I have pics of every cat I discuss in my report.
Pics to follow when I get them downloaded.
Just have to get this off my chest and move on.

My leopard hunt report:
Dates May 13 thru May 29th
West Nicholson Zimbabwe.
Cold Storage Commission, Jonsyl Ranch, Chemfouchway and Dubane’ ----
Total area 200,000 acres.

Area runs from Gwanda 20+km north west of West Nicholson to 15+km south east of
West Nicholson then south for 20k
PH: Gary Hopkins
Species Hunted : Leopard and Hyena
Species seen: kudu,impala,warthog,zebra,duiker klipspringer ,stienbok,bushbuck.

Species taken: None

I’ve waited 8 years to go back to Africa and find a Leopard.
My first choice was booked , no more tags but found this hunt thru A R and Adam
Clements Safari Trackers,and Mark Young.
This hunt was in the same area so I booked it.

I have hunted LEMCO back in the 80’s and
knew I wanted to hunt leopard near
West Nicholson. I thought I had found a good hunt. Big cattle country,
large stocky cats.

I wasn’t interested in plains game so the few and far between horned game
numbers were low and I didn’t care. I knew this going in and I told the
PH I would shoot no plains game on this hunt.

I booked with a leopard PH that had been hunting with dogs in this area for 3
years. I thought I was on the right track.
Wrong. A hound hunter will always be a hound hunter.
We will get to that later.

We were met by PH at the airport. Seemed like a nice guy, very pleasant.
He had a hunter come into the area a few weeks before and had hunted leopard for 5
days.
First thing, that was wrong.
I was told I would be the first one in. They had baited for
his cat and nothing hit in 5 days. After he left, a cat hit on one bait.
PH pre baited with 8 cattle ¼’s to start my hunt. I had told him and we
agreed to use
cattle, not Impala for baits as the cats were used
to beef for feed.

We went to PH’s house for the afternoon, met his wife, both very nice
people. They live in a nice middle class area in Bulawayo.
After talking for a bit and having a bite to eat we left for our 3
hour drive to camp.
All was well with the accommodations. Not the fanciest but decent
and clean.

The First moring we started checking baits. The first baits were over an
hours drive from camp at the north end of the properties and had been out
for 6 days. Nothing had hit any of the 4 baits in this area of about 15 sq
miles except genets and honey badgers. My first thought was; " What’s going on ?,
and, why continue with these unproductive baits?"

We then drove another hour south to check baits in a area about the same
size but closer to camp and clustered in about 15 sq km. The entire area consists
of small rocky hills with dry river beds
between them. This made perfect
funnels for game and great travel routes for cats. The cats were using the
river systems extensively for travel yet baits were hung in larger funnels
that did not narrow as much as the areas I had seen the majority of the cat tracks in.

The 4 southern baits had one hit, It was a pair, one smaller cat and
one fair sized cat. I was told, could be male or female. One of the tracks was
definitely female.
So we set up a camera to get some pics.
First I was told it was a female with her young.
Then I was told it was a small tom.
In yet a later discussion this cat became a female.
Strange how they talked about this same cat for the first 2 days as a smaller male,
then it became the female's young, after that it completely
changed it’s sex.

Same routine next day. No hits on the baits. I was then asked to shoot an Impala ram
for bait.
I was told we would need it if we found another new site.
Okay bang dead dropped it in it’s tracks.
So now we check the same baits with the same results. Only the one hit by the same
pair. We continue to leave unproductive baits hang.
At this point I am seriously wondering why we are not moving these baits to the more
traveled paths of the cats in the area.
I say nothing. I’m a good quiet client. After all, this is a "Professional Hunter"
he knows his job, right?

The next day he chooses an area to hang yesterday's Impala, #1
We also need to kill another cow. I’m all for it, I want to use the cattle for
bait.
We get 4 new ¼’s. We finish the day with the last bait being hit by the same
pair.
I’m asked if I want to hang a ¼ to keep these cats here.
It’s early in the hunt so I say heck yah. Do it. Nothing else is getting hit.

Back to camp to sleep.

Next morning back to the bait line. Nothing hits.
A cat walked under the Impala and the PH gets excited.
I’m not impressed, he came for the stink. The Impala wasn't skinned or gutted and
after a day of rotting in the hot sun the odors permeated the air.
The female walked right on by. Perfect scenario for a hound hunt. Just hit their
track and follow it.

Once again I am told, we need another Impala.
I am thinking; "Really ?
We still have 3 ¼’s of the last cow in the truck and we need another Impala?
Okay bang dead dropped in it’s tracks.
On to checking the same baits for another 14 hour day.
Understand, there are 6 guys in the back of the truck. 1 scout from each
of the 4 properties, his head scout and his tracker. then in the front of the truck
is me, my wife
and the
PH. We all drive around int the same truck for 12 to 14 hours a day.
There is a second Land Cruiser back at camp and one of his guys has a drivers
license and drives all the time ??
I'm thinking, why doesn't he split the bait line up and have a couple of the guys
check one half while we check the other.
We could be done in half the time so if we ever do actually sit out in a blind we
won't be so dead tired.
It seems to me this would be a more efficient way to operate but...
I am a good client and say nothing.

