I know the political situation is a mess right now but if things cool down, who would you recommend for a 14 day Leopard & Plains game hunt. I plan on going in 2006. Also what time of the month is best.

Thanks,
Ahmed

Ahmed,

I'd recommend HHK, I book for them and can get you set up. They have some excellent areas and PH's who specialize in leopard.

Good months to hunt are May through August.

Let me know if I can help, there is no additional charge and if you go through me you have a US based contact. The plains game will be plenty as well.

I'm not a fan of Zimbabwe nowadays but If you're happy with the political situation etc there then you couldn't do better than go to John Sharpe. He's a real nice guy and as professional as you could wish for - if he can't fit you in then try Roger Whittal and if he can't fit you in then try HHK.

You might also like to try Charlie/Ganyana who posts here.

Another vote for John Sharp. I've hunted with him twice now and he has some great leopard down in his concession in the lowveldt. Check out his website and you can see the huge leopards his clients have aken over the last few years. Also, if you go to the hunting reports section of this forum, you can read what I posted on the political situation. Basically, it's transparent to the client, so far anyway. jorge

http://www.john-sharp-safaris.com

Ahmed,

We will be going to Lemco with HHK this September. My husband will be hunting leopard there. This will be our third time with HHK (lion in Chirisa 2000, crocodile in Omay 2003).My husband shot a leopard with Bundu Safaris in 1994, so he is going to be very selective on this hunt. I will post the results of the hunt when we get back.

I guess I should have added that Sharpie probably isn't the cheapest in the country - but as with most things in life, quality costs money.

As to the political sitution etc (IMO) things are getting steadily worse but each hunter must make his own decision and go with that. - Although I'm not entirely sure I agree with Jorge about the transparancy of the situation but certainly Zim prices overall are less expensive than you'll find in most other countries..........

My pick would be Paul Zorn, he is at 100% for me over the last 7 or 8 years with the exception of one hunter, who unfortunately missed his Leopard.....I can't ask for more than that...

Yes you can! - you can ask for the client not to miss...

I bet Paul didn't stop muttering to himself for a week! - although I guess it beats the hell out of the alternative........

Here's another vote for John Sharp. Although I didn't hunt leopard with him, I can say without reservation that you will have a good hunt with John. The monster cat on the hompepage of his website was killed by the client immediately before my plains game trip with John in 2002. One our regulars here on AR - bobga - got a monster last year as well.

Phil

There are many good ones, but Andrew Dawson with Chafuti Safaris is one of the best in the business, in Zimbabwe! Several people I know have hunted leoaprd with him in the last three or four yrs, and all collected a good cat!

Another vote for HHK, zim is skeptical at times but if the leaoprd comes after dark you have the option of a spotlight, not everyones cup of tea. HHK has a great operation excellent hunters and great accomodations.

Still a great company even with the loss of PH Wayne Edwards earlier this year.

I vote for HHK, I hunted with Graham Hingston as my PH in the early days, you can't go wrong with him.

My vote goes to John Sharp. Matter of fact i'll be hunting leopard with him in 10 days. Jorge thanks again for all your help!

I know that you wanted Zim but the best leopard specialist I have heard of is Greg Michelson of Leopard Ridge Safaris. He still lives in Zim but has moved his operations to Zambia. He is really good! I haven't personally hunted leopard because I can't sit still in a blind long enough to have one show up. If I ever hunt leopard it wlll have to be with either calls or hounds. However, for more normal kind of folk, Greg has a super reputation. I hunted plains game on my first safari in '97 and couldn't have been better taken care of. Highly recommended.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
I'm not a fan of Zimbabwe nowadays but If you're happy with the political situation etc

THe grapes must be very sour.

I'm not voting here, just stating the safari company I used and had great success with!

Buffalo Range Safaris, owned by 2 brothers, Barry and Rob Style.

web site: buffalorangesafaris.com

I could go on for pages here about what a good company this is to hunt with, I have the trophies to prove it. All I can say is you'll look long for a company that can come close to equaling them!!! I've been on 6 safaris with them and planning next year!!!

Thanks for all the good info. If Zim goes south what other country would be a good choice? Has anyone had good luck in Namibia?

Ahmed

Tanzania is expensive as you need a 21 day licence but success rates are very high and you can take a full bag of other game including Elephant, Lion 3 Buff etc etc.

Botswana is also worth considering and the Tuli Block areas we use there usually get a quota of 2 per year each. This is also a much less expensive option than Tanzania.

South Africa - My advice would be to forget it.

quote:

Originally posted by Ahmed Niazi:
Thanks for all the good info. If Zim goes south what other country would be a good choice? Has anyone had good luck in Namibia?

Ahmed

Ahmed, The upper, and Lower Lupande concessions, in the Luangwa Valley, near Mfuwe, Zambia, have very large populations of Leopard, and only 14 day safaris is required to take Leopard, or Lion! I don't know who has the Upper Lupande, but Peter Chipman has the Lower Lupande! I don't have contact numbers handy, but someone here will have them! The Valley is very nice cat hunting in late June, and all of July, and there is green cover, and mild tempratures for sitting a bait! Take a down filled jacket for after dark, however, as it get cold as hell, when the sun goes down, that time of year.

I didn't think of Zambia but it would also be a good option.....I've no idea about the prices there though - Any idea Mac?

