Looking for something ?
- Thread starter Cherokee
- Start date
Pistolero
Well-Known Member
We were in an open bus in Kruger National Park, and the driver found a large male lion like that. The good
news was that he had an unzipped rifle case on the dashboard, with a loaded .458 Win Mag rifle in it.
In India, we were riding in a tiny Suzuki jeep, entirely open. And a huge male tiger stepped out of the
bushes. The driver stopped and he walked slowly across the road, about 25 yds away, with NO weapons,
and nothing between us in the open jeep.
The jeep in he background is identical to what we were in.
A wide angle lens snapshot.
Pucker factor. Off scale, believe me. He ignored us entirely.
news was that he had an unzipped rifle case on the dashboard, with a loaded .458 Win Mag rifle in it.
In India, we were riding in a tiny Suzuki jeep, entirely open. And a huge male tiger stepped out of the
bushes. The driver stopped and he walked slowly across the road, about 25 yds away, with NO weapons,
and nothing between us in the open jeep.
The jeep in he background is identical to what we were in.A wide angle lens snapshot.
Pucker factor. Off scale, believe me. He ignored us entirely.
Last edited:
fiver
Well-Known Member
and here I was worried about all the signs they had posted up about the Bears in the area I was up grouse hunting in yesterday.
I had been considering packing in further back for the Deer hunt in that same canyon but I'm starting to rethink the thickness of my tent.
I didn't stop and look for anything about picnic baskets in the posters, but I did see a hump on the shoulders in the picture.
I had been considering packing in further back for the Deer hunt in that same canyon but I'm starting to rethink the thickness of my tent.
I didn't stop and look for anything about picnic baskets in the posters, but I did see a hump on the shoulders in the picture.
fiver
Well-Known Member
I got bear options for everyone that would be there.
I don't so much mind the 300lb black ones [they can be trouble but usually mind their own business] it's the 600 lb Brown ones I got issues with.
if they are in this area it means they are new, probably young, and hungry from not knowing the territory.
the other problem is the Does and Fawns are moving down into the hay fields around town.
it's only 2 Mtn. ridges away from the Bear posters, and an easy days walk with a nap or two thrown in.
I don't so much mind the 300lb black ones [they can be trouble but usually mind their own business] it's the 600 lb Brown ones I got issues with.
if they are in this area it means they are new, probably young, and hungry from not knowing the territory.
the other problem is the Does and Fawns are moving down into the hay fields around town.
it's only 2 Mtn. ridges away from the Bear posters, and an easy days walk with a nap or two thrown in.
Pistolero
Well-Known Member
Blacks are rarely a problem, can be, but their nature is different.
The griz have this whole social structure deal that they work and live in. Get too close, and Mama may
be required to come over and teach you some manners. But a mild rebuke for a griz, will pretty
severely fold, spindle and mutilate us more fragile creatures. Mostly they are not INTENDING to kill
us, but just "teach a lesson in manners".....but geez, hard damned lessons.
The griz have this whole social structure deal that they work and live in. Get too close, and Mama may
be required to come over and teach you some manners. But a mild rebuke for a griz, will pretty
severely fold, spindle and mutilate us more fragile creatures. Mostly they are not INTENDING to kill
us, but just "teach a lesson in manners".....but geez, hard damned lessons.
Cool pic,"ain't it the truth" comes to mind?
Back in my "guiding" days....
Was guiding a guy bow hunting and had gotten him in a nice rock section overlooking a natural funnel. So cool,time for me to hole up back aways and catch some shut eye.
Swear,didn't know anything about it till,after the fact and the guy was laughing.... apparently a doe had walked up to me and was sniffing at arms length? And no,wasn't using any smell'm up juice.
Back in my "guiding" days....
Was guiding a guy bow hunting and had gotten him in a nice rock section overlooking a natural funnel. So cool,time for me to hole up back aways and catch some shut eye.
