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A question for Leopard hunters. Do you have a preference for any particular phase of the moon? I've seen positive and negative things said about hunting Leopards when the moon was full. Never worry about theory as long as the machinery does what it's supposed to do. | ||
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This one's gonna get controversial  I actually don't think it makes any difference. I've done it at pretty much all phases of the moon and have never found it to make any difference. (IMO) It's all a matter of constructing the blind correctly. If you put a good roof on it and keep the walls nice and thick they can't see in. There's two Leopards on this page:- http://www.kuduland.com/hunting-in-tanzania.htm The one with a hole in his face was taken at full moon and the other was taken two weeks later. The longest I sat in the blind for either was less than an hour..... The other one kept us waiting for a full 20 minutes!  | |||
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Wanderer Leopard hunting can be easier on the dark of the moon because even the cats need a little light to hunt most effectively. Therefore in theory a leopard should come easier to a bait in a tree when it is hardest for him to hunt. I think PH's will give you varying views on importance of the moon but I think if they could choose particularly in areas where you can only hunt by daylight they would choose the dark of the moon if they had their rathers. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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I agree with Mark, it is generally easier in dark moon phase, but not impossible at full moon phase Karl Stumpfe Ndumo Hunting Safaris www.huntingsafaris.net karl@huntingsafaris.net P.O. Box 1667, Katima Mulilo, Namibia Cell: +264 81 1285 416 Fax: +264 61 254 328 Sat. phone: +88 163 166 9264 | |||
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I am glad someone else asked this question. I just checked on the moon phase for 07 Namibia hunt and we will have a full to half moon during the 2 weeks we are there. Leopard is high on my list, but I want to have realistic expectations. Any other experiences/opinions would be appreciated. Thanks, Jerry Hoover | |||
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Whoops, I forgot to ask what scopes are recommended. I have a choice between an old 50mm VX2, a 4.5x14 50mmVX3, or going and buying a new leupie. Any experiences with leopards and optics would be appreciated. Again thanks, Jerry Hoover | |||
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Jerry, Just to be clear are you baiting the leopard or running with dogs? You didn't say what power the 50mm VX2 is. In any case the 4.5-14 will work but is completely unnecessary. Something in the 1.75-6 through 3.5-10 of good quality might serve you better and be all you need for your other plains game. At least at baited leopard ranges which I would think would not be over 50 yards 6X would probably be perfect. With the leopards I shot at 30-35 yards 6X seemed to me to be just the trick. If I were you I might ask if I could move my dates to 1 week later in the month to take adavantage of the moon. Since it is a '07 booking your safari company may have some flexibility on dates. Mark Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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For me it's a baited situation and I'm using a 1.75 X 6 Scope. Never worry about theory as long as the machinery does what it's supposed to do. | |||
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I will be hunting Chui during the dark phase of the moon and lion also..Will be using a illum Leupold 3.5 /10 with german 4 and red dot Aslo have a Leupold with interchanging mounts with a LPS 1.5/6X both scopes are 30mmm tubes and 50 mm and 42mm respectfully.. Mike | |||
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The old VX2 is a 3x9x50 with a heavy duplex. The 4.5x14x50 also has a heavy duplex. We will be hunting either by tracking or baiting. No dogs will be used. I will be shooting either a 30/06 with 165 or 180 grain partitions or TSXs or an 8mm Mag with Swift A-frames. I expect a shot to happen in very low light conditions. I have been looking for a new 3.5x10 leupie wiyh a heavy duplex, but can't seem to find one. Any suggestions? Thanks, Jerry Hoover | |||
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Use a good quality scope of 40 plus objective, set at 6 power for 40mm/ 42mm obj, 7 power for 50mm. You can go to 8 power on a x56mm, but I really dont see the point. If unsure stick to 6x. On smaller objective scopes, like the 1.25-4x24 , 3 works about the best. You will hopefully be closer than 30 yards anyway. the one advantage of full moon, is there is more light for you to see in, then smaller objective scopes can also work. When using a scope of less than 36mm, it better be German/ Austrian... These are the best scopes for this work anyhow, since they have reallu nice and thick crosshairs. Karl Stumpfe Ndumo Hunting Safaris www.huntingsafaris.net karl@huntingsafaris.net P.O. Box 1667, Katima Mulilo, Namibia Cell: +264 81 1285 416 Fax: +264 61 254 328 Sat. phone: +88 163 166 9264 | |||
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All I know is that I killed my leopard by the light of a full moon and had another one on a bait two days before that, also by the light of a big and waxing moon. Probably just luck . . . Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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I had 3 baits out at one full moon period last year and had Leopard on all 3 baits...... the trail timers told me what time they were feeding and as lady luck would have it, the biggest Leopard was feeding at the most convenient time - so that's the one we took. Turned out ot be real old timer, all his teeth were worn away with a couple broken, he was all muscle and as it turned out, pretty bad tempered..... | |||
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If the moon is full, surly the prey would have a better chance of spotting the Leopard, thus hungry leopard that become opportunist. A friend that once hunted Leopard in Chewore south unsuccessfully during the phase of no moon told me of sightings of many natural kills. | |||
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My husband shot a big leopard and the next night we were all sitting on a cliff drinking sundowners and watching the Full Harvest Moon. Good luck on your hunt, it will all work out!!! Kathi kathi@wildtravel.net 708-425-3552 "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page." | |||
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I just bought a Z6 illuminated scope. Have not tried it yet. Hope to next year for Leopard in ZIM or Namibia. Is May to early to hunt leopard? June & July next year look full for me and I was thinking about May. Yes, I know you can’t hunt at night in Namibia. | |||
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I had great luck with the new moon...it was so dark you could hardly see your hand in front of your face. The Schmidt/Bender 1.5-6X42mm Zenith flashdot was, in my mind, the perfect scope! 1 shot and he dropped. May 31 seemed like as good a day as any other day, I would not hesitate to hunt in May/June.    TJB | |||
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My two leopard have both been shot during the dark of the moon in Zimbabwe's low veldt. We heard leopard every evening during that time. My PH's opinion was that the dark of the moon was the best for leopard. Here's another picture of my most recent one taken in July.  | |||
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I tend to agree with Steve. Maybe let's call it luck anytime we get Chui? Everyone has their own personal opinion of what works best, but like fishing lures, 90% of the color selection is based on what catches Fishermen. LDK Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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Interestingly I was just looking for a leopard hunt for a couple of clients. I contacted one outfit and they had no concern about the moon phase as far as scheduling was concerned. The next operator I talked to was quite concerned that we schedule the hunt for the dark of the moon so I guess it all depends on the expereinces that a safari operator has had. For me I will still try to schedule my leopard hunters for the dark of the moon. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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They still get just as hungry during the fuller moon phases and one could argue that as it's harder for them to make a kill during the fuller moon periods, they're more likely to come to a bait.......... As I said, I'm convinced it doesn't make any difference at all as long as you build and site the blind correctly......... | |||
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All I can say is congrats to everybody who posted pictures, really outstanding cats __________________________________________________________________ If you never make a career choice based on money, you'll always have money - Jerry Seinfeld | |||
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One more picture. . .  | |||
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