Namibia Leopard Caliber Min?

Swamp Collie · #1 11-15-2006, 08:56 AM

So the girlfriend is taking me to Namibia in June '07 as my "Christmas Present", pretty good to me ain't she. Anyhow, I am doing plains game, but, am going to do a Leopard as well, since it is dirt cheap. I am wanting to just take my 330 Dakota and be done with it, but, does anyone know if there is a min caliber requirement for leopard like there is for Lion and the other Big 5? Leopard's aren't really in the heavyweight division you know?

I checked the brochure and all that and cannot find an answer. The girlfriend has the #s and I can't seem to get ahold of anyone right now that knows yes or no.

Thanks

alyeska338 · #2 11-15-2006, 12:38 PM

I think there is a minimum for Leopard, like the rest of the animals, but do believe it is less than your 330 Dakota. For some reason, I'm thinking it is either 270 or 7mm in caliber, don't know the energy minimums.

Your best bet is to contact the outfitter you are booked with, or a booking agent if you haven't booked yet, and ask them.

Swamp Collie · #3 11-16-2006, 04:20 PM

I finally got the info today. They still don't list anything specific to leopard. They said that their "policy" is no rifles smaller in caliber than a .270, and they suggest a minimum of 300 Win Mag for the plains game.

My co-worker who has been twice now, SA both times, and hasn't done a leopard hunt, suggested I use my .7mm-08. He claims there is no minimum, and that a .325 will do excess damage to the hide. I know leopards aren't all that tough, no more so than a deer, but they are a lot more dangerous if you don't (insert Ruark book title here).

Same friend shot a coyote two nights ago with his 330 Dakota. He loads a TSXB and he said that, no kidding, the coyote looked like he was hit by a cruise missle. Seriously, like he took a grenade to save his buddies. Exit hole was as big as a grapefruit. Hence, he submited a lower caliber, with a bullet that won't blow up (and TSXBs do tend to blow up, even out of my 7-08, they peel their petals, crater, and turn into solids, nasty nasty things). Anyway, I don't want to tear up my new rug. I'm thinking maybe an accubond bullet?

alyeska338 · #4 11-19-2006, 11:33 PM

Swamp,
I would worry more about using the appropriate cartridge/load/bullet combo to kill the leopard quickly and efficiently than the damage to the hide. It is quite amazing what taxidermists can do these days, if you use a good one. Not sure if you plan on doing a full size mount, rug or what, but any can be fixed from a wound delivered by something from a 7mm Mag to whatever. I would personally load the 330 Dakota or 30-06 with the appropriate grained North Fork, Nosler Partition or A-Frame bullet and have at it.

One thing I recommend is after you get whatever rifle and load you are going to hunt with sighted in, start shooting off shooting sticks. After getting pretty good with them, start practicing getting your shot off as quickly as possible as accurately as possible. It's not that easy!

However, I would take what the PH thinks is best that you can shoot well. Leopard are neat animals, for sure. Sounds like you have a great gal there. Will she be hunting with you? Do you know if you will be baiting or hunting with dogs or....??? Would be a neat hunt spot and stalk them in the kopjes and hills.

My trip to Zimbabwe was fantastic. I'm scheming and dreaming of how to get back as soon as I can. Didn't hunt leopard, but we had one stalk us one day about noon. Was amazing seeing one creeping up on us in the middle of the day like that.

Make sure to take a few extra coins for other trophy fees. Namibia is the place for Gemsbok and Springbok. Some huge Greater Kudu have been taken out of the northeastern part of the country. Couple of my fellow Alaskans hunt there every couple of years. One took a 61 1/2" Kudu and another took a top twenty SCI Blue Wildebeast. Robin Hurt, Africa's most well known PH, has packed up and moved most of his operation to Namibia, Zambia and Botswana. I think he's hunting the Caprivi Strip in Namibia.

Swamp Collie · #5 11-27-2006, 09:36 AM

I have settled on the '06. Am going to be shooting a 180gr A-Frame.

Bought a sweet Sauer 90 already decked out with a Zeiss Diavari. Looking very much forward to the hunt!

Snow Leopard · #6 12-13-2006, 06:12 AM

One would be inclined to use a 30-06 with 50mm scope and lighted reticles. One might be well advised to be very familiar with the weapon. Leopards are particularily small targets, especially in low light situations, which is often where one finds oneself at the moment of feline impact.

grayghost · #7 12-13-2006, 07:19 PM

Swamp: you would have no problem killing a Leopard with a 150gr in '06, especially with any one of several modern bullets. Shot placement is more important than caliber on Ol' Spots. As for the .300 minimum on Plains game, I took all of mine last summer with a .223 (60gr Partition) and .280 (160gr Accubond). Kudu, Gemsbok, Lecwhe, Nyala etc were one shot kills. I put 3 in my Black Wildebeast. All 3 were kill zone but they are tough animals and I shot until he stayed down. You'll need a CITES permit to import Leopard so be prepared for the jerk around from the F&W Service. I'm 120+ and I haven't received mine yet. They do not return calls but they've had my $100 since the 1st of August. I'm heading to Zim in early February but no DG on this trip. RSA in March and again in June. I'll take my .280 again and maybe a 308 Norma mag. Good hunting, grayghost

