Howdy guys,
I'm new to the world of African hunting but I have a dream to one day shoot a Leopard in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, or elsewhere just not South Africa. My question is, how much can a guy expect to pay to hunt one? This isn't something I'm looking to do right away, but I intend to start saving for it. Just need a ballpark figure.

Cheers

Hi Charles,
You can find "late season" or cancelations in the low $20k's including day rates, some bait & leopard trophy fee. Sometimes lower.

One thought, a lot of leopard hunts can be pretty damn specialized, which is fine but consider a place where you can potentially take several other animals that you really want.

A big, wild DG area will cost you more and is probably worth every penny. Booking way in advance will cost more than a last-minute deal. I talk to a lot of people who got their leopard on the third try, or worse, so go with someone who PRODUCES.

Is it more important to get a BIG leopard, or are you happy with a mature tom in an area that doesn't produce a lot of tank-sized cats?

quote:

Originally posted by Baker458:
Hi Charles,
You can find "late season" or cancelations in the low $20k's including day rates, some bait & leopard trophy fee. Sometimes lower.

One thought, a lot of leopard hunts can be pretty damn specialized, which is fine but consider a place where you can potentially take several other animals that you really want.

A big, wild DG area will cost you more and is probably worth every penny. Booking way in advance will cost more than a last-minute deal. I talk to a lot of people who got their leopard on the third try, or worse, so go with someone who PRODUCES.

Is it more important to get a BIG leopard, or are you happy with a mature tom in an area that doesn't produce a lot of tank-sized cats?

I agree with that statement and late season deals are the most affordable option in Zambia you will be able to combine that with Buffalo and probably Kudu Bushbuck etc In a good area that has a very high success rate you are probably looking at a minimum of $30000 which will include the Leopard trophy fee.

And the most important thing to bear in mind is, be prepared to come home empty handed.

Leopard and lion hunting can be a hit or miss event.

I have been hunting both leopards and lions on all my hunts.

And many years we have come empty handed, not for lack of trying.

Sometimes the hunting gods do look at you with some sympathy.

Last year I shot two lions and a leopard without even seeming to try!

Thank you guys for the feedback. I would be happy with taking a mature cat, it certainly doesn't have to be a giant. Its smart to combine it with other hunts. I'll have to reach out to some people who harvested and see who they'd recommend. I do appreciate the figures.

quote:

Originally posted by CFBguns44:
Thank you guys for the feedback. I would be happy with taking a mature cat, it certainly doesn't have to be a giant. Its smart to combine it with other hunts. I'll have to reach out to some people who harvested and see who they'd recommend. I do appreciate the figures.

I wouldn’t listen to anyone who claims to have harvested leopards!

Leopards does grow on trees!

But pay attention to those who have hunted and killed leopards!

Advice.

1. Go with a PH that is a leopard guy. There are many that claim to be, but do your homework, check references, check areas. There are several PH's that have great success on cats. Do not expect to hunt much else, other than bait while you are there.

2. Expect to pay $35,000 all in - air fares, transfers, bait animals, 10 to 18 day hunt minimum, CITES permits, shipping of skull and skin and $5000 for taxidermy.

3. You have a 50% or less chance of success.

4. It is a grueling process - long hours checking baits, long hours in the blind.

5. It is extremely exciting.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Advice.

1. Go with a PH that is a leopard guy. There are many that claim to be, but do your homework, check references, check areas. There are several PH's that have great success on cats. Do not expect to hunt much else, other than bait while you are there.

2. Expect to pay $35,000 all in - air fares, transfers, bait animals, 10 to 18 day hunt minimum, CITES permits, shipping of skull and skin and $5000 for taxidermy.

3. You have a 50% or less chance of success.

4. It is a grueling process - long hours checking baits, long hours in the blind.

5. It is extremely exciting.

Don’t try to put him off!

My leopard last year couldn’t have been easier.

Broad daylight, sun well up.

Went to check on a bait.

Stopped the car a few hundred yards and walked in.

100 yards from the bait the leopard started growling at us, lying in the grass.

We didn’t even have a blind built.

Only a straight grass wall about 8 feet wide.

Decided to make it more into a blind, so called the trackers to chop some grass and add to it.

We were back less than a hundred yards by the truck.

Our driver comes running to tell us the leopard was up the bait tree??!?

The trackers were in plain site of him making a racket!?!

