Africa dream realized

Blank · Feb 8, 2009

Just got home from Sam Raby's in Bluffdale tonight with my leopard. Hung it on the wall and am stoked! It's gorgeous, and probably the only other blonde that could drag me away from our very own Predator (Hi Lisa

) at the show today.

I know it isn't western hunting, but it is the culmination of a life-long hunting dream of mine, and thought I'd share.

flyingbrass · Feb 8, 2009

nice.
flyingbrass
cold dead hands

predator · Feb 8, 2009

Dang, Joel, that really turned out great!!

I've just decided I'm taking him my gemsbok for a corner pedestal.

Miss ya Big Buddy.

Pred

Rackcrawler · Feb 8, 2009

Blank,
I've never had the need, want or desire to hunt Afica.
However, when I see something that pretty, it sure makes me rethink, maybe I've been wrong all these years.
Congratulations!!!

Tom
A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.

CAelknuts · Feb 8, 2009

Nice leopard, and a beautiful mount!

rugarm77 · Feb 8, 2009

Looks great, lets hear the story???

Blank · Feb 8, 2009

Lisa: That's great, have him show you the twisted wood pedestal sitting by the work bench. Even better than the ones we looked at in the show. Amazing! Left him my waterbuck and he will get that out soon. The blue skies I promised you turned into "cow pissing on flat rock" weather out on the hill. Glad I had the shell. GateGopher sneezed to the state line, then slept all the way back to the Promised Land. Since I was advertising for David with other plates, I ran a little over the speed limit and made it home in great time.

The story - How do they usually start " It was a dark and stormy night- - -". I swear, really it was, rained until 0300 AM and then we found a monster track at 0500. Turned out on it and in 2 hours over over 2 mountains we had him treed. Looked at about 10 tracks over 4 days, and turned out on days one and four on big males. This big old tom had outrun 3 other hunters in the past two years, but held this time for me. One shot from the 375 H&H with 260 grain Nosler AccuBonds at 80 yards put him down at the base of the tree. Biggest killed on the ranch in 2007, about 70 Kg (152 lb.)and a SCI Top-30 skull at 16 12/16". Shared with my wife as an anniversary trip, we enjoyed mega amounts of fun with friends, special moonlight campfire hors d'overes and champagne with an armed guard for the lions, and scenic Africa for 2+weeks.

Counting the days until my upcoming Zimbabwe cape buffalo/tuskless elephant hunt Aug. 1-14. If you have an all-comsuming goal, saving every penny for a couple years isn't that hard, in order to go back to Africa.

OmegaMan · Feb 8, 2009

Congrats on a beautiful mount.

HunterHarry · Feb 8, 2009

Sam is a good taxidermist.
I consider a good leopard to be one of the world's greatest trophies.
Big Time Congrats!
HH

rugarm77 · Feb 8, 2009

Thanks Blank. Jason

Huck58 · Feb 9, 2009

The bad thing about Africa, once isn't enough, and once you go, you will go once again, and agian!

1911 · Feb 9, 2009

That is a great mount and congrats on a fun trip. No doubt that is a trophy in anyones book. I'm am a bit suprised there was anything left to mount after the H and H did the deed.

What does something like that cost to mount? That is a very fine exhibit by anyones standard. I'm jealous.

NVMULEDEER1 · Feb 9, 2009

That's one sweet Leopard and a beautiful mount!

I to never was big on Africa, but I went with a buddy in 2002 and had a great time. Look forward to going back in a few years and get a few more trophys.....

Again congrats on a great leopard!!!!