I have been booking for Norman Crooks since 1999. In that time, he has proven to be my best guy for leopards. When he asked me to come check out a ranch he'd been hunting in Namibia for the last 3 years with great success on big toms, my friend, John Wood, and I signed up right away.

This was a hound hunt in rough country, but we were on big cats every day. I shot a cat that measured a true 8'1" and 176 pounds on day 4. John battled to keep up in the mountains, but he stuck with it and finally killed an absolute monster on day 8. This thing weighed 201 pounds and taped 8'4". It was so fat it had trouble negotiating some of the rocks and, due to its considerable bulk, actually almost fell off of one when the hounds bayed it in a rocky river bed.

Norman has been 100% on this ranch all 3 seasons and there are plenty more big cats left. In fact, in 8 days, we saw fresh tracks of 6 separate big males, plus some lesser males and females. 2 escaped to other properties and 2 got into caves we couldn't reach, but we both got our cats hunting 2x1 with 2 days left to spare.

I have 3 spots left for next year if anyone is interested.

fantastic leopards! Congrats.

Those are real pigs. I've heard many good things about Norman.

Tell us more about the details and costs of a hunt with Norman.

The Namibian hunt takes place on a very big area just 1 hour from the airport (Total conservancy is about 100,000 acres). It's cattle country, so the cats are fat and plentiful. The plains game quality is excellent, too. In fact, my hunting partner took a 40" gemsbok bull as well as a number of other excellent trophies.

The cost of the 10-day hunt in Namibia is $19,500 for 2009 including dogs and trophy fee. It is $16,500 in Zimbabwe and he has great hunts there, too, but the Namibian area is my top pick for an outstanding cat. Norman took 3 of the top 10 cats in Namibia last year, and John's cat may go number one this year. It's still early, but I've never seen its equal in body or skull.

I like the area so much I placed a deposit on the 3 remaining cats for 2009 and will probably book up the 2010 cats, too.

The hunt is tough because it is mountainous country. You don't need to be a marathoner, but you must have strong legs and be fit enough to walk at a decent pace in the mountains (4,000-5,500 feet of elevation) for a few hours at a clip. If you can, you will almost certainly take a big tom.

And as good as the area is, Norman is great, too. In fact, a lot of folks rate him as one of the best cat men in Africa. I know he's been my best cat man for the last decade.

Greg,

Those are two INCREDIBLE leopards. Congratulations. Your taxidermist is going to have a heart attack.

Thanks, Mike.

Holy smokes those are great cats! Congratulations! on these and the lioness too!

Greg,
Those are excellent leopards!!! Congratulations to both you and John.
James

WOW! Congrats on a couple of real monsters. The one I shot this last year on Erindi was the largest on the ranch for 2007, but paled in comparison to these. I talked to Norman Crooks at Reno this year, as I have a friend dying to go get a good one. Recommended to him, and we will see what happens.

I know it is redundant, but Dang those are big cats!

quote:

Originally posted by Charles_Helm:
I know it is redundant, but Dang those are big cats!

Me too!

Dang good job!

Congrats!

Does baiting and hunting from a blind work on these big cats in Namibia?

Thanks for all the comments guys. That was my fourth leopard hunt. I've passed a bunch of mediocre toms because I only wanted to kill one leopard and was willing to wait for a big male. I'm glad I did.

Ozhunter,

Baiting may work, but not near as well. The cats in that area don't seem to like to climb trees because there are very few trees sturdy enough to support their weight. We tried putting baits on the ground, but the hyenas just ate them. I know it can be done, but the success rate won't be as high.

And the success rate with hounds is only high if you're fit enough to chase them up and down those mountains. The dogs will bay almost every cat that doesn't go into a deep cave or onto a neighbor's ranch, but the cats don't feel so safe sitting on a big rock exposed to the world, so they jump off and start running again fairly quickly. The good part is there are so many big cats we were able to find fresh tracks to chase every morning.

Greg

Is this Gunnar Voigts' farm Otjozonjati? I hunted there in '06 with Norman.

Yes, it is. How did you do? We shot some great plains game, too. The only thing in short supply were kudu - they had rabies sweep through there last year and hammer them. We saw some pretty good bulls, but not the numbers I am used to seeing in that area. We did find big kudu skulls up and down the riverbeds.

Really Dream Toms.

Well Done.

Seloushunter

WOW!!!!!

You are gonna have to change your handle to "Catman".

Greg

Yes I had a great hunt. Kudu were in very small numbers due to the rabies, saw one maybe 60" bull but he gave us the slip.

The farm is a first class operation, Gunnar and his wife Zeita are gracious hosts, I highly recommend it.

At the end of my hunt I shot some gemsbok for leopard bait and helped Norman hang baits for the hunter following me. Norman was like a kid in a candy shop, giddy at the prospect of killing some big leopards. The area we were baiting just screamed "leopard".

If you want a big cat, Norman is one of the best.

I do not want to stir, but sometimes I read information on this forum that can not be 100% accurate....for what ever reasons.

Please clarify if mr. Norman Crooks is a Namibian DANGEROUS GAME qualified PH or not. I believe him only to be a Zimbabwean PH. If he is using another PH/Outfitter in Namibia for the hunts, I think this should be noted, as they are the actual people that will have to take the bookings and organise the hunts......(The Voigts')

You are welcome to visit the NAPHA web-site, where all their members, and their qualifications are listed.

I also believe that such a NAPHA PH must accompany the client through the whole hunt??

I look forward to hear from you guys.

Thanks

Infinito,

That is correct.

quote:

Originally posted by infinito:
I do not want to stir, but sometimes I read information on this forum that can not be 100% accurate....for what ever reasons.

Please clarify if mr. Norman Crooks is a Namibian DANGEROUS GAME qualified PH or not. I believe him only to be a Zimbabwean PH. If he is using another PH/Outfitter in Namibia for the hunts, I think this should be noted, as they are the actual people that will have to take the bookings and organise the hunts......(The Voigts')

You are welcome to visit the NAPHA web-site, where all their members, and their qualifications are listed.

I also believe that such a NAPHA PH must accompany the client through the whole hunt??

I look forward to hear from you guys.

Thanks

You can guide clients on Leopard with the basic HG license.

Well done Tokolosh!

I just might have to do another spotted kitty hunt after seeing those toads!

Those aren't Leopards. That is manbearpig in a spotted coat.

Nice cats Greg. Dang nice cats.

Incredible cats.

Wow, very impressive



.

Those are some amazing cats! I keep coming back to this thread every couple of days to drool over them.

Big hogs for sure!

John

Thanks guys. I've been on the road (black bear in BC and guiding exotics in Texas) for the last few weeks and didn't know this thread was still alive.

I had a chance to hunt a problem leopard last year and passed. I have been kicking myself every day since.