Devprayag Part 2
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PLEASE NOTE: There is currently a complete ban on Hunting/ Shikar in India. IFG DOES NOT ALLOW any posts of an illegal nature, and anyone making such posts will face immediate disciplinary measures.
PLEASE NOTE: There is currently a complete ban on Hunting/ Shikar in India. IFG DOES NOT ALLOW any posts of an illegal nature, and anyone making such posts will face immediate disciplinary measures.
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zaheer.bakshi
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Re: Devprayag Part 2
Prashanth & me positioned on a landslide
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prashantsingh
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Re: Devprayag Part 2
This was the stretch of road ....about 9 kms long, being constructed under the pradhanmantri yojna.
It was blocked due to multiple landslides eversince the rains had started.
Everyday we would hear the alarm calls of a barking deer coming from that side and I was sure the big cat we were looking for was hiding here.
Up in the mountain undisturbed.
We tied the bait on the other side of the landslide on the road. A road which was not in use for more than a month. We were assured by the gram pradhan that the road will be cleared in a day. But in my 12 days stay it remained as it is. I realised later tha since the funds to clear and construct this road came from Delhi. It would surely take a lot of time and the Pradhan ....like most netas ....had pulled a fast one on us.
There was a stream next to the place where the goat was tied.
Big cats normally walk along the sides of clear river or stream .....called gadera in the local language.
They can cover massive distances this way and get a clear path to walk on which is anyday better than taking the thorny hillside.
There paws are soft and a cat is always careful not to injure it.
Big cats also prefer to use roads for the same reason. Which makes night searching along the road in an open jeep with a spotlight so important.
This spot selection ....as we later found out was perfect.The maneater was indeed hiding here. But was too cunning to come on the bait for an unknown reason.
While we were well hidden from one side with the rock face seperating us and hiding us from the bait.
The other side was totally exposed .
If the maneater decided to come down the other Gadhera. He would find the two of us sticking out clearly while we would be unaware of its presence. A leopard can see 6 times better than the human eye in the darkness.
. A calculated risk, one has to take in a maneater hunt.
The sighting of a Ghoral (mountain goat) which came 15 feet to inspect out bait was once in a lifetime experience which I shall narrate subsequently. It made the effort worthwhile. How I wish had had my movie camera then .....rather than the rifle.
It was blocked due to multiple landslides eversince the rains had started.
Everyday we would hear the alarm calls of a barking deer coming from that side and I was sure the big cat we were looking for was hiding here.
Up in the mountain undisturbed.
We tied the bait on the other side of the landslide on the road. A road which was not in use for more than a month. We were assured by the gram pradhan that the road will be cleared in a day. But in my 12 days stay it remained as it is. I realised later tha since the funds to clear and construct this road came from Delhi. It would surely take a lot of time and the Pradhan ....like most netas ....had pulled a fast one on us.
There was a stream next to the place where the goat was tied.
Big cats normally walk along the sides of clear river or stream .....called gadera in the local language.
They can cover massive distances this way and get a clear path to walk on which is anyday better than taking the thorny hillside.
There paws are soft and a cat is always careful not to injure it.
Big cats also prefer to use roads for the same reason. Which makes night searching along the road in an open jeep with a spotlight so important.
This spot selection ....as we later found out was perfect.The maneater was indeed hiding here. But was too cunning to come on the bait for an unknown reason.
While we were well hidden from one side with the rock face seperating us and hiding us from the bait.
The other side was totally exposed .
If the maneater decided to come down the other Gadhera. He would find the two of us sticking out clearly while we would be unaware of its presence. A leopard can see 6 times better than the human eye in the darkness.
. A calculated risk, one has to take in a maneater hunt.
The sighting of a Ghoral (mountain goat) which came 15 feet to inspect out bait was once in a lifetime experience which I shall narrate subsequently. It made the effort worthwhile. How I wish had had my movie camera then .....rather than the rifle.
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brihacharan
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Re: Devprayag Part 2
Prashant wrote: The sighting of a Ghoral (mountain goat) which came 15 feet to inspect out bait was once in a lifetime experience which I shall narrate subsequently. It made the effort worthwhile. How I wish had had my movie camera then .....rather than the rifle.
How true Prashant!
You would have captured images for posterity
It just goes to show that deep in the heart of a 'true hunter' there lies a soul that respects the welcome vagaries of nature
Waiting for more.........
Briha
How true Prashant!
