Encounter with a Hyena

[skeetshot]

Striped_Hyena.jpg

The Indian striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) is a large powerful beast weighing upto 120 pounds and possessing the most powerful jaws in the animal kingdom. At one time they were rather common in the countryside, but now, like all wildlife, are wilting under India's oppressive human population.

Many years back I had gone to one of my favorite hunting spots, and when it became dark, hooked up a spotlight to shoot some rabbits with an old iron sighted single shot 22.

As we were driving around looking for rabbits, we saw a large hyena, and after a brief look at it continued our search. We shot a rabbit and when I sent my man to pick it up, noticed the hyena again.

We moved on, and after a short distance shot another rabbit, and when I turned the light around, sure enough, that hyena was there again.

Thats it, I thought, and swung the rifle on the hyena and shot him. On being hit, he uttered a loud 'woof' and collapsed, picked hinself up and ran towards some bushes and collapsed again.

My friend's son who was with me, wished to see the hyena, so I got off the jeep and taking a torch and the 22, took my man with me to carry the hyena out.

Giving him he torch, we went into he bushes while I held that single shot 22.

As we entered the bushes, we heard a strange guttural noise, and my man panicked and went back to the jeep leaving me in total darkness.

I heard this loud guttural noise very close to me, obviously the wounded hyena, but could not exactly place it.

It was a tense moment while I abused my man in choice Indian words, and he returned with the torch.

Imagine my surprise and utter horror when I found the hyena lying right next to me with his jaws open just a few inches from my foot.

The 40 grain soft bullet had hit him square in the throat and then paralysed him by going into the neck vertebrae.

The guttural noise being uttered was his breathing through that hole in the neck.

He could open and shut his jaws, but could not move his legs.

. . . Just a little story to break the monotony

hyena.jpg

[thechamp]

IF I ever make it to Africa, Hyenas will be my #1 target. Might sound silly but to me they're the 'coyote' of Africa and here the coyotes have done tremendous damage to wildlife. In our case the deer herd is almost extinct. Rabbits are seenn so seldom they might as well be extinct. The bobwhite quail is gone. Pets, if left out at night are killed and eaten. Livestock is killed quite often. Forget having free ranging chickens or anything else that would live outside of a protective cage.

After seeing videos and reading about the Hyenas killing Lions that pretty much sealed their fate as far as I was concerned. I think the African Lion is the most magnificent animal in the world. The idea of them being killed by what amounts to a dog on steroids doesn't set well with me. The idea of blowing some Hyena into bits however does! Plus from what I hear they're 'cheap' so you could kill a bunch without spending a fortune.

Curious if your Hyenas were ever known to attack people? Sounds like the one that was shadowing you might have been more looking for dead rabbits but I suspect you weren't sure of what he wanted. A single shot .22 isn't exactly a gun that brings fear to many.. Picking on that poor helper who had sense enough to get out of there.... Unless he stuck that torch in the Hyena's mouth he didn't exactly have much else to defend himself with.

[Corjack]

Sounds like a fun time.

[Biebs]

Most Coyotes are shot based on unplanned opportunity....while out hunting for something else. But actually hunting for them is a challenge. They are primarily nocturnal, extremely wary, and learn quickly. A predator call that works like magic will become ineffective very shortly. I wish there was a way for the states to encourage Coyote hunting...either bounties, bonus hunt days for other game based on Coyotes checked in...something to motivate us to get out there and put a dent in their population. I live in NW New Jersey, the most densely populated state in the country. Fortunately I'm up in the Appalachians, about an hour from the cities. But even here I can walk out at night and hear the bands of Coyotes sounding off when they catch a rabbit or a Pheasant. When dark comes, they take over the woods and fields..you can hear them out hunting most every night. I need to get interested in whacking as many of these dogs as I can. I might learns a thing or 2 about hunting while I'm at it.

[thechamp]

Most Coyotes are shot based on unplanned opportunity....while out hunting for something else. But actually hunting for them is a challenge. They are primarily nocturnal, extremely wary, and learn quickly. A predator call that works like magic will become ineffective very shortly. I wish there was a way for the states to encourage Coyote hunting...either bounties, bonus hunt days for other game based on Coyotes checked in...something to motivate us to get out there and put a dent in their population. I live in NW New Jersey, the most densely populated state in the country. Fortunately I'm up in the Appalachians, about an hour from the cities. But even here I can walk out at night and hear the bands of Coyotes sounding off when they catch a rabbit or a Pheasant. When dark comes, they take over the woods and fields..you can hear them out hunting most every night. I need to get interested in whacking as many of these dogs as I can. I might learns a thing or 2 about hunting while I'm at it.

Weather permitting I plan on going out this Sunday and see if the new Fox Pro works here. I talked to a guy today that uses the Fox Pro series and he has had exceptional luck with them. He calls coyotes and bobcats. Lots of bobcats... We used to have a bounty here of $7.50 each. Not enough to dent a budget but gave the retired guys something to do. They'd take 10 or so in and everybody was happy. The goodie two shoe bunch said it was cruel to hunt them with a bounty. So they multiplied and killed everything else. Obviously the idiots weren't concerned about ALL the other animals. Just the fricking coyotes... Neighbor hunts them at night with spotlights and does fairly well. It's a lot of fun when you get it down. If you have a bunch in the area they darn sure need killing!