If I wanted to go on a safari with the goal of taking Leopard, Kudu, Eland, Zebra and Wart Hog could this be done in one area? What would be the best area and outfitter? What length hunt should be booked for a reasonable expectation of success? What would be t? Finally, would a .300 H&H Mag be suitable for Eland?

I can't comment on wher to hunt Leoplard but I can say a 300 H&H is plenty good for Eland with the right bullet. By comparison I used a 7mm RM with a 150 gr. E-tip at 3000 fps for my eland and that worked fine.

I have not hunted Africa but from what I know:

That bag is very achievable in the save, bubye and nuanetsi conservancies of Zimbabwe, also probably in the luangwa (don't know about eland) and in the niassa reserve, selous game reserve and other areas of tanzania. Several good outfitters hunt these areas.

If I wanted to have fair chances to hunt leopard plus those animals I would book at least 14 days.

Yes a .300 h&h will take down a eland as long as you use a properly constructed bullet.

Good luck on your quest!

Namibia

Land of huge Kudu, Massive pigs and Hartmanns Zebra which are the most beautiful of the zebra species.
Eland bulls I have seen there are also top class.

The Leopard are not as heavy as in Zim, but Namibia is a far safer destination than Zim.

300 H&H is great for all of them. Load with Barnes TTSX and drive it fast

I took an Eland with my .300WM using 200gr North Fork bonded cores. First shot was in the boiler room and that bull was done with that. Follow up shots were not necessary, but of course the ethical thing to do. I would not hesitate to use a .300H&H.

I am no expert.

IMHO Leopard will be a separate hunt. Most here say Leopard hunting is not recommended for a first time safari.

Leopard hunting is a chess game of hanging up baits and checking them and sitting in blinds. You may get your leopard on the first night or you may get it on your 3rd safari!

If I was doing that hunt, I would focus on the Eland & Kudu as top priorities while hanging up bait and checking them. I would focus on the experience of the hunt and the wilderness. I would not pressure myself with the leopard dream and spoil the whole trip.

I think a 30'06 and 180 gr TSX would handle all those animals within 200 meters. I would use Accubonds on Leopard

Zim is the place to go for your list. Namibia at the moment is in a severe drought and hunting has been spotty. Even if we get the rains starting next month, it will take a lot to turn the tide.

In regards to hunting leopard on your first hunt, not sure why you wouldn't. If leopards are around it can be a fun, quick hunt. If they are not, it can turn into a long, painful slog. Matters not if it is your first hunt or your 20th. You need bait animals anyhow so you might as well shoot some trophies along the way. The largest Kudu I ever took was out hunting bait animals for an Omay leopard. So you never know.

Plenty of guys around here regularly hunt Zim and can give you area/outfitter advice.

In regards to your .300 H&H, you can certainly make it work on Eland as 7MM said. A lot have fallen over with lighter calibers than your .300. But it is Africa, and a backup is never a bad idea so a larger caliber in .338/.375 wouldn't hurt. Eland are hard to kill with a rock after all.

TIA

Luangwa Valley Zambia. Check with Buzz Charlton and CMS.

As long as you can stay, but 14 days would be fine.

I could have completed that bag without worry in 10 days in the Upper Lupande this past summer, but I wasn't PG hunting. I'm also told I was lucky to see as many eland as I did.

There are also good places to put that bag together in Zimbabwe. In Zim, look into Buzz and CMS in their areas or Phil Smythe in the SAVE. There are also good outfitters in the Bubye.

Easy...
Zimbabwe and Zambia...10-14 days with 14 being recommended strongly.
If you want a big leopard...Save Valley. Mokore Safaris or Humani or others.
Also Bubye Valley....also the Zambezi Valley with CMS and others
Zambia .. Great choices abound.
The biggest cats are in the Lowveld of Zim...
The most cats right now are there or really probably Zambia
Great Eland in the Lowveld too. And TONS of zebra. I think I have three just from there...

Thanks for the replies so far. When is the best time of year to go?

Time of year is personal taste but I like September/October when it is very hot and dry. Less grass, and animals move towards water.

As this is towards the end of the year, you must make sure your outfitter still has a leopard permit available before you depart. But the good news on late season hunts is the outfitter may be sitting on unfilled quota allowing you the option to negotiate trophy fee prices.

