well not really but it works for snoopy
this time it was broad daylight and a short time after noon. the place was the ARDA in zim. the date was several winters ago and our summer, winter there. It was my 54th day hunting for a xtra large type of leopard. My PH was Jumbo Moore whom many of you know. His area had reputably several large leopards, just ready and tied to tree for me. well, at least it did have a large spotted cat population;

We had spent the last couple of days baiting in14 diffrent locations. That morning in checking baits we actually found 7 different bait hit, and actually walked up fairly close to a pair of spots. Among the baits was a quarter zebra place by a kope that had previously produced.
Back to the after lunch check. The zebra bait was not only hit but was almost 1/4 missing. Chcking the thing Jumbo and the trackers bot more than a bit excited. Now after 54 days i was still calm that is until they had me come up the hill to the bait and take a look at the track. Holy (*^$^^ that track was the size of a female lion. Jumbo -in between 4 letter statements explained that this was the biggest track he had ever seenand that we would set up a blind right now rather than waiting the normal day or 3.
It took a couple hours to build but by 3 we were in the blind. I had my o/u beretta in 3006 with 165 grain partitions and a microdot red dot 2-7 mounted. I had and still to have a large amount of confidence in this rifle. it regularly produces 1" 100 yd groups with alternating barrels
The daylight was just about goine when all of a sudden the birds start to raise hell, while everything else went quite.
Peering out of the holes we could see mr spots on his hind legs stretching out to reach his free meal. Through the scope, the vision was barely visible, but the red dot stood our well.
At the shot he dropped out of sight behind a rock.
Waiting for what seemed like a week, we exited the bling with our flashlight (1) and walked slowly to the bait. No cat, I was sure of my hold, but he just wasn't there. Bites out of the bait and blood, but not cat. So up the hill we started It might have been only a few yards, but it seemed like miles. Problem. just lie mr murphy said the batteries on the light wore out. Camp was 20 miles away, so we waited a bit. In the dark things become different, and when a sound was made fairly close jumbo turned to the tracker and asked what it was. Tracker didn't know so we turned on what was left of the light. About 20 yards away stood a young male lion. W didn't know whether he was keying of the bait, the leopard or us. That 3006 shrank to about the size of a bb gun just then. Plus it was the only one we had. My wife, jumbo, patson,and me didn't seem like a very strong force at the time. We yelled enough things to make sure the lion had sat in the rear of the church while his parents was married, threw rocks, and did anything else we could thing think of. Finally he left, calling into the night.
Our only alternative was the ride back to camp for more lights and batteries. When we got back, jumbo told me we wanted to to stay put while he and his crew took on the cat. I didn't like it, but understood and stayed put.
It took about 3 hours when they returned. Jumbo, true to his personality had concocted a wild story about this lion, and a herd of hyenas carrying away the cat. but he did somehow recomver my cat.
He had made it about 100 yards up the hill and was waiting for us, but had died in the process. It took 2 of the trackers to lift him onto my shoulders for pictures on the scales he make the plus 200 mark, 7'10" skull just a 1/16th under the 18" mark and grins a mile wide all around.
So maybe it wasn't a story night, but it sure as hell was dark. and after 54 days i finally found the king cat

Great report. Those 200 pound plus cats are special. Lots of Pre baiting is the key to a successful Cat hunt. Well done to the team.
Some pics of the Brute would be nice

Great story - thanks.

F%#k me that is a monster cat. What an achievement.

Guys,

He's not kidding! I saw the pix. Maybe Butch will share them. If I remember Jumbo is holding the cat on his shoulders and Butch is standing there with a really stupid grin on his face.

Mark

That's ONE HELL OF A CAT!

well done

That made for some tense moments Butch, I can imagine your thoughts as you waited for word.