QTPIE'S Leapord Pic and Story

tayhot

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LAST EDITED ON Jun-16-11 AT 09:23AM (MST)[p]On behalf of Stinky....

Here should be 1 pic of the Leopard I shot. She was a big pretty female that got herself in trouble by killing a calf and hanging it in a tree. Workers on the farm found the calf on wed. morning, we went to investigate and found where she had killed the calf, dragged it under a fence and hung its body about 10ft up in a tree. It was amazing to think any animal could be capable of dragging a 130 or so lb calf that far. I was really hoping that we would find the big male I had pictures of, returning to feed on the calf. If it had been a normal bait, I would not have shot this female cat. However, I understand the importance of the livestock to the farmers, and know that once a cat gets a taste of domestic animals, that is usually the only thing they will hunt. Ian and I decided it would be best to go ahead and take this cat. All that being said, this was the most exciting hunt of my life?.I have never had such an adrenaline rush in my life. We were in a blind Ian built, about 40 yards from the calf carcass hanging in the tree. Ian worked hard all day wed to move the blind from another spot and put it up where we needed to be. He hung a red light in the tree, as these lights do not bother the cat when they are turned on by remote from the blind. We headed out to the blind about 400pm and sat quietly. It gets dark about 530pm here were we are at. Just at twilight, we could here Kudu bulls alarm barking down in the river bed. At that point, I started getting butterflies in my stomach. Ian was sure the cat was on the move, every 20 min or so the kudu would bark and they were getting closer and closer?we were assuming the cat was moving closer up the river bed. About 600 pm all heck broke loose all around us. The monkeys started screaming in the trees that were probably 100 yards to my right. Impalas started joining in the barking?.I felt like I was just not in a place I really belonged. It was exciting and terrifying all at the same time, mind you, I cannot see my hand in front of my face. In the blind, there is a small hole cut out big enough for my gun barrel and my scope. In front of Ian there is a hole cut about 5 inches by 5 inches, just big enough for him to look through with his binoculars. So here we are, in the middle of a place I should not be and ian taps my leg?.the signal to get ready. I was thinking that I would be able to SEE the bait and the cat, but boy was I wrong. Apparently you LISTEN for the cat, then you trust your ph to SEE the cat, at which point he switches on the light and leaves the rest up to you?..WELL?..I can never do anything the easy way, why should this be any different?.so I get the leg tap (get ready) when he squeezes my leg. That means ?shoot as soon as you can get a clean shot??..as soon as I get the leg tap, I feel this choking sensation in my throat?.like maybe I ate some grass and it got stuck?.so I start trying to swallow to clear it with no luck?.so I tap ians leg and motion to pass me his water, that I need a drink? He is watching the cat in the tree at this point?.he passes me his water and I start chugging to no avail?.by this point I have tears streaming down my face for lack of air, and trying to keep the overwhelming urge to ?hurk? (cough loudly as tony puts it). NO LUCK?.I try to bury my face in my gloves and blanket, but it does not work. The whirlwind of mayhem and noise surrounding us in the cold dark suddenly is quiet except for the sound of pounding hooves of animals running away, swinging branches of monkeys fleeing and one VERY LOUD snort of a bush pig that was apparently almost in our blind when I ?barked? ( as ian calls it). Lights dim, stage goes quiet?.my heart sank into my chest, and even in the blackness of the blind, I could see the disappointment on Ians face. I was ready to tell him ?just call them to come get us? but yet something made me stay. Ian turned and whispered, ? im going to lay down for about 20 min., wake me if you hear anything?. So there I sit, completely disappointed, and FREEZING in the dark. So I of course said my prayers, asking God for one more chance?.after all I knew, as did Ian, that God had been the one who sent this cat for me in the first place?..and I kid you not, Ian had just laid down for maybe 5 min when I hear a quick scratch sound in front of my blind, like a cats claws as it jumps up into a tree. I was thinking that I was possibly just wishfully thinking, so I did not disturb ian. I wanted to be sure of what I heard before I bothered him?.i waited for about 2 min listening to every noise?.i could hear what sounded like small branches breaking, and I knew instantly what the noise was?Cat gnawing on bone. I turned and almost fell out of my chair trying to reach/find ians leg in the dark to wake him up (dang, short arms!!!) So I grab ians leg and whisper ?I hear something?? I knew he was thinking ?darned woman, just WISHING she heard something? which turns out, is exactly what he happened to be thinking! Anyways, he reluctantly gets up, sits in his chair, pulls up his binos (I still cannot see a thing) all the while I could just SEE him thinking ?ya , right??.then I get a tap, tap, tap on my leg (get ready). I look through my scope and in the red light can make out movement, but everything is so blurry, almost like there is fog on my scope. I sit and look through my scope for what feels like eternity, then my eye adjusts and I see this big muscular leopard chewing on its kill. She kept looking towards the blind and each time I just knew she was gonna spook and run, but she did not. I had to wait a few min for her to move to a position where I could get a good, clean shot. I watched and waited, at one point, Ian said he could hear my heart pounding in my chest. It is so very quiet and dark here at night. Finally she moved down the branch, almost as if she was going to leave the tree. I looked for the best spot as she was quartering away from me, head to the left. I shot mid body, just behind the crease in her shoulder. I lost sight of her in my scope, but I heard a WHOP as her body hit the ground. She made 3 ?wa, wa, wa? sounds and then it was quiet. I thought I had made a good hit, but you must be SUPER careful with Leopards since they like to try to kill you back if you don't kill them first. We called for the truck from the house and waited in the quiet for about 5 min. when the truck came, we got in, rolled up the windows, and drove to the tree where the leopard was. We shined the headlights at the base of the tree and did not see anything, we repositioned the truck to shine the lights at a different angle and the base of the tree, and there she was. Ian instructed me to stay in the truck while he and the tracker got out, guns loaded and ready. He walked up and poked her with the barrel of his gun, then turned around with a big grin, like a kid in a candy store. They brought her to me, and I was just in awe of her size. As a female she is still considerably smaller then a male, but she was a VERY big female. She was absolutely beautiful with her black and tan spots, and her white belly. I grabbed her paw and put it in my hand. I have ALWAYS wanted to touch a leopards big paw and it was the neatest thing ever. She was just amazing?I lack the words to describe what getting to hunt and harvest such an amazing animal meant to me. If you do not hunt, I know is sounds crazy when we hunters say how much we respect the animals we hunt, but I have never felt that statement to be so true as I do now. It is truly humbling to get to place the paw of such a beautiful, mystifying, powerful, magnificent animal in my hand. I have tremendous respect for these cats. I am so honored that God took yet another of my screw ups, and gave me the memories of a lifetime. So there is my story, fresh from my mind. It was the best hunt I have ever been on by far, and I seriously doubt it will ever be replaced by any other hunt. Thanks to Ian, my PH and Joseph, my tracker; to my hubby, who spoils me beyond rotten and most of all to God for showing me His grace, love, and beautiful creations, and reminding me that all things are in His time and of HIS WILL?.. yet again. Things happen for reasons people?.I know, because leopards do not come back to the same tree after being ?barked? off??.