Duckworths (Mokore) or Sango or really any of the Save outfitters - it's a gem. Leopard tags go fast though, Zambia would be the other top choice. Our own Fairgame or CMS now there as well.

I would look into the Zambian blocks in northern Luangwa. These have all the species you ask for and 100% success on Leopard.

I just di a hunt in Chikwa which is operated by Ivory Safaris and Jeff Rann. Tonnes of Eland, Kudu, Zebra and Hogs. Saw lots of Big Leopard Tracks and they have had 100% success on previous Safaris for Leopard.

14 days on the Save Conservancy, Zimbabwe with Roger Whittall Safaris. Their Humani area is perfect for all that you are after.

Contact Guy Whittall who is a member on here.

I would go to Zambia first and Zimbabwe second....Namibia is more hit or miss.

Your 300H&H with the right bullet (180-200gr Accubond, Partition, etc) is more than enough for any plainsgame species, including Eland.

Two areas that I would try,one is Cahorra Bassa the other in Niassa.

Pacecars, I'm willing to bet you a dollar that you'd get the trophies you are after or at least have as gd a chance as anywhere, anyone can think of in most, areas of the SVC, Nuanetsi and BVC. Cheers for now.

I second Thierry's advice and from personal experience, I would recommend the Bubye Valley Conservancy with Brent Hein.

www.brentheinsafaris.com

You will be spoiled by the number and variety of plains game and you'll have a very high shot at success on leopard. .300 H&H is fine for eland and would be a good choice for a one rifle safari for the species you're after. Generally, for leopard, a little earlier is better - May, June, July. Like Opus1, I also like to go later for buffalo and elephant, but early season seems to be better for leopard.

I just spent 12 days in Zim with the Duckworth's last month. Although a leopard was not seen by me, it seemed that every time I looked at the ground we saw leopard tracks or Gary was pointing out a tree that Neil or himself had shot one from. I would guess the Save would be a great place if you could get booked there. The plains game are abundant there, especially eland. My brother and I both killed great old blue bulls as well as a couple other clients who where in camp. We took a drive over on the mine the last afternoon and saw a couple huge old blue bulls.

quote:

Originally posted by Thierry Labat:
Pacecars, I'm willing to bet you a dollar that you'd get the trophies you are after or at least have as gd a chance as anywhere, anyone can think of in most, areas of the SVC, Nuanetsi and BVC. Cheers for now.

The gentleman giving you this advice probably has the highest leopard success rate anywhere.

If it was me, I'd be sending him a PM.

In my mind it really depends on what are your priorities.

None of the animals you list is very "rare" - you should be able to get these in one of many areas...South Africa (assuming they release quota), Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, etc.

Zimbabwe will likely be the more economical choice. Tanzania will cost the most, but would have some more unusual species... especially in the Masailand areas.

The Zimbabwe lowveldt likely will have the larger cats, but a South African cattle killer would likely be huge.

Zambia probably has the highest success rate on leopard.

Eland is probably a toss up. I cannot say any one place is better, it all depends on the concession and the year.

Kudu, assuming that you want Southern Greater Kudu, Zimbabwe's lowveldt has some of the largest, and good numbers.

Zebra are numerous in all of the countries, but some concessions have better successs than others, and some have different subspecies.

Warthog, you would want an area with less rock or softer ground for bigger tusks.

As to time of year, you might wan to go earlier rather than later, within reason. The coats on the game are better earlier in the season. Also, if you go later, if late enough, the PG are dropping their young and getting a cat to stay on bait can be a challenge. Later is better for PG as far as concentrating the game and improving visibility.

So, you need to decide what is your priority- getting a leopard, or getting a variety and bigger plains game. Leopard is never a gimme. I was snakebit on them for quite a while, and actually have gotten them only on mixed bag hunts in Tanzania, which is an expensive way to go.

Also, some PH's are big on moon phase. Hasn't made any difference for me, but they think a new moon is better.

Also, make absolutely sure that you are the only leopard hunter on the concession at that time... been there, done that, didn't see a single cat on bait amongst any of us. They do pick up on pressure.

Thanks for all the replies and PMs. I am still in the exploritary mode. Since this will be my first it may be wise to drop the Leopard for now especially since if I do actually kill one I would want a full body mount and that would add significantly to the cost. I think a hunt with Kudu, Eland and Zebra as primary targets and some other Antelopes would be the way to go for a first safari and save the Leopard for a dedicated hunt.

