My First Man Eating Royal Bengal Tiger

[Shootist43]

Poton, to answer you question re. the confiscation of tiger skins in personal collections, Kawshik mentioned that in one of his previous articles. He also mentioned the fact that his father's I Hollis Shotgun was confiscated. Where and how did you hide your Mercury shotgun?

 

[Major Khan]

Mr. Major Khan,
Thank you very much for sharing this great story of such a lovely country and time. Congratulations also on your nice writting -which shows that your degree is actual- that I enjoy as much as the story itself (if this could be possible).

I would also like to thank very much to Mr. Kawshik Rahman for having suggested you to share your stories here.

Now I will have the opportunity to read them (both yours and Mr. Rahman's) again and again, for they deserves that, and it will gave me la lot of joy.

My best regards to you both.

Dear Malambo
I am touched by your kind comment . While l certainly have a degree in English literature , l would hate to spend a career teaching children " Romeo and Juliet " instead of being a professional shikaree.
Kawshik has a heart of gold and he is one of my closest friends . I have written a new story today about a gaur which l think you will enjoy.

 

[Major Khan]

Major Kahn, I was wrong regarding the availability of 405 ammo. I just did some research online and found that the American commercial manufacturers discontinued it in 1955. I'm hoping a long time 405 owner chimes in on this thread and speaks to the availability of ammo at that time. There are a number of reloaders that offer out dated calibers as well as other sources of supply. I seem to remember a place called "The Old Western Scrounger" where odd calibers could be obtained.

Dear Shootist43, if .405 Winchester ammunition was being manufactured in the 1960s , then that would mean that l am a complete fool for letting my Nana sell that beautiful rifle . Your date of 1955 seems very plausable , because the last time Nana was able to purchase ICI Kynoch cartridges in .405 Winchester calibre , was in 1956 . I do hope someone on this site has more information . Thank you so much for giving me a better idea .
You are a very knowledgeable gentleman.

 

[Major Khan]

Poton, to answer you question re. the confiscation of tiger skins in personal collections, Kawshik mentioned that in one of his previous articles. He also mentioned the fact that his father's I Hollis Shotgun was confiscated. Where and how did you hide your Mercury shotgun?

Dear Shootist43,
I was able to retain my Belgian shot gun through a most co incidental twist of fate . During 1971 , l had enlisted in the Bangladesh liberation war . Due to lack of sufficient quantity of firearms to be used by the freedom fighters , those of us who had access to personal firearms were encouraged to bring them to the battle field . I brought my Mercury 12 calibre shot gun to the battle field , until l could acquire proper military firearms .
Eventually , l was issued a Sten gun and l kept the shot gun inside a foot locker in the military base at Rajshahi where l was posted . During the war , l was shot in the face in October of 1971. When Bangladesh became independent on December 16 of 1971 , l was still recovering from my injuries at the field hospital at Rajshahi cantonment .
In the mean time , in India the Wild Life Protection Act was passed in January of 1972 . By the time , l recovered fully and realized what had happened in India , l decided that l would rather stay back in Bangladesh. All of us freedom fighters were given free citizenship there . My fellow soldiers at the Rajshahi base , who knew that the shot gun was mine, had actually brought it back to the hospital before l was released ( people were still decent back in my generation . If something like this happened today , then l have no doubt that the shot gun would have been stolen ) . Thus , through pure co incidence , l managed to keep my shot gun . I will write an article here , dedicated just to that shot gun , as well.
Kawshik is very accurate in what he says. And you are very correct.
Mr. Rahman ( Kawshik's father ) used to own an English Isaac Hollis shot gun of 12 calibre which those hunting hating bastards took away ( and destroyed , most probably ) .

 

[gillettehunter]

Thanks for joining our forum. People like you sharing hunting stories helps us remember the past. I enjoy your writing style and look forward to reading more. Thanks
Bruce

 

[Newboomer]

That was a breathtaking story! Obviously, the man upstairs was looking out for you. Fascinating. Keep the stories coming. Being US army retired I am always interested in how other countries run their armed forces and the experiences of their soldiers.

 

[Major Khan]

Thanks for joining our forum. People like you sharing hunting stories helps us remember the past. I enjoy your writing style and look forward to reading more. Thanks
Bruce

Thank you for appreciating my writing , Mr. Bruce . I will write a few more hopefully.

 

[Major Khan]

That was a breathtaking story! Obviously, the man upstairs was looking out for you. Fascinating. Keep the stories coming. Being US army retired I am always interested in how other countries run their armed forces and the experiences of their soldiers.

From a retired soldier to another , l salute you , Newboomer. Indeed , God ( or Allah ) always watches over his creations and if not for Him watching over me , l can think of at least a half dozen situations when l would have been done for ( both during my career as a professional shikaree , and as a freedom fighter during our war of Independence ) .
Please feel free to ask anything to your heart's content about the military in Bangladesh . I will do my best to answer you correctly . I do have a question about the American military , however , which perhaps you can answer . Have all of your forces replaced the .45 calibre Colt Model 1911 with the 9 mm calibre Beretta M9 as their service pistol ? Or are there any forces who still use the .45 calibre Colt Model 1911 , as their service pistol ?
And indeed , it was through sheer luck that neither Ponual nor l were even remotely injured during my first royal Bengal tiger shikar. The number of amateur mistakes which l had made were astounding . When l was writing this article , l was actually wondering how stupid l would have to had been , to wear a white shirt when hunting a royal Bengal tiger at night .

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Poton, the US army has started replacing the Beretta M9 with the M17 sig sauer

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Thank you , Ridgewalker . I will answer your questions . An Eley Grand Prix cartridge loaded with a spherical ball of 16 calibre , is accurate up to 30 yards but not more . I would shoot all of my quarry at no distance exceeding that range. Infact , in the case of gaurs or water buffaloes and tigers and panthers , the distance was much shorter .
A panther and a leopard are the same . Kawshik , for example refers to panthers as leopards because he is from west Bengal. As l was from Nagpur and south India , l refer to leopards as panthers . Kawshik's term is more internationally recognized .
You are a most selfless human being , due to your desire to donate your organs. Most Americans are. It was an American friend of mine ( l will write about him in a future story ) who paid for my facial surgery after l got shot during the war . He spent a great deal of money for me and l will never forget him.

Yes , the skins of all the royal Bengal tigers and many other animals ever hunted by private citizens , were all confiscated in 1972 by the authorities under the Gandhi regime after the implementation of the so called Wild Life Protection Act . That is why no one ever sells any existing tiger skins ( from tigers shot before 1972 ) today . Because they were all confiscated .
However , l am surprised that you know this . Do you have any Indian family members ?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Another excellent story by yourself. The use of the corpse brings to mind the old saying the end justifies the means

 

[Major Khan]

Another excellent story by yourself. The use of the corpse brings to mind the old saying the end justifies the means

Thank you so much , Bob Nelson 35 Whelan. I am very fortunate that this site is filled with gentlemen such as yourself who understand our predicament at that time and place .