Celebrating his 70th birthday, wildlife and outdoor biologist Larry Weishuhn hunts leopard in Namibia. Hear how he fared in this latest Hornady blog.

“Two squeezes on your arm, slowly, cautiously and silently push your safety to fire. If you are not already on target by then, do so.” I nodded affirmatively. “Three squeezes mean, shoot!” My Professional Hunter (PH), Japsie Blaauw, then added. “After you shoot, do not move, do not talk, do not immediately reload. Be deathly still. We will want to listen to hopefully hear silence after the leopard has fallen dead out of the tree or to determine which way he ran and at what pace.” Before I could say or do anything the PH continued, “I know you are fast at reloading, getting back on target and quickly shooting a follow-up shot but with leopard, there will be no second shot, so do not reload, simply be quiet, still and listen!” Again, I nodded in positive manner.

“I know you brought two rifles, a Ruger Number 1 in 275 Rigby and a Ruger M77 in 300 Win Mag, and you’re shooting Hornady ammo in both. I also know you want to shoot your leopard with the 275 Rigby, but the scope you have on it, the illuminated reticle you told me is not working. This reticle will prove beneficial during low light conditions which is when leopards often come to bait. My suggestion is you let Josh use the Rigby for plains game and help collect bait. I saw that your 300 Win Mag has a Trijicon scope with a illuminated reticle, I think it should be your rifle of choice going after leopard.”

I had wanted to hunt leopard with my Number 1 chambered for 275 Rigby, the same round Karamojo Bell used on elephant; Robert Ruark, Jack O’Connor and his wife Eleanor had used in Africa, although with the O’Connor’s and others who followed, the round was known as 7x57. Still others sometimes referred to it as the 7mm Mauser, all the same 7mm round but by different names. I relented, Jaspsie made good sense. The 300 Win Mag Ruger would be a better choice.

It was possible a leopard could come to bait during daylight hours, trail camera pictures did show one decent sized male feeding mid-afternoon, but the chances of a big leopard doing so were expressed as between slim and none.

“Before we go to the property where we have a leopard permit available, we will have to do paperwork, and, we will want to make certain your 300 Win Mag is dead-on at 50 yards. Depending upon the bait set-up we hunt, we will be between 35 to 60 yards from the bait tree. We will also need to shoot a couple of warthogs to freshen the baits we already have hanging. That will be Josh’s job,” said Japsie referring to Josh Gonzalez, one of my grandsons who had accompanied me to Africa for his first safari. Josh started hunting with me, as did his twin brother Justin, and cousins Jake, Andrew, and Katherine when they were still in kindergarten. All had taken their first whitetail, sitting on my lap, by the time they were nine years of age.

“How is your right eye?” I shook my head… On my flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg I started having problems with my right eye, as in not being able to see. By the time I arrived in Windhoek I was essentially blind and could only see an opaque light. I was in a serious quandary, asking myself if I should I call off my leopard hunt? Not being able to see with both eyes might put my PH, our tracker or my cameraman for “DSC’s Trailing the Hunter’s Moon” television show which can be seen worldwide on www.PursuitUpTV.com in danger. Unfortunately at the time nothing had improved, if anything it had gotten worse and would stay that way throughout my hunt. Upon my return an eye surgeon friend, Dr. Tim Doucett performed his magic to bring my sight back to 20:20. But that magic was weeks away at the time.

I had long dreamed of hunting leopard. Now I was finally back in Africa for the one animal I wanted most, what should I do? I could see perfectly with my left eye. Thankfully as a youngster, I had taught myself to shoot a rifle or shotgun either right or left-handed. Over the years I have shot nearly as much game left-handed as right-handed.

From talking it over with my PH and being able to shoot left-handed, we decided to proceed with the hunt. After making certain my Ruger rifle was still putting Hornady’s Precision Hunter, 200 grain ELD-X loads in the same hole at 50 yards, we gathered some last minute supplies and headed to our first destination, and also had Josh shoot two warthogs.

Normally collecting warthogs almost anywhere in Namibia is a bit more than a formality, but because of horrible droughts the two previous years, all wildlife populations were down considerably.

It was nearly dark that first day of our Namibian safari before we found a warthog. After a long walk, followed by a careful stalk, Josh collected his first African game animal. With precious daylight remaining he and Japsie stalked and finally caught up with an ancient gemsbok.

That night after a delicious meal, having a sundowner around the campfire, Japsie laid out our plan. According to my PH we had at least two properties where he had reserved a leopard permit. We would hunt the first property, but also keep in communication with Jacob Wasserfall another PH who works with Japsie at Dzombo Safaris. In the morrow Josh would join Jacob and Mike Mobley, a friend from Texas, who would go to the second property. Eventually Japsie, Dustin Blankenship my cameraman, and I would go there as well, either with a leopard or there to close out my leopard hunt.

