I've been around while 3 leopards were taken. The 1st was mine and while I hit the leopard quite hard while in the tree we decided to follow up that night because of a lot of hyaena in the area. If I had a shotgun I would have used it but what I had was my .375. We did receive a charge but had a moment's notice and when he made his move I was on him quickly and one shot settled the issue.... exciting but I wouldn't care to make a living having to make that same shot day after day. The leopard had fortunaely been hit hard enough with the initial shot that I don't think the charge was a fast at it might have been.

The 2nd leopard was poorly shot with a 300 H&H and the PH and client decided to return in the morning. They both carried shotguns -- the PH had a SxS and the client a short-barrel Rem 870. Aftr a fairly brief follow up they received a serious charge and after 6 shots the cat lay dead. Not quite at their feet but far closer than I'm sure they hoped. I think they were fortunate the leopard was a fairly small female (maybe 80-90 pounds) because while the cat had been hit multiple times, the fatal pellet entered one of the cat's eyes and entered the brain. The rest of the pellets did not penetrate much past the skin. The after-action analysis showed two problems -- they fired their first shots to soon and they had loaded the wrong ammunition in their shotguns --- for some reason they had loaded their guns with size 7 1/2 pellets rather than buckshot.

The 3rd leopard was shot with a .270 and was a bang-flop at the base of the tree.

There are several lessons to be learned from these 3 events and I'll leave you to figure them out.

Dr B- Did you bother to read the article? Shotguns can sucessfully be used on leopards - and there are a fair number that either genuinely favour them or are forced to use them. Given the right ammo they can be effective... Lou Halimore specifies Rottweil brand- and I would use that brand if forced to use a shotgun.

The incident where the Honory officer in the helicopter was killed is well documented and caused the closing down of the extremely efficient system of "Honory Officers" in our National Parks service. Up until 1987, at least 50% of our effective officer core were unpaid voluntiers, out doing there bit for wildlife. After mikes death his widdow sued parks - and won- and as a result all honory officer status was withdrawn from 2000 people. A few "technical" staff- like those who serviced and fixed our radios and the foreign nationals who posed as buyers on rhino horn and Ivory busts were kept on for a couple more years.

Ganyana --- you're looking for a fight when I'm on your side.

The 1st thing I mentioned about following up my leopard was if I had a shotgun I would have taken it instead of my .375.

The 2nd reference to a shotgun simply pointed out 2 errors made by the PH and the client, neither of which was the fault of the shotgun --
the biggest of which was the wrong ammunition.

For all the muzzle energy of a shotgun, when the pellets spread out, you wind up with all the weanie pellet energies, which ain't much comapred to a single rifle slug.

So if you have to wait until they are really close, what's the difference between a rifle and shotgun? If a rifle isn't "handy" enough when they are about to grab you, you need another past time!

There is a video called
"Mauled"
In which Zim PHs Lou Hallamore, Mike Finn and Rusty Labuschagne do some test with the use of different types of shotguns and loads for some interesting outcomes with the shot patterns and penetration.
Well worth a look.

DB - Sorry Typo- Dr B is the one who needs to read

quote:

Originally posted by Dr B:



"OO copper plated shot failed to penetrate a leopard’s skull at close range. Similarly some of the lead stuff is too soft and flattens out on chest muscles."

Ganyana
You have had a serious break from reality if you believe that OO Buck flattens on chest muscle, I don’t care how soft the lead is. The only way OO will fail to penetrate a skull is if it strikes at a very shallow angel and it glanced off which can happen with a rifle also, but if you are talking about a angle of 45 degrees or better the buck will penetrate a cats skull.

In Montana a bird hunter looked up and saw his dog running back to him with a Grizzly Bear in prusit. When the bear got close he killed it with one shot to the head, of 20ga #8 shot, and you thinl OO buck won’t penetrate.

This is a common thread in your writings you distort facts to prove your preconceived notions. You are obviously educated past your intelligence.



DR B

Above is the voice of great experience, no doubt!



I'd love to see the skull of that grizz, killed with 7 1/2 bird shot out of a 20 ga.

Sussie killed the Canada record size Brown bear with a single shot .22 lr with one shot, but like your 20 ga, there was devine intervention involved in both cases, and neither case makes ether one a Grizz, or leopard gun!

