I have just booked an end of season hunt in Zimbabwe. We will be hunting the Kwekwe area for 7 full days. I booked with Safari Trackers out of Bulawayo. This is the same outfit I used for my first safari in 2002.

We will be leaving from Atlanta on the 18th of Oct. and arriving in Bulawayo on the 19th. We will leave Bulawayo on the 27th and arriving at JFK on the 28th. Is there anyone on this forum that will be travel on the same days?

There will be four hunters going on this hunt. I will be hunting for Leopard and a few plains game animals: impala, jackal, baboon, monkey, steenbuck, & Bushpig. There is also a cheetah available to whoever may stumble across it. Unfortunately for me there are no giraffes available for me this time.

This will be may first time hunting any of the big five. Seven days is not much time to hunt leopard so they area going to pre-bait the area prior to my arrival. I will be bringing two rifles. I want to use my Winchester Model 88 in .308Win for the animals listed above and I will have my .375H&H Browning A-Bolt for larger animals: Eland, Zebra, wildebeest if I choose to take one of these.

Has anybody hunted the Kwekwe recently? Can you give me any information on the area (geography and people) and how plentiful are the leopards in that area? What do you think my chances are at getting a leopard in only seven days? I think it is worth a shot at trying for the leopard. I am paying a cheap daily rate and no trophy fees until I shot the animal.

I also read on an old post about getting my CITES permit. Should I send in for it know or wait until I return if the hunt was successful?

Thank You,
Giraffe Hunter

I hunted south of Kwekwe two years ago in part of the black rhino conservancy. As far as I could tell there were a lot of cattle ranches and game ranches in that area. We took several plains animals on the 20,000 acre ranch we hunted. The owner had tried to high fence it but, to our relief, didn't maintain the fences so the game went where ever it wanted.
We didn't hear much about leopard because the ranchers were pretty hard on them. But as you know, "If it pays it stays" so maybe the rancher in your area is leaving a few alone for hunters.

Good luck,
Kyler

Apply for the CITES permit now. You may not receive it before you go, but if you do, take a copy and give it to your outfitter if you're successful on leopard. Retain the original for your Customs broker here.

If you don't receive the permit before you depart, or if you decide to apply after you get back, you'll have to send a copy to your outfitter later.

It is better (more convenient) to have the permit in hand before you go.

I don't know much about hunting leopards in the Kwe Kwe area, but you're right - seven days is a short cat hunt. Hopefully, they'll have something feeding before you arrive.

Good luck!