The Art Of Hunting The Great Bears Of Bengal: A Comprehensive Guide

Today , on African Hunting Forums ... I hope to provide my Dear Readers with an in depth over view of how we ( Used to ) hunt ( And guide hunts for ) the Great Bears Of Bengal . Unlike most of the guides for hunting Indian dangerous game animals , which I have previously posted on African Hunting forums ... This particular article is going to be a little bit different . Instead of merely focusing up on 1 species of game animal , I shall be focusing up on 4 species of game animals :
> Sun Bear
> Asian Sloth Bear
> Himalayan Black Bear
> Himalayan Brown Bear

For the purposes of this article ... I shall be breaking things down in to multiple sections ( Each of which , shall be covered in 1 post ) . They are :
> The Great Bears Of Bengal : An Introduction
> Bears & Man
> Finding Your Bear
> The Different Methods Of Taking Your Bear
> Appropriate Armaments For Your Bear
A) Suitable Bear Worthy Fire Arms
B) Essential Ammunition Choices
> Following Up Wounded Bears
> Conclusion

Let us begin , Dear Readers . I sincerely hope that each and every single 1 of you , gentle men shall enjoy reading this article ... Just as much as I shall enjoy putting it to paper .

Below , I have provided a photograph taken by myself of a Sun Bear ... Which I had personally dispatched with a 16 Bore spherical ball bullet , fired from my “ Old Belgian “ . The brute had attempted to charge me and my client ... After my client had wounded him , with a .460 Weatherby magnum calibre Mark 5 bolt rifle .

Yet further proof that using large caliber rifles doesn't make up for poor shot placement.

“ The Great Bears Of Bengal : An Introduction “

In south East Asia ... There are 4 species of bear , which may be found . They are ( From the smallest to the largest ) :
> Sun Bear
> Himalayan Black Bear
> Asian Sloth Bear
> Himalayan Brown Bear

Let us start with the smallest of these brutes : The Sun Bear . Below , I have provided a photograph taken from the internet ... Of a Sun Bear .

These creatures are typically found in : North Eastern India to the North and extends South to South East , Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam in main land Asia to Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia to the South .

A large , fully grown male can weigh in excess of 148 pounds and can achieve a nose to tail length of just under 5 feet . They follow a predominantly omnivorous diet ... Living mainly on ants, bees, beetles, honey, termites and plant material such as seeds and several kinds of fruits .

The 2nd creature on our list is : The Himalayan Black Bear . Below , I have provided a photograph taken from the internet ... Of a Himalayan Black Bear .

These creatures are typically found in : The Northern parts of India , China , Bhutan , Nepal and Pakistan .

A large , fully grown male can easily weigh in excess of 400 pounds and can easily achieve a nose to tail length in excess of 5 feet . They follow a predominantly omnivorous diet ... Living mainly on consists of acorns , nuts , fruits , honey , roots , and various insects such as termites and beetle larvae. If food is scarce, they may turn to eating live stock such as sheep, goats, and cattle.


Next , comes the larger cousin of the Sun Bear : The Asian Sloth Bear . Below, I have provided a photograph taken from the internet ... Of an Asian Sloth Bear .

These creatures are typically found in : India , the Southern low lands of Nepal , Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

A large , fully grown male can easily weigh in excess of 425 pounds and can easily achieve a nose to tail length in excess of 6 feet . They follow a predominantly omnivorous diet ... Living mainly on ants , termites , fruit, plant matter, carrion, and very rarely other mammals. In March and April, they eat the fallen petals of mowha trees and are partial to mangoes , sugar cane , jack fruit and the pods of the Golden Shower Tree . Asian Sloth Bears are extremely fond of honey , and enjoy this sweet nectary substance through out the year .

The final ( And with out a doubt , the LARGEST ) member on our list is : The Himalayan Brown Bear . Below , I have provided a photograph taken from the internet ... Of a Himalayan Brown Bear .

These creatures are typically found in : in Nepal , Tibet, west China , North India , North Pakistan , Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, entire Kyrgyzstan and south-east Kazakhstan .

A large , fully grown male can easily weigh in excess of 1210 pounds and can easily achieve a nose to tail length in excess of 6 feet . They follow a predominantly omnivorous diet ... Living on grasses, roots and other plants as well as insects and small mammals; they also like fruits and berries. They will also prey on large mammals, including sheep and goats . Adults will eat before sunrise and later during the after noon .

Coming up next ... “ Bears & Man “ .

“ Bears & Man “

The Great Bears Of Bengal are the stupidest of India’s “ Dangerous 6 “ ... But this stupidity is EXACTLY what makes them so dangerous . All 4 of the species of bears found in the Indian sub continent display extreme aggression and animosity towards human beings . With jaws as strong as a vice and curved sickle like claws ... The Great Bears Of Bengal , certainly are no push over .

Take my word for it . These brutes WILL charge you ... The very instant that they catch sight of a human being ( Assuming of course ... That there are no water bodies between the bear and the human beings ) . How ever , it is this very aggression ... Which makes the Great Bears Of Bengal such a stupid Adversary . In their feral rage to reach you ... These brutes will ALWAYS ( And with out exception ) ignore EVERY THING ELSE around them . This makes it a particularly straight forward affair to lure these brutes in to a trap or an ambush ( I shall be delving more in to this subject , in the “ Different Methods Of Taking Your Bear “ part of my article ... Further below ) .

The Great Bears Of Bengal are often known to encroach in to human territory ... In search of food . In India and Bangladesh , they frequently venture in to the property of people ... Who live in houses which are located near the hills or forests ( Depending up on the particular species of bear , in question ) . They leave a great deal of destruction and carnage in their wake ... Destroying orchards , gardens , man Made bee hives and even grain sheds ( Most grain sheds in Bangladesh and India are made of wood and / or corrugated tin ) , in their search to satisfy their gluttonous appetite .

If any human being stands in the way of the Great Bears Of Bengal ... Well , then they shall immediately come to regret it . Below , I have provided a photograph taken from the internet ... Of what the face of the human victim of a Himalayan Brown Bear’s “ Slap “ , looks like . Observe the straw inserted in to the nasal duct ... For ease of breathing .




