The Very First Royal Bengal Tiger Shikar Which l guided In My Career

[Kawshik Rahman]

Kawshik, while a 243 Winchester is in a slightly different league than a 220 Swift it can hardly be classified as a DG rifle. Obviously it worked for your client "this time." I'm of the opinion that your amazement at that time was equally matched by mine when I read your account of this hunt. To date, my Win. Mod 70 Featherweight in 243 has only hunted paper, although admittedly quite well. That being said, if I were ever in a position to hunt a Royal Bengal Tiger, rest assured that it would not be with my trusty 243 Win. I'm looking forward to reading Poton Kahn's posts.

Shootist43
You are a most sensible gentleman. Sportsmen lile this client were one in a hundre. For mere mortals, such as you and l, l would personally not care to tackle these beasts with anything smaller than a 9.3 millimeter mauser.
In Poton's case, he would go after these beasts with ICI Kynoch 12 bore Spherical Ball cartridges.

 

[Kawshik Rahman]

As always your articles are interesting as hunting literature but also as insightful historical reports. Excellent in all regards! I think it also points out that marksmanship is the most important element in the discussion of caliber while not dismissing that the caliber must be reasonable to the task at hand! Thank you again for your excellent writings. Your friend Brian

Brian
Thank you so much for your never ending kind words and support. I am of view that marksmanship is 55 % vital, while the potence of a calibre is 45 % vital , when hunting. Personally, l do not recommend using anything smaller than a 9.3 millimeter mauser calibre rifle, for Shikar of Royal Bengal tigers.
Kind regards,
Your elderly Shikari friend
Sgt. Kawshik Rahman ( Retd)

 

[jeff]

Thank you for the insight on tiger hunting, appreciate your photos and story!

 

[Kawshik Rahman]

Thank you for the insight on tiger hunting, appreciate your photos and story!

Jeff
Thank you so much for your kind words and support.

 

[TXhunter65]

Thank you for sharing. Wonderful story.

 

[mark-hunter]

Dear Mr Rahman, I was travelling so could not reply earlier, as I hate typing on smart phone.
But I enjoyed reading yet another excelent article of yours.
Thank you for sharing with us.

Pls continue in a same manner!

I have a question:
If tiger can be hunted by baiting, or by beating: How to conduct a hunt for a specific tiger? For example if a tiger is man - eating, how to target specific animal? Hunting over bait at night will have reduced visibility for identification of animal, driven hunts, possibly will have reduced time for identification and shooting.
I guess there is a margin for error?
Thank you in advance!

 

[Kawshik Rahman]

Thank you for sharing. Wonderful story.

Txhunter65
Thank you so much for your kind words and support.

 

[Kawshik Rahman]

Dear Mr Rahman, I was travelling so could not reply earlier, as I hate typing on smart phone.
But I enjoyed reading yet another excelent article of yours.
Thank you for sharing with us.

Pls continue in a same manner!

I have a question:
If tiger can be hunted by baiting, or by beating: How to conduct a hunt for a specific tiger? For example if a tiger is man - eating, how to target specific animal? Hunting over bait at night will have reduced visibility for identification of animal, driven hunts, possibly will have reduced time for identification and shooting.
I guess there is a margin for error?
Thank you in advance!

Dear Mark Hunter.
Thank you so much for your kind words and support. You ask a very interesting question . The answer lies in the skill of your trackers . If the Royal Bengal tiger is a man eater , then the trackers will track him and narrow down his area by quite a margin. It must be remembered that Royal Bengal tigers are not herd animals and thus , it is nigh unlikely that multiple Royal Bengal tigers will populate the same area in such close proximity. The one exception to this rule , can be read in my article " Three Royal Bengal tigers in one day" . But that was because we were hunting in Buxa tiger reserve and not any normal forested area.
Also , remember this :
When the Shikaris are hunting a man - eater , a great deal more of preparation is involved . The trackers spend , some times , upwards of a a week , studying the patterns of the man - eater's killings , to help narrow the area down where the man eater is . Once that area is narrowed down , then preparations for baiting or beating can be made accordingly .
I should also add that , even among man- eaters , there are two categories :
1) Opportunistic man -eaters
2) Dedicated man- eaters .
An opportunistic man- eater is a man eater who eats human beings when he runs into them , but will still keep eating animals if man cannot be found , at times . You can hunt these opportunistic man-eaters by both baiting method or beating method .
A dedicated man -eater is one who eats only the flesh of man and is willing to even swim through water just to find human beings . A beast such as this is usually not huntable by using animal baits ( although , a human corpse would work provided that putrefaction has not begun ) . For these beasts , beating is the best method .

 

[Shootist43]

Kawshik, I found your straight forward answers to probing questions to be very informing as well as logical. Was this type of information shared or common knowledge among the professional hunters in India? Other than the Shikaris you worked with, did you interface with others i.e. those working for different "outfitters?" If so, how?

 

[cpr0312]

Thanks you for sharing another story from the past! Enjoyed the read!

 

[Kawshik Rahman]

Kawshik, I found your straight forward answers to probing questions to be very informing as well as logical. Was this type of information shared or common knowledge among the professional hunters in India? Other than the Shikaris you worked with, did you interface with others i.e. those working for different "outfitters?" If so, how?

Shootist43
Thank you so much for your kind words.
To answer your question , this knowledge was standard or conventional wisdom among professional Shikaris in India , especially those who hunted man- eating Royal Bengal tigers professionally . However , it must be remembered that such knowledge did come come to me by one day , but rather bit by bit over my eight year career from 1962 to 1970 .
I learnt a great deal from more competent sports men than l , such as Karim and Poton.
On a related subject , l met Poton day before yesterday and taught him about how to post articles and pictures on these forums. He should be joining in two or three days , after opening an electronic mail address . He is quite the pleasant gentleman with the highest respect for all hunters .

 

[Kawshik Rahman]

Thanks you for sharing another story from the past! Enjoyed the read!

Cpr0312
Thank you so much for your kind words and support.

 

[Major Khan]

Do you remember this photograph , Kawshik ?

 

[Kawshik Rahman]

View attachment 316596
Do you remember this photograph , Kawshik ?

Poton
Why yes . That's Rishi fixing the macchan . I never knew you took that photograph . Where was l ?
Also , welcome to African Hunting forums , old friend . You will be very happy here amongst gentlemen and Shikaris from all over the world just like us .

 

[Major Khan]

Poton
Why yes . That's Rishi fixing the macchan . I never knew you took that photograph . Where was l ?
Also , welcome to African Hunting forums , old friend . You will be very happy here amongst gentlemen and Shikaris from all over the world just like us .

You were supervising the beaters . I should have used your camera . It was better than mine in terms of the quality of the picture . And yes , l was reading the entire story here . Your attention to detail is immaculate and your memory sharp as a Rajput's talwar ! Masha Allah . After 56 years . It is like reliving our youth .
I used to think for many years that our client with the .243 Winchester bore rifle was the one who successfully used the smallest bore to kill a baagh. However , l have read a book called " Blue Tiger " where a missionary in China named Reverend Caldwell was using a .22 Savage high power calibre lever rifle to secure at least one tiger . When you come to visit me ( or vice versa ) , l will lend it to you .

 

[Kawshik Rahman]

You were supervising the beaters . I should have used your camera . It was better than mine in terms of the quality of the picture . And yes , l was reading the entire story here . Your attention to detail is immaculate and your memory sharp as a Rajput's talwar ! Masha Allah . After 56 years . It is like reliving our youth .
I used to think for many years that our client with the .243 Winchester bore rifle was the one who successfully used the smallest bore to kill a baagh. However , l have read a book called " Blue Tiger " where a missionary in China named Reverend Caldwell was using a .22 Savage high power calibre lever rifle to secure at least one tiger . When you come to visit me ( or vice versa ) , l will lend it to you .

Poton
It will be my privilege to read the book . Bring it along with you on the 27th when we go for our hog deer Shikar . I think that even l would be nervous about guiding a client Shikari who arrived at Sundar Raj sir's office with a .22 Savage Hi Power under lever rifle and said that he would like to secure a Royal Bengal tiger . Karim would probably have lost his mind in frustration .
Professional Shikaris these days will never know how how lucky they are , due to the presence of laws regulating minimal calibre usage for dangerous animals . Most parts of Africa now mandate that the .375 Holland and Holland magnum cartridge ( and in some parts of Africa , the 9.3 millimeter mauser cartridge , based on what l have been told ) is the minimum legally acceptable calibre for dangerous animals .
It effectively prevents " Dare devil " type clients from coming for Shikar with inadequate calibres these days .
PS : Do you have any 12 bore AAA cartridges to spare ? If so , can you bring me a few , on the 27th ?

 

[Major Khan]

Poton
It will be my privilege to read the book . Bring it along with you on the 27th when we go for our hog deer Shikar . I think that even l would be nervous about guiding a client Shikari who arrived at Sundar Raj sir's office with a .22 Savage Hi Power under lever rifle and said that he would like to secure a Royal Bengal tiger . Karim would probably have lost his mind in frustration .
Professional Shikaris these days will never know how how lucky they are , due to the presence of laws regulating minimal calibre usage for dangerous animals . Most parts of Africa now mandate that the .375 Holland and Holland magnum cartridge ( and in some parts of Africa , the 9.3 millimeter mauser cartridge , based on what l have been told ) is the minimum legally acceptable calibre for dangerous animals .
It effectively prevents " Dare devil " type clients from coming for Shikar with inadequate calibres these days .
PS : Do you have any 12 bore AAA cartridges to spare ? If so , can you bring me a few , on the 27th ?

I have received my police permission in Barishaal to secure one hog deer this year too . I received the good news this morning , Kawshik . And yes , l do have a good supply of triple A cartridges still on hand. Will one dozen suffice ? I will bring them on the 27th . Eley appears no longer to manufacture triple A cartridges or indeed , any shot size larger than Bb .

 

[Kawshik Rahman]

I have received my police permission in Barishaal to secure one hog deer this year too . I received the good news this morning , Kawshik . And yes , l do have a good supply of triple A cartridges still on hand. Will one dozen suffice ? I will bring them on the 27th . Eley appears no longer to manufacture triple A cartridges or indeed , any shot size larger than Bb .

Poton
One dozen will do just fine for my goose Shikar next year . I am already aware of Eley sadly discontinuing any shot size larger than BB .
On a related subject , why don't you start sharing an account or two of your own Shikar experiences on these forums as well ? I am certain that our dear respected forum members would greatly enjoy them .

 

[Major Khan]

Poton
One dozen will do just fine for my goose Shikar next year . I am already aware of Eley sadly discontinuing any shot size larger than BB .
On a related subject , why don't you start sharing an account or two of your own Shikar experiences on these forums as well ? I am certain that our dear respected forum members would greatly enjoy them .

Which one would they like , Kawshik ?
Gaur , water buffalo , royal Bengal tiger , panther , boar , crocodile , sambur , cheetal , neelgai , small game , birds or bear ? I will write about the one which people would be most interested by .

 

[Kawshik Rahman]

Which one would they like , Kawshik ?
Gaur , water buffalo , royal Bengal tiger , panther , boar , crocodile , sambur , cheetal , neelgai , small game , birds or bear ? I will write about the one which people would be most interested by .

Poton
Write about as many of them as you care to . Forum members here greatly enjoy all Shikar accounts with much enthusiasm .