Book Title: Rogues: Elephants, Maneaters, Poachers 1973-2023
Author: Susheel Gyanchand
Publisher: Storywell Books Foundation
Price: Rs 1099
ISBN 978-93-95373-52-4
Reading in the newspaper about the odd rogue elephants which were notified to be shot, I decided to buy a heavy-calibre rifle, as it was indispensable to shoot man-killing elephants and man-eating tigers. My top choice was a .375 calibre rifle, preferably made by Holland and Holland. This cartridge is known for its accuracy and penetration. Penetration is very important on head shots of rogue elephants, as the brain is encased in thick honey-combed bone.
To the south of the mighty Himalayas stand the far more ancient Khasi and Garo hills. The story goes, around 1983, a Khasi farmer had cleared a patch of the forest and planted rice. He had also built a machan in a tree at the edge of the cleared field. One night, the man was sitting on the machan, wrapped in a blanket against the cold, armed with a machete, guarding his field, when he heard the sounds of an elephant feeding in his field, its trunk delicately wrapping around sheaves of rice stalks. them whole.
The farmer began shouting to scare it away but the bull charged the machan. Crashing into the tree, it extended its trunk to yank the man off his perch, but the man moved back, away from the trunk of the elephant. He slashed at the trunk with his machete, his blade cutting deep into the sensitive tissue near the tip.
Shrieking in pain, the elephant crashed into the forest. In time, he recovered from the wound but never forgave the humans that had wounded him. This makhna bull elephant began killing all humans who came his way, tearing his victims to pieces and grinding what remained into the earth with his forehead. This elephant, if it heard humans, would wait near the roads, footpaths and charge when people came close and killed them. It would also rip the limbs of the dead; so it earned the reputation of being a man-eating elephant.
The rogue elephant had been notified to be shot, by the Meghalaya Forest Department. The newspaper reported that many hunters had tried to kill it without success. I wanted to try my luck. I was ambitious but I had never shot an elephant before. So, I called up the Van Ingens’ residence and De Wet (1902-1993) picked up the phone. When I explained that I would like to come and meet them to discuss shot placement, he said to come over and stay with them. They had an elephant head cut in the centre of the skull, between the eyes, so that even the brain cavity was cut in half. It was put on a stand roughly the height of an elephant. The brain is about the size of a rugby ball. The brain was located about a foot behind the front of the elephant skull.
The brothers explained to me the best brain-shot placements. They explained to me the frontal shot placement to reach the brain. They also showed me how to place the side shot or temple shot, to reach the brain.
The rogue operated in the forests about 50 km from Cherrapunji.
After about three hours of driving from Shillong, we arrived at a village where we met the headman who said, the elephant operated over a huge area. The forest department had told me that the elephant’s front feet had a circumference of 5 ft 3 in, which made it an exceptionally large elephant. We hunted it for a week without being able to find it.
On Day 7: We found the week-old tracks of a big elephant. The men with me were sure it was of the rogue elephant that we were hunting. I got my tape and measured the foot prints and found it to be about 63 inches in circumference. I was now elated. But the skies opened up and three more days went without us finding the rogue.
On Day 11: The locals took us to the spot where they had last seen the elephant. Looking at the tracks, we found it was of the same big makhna we had been following. However, there were several other herds in the same area. There was wind blowing from behind us to our left. As we got close to the elephants, the elephants to our left smelled us and they spooked and ran away. Hearing these elephants running, the herd on our right also decided to run in the same direction. Seeing this, my tracker decided to run for it. I noticed a big tree close by. I ran behind him, caught him by the neck and held him against the tree. The herds stampeded by us, going on either side of the tree, within touching distance. We heard the elephants crashing away as we shivered.
After this brief halt, we carried on searching for the rogue elephant tracks. When we were about 150 yards away, my tracker and all the others climbed up a tree. As I got closer to the elephant, all my senses were dilated – I could see leeches reaching out as they felt me coming closer, I could feel the pulse in my neck, sweat dripping down my neck. Whenever the elephant stopped feeding, I would stop and listen.
I carried on, getting closer to the elephant. I followed him, with utmost care, not making any sound and keeping the wind in mind and got even closer. I could hear my heart pounding with excitement, feel the pulse of my heartbeats in my neck. Could the elephant hear me too?
I moved a little closer, hoping to see its head on the other side of the bamboo clump where there was a small clearing, as he came out within 30 yards of me. He was breaking bamboo overhead and eating. His head was bobbing up and down, I found it tough to take a shot, as my rifle was aimed at his temple but the rifle had to go up and down to keep it on the brain.
With my right leg, I stepped over a branch. I suddenly heard the elephant rushing away, and then silence. I just waited for some time. And then I decided to slowly continue to track the elephant. At times, I had to bend down and go through the undergrowth without making a sound. My senses were so heightened that, though I was looking at the tracks and ahead for the elephant, with my peripheral vision I noticed droplets of water, leeches wriggling on leaves. It was very tense, looking ahead as well as on my sides and down, all at the same time. I admitted to myself that it would have been far easier, with a tracker tracking and me looking through the undergrowth for the elephant. So much for hunting elephants alone.
After I had gone forward a few yards, I heard the flap of the elephant’s ears. I steadily inched my way till I was about 25 yards from the elephant. The elephant moved and I could not see his head anymore. So, I crept up closer and suddenly the elephant charged me from about 15 yards away. When an elephant is charging, we can see the zygomatic arch on either side. Conquering my instinct to run away, I raised my rifle to my shoulder, snuggling into the stock, aimed a few inches above the zygomatica arch and the center of his forehead, and I squeezed the trigger.
The elephant collapsed on its tracks about 6-yards from me.
