TIGER SHOOTING IN S. INDIA 



while out shooting, amounted to less than they did 

 while living with his regiment at Secunderabad. 



In Mysore, tiger shooting is very difficult and 

 often extremely disappointing owing to the quantity 

 . of water in the country, and to the size, density and 

 continuity of the jungles. 



It is always advisable, when out tiger shooting, 

 to carry some fireworks, in case of an animal which 

 has gone on wounded lying up in a dense thicket 

 whence he refuses to budge. 



It is seldom in Southern India that a steady 

 elephant which will face a tiger can be obtained, 

 but if the sportsmen should be in a position to 

 procure one, much risk, in the event of following 

 up becoming necessary, might be avoided. An 

 elephant which has not been well proved in this 

 respect would, however, be most dangerous to try, 

 since there could be little chance of escape for her 

 rider should she turn tail and bolt in tree jungle, as 

 he would probably be brained by a branch, or 

 terribly lacerated by thorns, before his runaway 

 mount had gone far. I would prefer to be charged 

 when on foot by any animal yet created, than to 

 be run away with by an elephant in thick tree or 

 bamboo jungle ! 



For tiger shooting, it would be hard to beat the 

 express rifle of course, presuming that a suitable 

 bullet be used. Tigers may be killed with expresses 

 of '450, '500, and '577 calibres. Those which I 

 have personally shot were bagged with a '500 

 express, with the exception of one which fell to 

 a i2-bore rifle. At first I used Eley's small copper- 

 K 129 