Im in the team of Juan ,and hes often called with his dogs for problem pumas ,i always carrymy cz375hyh with softpoints open sigthed,Juan decides on the terrain between his shotguns or a marlin guide gun or a short 458 custom made my guillermoamestoy ,we folloW the articles by GANYANA very carefully and Juan always is speacking and asking his advice ,all us wants an express but ...nobody has one ,sometimes we have a short fal ,in another member of the team .I work as a PH for a weatherby nominee ,and his son the ph of the year sci and they have a lot of experience hunting cats even in INDIA ,both of them use or a double shotgun or a double rifle .Juan

Juan always uses buckshot military.I prefer rotweill.Sorry Juan ...

I think this debate has gone on for a long time. I think that leopard/lion skulls are very hard and aerodynamic, and I have heard of one occassion where buckhot pellets (SSG I think) failed on a leopard, or at least creased along the skull under the skin, failing to actually penetrate. I have also heard of one incident with a wounded lion, where a shotgun had very little effect. This might be due to the adrenaline, and lack of velocity maybe, which would be more effective with a high velocity rifle bullet. I have no personal experience, so can not really comment. I remember being surprised by the incident though, as I would have expected a shotgun to have quite an effect on a wounded lion! I think a shotgun with it's lightness and pointabilty would make it pretty usefull, but a rifle might have the edge with penetration and assurity.

Remember the Capstick story of him using a shotgun (20 gauge?) on a lioness in the grass when he was bird hunting? I think she had a snare on her foot or something. He said it snuffed her pretty quick. Sure, it's possible but don't know the veracity of that one. Hard to say.

Yokon

Cats concentrating on something other than you are easy to kill. I picked up a large male that an old tribesman had killed - cleanly with a standard 2 3/4 charge of AAA. He was concentrating on eating a cow and was taken completly unawares.

Have seen a lioness take 7 full loads of 00 buck from close range and give a hunter a hiding.

People forget that tensed muscle is harder than bone.

People also forget that an oncomming lion or leopard skull is all highly sloped angles - better shaped to deflect shot than a T55.

What works from side on on an unsuspecting cat and what works for a charge are two totally different things- they are not the same animal!

Well, that makes sense. How about the story on the lioness taking 7 shotloads?

Hi Yukon

Again- has appeared in print over the years in both magnum and African Hunter.

Roughly - Bill Bedford ( Now owner of Ingwe Safaris) and Bob Warren-Codrington were out on a citizen hunt after a lioness just after the end of our bush war. She took a .375 from the front that sliped under the shoulder blade and exited without penetrating the lung and a .458 in the guts as she departed.

Bill chose a side by side shotgun for the follow up and Bob a browning auto 5. Lioness found them rather than visa versa and charged Bill. He hit her in the chest and then droped to kneeling and gave her the second barrel at about 3 paces. bob was off on the flank and pumped 5 rounds in as she went for Bill.

The lioness gave Bill a good hiding. Bob grabed the Game Scouts FN and finished the lioness off. Ammo used was SP - SSG and Winchester 00.

By the time Bill and Alister Travis started Ingwe safaris 5 years later, Bill was an Awful lot more bush savy! ( And I'll give Ingwe a plug on the forum- Ingwe safaris is one of the best safari outfits I have seen).

As with all cats, I want a bullet doing over 2250fps. My 9,3 folds an incoming lion with so much more panaché than a .458 Win.

That said- for a client shooting a lion over a bait- by all means use a .45-70. for a walk and stalk - you could probably safely get away with using a shotgun loaded with 3" magnums and 000 buck. I would simply carry a big rifle to back you

Ganyana

Don't mean to be a prick, but in no way shape or form is tense muscle harder than bone. Tense muscle may be harder to penetrate than relaxed muscle (I have no idea sound plausible though), but it sure is hell isn't harder than a mineralize structure like bone.

Brett

While I have killed a number of leopards, I have never had to follow a wounded one.

I have heard the stories of the effects of buckshot on leopards from a number of PH's. Some think it is great. Other think it is useless.

While, I have no first hand knowledge, I have a really hard time thinking that modern high quality buckshot won't penetrate at close range. At 25 or 30 yards, I definitely could believe it. However at under 15 yards, I can't even imagine it.

