Fortunately the cat was killed. This could easily have been a disaster. No one wants to shoot in a bad light situation. The bait must be secured with very strong wire on the blind side of the tree branch. This is so important. If it’s on the other side, the cat will be diagonally facing away from you when it is eating the bait. Make sure there are no branches or twigs in the line of fire. Also ensure that there is no branch or stump that the leopard can use to contort its frame. This is more important than it sounds. I have been caught short on a few occasions.
Pay attention to detail. The bait must be able to swing toward the cat, when it latches on. I once witnessed a bait tied to a branch wrapped up in barbed wire. The cat never could work that one out. Cover the bait with branches, otherwise vultures will take it out. After the cat eats, thin out these branches so that the cat will be visible when it again arrives. It’s no good having Sherwood Forest concealing the whole deal. Last but not least, clean the ground around the bait tree so you are able to check it out for size of track.
The Blind
“This is what puts cats in the salt. The sequence of events should read like this:- Find the best possible site for a blind. Drive along thinking of blind sites not Hemingway type trees. Bear in mind a number of factors:
• Safety: Make sure you have a safe and secure site. Using an elephant path leading past the blind is a no-no.
• Wind: The myth that cats do not have a good sense of smell is rubbish.
• Where is the sun going to go down? You do not want to be facing it. It will interfere with the client’s aim.
• Have a natural obstacle into which you can blend - bush, rocks, grass, a dead tree trunk. Anything dead centre of the blind is a good trick. It also helps to stabilize the pad.
• Have you a covered approach?
• Can you be seen by the cat from high ground? Blinds built at the base of big hills always look suspicious to a leopard. That cat will watch you all the way in on your approach.
• Type of blind: There is no substitute for a portable blind, especially if you are serious about hunting leopards. You must have one. There are a number of reasons for this recommendation:
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Doing a "drag" along a riverbed towards the bait site. The tracker is lacing the trail with chunks of liver to make it more attractive.
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The Rifle Rest
Portable blinds give the option of using a sophisticated rest. The most important part of a blind is the rifle rest. I was once watching another hunting video and noted the client sticking his rifle through the side of the blind. There was no rest at all. If you will follow a wounded leopard sooner or later and then get scratched, you’ll want the extra insurance from a rest. Wooden rests such as forked sticks can be a waste of time and useless. I have even seen a rifle supported by string. Give me a
break. Get a sophisticated rest and save yourself a possibly disappointed hunter or worse. The point is: Time is of the essence. The longer you spend playing around with the blind the longer you might delay arrival of the cat.”
Equipment in the blind
• Comfortable and not noisy chairs: The more comfortable you are the less noise you make. This is critical.
• Water: You must have water to keep your throat moist and to reduce coughing.
• Jacket: Wool (winter), not nylon. The latter is too noisy.
• Binoculars: These can be a big help, especially when looking around in bad light.
• Reading material: Very few people ever sit in one chair for three or four hours at one time not saying anything and not moving. A book is a great help.
• Q-beam cordless torch: Do not fool with batteries and cords.
• Night vision equipment
• Reflector: When hunting cats at night place a reflector directly in line with the bait. This will help your client to orient himself when the light goes on.
• P.S. Don’t forget your rifle!
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Obstacle
“You need an obstacle between you and the bait. It can be a road, river, dam or open area. Leopards will always check out the entire area before hitting the bait. They will not cross an obstacle, i.e., river to check the other side. Even an open piece of ground such as a valley creates an obstacle. This is important.”
Backcountry Taxidermy
Hunter's Guide
The Art of Leopard Hunting
Compiled by Don Heath
Backcountry Custom Taxidermy
Use a trophy bushbuck carcass as bait after skinning. Warthogs, bushpigs: they are good bait but be wary of using them in the hot months. They turn to gravy in a few days. Block meat: leopards seldom manage to kill the bigger animals so big pieces of meat are really a treat for them. Cats love horsemeat and cannot resist zebra. If I can get a cat to eat a zebra, there is a 95% chance I will put him in the salt. The meat, because of the fat content will last longer. If I had a choice (and obviously one does not) I would never hang anything except zebra. Buffalo are a good bait, nice flavor and difficult to chew because it is so tough. This therefore will keep the leopards in the vicinity for a long time.
In summery: Block meat is the best answer. If it is not available, select something else from the menu."
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The section of this article on Baits and Blinds was adapted from “In the Salt” by Lou Hallamore who is one of Africa’s highly respected big game hunters. His book covers most African game species in useful and practical detail. You can find this book and others in Trophy Room Books. www.trophyroombooks.com
Time and See-through factor and Rifle rest.
• Time factor: The longer you spend building the blind, the more noise you are going to make. This directly relates to the time the cat will take to return. Leopards very rarely go a long way from the bait. Some research done with collared leopards showed they rarely went more than 500 metres from the bait.
• See-through factor: Portables made out of reed mats can still breathe and yet are 99 percent opaque. Leopards have incredible eyes. Even thick bushes are no substitute for a good portable blind.
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