You would have captured images for posterity
It just goes to show that deep in the heart of a 'true hunter' there lies a soul that respects the welcome vagaries of nature
Waiting for more.........
Briha
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prashantsingh
- Poster of the Month - Aug 2011
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Re: Devprayag Part 2
Briha Sir.
Let me discribe the scene right away.
Zaheer and I were sitting very still on those rocks with our bait calling frantically when we heard the short low pitched alarm call of the ghoral. Interestingly the barking deer which had been calling all these days was very silent that day.
Soon enough we saw this majeatic male Ghoral comiing down the steep hillside. These mountain goats amaze me at the way thyy balance themselves and find a proper foothold on the steepest of mountain edges....licking on a salt lick or grazing on the most: succulant grass ....inaccessible to any other species
Both Zaheer and I were spell bound by its beauty as we saw the creature jump from one rock to the other with amazing ease,till it was down onto the road.
What followed thereafter was the funniest scene. The Ghoral mistook our bait as a potential intruder and challenged it for a fight by lowering his head and displaying his horns.
Now it was an awkward situation for us. If we shooed away the Ghoral we were likely to disturb the maneater.
If we did not. The wild goat would gore our bait to death. Our pet goat all tied up had no chance against its wild and powerful cousin.
The Ghoral was all set to charge like a bull charges. When Zaheer got this brilliant idea. He picked up a stone and flung it towards the Ghoral.
The stone had just the right effect and the Ghoral vanished into the bush as fast as lightning.
Let me discribe the scene right away.
Zaheer and I were sitting very still on those rocks with our bait calling frantically when we heard the short low pitched alarm call of the ghoral. Interestingly the barking deer which had been calling all these days was very silent that day.
Soon enough we saw this majeatic male Ghoral comiing down the steep hillside. These mountain goats amaze me at the way thyy balance themselves and find a proper foothold on the steepest of mountain edges....licking on a salt lick or grazing on the most: succulant grass ....inaccessible to any other species
Both Zaheer and I were spell bound by its beauty as we saw the creature jump from one rock to the other with amazing ease,till it was down onto the road.
What followed thereafter was the funniest scene. The Ghoral mistook our bait as a potential intruder and challenged it for a fight by lowering his head and displaying his horns.
Now it was an awkward situation for us. If we shooed away the Ghoral we were likely to disturb the maneater.
If we did not. The wild goat would gore our bait to death. Our pet goat all tied up had no chance against its wild and powerful cousin.
The Ghoral was all set to charge like a bull charges. When Zaheer got this brilliant idea. He picked up a stone and flung it towards the Ghoral.
The stone had just the right effect and the Ghoral vanished into the bush as fast as lightning.
Last edited by prashantsingh on Mon Aug 10, 2015 3:11 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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sa_ali
- Shooting true
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Re: Devprayag Part 2
amazing narration, you make us feel part of the whole setup.
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brihacharan
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Re: Devprayag Part 2
Hi Prashant,
Hope this brings back the image of the Ghoral that almost gored the bait you had tied
Briha
Added in 2 minutes 25 seconds:
Briha
Hope this brings back the image of the Ghoral that almost gored the bait you had tied
Briha
Added in 2 minutes 25 seconds:
Yes! Prashant has this gift with words, that makes one feel a part of the 'happening'!!!!sa_ali wrote:Amazing narration, you make us feel part of the whole setup.
Briha
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zaheer.bakshi
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Re: Devprayag Part 2
Ye Briha Ji..exactly the same.
Tying the bait in photo
Tying the bait in photo
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prashantsingh
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Re: Devprayag Part 2
A little bigger that this one Briha Sir. It was surely a dominant male.
Are Zaheer bhai. arjun ka mooh rangna hi tha to kayde se rangte..........
Kala kar dete....hahaha.....buri nazar se bachane k liye.
Btw friends.....Arjun had sworn that he would not shave till we had shot the maneater. So by the end of his ten day stay . He was sporting a decent beard.
Zaheer wore his lucky pants.....which he had worn during the previous two hunts.
I am sursprised no one asked me about zaheers blue jeans when we were sitting on those rocks.
For him they were lucky. For me they were luckier.
If the maneater did come the other way. He would go for Zaheer instead of me.
Shikaris are a superstitious lot
Are Zaheer bhai. arjun ka mooh rangna hi tha to kayde se rangte..........
Kala kar dete....hahaha.....buri nazar se bachane k liye.