I have done some experimentation on wild hogs here in central Florida. I have shot some big boars in the shoulder with a shotgun loaded with various buckshot rounds. For those of you that don't know, the boars have a very thick cartilage/scar tissue shield. it is extraordinarily tough. Depending on the size of the hog, this shield could be over 2 inches think. I believe that this shield if far tougher to penetrate than any leopard. At ranges under 12 yards, 3 or 3 1/2 inch magnums (#1 buck or larger) penetrate to the vitals. At 20 yards it is questionable. They likely do not penetrate.

I have also tried to head shoot some hogs. At greater than 25 yards, you might or might not kill the hog. At close range, 12 yards or closer, it makes a big bloody mess.

I ask myself if I could hit a flushing bird more easily with a shotgun or a rifle. Personally, I have great confidence with my ability to hit a moving object at very close range with a shotgun. I don't have the same confidence with a rifle. I would rather hit a leopard at close quarters with buckshot than miss one with my rifle. As such, I would pick the shotgun. However, it I was as confident that I could hit a rapidly moving leopard at close quarters, I would pick the rifle.

Personally, I hope I never have to find out the hard way.

Craig Boddington, with close to EIGHTY safaris under his belt I believe states he'll never use a shotgun on leopards again. That, plus Ganyana's and other experienced PHs should be enough for even the most obtuse pro-shotgunners...jorge

Ganyana!

Any reports of use of Hevishot's tungsten shot on lion or leopard?

465H&H

465

500 grns bought me a couple a couple of boxes 18 months back- which are the only ones I have seen in Africa. I gave a packet to Henry Prinsloo since he uses a shotgun for Leopard follow up. I haven't caught up with him yet. When I get some feed back, I'll pass it on

Brett- No offence taken. Perhaps you are right to say muscle isn't as hard as bone. More resistant to expanding bullets is perhaps a more accurate description. It is hard to quantify, but I have seen petals torn off a barnes X in a lions chest. Have never seen them come off in a buffalo's shoulder - only after going through the shoulder when they next hit bone or muscle.

I don't know what all the fuss is about.

The best weapon to use for followin a wounded leopard should be spear.

One is not likely to miss with it.

Jorge you are rigth ,i read that Craig Boddington would never use a shotgun on leopards again ,but a lot of PHs uses shotgun and our friend GANYANA isnt against them ,but he prefer his express.
NOW A QUESTION FOR GANYANA ,WHAT YOU PREFER, IF YOU WOULD USE A SHOTGUN AND HAVE A PUMP AND A AUTO.

I simply have no cofidence in BUCK SHOT for any purpose, and certainly not between me and a wounded lion! Gentlemen there is a very large difference between a full grown male African lion, and any leopard ever bread, as far as what is needed to stop a determined charge! If I had nothing else, then I'd have no choice, but to use buck shot. That will not happen, however, because I will never be carrying a shotgun while following up a wounded cat!

The state I live in has outlawed buck shot for whitetail deer, in all but two or three very urban counties, and rest of the state is "slugs only" with a shotgun, because they've found buckshot wounds too many, letting them get away to die a lengering painfull death. In that case only a painfull death, and a lossed deer!

In any event, a shotgun from no more than 3, or 4 yds doesn't really have a pattern,but hits as an almost one solid bullet, but a bullet that breaks into a dozen pieces on impact. At 35 yds or longer one is rarely able to keep all the pellets on a 55 gal oil drum, and none of them will penetrate the barrel. At 50 yds a Brenneke slug will penetrate that drum, and is easy to center on it!

IMO, in that case if one must use a shotgun, then it makes far more sense to use a quality slug, like the Brenneke! at least it would be usefull before the cat got as close as is needed to have a chance of killing him with buckshot! Since the shot pattern is no more that five or six inches wide, in a very good shotgun, at 3 or 4 yds, a slug would be as easy to hit with as the buckshot, and far more effective, IMO!

Another example became clear to me when a few years ago, I was a sponcer for a recovery group of drug, and alcohol for inmate adicts in La Tuna federal prison, in far west Texas. You would not believe the number of inmates there who had survived dirrect hits in the torso with police buckshot charges from close range! These guys are bad, but I don't think they can compare to a Leopard, or lion.

That being the case, a rifle bullet would be just as easy to hit him with as a close in buckshot, or slug would, and the first shot doesn't have to be so close to be sure. As Ganyana said most of the shots were wasted at 25 to 30 yds, and did no damage to speak of with the buckshot. It seems to me if a rifle had been used, the damage would have been far more extensive, for those first shots, and before anyone says it, durring a charge of any animal, all shooting is instinctive, and I doubt anyone ever sees the sights on the rifle or the bead on their shotgun, and all shots are point and shoot!

