well, I'm finally going (but not till 15) and it looks like a great area for cats all around. Can those of you who hunted there recently relate some experiences? Thanks!

I think I know a good use for a pre-64 .300 H&H you have.... I guess you still have it?

And thanks for the wings!

Two of them But..the Viking gave me years ago a bootiful Custom Shop Pre-64 in 338. I topped it off with a new Zeiss 3X12X50 with an ill reticle and 210 Barnes TTXs@ 2930. And my Verney 450NE (with CEBs) for the buffalo.

Jorge, looks like you are really set up for leopard and buffalo!

http://forums.accuratereloadin...451001331#9451001331

jorge,

Link to our 2005 hunting story from Lemco. Good luck on your hunt, GREAT leopard area.

Jorge,

Shoot me an email. I hunted leopard in the Bubye this July.

Greg@jeffcnealinc.com

Greg

Shot a big leopard in Bubuye in 09 with Billy Lemon. Tipped the scale at 170 with a 17 " skull.
Great camps, tons of game, Lions roaring all night and lots of big cats. I am jealous!

About time you made a commitment!

It goes without saying you'll have a fantastic hunt with John, and the Bubye as you know consistently produces big cats. A long ways off, but half the fun and excitement is the planning, preparation, and anticipation.

Thanks all for the replies, very much looking forward to it! Gregg, email inbound. jorge

It's been about ten years so I don't have a recent report but as you know it is a place to see. My partner shot an incredible cat on the last night. I was not after leopards and saw four leopards in the course of hunting. As it was my first trip I dont think I realized how great that was till I made follow up trips to Africa. Enjoy the wait

I hunted the Bubye July 2012 with hyena my main quarry. We called at night and had leopards respond to both bushpig distress & hyena chorus calls. Leopards are thick where we huntd, just were not on my menu. Best of luck! Who are you going with?

Jorge:

Never hunted Zim so I can't help, but one suggestion: once you pick out your blind, zero your rifle for exactly that range so you won't even have to think if your bullet is slightly higher than aiming point.

Good luck!!!

Thanks John, that is my intention!

BTW, three rifles should not be an issue correct? My wife is going and I can always "assign" her one of them.

I think if you ship them in two cases you won't have a problem. I did ship three once with Delta and they pointed out their policy is no more than two in one case, but they let me check them anyway.

I sure hope you get one!

Jorge,

You'll have absolutely no problem with 3 rifles going to Zim, even clearing JoBerg. On my leopard hunt with CMS in June 2010, I took my son along. Took 2 cases, 3 rifles (300H&H, 375H&H, & 500NE). You'll not need to assign one to your wife but it will be handy to have someone to help carry the second case.

Cheers.

Thanks John & Todd. Todd i will probably order an Americase like your for the 450. I was planning on just two rifles, the double and my 338,but take a look at the group my newly stocked "McWoody" Pre-64 300 H&H delivered with 180 TTSXs (left target three shots!):

Take the 300 H&H!!! you sure you didn't miss the paper with shots 2 and 3 LOL?

Bill

Hunted Leopard there with Shaun Buffee in September. We had a bunch of cats around and several that fed. Nothing would stay on bait. The one cat that fed repeatedly was a young male that was collared in a study in March and at the time was 7'4" and 130 pounds. I'll attach some trail cam pictures of him. He was not a shooter for the Bubye for sure, but he'll be an absolute monster if he's still around in 2015 when you get there.

GReat pics! so you didn't get your cat I take it?

I just confirmed details with Shaun in Reno for my lion/leopard/buff/pg hunt this June! I am taking my Smithson 300HH, Hartmann and Weiss 375 which should be here in the next month, and my 470 Marcel Thys. I am bringing my 8 y/o son and wife on the trip. It should be an amazing trip.

quote:

Originally posted by RichP470:
I am bringing my 8 y/o son and wife on the trip. It WILL be an amazing trip.

Fixed it for you

Thanks Greg.