We find another place to hang the Impala, #2,
and we move on to checking camera’s and baits.
Nothing, we head back to camp.
I forgot to mention while we were out we took a leg bone, one bone with very little,
if any meat on it and laid it
out on a large hill that was quite barren to try and pull in some hyena.
I shook my head at this but what do I know, I’m just a hunter from the
states….I’ve only been hunting longer than this PH is old.
With 3 cow heads, all their guts and bones laying all over the skinning shed floor,
we put out a month old, dry meatless bone…….?
But I’m a good client and I say nothing…..

We go back to camp, eat, and a few hours after dark we go out for hyena.
It takes 1 ½ hours to get to the area. The PH and is guys drag along a home speaker
system, 3 feet high and 18” by
18” wide, ¼ mile up this hill and start calling.
An hour later we leave. An hour and a half back to camp...
But I’m a good client and say nothing.

The next day we are still checking baits that are now 10 days old.
We are only feeding the
genets and badgers.
We hang anther Impala, #3, and pick up a track of a tom on one of
the cow baits. We hang a camera and hang one more ¼ in the new place.

Back to camp and sleep.

The next day we check baits and I am told another Impala is needed. Bang, dead in
it’s
tracks.
We still have 2 ¼ ‘s of a cow in the truck and now a new Impala…
We get good pics of a tom on one bait.A good mature 16oln oir so Tom. 100lb ¼ virtually cleaned of meat.
Okay this looks good. We hang another bait and build a blind. I’m excited BUT... I
know this
cat is going to come in late, he ate a lot of meat last night.
We had him on camera for 8 hours off and on, One time for over an hour in
the tree starting at 8:30.
Okay, let’s sit….8 guys take 2 hours to build a blind and make enough noise to
alert
anything within a mile of our presence….
Okay, I want to sit in a blind finally.
We set up the mic and the light and leave the area.
When we come back to sit, the PH doesn’t get us in until dark. It is so dark I
almost
can’t see the bait to get my gun set up.
Oh well, I’m fine.
We sit….
AT 11:00 o’clock the PH tells me “ WE MUST LEAVE”
I say "What?"
He states "We must leave because the cat knows we are here?"
B.S. I say to myself.
Out loud I say “No Lets stay longer he’s going to come in late“….
PH looks mad but we stay. 30 minutes later he starts to get his stuff
together and tells me lets go.
Now I’m Pissed. But I’m a good client and we leave.

We had no light and were falling and stumbling out of the area and making enough
noise to be heard a mile away.
I actually felt bad at one point when the PH fell so hard he nearly broke his
shotgun when he fell on the rocks in the road.

We came back the next morning and guess what?… The cat came and ate. Not a lot but
1/3 of the bait…
I said to myself, this aint going to work, he’s fed enough in 2 days.
100 lbs of meat, he won’t want be back. If anything, he’ll walk right by tonight.
I'm thinking.."Let’s leave him tonight and sit tomorrow"……
SOOO... the PH says, "we sit tonight, all night."
Hyrax started screaming about 11:00pm. The tom walks by, never goes into the tree.
When daybreak comes the PH decides the bait was the problem, not enough…SOOO
he gets a 2 days old Impala that has not been gutted and not skinned in 80
degree heat..hmmmm
Pulls it up the branch and the branch cracks under the weight.
Here we go.
We have a leopard on a bait eating beef.
Now we throw an impala up and change the tree.
Mind you now, in these 2 weeks not one cat anywhere has ever treed using impala
for bait.
The PH puts this rotten Impala full of flies right next to and around the ¼
of beef that is still ½ there and has a nice skin on it and is just turing into
jerky and holding up perfectly well.
This cat doesn’t want Impala. He has all the beef and calves he wants on this
property.
There are thousands around here but, I keep my mouth shut.

I ask if we are going to sit tonight? I’m all in. What the hell, we aint got another
bait active…
Well guess what? I’m told “ We have to let the cat get used to the bait and the new
tree 5 feet away”
Right.... here we go.
I expect the blind to stay…

Nope … spent 2 hours dismantling the blind and loading the truck, I’m steaming by
now but I still say nothing….

We check other baits, nothing, hang 2 more and go back to camp.
Now when I say nothing, it aint quite true. A lot of baits get walked by, two
old hanging impala.
Great for a hound hunter but we don’t have any hounds.
Next morning we check the camera….Yep, the cat came in and fed. You can
see by the pics he wants nothing to do with the impala and there it is, another chance
lost…
The impala was bad meat and a bad idea. The cat never returned.

We are now checking baits 2 weeks old and he still leaves then
hanging....WHY?
Move them to another spot to try to get some action or pull them down
all together. Or at least use them for hyena bait??
Nope, they stay. Even the ones with female tracks under them.
I’m told “we leave them to see if they bring in a male“.

We had made a deal at contract time to take my wife out of camp for 2-3
days after 4 days to sightsee. It is now 7 days and I’m asking everyday to
do this. Finally, when she is at her wits end and wants to go to Bulawayo and catch the
next flight home….. he agrees to get my wife out, and I’m going with her. I’ve had
enough at this point. 12-14 baits up and no toms
anywhere, so why not….only females and they are mostly walking past.
He is excited but not me, He talks about how great hounds are and how this works
great at getting fresh tracks.
Cool, but we aint on no Dog Hunt……..Then
before I leave “we need more bait” I buy another cow.

