Forums.NitroExpress.com

Can I add that just to prove that one should never say never and never say always about Africa, and I guess to prove myself wrong (DOH!) - I have actually just thought of one way you could practice on a range (if safety permits) for your shot at Leopard. This is also what I now get the client to do before we go into the blind.

I first measure the range of blind to bait and height of ground to branch. (You'll have to 'dummy this up' at the range). Then I set the client up just as he'll be shooting in the blind. That includes same seat and same rifle rest set up etc.

I take a suitably sized cardboard box and draw a life sized silouette of a Leopard on the outside of the box - and inside the box, I hang one of those plastic bottled water containers in the appropriate position to simulate the heart. Then when everything is in position, I ask the client to shoot the animal where he believes the heart to be. Usually, they miss the heart the first few times because they are looking/aiming at a spot on the outside of the cat, but after a bit of practice, they learn to aim for where the (unseen) heart is located. When the client can put 3 consecutive shots through the 'heart', I judge them ready to shoot their Leopard.

Interestingly, and with all my fingers and toes firmly crossed, I've never had a client wound a cat since I started this practice.

--------------------
Steve "Shakari" Robinson
Kuduland Safaris (Africa) Ltd
info@kuduland.com
www.kuduland.com

Post Extras