Most of us on this forum love the outdoors.
Be it shooting clays on the range. Camping. Long walks in the wilderness or even
spending time in an indoor air pistol / air rifle shooting range. Some are into horse riding. Some into jeeps.
Some of us are into fishing.While some are into hunting .
I am one such person. Ever since I was a school boy.My summer holidays would be spent leaving home early morning on my cycle to the forests and hills close by,where I would spend the day. Would get back before sun set.
The small town we live in was very safe those days. You could leave your cycle anywhere and were sure it would not be stolen.
Today its a different story.
Some of us are married.
Which makes the lives of an outdoors man---should I say--- different.
Here are some examples.
On my second hunting trip abroad (Argentina). I came to know that my wife was pregnant.
Now my bookings had already been done. Almost 8 months in advance.
So I called my mother in law to look after my wife and left alone for the other end of our planet.
Fortunately she was in her second trimester and I got back much before the little one was born.
Just over a year ago.My wife's only brother/brother-in-law /(Saala--in hindi) was getting married. It was Nov2012. At the same time my friend Singh called up. There was a maneater in Almora (not Devprayag). A leopard which had killed 4 people. Interestingly 3 leopards had already been shot. Two by a famous hunter in the state and one by another hunter. The attacks on humans continued. Finally my friend was invited for the hunt and he asked me to join in. I could not resist the hunt but managed to take out a day for the wedding. It was an unsuccessful hunt where we did not get the killer. But interestingly the killings stopped. It was assumed that
the leopard had crossed the border and moved into Nepal.
Last year I was out for a couple of weeks to England where I spent time with Shooters hunting in the beautiful English countryside. The moment I got back I joined my friends on a maneater hunt. This time we got the animal. The maneater was shot on a day before Dewali. That is also the day when the local Club has a grand funtion. We were supposed to attend the festivites with our respective families. Then NEWS of the second human kill came to us. We jumped into our greens and spent the rest of the night hunting the mankiller.......while our better half's and kids waited at home.
Recently a maneating tigress made big news here. My friend did not get a permit. He did not loose heart and persued the case. Even threatened to file a case and an RTI . Finally he was issued a permit.....though rather late. My friend reached Afzalgarh(where the last kill had taken place)on 13th monday.A once in a lifetime chance
of hunting a maneating tigress. I thought to my self. I was with them the next evening. Got a call from my wife a day later 2 get home ASAP. Left the place early next morning.Got back home by 1 p.m. My wife had already left for the hospital with her mother. Joined them soon after. I few hours later we were blessed with our third child. A beautiful little girl. I had (pet) named her "Sherni" to remind me of the "unsuccessful" maneating tigress hunt.
Thank God I made it to the hospital in time.
Now that everything has settled I am forced to look back and thing.
I am surprised my wife hasn't given me a divorce.
.You my friend are walking the Razors edge,be very careful where you put your next step. Best Amit
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