He takes us back the 3 hours to Bulawayo. We stay the night and leave early the next
morning to drive 4 and a half hours to
Vic Falls. We get a 1 hour tour there and another hour to eat lunch at the Vic Falls
Hotel,
then we drive 2 ½ hours back to a lodge for the night and leave at 7:00am to drive
back
to
Bulawayo another 2 hours. PH picks me up and back to camp, 3 hours.

Next day we need more bait.
Impala….what a waste... bang dead on the spot.

Another useless bait. The PH was suppose to have cattle lined up to use but
he says it takes to much time to clear them and get them.
Well he should have been better prepared and had them ready on the hoof to slaughter
when we needed them.

Aside from the fact he has 6 guys here, any one of them could take care of the
clearing process.

Okay, we have more baits to check and by now we have 4 impala hanging.
The heat is bad, they are not lasting and the cats have a very easy time of catching
calves.
Hell, they all have cowbells on. Even a blind cat could find something to eat out
here.


The 12 quarters of beef are holding up fine as a nice dry skin has formed
on each one. Even the hit one is holding up.
The Badgers and Genets are getting fat.
We have more than 12 baits hanging to date.

We finally quit feeding the so called 2 females at one site.
And I refused to put out another at a site where a small female was eating.
She ate a whole ¼ steer in 2 nights….lol

Guys this story could be a lot longer , I’m only
hitting on the finer points
of this……

Next day same routine, I’m so pissed I’m not even talking anymore. No
pulling of baits and finding new places. Rotting impala doing no good
anywhere, so he tells me "we need more bait"….
Okay... I knew from day 5 that my opinion was, in his mind worthless and I know he
thinks I don't know a thing about hunting cats but I finally had to
make a stand. I said “ NOPE, I aint doing it. In over 10 days you have not been able
to show me that a cat will hit on these Impala."

I mentioned I wanted to buy a small calf that we had seen a few days ago. It
had been attacked by a hyena and had a torn up
leg. I had seen her for 3 days now limping and only getting worse. The settlers in
the area don't do much for their injured livestock.
When I looked at her in passing, I said to
myself “ What do you think girl?
Can you get me my leopard” She just blinked back. I knew she wasn’t going
to make it and either the infection or the hyena’s would come back and get
her.


SO... the truck went silent and the day went on and ended with no more words
from me or the PH.

We ran the bait line for a few more days. Nothing but females, genets and
badgers. I did get him to move a piece of beef to a tree with a rotten
impala, that night after the female had walked in the area for 2 days, she
treed and ate the beef but would not touch the impala.

Okay day 13. I had only heard from my wife once in 5 days. Now I’m
getting worried.
Unbeknownst to me she had been trying to get the PH's wife to
drive her back to me after 3 days. It took a HARSH demand on her part to
get back to me. She felt locked in Bulawayo and something was always
coming up with the PH’s wife to not drive her back into camp. She
arrived
after 6 days.

On day 14 we had had an impala hanging in a tree near camp. It had been there for 7
days and

it was putrid. Green and black ooze coming out of it and maggots everywhere.
Arrangements had finally been okayed to get the little injured calf.
We got her and she was small. Only ½ of her was good for bait, about 100lbs.
I nicely asked, as if I was walking on eggshells, if we could drop this rotten
piece of crap Impala, because we had had 2 cats in the area and 1 under the
bait for a few days but never going in the tree, and try beef?
I don’t blame them for never going in the tree. I nearly puked when the Impala was
dropped. A bag of green and black ooze was contained under the Impala skin.

We set the bait and the PH says "lets get that last Impala we shot about 4 km away
and hang that also."
Okay it’s pretty rotten but what the hell.
We go to that bait and it had been hit by a small female, just the
last 5 inches of the
the ribs had been eaten. The only part of the impala
that had dried enough to stop bacteria growth and be attractive to the
female. Drove to and from then hung it with my calf ½
We put the other half of the calf in another location.

Back to camp.

Okay, let’s go Hyena hunting.
We had dropped off some remnants of cows and the rotten old Impala baits,
not mine but from the guy that hunted weeks before I arrived.
That still pisses me off that he was there and I wasn’t told till a week before I
left for my hunt.
Anyway, he loads up his speaker and we g. Then the speaker won’t work….he
doesn’t know how to fix it. Someone else set it up for him, so we are in
the bush on a cell phone trying to talk to the guy that built it.
It never gets fixed. Reload and go back to camp. An hour later.. lets walk 1k
or 2 towards the site and just sit on the bait…okay,,,,1 hour later we leave and go
back to
camp……
That was the extent of my hyena hunting 2 hours in 15 days.

Next morning day 15. This day will be the most memorable hunting experience of my
life ……..

We check baits starting way out from camp. We get to my fresh little brown
eyed calf bait around noon. It’s hit, hell it ain’t hit, It’s Gone. Both
the Impala and my little brown eyed calf are ripped right out of the tree and are
nowhere in sight. With 2 sets of tracks male and female. It's not a big tom
but ¾ tom , maybe 120lb.
We have them both in the tree on camera and he is about 1/3 larger than she
is. We study the pics on a laptop, he is much bigger.
Then I hear the PH say “ I think he’s small…, look his tail is very fluffy”
Well I say “The tail is moving and blurred LOOK at the picture closer”
he then agrees.


