Leopard Hunting

Leopard hunting is boring, monotonous, repetitive, smelly and hard work both physically and mentally but it is exhilarating hunting when it all comes right.

"Pound for pound, the African leopard is the strongest, fightingest animal on earth. His strength is fantastic. He can hang an antelope three times his own weight, twenty feet up in a tree." Alexander Lake

Leopard Trophy Minimums

Panthera pardus (African Leopard)
RW Minimum	RW Record	RW Measurement Method	SCI Minimum	SCI Record	SCI Measurement Method
15 ³/₈"	19"	17	14"	19¹¹/₁₆"	15

African Leopard Facts

Habitat And Requirements

Extremely wide range of habitat tolerance from towns to mountains to coastal plains.
Requires some areas of dense cover.

Social Structure

Leopards are normally solitary, but come together to breed.

Gestation Period

3½ months after which a litter of 2 or 3 cubs are born.
No fixed breeding season.

Leopard Gender Identification

Males have their sexual organs sticking out behind them and they are very easy to spot. Males are, with a very few exceptions, larger and more muscular than the females.

Leopard Hunting Methods

Most commonly bait and blinds are used to hunt leopards.
Tracking on foot with bushman trackers and/or dogs is practised in some countries.

A Good Leopard Trophy

Many hunters judge trophy quality in body weight. This is somewhat irrelevant as weight varies according to when the cat last fed and/or bred. The only accurate method to judge this trophy is by measuring the skull as per Rowland Ward and SCI instructions.
As you will rarely see the cat that is hitting the bait, all the signs must tell you if the animal is big and shootable - spoor assessment and size, claw marks.
Once in the blind, you will have to trust your PH's judgement at the moment the leopard arrives, as you will be preparing to shoot. He will sex it and make a decision on whether it is a good trophy.
If you do see your leopard, look for big, possibly scarred head and muscular body.

Leopard Hunting Shot Placement

Cats have their hearts very slightly further back than most animals and as usual, heart and lungs are the largest target area.
If the animal is standing at right angles to you, bring your crosshairs up the foreleg and divide the body in half and then in half again and the centre of the heart will be found at the top of that first (lowest) dividing line, but just behind the foreleg The lungs extend to slightly above the mid way line.
If the animal is at an obtuse angle to you, remember the previous rule and aim at the opposite shoulder and you'll hit the same area.
If the animal is standing facing away from you, and you feel confident of the shot, aim at the root of the tail where it joins the body.
If the animal is facing you, aim for the central chest area where the bottom of the neck leaves the body.

African Leopard Pictures

(Place cursor over photographs to enlarge)

Male Leopard

Male Leopard

Male Leopard

Female Leopard

Male Leopard

Male Leopard

Recommended Viewing

Boddington On Leopard DVD. The incredible footage features Boddington in his quest for a trophy leopard, and it also includes highlights and kills from numerous dramatic and successful other leopard safaris. Boddington's own leopard comes as it is almost dark but fear not; all in all there are 21 leopard hunts on this DVD.