Hunting leopard
Hunting in Africa – your leopard hunting specialists!
Hunting Leopard (Panthera pardus)
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Description:
The leopard is, pound-for-pound, the strongest of the big cat species of Africa. The basic color is an orange brown with black spots on the legs, flanks hindquarters and head. The rest of the body is covered in rosettes rather than spots. The tail is, on average, about half the length of the body. The ears are rounded with white tips. The belly is usually white.
Hunting leopard is usually done by baiting and the successful harvesting of this beautiful animal is mostly during the evenings as leopard are considered to be nocturnal. A hide/blind is set up at a distance from the hide where after the hunter needs to be very quiet. Together with buffalo, the leopard is one of the most sought after members of the Big 5 to harvest. There are few adversaries that can become as wily as a leopard that has been hunted before. Hunting the leopard is mostly done over bait, but some African countries allow for leopard hunting with hounds. In South Africa it is illegal to hunt leopard with hounds.
Habitat:
It has a wide variety of habitats it can adjust to. From high mountains to coastal areas to wooded areas the leopard does equally well. It does need sufficient cover.
Reproduction:
Litters of 2 – 3 kittens are born any time of the year in places of dense cover, crevices and caves.
General:
Gestation period About 100 days
Average shoulder height 28”
Average weight: mature male Up to 160 lbs
Average weight: mature female Up to 120 lbs
Hunting notes:
Hunting the leopard is traditionally done in one of two ways:
With hounds – a houndsman is rented who brings in his hounds and puts them on a fresh track. The hounds follow the track to where they hopefully tree the cat from where the hunter delivers the shot. Hunting leopard with hounds is now still only done in Zimbabwe.
Baiting – of the two methods this is the more traditional. Bait, in the form of game meat, is hung in a tree and drags are created leaving scent trails to where the bait is. Soon as the leopard starts feeding on the bait, a hide (blind) is set up from where the hunter waits until the leopard starts feeding. In clear moonlight no artificial light is required but a good telescope is essential. On the dark moon a red light is essential to illuminate the target. Leopard can also feed during the day.
The best recommended caliber to hunt leopard with is 375 and up. In most African countries it is law to hunt dangerous game with a minimum caliber of 375.
The average shooting distance when hunting leopard is 40 – 60 yards.