Shooting an animal in a tree?

[Beetle Bailey]

I caught a hunting show called "Under Wild Skies" on ESPN late one night and though I've never hunted before, I decided to watch to see if I could learn anything useful. I'm unfamiliar with the show, not being a regular viewer, but it seems this particular episode was in Africa, where the hosts of the show and the crew go on a guided hunt.

Near the end of the show, one of the hunters spots a leopard in a tree and shoots it with a rifle. In the background you can see the leopard fall out of the tree and it looked as if it was dead when it hit the ground. However, at least from the view of the camera which looked to be from a vantage point very close to where the shooter was standing when he took the shot, it looked as if the shooter didn't have a good backstop ("Know your target and what is beyond it."). From what I could see on my television, it looked as if there was one other, larger tree in the background in an otherwise open field.

Again, I've no experience hunting and I know the television can't tell me everything, but from the POV of the camera he was shooting up into the tree to hit the leopard. The only thing I can think of that would be okay is if he were on a hillside and shooting down into the tree but it didn't look as if that were the case.

My questions are: Was the hunter wrong to shoot upwards into a tree? Has anyone ever been in a situation where they were armed with a rifle and spotted an animal in a tree? What did you do? TIA

 

[Art Eatman]

Putting bait in a tree and then finding the leopard up there near the last possible shooting light has been the least dangerous method devised. You must take into consideration the mostly nocturnal habits of the leopard, the type of vegetation he inhabits, and his incredible speed in an attack.

Probably some of the best writing on the subject is that of Robert Ruark, who made numerous trips to Africa, taking several leopards.

Art

 

[mr.trooper]

Thats some "hunting".

 

[Ankeny]

Thats some "hunting".

That's certainly "helpful". :banghead:

 

[H&Hhunter]

Thats some "hunting".

Mr Trooper,

Have you ever tried to get a leopard to come to a bait in a tree during daylight hours?

Have you ever spent thousands of dollars to sit in a blind for 10 or 14 days in a row only to have Mr. spots never show up?

Have you ever blood trailed a wounded leopard through tall grass knowing that if this leopard isn't dead at the end of that trail the chances are way better than even that somebody is going to get mauled?

Of all the animals in Africa the various cats are by far the lowest kill rates by hunters.

There are basically three ways to hunt a leopard.
1. Bait and wait

2. Hounds

3. In certain areas if you have a pair of bushmen trackers they can cut track and spoor the leopard until they find it for you. I don't know of any non bushmen on the planet who can do this.


How is baiting a leopard any different than waiting at waterhole for a deer?

It seems to me you are making a derogatory comment about something you nothing about.

Maybe I'm wrong?

 

[Beetle Bailey]

Thanks for the tips, Art .

 

[H&Hhunter]

Thanks for the tips, Art .

Beetle,

If you rae really interested in the art of leopard hunting I recomend you go to

www.Craigboddington.com and purchase his very informative DVD titled

"Bodington on leopard"

It is by far the most comprehensive work I've ever seen on the subject.

Greg

 

[Beetle Bailey]

Hmmmm. . . didn't mean to stir up a hornet's nest about baiting technique. Just wanted to know if it was customary to shoot upwards into trees . Is it safe?

Incidentally, in the aforementioned television program, they were looking for some other animal to hunt when one of the hunters happened to turn around 180 degrees and lucked out, spotting a leopard sitting in a tree.

Afterwards, back at the village, the local villagers treated him like royalty, since according to the guide, it's considered good luck to kill a leopard. They all got a good laugh at the luck of stumbling onto such elusive game while looking for something!

 

[Gohon]

I think you have to take into consideration that if it was a leopard that was shot, they don't live in populated areas. Most likely there were miles and miles of uninhabited land behind the tree. Also since the leopard was apparently hit then most of the bullets energy was expended in the leopard. Squirrels in this country are hunted daily by hunters using 22 rimfires and shooting up into trees. As long as there are a few miles behind the target or a lot of wood to stop the bullet then there is no problem.

 

[Art Eatman]

mr.trooper, you can always walk and stalk. Just remember that Mr. Leopard weighs probably about what you do, but can carry a hundred pounds in an upward leap of over six to eight feet.

He does have one unpleasant habit when perturbed by a fella: He'll grab on to your upper body and use his hind claws to play can-opener.

The results are left to your imagination, but the great odds are that you'll come off the loser.

Art

 

[ACP230]

In that case the backstop was what the Brits in Africa used to call "MMBA"
"Miles and miles of bloody Africa."

I don't see anything wrong with that way of hunting leopards or that shot.

 

[killzone]

I personally can't imagine any batter way to shoot a leopard.
here is a cool picture

 

[H&Hhunter]

In that case the backstop was what the Brits in Africa used to call "MMBA"
"Miles and miles of bloody Africa."

I don't see anything wrong with that way of hunting leopards or that shot.

That sir sums it up very neatly~!

While I've never shot a leopard out of a tree.

I've shot a few Mt lion and a few bears out of a tree. The same principle applies. While you wouldn't try this in down town Berkley or NYC. It really doesn't pose ay problems in the middle of a 1,000,000 acre game concession in Africa or the middle of the rocky mountains. the chances of hitting somebody are so slim as to not be a factor. Hell the chances of seeing somebody else are pretty darn rare!

 

[12-34hom]

If that's your cup of tea - i would not call it hunting.

Sitting for hours, spending thousands of dollars, tracking a wounded cat into the bush. That's part of the risk you inherent while hunting these types of animals, kinda like gambling - risk - reward thing.

There are those where the kill culminates the hunting experiance, sadly they will never really know what hunting is really about.

