The crocodile after skinning.
farthest bait entailed a round trip hike of around eight miles
through deep sand on a dry river course that was full of lion and
other game tracks. All of the baits were checked every morning.
The daily walking excursions gave ample opportunity to
observe the local terrain and wildlife. Baits had to be replenished
frequently due to the high seasonal temperatures. If the bait
had been hit, the ground underneath was carefully inspected
for tracks to indicate the size and sex of the leopard. We would
then sweep the area clean before departing so fresh tracks could
be observed during the next visit. If the right track was found,
the plan was to construct a blind and the hunt would begin that
same afternoon. Sean and Wayne were very adept at reading
the spoor to determine the approximate size and sex of the
leopard by the width and height of the track. A minimum track
size was essential to get their attention. Wayne has developed a
system of measuring leopard tracks to help distinguish one cat
from another. He measures the front foot, and adds together the
length, width of the pad, and the width of the entire base of the
track. Big male leopards have tracks that generally measure 4”
in length, 4” in width, with a pad width of 2” to square a total
of 10. He can recognize different tracks by the small differences
unique to each track.
Our daily routine continued for nine days without finding
a large male on any of the baits, although smaller males and
females hit several of the baits. We spent the afternoons
exploring new areas or fishing for the hungry tigerfish in the
lake at Sean’s secret spots. During the ninth day, we travelled
west of the camp by boat to explore new territory an BF?66?W@?f?"G&???7&?72?v??6??V?BF?F??V?wF??bB?V7Bf?W'FVV??fVWB?vR?'6W'fVB6WfW&?F?BW?6VVFVBF?R7&?FW&????6?VF??p???Rv??BW?6VVF??r6??FVV?fVWBF?BV?VFVBW2???'&?p?7G&WF6??bF?R??R?F?R7&?72vW&Rv'??W6??r&?&G22?????WG0?F?W66RF?vW"?GW&??r?W???&F?'????R?vRf?V?B?&vP??V?&BG&6??V"f?6???rf???vR6V?WFW'?????6???VBF?P?6BF?R( ?w&fW?&BF???( ??F?R&WGW&?G&?F?6?v2F??'G??????WG&W2'?&?B??@?vRF?B??BFW'BV?F???FRgFW&?????GW&??rF?R&?B&?FP????R??Bv2????r??r???7&?72vR6rv?V?vR7vW@?F?R7W&f6R?bF?R??Rv?F???v???vW&VB?v?B??F??Vv??F?R&?G??bvFW"v2BF??W2??W2??v?GF??7&?72v?V?B&P?7v????r??F?R?FF?R?bF?R??R?F?R6??&W2?B6????p?&V2vW&R6?fW&VBv?F?F?V?"&W6V?6R?F?W&Rv2???VVBf? ??fR?6?WG2vR???VB?2?Bv?V?B???&????rF?R?6W'??bvP?66??VB?&WGFW"F??W7BG&?v??F?W6R6??&&767&?6?F??W0?&RW?G&V?V?vw&W76?fR?BF?W?&VwV?&???????6?f?6?W&?V???B?F?fW2?6??WF??W2F???rF?V??WB?bF?V?"6??W2?F?P?W?6?F??r?Ww26?RB#"?3F?BWfV???rv?V?vRf????'&?fV@?B6?v?F???6???2&V??r&?r6??R?B???V?6??r?g&?6??V?FW"f??????? ???f?6?V?D????6???p???&vR??R?V?&B?B??BF?Rf?'7B&?BvR?BW7F&?6?VB???p?G'?&?fW&&VB???V?v?R???Rf?&W7B?v??R?FR??2F?f?6?@?F?R&?Bf?'7BF???rF?R?W?B??&???r??BF?6??7G'V7B&??@??bF?R6?v?v2&??6??r?F?R?Ww2v2W?6?F??r?B?VBF??6?VW?W72??v?Bf?"?RGVRF??F?6?F?????2?6B??F?R&??B7F&??rBF?R?VGR&??R????F?6VB?@?F?VB6?W?R?b??6?W2?F?R&??RF?V??V?r7F????6?V?B???fR??v??VBF?R??fV?V?C?F?R&??RF?V?&Vv?F?F?6R???F?R?"?F?W&Rv2???7F?R?6??WF???rv2??F?RG&VR??"??v??R6??V?F???F???VBf?"?RF?f????r???F?F?R6???F??p?&??B?F?R&?f?Rv2?&VG?7G&VB??F??6?F???v?F?6?B&w0?f?"7W?'B?v??R?6??B6???VW???Rf?"f?6?&??G???@??B??7G'V7FVB?R?Rv?V?B?VVBF?6??f?&?F?R?V?&Bv2??GW&R??R???V'B&6VB2??FRF?R?7BfWr7FW2?fVV??p?6&VgV??v?F??&&RfVWB6??F?B??B7FW????7F?6??"FV'&?0?F??W'BF?R6BF??W"&W6V?6R??v26????rv?F?W?6?FV?V?B?VV?VBWfW"6?6WF??W6?F?&?Vv?F?RVW???R?Bv?????WfW"f?&vWBF?R?VvR?V?&BF?B7F??B??F?R??"7F&??p?7G&?v?BBW2??Bv22?b?R6V?6VBvRvW&RF?W&R?WfV?F??Vv??vR?B??B?FR??6?V?BGW&??rF?R&?6??F?R&??B??&V??r??F?R??v?W"&?Vfb6?FR?bF?RG'?&?fW&&VB??BW2??????p????7B7G&?v?B?fW"BF?R6BF?Bv2V?WfFVB??F?RG&VR???F?R??"??RF?V?GW&?VB??F?R??"??R???&?Rw???7B???&??6R&V??B6??V?F?F?6V&VBF?v?F?RG&VR???????W2f??6?VB2F?R?V?&BvV?BF?v?F?RG&VR??7F??BF?W&P?GV?&f?V?FVB??6??V?6R?B????VBBv??Rv??WB??2f??vW ?F???2?2F??W'B?RF?7F?V?WB??R?6?vfRF?R6?v??F???7GV6?v??v???R??????rf?"?V?&B6?v???66?WF??p??76????F?R&V?B???7B??&V6?v??6&?R&?G2???7@?&?G2vW&R6?V6?VBG&?7fW'6??rF?R??R'?&?B?BF?V??v???r??????F?V?D?vV"?6?????vR???