It is on record, that someone presented, the last one of these shotgun buckshot, slug bolt rifle, double rifle, or sling shot for stopping a charge was bantered about here, that a full 80% of the people who had been bitten,in a follow-up of a wounded cat, and had been mauled, were useing a shotguns!

I've not followed up a Cat with anything, but I have stopped a close in charge of a cape buffalo, and I was useing a double rifle, both shots went where I wanted them to go, and I don't remember even looking for the sights, I just pointed and fired!

I agree with Ganyana's posts here, and Gregor Woods, who said in his opinion, the best tool for folllowing up wounded cats is a light, well fitted S/S double rifle chambered for 9.3X74R. It is light enough to be responsive in a swing, and the bullet traveling fast enough to produce a lot of kenetic shock, and quicker to get back on target for a follow up shot! I think Id rather have a 450/400NE 3", double, but that's just me!

So give me a rifle every time, and a double rifle if possible. Others may do as it suits them! ......................

Hi
what about a heavy slug or brenneke in a shotgun. until now everybody is talking about buchshots. many governements advice using of shotguns with slug for bear protection and a polar or brown bear is a huge beast certaninly bigger than the biggest lion and not less dangerous.
regards
yes

I think most govt. advice for shotguns on bears is because the average person has an easier time using a shotgun than a heavy caliber rifle. I'm not saying I agree with that but most people have been around shotguns whereas the average sportsman thinks that a 375 H&H is very big if not intimidating.

Gentlemans; A nice learning dicussion all of you exposed here, in old an article, Chuck Taylor, cuestioned the efectivity of buckshoot against laminated car glasses, most of them did not penetrate (pass through the glass) or 2º doors panels and hit the dummie, I shoot twice with buckshoot to a wounded male wildboar (200 lbs aprox.) on runing at not more than 40 feet distance, and the shoot only took off mud and dust from his skin, all the B.S. (Buck Shoot or Bull Shit as you like!!! ) recovered, show high deformation = loss of energy = low penetration and none passed beyond the chest cavity, muscles or ribs, the same thing when I try to stop a big wounded Baboon in a dry river, that finaly was killed by my tracker & driver with a big stone!!!. A life or die experience for him!!!
The experience of Mr. Gayana as Gameranger,PH & PH Teacher living in Zimbawe is invaluable. He is living with this all the time.
I think that a charging leopard presents a little vital frontal area: tuff bones, angled skull and the B.S. shurely will impact the angled bone and run under the skin. For other side any B.S in the front of the chest cavity cant destroy the neck, (CNS) the only place to stop the charge, unless at very close range (straigth pattern).
Perhaps the key using shotgun to stop a leopard charge is in using High speed Magnum shotshells loaded with hard nickel plated B.S. at short distance and with a small pattern, maybe they wouldnt kill it on his feet, but 4 or 5 B.S. in the face at close range will stop it giving us a second chance. I make myself a last question: What did the old masters use to stop a Charging Lion or tiger?? Yes !!! a Double Rifle, otherwise if you dont have it, I think that perhaps, just perhaps... (we have to try it) a good sxs magnum shotgun with solid cooper sabot will do the job, if you miss two shoot at close range, sorry, make your homework.
Photo; # 1 Superficial B.S. wounds in a runing Male wildboard , none passed beyond the muscles or ribs, #2 Differents B.S. and bullets recovered under skin, #3 My wouded Wildboar buster, now loaded exclusiv with slugs.Just my daily cents.Regards :Guillermo

I know the discussion has turned toward buckshot, but just a word as slugs as they were mentioned earlier. I'm from Ohio and have hunted with slugs all my life and can't imagine why anyone in there right mind would want to use them over a high power rifle. The slug's performance is abysmal at best.