PM sent!

Hunt the Save Conservancy with Save Safaris - PH Mike Payne, Adriaan Oliver or Leon Du Plessis. If you want a big leopard, April is your best bet. You need a 14 day hunt to do everything you want to do. A .300 H&H with a quality scope (like a Swarovski) will effectively take every animal on your list. Matendere and Gunundwe ranches have plenty of kudu, eland, zebra and warthog. They also have some huge leopards.
Best wishes for a successful and enjoyable hunt!

I think it boils down to how much you are willing to spend?

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
In my mind it really depends on what are your priorities.

None of the animals you list is very "rare" - you should be able to get these in one of many areas...South Africa (assuming they release quota), Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, etc.

Zimbabwe will likely be the more economical choice. Tanzania will cost the most, but would have some more unusual species... especially in the Masailand areas.

The Zimbabwe lowveldt likely will have the larger cats, but a South African cattle killer would likely be huge.

Zambia probably has the highest success rate on leopard.

Eland is probably a toss up. I cannot say any one place is better, it all depends on the concession and the year.

Kudu, assuming that you want Southern Greater Kudu, Zimbabwe's lowveldt has some of the largest, and good numbers.

Zebra are numerous in all of the countries, but some concessions have better successs than others, and some have different subspecies.

Warthog, you would want an area with less rock or softer ground for bigger tusks.

As to time of year, you might wan to go earlier rather than later, within reason. The coats on the game are better earlier in the season. Also, if you go later, if late enough, the PG are dropping their young and getting a cat to stay on bait can be a challenge. Later is better for PG as far as concentrating the game and improving visibility.

So, you need to decide what is your priority- getting a leopard, or getting a variety and bigger plains game. Leopard is never a gimme. I was snakebit on them for quite a while, and actually have gotten them only on mixed bag hunts in Tanzania, which is an expensive way to go.

Also, some PH's are big on moon phase. Hasn't made any difference for me, but they think a new moon is better.

Also, make absolutely sure that you are the only leopard hunter on the concession at that time... been there, done that, didn't see a single cat on bait amongst any of us. They do pick up on pressure.

Good advise from a man who has done a lot of hunting in Africa.

Leopard is priority and get yourself in the best possible area and look hard at the AR hunt reports for those who boast 90% plus on Leopard. The rest will be gravy.

The Luangwa valley will almost guarantee you a Leopard and Kudu.

Zim with Mr. Labat is where I am putting my money.

As much as I love Namibia (go there a couple of times a year) if they don't get good rains this year, hunting will be damn tough county wide. There is a LOT hanging on this season's rainfall.

Leopard a specialized hunt. Doing a combined leopard/PG hunt can be done but, in my opinion/experience if you are after leopard THAT should be your primary and then IF you have time/energy for PG go for it. Sitting in a blind all night and then trying to hunt PG during the day really wears you out by day 7 or 8.

As others have said, if you do leopard, it really should be a 14-day hunt minimum. In Namibia, a Tom makes a circuit of his territory every 10-12 days. If he finds food, he MAY hang around for a day or two before continuing patrolling his territory. While some hunters have been VERY lucky to get a cat within the first couple of hours the first day, it seem there is probably a significantly higher number of hunters who come back empty - even after a couple of dedicated leopard trips.

As I say, as much as I truly love Namibia and have traveled most of the country and hunted in the NW mountains a lot, I would not be in a hurry to book a hunt there for next year until a little later to see how the rains come.

300 H&H with TSX bullets will be more than enough PG. Taken all of those with a 308 and 30/06 with 150gr and 180gr TSX.

What is the story with the water flowing from Angola through Namibia to the Okavango?

Does that not help?

quote:

Originally posted by Nakihunter:
What is the story with the water flowing from Angola through Namibia to the Okavango?

Does that not help?

Not really. That area is confined to the extreme northern boarder and only flows east into/along the Caprivi Strip to the Okavango Delta. The rest of the county south, has been in a drought for the past three years or so. While they have gotten a limited amount of rain here and there, it has been far, far below average and has not been enough to grow enough grasses to sustain game and livestock.

Namibia is approximately the size of the state of Texas. Water flowing through the Rio Grand (Southern Boarder) has very little impact on the water available throughout the rest of the State.

