INDIA - Shikar and the Socio Economic Factors.

[shahid]

India – Shikar and the Socio Economic Factors.
By: Syed Shahid Ahmad


Enough said. Now let’s get down to the facts. There is no truth in all that meets the eye. An intelligent man must develop the ability to read between the lines.

Why do men and some women hunt? Well it’s a long established tradition. It is a noble sport in it’s own special way. Shikar or hunting requires extraordinary shooting, stalking, planning, logistics, stealth and physical skills. It requires tremendous eye and hand co-ordination like any other sports.

It is the most basic of sports. By urban definition sports is limited to the synthetic games engineered by the British in the Lawns of Wimbledon, Badminton or at the headquarters of the MCC at Lords. This is a very narrow vision. Away from man made landscapes lies the great outdoors where there are numerous outdoor and adventure skills practised from times immortal.

A hunter or the Indian version – Shikari must not only develop a keen skill of a sportsman, but also become knowledgeable on nature appreciation, the local flora and fauna, wildlife conservation and ecological aspects.

A hunter develops into a smart brave man, with a very fine etiquette, or rather ranks among the men of men with developed leadership and administrative skills. The ability to shoot well is an art and science. He is disciplined, develops team skills and the ability to act on instinct as well as follow commands. All these skills are very useful in today’s corporate governance and strategic planning as they were in the primitive era for land governance and waging wars on intruders to the land.

From ancient times this tradition has passed down the generations of men all over the world. Developing weapons skills is extremely useful in self defence, civil defence, National emergencies, pest and vermin control to name a few.

A city dweller need not look at it from the narrow view point of what has been fed by the media or the so called self rightist anti hunting groups or half baked environmentalists. Most of the time these people have very little idea of what they are protesting against and the invariable consequences of their narrow vision, stubbornness, selfishness and bad social manners in attempts to dwarf every one else’s view points against their own.

Being a conservationist for a good harvest is different from being a hardcore eccentric protectionist.

Our very own desi kingpin of this trade Mrs. Meneka Gandhi is a prime example of an ignorant woman who has only chosen to endorse this band wagon because it gives her exclusivity in grabbing media attention through this platform for her selfish political gains. What event of significance took place in India during her tenures as the Minister of Environment ? how have the conservation attempts progressed ? Are there any significant results worth a mention ? Search your souls.

Hunting has given birth to many sporting disciplines which are now Olympic sports inclusive of Trap & Skeet Shooting, Air Gun Shooting with Air Rifles and Pistols, Rim Fire Rifle & Pistol shooting and Centre fire Rifle and Pistol shooting along with associated team events.

The sport of hunting is not a cruel blood sport as viewed by many an urban mind. Man had hunted for food. Some men still hunt for food. And the gentleman hunter hunts for exotic foods like venison, geese, ducks and partridges which has been made Halal upon him by the almighty Allah.

Hunting records come in the form of antlers, skins or trophy mounts from the taxidermist, which is to a degree a display of self esteem which satisfies the ego, much like a man displays acquisitions like Ferraris, Rolex watches, Mont Blanc writing instruments or associations with beautiful women. This is basic to the much redeemed and studied in all business schools - The Maslow’s theory of hierarchy.

Every Human has a basic hunting instinct in him. A select few vent it out by actual outdoor field sports, other try to suppress it by driving a Golf ball on a range, or lofting a six over long on or by boasting of their exploits with women of easy virtue.

In every developed country of the world, be it the USA, Russia, UK, Germany, Western Europe or in the second world Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, the CIS, Africa and almost all other nations hunting is permitted as per the local hunting conservation laws. The logic is simple. What is allowed is allowed. What is forbidden is forbidden.

Before we discuss the subject in further detail, let me give you a small example. DUCKS UNLIMITED is a private voluntary organization, with headquarters in the USA. I am a member of DU as are many other US based and international members. All members of DU work towards the conservation and restoration of wetlands which are the natural habitat for wild waterfowl. The members are conservationists and hunters as well. Conservation leads to increase in numbers and controlled hunting during the stipulated season leads to great sports – called water fowling or wild fowling.

