Buckshot & Leopard- Fact Or Fiction?

[Bapu]

Absolutely thrilling, thank you, Bapu. Sound like you used a BRNO ZP-49. Good solid guns, my friend. Although the ejectors are often problematic when using shells loaded with shot weights above 32 grams. You have confirmed my assessment. A headshot with L.G shells will not penetrate a leopard’s skull. But a throat shot (like yours and the kind I used to take the first tiger) is feasible.

Were you issued the L.G shells by the forest department? Because L.G shells (and buckshot, in general) was banned for civi possession in India in 1980.

Your friend,
Habib

Habib Saheb it a ZP-49. LG I managed.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Habib Saheb it a ZP-49. LG I managed.

Got it. I can read what you are implying. I won’t ask you to go into anymore details.

 

[Bapu]

Fantastic, my friend. What make and caliber of rifle is that? I’m guessing the caliber is .30-06 ? Lots of my Indian friends have recently begun to prefer this caliber over the old IOF .315 bore rifle (basically an 8x50mm R).

Habib Saheb it M70 pre 64 30-06 topped with S&B1.5-6x42 crosswire and tappered post reticule. 180 SP

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Habib Saheb it M70 pre 64 30-06 topped with S&B1.5-6x42 crosswire and tappered post reticule. 180 SP

Beautiful. Just call me “Habib”. No formality. The 180Gr soft points were Sellier & Bellot, maybe.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Hunter Habib has very much experience wih a lot of various shotgun ammo and any kind of terrains and weathers. So he has seen and done the most, if he say something about a gun or cartridge its true,tested and verified.

Thanks, Per. Some experience I wish I didn’t have! Thinking of going after man eating Royal Bengal tigers with shotguns again gives me anxiety!

 

[Bapu]

Beautiful. Just call me “Habib”. No formality. The 180Gr soft points were Sellier & Bellot, maybe.

Yes sir Sellier & Bellot. I only use them coz only they are available and moreover have also zeroed my scope on them. Have shot most of my maneater leopards with them. They preform excellent. One shot kills.

 

[Bapu]

Thanks, Per. Some experience I wish I didn’t have! Thinking of going after man eating Royal Bengal tigers with shotguns again gives me anxiety!

Now tigers is a different ball game altogether Habib Saheb.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

My last maneater. Last December.

View attachment 482591View attachment 482592

How much did this man eater weigh? I’m sure it was exciting hunt.

 

[Bapu]

How much did this man eater weigh? I’m sure it was exciting hunt.

73kgs

 

[Mort Hill]

You guys all have some full-on brass balls! My respect goes out to you.

 

[archer36]

OK, I'll start the conversation up again. How about #6 bird shot? If you hit him in the eyes and blind him, he can't eat what he can't see.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

You guys all have some full-on brass balls! My respect goes out to you.

Ha, ha, no, Mort Hill. I’m nowhere as brave as you give me credit of being. I did it out it of compulsion. As a matter of fact, in the case of the first man eater … I only stepped in after a complaint was filed to the Chief Conservator against me and my officers (that we weren’t doing everything in our power to stop the tiger after the Ministry of Forests had issued the Death Order for the animal).

Made a great deal of stupid mistakes too. It took me and my men 11 tries (over the course of two weeks) before I finally managed to shoot the first one.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

OK, I'll start the conversation up again. How about #6 bird shot? If you hit him in the eyes and blind him, he can't eat what he can't see.

Assuming that you’re being serious, the answer is that this is a very bad idea. When a leopard charges, it is always at very close range. 9 out of 10 follow ups for wounded leopards result in a charge. The animal waits to ambush you and the only warning sign you usually get is a low guttural growl. Assuming that the #6 birdshot blinded him mid-charge, it would not stop him from still landing on you (at which point, we already know what’s going to happen). Besides, leopards and tigers (while deficient in the sense of smell) have exceptionally keen hearing. Even while blinded, they would manage to locate the hunter if you were close enough.

 

[archer36]

Assuming that you’re being serious, the answer is that this is a very bad idea. When a leopard charges, it is always at very close range. 9 out of 10 follow ups for wounded leopards result in a charge. The animal waits to ambush you and the only warning sign you usually get is a low guttural growl. Assuming that the #6 birdshot blinded him mid-charge, it would not stop him from still landing on you (at which point, we already know what’s going to happen). Besides, leopards and tigers (while deficient in the sense of smell) have exceptionally keen hearing. Even while blinded, they would manage to locate the hunter if you were close enough.