We left camp early to check trail cameras. As we approached the first bait on foot, rifle ready of course, we spotted leopard tracks made the night before. I glanced at Titus, Japsie’s tracker supreme, who has over the past year also become a friend. He confirmed the tracks were fresh. “Female!” he proclaimed. Then moved to the other side of the bait where he pointed to more tracks, “Young male!”

The second bait we checked had also been hit, this one by a big male.

“We’ll come back here at about two this afternoon but be prepared to spend the night. If the leopard does not come in before it is too dark to shoot we will stay in the blind all night and not make any sounds, to be here at first light should he appear. We do not want to make noise to let him know we are in the blind or make noise leaving the blind after dark or coming back in should he be close.” I glanced at Dustin, who had a perplexed look on his face, as likely did I. Arriving at two in the afternoon, meant sitting in one spot for a total of likely 16 or more hours. No talking, standing up, walking, or even bathroom calls.

I wish I could say the leopard appeared the first afternoon but all we saw were birds and a couple of mongoose. Well after dark we did hear the distant “saw and cough” of a leopard, as well as a myriad of other sounds totally foreign to someone from Texas. It was not an easy night! Finally, we watched a brilliant sunrise, complete with bird and insect sounds but very few made by zebra or other four-legged critters. The drought had truly taken its toll on the area wildlife.

Back at camp the farmer and his wife, on whose property we hunted, provided us with a fabulous breakfast and regaled us with hunting tales. As we prepared to leave for our cabin for a hot shower and hopefully a nap, the farmer’s wife surprised me with a small birthday cake. It was July 24, my birthday, and in this instance my 70th birthday. Frankly I could have not been more thrilled than to be spending my birthday once again in Africa, this time hunting leopard. I missed my wife and family, but they know of my passion for hunting. Numerous times I have welcomed another year of life in a distant land.

That afternoon we arrived at our blind and soon settled in for another all-night vigil. We watched various species of birds, some small mongoose-like animals, and the sun set.

At about five, I heard a slight shuffling behind me, turned, saw Dustin filming something behind us. I felt Japsie’s hand on my arm. I turned toward him, saw him mouth the words “Leopard, behind us.” He tugged at my sleeve and motioned for me to stand and be ready to shoot. I came around to shoot left-handed, but could not see a leopard. Japsie stood up as well and motioned me to follow him out of the blind.

I followed, rifle at half port, safety off for a quick shot. With each step we stopped and looked. Finally, we got to where the leopard had lay in the sand, about 30 yards from the blind and watched us from behind.

Without saying a word, Japsie indicated for us to gather our gear and follow him back to the vehicle parked nearly a mile away. Once inside the cab, he said, “Almost! There was no indication of any kind the leopard had ever approached the bait the way he did this afternoon. But if he had come in from the other side of the canyon, like tracks indicated he normally did, we would have had a shot… Thought its best to leave, rather than stay the night. Chances are the leopard will not return to the bait, and if he does he will likely go to the blind to investigate. It is better for us not to be there in the dark if that happens. Let us go back to camp and have a drink to celebrate seeing our first leopard of the hunt and your birthday.”

During the night Dustin started coughing with almost every breath. Next morning, he was feeling extremely rotten. Midday we decided there was no way he could go to the leopard blind.

Japsie and I spent the following afternoons, nights and early mornings in leopard blinds. Regardless of what we did to try to make the blinds as comfortable as possible, the nights were miserable; no sleeping, in fear of possibly snoring or making other noises, no talking and none of the several bathroom calls which come with age. Two of the nights we heard leopards “coughing”, likely less than a quarter of a mile away. We also heard a distant lion, as well as the yaps, squeals and whoops of hyenas. One night mountain zebras all but stepped on us but not a single leopard visited the bait during daylight or darkness.

Dustin wasn’t getting any better, I still couldn’t see with my right eye, and leopards were finding all kinds of ways to avoid us. We talked to another farmer, where previously the week before, he had numerous leopards on a bait, but now they had seemingly drifted away.

“Time to move,” said my PH as we left the blind about nine o’clock, one morning. “Let’s move up to the farm where Jacob, Josh and Mike are. It’s near Etosha and the area has some good leopards. There’s also a chance of seeing a lion and it produces some really big kudu. I’ll call when we get back to camp and tell them we are driving up this afternoon. We probably won’t get to hunt leopard this afternoon, but you can hunt with Josh for a springbok or blesbok.” This sounded like a great plan to me, especially since I could possibly sleep all the way north.

After bidding thank you and goodbye to the farmer and his wife, we pointed our vehicle north to meet up with the rest of our crew, plus Sonja and Juergen Beddies, owners of the property where we would finish my leopard hunt. The Beddies’ property was one of the places where there was leopard permit for me.

