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Only speaking from what I've read, but it seems like the majority of the stories can be summed up with heading back to the truck, waiting till morning, coming back with the shotgun and the dogs. The cat is laying/standing on a limb, the hunter is 20 yards away, and generally shooting a large caliber, scoped rifle from a rest. Maybe there are plenty of stories that I just haven't read where the cat drops, I don't know. So what gives? Is it nerves, small kill zone, too dark to see or what. | ||
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in summary ,most of my blinds are over 50 yards Away ...the light is often bad and buck fever is huge ...having said that i would say i have been lucky and in about 30 leopards only three or four have gone grunting into the bush to scare us later ...i have been involved in a few followups though and mostly as a result of buck fever ....after all the anticipation and even boredom then all of a sudden when something that beautiful gets up in the tree, so silent and yet so aware of everything ...as he sits there looking around your heart starts pounding , your mouth goes dry, your breathing gets ragged and the blood starts rushing in your ears ...its great but it doesnt make a great recipe for calm straight shooting !! "The greatest threat to our wildlife is the thought that someone else will save it” www.facebook.com/ivancartersafrica www.ivancarterwca.org www.ivancarter.com ivan@ivancarter.com | |||
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Ivan, Well said and I agree | |||
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It doesn't take a large caliber to kill a Leopard. Just a well placed shot. You will only get one shot as a rule. Best make it your best shot. I used my .280 on this last Tom. The 160 grain Accubond took out both lungs and the top of the heart. The exit spray was 10 feet in length and contained many pieces of lung tissue. Range, about 60 yards. My biggest aide; patience waiting for the right moment. I had no problems with seeing the cross hairs with the Leupold VX-L 3.5x10x50. Set on 4 power. Excellent scope for Mr. Spots. What Ivan said is excellent advice. Not my first Leopard, nor large Feline, but the heart races none the less every time. Again, wait for the right shot angle or pass. LDK Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting Leopards--Are they that tough to shoot
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