Brett

Saeed

Nice to see someone else uses a spear for their wounded leopard.

brett
have you used brenneke slugs too. they give very good penetration and make a very nice hole in thetarget.
yes

Well everybody has to make up their own mind in the end and I doubt that I'll have to stand firm against raging leopard or lion, but if you compare the comments here with an equally passionate thread on the Alaska forum concerning bears, it looks like a well handled rifle against bear or cat ultimately wins the argument. Honestly listening to comments and reading this, what have I learned? I have often wondered about what I would do
1. Open sighted rifle with a bullet of "sufficent" mass and doing >2250 fps per Ganyana's recommendations. THANKS for that tidbit.
2. Easily identified sights for all pucker brush conditions, perhaps like a trijicon.
3. I could be seriously screwed with a bolt gun, but I don't have a double.
4. If packing a shotgun, nothing but slugs, realizing most (NOT ALL) don't have the mass accompanying the required energy of a .375, .458, or a jacked up 45-70
5. Any combat distance greater than something like 12 yards seriously downgrades the effectivenss of shot. DUH!
6. Any combat distance less than 12 yards and I don't give rip about barrel sight anyway.

I have killed a mountain lion in self defence at 14 ft. with a 45-120 Sharps in mid-air. Settled her has right now. The strangest part of that was the cat has hit just the left of center in the chest, went all the way through to the paunch but did not exit. 550 gr slug at about 1300 fps.

I have faced an aborted bear charge and I can say that when that toothy bastard came it was low and to the ground with his head back at such an angle I often wondered if a howitzer wouldn't have skipped off. In the end it would have been a spine shot, if I'd connected.

Stopped a wild boar charge in Idaho (of all places) with an 8 bore at about 15 yards. Sat him back on his butt momentarily until he tipped right over. Tough piggy.

The rest of that story on the bird shot grizzly. The bird hunter's dog cam ki-ying down the maountain with Mr Grizz right on his ass. Hunter and dog took off down the mountain hell bent for election and losing the race fast. In desparation the guy grabbed a lonesome pine tree as he went by and with the momemtum swung around and let drive with a load of 7 1/2. My guess is that that bear got both eyeballs full of grouse load and he was close enough to blow snot all over that hunter and his dog.

Very interesting discussion, and much to learn. Unfortunately I have nothing to add....
Were I in a position to confront
one of the big cats again, I would be very comfortable with Ganyana standing right next to me armed with his choice of weapon.
I did confront one African lion at reasonably close range. He was a bit angry and came at us looking not so much for dinner, but to make a lasting impression. My .375 worked just fine and he went straight down after my Hornady 300 grain "tapped" him center chest.

Two "insurance" shots completed our introduction.
That said, it was a comfort to know that my PH standing next to me (Danie Van Graan), was armed with an open sighted Marlin 45-70 and knew how to use it.

And on the subject of wild boar I have to agree with Guillermo. I have taken many wild hogs, boars and sows, never with a shotgun. But skinning them and examining their hides, muscle and skeletal structure I doubt sufficient damage would be done with buck shot unless at very close range. At if I get that close I would prefer the

Gentlemen. Ran into old John Northcote today (author of "From Sailor to Professional Hunter" - trophy room books). He was one of the top PH's from the late 1940's in east Africa, and after 1978, in Botswana.

John was talking to me of lion, and what made him think his .375 wasn't big enough- a lion that nearly got him in Uganda, and then the two hunts that persuaded him that it was time to retire - two lion that he had trouble stopping with his .458.

John reckoned his .375 was more than adequate for ele, rhino and buff, but not for Lion!

I have asked him to write it all up for the June issue of African Hunter

quote:

Originally posted by Don Heath:
Gentlemen. Ran into old John Northcote today (author of "From Sailor to Professional Hunter" - trophy room books). He was one of the top PH's from the late 1940's in east Africa, and after 1978, in Botswana.

John was talking to me of lion, and what made him think his .375 wasn't big enough- a lion that nearly got him in Uganda, and then the two hunts that persuaded him that it was time to retire - two lion that he had trouble stopping with his .458.

John reckoned his .375 was more than adequate for ele, rhino and buff, but not for Lion!

I have asked him to write it all up for the June issue of African Hunter

That would be a very intresting article.

Johan Calitz instructed us in his PH manual that his minimum prefered caliber for a wounded lion in a 450 Watts.

1st shot at the lion 375 H&H is fine but if the lion is wounded he became a very diffrent animal to stop and can take a lot of punishment...

To add a little levity to this discussion, maybe we should move it to the Cats Forum. I have successfully used a .410 on cats with rather explosive effects. It seems said feline was after my pen raise quail and a little touch of 8 shot in the mid-section cured the feline of an appetite for my pet quail..