Yes. I was serious about the idea. But respect experienced opinions.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Yes. I was serious about the idea. But respect experienced opinions.

Oh, forgive me. I was unsure if you were joking or not. When I was very young, a similar idea once ran through my mind like yours (but I contemplated using BB instead of #6)

 

[8 x 60]

View attachment 307874 It is definitely not fiction . 32 leopards have fallen to the 12 bore twelve pellet SG cartridge at my hands . Even two of my four Royal Bengal tigers were killed with this type of ammunition. When we used to reload our cartridges due to low availability of fresh cartridges in Darjeeling , the ideal solution was to treat the cartridge with hot wax from bees. We would pour hot wax over the pellets which would hold the shot together , thereby reducing spreading and increasing range a little. However , it is an inconsistent performer at any distance greater than ten feet . I learnt to content myself with a 12 bore Ishapore side by side two trigger shot-gun loaded with SG in both the barrels , because that was what l had . If l had good central fire calibre rifle , l would have used that instead. Today , modern fire arms have made such risky practices antiquated.
The picture you see was taken in 1969 and it was the last of the four Royal Bengal tigers which l had shot. My proud late father lies on the freshly removed skin , still red at the edge . I killed it with two barrel's worth of SG shot ( 24 pellets ) at it's neck at a distance of 7 yards .
This is one of the few color pictures which l possess of that time.

That looks like red backing cloth to me, also it looks like it has taxidermist glass eyes . Are you sure your memory is serving you correctly here

 

[juan pablo pozzi]

Hello , brother Sportsmen
For many years , l have had a burning question on the back of my mind which l want you all to give your input on .
Is there any truth about the saying that the best weapon for Wounded Leopard in thick brush is A Double barrelled shotgun loaded with buckshot ? As most of you know , l am an avid reader of classic hunting books .
From What l read , most famous hunters are divided on the issue.
Proponents of the strategy of using Buckshot on wounded leopard include :
1) John Pondoro Taylor
2) Donald Anderson
3) Richard L Scott
4) Peter Hathaway Capstick
Outspoken Critics of this controversial method include :
1) Harry Selby
2) Finn Aagaard
3) Dr. Jagdish Kumar
Then we have the following people who actually DID use buckshot on Leopard but failed to kill them with it :
1) Kenneth Anderson
2) Brian Marsh
3) Henry R Caldwell
What is your input on the matter ?
I personally think trying to kill a leopard with Buckshot is Suicide ( and a painful one at that ) . My layman's understanding of ballistics is that Buckshot wouldn't penetrate deep at all , in the rock hard muscles of a 200 pound leopard.
I have shot a few mountain lion myself . All were with a .375 HH Magnum Swift A frame or a 10 gauge Federal Slug . I can't imagine using Buckshot on anything mean and dangerous .
Feel free to share your insight
Hoss Delgado

 

[juan pablo pozzi]

Well our own the late Don Heath aka Ganyana written a great article on the matter .Shotgun on cats ,he doesnt like it on leopards .My opinion is that you must be an expert shotgunner to use it
Like for example Richard Harland.
Cheers Dr Juan Pablo Pozzi

 

[autofire]

I shot a leopard from an elevated blind in Namibia, was happy to feel safe if the leopard was wounded and became angry.

My PH in Botswana says that in Botswana the standard method he uses is hounds to chase/tree the leopard and if it stays in the tree use a rifle.

But if it leaves the tree and attacks the truck (which is says is most of the time) they shoot it with shotgun.

I am one and done with leopard, but think I would skip the wounded leopard in the brush with a shotgun method.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Well our own the late Don Heath aka Ganyana written a great article on the matter .Shotgun on cats ,he doesnt like it on leopards .My opinion is that you must be an expert shotgunner to use it
Like for example Richard Harland.
Cheers Dr Juan Pablo Pozzi

But Doctor,
Richard Harland has never actually stopped a leopard charge with a shotgun. His shotgun of choice is a 12 gauge 2.5” W.J Jeffery boxlock non ejector side by side (modified choke left barrel and cylinder choke right barrel) and his buckshot of choice used to be Eley Grand Prix SG (nine pellet).

He only ever shot three leopards with it:
One leopard charged at him and Richard fired at him, but the SG pellets only grazed the leopard in the patch of skin on the right shoulder. The leopard pounced on Richard and was getting ready to maul him, when Richard’s hunting parter (Fritz) killed the leopard with a .30-06 Springfield. This was the only one from the three leopards which actually charged at Richard.
The other two leopards were already fatally wounded by clients and Richard just put an insurance shot behind their shoulders when they were already immobilized.