Why no hunting in India, and could it ever be re-opened?

[Inkgardener]

Since I am reading this forum post in my library…

 

[Northern Shooter]

This was an interesting thread to read through and now really has me thinking, what other countries have shut down their once available hunting opportunities to western hunters aside from India and China?

 

[DieJager]

This was an interesting thread to read through and now really has me thinking, what other countries have shut down their once available hunting opportunities to western hunters aside from India and China?

That is a long list. Vietnam, Birma, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Indonesia, Laos, North Korea that is just a few that come to mind but probably the list will be a lot longer. Also Eritrea, Niger, Ivory coast etc

 

[Northern Shooter]

That is a long list. Vietnam, Birma, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Indonesia, Laos, North Korea that is just a few that come to mind but probably the list will be a lot longer. Also Eritrea, Niger, Ivory coast etc

So predominantly Asia, I wonder why?

 

[DieJager]

So predominantly Asia, I wonder why?

The end of the colonial era and the big reason a large exploding population; therefore less area for animals, rampant poaching that decimated the wildlife.

End of the colonial era also meant new people in power with religions that have a different view on hunting. Also hunting big game was seen as a majority white man sport.

These are a few reasons. There are still opportunities but not like it was a hundred years ago.

 

[grand veneur]

So predominantly Asia, I wonder why?

You have to take one country after another in South and Southeast Asia and examine its current wilderness with its actual game population, its population density, its history over the past decades, the cultural environment, the current political situation, the extremely strict gun laws and so on. Then you quickly understand why hunting is hardly possible for foreigners in all these countries.

 

[Northern Shooter]

And then we have the Central Asian nations, formerly under the influence of the USSR that exhibit a strong hunting culture.

 

[grand veneur]

And then we have the Central Asian nations, formerly under the influence of the USSR that exhibit a strong hunting culture.

But you can hunt there without any problems,...at least until recently.

 

[Red Leg]

Hunting India would have been a special experience. This is an original travel poster from early in the last century that hangs in the game room. I can just imagine having one's own private train car awaiting arrival well stocked with Boodles Gin, Pol Roger champagne, and Armenian Ararat Cognac (all Churchill favorites), and an excellent single malt (sadly Winston liked Johnny Walker Red - quantity over quality).

 

[SStomcat]

Will Hunting Ever Return to India? The Real Question Is—What Would You Hunt?

As someone originally from India and coming from a hunting family, I often hear discussions about whether hunting might one day be legalized again in India. But to me, that’s not the real question. The real question is — what would you actually hunt?

No one’s going to travel halfway across the world to shoot feral pigs, spotted deer, or nilgai. The true draws — the Royal Bengal Tiger and the Indian Rhino — are completely off limits and heavily protected inside the vast network of tiger reserves that now cover much of the country.

Some might argue that Asian elephants, which are quite numerous in certain regions and occasionally become a serious nuisance, could justify tightly controlled, limited hunting. I could understand that perspective — but politically and socially, it’s almost unthinkable today.

The hunting ban in India traces back to a grim reality: the Bengal Tiger was driven nearly to extinction by the excesses of the British Raj and the Indian Maharajas. Shooting 15 or 20 tigers in a single shikar from elephant back or machans was once considered sport — and it’s exactly what led to the crisis we faced.

Thankfully, strong government intervention helped the tiger population recover, at least to some extent. But given that fragile progress, I just don’t see tiger or leopard hunting returning in our lifetime — unless you’re dealing with a man-eater, which, sadly, has become more common as humans continue to encroach into their habitat.

I’d be curious to hear what others think — if hunting were ever reopened in India, what species would truly make sense to hunt?

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Will Hunting Ever Return to India? The Real Question Is—What Would You Hunt?

As someone originally from India and coming from a hunting family, I often hear discussions about whether hunting might one day be legalized again in India. But to me, that’s not the real question. The real question is — what would you actually hunt?

No one’s going to travel halfway across the world to shoot feral pigs, spotted deer, or nilgai. The true draws — the Royal Bengal Tiger and the Indian Rhino — are completely off limits and heavily protected inside the vast network of tiger reserves that now cover much of the country.

Some might argue that Asian elephants, which are quite numerous in certain regions and occasionally become a serious nuisance, could justify tightly controlled, limited hunting. I could understand that perspective — but politically and socially, it’s almost unthinkable today.

The hunting ban in India traces back to a grim reality: the Bengal Tiger was driven nearly to extinction by the excesses of the British Raj and the Indian Maharajas. Shooting 15 or 20 tigers in a single shikar from elephant back or machans was once considered sport — and it’s exactly what led to the crisis we faced.