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Great story, Glad You got a nice cat.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
 
Great story and the last part of your writeup and smile on your face says it all! Through God's grace we are all so lucky to be able to do what we do and share this this awesome outdoor world and critters He created. Congratulations on a fantastic adventure!
 
Wow- great story and a great pic... thanks for sharing..!!


"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24
 
Badass story Terra!! I think sound is the coolest thing in the world when it gets the adrenaline rolling that much!! To be able to listen to one of the fiercest predators in the world and not be able to see anything whatsoever...and you have the option of killing it "if" you ever get to see it...my idea of a hella good time right there!! I'm seriously jealous as hell!! :)

Congrats on killing one of the most impressive cats on the planet and thanks for the awesome story!!

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb37/Feleno/zFix.jpg[/IMG] ~Z~
 
Thanks for that story. I leave for the dark continent in 13 days and stuff like this just makes me more and more ready to go. Thanks for sharing. Great story. Something you will never forget for sure.
 
Congrats Q-tip and Crew Stinky. Nice cat and nice story. I got some of your other pictures, hope you post a full story with them when you return. Amazing sable Stink.
 
Awesome story and as mentioned you're a very good writer. You made the reader capture your experience almost like being right there. Congrats on your trophy of a lifetime!

GBA
 
Very well done Terra! Congrat's on a great trophy. Tell Tony to send me some Eland Pic's!

I am leaving in two weeks and cannot wait.
 
Thanks for sharing that with us tayhot. Well done Terra. You saved Tony a whupp'en in the dark. Figures. That is certainly a beautiful leopard, the color contrast and spotting definition is perfect. If they come with better coloration, I've not seen a picture of one. A leopard and a sable on one trip, you're both spoiled, if your own hard work can spoil ya.

Be safe.

DC
 
Great trophy and story. Congrats!

Running your hand down your trophy leopard is something that will stay with you forever. Just the sound of the words "your leopard" will bring a tingle and a smile every time you say it. :)
 
Congratulations on the hunt of a lifetime! Leopard hunting is a very special hunt, something that has to be experienced to be fully appreciated. Well done.
 
Awesome story! Makes me think PG is not all I should be thinkin' about next year.

Way to go, Q-TIP! :)

Preddy
 
Thanks everyone! That was for sure the most amazing hunt I think I will ever get to do....like I said, there are no words to describe how it all felt..we are driving home right now, but tony and I will be posting more pics as soon as we ge home.





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