Careful where you step

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When making a move on the leopard it is imparative that you remain quiet and concise. You must move quieter and more stealthy than the predator you are pursuing. He is the king of this domain at night, he is the prince of darkness and you can quickly become the hunted if something goes wrong. To outwit one of the ultimate predators requires patience and a bit of pain. Walking through the veld at night while barefoot can take its toll when suddenly without warning in the black of night an acacia thorn enters your heel on the way to the blind. You try night to groan, moan or howl as you stand on one foot trying to remove the projectile while the leopard is audibly tearing the flesh from an impala bait not but 60 meters away. He is not the only one on high alert. Not so much a predator but more intolerant of humans, (especially at night) the elephant is not the beast to have a standoff with in the dark. This elephant followed our tracks to the shooting blind but luckily it was after we had taken the mightly leopard and were back at camp. The next morning on our return to clean up the blinds I wondered at what time I might have had a run in with this monstrosity of an animal. I'm glad I didn't have to find out.

Posted By: pigsticker
Posted On: 09/14/2011 00:37 AM