Hard Cast · #8 12-31-2006, 12:34 PM

S.C. , your P.h. and his boys will work hard to set you up in a blind ,down wind hopefuly, you never know in Africa, so use the hottest caliber you can shoot accuratley. Any white tail caliber will kill a Lep., its haveing him drop dead on arivial with the ground that you want to achive. More P.H.'s are hurt due to Lep. inflicted wounds than any other animal in Africa. When after the shot he jumps from the tree or falls in an undead manner its your P.H.'s job to grab the twelve gauge, send one or two of his boys up a tree and pray he's dead or they see him before he comes. If he's wounded he will come, its their way they settle things up with the monkey who just put a hole in him . Make no mistake, they dont call them dangerous game on a whim. Some men think he is the most dangerous when wounded simply because of his blinding speed. Snap your fings and in that time he can cover thrirty feet or so. I personaly think a .416 is not to much gun because things happen when your hearts going a mile a minute and your hands are sweating and its not from the opressive heat. The extra bullet weight and caliber will increase a shoot and flop more so than a smaller faster caliber. I have killed several with a .300 Wby and two hit the ground dead and one didnt because he's a Leopard and he doesnt die on command. They several that i have seen literaly blown out of the tree road killed dead where all hit with a .416 Rigby and softs.I hope i shed the light on things a bit and i hope you have a wonderfull hunt. Shoot straight . Hard Cast

Cozy · #9 01-04-2007, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swamp Collie

I have settled on the '06. Am going to be shooting a 180gr A-Frame.

Bought a sweet Sauer 90 already decked out with a Zeiss Diavari. Looking very much forward to the hunt!

Swamp Collie, I really don't know where you will be hunting but if there are any lion about, you may want to jump up to the .375H&H just for grins.

A friend of mine has taken Leopard with both a 300 win mag and 200 grain Nosler partition bullet and a .338 Win mag using a 250 grain TBBC bullet.

alyeska338 · #10 01-04-2007, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cozy

Swamp Collie, I really don't know where you will be hunting but if there are any lion about, you may want to jump up to the .375H&H just for grins.

And add a few extra zeros to the amount of money he carries for trophy fees!

Hard Cast · #11 01-13-2007, 04:05 PM

Amen! on the trophy fees, you also need to know the following: if you shoot and hit the animal but lose it, it still counts and you pay for it regardless, and last but not least, the shipping fees can be very costly depending on the way you ship and how many animals need shipped. By sea is still the cheapest . Good hunting. .Hard Cast

alyeska338 · #12 01-13-2007, 06:45 PM

No, HC
It should read:
Last, whatever you do, GO. Go and enjoy yourself, do whatever you have to do, but GO!

There, all else will take care of itself. Lion or leopard or kudu or elephant or sable. Take what you will, but GO!

Hard Cast · #13 01-17-2007, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alyeska338

No, HC
It should read:
Last, whatever you do, GO. Go and enjoy yourself, do whatever you have to do, but GO!

There, all else will take care of itself. Lion or leopard or kudu or elephant or sable. Take what you will, but GO!

Yes! yes! yes! dont get me wrong by all means go to Africa at least once before you die. It will be worth any thing you had to do with out to get there and then some. We here hunt for game animals and some where in the 5 to 10% range find the animal we are hunting and with some luck its legal and with some more luck we get a good shot at it. In Africa they have a bit of a different delemia, i.e... The trackers have found a herd of Zebra and mixed in with it are the usual,Impala,Springbok, Thompsons, Wildebeast,and some times some young Buff bulls and a whole bunch of cows with some young. After a hurried breakfast you load up in the hunting car travel to the herd which has moved a fair piece by now. On this hunt you paid for a Buff,Zebra,Impala,Tommy,Widebeast, and Springbok. Your delema is first decideing on the animal you will stalk with out spooking the herd. Makeing absolutley sure if is a safe shot and will not injure an animal on the far side of the target animal, all the while the wind is changing and you probably will run into a pride of Lions who has been thinking about lunch before you had breakfast. Its now three hours later your very hot,tired ,thirsty even though you have drunk more water than the trackers have . You have set up what seems like a hundred times only to have the target animal move the wind shift or another spoil the shot. You have backed off and whent around until you think you know some of them by their faces. Then just as you thought all was lost your P.H. has set you up this time and all things go into slow motion. The guns sounds like it a mile away and it recoils you off target for a life time it seems and then suddenly everything is normal speed, you see yourself cycleing the bolt because your P.H. said " hit him again". You have done something you have dreamed about forever and it feels so good it hurts. The sun is warm and the dust gets in your soul and it never washes away, this memory will burn bright and will seem like yesterday forever. By all means s.c. go young man go to Africa she awaits you. Hard Cast