I leave June 7th for an 12 day plains game hunt in Namibia. By email today the PH has offered me a try at a Leopard. He says he will start pre-baiting and also will try to hunt them with hounds. This sounds very exciting to me for my first trip to Africa.

Question is what should I expect on the hound hunt? Has anyone done this before. What type of bullet should I use, I am loading 225gr A-frames for the plains game and thought of using 225 SST's or BT's for the Leopard. Advice please.


Wayne

Are you using a .338 WinMag?
From you bullet weights it would seem so.
If I were to use Noslers, I'd use partitions or at least AccuBond.

Partitions would be my choice. The front end is "sacrificial" with a great deal of expansion and tissue damage even in soft tissue, and the remainder will shoot through any leopard at any angle in (assuming .338 WinMag), at least, IMHO.

Montana ,

I don't know who yout Hunting Outfitter is, and do not wish to insult him by a very possibly false accusation. So please forgive me if I'm wrong. That said, you must make sure that the CITES permit is in order before you hope to export the leopard trophy. It could be that a wandering leopard established a territory in the hunting concession and the PH hopes to kill the leopard - and get paid for it by you. That's just fine. You get the experience of a leopard hunt. If the trophy fee cost seems reasonable to you, by all means do it! But if he does not have a CITES permit, there is no way that you are going to get your trophy. So only a low trophy fee should be accepted. If he charges about the normal trophy fee, make sure that CITES permit is in order before you shoot!

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren.

Yes on the 338WM

I had thought of the NP but was unsure of how fast they opened up. I have used Accubonds in a 7STW and they performed great.

This would be an up and up hunt, but thanks on the CITES heads up.


I fear that I am going to fall in love with Africa and will have to spend many thousands of dollars going back

Verewaaier, Namibian CITES quota is much higher (and easier to get an export permit) than SA's. Namibia still export slightly less leopard than on quota, and I know of no-one not getting a CITES tag from Namibia in the last 3 years. You can actually even apply for it (and actually get it) after the cat is dead, not nearly the same as in SA.
Montana, stick to one bullet, the Swift A-Frame you already have, and you will be fine. BTW, good luck on the hunt, and I am sure you will enjoy it. Who will you hunt with, and what region?

Montana1

Hunting leopard with dogs often rsults in a charge. Consider that when you chose your rifle for the hunt. Also be very sure that your PH has experience with leoprd hunting. A dog hunt for leopard is no time to break in a new PH.

465H&H

Boet Nel out of Gobabis, Namibia. He has been a PH for 20years or so, plus it was his idea about the hounds so I would guess he has done it before. I have hunted with dogs about my entire life, nothing that would turn and eat you, but wild boar offer an exciting challenge behind dogs with a bow.

3 weeks to go, can anyone say kid at Christmas!!