Finally getting caught up from the trip above. I was not the hunter but, I had the privilege of taking a member from this board on not only his first African safari but. he jumped into the deep end of the pool with a leopard hunt. I have his permission to post up the bones of the trip and he can follow-up and add some meat later.

Gary, first contacted me about 2 years ago or so, regarding leopard hunting in general and had some specific questions about the posts I put up for my friends, Jan and Mariesje du Plessis owners of Farm Sebra and Sebra Hunting Safaris. Gary and I spent a good bit of time exchanging PM’s, emails and a few phone calls. I tried to give him straight answers to his questions both about leopard hunting and Jan’s offer as well. In the end, he opted to book his hunt with a PH out of Zimbabwe via a US based booking agent. I wished him well and hoped he had great success on his “life long dream hunt” and if he needed/wanted to ask any other questions to please feel free to contact me anytime.

Time moved on and I posted my plans for a small group hunt to Namibia for June 2022. I had two guys contact me, lots of emails and phone calls and both decided to go. Just after the first of the year, we were communicating again about locking in by sending over deposits and sorting out airline routes/tickets and then the RUS/UKR conflict kicked off. The two guys got cold feet and backed out even though the conflict was 9000 miles and a continent away. So, with the hourglass sand trickling down, I decide I’m still going regardless as I hadn’t seen my friends since Aug 2019. I’m busy digging for current routes and airline offerings, post -COVID lockdowns and Gary contacts me.

He tells me his ZIM trip is going sideways (I’ll let him fill in any info/details he wishes to share) and asking me for advice etc. Over a few days and several phone calls he asks if Jan still has a leopard permit available. I knew Jan had a tire kicker who was interested but had not sent a deposit to confirm and lock it in. I contacted Jan who confirmed that it was still available but he had locked clients before and after my dates but, we could just fill the same dates I had already locked in and just add a few days on each side to make the full 14 hunting days and not interfere with the other bookings. Garry thought about it for a couple of days and decided to skip ZIM and go with me to Namibia.

Decided the best/most convenient airline and route for us would be Delta. He lives in KY and I’m in FL so, we’d meet in Atlanta, overnight in Jberg and in the next day on SA Airlink to Windhoek. He wanted to use Travel With Guns for the tickets – OK. We got a fare quote but, I could have gotten them for a bit less but, I told Gary since I was going and had been thru Jberg and done the SAPS 520 forms multiple times, we could skip TWG’s rifle permit fees. He was fine with that. I booked us a couple of rooms at the City Lodge Hotel in the Jberg terminal and the next day/night in Windhoek. I knew that by the time we’d arrive in Windhoek and clear rifles etc., it would be too late in the day to make the 6-hr+ drive NW from the city to Farm Sebra. I booked rooms at one of my favorite places there, Villa Violet. I’ve known the owners there for nearly 10-years and it’s only 800m to Joe’s Beerhouse, (yes, we did eat at Joe’s – twice – going in and coming home) I did all the temp firearm import permit forms and the RSA SAPS 520 transit permit forms, the Namibian temp firearm import form and helped him sort out the required COVID tests.

Trip over was actually pretty good….at least as good as traveling 600mph, six miles up, in an aluminum tube for 16hrs can be. The flight was maybe 2/3d’s full and Gary got an entire middle row of four seats to himself and I got bumped up to Econ-Comfort. Now, here’s a bit of a kicker.

I’ve made this trip and with Delta a good number of times pre-lockdown. In the past, Delta did NOT have code share or baggage handling agreements with ANY other carriers once you hit Jberg. And, a couple of years before the lockdowns, the airport had made it a “security policy” that if you had more than a 6-hr layover there, you HAD to claim luggage/rifles and then recheck it all with your follow-on carrier. The “security” part was actually an attempt to reduce theft from checked baggage on long or overnight layovers. So, when I checked in in Tampa with the Delta agent, all the normal “stuff” occurred regarding weights, firearm/ammo declarations etc. but then when she printed out the luggage routing tickets it was routed all the way to Windhoek!! HOLD UP!