The attempts and efforts of this group from Ducks Unlimited has reached such proportions that over the last two decades, there has been a 60 % growth in the population of wild water fowl. People are encouraged to hunt greater numbers to keep the population boom of waterfowl in check. Bag limits are on the increase. All wet lands are teaming with beautiful waterfowl. Last season 6 million Geese and 18 million ducks were shot. This year the population has upped by a further 7 %.

Compare this to the Indian scenario. Gentlemen hunters (often wrongly termed as gentlemen poachers) shot an estimated 50,000 ducks and Geese in India. Because of poor quality of shotgun cartridges and insufficient correct wild fowling numbers like no. 3 or no. 4 cartridges for 12 Bore shotguns available about another 25,000 were wounded and died un-recovered.

The commercial poacher meanwhile laid his hands on trapping an estimated 500,000 ducks and geese, which he sold in the local markets for an average price of Rs. 40 per bird. The methods used were often cruel, poisoning the birds with seeds laced with insecticides. Later these birds were recovered and fed with salt water. Half dead, retarded they were sold in the Indian markets. Upon consumption, obviously they would have caused severe food safety related hazards to the ignorant consumer.

Who was there to check them ? If a hunter happened to be in the area would they listen to him ? No. Because the Indian Hunter has no legal right to be there in the first place. Do we have enough wild life wardens to patrol all these wetlands ? No. Had a legal hunter as it used to be in prior to 1972, happened to be in the area, would the commercial poacher have dared to destroy wild life in manner. Never. Here the sportsman would have prevailed and preserved to save 900 % of what he usually hunts in his role as a conservationist. Does the reader get to form a somewhat vague opinion of the scenario now?

Nature has a natural balance system. Every species and their numbers have a role. Nobody eats crows. They are not shot. So by this definition there should be swarming armies of crows all over India. But is it so? Is there not a natural balance by which they are kept in check? On the other hand look at game birds like Doves and Partridges. They have been hunted in India for over 500 years. Have their numbers diminished wherever there is good habitat? No. In areas where you do not shoot wild game and birds, as numbers reach beyond a point of natural sustenance a biological reverse takes place. Females don’t come into season that mating season and a few more, and numbers are controlled. If some areas have depleted their population, then like a water level maintaining its equal height, birds and animals flow in from adjoining areas to complete the imbalance and excessive breeding makes up for the missing numbers.

Extinction never arises out of hunting. It is because of loss of habitat, and changing crop patterns. In India numbers of many species have declined because of the wrong policies drafted and the general law of corruption that prevails. In the name of development millions of acres of forests were felled by an irresponsible government. Mostly on the pretext of tribal areas development. This led of to a chain reaction where the town merchants flocked to such areas to gather the forest wealth in terms of timber, mined goods, forest produce and of course the wild life commerce. Lack of administrative control and corruption led to miles and miles of forests tracks being cleared to transform it into illegal agricultural land. Has anyone cared to survey how much of forest departments land is under illegal cultivation, and how much of it has passed into the hands of illegal private ownership ?

Like in other disciplines what we thought and did in the 1950s to 1980s be it in license raj, pseudo socialism, import restrictions, local industry protection, Nehruvian Economics, PSUs etc. does not hold much forte now. Like sweeping economic reforms and the winds of liberalization things must change in environmental issues as well.

At the time of independence, in spite of free hunting India had a forest cover on over 22 % of its land and was abundant in almost all animal species. During these six decades since independence our methods of governing our forest and safeguarding the interests of our wildlife through government appointed agencies and governance has failed.

The sad situation today is that less that 6 % of the land is actually under forest cover and this too is fast eroding. Many wild species inclusive of the Indian Tiger are facing extinction. Commercial poaching is out of control. Exploding population masses are fast burning forest timber as firewood, thus depleting fast of what remains. The forest department has failed to control these excesses due to lack of motivation and joining the corruption and incompetence brigade of the rest of the government.

The basic law of marketing states that whenever there exists a demand for a product, there will be suppliers willing to oblige the demand fulfilment of that product at a price. What price? As the supply gets scarce the price and the stakes get higher. If in this educated and developed world a minority are crazy enough to believe that Tiger whiskers or claws or whatever other part is an aphrodisiac there will be suppliers willing to take any risks to ensure its supply.

