Forums.NitroExpress.com

Is, or more correctly for this discussion, was Africa the ultimate hunting destination? Or was India a strong rival or even superior?

When reading several of the big game hunting books of the late 1800's and early 1900's I found unusual that many of the hunters and explorers only made side trips to Africa on the way to their principal destination, the Indian sub-continent. At the time I found this extra-ordinary, why did they have this attitude?

Today there is no doubt. India has devastated its game populations. much of what hunting is still possible on remaining game populations is banned in the country of India even if some species would still be viable for hunting. Other countries such as Pakistan still allow hunting but unfortunately only a shadow of what was available in the past.

Africa even if its game populations have suffered tremendously in terms of numbers still offers good hunting in many countries, even if relatively expensive. But with modern means of travel perhaps more accessible to the ordinary man who has a job and family to maintain allowing perhaps more people to hunt than ever before. Perhaps.

But lets go back to pre-WW2 India (ie India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) and include say some of the Himalayan countries as well. Compare them to Africa, an area far larger in size. But India also has many different climates.

Compare the game species available. The Big Five of Africa - elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino. Easily equalled by India with - India elephant, tiger, leopard, gaur and Javan rhino. Add to this Asiatic lion and species of bear. Perhaps the Asian Big 7 to the African Big 5 ?

Does India easily win the dangerous game competition ?

Plains game. Africa had undoubtably tremondous numbers of plains game. The unbelieveable numbers of springbok in Southern Africa. The migration of wildebeest in East Africa. The sheer number of species, many of them very beautiful and distinctive - the sable, kudu, oryx, impala, gazelle of many species. India had the blackbuck to rival both the sable in colour and the kudu for spiral horns. Smaller, yes. The chital or axis deer. Many argue the most beautfiul deer species of the world. A species of red deer. The mighty sambar. The hog deer. Mountain species of goat, sheep and antelope. Interesting arguments for both could be made.

Numbers of animals. The huge herds of African elephant made many a hunter very rich, and many very dead. But many a lion, tiger and leoaprd were also killed by the Maharajahs.

What other factors contributed? Perhaps culture. The Indian sub-continent has strong and ancient cultures going back well before even European Alexander whose conquests were finally halted on the frontiers of the continent by the reticence of his own men. But it was already ancient even then. Many languages, religions and civilisations. One factor would undoubtably be food. Unlike the mud-like bland porridges of African natives with occasional scorched raw meat, the Indians were already true gourmands and the banquets of the Maharajahs would have been very spectacular. Indeed a very bland, tough and unappetizing food necessitated by the lack of refridgeration is still promoted as an African delicacy, biltong

.

Sheltering not in drippy canvas tents with dusty floors and put to sleep by buzzing mosqitoes but in grand palaces of tile, stone and brick with flowing water and sparkling fountains, serenaded by peafowl.

What I hope to do is put forward over the next few months various stories and accounts, questions and debates to resurrect the history of hunting in Asia. Hopefully this will be enjoyable and even more so hopefully many of the readers will make an effort to join in and make it less of a wriiten "lecture" and more of a chat or discussion in a group. Unfortunately most of it will be historical but may be enlightening.

Now I will be looking for books and articles on the subject of hunting in India and Asia. I have several and some suggestions already, but if you have good suggestions please feel free to post them. Post your own discussions or extracts from books and articles. Photographs also appreciated.

Please join in.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

Post Extras