I told the agent I was SURE I had to claim everything in Jberg due to the overnight and changing the next day to SA Airlink. She tapped away on her keyboard and said it was my choice. I could check thru or claim. I decided to claim it all. Why? Because I was sure of the “old” requirement and I was fully aware of the long and bad history of bags/rifles getting “lost” or bags broken in to and stuff stolen our of of checked luggage etc. And, I had flown SA Airlink in 2020 and 2021 and ammo had to out of the checked luggage and checked separately. I was sure my bag with the ammo would get hung up in Jberg. Since I had already planned to do it anyway, and had the SAPS 520 and required support documents ready, I opted to claim.

When Gary and I met in Atlanta, we were discussing the bags etc, he tells me his check-in agent checked his rifle and bag/ammo all the way to Windhoek. I’m thinking “crapp” This is not gong to go will for him. Anyway…..we get to Jberg, do the COVID Kabuki theater with the test results and wear the mask etc. clear immigration and hit the baggage carousel. My checked bag pitches up and we wait a bit until all the luggage is off and Gary’s isn’t there – good, bad or ugly, don’t know. Head to the SAPS office and do the normal wait for the pre-approved permit guys to get sorted out and gone and both of our rifle cases are there. I claim mine, do the paperwork and we tell the SAPS Officers this one, Gary’s, is routed thru to Windhoek. The couple that owns “Rifle Permits” were there and I’ve meet and talked to them several times in the past. Gary had his SAPS 520 filled out and in his rifle case, like I had so we had a choice. Based on what the Rifle Permits couple told us, Gary decided to just let SAPS keep it and hope it made the flight the next day along with his checked bag/ammo.

Just a side note – I’m heading to Botswana in a few days. Flying Delta and SA Airlink again. While checking everything thru is convenient, I’m still going to claim and re-check everything in Jberg. A lot of reports of checked bags being opened and stuff stolen again.

I’ve stayed at several “off airport” guest houses in Jberg. They were OK, but not worth the extra hassle of being shuttled back and forth from the terminal. For me, I like City Lodge Hotel right in the terminal. It’s convenient – 5 min walk from the SAPS office, clean, safe, it’s inside the airport complex, good food for dinner and a killer buffet breakfast and quick walk to check-in the next day.

Next morning we get checked in with SA Airlink and boarding passes etc., and the normal security checks and land in Windhoek on time. This was the first time I’d been thru the newly renovated terminal in Windhoek. It was very nice. Only real procedure/process changes were that once you collect your regular luggage….OH, and Gary’s checked bag with the ammo in it DID arrive and was not broken in to, all luggage is scanned for contents before you can enter the main general arrival hall. I had some vehicle parts for Jan that highlighted and I had to go to the “Red Room” and cough up some VAT tax on it. First time that has ever happened in 15 yrs and 20+ trips. Jan met us in the general arrival hall. One of the new changes is you have to go outside the terminal to a separate window to claim rifles. So, Gary’s bag arrived, would his rifle case show up? It did. I had done the pre-approval email and documents request to the Namibian Police in the airport the week before we arrived in the hope they would have our temp rifle permits already done – Nope. I do this every time and they seem to actually have them done 25% of the time….maybe. Jan dropped us at Villa V. we got checked in, relaxed for a bit before heading for Joe’s. Good diner in the Boma by the fire. Gary had his first taste of African “game meat”.

Next day, Jan picks us up after breakfast and we start the drive to his place. I will say this. If you look at another post here I made a couple of years ago about the impact a prolonged drought has had on the game and livestock populations over nearly the entire county, my observation then is the same as now. For a first time visitor or hunter, who’s never been there before the drought, having nothing to compare the current situation to, they would likely not know the difference. A few examples: Normally, you will see at LEAST one or more troops of 15-20 baboons along the road from the airport to town. Then normally, along the sides of the roads between towns, you’d see a few cows, donkeys, warthog, springbok and baboons as a minimum. This trip…..nothing. In 2019, there was NO grass in the countryside. This year the grass was back to “normal” of being thick and mid-thigh high. Lots of farmers cutting and baling the grass along the roads. But, no game or livestock to be seen.

We made a short stop in Ojiwarongo at the taxidermy studio Jan normally uses. Gary intended to have his leopard taxidermy work done in the US but, since this was on the way and a good place to take a break, he could see some work being done and maybe get some ideas. Then back on the road and made the “mandatory” stop in Outjo for fuel for the truck and the bakery for us. Arrived at Farm Sebra mid-afternoon, unpacked and a little time to unwind before dinner.

I’m not going to cover too much of the “hunt” and steal Gary’s thunder. Jan had been doing some pre-baiting. He started as soon as Gary committed to the trip. Normally, he baits with gemsbok and zebra but, with the game numbers down so, he bought in a number of donkeys. He had seven or eight bait sites set up and was getting some good size toms (yes, plural) hitting in a nearly predictable pattern. The weather was a bear. The first several days it was windy as hell and colder than normal. Overnight lows below freezing and the days didn’t get much above mid 50’s with that wind…...it was cold for this Florida boy. Several days in, the wind finally died down and the temps become more comfortable.

I had originally planned on just spending my time lazing away during the days sitting in blinds at waterholes, counting game and maybe taking some jackals and baboons. However, Jan had baits set at every waterhole. So, as to not interfere and cause any undue activity and scent, I pretty much just stayed at the house and would ride around with Jan’s son, who was home on break form university, checking baits every day. I did spend one afternoon at one waterhole just to see what kind of game was still coming around. It was a bit bleak – one kudu bull, just above the Namibian 50” minimum.

There is one species that seemed to fare better than the others, springbok. For several years, a resident herd had formed at his farthest and most remote waterhole on the property. It had grown to somewhere between 300 and 350 head. This herd had broken up in to maybe a dozen or so smaller herds and moved into other valleys around the property. The main resident herd of 35-40, still remained and each of the others held between 30-40 head each. They were all fat and healthy and a few VERY good rams.

Gary and his leopard met on the 9th day into the hunt. It was a VERY good cat. He’s given me permission to post the photo and I will leave the rest of his encounter for him to fill-in. He also had some other game.



The trip home was pretty uneventful. Because of the long drive from the farm to the airport. It’s not really practical to make the drive the same day you fly out. So, we drove back the day before and stayed in Villa V. again. Part of this was due to “at the time” we planned and booked, we had to have a negative RT-PCR test to transit back thru Jberg. That testing requirement and mask wearing was dropped while we were hunting. With this testing requirement dropped, this gave us a little time for Gary to stop at the Namibian Wood Carvers Village in Okahandja on the way back and do a little “haggling” for some souvenirs and see a little bit of downtown Windhoek and some of the stores and shops there. Finished off by dinner again at Joe’s.

Flights home were pretty uneventful too. Bags and rifles checked all the way back to Atlanta. Neither of us brought back any loaded ammo so, that made things a bit easier with SA Airlink etc. We did have to pay the rifle transport fee (approx $30 US/per rifle) to take the rifles on SA Airlink. This was a “known” requirement before hand. Because I opted to claim my bags/rifles in Jberg going in, I had to pay the fee in Jberg too. Because Gary’s was checked thru to Windhoek, he didn’t have to pay going over, just on the way home. NOTE- there is a difference in the free max bag weight allowance between Delta and SA Airlink. Delta’s is 50 pounds and SA Airlink is 40 pounds. Technically, the weight allowance of the “primary carrier”, in this case Delta is supposed to be honored by sub-carriers long the route. Because I opted to claim and re-check in Jberg going over, I had to pay a couple of bucks in over-weight bag fees. It wasn’t enough to argue about or waste my time contesting with my CC provider. Just something to be aware of in the future.

We had about a 6-hr layover in Jberg on the way back. For some reason, the Windhoek check-in agent would not issue our follow-on Delta boarding passes. This caused a bit of additional BS transiting because the Delta desk in the transit area isn’t manned until 3 hrs prior to departure. Just had to show copies of our ticket reservations and an extra trip thru security to go back to the trans desks and get our boarding passes. We checked into the Bidvest Lounge and Gary did a little souvenir shopping. One of the nice parts of the lounge is, if you plan ahead and put a change of clothes in your carry-on you can grab a shower in the lounge before your 16 hr return flight and dealing with the immigration and customs clearing back into the US, and final flight home. It makes a huge difference. The shower, food (mediocre), drinks (soft and alcohol) for about $40 US (varies depending on length of layover) to me is well worth it.

As I’ve mentioned, I’ll leave the rest for Gary to fill-in as he wishes.