Thankfully, strong government intervention helped the tiger population recover, at least to some extent. But given that fragile progress, I just don’t see tiger or leopard hunting returning in our lifetime — unless you’re dealing with a man-eater, which, sadly, has become more common as humans continue to encroach into their habitat.

I’d be curious to hear what others think — if hunting were ever reopened in India, what species would truly make sense to hunt?

Not speaking for myself, since I've already bagged those species elsewhere in Asia.

BUT

I personally know over 100 hunters who would desperately like to bag a gaur or an Asian sloth bear.

 

[mark-hunter]

I’d be curious to hear what others think — if hunting were ever reopened in India, what species would truly make sense to hunt?

Uff tough question. India has many species of dangerous game, more then Africa, including possible three subspecies of leopard.... (forest leopard, village leopard, cloud leopard, himalayan leopard)

My list would be gaur, elephant, tiger, leopard. then blackback, nilgai, chinkara gazelle.
My first on the list would be gaur.

As a separate way of hunting, not related to specific animal, I would love to experience hunting from machan on elephant back!

 

[PCC600]

Hunting India would have been a special experience. This is an original travel poster from early in the last century that hangs in the game room. I can just imagine having one's own private train car awaiting arrival well stocked with Boodles Gin, Pol Roger champagne, and Armenian Ararat Cognac (all Churchill favorites), and an excellent single malt (sadly Winston liked Johnny Walker Red - quantity over quality).

View attachment 722613

Yes but Ainston adored Pol Roger - can’t fault him for that or his preference for Woodward guns and rifles and Humber cars .

 

[PCC600]

Yes but Ainston adored Pol Roger - can’t fault him for that or his preference for Woodward guns and rifles and Humber cars .

Winston !

 

[rookhawk]

Will Hunting Ever Return to India? The Real Question Is—What Would You Hunt?

As someone originally from India and coming from a hunting family, I often hear discussions about whether hunting might one day be legalized again in India. But to me, that’s not the real question. The real question is — what would you actually hunt?

No one’s going to travel halfway across the world to shoot feral pigs, spotted deer, or nilgai. The true draws — the Royal Bengal Tiger and the Indian Rhino — are completely off limits and heavily protected inside the vast network of tiger reserves that now cover much of the country.

Some might argue that Asian elephants, which are quite numerous in certain regions and occasionally become a serious nuisance, could justify tightly controlled, limited hunting. I could understand that perspective — but politically and socially, it’s almost unthinkable today.

The hunting ban in India traces back to a grim reality: the Bengal Tiger was driven nearly to extinction by the excesses of the British Raj and the Indian Maharajas. Shooting 15 or 20 tigers in a single shikar from elephant back or machans was once considered sport — and it’s exactly what led to the crisis we faced.

Thankfully, strong government intervention helped the tiger population recover, at least to some extent. But given that fragile progress, I just don’t see tiger or leopard hunting returning in our lifetime — unless you’re dealing with a man-eater, which, sadly, has become more common as humans continue to encroach into their habitat.

I’d be curious to hear what others think — if hunting were ever reopened in India, what species would truly make sense to hunt?

Chital, Sambar, and Nilgai would be three examples that could be sustainably hunted.

 

[Muskox]

Never will be open again. If it is it will be a game ranch situation and will be closed by the antis within a few years.

I was shocked that Thailand couldn't or wouldn't get something together. They love tourism dollars and are interested in guns. Philippines has been closed ever since that one guy passed away. Not sure his was legal anyway.

There might be an expansion in the UAE, but this is basically game ranching hunting.

Asia is volatile. Hell think of the problems everywhere else in the world. Opening a new country takes conviction and dollars that most places won't invest.

 

[GOLK09]

My $.02...India has a large population of people that are vegetarian by faith, and has the cultural tradition of seeing many animals as sacred.

There's a significant cultural difference between India and U.S.

 

[SStomcat]

The power oh Gaur

Turn ur volume to 0

 

[Doug Hamilton]

So predominantly Asia, I wonder why?

Not just Asia, although India is a big one. Maybe the best known country to eliminate hunting is Kenya.

 

[steve white]

Where there is a WILL, habitat, and a viable breeding population of animals, there is a way. Central (skinny part) of Vietnam was once game paradise according to the book, "I killed for a living"
Countries should look at the income/conservation available from hunting, if they have realistic compassion for wild fauna.
Hopefully Captive Bred Tiger hunts won't take off, if hunting is opened...