Btw friends.....Arjun had sworn that he would not shave till we had shot the maneater. So by the end of his ten day stay . He was sporting a decent beard.
Zaheer wore his lucky pants.....which he had worn during the previous two hunts.
I am sursprised no one asked me about zaheers blue jeans when we were sitting on those rocks.
For him they were lucky. For me they were luckier.
If the maneater did come the other way. He would go for Zaheer instead of me.
Shikaris are a superstitious lot
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brihacharan
- Old Timer
- Posts: 3112
- Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2010 3:33 pm
- Location: mumbai
Re: Devprayag Part 2
prashantsingh wrote:A little bigger that this one Briha Sir. It was surely a dominant male.
Are Zaheer bhai. arjun ka mooh rangna hi tha to kayde se rangte..........
Kala kar dete....hahaha.....buri nazar se bachane k liye.
Btw friends.....Arjun had sworn that he would not shave till we had shot the maneater. So by the end of his ten day stay . He was sporting a decent beard.
Zaheer wore his lucky pants.....which he had worn during the previous two hunts.
I am sursprised no one asked me about zaheers blue jeans when we were sitting on those rocks.
For him they were lucky. For me they were luckier.
If the maneater did come the other way. He would go for Zaheer instead of me.
Shikaris are a superstitious lot
You Bet-----They are
Go for Blue
They are true,
Lucky are the few
Zaheer's faith is like glue!
Briha
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Safarigent
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Re: Devprayag Part 2
21 july
after waking up, we went up to the dera and constructed the blind for the night. We were going to add a roof for added concealment and make it slightly bigger as we were going to be three in the blind. In the process of going down to supervise the tying up of our bait, i sprained my ankle. This was an unwelcome development. I sat down on the soft grass and assessed the situation. There was little pain at the moment, but i was in no doubt that each hour here on this mountain would be a challenge from now on; this was to be proved amply on the last day. I tightened up the laces and picked up a stout stick to help me hobble around. After assessing the completed blind and the other preparations being satisfactory, we went down to the FRH to welcome new team members as replacements for the two gentlemen leaving. After welcoming them, updating them on the situation so far and having lunch we left for the site. Sat in the blind by 8 pm. This was a departure from normal as this leopard wasnt showing up before 9.30 anywhere. We stayed in the blind till 1 am. Nothing. Quiet jungle, no barking deer, no dogs barking, only our goat bleating at full volume. A couple of times it felt like the leopard had arrived as the goat went mad bleating, but it was only a fox coming in to investigate this furred loudspeaker. After some time you get drained as your senses are in overdrive. You hear every sound magnified, you start sensing the play of shadows and light across the hills as the clouds race across the sky. Lightning on the horizon brought forth a silent prayer for the weather forecast to hold true and no rain to fall. Which was answered. This is also the land of snakes and they are aplenty. It is with trepidation that one sits on a blind at night hoping that one of these denizens of the jungles doesnt slide in to seek the warmth three bodies can offer. I was honestly more worried about a snake rather than the cat! At moments like these, when your back is aching with the strain of not moving, there is a constant buzzing of mosquitoes around your ears and your ankle is throbbing angrily and swelling up, you almost hate the leopard and curse him as to why he isnt coming on to the bait? But a maneating leopard is an adversary deserving the highest of respect and we still havent outwitted it. Thoughts like these are pebbles thrown on a calm pond like mind and the effects keep rippling until quietened down and we focus again on hearing, breathing, watching, waiting, hearing, breathing, watching, waiting...... Over and over again. The fireflies had cast a lovely net over the surrounding hillside and that helped pass time. The moon was getting brighter night by night and i would always freeze the moment it peeked through the clouds......
We finally called the jeep to take us down and they came in after having lost their way. A wrong turn taken had them going on for 20 kilometers before the error was discovered and the jeep thrned around. New team members around unknown terrain.......
A slow painful crawl up the slope, with my injured ankle making me remember every minute i sat immobile putting pressure on it, we got onto the road and into the jeep. On the drive down, the goat came up behind me and nuzzled me. It must have been cold and tired and hungry and scared without its mother. How cruel are the ways of the world when we are ready to put in harms way anothers child to save one of our own species. After petting it a bit, the goat calmed down. In the meanwhile the forest chaps were dropped off and we went down to the FRH for our customary rich and multicourse meal, today consisting of egg curry and rice. It was 2 am by now. Left by 2.30 and were in bed sleeping by 3.30 am.
