American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1924)

Record Details:

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July, 1924 AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER Seven Cowling with one he bagged. It measured nine feet, ten inches and is considered a good one. Cowling en route to shoot on a "pad" which is an elephant that is used because of its speed to folloiu up its slower brethern sent in advance to ring the tiger. revisits the other kills in the afternoon as they are sure to do. Much has been said by way of criticising this method of using live baits for sporting purposes. Unlike the lion, a tiger will rarely ever touch a dead bait, even leaving its own "kill" whenever suspicion is aroused. And while it is quite true that the sportsman is hunting for the pleasure of the sport, his presence is welcomed with joy by the poor harrassed natives who must anyway loose their stock to these vicious carnivora and often their lives when they try to protect their stock. When it is considered that each tiger will make a fresh "kill" every night, it is rather a saving in live stock to sacrifice one buffalo calf to get the tiger; nor do I believe that the baits ever suffer at all, but meet a quick death — one swift spring and it is all over. The tiger invariably breaks the neck of its prey by twisting the head as the body falls from the first spring. Whereever tigers abound the natives will generally offer their young buffaloes calves gladly to save their stock from all falling prey to "stripes." After a tiger has killed at night it may or may not eat from the kill. Quite often and especially if the tiger is not hungry it will leave the kill for the next afternoon meal. More often the blood is sucked and a small portion of the "buttocks" eaten; after which the tiger will visit the nearest waterhole or stream to drink. It then seeks jungle or thick grass near by to sleep through the forenoon heat, returning almost invariably to its kill in the cool of the next late afternoon. This disposition of the cat family, not to travel far after eating a good meal unless frightened by something, and being nocturnal, sleeping throughout the day, greatly assists the hunter to locate his quarry. It is for this reason that considerable discretion as to location should be used in staking out the live baits. There has been considerable discussion as to whether or not a tiger is guided by a sense of smell in locating the bait. Some professional hunters say not; and that the tiger has no developed sense of smell. I disagree with their theory, and believe this particular branch of the cat family utilizes a sense of smell in locating its food. CJ Unlike Hunting Lions. Kills having been reported by runners and the live baits taken in for food and water, the fun then begins. Howdah and beating elephants leave camp at once while the hunters snatch a hasty breakfast and follow on the fast "pads." Generally when we arrive the tiger was already ringed. This meant that having arrived on the scene with about forty elephants the "Subedar" in charge had formed his elephants into a complete circle around the section in which the tiger is supposed to be sleeping, and gradually close in until the ring is about a quarter of a mile in diameter. More often the tiger is "jumped" once before the guns arrive. Now here again lies a striking difference between the lion and the tiger; once disturbed a lion will be "on his way." He might have to fight his way out — but out he will come and on to the next county at no little speed. But a tiger believes in hiding and trying to elude his pursuers by keeping very quiet. Therein lies his downfall, for were it not for this peculiarity it would be practically impossible to hunt tigers in the long grass, tiger-infested parts of India. When a ring is drawn the hunters are transferred from "pads" to shooting howdahs while the grass in front of each "gun" is trampled down to afford a clearer view. Two or three tuskers are sent into the ring to walk around and virtually beat the tiger out. There may be two or three tigers in the ring, or a leopard, and always no end of small game like wild pig, deer, and sometimes bear but no shooting is done except at the leopards and tigers; everyone holding fire for the prize game. When the tiger has been thoroughly disturbed and is convinced that the hunter knows it is there, it breaks cover with a roar rushing the circle, looking for a chance to get through the line, and is located by the moving grass, while it travels at no little speed. •J Snap Shooting. The elephants are seldom less than thirty feet apart unless it is an unusually close ring so the tiger has plenty of chance to break throug, but is seldom seen more than 20 yards in advance of shooting. We had five guns and lost only one tiger, which loss was due to thick jungle, and inability to ring the tiger again. When the tiger breaks through, the hunter has to depend on "snap" shooting. Elephants will seldom stand still, especially if the break is near and with the twisting, turning and trumpeting of your mount it requires quick shooting to stop a tiger that breaks directly in front. (Continued on Page 16)