LEOPARD

AFRICAN LEOPARD

                                                                               
The African Leopard along with the Cape Buffalo were my two main choices when traveling to Zimbabwe South Africa.  I had already collected my Cape Buffalo but we had not been able to locate any leopards feeding on the many baits that we had hanging in the area of Lake Kariba on The Zambian border. 

On the last day of the hunt we were in a location were we had not been in a while a decided to check some old baits.  We hadn't been back because there were Lions in the area and Leopards don't get along.  When we arrived at the bait location we discovered that a large Leopard had been on the bait.  Rob said they were the largest set of tracks of Leopard that he had ever seen.

We were to leave that afternoon to go back to Bulawayo were we would catch a plane back to the United states.  I was given the choice to leave or to stay they rest of the day in hopes the Leopard would return to this bait.  The choice was simple for me, I was staying.  Susan boarded the small plane as was gone.  I was to meet her the next morning for our flight back to the US.

We entered the blind about 4 P.M.   The bait was high in a tree and was silhouetted against the sky-line.  Rob had us take rocks into the blind to throw at lions, feeding in the area, to scare them away. I didn't safe about this.   An hour or so latter, 3 large Elands began grazing 10 feet away.  Soon an Impala ran past, the Eland barked and ran off.  The Leopard was coming.  He passed 10 yards from the blind.  It was dusk turning toward dark.  We heard the Leopard scratching the tree (his claws are retractile).  He quickly climbed the tree, pulled the impala toward him and began feeding.  I could pick him up in my scope.  I waited for him to straighten up but he crouched further down.  I shot.  The bullet of my 300 Weatherby broke his spine and came out through his heart breaking is spine in a second place.  He fell with a thud and one last swish of the tail. 

We waited  for Thomas and Dengame in the Land Rover to retrieve the Leopard.  We approached carefully with 4 guns loaded in case he was wounded.  What a BEAUTY!  Large dark spots. 7'3" from nose to tip of tail weighing 203 lbs.  (A large Leopard is usually6'6" and weighs 150 lbs.)  Rob said should rank in TOP10.