Swear,didn't know anything about it till,after the fact and the guy was laughing.... apparently a doe had walked up to me and was sniffing at arms length? And no,wasn't using any smell'm up juice.
Ian
Notorious member
Might have been the same tiger, with a belly full of thief and no interest in you at the moment.
Pistolero
Well-Known Member
Fairly sure not, Ian. The day we arrived, engaged the mandatory driver and naturalist, headed out in the PM. We
got to see a female and two 2/3 grown cubs, but no closer than perhaps 200yds, but we watched them from that
distance for 45 min, off and on as they moved in and out of view, and we relocated. They were moving steadily
along a dry stream bed. The next AM, we had the same driver and naturalist, and they took us out.....and there was
a small log, 4" or so diam "blocking" the road we started to go down to see the same 3 tigers again. They conferred
briefly in another language, and we turned around and went to the other side of the LARGE park. We asked why we
couldn't go to where we had been the day before.... mumbled - well, we shouldn't go there today, eyes averted.
We found several tigers at other locations that day.
Much later that afternoon, I asked again, they decided to tell us. A local woman had entered the park (I remember
that we were very close to an entrance that first afternoon) to steal wood (they have mostly deforested everywhere else
for cooking wood) and was grabbed and killed. By the mother and the two cubs, they were pretty sure, mostly because
the were known to be in that area at that time.
The one walking behid us was "B2", the dominant male of the whole park, the big cheese, head honcho, "Do you know
who I am?" tiger. He just wasn't much impressed with a few more of those foolish people. He crossed slowly,
climbed the 6 foot embankment, walked in 25 ft, and lay down, looking at us. It was hot, and he didn't give a rat's
patoot what we thought about anything, or at least that was my impression. They mostly eat wild pigs in the
park, seem to be pretty well fed. Seems possible that the mother was teaching the cubs to hunt when the
unfortunate wood poacher came along.
Here's where it was. I'd have rather been inside a vehicle at that moment. But, like anything you come through
safely.....COOL! Even it it was scary as heck at the instant.
Bill
got to see a female and two 2/3 grown cubs, but no closer than perhaps 200yds, but we watched them from that
distance for 45 min, off and on as they moved in and out of view, and we relocated. They were moving steadily
along a dry stream bed. The next AM, we had the same driver and naturalist, and they took us out.....and there was
a small log, 4" or so diam "blocking" the road we started to go down to see the same 3 tigers again. They conferred
briefly in another language, and we turned around and went to the other side of the LARGE park. We asked why we
couldn't go to where we had been the day before.... mumbled - well, we shouldn't go there today, eyes averted.
We found several tigers at other locations that day.
Much later that afternoon, I asked again, they decided to tell us. A local woman had entered the park (I remember
that we were very close to an entrance that first afternoon) to steal wood (they have mostly deforested everywhere else
for cooking wood) and was grabbed and killed. By the mother and the two cubs, they were pretty sure, mostly because
the were known to be in that area at that time.
The one walking behid us was "B2", the dominant male of the whole park, the big cheese, head honcho, "Do you know
who I am?" tiger. He just wasn't much impressed with a few more of those foolish people. He crossed slowly,
climbed the 6 foot embankment, walked in 25 ft, and lay down, looking at us. It was hot, and he didn't give a rat's
patoot what we thought about anything, or at least that was my impression. They mostly eat wild pigs in the
park, seem to be pretty well fed. Seems possible that the mother was teaching the cubs to hunt when the
unfortunate wood poacher came along.
Here's where it was. I'd have rather been inside a vehicle at that moment. But, like anything you come through
safely.....COOL!
Even it it was scary as heck at the instant.
Bandhavgarh National Park Madhya Pradesh India
Bandhavgarh National Park, located in central India, the state of Madhya Pradesh is one of the few sites in the world where you can witness tigers and other wildlife in their native environment.
www.bandhavgarh-national-park.com
Bill
Last edited:
