Hunter shoots leopard pinning him down

**camouflage762** · 15-11-2010, 06:59

Hunter shoots leopard pinning him down

2010-11-14 23:12

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Ne...-down-20101114

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Hunter hired to find leopard

Seugnet Esterhuyse, Beeld

Pretoria - A professional hunter from Bela-Bela shot and killed an angry, wounded leopard in Tanzania while being pinned down by the animal.

"I never really saw the leopard," said Jaco Oosthuizen, 37, founder of Game Trackers Africa.

"I was reacting on gut feel and hearing. I swung around and shot, but then it got hold of my right arm."

According to Oosthuizen, the leopard - which had sought shelter next to a dry riverbed - was about six paces to his right when it jumped at him.

The animal tore the muscles in his right arm.

Oosthuizen, who is left-handed, fired a shot before the animal pinned him by the chest.

"Then I started losing sensation in my right arm.

"It was the second shot from my double-barrel shotgun that hit the leopard while it was on top of me," Oosthuizen said about his narrow escape on November 4.

Wounded

The leopard had been wounded more than an hour earlier by a Mexican hunter - one of Oosthuizen's regular clients - who had been trying to shoot the animal as a trophy.

After being wounded, the leopard fled. Trackers were called by radio to help search for the wounded animal.

According to Oosthuizen, they had waited over an hour in order to reduce the "risk of danger" and give the animal time to "cool down", since the injured leopard would be upset and ferocious.

By that time it was already dark.

Since Oosthuizen and his trackers were about two hours away from their camp, his wounds were only disinfected and treated the next morning under local anaesthesia in the nearest village.

Muscles

He flew to Dar es Salaam where he was given stitches, but the doctor was unable to do anything to re-attach his muscles.

Two days later, Oosthuizen left for Johannesburg on a commercial flight.

He was taken to Pretoria East hospital where his muscles were re-attached during two operations.

Oosthuizen was discharged from hospital last week. His arm is still in a cast.

Oosthuizen said the dead (male) leopard was tracked down by another professional hunter.

"According to one of my trackers, the leopard was very old, going by the size of its scull."

Read more on: animals

**GameFarmer** · 15-11-2010, 09:18

If I remember correctly it was Peter Hathaway Capstick whom wrote that a wounded leopard (out of the big five) is the most dangerous, because it is the only one which will charge without making a sound. No warning grunt. He even wore a protective leather outfit (head and stomach area) when following up on wounded leopard, as the leopard will 'grab' your head with it front claws, while working your stomach with it's hind legs.

This hunter was very fortunate.

**Lian** · 15-11-2010, 09:35

he should send the medical bill to that friggin mexican (mexi-cant-shoot).
AND keep the leopard.

dude probably only survived because the leopard had an hour's blood-loss.

**Gidsie** · 15-11-2010, 17:37

Very fortunate to be recovering that well..

Shotgun was the right choice for follow-up IMHO..

Im guessing it was already quite dark when this happened.. "By that time it was already dark"

**GameFarmer** · 15-11-2010, 18:41

Originally Posted by Gidsie

Very fortunate to be recovering that well..

Shotgun was the right choice for follow-up IMHO..

Im guessing it was already quite dark when this happened.. "By that time it was already dark"

Very, very brave man to follow up on a leopard after dark. Shotgun definitely the way to go.

**shakari** · 16-11-2010, 11:04

FWIW, I've done my fair share of following wounded leopards and have seen shotguns used (by others) on several occasions and I for one opt for my rifle every time.

The most evident example happened to me a few years ago in Irikishibor in Masailand.

I did the follow up with a fellow PH who works for us sometimes. I was using my .500 and he was using a shotgun with heavy shot. (Don't remember what size but very heavy).

We saw the (wounded) leopard just a few yards from us, in full charge and in mid-air. We both fired and dropped the cat pretty much at our feet.

Later investigation showed my bullet had given the cat a third eye, killed the animal and exited through the ham.

Two barrels of shotgun shot had hit him right in thr face, broken both jaw hinges but not a single pellet had penetrated the skull........

Pics etc in article # 14 (3rd & 4th pic down) here: http://www.shakariconnection.com/afr...-articles.html

I really don't care what others choose to use in these situations but I'll stick with my .500.

ADDED

I'll also say that although I enjoy Capstick's writings, I reckon most, if not all of his leopard advice is a load of old tosh and has probably resulted in a fair number of people getting injured over the years.

**Tweety** · 16-11-2010, 13:51

[I'll also say that although I enjoy Capstick's writings, I reckon most, if not all of his leopard advice is a load of old tosh and has probably resulted in a fair number of people getting injured over the years.[/QUOTE]

I have seen a few DVD's with old Peter Capstick and he certainly didnt impress me much. He seemed to be a newbie in the bushes. (But hey, bush envy is a terrible thing).

He was definitely an entertainer, who was in the right place at the right time.

**Sean Murphy** · 16-11-2010, 13:59

In my opinion The only advantage a shotgun has over a rifle is the fact that it can be very quick on target and is more pointable that a bolt rifle. If I had a choice of going after a wounded leopard with either a double shotgun or a bolt rifle, I would choose the shotgun but I would load it with slugs so that I am guaranteed to get penetration. Basically I would be using the shottie as a double rifle which would in my opinion be the best option if available.

Sean.

**shakari** · 16-11-2010, 14:54

Sean,

Mate, a rifle is no less pointable than a shotgun..... it all depends on how the weapon is built. Nothing more and nothing less.

My .500 is made to fit me, has a short barrel, fibre optic foresight and perfect balance. I guarantee it handles as well as any shotgun.

**Tweety** · 16-11-2010, 14:56

IS that a Weatherby Action?

Oh, and that is one sexy rifle.

I have to agree, i have read of too many guys getting mauled while using shotguns, albeit when using SSG etc.

A good friend who is a houndsman in Namibia and who hunts more than a dozen leopard a year uses a sako 243, ( he has a sako in all the calibers ever made) but its the size and fit of the 243 that draws him to using it, that and 120 Gr swift A frame bullets for deep penetration.

But Pellets on a leopard i believe, is looking for a scratching. Modern Slugs, esp from Remington may be OK,

Also, Shakari, do you believe a guy with a shotgun will get off more than 1 shot anyway? or will the thought of the next shot detract from the first shots accuracy. (PumP fever)