Comments on: So you think you’ve got a tough job?

By: peerpressure

peerpressure — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 16:58:42 +0000

I’ve seen FN/SLR 7.62 bounce off the forehead of African Buffalo!

At less then 50 yrds

By: MaxDamage

MaxDamage — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 05:08:25 +0000

Geo, the Howda pistol was named because that is where it was employed, from the Howda or basket atop the back of the elephant. They were large-bore pistols, generally of only one or two shots, employing such esteemed cartridges as the .540 Nitro Express. Their sole purpose was to repel any tigers attempting to board your elephant’s backside. One didn’t give a pistol to everybody in the party, of course – a gentleman kept a pistol at hand for those times when reasoned discourse could not be employed, such as when a tiger wanted one for lunch. They were not used for hunting — pistols are defensive weapons, after all.

I’ve been led to believe they were also carried as a backup when hunting Cape Buffalo, but if two shots from the rifle failed to convince the beast I’m not certain even a Howda pistol would suppliment the argument to the satisfaction of the buffalo.

– Max

By: Jetman

Jetman — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 10:34:48 +0000

My day suddenly looks a bit brighter.

Amazing power.

By: GEO6

GEO6 — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 16:23:13 +0000

Max,

Howda pistol? Is that short for how da ya shoot it? I imagine that giving each handler and member of the hunting party a pistol could me more dangerous than the tiger. More people are shot by accidents with pistols than on purpose.
Also I would think a 6 foot lance would work better than the bamboo sticks but I suspect the bamboo was used by the handler to direct the elephant.

By: MaxDamage

MaxDamage — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 05:36:45 +0000

Ever heard of a Howda pistol? This is exactly what they were intended for. I have to hand it to the Brits, a large-bore double rifle is still the perfect tool for hunting big game, and a pistol chambered in the same would have been murder on the wrist but perhaps more effective than throwing a stick as shown. Evidently this has been a problem from elephant-back for some time.

Tom Lowe did an excellent film about Tigers vs. Hyena’s, and jokaroo.com hosts a video of lions attacking an elephant troupe in a fight for water rights in Botswana during a drought. Both are educational, insomuch as both tend to discourage people from taking the big cats for granted.

– Max

By: GEO6

GEO6 — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 20:37:31 +0000

The elephant gets the the kudos. Interestingly the poor sap on the elephant is treated as a footnote in spite of the fact that one of his hands was partially amputated by the tiger’s slashing leap. Don’t even mention the dude’s name. Something wrong with that picture.