We ran to the straight blind, and sent the trackers back to the truck.

I am not making this up!

Right in front of us, less than a 100 yards, walked 3 buffalo bulls!

Alan suggested we shoot the leopard and then go shoot the buffalo!

A few minutes later, the leopard appears on the tree.

5 second later he was dead!!

We started scratching our heads.

All the years and all the hassles you mentioned above.

And now this easy!

I think we have it sussed out now.

We will try it this year too!

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Advice.

1. Go with a PH that is a leopard guy. There are many that claim to be, but do your homework, check references, check areas. There are several PH's that have great success on cats. Do not expect to hunt much else, other than bait while you are there.

2. Expect to pay $35,000 all in - air fares, transfers, bait animals, 10 to 18 day hunt minimum, CITES permits, shipping of skull and skin and $5000 for taxidermy.

3. You have a 50% or less chance of success.

4. It is a grueling process - long hours checking baits, long hours in the blind.

5. It is extremely exciting.

Or choose a dog hunt from a reputable outfitter and be prepared for a close range charge! Costs more up front but much better chance of success…

IMHO, the "low success rates" are nearly 100% due to outfitter and area.

I personally know PH's in Zambia that are in the high ninety percentile in success for Leopards.

The Luangwa valley has one of the highest Leopard populations in all of Africa. As a bonus, these Leopards aren't "educated" valley cats.

My own personal success rate for cats in the Luangwa valley, in the right GMA, with the right PH is as follows -

1 Lion &
2 Leopards with a TOTAL of 7 sittings for 3 cats. That success isn't an outlier either.

"My" Luangwa valley cats are not giants, but both a certainly representative and I'm sure that every poster in here would be happy.

I'd agree that about 30K would be the right deal. One thing I'd advise - Your expectations on a cat hunt need to be modified. They tend to turn into a "cat" hunt. Much driving to, hanging and collecting baits. Fun and exciting at first but it gets less exciting and less fun as the safari continues. Keep the goal in mind..a Leopard.

Late season or discounted Leopard hunts can be a trap. Proceed with caution. There are seasonal issues of heat/fawning that can affect your success.

If you wish to discuss, feel free to PM me. I'm non biased and not selling hunts.

An alternative is Namibia. Lots of Cats there. I have seen Leopard Hunts for as low as $13,000.Hunt and Trophy Fee only. You are still be in it for Airfare, Motels to and from. Tips to PH and Staff, Shipping of the Leopard back to The States and a Full Body Leopard Mount is $6,000.

Charles,

Listen to Steve A. I represent the same people he writes about. The cost has gone up some since Steve was there but you'll get your cat if you do your part.

Late season is a shit time for leopard everywhere (Oct-Nov). It's hot causing baits to go bad quickly and there are loads of baby animals everywhere making easy pickings for leopards so late season deals may be a fool's errand. Having said that I've had a big leopard taken on the Luangwa in November and it was the 2nd leopard my guy could have shot.

Pick a forward date say in 2026 and put down a small deposit that will hold your daily fees against increases and start saving your pennies.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Charles,

Listen to Steve A. I represent the same people he writes about. The cost has gone up some since Steve was there but you'll get your cat if you do your part.

Late season is a shit time for leopard everywhere (Oct-Nov). It's hot causing baits to go bad quickly and there are loads of baby animals everywhere making easy pickings for leopards so late season deals may be a fool's errand. Having said that I've had a big leopard taken on the Luangwa in November and it was the 2nd leopard my guy could have shot.

Pick a forward date say in 2026 and put down a small deposit that will hold your daily fees against increases and start saving your pennies.

Mark

How much is it nowadays?

The price is a combination PH and area.

My hunt success on leopards is not that great- about 50%.

Of course when hunting lion, my leopard score is much better for some reason.

Admittedly most of my failures were known low success hunting going in. Add on to something else etc.

I’m sitting in city lodge as I type this. No leopard that I know about on this hunt…

If you are trying to do a one and done, I’d try for one of the better Tanzania blocks (for cats- Masailand can be tough) Zambia in the luangwa areas, or some of the more wilderness areas of Zimbabwe.

South Africa, Namibia, and the Zim areas with a lot of farming tend to be educated cats, and lower success.

The money is very variable.

The good cat guys aren’t cheap, and the good areas aren’t either.

What’s funny is for all the failures, the successes are strangely easy… but that’s what a good PH makes it look like.