Yes ... They actually look like that . I have actually had the misfortune of being present ... When an Asian Sloth Bear did a similar thing to a coolie’s face . The coolie was extremely strong . He managed to survive for an entire month .

Always remember these 3 golden rules , Dear Readers :
> The Great Bears Of Bengal possess extremely poor eye sight . So , always wear dark colored clothing , and hunt them after sun down .
> The Great Bears Of Bengal possess an extremely keen sense of smell . So , always treat your clothes in Kerosene ... Prior to embarking on a shikar , for these brutes .
> In the case of SUN BEARS, specifically ... Please bear in mind , that their claws possess little “ Micro Serrations “ . God forbid , should a Sun Bear ever claw any member of your shikar party and a claw breaks off and lodges itself in the victim’s flesh ... Then , what ever you do ... Never , EVER attempt to wriggle the claw out . You shall only be tearing the wound open , even more severely . Think of it , as akin to getting a fishing hook lodged in your flesh . Use a sterilized plain edge ( Flat grind ) knife blade of fine grained surgical quality steel to elongate the wound neatly ... And then , pull the claw out .

Coming up next ... “ Finding Your Bear “ .

Major Khan said:

“ Bears & Man “

The Great Bears Of Bengal are the stupidest of India’s “ Dangerous 6 “ ... But this stupidity is EXACTLY what makes them so dangerous . All 4 of the species of bears found in the Indian sub continent display extreme aggression and animosity towards human beings . With jaws as strong as a vice and curved sickle like claws ... The Great Bears Of Bengal , certainly are no push over .

Take my word for it . These brutes WILL charge you ... The very instant that they catch sight of a human being ( Assuming of course ... That there are no water bodies between the bear and the human beings ) . How ever , it is this very aggression ... Which makes the Great Bears Of Bengal such a stupid Adversary . In their feral rage to reach you ... These brutes will ALWAYS ( And with out exception ) ignore EVERY THING ELSE around them . This makes it a particularly straight forward affair to lure these brutes in to a trap or an ambush ( I shall be delving more in to this subject , in the “ Different Methods Of Taking Your Bear “ part of my article ... Further below ) .

The Great Bears Of Bengal are often known to encroach in to human territory ... In search of food . In India and Bangladesh , they frequently venture in to the property of people ... Who live in houses which are located near the hills or forests ( Depending up on the particular species of bear , in question ) . They leave a great deal of destruction and carnage in their wake ... Destroying orchards , gardens , man Made bee hives and even grain sheds ( Most grain sheds in Bangladesh and India are made of wood and / or corrugated tin ) , in their search to satisfy their gluttonous appetite .

If any human being stands in the way of the Great Bears Of Bengal ... Well , then they shall immediately come to regret it . Below , I have provided a photograph taken from the internet ... Of what the face of the human victim of a Himalayan Brown Bear’s “ Slap “ , looks like . Observe the straw inserted in to the nasal duct ... For ease of breathing .


View attachment 351143

Yes ... They actually look like that . I have actually had the misfortune of being present ... When an Asian Sloth Bear did a similar thing to a coolie’s face . The coolie was extremely strong . He managed to survive for an entire month .

Always remember these 3 golden rules , Dear Readers :
> The Great Bears Of Bengal possess extremely poor eye sight . So , always wear dark colored clothing , and hunt them after sun down .
> The Great Bears Of Bengal possess an extremely keen sense of smell . So , always treat your clothes in Kerosene ... Prior to embarking on a shikar , for these brutes .
> In the case of SUN BEARS, specifically ... Please bear in mind , that their claws possess little “ Micro Serrations “ . God forbid , should a Sun Bear ever claw any member of your shikar party and a claw breaks off and lodges itself in the victim’s flesh ... Then , what ever you do ... Never , EVER attempt to wriggle the claw out . You shall only be tearing the wound open , even more severely . Think of it , as akin to getting a fishing hook lodged in your flesh . Use a sterilized plain edge ( Flat grind ) knife blade of fine grained surgical quality steel to elongate the wound neatly ... And then , pull the claw out .

Coming up next ... “ Finding Your Bear “ .

Click to expand...

Thank you Major for your wonderful insight on these animals. Most of us will never see one in the wild, much less have the opportunity to hunt them. Your articles always make me feel that in some small way I have been there.
Doug

Major how often does it happen, that a bears claw will break off inside a person?

Major Khan said:

“ The Great Bears Of Bengal : An Introduction “

In south East Asia ... There are 4 species of bear , which may be found . They are ( From the smallest to the largest ) :
> Sun Bear
> Himalayan Black Bear
> Asian Sloth Bear
> Himalayan Brown Bear

Let us start with the smallest of these brutes : The Sun Bear . Below , I have provided a photograph taken from the internet ... Of a Sun Bear .
View attachment 351007
These creatures are typically found in : North Eastern India to the North and extends South to South East , Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam in main land Asia to Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia to the South .

A large , fully grown male can weigh in excess of 148 pounds and can achieve a nose to tail length of just under 5 feet . They follow a predominantly omnivorous diet ... Living mainly on ants, bees, beetles, honey, termites and plant material such as seeds and several kinds of fruits .

The 2nd creature on our list is : The Himalayan Black Bear . Below , I have provided a photograph taken from the internet ... Of a Himalayan Black Bear .
View attachment 351069
These creatures are typically found in : The Northern parts of India , China , Bhutan , Nepal and Pakistan .

A large , fully grown male can easily weigh in excess of 400 pounds and can easily achieve a nose to tail length in excess of 5 feet . They follow a predominantly omnivorous diet ... Living mainly on consists of acorns , nuts , fruits , honey , roots , and various insects such as termites and beetle larvae. If food is scarce, they may turn to eating live stock such as sheep, goats, and cattle.


Next , comes the larger cousin of the Sun Bear : The Asian Sloth Bear . Below, I have provided a photograph taken from the internet ... Of an Asian Sloth Bear .
View attachment 351067
These creatures are typically found in : India , the Southern low lands of Nepal , Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

A large , fully grown male can easily weigh in excess of 425 pounds and can easily achieve a nose to tail length in excess of 6 feet . They follow a predominantly omnivorous diet ... Living mainly on ants , termites , fruit, plant matter, carrion, and very rarely other mammals. In March and April, they eat the fallen petals of mowha trees and are partial to mangoes , sugar cane , jack fruit and the pods of the Golden Shower Tree . Asian Sloth Bears are extremely fond of honey , and enjoy this sweet nectary substance through out the year .

The final ( And with out a doubt , the LARGEST ) member on our list is : The Himalayan Brown Bear . Below , I have provided a photograph taken from the internet ... Of a Himalayan Brown Bear .
View attachment 351078
These creatures are typically found in : in Nepal , Tibet, west China , North India , North Pakistan , Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, entire Kyrgyzstan and south-east Kazakhstan .

A large , fully grown male can easily weigh in excess of 1210 pounds and can easily achieve a nose to tail length in excess of 6 feet . They follow a predominantly omnivorous diet ... Living on grasses, roots and other plants as well as insects and small mammals; they also like fruits and berries. They will also prey on large mammals, including sheep and goats . Adults will eat before sunrise and later during the after noon .

Coming up next ... “ Bears & Man “ .

Click to expand...

Friend Ponton
The sun bear and Himalayan bear are beautiful with The V under their throat, the sloth bear looks like it needs the services of a good hair dresser. The Himalayas brown bear is huge and I love the cinnamon colour.
You friend
Bob

Great article on these bears. I really enjoy your stories!

“ Finding Your Bear “

Just like any other game animal , it is imperative that the shikaree possess an intimate amount of local knowledge ... As to the locations where the Great Bears Of Bengal may be found .

Regardless of whether the shikaree is pursuing a Sun Bear , an Asian Sloth Bear , a Himalayan Black Bear or a Himalayan Brown Bear ... 1 golden rule must ALWAYS be borne in mind : The Great Bears Of Bengal prefer to live in hilly regions , where the temperature is not too high . Use this basic knowledge , as a starting point ... To gauge the general area , where you wish to look for bears .

You shall be needing a competent tracker . 1 , who is capable of tracking solitary animals through rough terrain with utmost proficiency and has a great degree of knowledge ... Concerning the local area . It must be borne in mind ... That the Great Bears Of Bengal are not herd creatures . They may typically be found in the following arrangements :
> A solitary male , fully matured .
> A male and his mate .
> A mother and her cub .

Aside from a tracker , the shikaree shall do well to enlist the aid of a competent collector of wild honey . This is because ALL 4 species of the Great Bears Of Bengal absolutely ADORE wild honey . They consider it to be a delicacy ... Just as much as I love blue berry waffles ( My personal favorite dessert of all time ) . A local collector of wild honey shall be able to aid the shikaree ... In locating the spots in the hilly regions , where wild honey may be found . It is conventional wisdom , that these spots shall also be frequented by the Great Bears Of Bengal .

Aside from Sun Bears ( Which spend a great deal of their time , in the safety of trees ) ... The other 3 species of the Great Bears Of Bengal prefer to rest in caves . There fore , it shall benefit the shikaree to be particularly wary of areas ... Where caves may be found .

Hence , to conclude ... the 4 following considerations must be made , when pin pointing the region where 1 of the species of the Great Bears Of Bengal May be found Look for areas where :
> Temperatures are relatively low ( Certainly below 25 degrees celsius ) .
> The terrain is hilly
> Wild honey may be found
> Caves are numerous .

Below , I have provided a photograph taken by myself ... Of the paw print of an Asian Sloth Bear ... Found in my good friend , former fellow professional shikaree and fellow forum member , @Kawshik Rahman ’s tea garden , this year .



Coming up next ... “ Different Methods Of Taking Your Bear “ .

Poton, please add the photo.

Thanks for sharing!!

I've never even seen pics of some of these types of bears, very interesting!

“ Different Methods Of Taking Your Bear “

There are 5 hunting different methods , which the shikaree may opt for ... When hunting the Great Bears Of Bengal .

The 1st method ... Is by way of conventional tracking . For this purpose , the very best trackers to use ... Are Garo Trackers . These indigenous tribal people live in the hills of West Bengal , and have ( Almost ) super natural abilities in terms of tracking game animals . To quote my good friend , Kawshik , “ It is as if these magnificent people had been blessed by Divine Providence itself , with the innate ability to track down any game animal . Be it large , or small . “ These great people are fearless and loyal to a fault . I unfortunately , did not have any Garo trackers under my employment . This was because Garo tribes men do not live in Central and North Bengal ... Where I was based ( Since I used to live in Nagpur , and Allwyn Cooper Limited was also based in Nagpur ) . I instead had to make do , with Shaotaal trackers . These tribes men live in the hills of North and Central Bengal , and while fairly competent ... They have 1 fatal flaw . They cannot control their thirst , for liquor . As a result ... Their alcoholism greatly hindered their competence . This was not originally the case . Up until the mid 1960s ... They were quite competent trackers . How ever , departing clients ( Especially American clients ) used to leave behind several surplus bottles of liquor ... With the Shaotaals , after a successful shikar ( As a token of their appreciation ) . This ( Inadvertently ) had the negative effect of turning a once competent and honest group of employees ... In to bumbling , thieving drunkards . My personal Shaotaal tracker , was an elderly tribes man named Mintu . And due to his policy of never touching liquor , prior to the completion of a successful shikar ... He was far more competent , than the average Shaotaal tracker . Below , I have provided a photograph taken by myself ... Of Mintu and his son .


The 2nd method ... Is by way of conducting a beat . What you do ... Is recruit roughly 5 dozen local villagers , as beaters . Then , these beaters encircle a particular area ( Where the trackers have pin pointed the location of 1 of the Great Bears Of Bengal ) and establish a 5 mile radius around the region . Then ( Once the signal is given ) , the beaters begin to converge towards the center of the area .... Loudly blowing musical instruments , beating drums and making as much noise ... As they possibly can . The armed shikaree(s) lie in wait ... On the top of a freshly built macchan in the center of the area , in order to ambush the brute ... As soon as it gets flushed , towards them . It must be borne in mind , how ever ... That it is only possible to conduct a beat , if the hilly region is not too steep . Below , I have provided a photograph , taken by myself ... Of a group of local villagers , whom Allwyn Cooper Limited had recruited as beaters .





The 3rd method ... Is by way of man made baits . What the shikaree needs to do , is this : Once your trackers have successfully pin pointed and narrowed down the area of 1 of the Great Bears Of Bengal , hang a bucket from a tree branch ... Taking good care to secure it with a strong piece of twine or cable . Fill the bucket with Goor ( Indian molasses ) and then , climb up a macchan to wait . The Great Bears Of Bengal are like blood hounds , for Goor . Goor is like cocaine , to these brutes . Once a Great Bear Of Bengal catches a whiff of Goor ... It is willing to travel great distances , just to get it’s paws on this sweet substance . Once the brute reaches the bucket and it becomes busy , helping itself to Goor ... Having a Great Bear Of Bengal with in the shikaree’s rifle sights , is a completely straight forward affair . Below , I have provided a photograph , taken by myself ... Of a macchan used by shikarees to ambush game animals , from an elevated position.



The 4th method ... Is by way of natural baits . This method is virtually identical to the 3rd method mentioned . How ever , instead of using a bucket filled with Goor ... The shikaree has a macchan built in a place , which over looks an area where wild honey occurs . As previously mentioned ... The Great Bears Of Bengal absolutely ADORE wild honey . There fore , they are bound to frequent the areas ... Where wild honey occurs . Below , I have provided a photograph taken from the internet ... Of wild honey , occurring on a tree .

The 5th and final method ... Is to flush the brute out of it’s cave , in order to ambush it . What the shikaree needs to do , is this : If your trackers have managed to find bear tracks , leading in to a cave ... You immediately need to have a macchan built , which over looks said cave . You then , have your coolies light a small ( But extremely smoky ) fire ... On the edge of the cave , before slowly fanning the smoke in to the cave with a banana leaf . As soon as a low , guttural growl is heard ... your coolies must immediately clear away from the cave , as soon as possible . It is a tell tale sign , that the brute is about to charge out of the cave . As soon as the Great Bear Of Bengal rushes out of the cave , in a frenzied state ... Getting the brute with in your rifle sights , is a crystal clear straight forward affair . Below , I have provided a photograph taken by a friend ... Currently living in India , of a cave typically inhibited by the Great Bears Of Bengal .


There is technically 1 more method ... By which a shikaree may hunt 1 of the Great Bears Of Bengal . Allwyn Cooper Limited’s head shikaree , the Great Rao Naidu Of Hyderabad had devised an extremely efficient ( Yet highly cruel ) method of drawing out bears ... From their caves . He used to have a Hindu of the lowest caste ( Referred to , as an “ Untouchable “ ) cover his entire ( scantily clad ) body ( From head to toe ) in Goor ... And then , stand near the cave of a bear . In the mean time , Mr. Naidu ( And his clients ) would wait on the top of a macchan ... Rifles at the ready . The very instant the brute catches a whiff of the Goor ... It bounds after the untouchable , intent on ravaging them . The poor man ( or woman ) rushes towards the macchan , in fear for their lives ... With the charging bear close behind . Thus , getting the brute with in the shikaree’s rifle sights ... Becomes a relatively straight forward affair .

I am genuinely ashamed to admit that ... Even I had used this method 3 times ( Very early on , in my career ) , to hunt 2 Asian Sloth Bears and a Himalayan Brown Bear . How ever , by 1963 ... I had completely stopped . My best friend and professional shikaree partner , the late Tobin Stakkatz ( An American ) found this method to be absolutely sickening ... And was vehemently opposed to it . He believed that it was “ Inhumane “ and just “ Plain Wrong “ . In a way , Tobin’s morality rubbed off , on to me ( Over the years ) ... And I am genuinely grateful to him for this . Old Tobin made me a far better human being ( Than I other wise would have been , any way ) by introducing me to Western morals and sensibilities . I had originally shied away from this method , simply out of respect towards Tobin . How ever , as an elderly man now ... I realize that he was genuinely right . Using living human beings as bait ... Is barbaric .

Coming up next ... “ Appropriate Armaments For Your Bear “ .

Major Khan said:

“ Finding Your Bear “

Just like any other game animal , it is imperative that the shikaree possess an intimate amount of local knowledge ... As to the locations where the Great Bears Of Bengal may be found .

Regardless of whether the shikaree is pursuing a Sun Bear , an Asian Sloth Bear , a Himalayan Black Bear or a Himalayan Brown Bear ... 1 golden rule must ALWAYS be borne in mind : The Great Bears Of Bengal prefer to live in hilly regions , where the temperature is not too high . Use this basic knowledge , as a starting point ... To gauge the general area , where you wish to look for bears .

You shall be needing a competent tracker . 1 , who is capable of tracking solitary animals through rough terrain with utmost proficiency and has a great degree of knowledge ... Concerning the local area . It must be borne in mind ... That the Great Bears Of Bengal are not herd creatures . They may typically be found in the following arrangements :
> A solitary male , fully matured .
> A male and his mate .
> A mother and her cub .

Aside from a tracker , the shikaree shall do well to enlist the aid of a competent collector of wild honey . This is because ALL 4 species of the Great Bears Of Bengal absolutely ADORE wild honey . They consider it to be a delicacy ... Just as much as I love blue berry waffles ( My personal favorite dessert of all time ) . A local collector of wild honey shall be able to aid the shikaree ... In locating the spots in the hilly regions , where wild honey may be found . It is conventional wisdom , that these spots shall also be frequented by the Great Bears Of Bengal .

Aside from Sun Bears ( Which spend a great deal of their time , in the safety of trees ) ... The other 3 species of the Great Bears Of Bengal prefer to rest in caves . There fore , it shall benefit the shikaree to be particularly wary of areas ... Where caves may be found .

Hence , to conclude ... the 4 following considerations must be made , when pin pointing the region where 1 of the species of the Great Bears Of Bengal May be found Look for areas where :
> Temperatures are relatively low ( Certainly below 25 degrees celsius ) .
> The terrain is hilly
> Wild honey may be found
> Caves are numerous .

Below , I have provided a photograph taken by myself ... Of the paw print of an Asian Sloth Bear ... Found in my good friend , former fellow professional shikaree and fellow forum member , @Kawshik Rahman ’s tea garden , this year .

View attachment 351734

Coming up next ... “ Different Methods Of Taking Your Bear “ .

Click to expand...

Friend Ponton
These bears sound like they are very predictable in their habits. Would this be correct? Is friend Rahmans tea garden in an area you described hilly and cool? They sound easy to find and predictable in their habits and dislike of human but at the same time not to be underestimated.
Bob

Poton, using humans as bait is harsh / despicable. Nevertheless it was done, so your reporting of it is simply factual, and needs to be understood in that regard.

Major Khan said:

“ Different Methods Of Taking Your Bear “

There are 5 hunting different methods , which the shikaree may opt for ... When hunting the Great Bears Of Bengal .

The 1st method ... Is by way of conventional tracking . For this purpose , the very best trackers to use ... Are Garo Trackers . These indigenous tribal people live in the hills of West Bengal , and have ( Almost ) super natural abilities in terms of tracking game animals . To quote my good friend , Kawshik , “ It is as if these magnificent people had been blessed by Divine Providence itself , with the innate ability to track down any game animal . Be it large , or small . “ These great people are fearless and loyal to a fault . I unfortunately , did not have any Garo trackers under my employment . This was because Garo tribes men do not live in Central and North Bengal ... Where I was based ( Since I used to live in Nagpur , and Allwyn Cooper Limited was also based in Nagpur ) . I instead had to make do , with Shaotaal trackers . These tribes men live in the hills of North and Central Bengal , and while fairly competent ... They have 1 fatal flaw . They cannot control their thirst , for liquor . As a result ... Their alcoholism greatly hindered their competence . This was not originally the case . Up until the mid 1960s ... They were quite competent trackers . How ever , departing clients ( Especially American clients ) used to leave behind several surplus bottles of liquor ... With the Shaotaals , after a successful shikar ( As a token of their appreciation ) . This ( Inadvertently ) had the negative effect of turning a once competent and honest group of employees ... In to bumbling , thieving drunkards . My personal Shaotaal tracker , was an elderly tribes man named Mintu . And due to his policy of never touching liquor , prior to the completion of a successful shikar ... He was far more competent , than the average Shaotaal tracker . Below , I have provided a photograph taken by myself ... Of Mintu and his son .
View attachment 351745

The 2nd method ... Is by way of conducting a beat . What you do ... Is recruit roughly 5 dozen local villagers , as beaters . Then , these beaters encircle a particular area ( Where the trackers have pin pointed the location of 1 of the Great Bears Of Bengal ) and establish a 5 mile radius around the region . Then ( Once the signal is given ) , the beaters begin to converge towards the center of the area .... Loudly blowing musical instruments , beating drums and making as much noise ... As they possibly can . The armed shikaree(s) lie in wait ... On the top of a freshly built macchan in the center of the area , in order to ambush the brute ... As soon as it gets flushed , towards them . It must be borne in mind , how ever ... That it is only possible to conduct a beat , if the hilly region is not too steep . Below , I have provided a photograph , taken by myself ... Of a group of local villagers , whom Allwyn Cooper Limited had recruited as beaters .
View attachment 351802




The 3rd method ... Is by way of man made baits . What the shikaree needs to do , is this : Once your trackers have successfully pin pointed and narrowed down the area of 1 of the Great Bears Of Bengal , hang a bucket from a tree branch ... Taking good care to secure it with a strong piece of twine or cable . Fill the bucket with Goor ( Indian molasses ) and then , climb up a macchan to wait . The Great Bears Of Bengal are like blood hounds , for Goor . Goor is like cocaine , to these brutes . Once a Great Bear Of Bengal catches a whiff of Goor ... It is willing to travel great distances , just to get it’s paws on this sweet substance . Once the brute reaches the bucket and it becomes busy , helping itself to Goor ... Having a Great Bear Of Bengal with in the shikaree’s rifle sights , is a completely straight forward affair . Below , I have provided a photograph , taken by myself ... Of a macchan used by shikarees to ambush game animals , from an elevated position.
View attachment 351808


The 4th method ... Is by way of natural baits . This method is virtually identical to the 3rd method mentioned . How ever , instead of using a bucket filled with Goor ... The shikaree has a macchan built in a place , which over looks an area where wild honey occurs . As previously mentioned ... The Great Bears Of Bengal absolutely ADORE wild honey . There fore , they are bound to frequent the areas ... Where wild honey occurs . Below , I have provided a photograph taken from the internet ... Of wild honey , occurring on a tree .
View attachment 351913
The 5th and final method ... Is to flush the brute out of it’s cave , in order to ambush it . What the shikaree needs to do , is this : If your trackers have managed to find bear tracks , leading in to a cave ... You immediately need to have a macchan built , which over looks said cave . You then , have your coolies light a small ( But extremely smoky ) fire ... On the edge of the cave , before slowly fanning the smoke in to the cave with a banana leaf . As soon as a low , guttural growl is heard ... your coolies must immediately clear away from the cave , as soon as possible . It is a tell tale sign , that the brute is about to charge out of the cave . As soon as the Great Bear Of Bengal rushes out of the cave , in a frenzied state ... Getting the brute with in your rifle sights , is a crystal clear straight forward affair . Below , I have provided a photograph taken by a friend ... Currently living in India , of a cave typically inhibited by the Great Bears Of Bengal .
View attachment 351924

There is technically 1 more method ... By which a shikaree may hunt 1 of the Great Bears Of Bengal . Allwyn Cooper Limited’s head shikaree , the Great Rao Naidu Of Hyderabad had devised an extremely efficient ( Yet highly cruel ) method of drawing out bears ... From their caves . He used to have a Hindu of the lowest caste ( Referred to , as an “ Untouchable “ ) cover his entire ( scantily clad ) body ( From head to toe ) in Goor ... And then , stand near the cave of a bear . In the mean time , Mr. Naidu ( And his clients ) would wait on the top of a macchan ... Rifles at the ready . The very instant the brute catches a whiff of the Goor ... It bounds after the untouchable , intent on ravaging them . The poor man ( or woman ) rushes towards the macchan , in fear for their lives ... With the charging bear close behind . Thus , getting the brute with in the shikaree’s rifle sights ... Becomes a relatively straight forward affair .

I am genuinely ashamed to admit that ... Even I had used this method 3 times ( Very early on , in my career ) , to hunt 2 Asian Sloth Bears and a Himalayan Brown Bear . How ever , by 1963 ... I had completely stopped . My best friend and professional shikaree partner , the late Tobin Stakkatz ( An American ) found this method to be absolutely sickening ... And was vehemently opposed to it . He believed that it was “ Inhumane “ and just “ Plain Wrong “ . In a way , Tobin’s morality rubbed off , on to me ( Over the years ) ... And I am genuinely grateful to him for this . Old Tobin made me a far better human being ( Than I other wise would have been , any way ) by introducing me to Western morals and sensibilities . I had originally shied away from this method , simply out of respect towards Tobin . How ever , as an elderly man now ... I realize that he was genuinely right . Using living human beings as bait ... Is barbaric .

Coming up next ... “ Appropriate Armaments For Your Bear “ .

Click to expand...

Friend Ponton
I would surely not have liked to be covered in good and used as bait. They were either very brave or very stupid to allow it to be done as well they must gave been very good runners. I to find it not an acceptable practice. Of all the methods you mentioned I would have used t huge e first in my fitter days. Now I would uses a beat.
No matter what method except the last it sounds like it is an interesting and exciting hunt.
Your humble reader and friend
Bob.

Major, Sir,
From the picture and your description, the Himalayan Brown Bear seems very similar to our American Grizzly or Alaskan brown Bear. An exciting hunt and excellent trophy, I would say.

“ Appropriate Armaments For Your Bear “

A ) Suitable Bear Worthy Fire Arms

We now approach my personal favorite part of this article . What armaments are the most appropriate for the Great Bears Of Bengal ?

It must be borne in mind , that terminal requirements of a calibre to be used on Sun Bears ... Is vastly different , compared to to the terminal requirements of a calibre to be used on the other 3 species of the Great Bears Of Bengal .

Since the Sun Bear is a relatively small creature , the shikaree does not need as large a calibre ... As he does , when pursuing the other species of bears . There fore , any of the .30 calibre centre fire rifle cartridges shall do quite admirably ... Against these brutes . My personal experience as a retired professional shikaree , leads me to have a strong preference for any of the 3 following calibres :
> .30-30 Winchester
> .30-06 Springfield
> .300 Winchester magnum

Out of these 3 calibres , were I given a choice ... I would personally opt for the .30-06 Springfield . Several gentle men prefer the .30-30 Winchester . That is perfectly alright . How ever , it must be borne in mind ... That the .30-30 Winchester is a cartridge for which lever rifles are invariably chambered . There fore , it is not a very accurate cartridge at longer ranges . When hunting Sun Bears , it must be borne in mind ... That these brutes are hunted in hilly regions . And in these sorts of regions ... Shots at longer ranges are invariably taken . For me ( Personally) ... The .30-06 Springfield is plenty accurate , for the ranges at which Sun Bears are typically shot .
By using the very same argument ... There were countless of my clients , who personally preferred the .300 Winchester magnum ... Due to the added reach of the .300 Winchester magnum , at longer ranges . I have no argument , whatsoever against their choice ... Save for the fact that I personally consider the .30-06 Springfield to be perfectly adequate , for hunting Sun Bear under all ordinary circumstances .

For the other 3 bear species found in Bengal ... A considerably heavier calibre is requisite . Based up on my personal experiences as a professional shikaree ... I deem the 3 following calibres to be perfect , for the purposes of hunting these brutes :
> .338 Winchester magnum
> 9.3 x 62 mm Mauser
> .375 Holland & Holland magnum

Amongst these 3 calibres , my personal favorite would have to be the .338 Winchester magnum . I have absolutely fallen in love with this magnificent American calibre ... Up on witnessing it’s terminal effects up on the Great Bears Of Bengal . It is extremely accurate , extremely flat shooting ( Out to longer ranges ) and packs enough of a punch ... To floor even the largest of the Himalayan Brown Bears . My Continental clients used to typically prefer the 9.3 x 62 mm Mauser for hunting the Great Bears Of Bengal and there is certainly nothing wrong with that , either . The 9.3 x 62 mm Mauser is a magnificent bear cartridge ... In it’s own right . Those of my clients , who also had a royal Bengal tiger or a gaur bison on the menu ( along side a bear ) ... Would invariably bring a .375 Holland & Holland magnum ( Or larger ) calibre rifle to India , for shikar . They would end up using their .375 Holland & Holland magnum calibre rifle on bears ... With utter impunity , as well . The reason for this , was because : 13 of India’s 30 states had legal regulations , which stipulated the use of a minimum calibre of .375 magnum ... Against royal Bengal tigers and gaur bison , by foreign client shikarees . And foreign client shikarees were only permitted to import 2 fire arms and 250 cartridges ( Per fire arm ) in to India , for a shikar trip . As a result , most foreign client shikarees ( Who had either a royal Bengal tiger or a gaur bison , on their menu ) would bring a .375 Holland & Holland magnum ( Or larger ) calibre rifle as their heavy rifle ... Along with either a lighter calibre rifle or a shot gun , for shooting small(er) game . How ever , assuming that I was going on a shikar trip to India , intending to hunt nothing larger than a Himalayan Brown Bear ... My preferred rifle calibre would , undoubtedly be the .338 Winchester magnum .

Below , I have provided a scan of our “ Professional Shikaree’s Book Of Rules & Regulations “ From the season of 1967 to 1968 ( Applicable For Uttar Pradesh ) . As can clearly be seen , the minimal calibre for foreign client shikarees to use against royal Bengal tigers in Uttar Pradesh ... Was a .375 magnum .



Now , yes . The Great Bears Of Bengal have been successfully dispatched with EVERY possible calibre of rifle , ranging from .22 Winchester magnum rim fire to .460 Weatherby magnum . How ever , I would personally refrain from contending with these brutes ... With any rifle calibre smaller than the .338 Winchester magnum . Even a .256 Mannlicher calibre rifle is capable of dispatching a fully grown male Himalayan Brown Bear ... Provided that your 1st shot is entirely capable of bringing about the brute’s death . How ever , the heavier calibre of rifle becomes indispensable for laying low WOUNDED bears . For body shots , a larger diameter bullet definitely has more effect on a game animal than a smaller diameter bullet . Aside from creating larger wound channels ( Thus , ensuring swifter blood loss ) , it also causes more “ Shocking “ effect to the creature’s system ... Provided that the velocity is adequate . Some of my clients did prefer to use rifle calibres , which were larger than the .375 Holland & Holland magnum ( Such as the .458 Winchester magnum ) ... Against the Great Bears Of Bengal . While there is absolutely nothing wrong with these choices ... I personally consider the .458 Winchester magnum to be a short range cartridge and there fore , unsuitable for hill shooting ( Which is the sort of terrain ... In which the Great Bears Of Bengal are typically hunted ) . Thus , for me ... The perfect calibre for the hunting of the Great Bears Of Bengal ... Is the .338 Winchester magnum .

My good friends , @Shootist43 and @Bob Nelson 35Whelen have also familiarized me with an exceptional modern “ Wild Cat “ calibre named the “ .35 Whelen “ . While I have no PERSONAL experience with the calibre ... It’s ballistic properties ( On paper ) lead me to me to believe , that the .35 Whelen would also make an exceptionally sound choice against the Great Bears Of Bengal .


We now come to the most suitable platform of rifle , to use ... For the shikar of the Great Bears Of Bengal . For the other 5 members of India’s “ Dangerous 6 “ , my Dear Readers shall note that I always encourage shikarees ... To use the platform of rifle , which they feel most comfortable in operating ( Be it a double barreled rifle , a bolt rifle , a lever rifle or a semi automatic rifle ) . The exception , of course is when wounded forest panthers must be followed up ... In to the thickets ( Where a double barreled side by side rifle , equipped with double triggers , 24 - 26 inch barrels , automatic ejectors , uncovered ivory bead fore sight and wide V back sight ... Is irreplaceable) .

When hunting the Great Bears Of Bengal ... This is certainly NOT the case . This is the ONLY member of Indian “ Dangerous 6 “ ... Which actually NECESSITATES a bolt rifle . The Great Bears Of Bengal are typically shot at ranges of 100 yards , or thereabouts ( Some shots are often even made at ranges ... In excess of 200 yards ) . This is well beyond the comfort zone of the ranges of what most operators of double barreled rifles and lever rifles , would care to shoot game animals at . There fore , an accurate bolt rifle , wearing a low power telescopic sight ( Not too high magnification ) is what is requisite ... When hunting the Great Bears Of Bengal . Many such excellent rifles exist on the market today ... Which can easily fulfill these requirements . How ever , during our time ... The most superior rifle for this purpose was actually : The pre 64 Winchester Model 70 , chambered in .338 Winchester magnum , dressed in a super grade stock , and wearing a bull barrel and a Weaver K series telescopic sight . Not the most modern weapon ( By any means , whatsoever ) ... But the perfect tool to lay low all 4 species of the Great Bears Of Bengal .

Below , I have provided a photograph taken from the internet ... Of ( What I personally consider to be ) the perfect rifle , for having to contend with the Great Bears Of Bengal . I would even comfortably use this against Sun Bears ... With out feeling too over gunned .






B ) Essential Ammunition Choices

It must be borne in mind , that while the Great Bears Of Bengal are thin skinned creatures ... Their extensive fur and fat ( Referred to , as “ Adipose Tissue “ ) acts as a “ Sponge “ of sorts and can soak up their blood to a great extent ... While also closing wounds to some degree . There fore , only large calibre soft point bullets of premium quality ... Should be used against these brutes . Heavy for calibre bullets are indispensable for this sort of affair . There fore , the .30-06 Springfield cartridges should utilize 220 grain bullets ... When being used against Sun Bears . The .338 Winchester magnum cartridges should utilize 275 grain bullets ... When being used against Himalayan Black Bears , Asian Sloth Bears and Himalayan Brown Bears . In modern times , 300 grain bullets are widely available for the .338 Winchester magnum ( As manufactured by the Australian brand , Woodleigh ) . How ever , since I have no personal experience with these 300 grain bullets ... I shall refrain from commenting on them , too much . Hopefully , 1 of my Dear Readers ( Who has actually used these 300 grain bullets in the .338 Winchester magnum ) may be able to chip in ... On this subject .

During the time of my career as a professional shikaree ( 1961 - 1970 ) , most soft point cartridges used to possess a fundamental flaw ( especially , when utilized inside in a conventional repeater rifle ) . If you loaded your entire magazine with soft point cartridges and fired multiple shots ... Then , the recoil would cause the soft point cartridges to slam around inside the magazine ( Repeatedly ) . This , in turn ... Would cause the bullet heads of the soft point cartridges to deform , and thus ... Feeding issues were imminent .

There was , how ever 1 soft point cartridge ... Which was guaranteed NEVER to deform , back in those days - The Winchester Silver Tip . Never could a finer soft point bullet exist ( In my humble opinion ) . It’s silver colored ( Hence the name , “ Silver Tip “ ) aluminum tipped bullet was practically immune to any sort of deformation , whatsoever . Unfortunately , the modern sports man has deemed these bullets to be obsolescent .


Of course , unless any of you are above 60 years of age ... Chances are that most of my Dear Readers have never even HEARD of soft point cartridge heads deforming inside rifle magazines , due to recoil . Modern technological developments have fortunately relegated this issue to history books . Today , countless excellent modern soft point bullets ( Of premium quality ) exist on the market . Some of them include , but are not limited to :
> Swift A Frame
> Barnes TSX
> Rhino Solid Shank
I would personally feel confident about using ANY of these ... Against the Great Bears Of Bengal .

Below , I have provided a photograph taken from the internet ... Of a box of my beloved Winchester Silver Tip cartridges in .338 Winchester magnum .


Personally speaking ... I have dispatched 36 Great Bears Of Bengal ( Both during my life , so far ... And during my career as a professional shikaree ) . All of these brutes were laid low , with my “ Old Belgian “ : A Belgian 12 Bore double barreled side by side box lock shot gun ... Which is equipped with 3 inch magnum length chambers , extractors , double triggers and 28 inch barrels ( The left barrel is fully choked , while the right barrel is a modified choke ) . Stamped on the barrels of the grand old gun , is “ 12 Bore DBBL Made In Belgium “ .

Below , I have provided a photograph taken by myself ... Of my faithful old shikar companion , of the last 61 years .


This , I would load up with my hand loaded Eley Alphamax magnum 3 inch “ High Brass “ Spherical Ball cartridges ... And use against the Great Bears Of Bengal . While certainly not the most sophisticated fire arm / ammunition combination ...
My modest weapon NEVER once let me down , in the last 61 years ( And certainly not against any of the Great Bears Of Bengal ) .

Below , I have provided a photograph taken by myself ... Of some French 2.75 inch Viri brand “ High Brass “ 12 Bore cartridges ... Which I have recently hand loaded with 16 Bore spherical balls of hardened lead .



How ever , the blunt truth was that I had to make do with this ( Excellent ) weapon ... Because it was all that I possessed , at the time . I had to get myself with in disconcertingly close ranges of these brutes ( Always with in 30 feet , and frequently with in HALF that range ) ... In order to accurately land a 16 Bore spherical ball bullet , on a vital region of their’s . Lest I were given a choice ... I would much more prefer the pre 64 Winchester Model 70 , chambered in .338 Winchester magnum .


Coming up next ... “ Following Up Wounded Bears “ .

“ Following Up Wounded Bears “

As ethical shikarees , we must always aspire to dispatch our quarry quickly and cleanly ... With the very 1st shot . In a perfect world , every shikaree is able to drop his quarry to the shot . On the spot . How ever , we do not live in a perfect world ... Do we ?

And thus , you occasionally ( Unintentionally ) wound a game animal ... Which needs to be followed up . The Great Bears Of Bengal are certainly no different . How ever , like all the other 5 members of India’s “ Dangerous 6 “ ... Certain special considerations need to be made .

Let us take a moment to discuss shot placement ... On the Great Bears Of Bengal. Fellow forum member , @Dragan N. has kindly provided this photograph of the skull of an American Kodiak Bear ... Which had been dispatched by a shot to the head .


Indeed , countless Great Bears Of Bengal have been laid low with head shots ... Over the years . How ever , I do not personally recommend the brain shot ... For dispatching a bear .

My Dear Readers might now be wondering , “ Why would a retired professional shikaree , who exclusively prefers to use the brain shot on forest panthers ... Eschew the brain shot on the Great Bears Of Bengal ? “ . My answer is simple .

You see ... The head of a bear is quite an oddly shaped 1 . The brain is quite small ... And located at an awkward position , inside the brute’s head . Even a shikaree who has managed to saw open the head of a dispatched bear , and study the position of the brain ... Invariably has an extremely difficult time in landing brain shots on bears , with 100 % consistency .

A far safer ( And more guaranteed ) shot ... Is 1 , where the point of aim is behind the shoulder . From a broad side position , the easiest shot for a neophyte to take ... Is the double lung shot. It presents the widest target ... For the novice . A bear whose lungs have BOTH been ruptured by the shikaree’s bullet ... Shall typically run up to 100 yards , coughing blood from it’s mouth and nose ... Before dropping to the ground and expiring . A bear shot in this manner , also seldom thinks of charging .

A slightly more ambitious shot to take ... Is the heart shot . It must be borne in mind , that the heart of a beast is located at the base of it’s chest ... Right between it’s 2 fore legs . Thus , when a heart shot is taken from a broad side position ... The shikaree’s bullet needs to pierce the bear’s fore leg and still hold together ... In order to penetrate in to the brute’s heart , prior to opening up inside the heart .

Below , I have provided a simple diagram of where an Asian Sloth Bear should be shot ... From a broad side position .


Now , when a bear gets wounded ... It immediately attempts to retreat to the safety of heights . There fore , it shall invariably be making a move ... To reach up hill . Other times , it attempts to retreat in to it’s cave . Following up 1 of the Great Bears Of Bengal ... Invariably results in a charge . And when this happens ... The shikaree is left only , with the option for a frontal heart shot . The point of aim , for this shot ... Should be behind the brute’s shoulder .

Below , I have provided a simple diagram of the ideal point of aim ... For a frontal heart shot , on a Himalayan Black Bear .



While I personally prefer to shoot charging forest panthers , at ranges as close at 5 paces ... The opposite holds true , for when ever I need to contend with a charging bear . As previously explained ... Brain shots are NOT reliable performers on these brutes . And thus ... Heart shots are used to stop charging bears . The problem with heart shots or lung shots ... Is that ( As opposed to brain shots ) the mortal effect on game animals , is not instantaneous . There fore , a charging bear which has been shot through the heart ... Still has enough time to maul the shikaree , prior to expiring . As a result , I personally prefer to keep as much distance between myself and a charging bear ... As possible .

Before I complete this section ... A strong word of warning , is requisite . What ever any of you ever do ... Never , EVER follow a Wounded Bear in to it’s cave . Doing so ... Is practically suicide . I actually was stupid enough , once ... To make this mistake , in 1968 . Even though I laugh to myself about the incident , when ever I think about it now ( After all these years ) ... I assure all of you . The incident was FAR from comical , at the time of when it had occurred . When ever a wounded bear retreats in to a cave ... The shikaree must immediately have his coolies light a small ( but extremely smoky fire ) on the edge of the cave ... And then, fan the smoke in to the cave with a banana leaf . The smoke infuriates the brute ... And causes it to frantically rush out of the cave . Once the bear is on open ground again ... The shikaree should waste no time , whatsoever ... In delivering the killing shot .


Coming up next ... “ Conclusion “ .

Conclusion

Well ... That wraps up an other 1 . I certainly hope that all of my Dear Readers have enjoyed reading this article ... Just as much as I have enjoyed writing it . I hope to write my next article on African Hunting Forums , after 3 days . Until then ... Take care and stay safe !

THE END

Very interesting. Up in Alaska a pump action 12 gauge is a popular bear defense for people who are not actually hunting.

The same rifles you mentioned are popular up here. A lot of people use the 30-06, 300 Magnums, and 338. The 375 is a bit more of a specialty rifle for bear hunters but almost every hunting store has a 375 H&H and ammo.