Okay, now the PH wants to hang a piece of shoulder that has been lying in the

truck for 4 days. Overnight he would hang this piece of beef in a tree on
a much traveled road at dark and remove it at daybreak so it would not get
stolen by locals. This piece of beef was our mascot for 4 days…
Okay…I’m thinking 2 cats lets get 2 baits up…I think of my little brown
eyed girl…and what I said to her……
“Your going to get me my cat aren’t you“?….

I asked the PH to please take me to the other ½ of the calf and pull whatever is left
and put it here. It’s the last night, my last chance, I say to myself.
You would have thought I was pulling teeth trying to get him to retrieve this last
piece of the calf from the other site.
He did finally get the other piece. It had been hit and pretty much gone from yet
another female.

Yes females were everywhere probably outnumbering males 6 or 8 to 1.
Dog hunting and Zim’s (tom's only) law since 2004 has just destroyed the ratio of
males to females.

We built another blind, went and got what was left of the calf and went back to camp.
The truck was taken to the skinning shed and they took out my calf.
When we left for the blind I looked and asked where was it.
I was told “ There isn’t enough meat on it to matter”
I demanded they get it and PUT it in the tree.
By now I’m at my limit and I’m pissed
I guess I paid $12,000 to watch my PH hunt because I didn’t matter nor
were my wishes ever considered throughout this hunt.

He got it but you could see he wasn’t happy about it.
We got to the tree and blind at 5:00 hung the bait next to the one already
up and crawled into the blind…..

Night fell and time passed. I dropped off to sleep once and then
caught myself. The PH also dozed some. We had agreed if either of us started to
snore we would elbow each other….


I got elbowed a few hours into the night and awoke to the sound of crunching
bone.
The Ph stated “ He’s in the tree”
Give him a few minutes and I’ll turn the light on and see if we have them both up
there..”
I sighted my
gun on a nice secure stand not having to touch it to view
my lit red reticule crosshairs lined up 12” above the bait.

The light came on and the leopard was lying on the limb just like one of
my golden retrievers holding the bone of my little calf between it’s front
paws just gnawing away.
He was eating my little calf. He stood up and got a better grip and I got
a better look. I can clearly see his larger stature. A larger neck than a female.
A neck larger than and thicker than his head. More body girth and depth and
thicker in the leg than the female leopards.
The PH says nothing. I say that’s the male.
He said, "I can’t tell."
I say " I’m sure", He states “I can’t see if the female is on the
tree“……Okay, I pull the scope off the cat hoping to see the female in the
dim light nearby…..I pick up movement below and behind the other cat that
is eating. It’s
there, the second cat… I say“ SHE”S THERE! Just below him.
She can't get around him on the limb and I can she is the smaller of the two.”
He replies…” I can’t see her”
I try to explain where she is and he
doesn’t see or can’t see…at this point I felt he didn't want to see her.

Well just like this entire hunt has gone, my thoughts, opinons and experience
don't mean crap. Just like the rsst of the hunt, I wasn't considered in any decision.
The PH's mentality is I don’t know anything.
I’ve mounted cats all my life, Male toms have a distinct stature vs. females.
The neck structure, thickness, body proportions and head are very
different. But who am I to say, I’m just a stupid U S hunter.

I look at this tom thru my scope for 10 MINUTES waiting for the go ahead.
As I did this I can tell you right now, you cannot break the trigger or
bust the safety catch of a Winchester Model XTR .270. I pulled the trigger
so hard the first time that I still have the bruise
on my finger from a
week ago. I held the pressure on that trigger for over 2 minutes till I
had no strength left in me tryiing to break it or bust the saftey and let
it fire. The cat moved around giving me various shots , left broadside
standing, right broadside standing, frontal, quartering away, lying down
left and the PH still can’t see his nuts. HE keeps saying, it has a small
head, Well hell yes it does, it’s neck is larger than it’s head.
Typical male structure. But he can’t see what I see. The cat even shows me
his ass. I’m pulling the trigger over and over in my head while the gun is on safety.
I shoot this cat at least 10 times during this 10 minute period.
The PH is looking thru one side of his binoculars like a telescope. I want to scream
use
both lenses!!!!
Then the cat hears something off to his left and becomes alert, I hear
some cow bells and he’s out of there.

Okay, I’ve had it, I’ve been screwed
twice now.
I came to the realization that my hunt was a mere scouting and research project
for the PH for a future client. My hunt is over and I’m going to bed…I
roll up my sweatshirt into a pillow and make my bed and go to sleep…..
Hours later, I get a bump, PH states “ He’s back into the tree” Crunch
crunch…. Okay, a minute later, let’s turn on the light…Maybe this will work….
Okay light goes on, 2 seconds go by with this cat in my crosshairs,
I see and state “ That’s the smaller cat now up in the tree, little head
it’s much bigger than it’s neck, look at it’s girth, a third the size of
it's length I say to myself, if he had said shoot I never would have. I
never put my finger on the trigger for HER , "it’s a lot smaller than the
first cat" I tell him.

He states “ I can’t tell which one it is”.
I really don’t care to look at this female anymore.
I scan the tree with my
9x illuminated scope for the male.
He’s nowhere to be found in the tree.
Before the PH even turns the light off, I’m back on my pillow, then a few
seconds later she jumps the tree.

