Major Khan
AH legend
Tonight , l will tell you all a story which may strike the hearts of many , in an unnerving manner. It is the story of a panther which became a man eater only through human ignorance ( or incompetence depending on how one looks at it ). It will be a little graphic , so if details of violence inflicted on human beings unsettles any of my readers , then perhaps this one is best skipped. Let us begin .
Our story begins in 1968, 16th March in a small farm North East of Nagpur .My friend , Tobin and l were were hunting hog deer in the area to take a little fresh venison back to our families .
Tobin was using his Belgian FN .423 Mauser bolt rifle , using 347 grain metal covered bullets.
I was using my Belgian 12 calibre side by side shot gun , loaded with Eley Lethal Ball cartridges .
With us , was my servant boy , Ponual . Tobin had already taken a hog deer that day ( which we had carried back to Tobin’s jeep ) and l had just spotted 1 , which l was about to start stalking .
However , we had suddenly heard a gun shot , ring out in the distance . It was the unmistakable sound of a 12 calibre shot gun. Tobin and l were initially not very surprised. The area was a very popular hunting location and many local shikarees were known to populate these areas. Then , it hit us . We were in this forest for the last 5 hours and we had not seen another person with a gun here the whole day . Just the odd wood cutter , or 2 . Curious , we became eager to see where the shot had come from . As we began walking in that direction , we came across a small farm and our curiosity was satisfied . We knew the farmer who owned that farm and we also knew that he owned an IOF single barrel full choke shot gun of 12 calibre . We saw him , holding the gun and eagerly looking in the direction of the forest , angrily swearing in Hindi , saying “ Saley chita baagh !” ( Evil panther !) . Tobin and l curiously asked him what had happened. The man angrily told us that a panther had broken into his farm and killed 1 of his biggest bullocks .
The man , however , in a fit of rage shot the panther with a charge of no.1 bird shot and the panther fled into the forest . The man then proudly went on to say that he had taught that nasty panther a lesson , to never attack any of his bullocks ever again.
Hearing this , Tobin looked towards the direction of the forest , rather concerned , and asked me “ Is there any chance that we could track that wounded critter and put him down ? “ . I could tell that my friend’s noble desire to end the life of any animal , which was wounded , would keep bothering him about that panther . In a misguided attempt to reassure Tobin ,
I told him “ No reason to fret , my friend . It is probably being mauled to death by a pack of wild dogs or hyenas by now . “ I always used to say this to Tobin whenever he wanted to follow a wounded and potentially dangerous animal ( wounded by someone other than ourselves ) into the thickets in order to dissuade him and give him reassurance. However , Tobin was always far from reassured and would rather give me a stern lecture about hunting ethics , before the 2 of us would end up going after that animal anyway. Even though l did it more out of my respect for Tobin instead of any ethics at that time , now as an old man , l realize what a noble habit my friend had and what a better human being he made me , over the years .
On that day , too Tobin and I would have probably followed the animal. However , we did not have any trackers with us , and the sun would set in roughly 1 hour. Thus , we went back to our homes and l was determined that the next day , l would secure my hog deer , as well .
I did not think about the wounded panther at all.
The farmer had proudly gloated that day , to us that he had taught the panther a lesson never again to attack any of his bullocks. Little did he know , how right he was. That panther never attacked a bullock again . It started attacking and eating living beings far more valuable than bullocks .
Below , l have provided a photograph which l had taken of the rear end of the dead bullock that day , to illustrate the damage a panther can do , to a bullock .
In the next part of this 3 part article , l will relate what this bullock killer had turned into .
Our story begins in 1968, 16th March in a small farm North East of Nagpur .My friend , Tobin and l were were hunting hog deer in the area to take a little fresh venison back to our families .
Tobin was using his Belgian FN .423 Mauser bolt rifle , using 347 grain metal covered bullets.
I was using my Belgian 12 calibre side by side shot gun , loaded with Eley Lethal Ball cartridges .
With us , was my servant boy , Ponual . Tobin had already taken a hog deer that day ( which we had carried back to Tobin’s jeep ) and l had just spotted 1 , which l was about to start stalking .
However , we had suddenly heard a gun shot , ring out in the distance . It was the unmistakable sound of a 12 calibre shot gun. Tobin and l were initially not very surprised. The area was a very popular hunting location and many local shikarees were known to populate these areas. Then , it hit us . We were in this forest for the last 5 hours and we had not seen another person with a gun here the whole day . Just the odd wood cutter , or 2 . Curious , we became eager to see where the shot had come from . As we began walking in that direction , we came across a small farm and our curiosity was satisfied . We knew the farmer who owned that farm and we also knew that he owned an IOF single barrel full choke shot gun of 12 calibre . We saw him , holding the gun and eagerly looking in the direction of the forest , angrily swearing in Hindi , saying “ Saley chita baagh !” ( Evil panther !) . Tobin and l curiously asked him what had happened. The man angrily told us that a panther had broken into his farm and killed 1 of his biggest bullocks .
The man , however , in a fit of rage shot the panther with a charge of no.1 bird shot and the panther fled into the forest . The man then proudly went on to say that he had taught that nasty panther a lesson , to never attack any of his bullocks ever again.
Hearing this , Tobin looked towards the direction of the forest , rather concerned , and asked me “ Is there any chance that we could track that wounded critter and put him down ? “ . I could tell that my friend’s noble desire to end the life of any animal , which was wounded , would keep bothering him about that panther . In a misguided attempt to reassure Tobin ,
I told him “ No reason to fret , my friend . It is probably being mauled to death by a pack of wild dogs or hyenas by now . “ I always used to say this to Tobin whenever he wanted to follow a wounded and potentially dangerous animal ( wounded by someone other than ourselves ) into the thickets in order to dissuade him and give him reassurance. However , Tobin was always far from reassured and would rather give me a stern lecture about hunting ethics , before the 2 of us would end up going after that animal anyway. Even though l did it more out of my respect for Tobin instead of any ethics at that time , now as an old man , l realize what a noble habit my friend had and what a better human being he made me , over the years .
On that day , too Tobin and I would have probably followed the animal. However , we did not have any trackers with us , and the sun would set in roughly 1 hour. Thus , we went back to our homes and l was determined that the next day , l would secure my hog deer , as well .
I did not think about the wounded panther at all.
The farmer had proudly gloated that day , to us that he had taught the panther a lesson never again to attack any of his bullocks. Little did he know , how right he was. That panther never attacked a bullock again . It started attacking and eating living beings far more valuable than bullocks .
Below , l have provided a photograph which l had taken of the rear end of the dead bullock that day , to illustrate the damage a panther can do , to a bullock .
In the next part of this 3 part article , l will relate what this bullock killer had turned into .