POLL: Would you hunt Leopard with Dogs?

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

It is my own dream hunt, and I will do it sooner rather than later.

 

[siml]

Official : Hunting leopards with hounds will be legal for 2017.

Please everyone continue with the poll and give your input.

 

[Ridgewalker]

I'm a bird hunter so I'm behind a dog several times a year. Beautiful to watch. I've had "greenies" complain to me that a good dog can find every bird in a field. That is far from the truth. I know because I have a good dog.

The same goes for cougar hunting. I've tried three times. Got on the scent of a cougar several times only to lose them after hours of tracking.

There's no game guaranteed even with dogs.

 

[Philip Glass]

Good discussion. There are MANY hunters and self serving PH's and out fitters that have joined in in these bans. This is why I always say we must hang together or hang separately. A number of hunters and PHASA went against ranch lion and now look what happened! When hunters join the antis we all lose. In Namibia and elsewhere in Africa most leopards are killed by farmers and villagers probably the numbers are about 100 to 1 versus trophy hunts. My opinion is that Game Departments should set a quota and let the people hunt the way they want to hunt. It is scientific to do it this way. When everyone want to busybody around and push their ethics on the rest of us the animals lose! FACT!
I could go on...you know this!

Regards,
Philip

 

[ArmyGrunt]

Certainly yes. I'm new to the hunting world, but I want to experience all there is. I can imagine how much fun and how exciting it must be to hear the dogs and see them enjoying their work. There must be something to it, it's a method used for ages. And one reason we have the French horn to listen to: modified version of the bugles used long ago

 

[Royal27]

Absolutely.

Both exciting and fair chase. The important piece is the proper setting of quota, not the method of hunt. Hunting over dogs can be a conservation tool just as hunting from a blind can be.

As others have stated, Mountain Lion is regularly hunted with dogs here in U.S. You know, the North American cat that's population is growing.

 

[CAustin]

Yes I would hunt with dogs for leopard. I hunted deer as a youth with dogs several times and if was very exciting. One hunts birds with dogs to flush them from the grass, dogs are still used in some places to run bear.....so why not.
The next thing the antis will say is that bird hunting with dogs is wrong too.

 

[Biddleman]

I voted yes, but rather much hunt down poachers with hounds.

 

[johnnyblues]

I shot my mtn lion many years ago with dogs. Thrilling and difficult to say the least. I think one of the biggest factors is the hunters physical condition. Running behind dogs even though they could be a mile away is not easy between the adrenalin and terrain at times can actually endanger the hunter. But my vote is a big resounding yes.

 

[Brent in Az]

I voted no. But that's just me.

I am certainly not against others using this method, its just not the type of hunting I am interested in.

 

[cpr0312]

I certainly would!

 

[siml]

@Brent in Az, I hear you buddy, but we looking for a yes no to using dogs. Would you be pro other people using dogs?

 

[Brent in Az]

Yes. I would be for other people using dogs.

 

[Bsto270]

Grew up hunting rabbits over beagles, and spent some time hunting raccoon over treeing hounds. I can't help but think hunting leopards with a good back would be an absolute thrill. I think for a lot of people, if they enjoy it, hunting over hounds gets in their blood. There is a decent list of species I would love to pursue behind a pack of good dogs.

 

[ActionBob]

Of course I voted yes. @WestCo hit the high points.

I have a busted up back and even before that could hardly sit still for long. I will site for whitetails and really enjoy everything you can see and hear when you climb a tree and and act like a nut But I can only sit a couple hours and when I fidget, it is not as big a deal for deer as it would be for leopard.

And speaking from experience, it is just much more exciting to be taking a pro-active approach rather than sitting and waiting. I do not see much of an ethical difference. In fact I think the hounds are more sporting. The cat certainly knows he is being hunted. When he comes into a bait on a blind he has no idea he is about to be ambushed. You can bet he knows the hounds are coming as they announce themselves well! I think the real reason hounds are considered to up the odds of success is because of that pro-active approach. The hunters are out hunting hard, not simply setting and checking baits. Hunting with hounds does not lessen that work, you still need to find a track to follow so you set baits and check them but must do it very early and be done before it gets too hot and dissipates the scent. So it involves very short nights and very long days, if you wish to utilize all available time to hunt other critters as well. Besides, for a damned Yankee like me, it is way to hot to sleep in daytime anyway.

So yes, would definitely do another leopard hunt with dogs. I like the effort that is required and the fact I can be out doing something and not just sitting around waiting.

As for sexing the cat, you must tree the cat before you can take a shot so it is sexed the same as if on bait.. The PH looks for balls to confirm or you do not shoot. It is very selective harvest, also looking for a mature cat... That starts as soon as tracks are found and the PH and trackers examine them for size and the shape of a male track. On my hunt a leopard was spotted that the trackers called "huge". Well any cat running in the pre-dawn light looks huge, but upon examination of the track, it was determined that cat needed another couple of years to mature. So we did not chase it.

 

[navar]

Exciting hunt for sure.
YES!

 

[ArmyGrunt]

@BRICKBURN I noticed last night that the survey buttons, where you'll likely get your statistics, is only available through a browser. I don't get that on the app. Is there a way to bring that up on here? I imagine several others are getting their fix this way, instead of going to the computer.

By the way, I'm loving this app. Thanks again, @Jerome!

 

[thriller]

Abso-Freakin-Lutly!!

 

[BRICKBURN]

@BRICKBURN I noticed last night that the survey buttons, where you'll likely get your statistics, is only available through a browser. I don't get that on the app. Is there a way to bring that up on here? I imagine several others are getting their fix this way, instead of going to the computer.

By the way, I'm loving this app. Thanks again, @Jerome!

I'll pass it along.

 

[ArmyGrunt]

Abso-Freakin-Lutly!!

Who's buying, right? Maybe in a few more years I can do it myself...