Okay….one more time….a little later I get a bump.
“Dennis one’s in the tree” Okay I think what the heck maybe this time, I
start to move to my gun, PH states I’m going to give them 30 minutes to
see if I can get both in the tree together.

Well at that point I just waited, 10 minutes later…cruching stops and cat
is gone…I decided then this was over.

As I fell asleep, I thanked that little brown calf and her big brown eyes
for getting me my leopard. Both leopards had been in that tree, both had
only eaten the calf bait that I had insisted on hanging. The other bait
went untouched. And the bait I hung had had only small pieces left on it.

I had just completed a Green leopard hunt!

Morning
came and we walked to the tree. Yep both had been on the tree by
the tracks confirming that 2 cats where there. PH states “I don’t think
the female climbed.”
BS She was the second cat in….
As we walked down the road the line that will remain in my head for the
rest of my life was stated by the PH.
“I just don’t think that was the tom for you to shoot, he was small and
only a ¾ tom. It just wasn’t the cat for you.”
I never said a word…..But in my mind I was screaming, when did it become
YOUR choice to decide if it was big enough to take? It was a legal cat and
my license NOT YOURS !

I held my composure and never said a word for hours….
He offered me another hunt for ½ price in the future….
I will not except that nor ever have to. There is no reason to. I got my
leopard and with the help of the little brown calf that escaped a more
tragic death by infection or being eaten alive by
another hyena attack or
a leopard.

Unlike most hunters I have the opportunity to have the leopard that should
have been taken in Zim this year.
A local leopard in a rescue had died around Jan of this year I have it in
my freezer tanned and ready to mount.
It will be moved to the corner of my den in my home as a memory of
this hunt. Some will say I was not successful but I know with the help
from that little brown eyed calf, that I was.

In Summation:
I got MY leopard, The hunt was a disappointment.
The PH had some issues, Lost his dog of 12 years on my hunt at home, and
his mother had a mini stroke the day before I arrived, and his sister
arrived from Australia whom he hadn’t seen in 8 years.

He should have brought in another PH that would have had his head in the
game in my opinion.

Is this area full of leopards? Yes, but females to male ratio is about 7 or8 to 1.
I saw FRESH leopard signs everyday and on virtually every road.
Most were females.
Has dog hunting affected this area? Dramatically, and it shows. Dog hunting
let’s the PH target males much easier. He has dog hunted this area for
over 3 years taking many many cats. But last year he had 3 dog hunts and was
unsuccessful on every one.
I ran into and heard of 2 other PH’s that had dog hunts going in similar
area’s for 15 days and they both never cut a tom track for their clients
so they never even ran any leopards.

Would I hunt leopard again in this area?
NOPE
Tom numbers to low
.
Would I hunt any area that has been dog hunted by what I have seen?
Nope. It lowers the ratio of female to male

Would I use a booking agent again?
Nope
I have never booked a safari before thru an agent or company. 6 safari’s
before went perfect, this one didn’t.

Would I bait hunt leopard with this PH again?
NOPE!

Would I dog hunt leopards with him?
I suppose if I ever wanted to but have no need to. He is very much a hound hunter
for leopards.

Would I hunt elephant and buffalo?
Yes that’s his nitch and he needs to stay with those hunts.

Was he nice and took care of us at camp and fulfilled our needs and made
us as comfortable as possible? Yes.

Traveling back home I put this all in prespective…
I have my leopard and a green hunt aint so bad for my wallet either….LOL

No $4500 trophy fee
No $1000 tip for PH
No $300 dip and pack
No $1000 shipping
No $400 brokers fee
Took extra money for a 2nd leopard I know I was dreaming but he had 6 on
quota
No $4500 for second leopard
Took extra money for more game like hyena and civet and caracal after the
leopard was in salt
No $3000

I prepaid 1200 for bait and spent another 1800 while I was their, $3,000
bait bill in total so adding it all
up. I came out of Africa with a
leopard and $12,900 in my pocket. A nice deposit on my Marco Polo sheep
hunt, that’s next……
My Bucket list of African game is all stratched off!

BTW Adam,if you read this, you still owe me $15.00 for the wire transfer.
When your office gal sent an invioce for the payment of the balance last Feb, she didn't notify me that you changed banks and my wire was returned. I sent it to your original bank that the 1/2 deposit was sent in Nov. I had to pay to send it again and have sent multiple emails asking for it.
It's only $15.00 but it is the princle of it. If you can't I'll understand. I hear booking are down with your bookings about 50% and you've had to go back to putting your boots on the ground. It would buy me and the guys at work a couple pizza's for lunch someday, but if you need it more than me keep it.

Ouch.

My sympathies on the bummer experience.

Damn, that is a really aggravating hunt report.

Better luck next time (with a different booking agent and outfitter).

Moral of the story...
It's YOUR hunt and You are paying as the client. If you are not happy, speak up. It doesn't help to boil silently inside. I also experienced a hunt that frustrated the hell out of me but was also "the good client". I've since learnt my lesson. The safari business is as much about customer relations as about finding the trophy.
JCHB

That really sucks! I am really sorry to hear of your bad experience, and can only hope you have better next time.

Thanks for sharing with us though--need to know.

