Big Game Hunting in the Himalayas and Tibet

G. Burrard

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Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Informations

• Publié par: Read Books Ltd.
• Date de parution: 22 mars 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528763721
• Langue: English

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BIG GAME HUNTING IN THE HIMALAYAS AND TIBET
By
MAJOR G. BURRARD, D.S.O., R.F.A. ( RETIRED )
AUTHOR OF NOTES ON SPORTING RIFLES WITH SECTIONS BY
COL. A. G. ARBUTHNOT, C.M.G., D.S.O., R.A.;
W.B. COTTON, I.C.S.; COL. G. H. EVANS, C.B.E., C.I.E.;
SIR OTWAY WHEELER-CUFFE, BART., AND F. C. LOWIS
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION
IN the first edition of this book I endeavoured to give, as accurately as possible, the geographical distributions of all the principal game animals of the Himalayas and Tibet. Wherever I was doubtful about the existence of any hard and fast demarcation of an animal s habitat I invariably gave the boundary on the inside of the doubtful territory, as I felt, that it was better not to mention animals being found on certain ground where they might exist, than to state that they were to be found on ground where they did not exist. Thanks entirely to the spontaneous help given me by a considerable number of sportsmen who had read the first edition, I have now been able to modify the distributions which I originally gave for burrhel, ibex and red bear. In fact, apart from a few minor alterations in the text and the corrections of one or two misprints, this new edition is the same as the first except that in the cases of the three animals mentioned it gives more strictly accurate information.
I would like to take this opportunity of thanking again all those sportsmen who have so kindly written to me, and also the general sporting public for the most kind and generous manner in which they received the first edition. The kindness of this reception exceeded my hopes and has encouraged me to offer this new edition.
G. BURRARD.
INTRODUCTION
SO many books dealing with the hunting of Big Game have been published in recent years that an addition to their number may seem to be superfluous. My reason for making such an addition is twofold. First, because relatively few books have appeared during the last twenty years which are solely devoted to the Himalayas and Tibet; secondly, because none of these, to my knowledge, contains any precise information which is likely to help the sportsman in his desire to find game by striking off the beaten track. For years past Kashmir has been regarded as the only possible hunting ground by at least eighty per cent, of those who wished to shoot in the Himalayas. A few venturesome spirits yearly wandered into the ranges immediately behind the principal hill stations, but still fewer ever penetrated far. As a rule they hardly hoped for anything more than an odd gooral or two, an occasional barking deer, and if they were very lucky a thar or serow. Black bear and panther have always been easily obtained. At the present time the cost of a shooting trip in Kashmir can become so excessive as to debar the ordinary government official, soldier or civilian, from attempting any but the shortest expeditions. It is undoubtedly true that the old hand will be able to keep his expenses within reasonable limits, but such ability is only to be acquired after experience, and experience may be too dear to buy. The result is that many sportsmen who feel the call of the hills are unable to respond. To all such in particular I would dedicate this book, for I sincerely feel that it may help them and give them confidence to try new ground where they will obtain excellent sport at a comparatively moderate cost. Once they have gained knowledge and experience elsewhere they can visit the shooting grounds of Kashmir and will then find that they will be better able to cope with the problem of costs and prices.
I believe that the geographical distributions of Himalayan and Tibetan game which I have suggested in this book strike a new note, and I also believe that such distributions are accurate. All the maps were drawn before the first Everest Expedition, and the reports brought back by the members of the Expedition completely confirmed the boundaries which I had fixed for the Tibetan antelope and gazelle and the Ovis ammon Hodgsoni .
I would like to express my very real gratitude to Colonel A. G. Arbuthnot, C.M.G., D.S.O., R.A., for his ready and spontaneous help in contributing his excellent chapters on Ibex, Markhor, Oorial and Kashmir Stag. There is no greater authority or more experienced or successful shikari.
