Have ya'll seen this?

http://www.mdwfp.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=65048

that is one impressive beast. I would like to hear the story.

I would like to hear the real story behind the photo. The caption is probably just another one of those silly fake stories, like the ones with the bear and mountain lion photos.

There is no reliable record of a wild jaguar getting anywhere close to 307 lbs--especially not in Central America. 200 lbs is probably the far upper end for a wild Central American jaguar. In South America's Pantanal, where jaguars get the biggest, 260-270 is the extreme upper end on weight. Of course, a zoo kitty can get much bigger, but that doesn't look like a zoo kitty. It also doesn't look like a 307 lbs cat, either, but it is a nice tom.

That cat at best may go 200lbs and no more. thats a nice jag none the less.

First post on the South American board...I've never hunted outside the U.S. but if given my choice and a free hunt any kind anywhere...it would be jaquar. I suspect there could be others who feel the same. It's just an idea that always seemed appealing somehow.

If the laws are changed to allow U.S. hunters to both take and bring back jaguar trophies, then I believe there would definitely be some very serious money to be made by any countries down there that wanted to participate.

Jaguar or not, I have been busy studying up on Uruguay for a possible bird hunt there eventually.

It's always been my dream to take a jaguar. I'm sure one would respond various varmit calls. I sure would want to pick my ground carefully though, you really wouldn't want one at boot lace distance. lol

The title of the pict is "tigre del Pantano"

Mr. Arlindo Pedro Zatti, from Brazil, perhaps is the foremost authority on them jaguars and hunted a large number when legal. His books are impressive and very interesting. By the way, I´ve seen pictures of beasts shot in Bolivia much bigger than the tom in this post.
Absolutely forbidden, of course.

So, what are/were the preferred methods of hunting Jags? If it were legal and you were doing a guided hunt, how would you go about it?

Pix of Sasha Siemel and some of his kills:
http://images.google.com/imgre...07%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

There are bigger jags than the one from the picture.

Best method is to find a fresh kill and release the dogs. Also building a blind near a fresh kill works.

Some people use the "picadas", open paths through the "monte" (thornbush or jungle depending the area) that go for miles and miles.

They tie young goats, with several miles in between. When they discovered one is missing, they will replace it with another one till the cat is located in one area and then they build a blind.

Also many farmers use traps.

Never done it but I talked about jag hunting with many farmers and farm workers from the Gran Chaco area and all of them do more or less what I have described.

Hunting the "tigre" is forbidden everywhere but in the deepness of the Chaco the "laws" are made by the farmers.
L

Lorenzo said it well. The hunting ways resemble very much those once used for shooting real tigers in India, albeit instead of water buffs the farmers use goats. More than thirty years ago there was a famous Argentine outfitter by the name of Hugo Pesce who guided for jaguars in Paraguay and used these methods, even one of his customers, an handgunner named Sergi shot a tom from a distance of one meter, keeping near the goat and hiding under a cover made with a piece of tin. I don´t know it in depth, but understand that in certain areas in Bolivia there are local laws regarding PAC, thus some cats are shot this way, even now.

I don't know why, but having never hunted outside the U.S. I had it in mind something about tying fresh dead bait like a whole animal up on a tree limb, and building a nearby blind. Is that maybe from leopard hunting or something, and not a jaguar method?

Would trying to mimic the sounds of a wounded prey animal help any?

A baby goat crying because of feeling alone is much better than trying to mimic the sounds of any wounded pray....

And I think that jaguars will prefer their own kill...

L

Shack,
In Africa Leopards must move theri kills up into trees so that lions and hyenas will not steal the kill. They also look for the remains of other leopard kills in trees, so baiting in that fashion works in Africa.
The jaguar is the biggest predator in South America and has no need to drag his kill into a tree.

The best Jaguar Hunter of all time is Tony Almeyda. Still alive. He wrote a very well written book in splendid English, published by Safari Press. It is "JAGUAR HUNTING IN MATTO GROSSO AND BOLIVIA". In it there are also some stories about Water Buffalo hunting in Marajo.
I strongly recommend it. I have one dedicated by the author, a respected friend of mine.
Regards,

PH

I have the same book, and have read it several times. It is well done. I was especially interested in his hunting of pampas and marsh deer.

Tony Almeda and Sasha Siemel took a great many jaguars in South America. More recently, Tony Rivera has captured and collared a large number of jaguars with his hounds in southern Mexico and elsewhere for scientific studies.

I suspect the number of jaguars Rivera has caught is approaching that of Almeda and Siemel, or soon will be.

Bill Quimby

Just recalling from memory it seems like it was about 25 to 30 yrs ago that jag hunting in central america supposedly was popular with U.S. hunters. I vaguely recall some hunting mag articles about it. Seems like the .375 H&H was one gun I remember being used. Overkill maybe?

I also had a close friend then I did a lot of hunting with who wanted to put together a trip down there. Sure wish I had done it. He's gone now and apparently so is jag hunting...

A big tom jaguar is bigger than an African lioness. I don't think any body should be embarassed for shooting the biggest rifle he can handle, especially from close range. There is a difference between killing and stopping.

One of my now departed Friends loved to hunt Jaguar.

He was a rough, tough wildcatter (oil not cartridges ) .

His favorite way to hunt was with dogs and horses and a spear or a knife.

I remember watching a old home-movie of him charging in among the dogs and stabbing a big cat with what looked to be a big knife.

He got up from his chair and brought out an Argentine side arm (basically a short sword) and gave it too me. "My kids could care less about any of this stuff".

One of my truly prized possessions.

I've heard of guys taking on wild hogs in east tennessee with knives. One was pretty good at it but eventually got hurt. Taking on a jag however would be something. So I know the knife would have to be a prized possession.

I found this on YT about jags - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...HiDQ&feature=related. Didn't realize they came in black. Maybe it's their kindred that were known as panthers and mentioned as living here in the Mid-South/Delta region a very long time ago.

More on jags - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...Mi4c&feature=related. Oops! Wrong jaguar...but it roars just the same...

Hi
I read the book written by Tony Almeyda and it's very interesting. Unfortunaly there is no legal jaguar hunting (i think) so i will never feels the thrill hunting jaguar with hounds.

caracal

Here's an "artsy" video that has a few seconds of Sasha Siemel taking a jaguar with a spear. It must have been within a confined space because of the camera location above the action. Still, the jaguar meant business and was a blur of speed, and Siemel was skillful with the spear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-or8Y6ZYTDs

I had the good fortune to meet Sasha in 1960 I think. I was ten years old and attending a lecture he gave in Birmingham Al.

He showed several of his personal reel to reel movies, including killing a big jaguar with a spear after the dogs had bayed it.

It was, and still is, the most impressive thing I've ever seen where man and animal are concerned. He was, IMHO, the greatest hunter of all.

troy

Hugo Pesce´s teacher was one of the best, if not the best jaguar hunters of all time, Mr. Juan Carlos Joy. He reached Paraguay in 1947 and founded Tiger Hills Safaris, guiding many of the most famous hunters of the time, most directed to him by Griffin & Howe, including the international hunter Sacha de Montbelt. Sacha wrote "Big game hunting" between other most readable works, always short editions, very rare to find nowadays. I had the pleasure of visiting with Mr. Joy and here we are seating in a sofa decorated with a jaguar´s skin, looking at Sacha´s book where Juan Carlos is mentioned.

Is there any place close enough to having the numbers to even start thinking of bringing it back?

And Carlos, do you remember any particular hunting stories Mr. Joy had to tell?

Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil, at least.

Jaguar populations in some places in South America are stronger than mountain lion populations in the western US, but such facts never really mattered much to the anti-hunting crowd.

Legitimate, licensed hunting would be the best thing that ever happened to jaguars (just like elephants and rhinos), but there are many irrational people and organizations who will work overtime to make sure it never happens.