Take a look at Surefires web site and invest in one of their new Fury lights. It is the same size as the Aviator model and projects 500 lumens of light for 90 minutes. Best of all it is a broad beam, bright as hell and lights up a wide area. Select the switch style that suits you. I picked single on/off and bought it on ebay for $120. I knocked my leopard out of the tree at last light and when my PH produced a Mag Lite with tired Chinese batteries I started sweating. Fortunately, he was lung shot and ran about 50 yards and was done. I would take a box of batteries and just put both in my gun case for travel. I'm a flashlight junkie and when this one arrived I promptly bought a second one. You have time to start investigating some kind of tactical clamp system to attach it temporarily to your barrel.
I am surprised some of the cat hunters have not taken issue with your bullet choice. That is a stout bullet and I would be concerned about expansion in a leopard. I used Bear Claws in my 375 and they did not do much damage to the cat. If I were going again, I would use Partitions.
Good luck!

quote:

Originally posted by LJS:

I am surprised some of the cat hunters have not taken issue with your bullet choice. That is a stout bullet and I would be concerned about expansion in a leopard. I used Bear Claws in my 375 and they did not do much damage to the cat. If I were going again, I would use Partitions.
Good luck!

Jorge,

You're bullet choice and caliber are perfect. I took my monster leopard in 2011 with a 300H&H using 180gr TTSX's. He was dead under the tree. I've taken 2 lion and 2 leopard with the TTSX bullets in .308, .375. and 416. All were DRT. None ran more than 10 yards. You'll be fine. I did use the CEB Non-Cons on the lion this year however and it was devastating as well! Good luck.

Thanks Todd. What were your rifles scoped with? on my 338 (210 TTSXs) I have a Zeiss 2X12X50 with an ill reticle which I know will afford me all the light transmission possible, but on the 300 H&H I only have a Zeiss 3X9X36. It's in Zim so I'm sure a light will be an option to illuminate the target.

Jorge, I suggest that you consider an Americase like Todd's but french fitted. I ordered a custom Americase from JD for my Chapuis 2 bbl. set with accesories. I can provide pix if someone can post for me. Good luck!!

Thanks, Don. I think Todd's case is also fitted? He'll chime in Im sure. You can send me the pics and I'll post if you'd like.

Jorge you could have Americase set you up a nice case to hold the 300 H&H and your double. It would be longer to hold the bolt rifle but the double could still be carried taken down. They made me a fitted case to handle a double and a bolt rifle taken down. I think a case to carry a full size rifle with a double broken down with a spot for bino's or knife would be pretty cool.

That would be a cool idea. For now I might take three rifles though!

Jorge,

First leopard used a Leupold Vari-X V7 on 375H&H. Second was Trijicon 3x9x40 with heavy duplex and amber dot sitting on top of my Ruger No.1, 300H&H.

Going with the illuminated reticle is the way forward on cats! I just like the "no battery" option of Trijicon.

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
That would be a cool idea. For now I might take three rifles though!

You could have them make one up to hold a 2 long rifles along with the double but I'm not sure about the weight.
Americase makes great cases no matter your direction

When I make up my mind on what VC caliber I'm going to have them make me one for a Dumoulin 270 with battue sights with a spot for scope seperate and the VC broken down.
Might be too much French in one case though

quote:

Originally posted by Blaserguy:

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
That would be a cool idea. For now I might take three rifles though!

You could have them make one up to hold a 2 long rifles along with the double but I'm not sure about the weight.
Americase makes great cases no matter your direction

When I make up my mind on what VC caliber I'm going to have them make me one for a Dumoulin 270 with battue sights with a spot for scope seperate and the VC broken down.
Might be too much French in one case though

My Americase holds a Chapuis as well as VC. Heavy on French but works well!

quote:

Going with the illuminated reticle is the way forward on cats! I just like the "no battery" option of Trijicon.

I agree; I am using one in April.

Jorge: Why not just use the .338? I shot my leopard in 09 with it and am using it again in three months on leopard.

Acutally I am John, hell I've been playing with this "cat rifle" since my wife found it and gave it to me for Christmas close to ten years ago. It's a Custom Shop Model 70 and she shoots!Here she is with one of the many scopes I tried but now sports a Zeis 2X12X50 with the ill reticle:




And the 210 TTSXs:

quote:

so you didn't get your cat I take it?

Yep. No cat. Was a great hunt though. Ended up with an unexpected lion and shot some great plains game. Can't complain for sure. Cat hunting is cat hunting. Not the first time I've been skunked, and it certainly won't be the last. If it were, I'd probably give up, as the pursuit would lost its interest.

Don,

I didn't see your post earlier. Send the pics to me and I'll post them for you. PM sent.

Posted for DD:

Thanks Todd! Just wanted to share an alternative to the more traditional Americase. I hope this is of interest to others.