Last words from that days diary entry:
Patience in the camp is being stretched and one is hoping for a quick end to the matter........
after waking up, we went up to the dera and constructed the blind for the night. We were going to add a roof for added concealment and make it slightly bigger as we were going to be three in the blind. In the process of going down to supervise the tying up of our bait, i sprained my ankle. This was an unwelcome development. I sat down on the soft grass and assessed the situation. There was little pain at the moment, but i was in no doubt that each hour here on this mountain would be a challenge from now on; this was to be proved amply on the last day. I tightened up the laces and picked up a stout stick to help me hobble around. After assessing the completed blind and the other preparations being satisfactory, we went down to the FRH to welcome new team members as replacements for the two gentlemen leaving. After welcoming them, updating them on the situation so far and having lunch we left for the site. Sat in the blind by 8 pm. This was a departure from normal as this leopard wasnt showing up before 9.30 anywhere. We stayed in the blind till 1 am. Nothing. Quiet jungle, no barking deer, no dogs barking, only our goat bleating at full volume. A couple of times it felt like the leopard had arrived as the goat went mad bleating, but it was only a fox coming in to investigate this furred loudspeaker. After some time you get drained as your senses are in overdrive. You hear every sound magnified, you start sensing the play of shadows and light across the hills as the clouds race across the sky. Lightning on the horizon brought forth a silent prayer for the weather forecast to hold true and no rain to fall. Which was answered. This is also the land of snakes and they are aplenty. It is with trepidation that one sits on a blind at night hoping that one of these denizens of the jungles doesnt slide in to seek the warmth three bodies can offer. I was honestly more worried about a snake rather than the cat! At moments like these, when your back is aching with the strain of not moving, there is a constant buzzing of mosquitoes around your ears and your ankle is throbbing angrily and swelling up, you almost hate the leopard and curse him as to why he isnt coming on to the bait? But a maneating leopard is an adversary deserving the highest of respect and we still havent outwitted it. Thoughts like these are pebbles thrown on a calm pond like mind and the effects keep rippling until quietened down and we focus again on hearing, breathing, watching, waiting, hearing, breathing, watching, waiting...... Over and over again. The fireflies had cast a lovely net over the surrounding hillside and that helped pass time. The moon was getting brighter night by night and i would always freeze the moment it peeked through the clouds......
We finally called the jeep to take us down and they came in after having lost their way. A wrong turn taken had them going on for 20 kilometers before the error was discovered and the jeep thrned around. New team members around unknown terrain.......
A slow painful crawl up the slope, with my injured ankle making me remember every minute i sat immobile putting pressure on it, we got onto the road and into the jeep. On the drive down, the goat came up behind me and nuzzled me. It must have been cold and tired and hungry and scared without its mother. How cruel are the ways of the world when we are ready to put in harms way anothers child to save one of our own species. After petting it a bit, the goat calmed down. In the meanwhile the forest chaps were dropped off and we went down to the FRH for our customary rich and multicourse meal, today consisting of egg curry and rice. It was 2 am by now. Left by 2.30 and were in bed sleeping by 3.30 am.
Last words from that days diary entry:
Patience in the camp is being stretched and one is hoping for a quick end to the matter........
To Excellence through Diligence.
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prashantsingh
- Poster of the Month - Aug 2011
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- Location: India
Re: Devprayag Part 2
Very well written safarigent.
Guys safarigent is very meticulous with everything he does. He even maintains a diary which he jots down on a day basis.
I on the other hand am totally casual. Remember only few things and write them down here after everything is over.
You just reminded me of the snakes safarigent. Saw two of them. One with zaheer on the very first day. The other with you when you had just come over. That big black cobra which crossed the road infront of our jeep.
An amazing sight no doubt.
But I personally dont like them and prefer to stay away from them.
And this time of the year. The monsoons. Their burrows get flooded and they are all over the place.
To add to the misery are numerous insects, mosquitoes and leeches.
Guys safarigent is very meticulous with everything he does. He even maintains a diary which he jots down on a day basis.
I on the other hand am totally casual. Remember only few things and write them down here after everything is over.
You just reminded me of the snakes safarigent. Saw two of them. One with zaheer on the very first day. The other with you when you had just come over. That big black cobra which crossed the road infront of our jeep.
An amazing sight no doubt.
But I personally dont like them and prefer to stay away from them.
And this time of the year. The monsoons. Their burrows get flooded and they are all over the place.
