Yellowstone,
Across the river from the Chanjuzi camp.

Don't know about the right stuff. Like everyone on this forum at one time or another we're all looking for that little plum of information.

I don't have a clue who Athol Frylinck is or where he hunts relative to other safari operators. I do know where Muchinga's operation is.

And there's no shortage of opinions about the phase of the moon for cats, but I haven't seen any comments about the time of year. On the positive side, late in the season concentrates prey and predator around the remaining water, and visibility is better for the hunter.

On the down side, visibility is better, and bait is going to spoil sooner in hot weather.

quote:

Originally posted by yellowstone:
And there's no shortage of opinions about the phase of the moon for cats, but I haven't seen any comments about the time of year. On the positive side, late in the season concentrates prey and predator around the remaining water, and visibility is better for the hunter.

On the down side, visibility is better, and bait is going to spoil sooner in hot weather.

I don't believe moon phase makes any difference at all. After all, they still get hungry and have to eat whatever the moon is doing....... from my experience, they're more accommodating as the moon becomes fuller because they come to bait before the moon comes up.

Time of year? Again, they have to eat no matter how hot or cold it gets...... but you need to avoid the lambing season because they're considerably less likely to take a bait when there's lots of babies running around. Obviously the lambing season changes from area to area/country to country.

As for the baits spoiling.... forget it. Ol' spots enjoys the maggots and you can always put new bait out if you think it necessary.

Thanks guys,
That's pretty much what I was looking for, at least for now. I have been told, and seen it posted here before that the Luangwa valley has a very very good population of leopard. Of course, it's a lot of country, literally.

Granted they're not the same, but I have found mountain lion around here don't like rotten meat. I was making a comparison with leopard skulking around stinky 'old bait.

Leopards love it rotten and stinky!

Then I'm good to go!!!
Here kitty, kitty, kitty.

2 for 2 on lion
(one was taken on the 2nd day of a 21 day hunt and one was taken on the 14th day of a 21 day hunt)

1 for 2 on leopard
(taken on the 16th day of a 21 day hunt)

All of my cat hunting has been done in Tanzania. I agree that "location" and a "good PH" are most important. On the trip we didn't get a leopard, there were a lot of new born hartebeest in the field and the leopards just wouldn't come to the bait.

I also find "cat" hunting to be rather boring, in that you spend a lot of time checking baits (kind of like running a trap line), which is done on a daily basis until the cat is located. There is lots of excitement when the "cat" is finally located, but you will usually spend a lot of time driving from bait to bait. Personally, I would rather hunt buffalo and they are a hell of a lot cheaper!

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:

quote:

Originally posted by Brett Adam Barringer:
I believe he books for Richard Bell-Cross' Pro Hunt Zambia.

Brett

Jeff H - Brett's right, mainly Richard, but not only him.

24 - Day Lion/Leopard at $66,800.00 plus lion trophy fee at $7,000.00 & Leopard at $5,000.00. Not Cheap, but a real wild hunt, in the truest sense of the word. It's my favorite place in all of Africa. Soonest lion opening, 2012. Best time to go, late May - August.

Dang, Aaron, that is out of my price range?
Guess I won't get lion number 2.
Is he sold out until 2012 ? Could not do the 24 day hunt without my wife leaving me.
She gives me almost no shit about anything, but after my 21 day in Tan. she told me no more 21 day hunts. She also tells me we have no room for a another full body lion, but we do ,we don't have to put up that christmas tree.
Someone cancels let me know, I would have to get it done in 18 days max. I can travel with 2 week notice.
Thanks

I do not have any experience in lion hunting. And not sure I will ever be able to afford it. That being said I have been on one Leopard hunt. It was in 2008 in Chewore, Zimbabwe.

I talked to several outfitters in Reno, at the SCI show, made multiple phone calls and contacted many of their clients via email and did a lot of research. By the time I was ready with my choice they only had one Leopard tag left for 2008. It was not what 'I' considered the ideal time of year, but I did not have much choice. I hunted the last two weeks of July with Chifuti Safaris with Ian Gibson as my PH. In my opinion, Ian is a great cat guy. So the time of year, phase of the moon ect were out of my control. I was ready to put in the time and put my faith in Ian.

We started out hanging bait. All total, we had 8 baits set, and by the end of the hunt all 8 had been hit. I saw three cats total. My first day in the blind we watched a young male feed and it was the hardest thing I have ever done listening to Ian to pass on that cat. One morning walking up on one bait, a female was in the tree feeding. We watched her till she climbed down. On the 7th day we had a very good track on another bait hit so we built a blind. That day at lunch we checked another bait which had a more promising track. That bait site had a blind from Ian's previous hunter. We switched gears and sat in the second blind. Just before dark my cat came him and I did my part.

Point is, I feel the area and PH are the most important things to consider before booking. Luck played a part in my success. I am sure of that. But Ian selected selected 8 good sights and there were lots of cats in the area. Do your research, pick the best area you can afford with the best PH you can find. You should have success. But at the end of the day, nothing is guaranteed. That is why we call it hunting.

Here is a picture of the fine cat that Vandyboy took...

Well, so far the multiple hunts to get the cats are predominating, but a few guys got theirs on the first try.

I'm enjoying the discussion here on this subject. It seems that the guys providing the hunts (PH's and outfitters) are saying the success rates are higher than the average hunting respondent of this thread is, then again, maybe only those of us who have been snakebit on cats feel any need to talk about it.

I have a sneaking suspicion that low success rates might very well be down to Agents/PH selling hunts in areas where leopards are either very thin on the ground or none existant...

Just because one farmer lost a couple of animals over a couple of nights doesn't mean there is a huntable population of leopards, and certainly not enough to book several hunts over the course of season..

quote:

Originally posted by Wildlife Gallery:
Here is a picture of the fine cat that Vandyboy took...

Nice skin shame about the face.

Andrew you are one ornery bastard! You definitely wade in with caution to the wind!

Brett

quote:

Originally posted by Brett Adam Barringer:
Andrew you are one ornery bastard! You definitely wade in with caution to the wind!

Brett

Yep, that's Andrew!!!