Hi Folks

We just got back from the Tuli Block Botswana and I thought some of you might enjoy a pic of the Leopard we took there. A short summary of the hunt is we hung 6 baits and within 48 hours had 6 strikes. We sat 3 times and rejected all 3 cats as not being quite large enough. In total we identified 16 separate Leopards. One particular cat was a real hit and run merchant but looked by his spoor to be very big indeed…….. this was the one I wanted and eventually on the 12th night of the hunt, we got him on the bait and he fell to a beautifully placed shot from the client and my .404. This cat measured 17 inches on the skull measurements and was just under 10 foot round the curves.

We only get 1 or 2 Leopard permits a year for this area and as 2 of the neighbours are cattle farmers, - The cats here get very big on the good diet as can be seen by the pic of the Leopard carcass. – Check out the amount of fat on it. The area has a higher Leopard population than anywhere I’ve ever seen. It also has a huge problem with Elephant damage. (see pics below) While we were there, we spoke to the game department and if you book in 2007 for 2008, we have the following offer.

Book at least a 10 day plains game hunt at US$490 per day 1x1 or US$400 per hunter per day 2x1, or a 14 day Leopard & plains game hunt for US$650 per day 1x1 (plus US$2000 Leopard licence) and you can also take a PAC Elephant or Elephants for US$5000 per Elephant. (We currently have 15 Elephant available to hunt) If you don’t shoot an Elephant, you don’t pay the US$5000.

As is usual on my Elephant hunts, we only take mature bulls. – No cows, calves or adolescents will be taken unless in life threatening circumstances. Trophy fee prices are all available on the Botswana page of my website.

As a bit of additional fun, you can also join me (FOC) in my latest bit of lunacy of catching crocs on a rod and line if you wish……. It’s GREAT fun and they fight like nothing you’ve ever seen before. My largest to date (grassed) is about 2.5 metres long, and the biggest hooked about 3.5 metres long….. he took 250 yards of line and kept going with it……..but there are bigger flatdogs there……..

Those clients who have already booked one of our 7 day PAC Elephant hunts in Botswana have the option to change their booking to one of these hunts if they wish. – We’ll be contacting those guys to offer them the choice in the next few days.

As we go to Tanzania in a few days, please forgive us if we don’t reply to your e-mail enquiries immediately.

Nice cat! Sounds like a bargain for PAC Bull eles. PM sent.

Yup it is, we used it later to feed the flatdogs in front of the fishing deck at the lodge and I dropped a bait right beside it..... and hooked into the big one that took all my line.....

Steve,
You using steel leaders?
Rich Elliott

This time I used a 20 lb class boat rod and reel with a mild steel leader made from the inside brake cable from the local bicycle shop and 3 very large treble hooks. Then you let them take the bait and run with it until the swallow the lot. (baits were mostly floating whole guinea fowl or francolin)

Next time, I'll use a shark rod and a penn reel.

Beautiful Cat! Thanks for the pics and report.

Does anybody eat leopard? I know from experience that mountain lion is excellent. Is that not true of leopards?

Great cat.

I think it's my 4th or 5th biggest.......

I'll change. E-mail me. Same dates plus 4 on the front and 3 on the back?

I assume the PAC elephants are not exportable, or are they?

Steve,

By the smile on the leopard hunter's face ... I'd say he was having fun! Hope you are too.

Good to hear from you.

Steve its nice to see you smiling and having a good season...

Say hello to Pierre for me...

Mike

Ernest,

Susan will be in touch.

Bwanna,

These ones are non exportable I'm afraid.

Mike,

I was very pleased with the cat, but jeez, it was cold there. - Hence the clothes.

Mike,

Yup, will do.......

Ah, at last, I've found time to get the Elephant damage pics up.....









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Steve, you have another PM and e-mail.

How do elephants damage a dry river bed?

465H&H

Steve,

I passed your PM onto my better half who also has your e-mail...... She'll reply ASAP, but we're trying to play catch up at the moment. I apologise for the delay and we'll get back to you within the next 24 hours at the latest.

465H&H

The pics show spoor right across the river and bits of tree scattered everywhere. These bits of tree are all Elephant damage as is the buggered lowveld chestnut in the bottom pic and the pushed over fences etc. I've got other pics somewhere that are more graphic and I'll do my best to find time to post them before I go away again.....

Here's some more pics.

Fantastic leopard... a real sod! Congrats!

That's a big cat. Do you know what he weighed by chance? Sounds like you have some nice opportunities. Spots is definitely on my must do list.

On the elephant damage, you need to get a photo of what they do to the baobabs. I'm sure you've seen the insides pulled out of them.

Yep, that is a nice cat, congratulations, and a very good offer on the PAC ele's.

Why would anybody put up fences in elephant country?

Awesome Cat.

Congrats.

Gerhard

Yukon Delta,

I don't often get a chance to weigh cats and don't bother when I have the chance as I don't think it has any relevance. Weight can vary so much depending on when they last ate or whether they've been mating etc, I don't the weight means a hell of a lot..... but for what it's worth, I put him on my shoulders to carry him from where he fell and my knees were buckling under the weight...... so I guess he was bloody heavy!

Gunny,

Botswana has a very big beef industry and the fences are put there to contain the cattle and try to keep the Elephants from drinking all the water and eating the cattle's food sources. If they go, the cattle die.