12-34hom.

 

[JohnKSa]

If that's your cup of tea - i would not call it hunting.

Then you would never shoot a leopard...

 

[Atticus]

If that's your cup of tea - i would not call it hunting.

I guess we'll have to start calling it coon and squirrel ...chasing?

It's not like that leopard has only that one tree to choose from. I'd imagine it takes some work to locate him in the first place, and then to get him in that particular tree at that particular moment.

As to the question asked....it is always a judgement call, and depends on what type of gun you're using, the angle of the shot, and what's nearby.
A couple of years ago here, we had a kid who was hunting squirrels and putting an errant round or two of .22 into traffic on the interstate. Always know what's on the other side...even a mile away.

 

[Lupinus]

I call it hunting just fine. Anything concept of making hunting more of a level playing field or not about the kill is as recent as the meat market at your supermarket. Sure getting out into nature is nice and all but who isn't hard pressed to find someone coming out of the whose a lot happier with a nice fat buck then nothing? I havn't done a lot of hunting but I have fished since I was little. There is something nice about sitting there fishing in the peace and quiet. But I know Im a lot happier when I have a nice big fish to show for it then nothing at all.

What isn't hunting about it? How is it any different then applying doe urin or salt sticks then waiting in a tree stand? Or hell juse sitting in a tree stand waitign for a deer to come down a game trail?

There is ambush and stalk hunting, and this is no different then anyone who sits in a tree stand waiting for a deer to show up. I saw a hunting show where they hunted a ountian lion by letting their dogs chase it up a tree. More sporting in your view?

As to is it safe to shoot into a tree? Sure. I mean maybe if you live in downtown Tampa and a leopord escapes from the zoo and is in your neighbors tree it might not be a good idea. But in the middle of nowhere sure. How many people shoot squirrles in trees with a 22? Or even more so how many people shoot into the air with a shotgun for a bird? I'm sure not every pellet from your shotgun hit's the bird and flys off for quite a ways.

 

[Atticus]

I caught a hunting show called "Under Wild Skies" on ESPN late one night

One last comment. Those hunting shows reveal very little of what is actually involved in the planning of a hunt. They tend to focus on the kill; that can be a little disturbing to many folks...even hunters. I don't care for the way some of those shows replay the kill over and over and hype it up like it's the World Wrestling Federation. I'ts exciting to be there and/or watch it once....but enough's enough.

 

[Lupinus]

I remember up untill a few years ago I hadn't actually seen a kill on a hunting show. Maybe it was jsut the ones I came across but they always seemed to focus on the shooter rather then the animal as it was shot. Then a few years ago I actualy saw one shot on the tv went holy crap they actually showed it.

Anyone else notice this or was it jsut me and the ones I came across?

 

[H&Hhunter]

If that's your cup of tea - i would not call it hunting.

There are those where the kill culminates the hunting experiance, sadly they will never really know what hunting is really about.

12-34hom.

Please then,

Tell us underlings what hunting is.

You are making some HUGE assumptions about what this experience is.

1. You don't just shoot some critter hang it in a tree and wait for ole spots to show up.

2. It takes a HUGE amount of preparation and planning knowledge to try and find an area where spots will show up.

3. While I am not a blind hunter and don't fancy sitting in one for very long at all. Every time I have I've seen some pretty neat stuff.

4. The bait doesn't just fall dead because you need it. You have to go hunt it down and shoot it.

I am not saying you need to go drop some $$ and go shoot a leopard. What I am saying is that just because it isn't a whitetail doesn't mean it's not "real" hunting.

As far as your comment as to the kill being the hunting experience. No more so on a leopard than any other animal. Why do you associate this with leopard hunting? What if we change the word leopard to coyote? They are hunted for the same reasons.

How come any time we mention cats or elephants on this sight the holier than thou crowd jumps in and starts degrading this important and necessary form of hunting?

Just some food for thought.

 

[Don Gwinn]

Hey, guys, let's see if we can stay friends, OK?

Every time I think I want to use a .22 for squirrel, this is what makes me hesitate. I hate to give up tree shots. Shotgun pellets bleed off energy pretty fast.

 

[Ankeny]

I just hate to see "hunters" bashing and degrading other "hunters". There is enough anti-hunter sentiment without "hunters" adding fuel to the fire through their own ignorance.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Hey, guys, let's see if we can stay friends, OK? QUOTE]

Don I hope we can all be friends and have a bit of a debate at the same time.

Some of these subjects are personally important yet should never be taken personally. IMHO.

 

[Art Eatman]

This all remeinds me of a time when a guy got on my case for using a scoped rifle. Just plumb unfair to Bambi.

Okay, sez I, here's the deal: I'll rig a rifle with a camera. I'll rig the camera so that there are crosshairs that will show in the viewfinder and on the film.

For a $1,000 bet, you bring me a photo of a decent buck, on the run, with the crosshairs located for a killshot. On the one and only frame of film in the camera.

He folded his tent and crept quietly into the night...

, Art

 

[12-34hom]

H&H ,no need to get your panties in a bunch...

Hunting is more than just killing something for some - others it's just about #'s taken or score, bragging rights.. etc. I've met literally hundreds of folks who hunt with this type of attitude. They miss something very intrinsic about what my father taught me - about hunting. Camaraderie - respect for nature - ethics - are some of what I'm referring to.

Shooting a leopard over bait out of a tree [if i ever had the chance to do so] - just would not get it for me. If it does for you or others here - that's your business plain & simple.

It's kind of a personal thing for me also.

Good hunting - Merry Christmas.

12-34hom.