Hi Everyone: I just returned very late last evening from a 14 day hunt in Zimbabwe near West Nicholson with Georgia Safaris, John Hunt PH. I shot a monster 170 lb male leopard with a 17 2/16" skull, 8' long, 23" neck and 12" around the base of his tail. But the most amazing part of the hunt was the fact that we shot this old boy over his own kill-a female leopard, that he had killed earlier that morning and had partially eaten. As far as we can tell, no one else has ever done that. I will give everyone all of the details in a later report, along with pictures of the leopard and his female kill. Also shot bushpig, hyena, zebra, giraffe, civet, warthog, baboon, grey duiker, and 7 impala.

welcome back. cant wait for the pictures!

WOW

Double WOW!

UEG

Yikes! What a cat.

Mark

What a story.
Did the male kill the female at one of your bait sites or did you just happen to stumble on the kill site?
Was the male on the little lady when you walked up or did you "stake her out" after finding the body?
I know with the lateness of you arrival you could tell the whole story, but please share the rest, it's very intriguing.

Triple WOW.

First, Mega congratulations... second I'll be anxiously awaiting the full story.

INCREDIBLE ! Not to sidetrack the thread but...is it still impossible to export female leopard from Zim? Even if I had to pay a moderate trophy fee (or heck even a direct bribe to someone in parks), I think I would try to get that female's skull home. I can very clearly imagine mounting both skulls side by side on a single shield. VERY appropriate I think. I doubt the female's hide was in any way salvageable or I would say you should try to reproduce the scene in the taxidermy! Talk about the ultimate predator/prey mount! WOW!

Hope you dont mind the suggestions.

tendrams

CONGRATULATIONS!!!Looking forward to seeing the photos of the BIG cat.

Congrats . So there are still cannibals in Africa after all.

Vaughn, way to go... Now lets get back to work...

The best,

Mike

Just a short follow-up. The big male had killed the female earlier that morning at about 6:00 am we figured, and we had found his tracks on the road at about 8:30 am. as they crossed the road along with the drag mark. Not knowing what the kill was, we followed the drag and tracks all the way across the veld about 500 yards to the base of a huge kopjie and then up to the top of the kopjie, where we were very surprised when we found the dead female hidden in some heavy brush near the base of a huge granite boulder near the top of the kopjie. She was still quite limber and had had only her chest eaten out. We consulted with the trackers who agreed that we needed to stake the rest of her down and set up the blind and a shooting lane for that evening, which we did as quietly as possible since we were in the big male's territory and feared spooking him off. The trackers were 100% sure that he'd be back to feed on her again. That's enough for now, as I'll tell the complete story once I get the photos ready. This is one for the magazines and I'm going to write the story up. As to the the female, we brought her remains down to camp (I have pictures of it on top of the kopjie as well as back at camp with the dead male leopard). The skulls were boiled out and I have pics of both of them together just shortly after being skinned as well as boiled out. The female's remaining hide was salted and dried as well and had to be turned over to the Jonsyl farm owner, Ivan duPlessis, and he kept it as I don't think that I could export it. Anyway, to top things off, I was privileged to run into veteran leopard PH Wayne Grant, and the author of "Into The Thorns, The Cattle Killing Leopard Of The Matopos Hills" at the elegant Victoria Falls Hotel in Vic Falls a number of days later, and was privileged to tell him my incredible story. He said that he had never ever heard of another hunter ever killing a huge male leopard off of a freshly killed leopard like that. It's not only the leopard of a lifetime, but the story of a lifetime as well.

Must have been a homo-leopard Congrats my friend on another great cat! jorge

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
Congrats my friend on another great cat! jorge

That is what I was thinking. He'll look great next to UEG's lion!

UEG, you were in my favorite hunting grounds, literally. Fantastic area for big Toms. Congrats on your huge cat and the Hyena. They are not a cake walk to get.
Cheers,
David

Congrats and double-congrats Vaughan! I can't wait to see the pictures and read your hunt report!

that is way too cool. Congrats. Look forward to see the pics also

Excellent, simply excellent. Bring on the whole story.