Now that this previous method has failed to conserve our forests and wildlife what is the alternate solution? PRIVATISATION.

Preservation of forests and protection of wildlife will be ensured if and only if forest concessions are granted to private operators to lease out blocks of forests and offer the animals for hunting to foreign and Indian clients. Sounds primitive, cruel, barbaric crazy ? Well let us understand the economics.

The choice is simple. Either you lose your forests and wildlife in the race against a swarming mass of humanity and their grazing cattle and goats in competition with the animals for the forest land or you reap commercial benefit and protect your forests and wildlife. The choice is of the current government. Amend the unyielding anti hunting laws or sit in silence and watch your entire forest wealth disappear in a matter of another eight to fifteen years at most. We are on the brink of this disaster now.

In this world the hard reality facing the wild animal today is that they have to pay for their survival. In a hunting concession the owner’s chief concern is the survival of his breeding stock. He will go to any length to endure their survival. It is like a farmer herding his flock of sheep. The only difference here is that animals are shot on a range and sheep go to a abattoir.

A hunter client will pay lakhs of rupees to shoot readily available prolific breeding game like Cheetal, Sambhar, Hog Deer, Barking deer, Blue Bulls, Chinkara and Black bucks, wild boars and Hares that multiply in geometric progression. Species that need conservation at present like Swamp Deer, Kashmir Stag, Musk Deer, Brow Antlered Deer, Mouse Deer, Four Horned Antelope etc. will be on the prohibited list. Only the numbers bred in a particular year should be allowed to be offered for legal hunting game. Tigers and leopards must be offered only if they cross a certain number.

The method is simple. Say there are 20 Tigers in Rathambore. The concession holder signs a bond with the government that he will ensure a 20 % annual growth in population. What he harvests over 20 % target growth will be offered to clients for hunting. Trophy fees of anything between $ 25,000 to 50,000 can be collected to spend on conservation. The old male with it's death will provide a secure future to its off springs and future generations. Since its whiskers will be available to boost sexual powers of a few stupid believers, the young Tigers living in our forests will be safe from traps, electric fences, poisoning and snares and roam their free range in full majesty. This idea is the only practical solution for now I guess.

This way the government and the local population will be forced to set aside forests where revenue bringing wild animals live. A professional Shikar company who hires one of these concessions will have the highest incentive for protecting these forest of illegal poaching and tree felling, and ensure that he has plenty to offer to his hunting clients much in contrast to the present day forest guard on a government salary and no motivation to work.

This is the common practice in most of Africa today where the forests and animals survive, solely because of this or else they would have eloped in a mass of swarming black humanity decades ago. Typically the communist and so called socialist governments in these African republics value their forests because of this revenue that it brings from the concession rights holder.

So today in India, there is so much ballyhoo over a Black Buck shot. Look, the individual animal is unimportant. Who counts which lamb went to the slaughter. If a hunter shot an old Black Buck Stag that would have died of natural death anyway in a months, and it’s death brought $ 5,000 in revenue to the government as trophy fees what is wrong in it? What matters is not individual life but the continued existence of a species as a whole.

Animals that are taken off in hunting such as this old Black Buck has lived its life of about seven years. It is at the end of his useful life span during which it has protected its harem of about twenty odd females at any given time, spawned over two hundred young off springs and protected them and has added his genes to the pool of his race. He would have died soon, so his death at the hands of a hunter will produce $ 5,000 in cash which will be spent to provide a safe living place to his offspring.

If a hunter who is licensed to do so does it, he is doing a perfectly legal thing. But what have we in place today? A ridiculous schedule 1 of wildlife act where the Black Buck was placed more for religious sentiments on this list than dwindling numbers. It is a very prolific breeder and not endangered at all in India.

The time has come to withdraw this woolly vision and face reality. If hunting is cruel then the act of eating meat is cruel and it should also be banned because here too the animal is being slaughtered. Whether the butchers knife or a 180 grain rifle bullet, the cause is the same.

It is rather ironical that today to shoot an Indian Cheetal ( Axis Axis ) you must travel to Austin Texas, where it is available on a trophy fee of US $ 230. In this foreign land and un homely conditions, although it breeds in great numbers the quality of horns hardly grows beyond 25 inches, whereas stags with horns over 30 inches is common in India. The Indian record in 39 ½ inches.

Similarly the best place to shoot Sambhar today is a concession called Kiwi Safaris in New Zealand. They have plenty of Sambhar on the land but no horn near the majestic Indian record from Bhopal of 50 ½ inches. The average horn here is about 35 inches and a trophy stag fetches about US $ 3,000. Excessive females or low horn quality stags can be culled free. The odd Indian Tiger is also bred and offered for shooting at a few places in the USA and Spain.

Why can’t we have the same things in India ? If people want Tiger whiskers, let them pay $ 25,000 and take it from an old adult on such a concession. At least the rest of the species would remain protected and there will be a future. A hunter will no longer hunt in shame and out of fear.

The draconian and old obsolete fire arms act in India is another matter of ridicule where sweeping changes are required. Since 1985 import of firearms is banned in India, leading to the creation of a grey market where second hand used fire arms and sporting weapons change hands at over twenty times their international prices.

By simple logic if the import of everything else from cars to cigarette lighters is allowed in India today then why impose a restriction on Arms? Arms licenses are issued by every state government as per local rules. The Indian Ordinance factories do not produce fire arms in sufficient numbers to satisfy the present demand, nor does the quality meet even common East European standards. So why not allow import and trade of good licensed fire arms and ammunition?

On a similar note restrictions in fire arms and ammunition is seriously restricting the talent pool of Indian shooters in International sports like Olympic shooting disciplines. We currently hold the Olympic silver medal in double trap, so why nip in the bud the dream of many a young aspirant towards international glory?

Restrictions are in force because the Indian bureaucracy believes that social elite use these licensed fire arms to oppress the poor. Such thinkers need to get their heads examined. The reality is that today the social elite face left wing extremist naxalites in the forest who tote AK 47, AKM, RPG rockets and the whole range of eastern block infantry weapons against a Holland & Holland silver engraved Royal shotgun of the Social elite.

A time to reflect and think.

Authored by :
Syed Shahid Ahmad
Bihar, India

Resident of :
Dubai, UAE

[mundaire]

Excellent article Shahid!

With your permission, may I sound out some journalist friends to see if this can be published in a paper with wide circulation?

Will await your reply.

Cheers!
Abhijeet

[Mack The Knife]

Some may debate a few points and figures but that is neither here nor there as your point is very well made and that is what matters.

Apart from proof reading it again and correcting a typo here or there, I would not edit it at all.

Well said and thank you.

Mack The Knife

P.S.: Have you tried getting this article published in a widely read daily or glossy? After all, on this site you are more or less preaching to the converted, which defeats the entire point of this exercise.

[shahid]

I tried with India Today, Indian Express and Outlook by e mail but they all refused. If anybody can get this published please feel free to do so, I have written this for public awarenes. Perhaps the Ministry of Agriculture has published this in one of their internal journals but I am not sure. I would be very happy if this article is given out to be published in Mass media, and it s free of course.

[Mack The Knife]

I tried with India Today, Indian Express and Outlook by e mail but they all refused.

No surprises there. It's the same with the Times of India.

The Hindu may be an option though.

Mehul will make some suggestions when he sees this.

Mack The Knife

[mundaire]

I tried with India Today, Indian Express and Outlook by e mail but they all refused. If anybody can get this published please feel free to do so, I have written this for public awarenes. Perhaps the Ministry of Agriculture has published this in one of their internal journals but I am not sure. I would be very happy if this article is given out to be published in Mass media, and it s free of course.

Shahid,

I would recommended releasing this for publication under a license wherein the publisher needs your consent if he/ she alters/ edits the article in any way. This will help prevent any mischief. Also, while releasing for free public consumption, you should retain the copyright to your own work - especially since you are not asking the publisher for any money. Please see the creative commons license used on this site - on the home page disclaimer - for ideas.

I can't promise anything, but will begin sending out some feelers to see if someone bites. Would you be OK if the publication mentions that you are a member of this group? Might help attract some more like minded people to this site... your call entirely.

TC here is also a very respected senior journalist... any opinions on this TC?

Cheers!
Abhijeet

[shahid]

Abhijeet, I agree and consent 100 % to all you say. Please go ahead and get it published wherever you may deem fit in whichever form. Of course I am very proud to be a member of IFG. Mention it and on my own I will do whatever I can to popularize this forum.

I do not live in India, so once it is published let me know which newspaper. I 'll try to buy a copy here. Not many come although.

Meanwhile if you all wish to look up a bit of off road activities, visit my forum dubai4x4.com. It is quite informative on the subject.

[mehulkamdar]

Shahid,

Did you send an unsolicited article to India Today or were you in touch with someone in particular? I can see why they would decline this - more a question of style than of the subject - though that could, of course, be tidied up once you let me know the details. I would be most happy to put you in touch with someone there if you like. Let's do this communication offline as the intricacies need not bother other readers - they could be given the final version as a special treat, even more special than the present version.

And, The Hindu has an Open Page which is more receptive to this style of writing if you would like to take that route. I do know some people there and could find out whom you could talk to if you would like to take that route.

Mack The Knife,

As far as I know, Dilip Bobb at India Today is undoubtedly the most pro gun editor in the country. He was the one who approached me in 1997 to write the article that was eventually published by them in 1998. Either he or his assistant Joanna Farnworth would be the best people to talk to over there, though they prefer a different style and a considerable amount of data to be supplied with an article proposal, including very high quality photographs as a part of the submission.

Outlook are a joke in my opinion, a magazine that sells more copies by offering cars in raffles than by selling their continuous pro Sonia GAndhi propaganda. As far as the ToI is concerned, there were reports (that they did not even dispute) about them taking money to write about individuals who paid them with different rates for the various pages. Not quite a newspaper to approach in my opinion.

[Sujay]

Hello Shahid !

Nice to know that you feel strongly about the current piquant situation.
A very well written piece which comes staright from the heart.

I liked the analogies of cars in the context of trophy hunting and the crow in particular

Well done !

[kanwar76]

Nice Article Shahid,

We need to change mindset of whole generation and articles like this play a vital role to accomplish that. We have a group called "Hunters for conservation" in orkut where we are trying something like this. We face daily threats of reporting community as bogus from un-informed people, people who don't know what hunting is about, how hunting can play a major role in conservation. Thanks a lot for your efforts.

-Inder

[shahid]

My profound thanks to all who liked the article. It is a reflection of my inner feelings, an ignorant population playing into the hands of vested interests who deliberately want to keep these secrets under wraps.

A city dweller in India Today simply does not understand the outdoors or field sports.

MEHUL thank you very much for the suggestion. Yes of course the e mail I sent to India Today was unsolicited. I had addressed it to Prabhu Chawla.

Once the credentials are established with your support I am sure this can go further in India Today or the Hindu.

With this I want to draw the attention of an uncaring government and a public so far from all this, that it in no way comes close to their present lives.

The Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh is a great man, who is genuinely concerned about endagered species in India. I hope the publication of this can present the alternate way point across to those who matter towards changing the laws for the better.

In any mass movement like this, the role of the fourth estate, the press is crucial.

The right to bear arms lobby within the NRA in the USA has always been backed by a section of the press, and thus they have been successful in keeping intact this basic fundamental right. I agree with the punch line that Gun Control is for the benefit of criminals for it gives them exclusivity in bearing arms and creating terror. No defence will be possible.

The sight of bullock cart after bullock cart, single files of people carrying bundles of firewood, the sound of the axe on a majestic sal tree is very very sad indeed. If this is not controlled we will for sure loose all our forest cover within this decade and the next.

The per capita fire wood consumption is close to 2 billion Kg per day. Imagine how much is lost each year. Replantation is almost negligible. Alarming reports of game vanishing from reserves is abundant everyday. What a joke. We cannot control poaching in our reserved forests ! If not then take the route of privateisation, there is no 3rd alternative in sight.

[mehulkamdar]

Shahid,

Contact me offline. Danish has my mail ID. You would need to make several changes - I'll tell you how to go about it.

Cheers!

[mundaire]

For now, am upgrading this post to a news item, so that it will now be on the portal (home) page of this site as well as in the RSS newsfeed... for increased visibility.

Cheers!
Abhijeet