I cannot speak for lions or leopards or tigers, but cats are be done in with a shotgun...

quote:

Originally posted by Brett Adam Barringer:
Ganyana

Don't mean to be a prick, but in no way shape or form is tense muscle harder than bone. Tense muscle may be harder to penetrate than relaxed muscle (I have no idea sound plausible though), but it sure is hell isn't harder than a mineralize structure like bone.

Brett

Brett, I would never assume to speak for Ganyana, either for or against anything he posts. However, I think what he said about the toughness of tenced muscle being harder than bone, wasn't quite clear, and IMO, was not ment literly. The fact is BONE, being a brittle solid, lets a bullet go right through if the bullet has enough speed, and is hard enough to break the surface, will drive right through.This the same whether the animal is adrenalized or not, and there are very few bones at are as thick as a large muscle.

Adrenaline tensed up muscle, on the other hand, being much thicker, in most cases, is stringy,like a large cable that is made up of multiple ropes, and the bullet trys to follow the path of least resistance,beteen these ropes.
So it will move between the grain (ropes)of the muscle, till the elasticity of the muscle bags the bullet, and stops it. Because the bullet tends to not take a straight line in that arenalized muscle, veres off at angels, and is bagged by the springy muscle tissue. Buck shot, not only being soft, is round in shape, and even air slows a round shaped projectile down quicker that a pointed or square nosed elongated bullet. BONE, and MUSCLE are different mediums, that bullets react to in different ways. In relaxed muscle, a good bullet slides through like a hypodermic needle, but when, not only tensed, but moveing as well, as it would be in a chargeing beast, is another matter all together! It's like shooting a bullet through multiple sheets of 3/4" plywood, and the same bullet through
multiple bags of wet news print. The print will capture the bullet in a shorter distance than the brittle planks. The same goes for bone and adernaline stiffened muscle!

MacD- Thats about right and better than I could have put it.

I want to have a conclusion of this very interesting ,disscusion,based in the opinion of the men in the terrain .1sst the best is a good express rifle ,2nd if you dont have it use a good shotgun with buckshot first slugs second or third,carry a handgun Sten Cerdegren caried a 1911 45,Don Heath recommends a big bore revolver,Jack Lott carried from a cz75 to a webley revolver,Ross Seyfried is another advocate of handgun carry.The day Sten Cerdegrens was mauled by a female leopard was carrying a shotgun with buckshot ,but he forgotten his 45.HE SAID HE ALWAYS CARRIED A HANDGUN WHEN FLLOWING A WOUNDED LION OR LEOPARD.So i believe we can close this matter.Juan

Hi
and happy easter to you all
and a handgun would be a better choice than a shortbarreled A5 loaded with a magazine full of brenneke slugs
regards
yes

quote:

Originally posted by DB Bill:
.......
The 2nd leopard was poorly shot with a 300 H&H and the PH and client decided to return in the morning. They both carried shotguns -- the PH had a SxS and the client a short-barrel Rem 870. Aftr a fairly brief follow up they received a serious charge and after 6 shots the cat lay dead. Not quite at their feet but far closer than I'm sure they hoped. I think they were fortunate the leopard was a fairly small female (maybe 80-90 pounds) because while the cat had been hit multiple times, the fatal pellet entered one of the cat's eyes and entered the brain. The rest of the pellets did not penetrate much past the skin. The after-action analysis showed two problems -- they fired their first shots to soon and they had loaded the wrong ammunition in their shotguns --- for some reason they had loaded their guns with size 7 1/2 pellets rather than buckshot.

........

I do hope that this PH was reported to the relevant authorities for unnecessarily endangering his client's life! Let’s assume that the only info in the post holds true, i.e. there was a .300 WM in camp, assume that it was a choice of shotguns loaded with 7 ½’s or nothing, i.e. no slugs, buckshot or any heavier pellets than 7 ½ available as if client and PH were prepared for bird shooting only. Assume that PH had no suitable rifle to use for follow-up. What would a responsible PH do? Methinks I would leave the client in camp and do the follow-up alone with the client’s .300 WM. Hell, man, dammit, you simply do not follow up a wounded leopard, even if you know it is a smallish female, with a client and two shotguns loaded with No. 7 ½’s! In this case 1 out of, how many No. 7 ½’s in 6 shots?, saved their bacon by the lucky passing through the eye into the brain! IMHO it was totally irresponsible and indefensible behavior form the PH. Maybe I’m jumping to conclusions too soon, have you got any more info on the background to this one DB Bill?.

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren