In Pursuit Of The Fabled Black Panther

[Major Khan]

Panther Shooter, thanks for allowing Poton to share your story with us!

I am sure that Panther Shooter is grateful , Ridge Walker . He is quite a friendly fellow.

 

[Major Khan]

As I've often said on this forum it is unfair to judge a man out of his time. Anyone who condemns a man forced to pouch under an extremist regimes dictatorship style rule, whom has not lived through that sort of experience is uncouth.

I sincerely hope pather hunter will join our brethren, the history you gentleman represent is a valuable glimpse into a bygone era I for one am grateful to have.

Hopefully , he shall become a member of our community after reading all of these positive comments about his story , Skinnersblade . I knew that sensible gentlemen such as yourselves would not judge him too harshly for what he had to do .

 

[Major Khan]

I don't think many of us would condemn Mr. PS for his actions some 40-plus years ago, only view them with some amount of regret that any degree of poaching animals that are now endangered happened at all.

I do hope, though, that the next part of the story will reveal that Mr. PS was ethical and professional in his actions, as opposed to the men described who viewed these animals as little more than their pelts and did not at all respect them or the profession they were sullying, just as ivory poachers will rip the tusks or horns from animals that were killed from a volley of AK fire if they're even dead to begin with.

Also, if any here are not familiar with Folidol (I wasn't), it was developed by German chemical/pharmaceutical conglomerate IG Farben during the early 1940s (these were the people who made Zyklon B, so you know it's not going to be nice stuff) and was acquired by the Allies post-war as an insecticide (which Zyklon B was, too). Here's what Wikipedia has to say about its effects:

Parathion is absorbed via skin, mucous membranes, and orally. Absorbed parathion is rapidly metabolized to paraoxon, as described in insecticidal activity. Paraoxon exposure can result in headaches, convulsions, poor vision, vomiting, abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, unconsciousness, tremor, dyspnea, and finally lung-edema as well as respiratory arrest. Symptoms of poisoning are known to last for extended periods, sometimes months. The most common and very specific antidote is atropine, in doses of up to 100 mg daily. Because atropine may also be toxic, it is recommended that small frequently repeated doses be used in treatment. If human poisoning is detected early and the treatment is prompt (atropine and artificial respiration), fatalities are infrequent. Insufficient oxygen will lead to cerebral hypoxia and permanent brain damage. Peripheral neuropathy including paralysis is noticed as late sequelae after recovery from acute intoxication. Parathion and related organophosphorus pesticides are used in hundreds of thousands of poisonings annually, especially suicides. It is known as "Schwiegermuttergift" (mother-in-law poison) in Germany.​

That's in humans. Humans can get treatment within a small window after exposure. Some tiger in the middle of the jungle can't, and would die hellishly from that stuff.

But to make up for the depressing nature of this post, here's a photo of the very elusive Domestic Black Panther in its natural habitat.

View attachment 337302

What I admire most about you , Webley ... is that you absolutely love to do your research on any topic which you are not familiar with . It is the sign of quite an intellectual and scholarly gentleman , who will get quite far in life . You have my greatest respect.

 

[DieJager]

Great story, I hope Panther Shooter will decide to join the forum. To both of you, thank you very much for sharing this story.

 

[Major Khan]

Fascinating! I look forward to the rest of it.

Panther Shooter,
I doubt you will be judged to harshly, for killing man eaters, and taking reasonable quantities of game.
Can I suggest that you join the forums under the name Panther Shooter, so your identity will be safe.

Major,
Thanks for sharing your friends story with us.

I am privileged that you enjoyed it so much , Master Smith . I am hopeful that Panther Shooter shall see how positively all of you gentlemen have received his article and shall join African Hunting Forums promptly !

 

[Major Khan]

Dear Major, Thank you and your friend PS for sharing this story.

I am really glad that you are enjoying it , Mark Hunter .

 

[Major Khan]

Why did you not eat leopards? I have eaten our bobcats and last summer in Africa we had lion...delicious!

And now the plot thickens!

Now , you have made me tempted to try lion meat on my 2023 African lion hunt safari , Ridge Walker !
However , Indian panthers yield probably the TOUGHEST meat in existence . Oh , how often Tobin and I would try and try and try to concoct a good recipe with the meat from the forest panthers which we would hunt . By 1968 , however... we both have up . The meat of Indian forest panthers is as tough as old boots !

 

[Major Khan]

Wonderful story. Can't wait for the rest.

I should certainly hope that you will enjoy the rest of it , Jeffro.

 

[Major Khan]

He should absolutely be a member of our forums”, in great standing I may add”

He shall be most grateful when he reads your kind comment , Av8or .

 

[Major Khan]

welcome aboard P.S.

I certainly hope that he feels encouraged to join African Hunting Forums by seeing all of this positive reception , Edward .

 

[Shootist43]

Poton, please tell PS that both he and his exploits are welcome. Killing a man eating Leopard, Panther or Royal Bengal Tiger isn't "poaching" as we understand the term to be. I trust that the "statute of limitations" precludes PS from ever being prosecuted for his life saving activities close to 50 years ago.

 

[Major Khan]

Poton, please tell PS that both he and his exploits are welcome. Killing a man eating Leopard, Panther or Royal Bengal Tiger isn't "poaching" as we understand the term to be. I trust that the "statute of limitations" precludes PS from ever being prosecuted for his life saving activities close to 50 years ago.

That is exactly what I am trying to make him understand , Shootist43 ! He would be a most respected and valued member on these forums .

 

[WebleyGreene455]

I second @Shootist43 's post above. AH has proved quite welcoming. I don't think PS would have any trouble joining in.

 

[Newboomer]

Panther Shooter,
What a fascinating account! My Friend, you have nothing at all to apologize for. You lived in a different time with different standards. I can understand your love of hunting and believe you did so in as ethical and logical manner as possible under the circumstances. I think you saved several lives by ridding the community of maneating panthers.

I like your choice of rifles. I have a Winchester model 70 in 7mm Remington Magnum and love it. I have collected several species of plains game with it. I use Barnes TSX 160 gr with 53 gr of 4064 powder for excellent accuracy and killing power.

Please continue to write and post here. And thank you, Major Khan, for putting it in print here.

 

[mark-hunter]

Not only that panther shooter should join the forum, but all of you Bangladesh members, should try to make outfitting shikaree professional service for international hunters wishing to hunt in Bangladesh.

 

[gesch]

Thank you Poton and PS for a great report! As a small boy my father would drop me off in the dark to check our trap line. We trapped muskrats, mink, and raccoon. I was quite afraid of the dark. There were no genuine risks. Yet I was afraid. I cannot imagine sitting in a hole with a shot gun waiting for a man eating vicious panther. You gentlemen are very brave. Thank you for valuing human life. I value any experiences you can share with us. I have learned a lot from my Bangladesh friends! Keep up the good work. Your friend, Brian

 

[Major Khan]

Panther Shooter,
What a fascinating account! My Friend, you have nothing at all to apologize for. You lived in a different time with different standards. I can understand your love of hunting and believe you did so in as ethical and logical manner as possible under the circumstances. I think you saved several lives by ridding the community of maneating panthers.

I like your choice of rifles. I have a Winchester model 70 in 7mm Remington Magnum and love it. I have collected several species of plains game with it. I use Barnes TSX 160 gr with 53 gr of 4064 powder for excellent accuracy and killing power.

Please continue to write and post here. And thank you, Major Khan, for putting it in print here.

Thank you so much for your appreciative words , New Boomer . I am certain that Panther Shooter is quite grateful for your warm reception towards his story . I do believe that both you and he shall get along with each other extremely well , since both you and Panther Shooter share a mutual appreciation for the 7 mm Remington magnum calibre .

 

[Major Khan]

Not only that panther shooter should join the forum, but all of you Bangladesh members, should try to make outfitting shikaree professional service for international hunters wishing to hunt in Bangladesh.

This has actually been a distant life long dream of mine , Mark Hunter . There are several members of the Bangladesh shikar community who would genuinely consider it a privilege to be able to guide international clients for shikar . Hunting in Bangladesh is carried out on small scales with local police permission , but perhaps someday this dream may yet come true .

 

[Major Khan]

Thank you Poton and PS for a great report! As a small boy my father would drop me off in the dark to check our trap line. We trapped muskrats, mink, and raccoon. I was quite afraid of the dark. There were no genuine risks. Yet I was afraid. I cannot imagine sitting in a hole with a shot gun waiting for a man eating vicious panther. You gentlemen are very brave. Thank you for valuing human life. I value any experiences you can share with us. I have learned a lot from my Bangladesh friends! Keep up the good work. Your friend, Brian

I am certain that I speak for both Panther Shooter and myself when I thank you sincerely for your kind appreciation , Brian . It is perfectly normal for a young child to be afraid of the dark . Deep down.... we are all afraid of something . I assure you that panthers are not very difficult to dispatch at all . They seldom weigh above 200 pounds . Always remember this : Courage is not defined by the absence of fear ... but rather by the determination to do something , despite any fears which you might have . We learn a great deal from our knowledgeable American friends , as well.
The most pleasant news which I had ever received upon joining African Hunting Forums was that Winchester had re introduced their control round feed Model 70 line of bolt rifles once again .

 

[WebleyGreene455]

Thank you Poton and PS for a great report! As a small boy my father would drop me off in the dark to check our trap line. We trapped muskrats, mink, and raccoon. I was quite afraid of the dark. There were no genuine risks. Yet I was afraid. I cannot imagine sitting in a hole with a shot gun waiting for a man eating vicious panther. You gentlemen are very brave. Thank you for valuing human life. I value any experiences you can share with us. I have learned a lot from my Bangladesh friends! Keep up the good work. Your friend, Brian

There were no genuine risks for you, but the little part of our brains that remains from the earliest days of man's history still remembers all too well that there are things lurking in the dark just outside of the edge of the fire's light. Things that would eat us if they could. We're sometimes still afraid of the dark because once upon a time the dark was rightly to be feared. There's no shame in it as a child, nor as an adult for that matter.