To add to the misery are numerous insects, mosquitoes and leeches.
Last edited by prashantsingh on Tue Aug 11, 2015 9:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Safarigent
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Harish Asnani
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Re: Devprayag Part 2
beautiful account of your activity and surroundings, it almost looks like as if I'm reading Jim corbett's book....
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prashantsingh
- Poster of the Month - Aug 2011
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Re: Devprayag Part 2
Let me introduce you to the fourth member of the team.
Mr Mansoor Mazhar from Moradabad.
I first met Mansoor on a trip to Dodital , ten years ago. A lake at 10000 feet in dist Uttarkashi. We are both members of The Wildlife Preservation Society of India. Estd 1958. Which is amongst the oldest of its kind in north India. Interestingly the Society was started by a group of Shikaris at a time when few people spoke about conservstion. The Maharaja of Nabha was the founder member and its President till his passing away.
My grandfather introduced me to the society and I remember attending talks and meeting some legendary forest officers there. A breed which is now rare to find.
Coming back to Mansoor. Dodital is a 25 kms trek through the most beautiful high altitute forests. We have been friends eversince. Mansoor had expressed his desire to come for a maneater hunt and it was only after 4 years could I invite him.
Mansoor shoots with a camera and his photos often feature in our societys quarterly journal Cheetal.
The only problem with him is he cant stay without Pan Parag and avoids walking.
With a sprained ankle the youngest and toughest member of our team Safarigent......the guy I had been banking upon to do the running around ....was out of action by the forth day. It was Gods way of punishing us. Since., we were over using this young tall smart man till he could take it no more.
So it was now left on the three oldies ....zaheer 35 plus an Mansoor and I in our mid 40 s to do the climbing and investigate every lead.
Mansoor after the first trek announced he would walk no more. He would stick to the jeep and shoot with the camra.
Zaheer could not have taken a better snap of our man. Can we please have that here.
Mr Mansoor Mazhar from Moradabad.
I first met Mansoor on a trip to Dodital , ten years ago. A lake at 10000 feet in dist Uttarkashi. We are both members of The Wildlife Preservation Society of India. Estd 1958. Which is amongst the oldest of its kind in north India. Interestingly the Society was started by a group of Shikaris at a time when few people spoke about conservstion. The Maharaja of Nabha was the founder member and its President till his passing away.
My grandfather introduced me to the society and I remember attending talks and meeting some legendary forest officers there. A breed which is now rare to find.
Coming back to Mansoor. Dodital is a 25 kms trek through the most beautiful high altitute forests. We have been friends eversince. Mansoor had expressed his desire to come for a maneater hunt and it was only after 4 years could I invite him.
Mansoor shoots with a camera and his photos often feature in our societys quarterly journal Cheetal.
The only problem with him is he cant stay without Pan Parag and avoids walking.
With a sprained ankle the youngest and toughest member of our team Safarigent......the guy I had been banking upon to do the running around ....was out of action by the forth day. It was Gods way of punishing us. Since., we were over using this young tall smart man till he could take it no more.
So it was now left on the three oldies ....zaheer 35 plus an Mansoor and I in our mid 40 s to do the climbing and investigate every lead.
Mansoor after the first trek announced he would walk no more. He would stick to the jeep and shoot with the camra.
Zaheer could not have taken a better snap of our man. Can we please have that here.
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brihacharan
- Old Timer
- Posts: 3112
- Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2010 3:33 pm
- Location: mumbai
Re: Devprayag Part 2
Ah! What an interesting read of the events - almost minute by minute!!!
Memories are made of these and many that leave a lasting impression - only to be recalled with the fondest of feelings!
Safarigent - Brother, take care as ankle injuries can be painful and as luck would have it, happen at the most inappropriate of times!!!
Hats off to you guys, for your patience, perseverance and the will to carry on regardless!
Talking of 'Snakes' - these creepy creatures can definitely give one the 'jitters'
I'll conclude by saying - "Yeh Dil Maange More"
Briha
Memories are made of these and many that leave a lasting impression - only to be recalled with the fondest of feelings!
Safarigent - Brother, take care as ankle injuries can be painful and as luck would have it, happen at the most inappropriate of times!!!
Hats off to you guys, for your patience, perseverance and the will to carry on regardless!
Talking of 'Snakes' - these creepy creatures can definitely give one the 'jitters'
I'll conclude by saying - "Yeh Dil Maange More"
Briha