Thanks, I will try & contact some Zambian Outfitters. If you have any contact info etc please let me know. I will be at the Convention so should be able to meet a some of them, but would rather try & book early.

Thanks,
Ahmed

Good idea. Greg will be there, I suspect, he usually is.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
I didn't think of Zambia but it would also be a good option.....I've no idea about the prices there though - Any idea Mac?

The last time I was there the daily was around $1000-$1200 US per day,14 days, plus trophy fee. I'm now aware that 21 days is required for lion, but 14 is still correct for leopard. That has most likely gone up some in the last four years, but is close. Unless things have changed drasticlly, Leoaprd are everywhere, especially in the two concessions I mentioned, and you can fly into Mfuwe on Air Zambia. You even see them in daylight while driveing around! The valley will be my pick if I can make it back before I die, and Leopard will be my main target, but the Buffalo there are quality as well! Peter Bird, at Bala Bala may have some leopard at Dendro Park ranch,as well in west Zambia, on the Kafuwe River. Wes Hixon http://www.weshixon.com can get you in contact with Peter Chipman at the Lower Lupande concession. I haven't hunted the Lower Lupande, but I understand Chipman has good lion there, and I suspect Leopard as well.

When I was in Zambia in 2000 you also had to pay a 5500 dollar gma fee to hunt leopard besides fourteen days and the trophy fee.

Hey Ahmed,

I hunted Zimbabwe in 2004 for trophy elephant bull with Buzz Charlton. He is with Charlton McCallum Safari's at http://www.cmsafaris.com.
He has an excellent set up with hard working team members. The price is right and he and his partner Myles McCallum have great concesions which I am told produce great leopard. I am planning for leopard as well in 2006.

I have heard that the hot months (October, November)are not as good as cooler months (April-July).

One more important factor would be whether or not it is legal to spotlight leopard at night or not. Success rates are higher in area's where this is legal. In some government controlled area's spotlighting is illegal and results in lower success rates.

Good luck Ahmed

I agree about the leopards being plentiful along the Luangwa and as Mac said Lower Lupande is good. I actually shot a leopard there and saw a couple more in daylight. The problem there is that you'll lay out over $20,000 before you even pull the trigger. Zim can provide more bang for the buck if you are looking specifically for leopard.

Regards,

Mark

If I wanted to kill a leopard, I would book with Andrew Dawson at Chifuti Safaris

http://www.chifutisafaris.com

He made a great video about leopard hunting called "He's in the tree" as described on the video box as:

HE’S IN THE TREE-
FOLLOW PROFESSIONAL HUNTER ANDREW DAWSON AS HE GUIDES YOU THROUGH THE ART OF LEOPARD HUNTING IN ZIMBABWE’S FAMED ZAMBEZI VALLEY. 5 SUCCESSFUL LEOPARD HUNTS, ALL TAKEN DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, CAPTURED ON FILM. A DEFINITE MUST FOR ANY HUNTER WHO DESIRES THIS GREAT CAT. APPROXIMATELY 75 MINUTES.
$39.95


Also, he is Craig Boddington's PH in the recent "Boddington on Buffalo" video. I believe that Andrew and Craig Boddington just finished up filming a follow-up video about leopard hunting. I'll take a wild guess that the video may be called "Boddington on Leopard".

Anyway, Andrew is a great guy and he really knows his stuff on leopard. The concession he hunts is an area that is full of leopard. He is definitely an outfitter worth considering.

Tim

Ahmed Niazi
Here is yet another vote for John Sharp. Hunted with him last season and was able to get a monster Leopard. At one time during our hunt we had many baits out with 3 different Leopard hits at the same time. Plenty of great plains game too.
Bobga

Thanks guys for the great info, this gives me several options to consider.

Ahmed

Ahmed,

I hunted leopard with Gordon Duncan of Shangaan Hunters, and took a great leopard. It was actually the seventh leopard I had seen on that hunt; there are good numbers of leopard in the Save' Conservancy where Shangaan hunts.

I also book for them, so I am not impartial.

Gordon is really good on leopard.

jim

I am planning a leopard hunt next year, not in Zimbabwe.

My guess is that leo hunting in Zimbabwe is costing around 15 K$ for 14 days ? Isn'it?

jbderunz

$650 per day on a 15 day schedule, $3000 trophy fee for leopard, 2% government tax on daily and tropy fees, $600 road transfer fee RT from Harrare. No dip and pack charge and a 95% success rate on leopards from 130-180 pounds. This is with Barry Duckworth on the Save conservancy. Tough to beat this one. No wonder all 9 cats are gone for '06 and selling out for '07.

Regards,

Mark

Everybody seems to be pretty sure of the outfits they are recommending for Zim...good reason - the Zim PH's have the most difficult PH quals in Africa to get their operational status.

Not having hunted Leopard in Zim, but know folks that have, I'd recommend Janni Meyer of "Loveld Hunters". For those of you that have never heard of Janni and his operation...He's been there done that, to say the least and now his sons are carrying on that legacy.

When we were Buff hunting the Chewore 2 weeks ago, we saw tons and I mean tons of large leopard sign - My buddy saw a nice male in broad daylight while glassing Sable.

Janni has the concession, the clout and the PHs to get you a fine Leopard at a fair price.

http://www.lowveldhunters.com

I'm sure that all of the recommended Zim PHs above are great - I had an excellent experience with Lowveld.

Jeff

I couldn't agree more with Jeff. CHEERS