Mr. W. B. Cotton s chapter on the Leopard was really intended to deal with that animal from the point of view of the sportsman of the Plains of India. But the leopard, or panther, is so ubiquitous throughout the Himalayas that I have been glad of an excuse for including Mr. Cotton s contribution, which in my opinion is the most able and brilliant exposition on the art of shooting leopard by sitting up which has ever been written. Sitting up is an art. This fact is appreciated by few and understood by still fewer. All who may wish to obtain information as to the best means of circumventing these cunning beasts, no matter whether they are thinking of the Plains of India, the Himalayas or even Africa, will be able to read Mr. Cotton s chapter with profit; and I feel convinced that they will then stand a better chance of obtaining success than they did before, no matter how great their experience or knowledge.
I am also most deeply indebted to Sir Otway Wheeler-Cuffe, Bt, Colonel G. H. Evans, C.B.E., C.I.E., and Mr. F.C. Lowis for their interesting and valuable contributions on the Burmese Serow, Burmese Gooral and Takin. All these animals are comparatively little known and few specimens have been obtained by sportsmen. These additions must add very largely to whatever utility this book may have.
Any knowledge which I have acquired of the geography of the Himalayas I owe entirely to many years intimate association with my father, who served in the Survey of India for nearly forty years, during the last ten of which he held the post of Surveyor-General.
The Himalayas and Tibet probably provide the best stalking ground in the world, and Stalking is the method of hunting almost invariably employed when after Himalayan game. At the same time Still Hunting can be practised usefully and successfully in the thick jungles of the outer and middle ranges when such animals as black bear, sambhur or kakur may form the quarry. To my mind there are few more fascinating forms of sport than Still Hunting, but it is an art which is not often studied in India as carefully as it might be. I have, accordingly, included two chapters on Stalking and Still Hunting which I hope may prove of interest and even help to the novice. The old hunter can skip them without a qualm unless he be of a nature which delights in criticism.
I have purposely refrained from giving many measurements of animals or their heads. Measurements of heads are not of much interest unless the lists are complete, and it would be ridiculous to give a few abbreviated lists when the whole question has been dealt with so thoroughly in Rowland Ward s Records of Big Game . I would advise all sportsmen to include a copy of this work in their libraries: it is full of information and interest which never seems to pall.
One final word. If sport in the Himalayas, or anywhere else in the world, is to be enjoyed to its full, the sportsman must be able to converse with his followers and the local inhabitants. If he is tied to an interpreter he will find his trip is neither so interesting nor so successful. Every endeavour, therefore, should be made to learn the language of the country, while even smat terings of some local dialects will at times prove of the greatest possible help and may make just the whole difference in obtaining the most valuable information as to the whereabouts of game, or of being left in ignorance.
For many of the native names of animals which I have given I am indebted to that excellent and invaluable publication, The Indian Field Shikar Book .
Throughout this book I have emphasised the importance of geography and maps. Excellent maps of the Himalayas may be obtained on payment by application to the Office of the Surveyor-General of India, 13 Wood Street, Calcutta. I would recommend the purchase of two types. The first on a scale of I/M (1/1,000,000) or 16 miles to an inch, and the second the old Indian Atlas Sheets or the modern Degree Sheets which give every nullah with the greatest accuracy on a scale of 4 miles to the inch.
I cannot end this Introduction without expressing my most cordial and sincerest thanks to my friend Mr. H. T. Sheringham, the Angling Editor of the Field , to whose encouragement this book in the first place owes its inception and whose kindly criticism and generous help have ever been most ungrudgingly given through out the past four years.
G. BURRARD.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
T HE G EOGRAPHY OF THE H IMALAYAS
CHAPTER II
S TALKING
CHAPTER III
S TILL H UNTING
CHAPTER IV
B LACK B EAR (Ursus Torquatus)
CHAPTER V
B URRHEL (Ovis Nahura)
CHAPTER VI
G OORAL (Nemorh-cedus Goral)
CHAPTER VII
I BEX (Capra Sibirka)
CHAPTER VIII
K ASHMIR STAG OR B ARASINGH (Cervus Kashmiriensis)
CHAPTER IX
L EOPARD (Felis Pardus)
CHAPTER X
M ARKHOR (Capra falconeri)
CHAPTER XI
O ORIAL OR S HAPU (Ovis vignci OR Ovis cycloceros)
CHAPTER XII
O VIS A MMON OR N YAN (Ovis Amman Hodgsoni)
CHAPTER XIII
R ED B EAR (Ursus arctus Isabellinus)
CHAPTER XIV
S AMBHUR (Ccervus unicolor)
CHAPTER XV
T HAR (Hemitragus jemlalacus)
CHAPTER XVI
T IBETAN A NTELOPE (Panthalops Hodgsoni)
CHAPTER XVII
G ENERAL H INTS ON S HOOTING IN THE H IMALAYAS
CHAPTER XVIII
O UTFIT
CHAPTER XIX
P ARTICULARS OF THE P RINCIPAL H IMALAYAN S TATES
I NDEX
BIG GAME HUN