Orvar

I do want something positive to come from this, I want everyone to NOT DO what I did and go with the flow. If you don't like decisons being made on YOUR HUNT, then don't do them and tell the PH you want your choices and your ideas to be put into action. You should be the biggest part of any decision, let him give you options and the pro's and cons of each and your decison should be honored as how things go.

I would like to hear what Adam Clements has to say about this disaster...keeping in mind Allgone's hunt report last year in which a Elephant calf was shot.

I'm terribly sorry to hear that Dennis. But, thanks for the lessons. Your report has several.

That is one sad story and I'm really sorry for your bad experience, but I applaud your attitude to it. There will be many here who will say that you should have made a stand earlier, but you paid a so called professional to guide you and you quite rightly trusted him to deliver.
All of your assessments of the hunt as it unfolded were spot on as far as I am concerned.
Anyone who hasnt had a bad African hunting experience has either been very lucky or they haven't done enough yet.
Dont let it sour your opinion of Zim, just make sure you go with one of the many good guys next time.
I wouldn't dream of booking any African hunt unless I had several good first hand references.
I hope you have a better time with your Marco Polo.

Tuff deal, my sympathies.

May I ask what this hunt was priced at? In no way am I inferring anything, just want to know.

Steve

I guess some of you may call it a cheap hunt, if this is the way a $15,000.00 hunt goes, It's all I can afford out of my middle class income.
I got references from a few people on AR about this PH and hunt.

My wife and I, $800 per day 15 days.
$12,000.00
3,000.00
pre bait and baiting during hunt.

So $15,000.00


Trophy fee was to be $4,500.00

Dennis, It is my not my desire to armchair quarterback your hunt, and I am sure I will take a rash of shit for saying this, but I would have shot the male (if I felt as confident as you say). This serves as a lesson to all of us, Its your hunt, your time, your money, your memories, and you can bet that you will be held responsible for the shot. Take your trophy and be proud that you had the sense to complete the task regardless of your inept ph.

quote:

BTW Adam,if you read this, you still owe me $15.00 for the wire transfer.
When your office gal sent an invioce for the payment of the balance last Feb, she didn't notify me that you changed banks and my wire was returned. I sent it to your original bank that the 1/2 deposit was sent in Nov. I had to pay to send it again and have sent multiple emails asking for it.
It's only $15.00 but it is the princle of it. If you can't I'll understand. I hear booking are down with your bookings about 50% and you've had to go back to putting your boots on the ground. It would buy me and the guys at work a couple pizza's for lunch someday, but if you need it more than me keep it.

The above is a reply to a disgusting pattern of behaviour, I spend my life listening to my customers who owe me money state "It's only $100" or "why are you making such a big deal out of $50?" or "why did you turn $200 over to your attorney?" IT"S MY $15!!! Give it back Adam, just becaus you didn't take it by force doesn't mean you didn't steal it.

Sorry to hear it Dennis. Sounds remarkably similar to one of my experiences in Namibia with month old baits, etc.

505 , Yes I did KNOW it was the TOM, A lot of things went thru my mind for those 10 minutes.
I ran every scenario thur my head, minute after minute, trigger pull after trigger pull when it was in my crosshairs and in my scope on safety
I DECIDED to do what I did, I knew I had the Leopard and I WAS sucssesful no matter what anyone thinks.

I did at one point , want to drop the saftey.
Then I replayed the entire 15 days in my head and decided I had my leopard and I'm not giving this can't say shoot PH anything more than I have already sacrificed to be here and do this.
I was a personal decision and choice, it doesn't change my sucsess and It was my payback.

quote:

Originally posted by 505 gibbs:
Dennis, It is my not my desire to armchair quarterback your hunt, and I am sure I will take a rash of shit for saying this, but I would have shot the male (if I felt as confident as you say). This serves as a lesson to all of us, Its your hunt, your time, your money, your memories, and you can bet that you will be held responsible for the shot. Take your trophy and be proud that you had the sense to complete the task regardless of your inept ph.

quote:

BTW Adam,if you read this, you still owe me $15.00 for the wire transfer.
When your office gal sent an invioce for the payment of the balance last Feb, she didn't notify me that you changed banks and my wire was returned. I sent it to your original bank that the 1/2 deposit was sent in Nov. I had to pay to send it again and have sent multiple emails asking for it.
It's only $15.00 but it is the princle of it. If you can't I'll understand. I hear booking are down with your bookings about 50% and you've had to go back to putting your boots on the ground. It would buy me and the guys at work a couple pizza's for lunch someday, but if you need it more than me keep it.

The above is a reply to a disgusting pattern of behaviour, I spend my life listening to my customers who owe me money state "It's only $100" or "why are you making such a big deal out of $50?" or "why did you turn $200 over to your attorney?" IT"S MY $15!!! Give it back Adam, just becaus you didn't take it by force doesn't mean you didn't steal it.

I'm gonna agree with Brad here, I've learned the hard way as well....Legal Animal? Meets my Criteria? It's no longer the decision of the "Professional". Bang flop, bounce. (hopefully)

Really sorry to hear how your hunt went. Just speculating : what if you shot the leopard and it was a female , what would be the consequences for the hunter , what would be the consequences be for the PH , what would be the consequences be for the safari company ?

quote:

Originally posted by The Artistry of Wildlife:
I did at one point , want to drop the saftey.
Then I replayed the entire 15 days in my head and decided I had my leopard and I'm not giving this can't say shoot PH anything more than I have already sacrificed to be here and do this.
I was a personal decision and choice, it doesn't change my sucsess and It was my payback.

At a number of levels I understand why you did that and respect you for making that decision. If you'd have killed that cat, you'd have been pissed off every time you looked at it. Thanks for posting this story complete with the names of the guide and booking agent.

Dean

Wtnut, Hunter is responsible for the trophy fee either way, The PH is clear he didn't say shoot and did not know it was a feamle. It was shot unintentional as a female, thought to be a male and was not known to be a female when shot.
I have even seen females exported even tho' it's not typical and if the report states it was an unintentional shooting it may be able to be get export permits for it, it's nature conservation's call on the circumstances.

quote:

Originally posted by maki:

quote:

Originally posted by The Artistry of Wildlife:
I did at one point , want to drop the saftey.
Then I replayed the entire 15 days in my head and decided I had my leopard and I'm not giving this can't say shoot PH anything more than I have already sacrificed to be here and do this.
I was a personal decision and choice, it doesn't change my sucsess and It was my payback.

At a number of levels I understand why you did that and respect you for making that decision. If you'd have killed that cat, you'd have been pissed off every time you looked at it. Thanks for posting this story complete with the names of the guide and booking agent.

Dean

Thank you Dean,I appreciate you seeing this thur my eyes. I am very happy with my choice and don't regret it bit.

My Zim trip with Gary

Im sorry Dennis to hear this as I said earlier.

I did the same hunt but for 3 weeks with dogs. I got 2 leopards on day 15 - 17 If I remember correct. I have baited for cats alot and really in October heat in West nic (cattle leopards =smart) the cats starting to eat after the baits been hangning 10-17 days. I could have killed both my toms from bait one from his own kill and one from impala hanging for 15 days. I took the dogs anyway because of what I think is more fun.

Ive failed 2 times before I went with Gary and know how it feels. You get him next time

Houndhunt vs Baithunt really doesnt matter much in ratio between males and females. He takes 2-3 cats a year from that area. If something it should be better for the ratio with houndhunts because you go for the biggest cat that controls the area and not a young male. If you shoot a big that holds his own area a new one will probably walk in and take over.

I can relate ,out of 5 safaris I only had one bad hunt, we had a hunt with a PH who was going through a bad time or something and treated us horribly. I bit my tongue and didn't say a thing, but I can assure you if it ever happened again, the PH would be fired on the spot. I agree with most of the posts, it's your hunt, and your money and that guy was obviously taking advantage of you.

That's a real tough one. You pay good money for "professional" advice - and it turns into amateur hour.

With all due respect to the magnificent trophy, leopard hunting is all about the skill of the hunter. The client, IMO, is just along to foot the bill and pull the trigger. I can understand your simmering, as clients are expected to just sit back and let the hunter do the work and make all the decisions. I am sorry it did not work out for you.

How did you run across the "AH" again? Track record is everything in the cat hunting business. Therein lies the difference between blowing smoke and being on fire.

Sorry about your misfortune on your leopard hunt. I know the feeling twice. That said, when I saw the "BALLS" I would have pulled the trigger.

Know how you felt after all those days, and lots of work but like you said - "Had it in the scope, and it was mine!" You can be happy without pulling the trigger sometimes.

Your know Blank, I just checked this post before going to bed, Life size Sable to mount tommorrow, and your words put a smile on my face. THANK YOU! Between my wife and me and my little brown eyed calf and a leopard running around still breathing not knowing he was dead in my scope, I'm good with ME!
Thanks

Had almost the same experience last week with my hunting partner in Namibia. She still needed a big kudu bull, and we were trying a great canyon area where a lot of them hang out. Problem was, there is a vast array of game there also.

Our PH was going bonkers over a tremendous 39"+ gemsbok bull and wanted her to shoot it. I explained that it was her choice, but if we shot the gemsbok the kudu hunt would be done. She put the gun in the sticks, got comfortable and said she was happy she could make the shot, IF she wanted. Then passed!

Fifteen minutes later she made an incredible shot on a beautiful and massive 54" kudu. Some times the hunting gods appreciate us too.

Dennis

Sorry to hear that you were disappointed, a few points to consider.

* Gary Hopkins is a member of ZPHGA and a fine hunter, he has been licensed for over 15 years and knows his stuff.

* If you were 100 % sure that it was a tom by seeing the nuts and would stake your life on it, then you should have shot, there would have been NO issues if it was indeed a male leopard........ IF however it turned out to be a female, then this is what can happen

- There would be an inquiry from national parks
- The PH may have his license endorsed
- The area will lose a leopard tag for 2013
- The skin will be confiscated
- There will be a fine of up to $ 5000 plus landowner compensation

Are these acceptable to you?

From the above you can see why it may be difficult for a PH to say shoot if he is not 100 % sure of the trophy.

As for the rest of your issues you have some very valid points with regards hound hunting and it effect on populations.

I am glad you have the memories and wish you would return to hunt Zimbabwe one day

Martin
Chairman
ZPHGA

Martin, Of course fellow PH's and friends would come to a defense of this, I would be disappointed if they didn't.
I applaud your post and your involvement.


