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Author
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Topic: Leopard & Lion
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Venado
PAKMAN
Member # 2094
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posted December 19, 2007 09:38 PM
I just returned from Africa where I had a chance to call. I killed two leopard, the first over his own kill - an eland, and the second leopard I called in on the first try. The next day we went after Lion. Just before dark, I called in the whole pride, however they unexpectedly came in from the opposite direction that we expected. Of course they came from downwind. The lions walked within 20 yards of the truck and paid no attention to the trackers inside. They got to about 200 yards from our blind and stopped. Obviously they caught our wind. Earlier we had turned off the 2-way radio because the e-caller kept setting it off and made it beep. The whole time the trackers were trying to reach us and tell us to just get out of the blind and shoot the male. From where the blind was, we couldn't see the spot where they were. Had we walked 20 yards, it would have been a 200 yard shot. It was no use, we didn't turn on the radio until dark and then shooting time was over. I did get to see them in the headlights, however. Unfortunately we only had two more days to hunt lion and we had high winds and dust storms. The lions just wouldn't come out and play. The trackers were a real asset. They have tremendous skills in finding tracks and locating the animals. If I had to pick one thing from Steve Craig's articles and posts that influenced my successes on mt lion, leopard and at least calling in Lion, it was that you need to find areas they frequent. Once we narrowed down the area, the rest just came together perfectly..well almost.
Posts: 3 | From: Dana Point, CA | Registered: Nov 2007
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Q-Wagoner
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Member # 33
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posted December 19, 2007 10:06 PM
What country allowed you to take two Leopards? Did you shoot one on a depredation permit issued by a nature conservancy? Oh yes we need Pics!!!
Good hunting.
Q,
Posts: 617 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 20, 2007 09:25 AM
Welcome to The New Huntmastersbbs.com, Venado. Glad to have you on board.
Yeah, where's the pics?
Quinton, I met a guy over there who had killed about 40 leopards, depredation, in South Africa.
Good hunting. LB
edit: also, I'm trying to imagine a leopard killing a full grown eland? They are literally, big as an ox, must weigh a thousand pounds?
[ December 20, 2007, 09:27 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31471 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Q-Wagoner
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Member # 33
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posted December 20, 2007 09:47 AM
His first name wasn’t Peter or Mike was it Leonard? That is a good score. LOL I am trying to wrap my mind around it also. An eland bull can weigh a ton…..literally. Even a big mature 160lb tom would have his work cut out for him. LOL My guess he was just feeding on a carcass or killed a calf? They have a stomach like a coyote and can eat some very ripe critters. A friend of mine shot one at night off of an elephant carcass mistaking it for a hyena. His trip got a whole lot more expensive in a hurry. LOL
Good hunting.
Q,
Posts: 617 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 20, 2007 10:33 AM
Yeah, his name was Pete, but spelled differently?
An eland would be a hell of a problem for a leopard. I heard they can jump (and clear) those eight foot game fences that you see on some farms....I'd like to see a steer do that?
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31471 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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TA17Rem
Hello, I'm the legendary Tim Anderson, Field Marshall, Southern Minneesota Sector
Member # 794
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posted December 20, 2007 01:11 PM
quote:
I heard they can jump (and clear) those eight foot game fences that you see on some farms....I'd like to see a steer do that?
Not sure if a steer can clear an 8' fence, but they make a 6'gate look pretty easey. My cousin buys open range cattle from Montana and they can spook rather easey and you never know what they will do. One day we had to jump start the tractor that pulls the feed wagon and after we got tractor started my cousin slams the hood of the pick-up shut, all hell broke loose and the steers that where brought in the day before head for the oppisite side of holding pen. Not one but two steers jumped the gate and the rest just kept pushing against it till post broke and then all of them got out. Now days if i want to hunt around my cousins place or any of the other relatives that also have cattle, i have to wait at least two weeks which gives the new steers time to adjust to being in a confined area and new surroundings..
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What if I told you, the left wing and right wing both belong to same bird!
Posts: 5075 | From: S.D. | Registered: Jan 2006
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Venado
PAKMAN
Member # 2094
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posted December 20, 2007 09:03 PM
They were taken on a 9 million acre conservancy in Namibia. It was the end of the season and the PH had two leopard and one lion permit left over. I wish there was more time for the Lion. I'm confident with a few more days of calling I would have bagged one of them too. The PH had been trying to connect with leopard for three years and these were the first taken in that period. Namibia has no night hunting so often he has leopards hitting bait but just feeds them night after night. The calling definitely helped to get them in a little sooner. As for the pictures, I need to get some assistance from my daughter on how to load them up. Hand on and I will try to get some up.
Good hunting,
Venado
Posts: 3 | From: Dana Point, CA | Registered: Nov 2007
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Venado
PAKMAN
Member # 2094
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posted December 20, 2007 09:13 PM
The eland was not full grown but was plenty big. It took several of us to move it a few yards, The leopard killed it but didn't eat it that same night. He ate the springbok bait we had nearby and then killed and stashed the eland on his way back home. That next evening he came back grunting all the way. He didn't just happen upon it on his way back to town.
I have heard some amazing stories of mt. lions moving cattle. I can't verify however that the storytellers weren't fishermen.
Venado
Posts: 3 | From: Dana Point, CA | Registered: Nov 2007
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