First day at Otjandaue Hunting Safaris and this adult Tom walks in to the water just before sunset. There were two beings lucky that day: I, because I had the opportunity and luck to see one of Africa's stealthiest predators and the leopard, 'cos I did not have a permit to hunt him!! He was in my cross-hairs until I put the rifle down and picked up my camera.



More to come. I will post the report in the "Hunting Reports" forum

Jas

Beautiful photo.

That's a rare sight. I like the reflection of the rosettes in the water.

Jas I think that is the same leopard that Roy shows to every new client. He had him walk out on our first night there. Hope you are having a great time. Looking forward to your full report.

GREAT photo. Thank you for posting.

Welcome to AR forum and thanks for the great picture.

Vanakkam!

I hunted leopard unsuccesfully on that ranch under different management in 2004. Wish I would have seen him then.

Here's a slightly retouched version of you pic.

Great pic!

quote:

Originally posted by DB Bill:
Here's a slightly retouched version of you pic.

Dang Bill, I need to learn to use photoshop! That pic is really clear now!

Big female.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Big female.

I've never even seen a leopard in the wild, so I'm curious, how can you tell? I assume their are some indicators in the way the animal is built?

I'm sure Andrew will answer but in the meantime......

Females are almost always lighter built and lass muscular and males look just more male. Heavier build, bigger andlots more muscle, esp in the neck region.

All that said, I always use sizing marks on the bait tree and take a spotting scope into the blind with me and only let the client shoot when I've seen the only definitive sign of a male which is a big pair of bollocks sticking out the back.

Guys, it's a big male, not a female. I'll ask Jas to post some more pics where you can see his B....ls.

There was no bait, he just wandered into the waterhole had a drink and fooled around on the ground like a house cat, a Kudu bull also came in and started barking at him while the Leopard just laid on his back with his head backwards and watched the Kudu.

Roy

Yes, that behavior would have definitely exposed his manhood!

Please post the rest of those pictures...I would love to see them!

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
I'm sure Andrew will answer but in the meantime......

Females are almost always lighter built and lass muscular and males look just more male. Heavier build, bigger andlots more muscle, esp in the neck region.

All that said, I always use sizing marks on the bait tree and take a spotting scope into the blind with me and only let the client shoot when I've seen the only definitive sign of a male which is a big pair of bollocks sticking out the back.

Man, you must have BAD eye-sight if you need a spotting scope to see a Leopard's nuts, from a blind????

Part of it is head size and shape in relation to body size. Large nuts are also a good indicator.

Nganga

quote:

Originally posted by Nganga:
Part of it is head size and shape in relation to body size. Large nuts are also a good indicator.

Nganga

I meant to say from this particular picture where no reproductive organs are visible. I'm pretty sure a big set of leopard testicles would tip me off too.

Nah, If you saw a big male it would be obvious to you as well. A big male has a big thick head and thick neck as well. I was kidding about his nuts.

Nganga

Aaron,

I like to have a really good look at the cat before the shot and a low powered spotting scope is fantastic for that..... you can almost count the ticks on his balls with one. I reckon they're worth their weight in gold for that..... and they're also useful for a hundred and one other things on a hunt....... I'm a great fan of spotting scopes.

They're not something you positively NEED but they are a bloody useful piece of kit.

quote:

Originally posted by Nganga:
Nah, If you saw a big male it would be obvious to you as well. A big male has a big thick head and thick neck as well. I was kidding about his nuts.

Nganga

Thanks for the info.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Big female.

Never uncertain ...

Reminds me of the first leopard that I have shot.

It was 1993, in Westwwod, Zimbabwe.

We were on one side of this long valley, putting up a leopard bait in the afternoon.

There was a water hole about 500 meters away. I saw this big leopard walking from the tree line to the water.

I said "Roy, look at the leopard walking there"
Roy did not pay any attention.

"Roy, look, there is a leopard walking in the valley!"

My girl friend said "He is right Roy. There IS a leopard walking there"

Roy "Why don't you two do something more useful instead of trying your usual trick of distracting everyone from doing their job?"

Walter "I hate to tell you, but Saeed is right. The leopard is at the water drinking"

Roy decides to better investigate, so he looked. He saw the leopard "Get your rifle, he might walk this way after he had his drink"

I got my rifle, a custom built 270 Ackley on a Remington 700 action.

The leopard finished his drink, but instead of coming our way, walked back into the tree line and was walking parallel to us.

We took the bait down, drove as quickly as we could to get in front of him, made a quick blind and put the bait up. We sat in the blind, but it got dark and he never showed.

We decided to go back to camp, and come early the next morning.

Just as dawn broke, he just materialized on the bait.

A 130 grain Barnes X through his chest dropped him. And we were back in camp by 7 with our leopard.

Thanks for the PS edit DB Bill. I only have Lightroom on my laptop and the monitor is not calibrated either.
The pictures were taken at around 6pm local with a 70-200 f2.8 with a 2x converter. Low light let movement creep into quite a few of the pictures.
It was definitely a male as you can see in the first picture.
Chris, he has been tied and tagged with my name on him!! Now all I need is a permit and then you know I will never ever see him again.

Jas

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Big female.

Transvestite.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Transvestite.

Bollocks!

Or more likely a vaginal abscess.

Hilarious Post!!

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
I'm sure Andrew will answer but in the meantime......

Females are almost always lighter built and lass muscular and males look just more male. Heavier build, bigger andlots more muscle, esp in the neck region.

All that said, I always use sizing marks on the bait tree and take a spotting scope into the blind with me and only let the client shoot when I've seen the only definitive sign of a male which is a big pair of bollocks sticking out the back.

Man, you must have BAD eye-sight if you need a spotting scope to see a Leopard's nuts, from a blind????

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Or more likely a vaginal abscess.

Fairgame,
Didn't I shoot at one of those on the Luangwa?

Nganga

Yes you did and a very nice Tom at that. The pictures have proved that this cat is a very handsome chap and would make any hunter happy.

Judging from what looks (I'm guessing)like it might be a fairly large body of water -maybe large enough to support a resident croc? -I'm thinking that the leopard was also lucky that way (in addition to no permit to take him).

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Yes you did and a very nice Tom at that. The pictures have proved that this cat is a very handsome chap and would make any hunter happy.

No Bwana, not the tom, the vaginosis thing

Nganga

Fabulous animal. Fine photos. Thank you.

A number of writers - I think Jeff Cooper among them - have said trhat they simply could not shoot a leopard because it was just too beautiful. Don't agree - entirely personal decision - but I can easily understand.