Important to note – I am NOT intending to paint a doomsday picture of the game numbers resulting from the prolonged drought. I’m just trying to be accurate with what I personally observed, with my own two eyes, for two weeks on the ground. There are huntable numbers there but, you are going to have to cover a lot of ground both in the bakkie, on foot and with binos. You may only get one shot, so you had better make it count. I am NOT advocating avoiding Namibia to hunt. Lord knows every operator and every B&B owner and every restaurant desperately NEED income and the support of the hunting and tourist communities. There are species that are only found there, like mountain zebra, damara land dik-dik etc., but, you will have to work for them and make EVERY shot count. With the number of leopard on the property, I would have no worries recommending a leopard hunt at Jan’s.

It was a pleasure meeting and getting to know Gary and an honor to guide him over on his first safari and helping him make a “life long dream” happen. He was already talking about going back again before he finished this trip. I hope he does.

While PG hunting could be difficult but doable, I have no problem recommending a leopard hunt with Jan next year based on the good cat activity from this year. Two, well now one, very good old tams on baits, a least four younger toms and several females. I know he will have a permit for 2023 as well.

Got to finish getting sorted out for my trip back to Botswana. Leave on 18 Aug for just under 3-weeks. Gong to help chase giant mice and take some management blue w/b and zebra.

Congratulations It took me 6 trips to bag my Leopard nice cat

Nice report Michael. I just returned after 10 days hunting with Jan. Got my two biggest Springbok ever, a trophy Warthog, and my second Eland bull. Had some close calls on Impala , passed on a trophy Waterbuck, and could have shot a semitrailer full of Baboons. Sebra is simply the best, and that’s why I’ve hunted with Jan six times.

Is he going to have the cat taxidermied there or in the USA? Sounds like you two had a good time. I'm planning my third trip now. Congratulations!

I hunted near there in the middle of that drought. Terribly sad. I reckon it takes time for Mother Nature to heal itself.

Bud, I hope that you write up a report.

Ipankratz - sorry it too so long to get back with an answer to your question. I thought Gary was a member here but, turns out he's not. Sent him a txt and go permission to post here on his behalf.

He's getting the taxidermy work done here in the US by Wildlife Gallery. He's going to have a full body mount done. He had a friend who got a cat a few years ago who had his done there and was very happy with it.

Scruffy - yes, it is truly sad the damage the prolonged drought has had over a very large part of Namibia and not just Jan's area. It is truly heartbreaking to see and fully understand how Jan and so many others put their lifetimes and treasure into building not just huntable size game but, true TROPHY animals and thru no fault of their own, it vanishes. Yes, there are some signs the game is slowing coming back in numbers but, you don't get the the 40"+ gemsbok, 58"+ kudu etc., nearly as quickly. Those take 8-12 yrs to reach that size provided there is consistent food and basic genetics and selective managed hunting.

Again I will say...There are good huntable animals around. You are going to have work and earn every shot opportunity you get. The mountain scenery in that specific part of Namibia is some of the best in the country and my wife and I have traveled over a LOT of Namibia.

If you can manage a trip, by all means go. Every outfitter, PH, game farmer, hotel, lodge, restaurant and regular domestic livestock farm has been seriously hurt. And not just by the drought. the damn useless Rona lockdowns as well.

Congratulations Gary and a very fine cat indeed.

Well done sir. Nice cat!

Maybe I missed it but did you weigh him or measure the skull?

BEAUTIFUL Leopard!

quote:

Just a side note – I’m heading to Botswana in a few days. Flying Delta and SA Airlink again. While checking everything thru is convenient, I’m still going to claim and re-check everything in Jberg. A lot of reports of checked bags being opened and stuff stolen again.

I’ve stayed at several “off airport” guest houses in Jberg. They were OK, but not worth the extra hassle of being shuttled back and forth from the terminal. For me, I like City Lodge Hotel right in the terminal. It’s convenient – 5 min walk from the SAPS office, clean, safe, it’s inside the airport complex, good food for dinner and a killer buffet breakfast and quick walk to check-in the next day.

THE ABOVE IS SOME SERIOUSLY SAGE ADVISE.

Congrats on a beautiful Tom. Gotta love Mr. Spots.

Mark

I spent some time visiting friends and doing a bit of hunting in Namibia in September before and after the hunt in Botswana. I was there in that terrible drought of 2019 and was saddened by how little game one would now see on the long drives beside the highways. It used to be so entertaining. Damn. I particulary miss the groups of warthogs ..