Hound-based big-cat hunting is not defined by the presence of dogs alone, but by the long-term development of a working animal suited to a specific task under specific conditions. The hounds used by Panther Trackers are the product of selective breeding from proven stock, tested repeatedly in the field over decades by experienced houndsmen in Africa, Europe, and North America. This is not accidental lineage. It is functional selection. French hound influence contributes nose, endurance, and voice. American coonhound lines contribute drive, track persistence, and independence on cold spoor. Locally adapted African stock contributes heat tolerance, foot durability, and resilience under pressure. Over time, these elements have been combined, tested, culled, and refined to produce a hound capable of operating effectively on solitary big cats in demanding environments. Only consistent performance under real conditions determines breeding value. The conditions these hounds must operate in vary widely and impose constant constraint. Climate ranges from cool highlands to extreme lowland heat. Terrain includes broken escarpment, dense riverine thicket, open woodland, sandveld, floodplain, and rocky substrate. Temperature, wind, and humidity influence scent behaviour directly. Substrate may preserve spoor clearly or erase it within hours. Success depends on whether the hound can work accurately despite these variables, not whether conditions are ideal. The method begins before first light. Roads, dry riverlines, and established game trails are checked well before dawn to intersect fresh leopard movement. This timing aligns with leopard activity patterns and maximises the likelihood that spoor represents recent use rather than historical passage. Track interpretation at this stage is critical. Not all leopard tracks are equal, and not all are worth pursuing. Experience allows distinction between a large territorial male and an undesirable animal based on track size, stride length, depth of impression, toe spread, gait, and confidence of movement. Age and dominance leave consistent signatures on the ground. Selecting the wrong track wastes time, stresses hounds unnecessarily, and degrades the hunting area. The hunt, therefore, is not the hunt for a cat. It is the hunt for a good track.