Steve,

The basics for the leopard day fee, concession fee and leopard trophy fee are about 40+. Baits and other animals of course will increase the cost.

Spendy yes but you will get your leopard and the Luangwa experience is very special.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Steve,

The basics for the leopard day fee, concession fee and leopard trophy fee are about 40+. Baits and other animals of course will increase the cost.

Spendy yes but you will get your leopard and the Luangwa experience is very special.

Mark

Agree 100%. I have a friend here in Arizona that just got his Leopard. He's been 4-5 times. (Zim)

That's not a discounted Leopard when you need to go multiple times.

Steve,

That's the point. In almost all cases an inexpensive hunt will result in a drastically reduced chance of success. I had a hunter tell me the Luangwa hunt was too expensive. He'd been on 6 leopard hunts and not even seen a leopard. He did send me a picture of a leopard he had killed on his 7th hunt. Even at $20,000 each all-in that is $140,000 and you know he spent more than that on other trophies, travel etc.

Save more and do it right. You'll be happy!

Mark

If happy with a nice mature cat, I'd go to the Luangwa Valley. Good outfitters there are high-90's percent, and that's with the occasional client who can't shoot, see, sit quietly, etc. Then add in buffalo, potential for hippo on land, sable, roan, puku, bushbuck... Now that's a safari!

I got a huge one in Zim's Lowveld, Bubiana Conservancy with Nyamazana Safaris. It was great for big cats, we had 3 big males on bait & I shot mine in natural light. I picked the trip up on a cancellation. The leopard part of the hunt was excellent, but after the cat was in the salt there wasn't a lot of great PG to hunt. We did some fishing and added about 10 days to how long I've been looking for a mature bushbuck (struck out there.)

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Steve,

That's the point. In almost all cases an inexpensive hunt will result in a drastically reduced chance of success. I had a hunter tell me the Luangwa hunt was too expensive. He'd been on 6 leopard hunts and not even seen a leopard. He did send me a picture of a leopard he had killed on his 7th hunt. Even at $20,000 each all-in that is $140,000 and you know he spent more than that on other trophies, travel etc.

Save more and do it right. You'll be happy!

Mark

I’m wondering if it’s the same guy? Are his initials MH?

Good areas with high success rates rarely have late season deals on cats...
I think, on average, people who book late season deals on cats eventually spend more on their cats than people who pay more in a good area with high success rate (and the right PH).
On average, obviously there are those who are lucky and shoot a cat on their first late season deal hunt.

I thought this was a nice offer, especially if someone hasn't hunted Namibia:

http://forums.accuratereloadin...501001372#8501001372

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Advice.

1. Go with a PH that is a leopard guy. There are many that claim to be, but do your homework, check references, check areas. There are several PH's that have great success on cats. Do not expect to hunt much else, other than bait while you are there.

2. Expect to pay $35,000 all in - air fares, transfers, bait animals, 10 to 18 day hunt minimum, CITES permits, shipping of skull and skin and $5000 for taxidermy.

3. You have a 50% or less chance of success.

4. It is a grueling process - long hours checking baits, long hours in the blind.

5. It is extremely exciting.

Don’t try to put him off!

My leopard last year couldn’t have been easier.

Broad daylight, sun well up.

Went to check on a bait.

Stopped the car a few hundred yards and walked in.

100 yards from the bait the leopard started growling at us, lying in the grass.

We didn’t even have a blind built.

Only a straight grass wall about 8 feet wide.

Decided to make it more into a blind, so called the trackers to chop some grass and add to it.

We were back less than a hundred yards by the truck.

Our driver comes running to tell us the leopard was up the bait tree??!?

The trackers were in plain site of him making a racket!?!

We ran to the straight blind, and sent the trackers back to the truck.

I am not making this up!

Right in front of us, less than a 100 yards, walked 3 buffalo bulls!

Alan suggested we shoot the leopard and then go shoot the buffalo!

A few minutes later, the leopard appears on the tree.

5 second later he was dead!!

We started scratching our heads.

All the years and all the hassles you mentioned above.

And now this easy!

I think we have it sussed out now.

We will try it this year too!

Saeed's PH uses psilocybin fungus for bait!

I have killed a leopard after one hour in a blind.

I have failed to kill a leopard after dozens of hours in a blind.

It is not easy.