Sounds incredible - congrats on that huge TOM!!!

Very interesting. Congrats on a great cat and a great story to go along with it. The base of the tail was a foot in diameter?!?

I have heard about this happening before in India! Its documented in a book which I can't remember the name now, but it's certainly uncommon.

UEG - Welcome back. Wow, congratulations on your success. Can't wait for your report and pics.

I have never heard of such a thing! Ex Africa semper aliquid novi.

Amazing! I wonder what would induce a male leopard to do something like that?

Divorce, jungle-style? Ouch!

Great story, UEG, and congratulations on taking that big boy.

It could get expensive, though, shooting leopard to use as leopard bait!

Okay. As promised here are some of the pics. I will post a report in the coming days.

All I can say is OUTSTANDING! Congrats on a super-tom and a story of a lifetime. You did good, thanks for getting us a pic.
David
PS: I think I have the scenario figured out UEG. Your Tom came upon his "girl" and she was doing the nasty with another Tom. Being superior, he ran the punk off and killed his girlfriend for cheating. To add insult to injury, he partly consumed her. Feeling guilty half way through the meal, and getting his composure back, he made a feable attempt to bury her. When he came back to complete the burial....well, luck was shining on you! Reckon that's what happened?

Wow! Congratulations Really Wow!
I have dreams about hunting a cat like that.

Not that it matters a lot, but besides that huge leopard I see a very nice rifle in the photos. What is it and what caliber?

Fantastic cat with a added bonus.....very jealous !!!! Congrats and thanks for sharing!

It's a Model 70 Winchester in .375, rebuilt for me by LeRoy Barry at Canyon Creek Custom Gunstocks. It has the Leupold 3.5x10 50mm illuminated recticle, which came in very handy with the leopard. I love that gun and it has killed my lion and leopard, along with a number of other African big game and small game animals.

Reckon you must have used enough gun. Mssr Ruark would be proud.
My own Model 70 is not for sale at any price, also a .375 and fortunate to have a .300 H&H Model 70 as well.

I got ta get back over there soon. Again, congratulations.

Awesome cat and a great story to go with it.

Jeff

Congratulations on a nice cat....... might I suggest that the half eaten one is actually a cub and was probably killed because the big male saw it as possible future competition.

It's a very unusual way to take a Leopard and congratulations for that, but it's not uncommon for them to kill young (even their own young) of their own species.

Its actually a great shame you can't get an export permit for the cub as well....... just think what a fantastic mount you have had done!

OMG! What an amazing story, and fabulous leopard. Many congratulations again, on the experience of a life time. Great photos, and can't wait for a full follow-up.

Steve: Actually the leopard kill was a young female and did not appear to be a cub, young, but older, and had had only had a portion of her chest eaten out when we found her. She was still limber and we examined her very closely. The big male was very nervous that evening and ate nearly 1/2 of her before I finally had the right angle and opportunity to shoot him. Yes, it was the kill of a lifetime! My first thoughts were also for a double trophy mount showing the half eaten female, but I was told that I couldn't import her. Her skull and remaining hide are with Ivan duPlessis at Jonsyl Farm.

Vaughn,

Outstanding

Mike

This will make a great magazine story. Amazing!

Unbielvable tom!!!

Awesome cat! Thanks for the photos.

quote:

Originally posted by mrlexma:

Amazing! I wonder what would induce a male leopard to do something like that?

Divorce, jungle-style? Ouch!

I'm guessing she wouldn't put out??

Congrats on the cat!!

Nice rifle Vaughn, what is it? Also, it looks like a Leupie with the ill reticle? I'd be interested in what your thoughts are on the scope and the ill reticle. I have the same scope installed on my leopard rifle. Well my "eventual" leopard rifle anyway! jorge