| August 21, 2006 |
| Leopard and plains game stories from Ehi Rovipuka |
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In 2005 we went to the Caprivi on a buffalo hunt. Unfortunately, the area was suffering through a drought, and the buffalo were keeping themselves in Botswana, only coming down to the Chobe to drink at night. During one of the conversations about other game, Gert mentioned that they had already booked hunters for all the leopard tags they were allotted at Ehi Rovipuka during 2006. Later, after returning home, we booked back for a 14 day buff hunt in the Caprivi as well as plains game in Ehi Rovipuka. When talking to Vaughan, I told him that while I knew the leopard tags were spoken for, to keep us in mind if someone cancelled or was unsuccessful. And then I largely forgot about it. Kudu and buff was the focus. When Vaughan picked us up at Onganga in Windhoek, he said a previous hunter hadn''t filled his leopard tag, and we could hunt one while at E.R. But I knew enough about leopard hunting to know that the odds of getting a cat in the seven days we had at the western conservancy were very slim. Good enough, I thought. We''ll treat this as a ""preview of coming attractions"", get to see some baits put up, check them and kind of get our feet wet at this leopard business. Then come back for a 14 day leopard hunt and be serious about it. Maybe, if we''re really lucky, we''ll get to see a female or small male come to the bait. First day After checking the sights on the rifle, we went looking for a kudu. No luck, but we did find a herd of zebra and took an old stallion. For some reason, I love zebra hunting and luckily there are plenty at Ehi Rovipuka. We skinned and quartered it, and set off that afternoon to refresh the leopard baits. We set three, using trees Gert had baited from before. He explained that there were two toms using that section of river, and he showed us where their territories bordered. Gert really knows the resident cats, and has given each of them a name. Second day We went on a long drive to Palm Springs looking for kudu. Climbed several mountains, but struck out on the kudu. Took a nice springbok instead. Third day More kudu hunting. No luck, but did take a 38 inch Gemsbok late that afternoon, in a little valley, high up a mountain. To pack him out, Gert put the front quarters over his shoulders and carried them down to the truck. Not to be outdone, Elia picked up the back half of the gemsbok and raced him down. And won. Fourth day Checked baits and a small female had hit one of them. Tracks indicated that she had only run off when we approached. Freshened it with a gemsbok leg, hoping a larger cat would run her off and claim it himself. Fifth day Checking the leopard baits we found a big male had nearly consumed an entire zebra leg. To refresh it, we stole the third zebra leg from a bait that hadn''t been touched. We set up the blind tent across the sand river and covered it with limbs. Everything set, we left for camp and returned at 4 p.m. No action. Sixth day Finally got a shot at a kudu high up above us. I badly misjudged the range and was hitting way low, but bagged him. 52 inches, narrow and tight curls. Back to the baits, the tom had again nearly eaten all of the second zebra leg. Refreshed this bait by stealing the gemsbok leg. The female had only nibbled on it. Sat in the blind again, but no action. Exiting the blind that night, Gert looked up at the moon and said he thought this tom was a morning feeder, especially with this moon. Seventh Day So, the next morning at five a.m. we again crept into the blind. The wind was blowing through the blind from front to rear, and we stayed awake by shivering and waiting for light. I hadn''t brought my binoculars and was relying on Gert to keep an eye on the bait tree. Expecting some warning, I was surprised when Gert whispered that the cat was in the tree, and made the hand motion to shoot. I put the rifle up on the shooting sticks and looked through the scope. Sure enough, the cat was sitting on the limb like a dog, intent on munching the bait. I removed my right glove and released the safety, and then carefully lined up the crosshairs on the pale form. Unfortunately, there was a three inch diameter limb running across the shoulder. Crowding the limb as much as I dared, I squeezed the trigger. ""You missed!"" Gert whispered. ""What?"" ""I saw him bouncing away through the grass."" How could I have missed? I ran through my entire vocabulary of curse words, found a few I liked and repeated them until I got bored with them. ""I couldn''t see the bullet hit with the muzzle flash..."" Gert allowed as we got out of the blind. We went back to the truck, letting the light improve. ""I heard the shot,"" Becky said when we reached the Toyota. ""Well I missed, so don''t be so damn cheerful!"" I was not in a good mood. But during the drive down and around to the sand river then back to the bait tree, I went through the shot a dozen times, and I kept coming up with the same answer. No way I could have missed. Gun was shooting good. All one shot kills except the kudu, and that was my fault. Not over sixty years, stead rest and my shooting arm elbow was stuck in the cupholder of the chair. The cat has to be dead. I kept telling myself that anyways. We got to the tree and to nobody''s surprise, there wasn''t a dead leopard under it. But behind the tree was blood. First a little, and then a clear trail into the grass and headed toward brush. ""This just keeps getting better and better,"" I thought, wishing now that I HAD missed. Gert grabbed his 458 Lott and I had my 375. We started the follow-up. Guns shouldered and safeties off, we eased forward. One step at a time. I kept my eyes on the brush, trying to see the cat before he started his charge. To my left Gert was scanning the grass, doing the same. ""There he is!"" Gert breathed, then repeated, ""There he is!"" I saw out of the corner of my eye, Gert had his rifle aimed at something in the grass to our left. Then I saw the cat. ""If he moves, shoot him!" Gert instructed. No kidding? I had my gun on the leopard now, and was ready to shoot again for any reason, maybe to just break the tension. We sidled sideways, across a washout and closer to the leopard. Finally, Gert leaned forward and tapped the cat on the head with his muzzle. ""You have no idea what you have here!"" Gert said to me, then shook my hand. I was laughing. ""He''s huge!"" Gert blurted. Becky came down out of the back of the truck where she had been watching the follow up. "I done shot a spotted lion!"" I told her. Gert was running around yelling. I was still laughing, until I checked the blood trail. The leopard had run straight towards the brush, then fishhooked around and hid in the grass. He had died with his feet under him, waiting for us. Gert tried twice to lift him, failed, then took off his coat and tried again. He WAS huge. The two of us carried the cat out to the river bed for photos. After the picture taking, we loaded ""Terry"" up and went back to camp. Gert decided to have some fun, and told Elia to unload the truck without mentioning the cat. As soon as he saw the leopard, Elia started dancing and shouting, bringing everyone from the camp staff to see the cat. More pictures ensued. Overheard from Gert on the sat phone to Vaughan, ""Baie, baie big."" Africa Namibia hunting safari
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