Trying to lay responsibility back on the client is a bad thing don't you agree?

I Totally AGREE with you on it was his call.
And as a client you should be commending me for my restraint.

My report is based more on something you entirely missed as you should have got it as the Chairman of the Zim Ph's.

Your clients are not stupid, we have been in the bush before and hunt all our lives.

WE should be involved in decisions and the path we travel during a hunt, we pay your wages, correct?

Not just to walk along and shoot.

Options should be talked about, like what night to sit , why he feels that way, talk about OPTIONS and explain the pro's and cons then LISTEN to the CLIENT and his evaluations, thoughts and concerns and opinion on the matter at hand.

We had NO baits hitting the nights I wanted to sit on the bait being visited my 5th thru 8th day. I would have sat all those nights. He gave me NO choices.
He made some wrong decisions that took away options from my hunt.

I was treated like a child.
I thought some Ph's would get on here and get it.

I guess my experience will help other Hunters but, from your response I see I that the underlining points have been missed by you.

Some Ph's are better at some thing than others.
Gary is a better hunter of Buffs and Jumbo's than at cats.
I even state this.

He could not bring it all together the last night, as a client I had paid a PH to do his job. He fell short, either by circumstance or choice or ineptness. That's not my fault he's the professional. If I had taken the shot, would I have to pay the trophy fee, sure would.

As a businessman I take risks everyday based on my experience and knowledge.
He also and lives with the choices, just a I do in my business.

My last word was the HUNT was way over sold, by all three, Mark, Gary and Adam. No toms taken off that ranch last year.
Was told lots of cats and damn sure there was, 80% or better females. The ratio of toms to females was not discussed and that responsibility is the ONLY responsibility I will accept,

After 14 days of this hunt, I did make a decision , to MAKE this a Green Leopard Hunt.
I was not going to pay a trophy fee or tip a call I was going to make after 14 days of this.
I pulled the trigger and I had my cat.

At 50 yards and 10 minutes to watch with 12x “eyepiece” and he can't make the call, I respectfully disagree with the opening of your post. With both cats on camera the night before and ME seeing the smaller female in the tree below the large male , and me knowing cat anatomy and physical structure ,YES it was the male. But was " HIS " call. Your right……………

If he had seen both cats, I don't know how he couldn't see it, HE would have said , shoot the larger one. We had agreed on that after reviewing the trail cam pics.

I have some mixed feelings about this. First, I think your a bit bitter and I can understand that. I've been there. 16 days on Kodiak seeing 140 bears and go home empty handed due to the ego of the "Guide".

BUT.....I think you must assume a large percentage of the risk by purchasing a less than "high percentage" hunt due to the price. It also seems to me that you are coming across as knowing as much or more about hunting cats as did your Professional. Once the hunt dynamic goes to you not speaking, you might as well, pull the plug and call for a charter.

If I were to walk into your shop and give you a safari and tell you how to mount my animals, you would deservidly so, think, what a KIA that guy is. Many times things occur on a safari, we as neophytes just don't understand. ASK!!!!

This grandest of all sports we participate in must remain fun, once that stops, it's time to look elsewhere. I personally have had to review my own level of passion and find a new and different understanding of how to define a successful trip, it sound as though you have reconciled in your mind, success in by knowing he was your's had you shot.

Regards,

Steve

Dennis

I did not post to argue with you as I was not present on the safari, I have just stated that Gary is a stand up professional hunter and a member of the ZPHGA. I have also stated the facts and repercussions should a female leopard be shot. I am sure if given a chance, Gary will comment and we can have his side of the story.

I am not disputing your perception of what a safari should entail or how you feel it should be run, that is for each individual client and his PH to determine before and during the hunt.


Martin

Dennis,

I would be curious if this hunt was advertised on AR? if so can you possibly dig it up and post a link?

Steve

Sorry you took it that way.

I agreed you on many points Martin.
He's a nice guy, but just not the PH for me.



I've posted my report on the hunt my opinons and facts.

Take care
DENNIS

To me all those baits out and no cats. A waste of time. You know it was. Any way great shot.

Mike

Male or female?

I am sad your trip did not go as planned. Having gone to Africa last year and seen how it goes and what happens, etc. I, personally, would not dare pull the trigger without the PH making the call. I would not have pulled the trigger either. I guess I think I am paying a lot of money for everyone to do their job and sometimes you just get people that don't mesh personality wise or just are not as good as others we have hunted with. Unfortunately it happens but I am sorry at such an expense.

Mike, I do not see nut's, but if it's a female, it is a BIG female.

120lbs???

I can clearly see two nuts.

Thanks for the report.It took me 3 tries for the leopard in Zim and the first 2 hunts had some of the same stuff yours had.I finally got my ranch cat in West Nic in 2003.I think your male to female ratio idea is spot on.Although
I havent been back since I got my cat i still swear by John Hunt of Georgia Safaris.See See spring issue of Dallas Safari Club Game Trails Magizine

Same here...got mine with John Hunt in 2006!

Which ranch did you get your cat on...mine was Tamba.

quote:

Originally posted by SBT:
I can clearly see two nuts.

Took a REAL good look....female.

The only "two nut's" in the pic are Mike and the PH

Wow - that hurt just reading it.