Homework homework , saves a lot of headaches and cash.
Your priority is a Leopard with some hunting while you check baits .
Eland : There are different species and different sizes - Cape Eland is the most common and are mainly in the southern states - Namibia , South Africa . The slightly larger Livingston is northern Botswana Zim Zambia , Mozambique is east african and is not normaly as large as the Livingston. The Livingston has stripes and a brown knee at the back , and slightly larger horns. Variances occur across the board. Look for thick bases dark tuft and forequarters blueing as to say. Eland are one of the hardest to hunt and prepare to do some walking.
Your Kudu : again east african versus Greater Southern or East Cape, Look for nice curls ( the biggest often dont have nice curls) anything above 52 inches with full curls is a great older trophy.
Zebra - the common one is the burchels or plains zebra , normaly have a brown shadow stripe , in northern Mozambique there is the smaller prettier Bohm's zebra with great bold black and white stripes , this is also seen in Southern Tanzania. There are Mountain zebra in Namibia and the Cape Mountain zebra has recently been down listed. These have white bellies.

One of the best combination of these three is in Niassa in Northern Mozambique - Jamie Wilson , Jumbo Moore run great operations in good areas as does Luwire - Dereck Littleton. The Leopards are smaller in my opinion but abundant.

Zimbabawe - Miles and Buzz from CMS - offer great hunts on these three plus a variety of others.

Namibia - without the dogs the success here is much lower on Leopard and is the only country I have not had a 100% on Leopard.

Tanzania : still the classic hunt with all its problems - great variety and take extra cash you will not want to turn down anything. Adam Clements has great areas and PH's, Some of the biggest Leopard in recent times coming from his well managed areas. BE WARNED - this country has many many bad apples selling hunts - stick with trusted Outfitters and areas or you WILL loose your pants.
Jaco Oosthuizen , Guides and Outfitters , Michele Mantiakis are all good guys and have had great dealings with them.

Zambia - again great Leopard and Kudu country - Mr. Baldwin here has a loyal following for good reason - again stick to known and trusted outfitters.

South Africa - the candy shop of hunting with over 40 species to hunt all at mostly cheap prices but the reliable well known guys will have rates similar to the Northern countries - again for good reason - quality costs money.
Coenraad Vermaak Safaris , Garry Kelly , John Abraham , Hunters and Guides , Campbell Smith , there are to many to mention but like all areas do your homework.

Baldry not Balwin. I will point hunters into the right direction with out commission or gratuity.

Its a AR thing that we do.

Leopard Legends in Namibia could definitely fill that list on one safari.

quote:

Originally posted by sheephunterab:
Leopard Legends in Namibia could definitely fill that list on one safari.

And which legends in Namibia have a 100% on a big trophy leopard?

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by sheephunterab:
Leopard Legends in Namibia could definitely fill that list on one safari.

And which legends in Namibia have a 100% on a big trophy leopard?

I believe the OP was looking for a reasonable chance at success not a guarantee. From what I know of L'wyk at Leopard Legends Hunting Safaris in Namibia, you would certainly get that plus a reasonable chance at the plains game specified. I'd say his success with leopards speaks for itself as do his clients.

quote:

Originally posted by sheephunterab:

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:

quote:

Originally posted by sheephunterab:
Leopard Legends in Namibia could definitely fill that list on one safari.

And which legends in Namibia have a 100% on a big trophy leopard?

I believe the OP was looking for a reasonable chance at success not a guarantee. From what I know of L'wyk at Leopard Legends Hunting Safaris in Namibia, you would certainly get that plus a reasonable chance at the plains game specified. I'd say his success with leopards speaks for itself as do his clients.

OK lets go for Namibia.

Please bring a few billion gallons of water with you... and a few leopards as well...

I hear you Opus...it sounds like the OP is planning for the future....hopefully this drought is long gone by the time he decides to book.

I figure I am shooting for 2018 and want to do it right. I don't want to cut myself short on days in the field and feel rushed. I want to take in the African experience. I don't need to shoot record book animals, I know it is hunting and some things are out of our control and I may not get every animal on my wish list but I would like to see them at least.

If leopard are a priority, get ready to work. The first time I hunted leopard, we set a dozen or so baits and the PH built a blind on each one. Lot of work. But we got numerous hits and shot that leopard after only two sits. The next one, I sat the same cat 13 times before taking him.

Eland are another tough one, at least for me. I had them on the list 6 times before I connected.