I had hoped to sleep all the way north, but I got interested in seeing the changes in terrain and habitat. We arrived to a roaring campfire and our hosts and friends waiting for us with a fabulous glass of red wine. After all the proper “howdy’s” we learned Mike Mobley had shot several of the animals he had hoped to take. Josh had served as “assistant guide”, (back in Texas he frequently guides on some of the better whitetail deer ranches) and had also taken some fabulous photos of numerous species, including a caracal of which he was justifiably proud.

As we settled in, Juergen and Jacob told us they had set several leopard baits, but there was very little activity on them, other than some tracks of a truly big leopard skirting around the bait sites.

For the next days, we hunted the baits, hunting afternoon, spending the night and going back for a delicious meal about nine in the morning. Between leopard hunts, I got to spend some time with Josh and be with him when he shot a really great blesbok and an equally good springbok with the 275 Rigby Ruger Number 1.

Mike chased some big kudu but hadn’t an opportunity to connect, and he was running out of time to do so. It was decided Mike, Josh and their PH, Jacob should journey south to another property where perhaps my friend could connect with a kudu. Japsie, Dustin (who was still sick) and I would stay to hunt on Juergen’s place until I shot a leopard or ran out of days.

So it came to be that Japsie, Juergen and I were in a blind overlooking a leopard bait next to a waterhole. The “sits” had been amazingly uneventful, particularly knowing all the game in the area. The current one was no different. Normally we would have left no later than about nine o’clock but Juergen’s trackers had told him they had seen a couple of monstrous kudu bulls watering there, mid-morning to about noon. We decided to stay in hope of being able to get a shot at one of the big kudu, in lieu of a leopard.

That particular morning, I sat looking out of a small slit in the round blind watching the bait. Juergen sat at my extreme left looking out another small slit watching the area to our immediate right which I could not see where I sat. Japsie sat behind us with Dustin’s camera trained on a small opening through which he could film the bait tree.

The morning had passed uneventfully, only birds came to water. It seemed nothing was going to show. I saw Juergen look back at Japsie, he indicated that we should call it quits. Just then I saw Juergen look back out the slit and react to something he had seen. He immediately pointed, “Leopard”! I swung, thankfully shooting left-handed, pointed the Ruger in the direction Juergen pointed. I saw a leopard in the scope, no doubt a tom, put the crosshairs behind the cat’s shoulder and squeezed the trigger. Frankly what happened took place a whole lot quicker than it takes to tell it. There was virtually no time between the time Juergen pointed, to when I saw the leopard in the scope and squeezed the trigger. Had I been set up to shoot right handed, as would have been the norm, I would not have gotten a shot at the leopard. Another step and he would have been hidden behind the brush and gone… Things happen for a reason.

No sooner had I shot, “Did you hit?” questioned Japsie. I explained the crosshairs looked like they were on the vitals when I pulled the trigger and I felt good about the shot. Juergen added he thought the shot had been good, but the leopard had run with the shot without any reaction.

I topped off the rifle’s magazine and loaded a fresh round. We eased out of the blind, round “hut” made of concrete, and walked cautiously to where the cat had been standing. We spotted a mere fleck of blood, then walked back to the blind where Japsie called Titus and Dustin who were waiting to pick us up about a mile away.

When they arrived I told them my story. Juergen and Japsie needed to go to camp to get their big guns then come back to get on the blood. Juergen said we did not want to wait too long before we returned. “There are many hyenas in the area, and if they find the leopard before we do, if he is dead, they will eat him.” As soon as we got back to camp and got the guns, we left immediately.

On our way to where we had seen blood, Japsie and Juergen told Dustin and me, we would follow the blood trail walking side by side, and move in a straight line, constantly looking for any movement or sign of a leopard. Titus would look for blood and tracks and we would watch for the leopard. I was reminded if he charged, shoot in front of him to compensate for his forward movement, and, if he did charge to be careful not to shoot anyone, especially if he got on one of us. I dearly hoped we would find my leopard quickly and that he would be dead.

At the site we lined up abreast, safety catches off, rifles pointed forward. Titus immediately saw blood. We moved cautiously forward, one step at a time, watching for the slightest of movement. The grass where the leopard ran was thankfully not too tall, but the thorn brush was thick.

We had made 30 anxious steps when Titus pointed at the base of a bush about five steps ahead. I could see there was something there. Whatever it was blended in perfectly. Japsie motioned me to his side and indicated to be ready. He pointed at Titus to toss a stick at the bush, which he did and there was no movement, followed by a second tossed stick, and still no movement.

Heart in my throat, rifle pointed at the base of the bush, we took two steps forward. Then I could see the leopard. He was lying on his side. One more tossed stick which hit the leopard and still no movement! With that Japsie, shouted out “WEISHUHN you did it!” But he was wrong “WE did IT!”

Even though we knew the leopard was dead we approached with great caution. He was huge, gorgeous, magnificent and mine, my leopard! Finally, after years of hunting Africa, sometimes twice a year, I had taken the leopard of my dreams!

Photo credit: Larry Weishuhn Outdoors