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Charles,

Listen to Steve A. I represent the same people he writes about. The cost has gone up some since Steve was there but you'll get your cat if you do your part.

Late season is a shit time for leopard everywhere (Oct-Nov). It's hot causing baits to go bad quickly and there are loads of baby animals everywhere making easy pickings for leopards so late season deals may be a fool's errand. Having said that I've had a big leopard taken on the Luangwa in November and it was the 2nd leopard my guy could have shot.

Pick a forward date say in 2026 and put down a small deposit that will hold your daily fees against increases and start saving your pennies.

Mark

October is not a good time, especially in the Luangwa but after the first rains mid to late October and into November is a good time for a late-season hunt. The cats start moving again and respond quickly to bait. The operators I hunt with are 90% and the 10% failure has been bow hunters

Before a leopard hunt in Chewore North I was warned by friend that leopard hunting consists of 10 days of boredom, 10 seconds of excitement followed by 10 minutes of terror. 10 days hanging baits and knocking off Impala ewes. 10 seconds of excitement with your crossbars on the cat and 10 minutes looking for him in the long grass.
It was very like that but much more interesting.

I appreciate all the responses. I'm trying to learn as much as I can before I would try for one. Also I don't want this to be the first African animal I hunt. I might try a plains game hunt just to warm up to the idea of hunting over there.

Niassa daylight or dusk/dawn cats and close range, not as big as the Zim cats but a great place to hunt and success rate approaches 100%. Dave Langerman hunts L7 and another area in the reserve.

Might be more than you want but chances are better than good that you will get your cat and see more than one. Spend the rest of the time chasing a big buffalo and a nice Sable.

quote:

Originally posted by CFBguns44:
I appreciate all the responses. I'm trying to learn as much as I can before I would try for one. Also I don't want this to be the first African animal I hunt. I might try a plains game hunt just to warm up to the idea of hunting over there.

Go on a full game safari.

And shoot whatever you find.

I do this every year, and never regret it.

Have missed a few years on both lion and leopard.

What Saeed said.

If you have money and time, do 21 days.
Do not underestimate the time needed to hunt cats.

Further, on a full bag hunt, you never know what you may run into....

Leopards, more than any animal, depends on luck.

I have sat in leopard blinds for hours.

Some we got one, sometimes we did not.

In Zimbabwe, we were putting a leopard bait on one side of a large plain.

In that plain was water.

Late afternoon.

I saw a leopard walk from the trees to the water to drink.

He was several hundred yards away.

Told Roy about it, he didn’t believe us.

Eventually we persuaded him to look.

We decided to take the bait down, and drive along the plain in the direction the leopard had gone.

Put the bait up, made a very rudimentary blind.

Came back early next morning and shot him.

A few years ago, driving back to camp later after.

We saw an old tom lying in the grass 50 yards away.

Got out of the truck.

He was not visible enough to shoot, so we waited till he got up to go.

He did, and we had our leopard!

I have passed on a shootable leopard!

Refused him because he was mature but not big enough.

Focused instead, on the same safari, on a big old Tom who was on another bait (and on a female who was also on the same bait) but who was too smart for us by 100%.

He was old and huge, and had been shot at before, but had escaped. Obvious by his purely nocturnal behavior.

Those are the ones I want.

The educated ones.

The ones that are hard, but not impossible, to outsmart.

We will see about the right way of doing that, later this year.

I hope to succeed, but am prepared to face and grudgingly accept another failure.

That is leopard hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
I have passed on a shootable leopard!

Refused him because he was mature but not big enough.

Focused instead, on the same safari, on a big old Tom who was on another bait (and on a female who was also on the same bait) but who was too smart for us by 100%.

He was old and huge, and had been shot at before, but had escaped. Obvious by his purely nocturnal behavior.

Those are the ones I want.

The educated ones.

The ones that are hard, but not impossible, to outsmart.

We will see about the right way of doing that, later this year.

I hope to succeed, but am prepared to face and grudgingly accept another failure.

That is leopard hunting.

I'm curious what the delta is in your mind between the two? And did the PH float the non-troy idea?

I'm of a mind that any apex predator like a Leopard (as long as its mature male) is a fine trophy.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Charles,

Listen to Steve A. I represent the same people he writes about. The cost has gone up some since Steve was there but you'll get your cat if you do your part.

Late season is a shit time for leopard everywhere (Oct-Nov). It's hot causing baits to go bad quickly and there are loads of baby animals everywhere making easy pickings for leopards so late season deals may be a fool's errand. Having said that I've had a big leopard taken on the Luangwa in November and it was the 2nd leopard my guy could have shot.

Pick a forward date say in 2026 and put down a small deposit that will hold your daily fees against increases and start saving your pennies.

Mark

October is not a good time, especially in the Luangwa but after the first rains mid to late October and into November is a good time for a late-season hunt. The cats start moving again and respond quickly to bait. The operators I hunt with are 90% and the 10% failure has been bow hunters

This is true. The time of year is critical. You should try to hunt early in the season, before the pans dry up and concentrate game around the remaining water where it is easy for leopards to hunt. Also, if like me, you don’t want to use lights you need to hunt in a wild area. The cats around farms are too educated to come to bait in daylight. I hunted Chewore South and shot my cat on day eight; fifth sit. Good luck

There are a lot of theories regarding leopard hunting, I am not sure many hold water.

I always hunt late in the season, when animals drop their young.

Regardless of this most of the times we do get our leopards.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Charles,

Listen to Steve A. I represent the same people he writes about. The cost has gone up some since Steve was there but you'll get your cat if you do your part.

Late season is a shit time for leopard everywhere (Oct-Nov). It's hot causing baits to go bad quickly and there are loads of baby animals everywhere making easy pickings for leopards so late season deals may be a fool's errand. Having said that I've had a big leopard taken on the Luangwa in November and it was the 2nd leopard my guy could have shot.

Pick a forward date say in 2026 and put down a small deposit that will hold your daily fees against increases and start saving your pennies.

Mark

October is not a good time, especially in the Luangwa but after the first rains mid to late October and into November is a good time for a late-season hunt. The cats start moving again and respond quickly to bait. The operators I hunt with are 90% and the 10% failure has been bow hunters

Andrew and I hunted a very large and wily leopard in his old place. That cat ate a LOT of meat every day, I swear he had a tracker on our hunting car. Whenever we were there, he was not, and when we left he came in just right after. Andrew had some great pics of him eating a whole hidwuarter of a buffalo, sitting on his butt, his very FAT butt!

I have been on 3 leopard safaris where I had success. But it took me 54 days before I saw my first cat. As all animals you need of bit of luck even more with cats but location, location and yes location. Look at 30-35 in Zim/Zam or do a cheaper 15-20 in Namibia with lower success % or +40K in Tanz

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Ahrenberg:

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
I have passed on a shootable leopard!

Refused him because he was mature but not big enough.

Focused instead, on the same safari, on a big old Tom who was on another bait (and on a female who was also on the same bait) but who was too smart for us by 100%.

He was old and huge, and had been shot at before, but had escaped. Obvious by his purely nocturnal behavior.

Those are the ones I want.

The educated ones.

The ones that are hard, but not impossible, to outsmart.

We will see about the right way of doing that, later this year.

I hope to succeed, but am prepared to face and grudgingly accept another failure.

That is leopard hunting.

I'm curious what the delta is in your mind between the two? And did the PH float the non-troy idea?

I'm of a mind that any apex predator like a Leopard (as long as its mature male) is a fine trophy.

+1

One more vote for making sure you're hunting some other stuff--and not just bait animals. There are far more entertaining animals to hunt, with buffalo at the top of the list. A successful leopard hunt can be fun, but it's not something I'd want as my only important trophy on a safari.

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Ahrenberg:

I'm curious what the delta is in your mind between the two? And did the PH float the non-troy idea?

I'm of a mind that any apex predator like a Leopard (as long as its mature male) is a fine trophy.

+1

I am not one for quantity, but rather focus on quality, i.e., size and maturity, not to say old age and character, are my primary hunting goals.

I will seldom shoot any animal comparable to a leopard that is not better in these respects than I have shot before.

quote:

Originally posted by sandyhunter:
One more vote for making sure you're hunting some other stuff--and not just bait animals. There are far more entertaining animals to hunt, with buffalo at the top of the list. A successful leopard hunt can be fun, but it's not something I'd want as my only important trophy on a safari.

If you book a Tanzanian leopard hunt you will be shooting quite a few different and interesting species which among others will include at least 2 buffalo.

quote:

If you book a Tanzanian leopard hunt you will be shooting quite a few different and interesting species which among others will include at least 2 buffalo.

Yes, that's a great option.