To date, the AR-15 rifle is possibly the American firearm owners’ favorite rifle of all time. Along with its popularity, an enormous accessory industry has developed around the AR-15, the AR-10 and other variants as the platform has been modified for many other calibers.

There are a lot of options to choose from if you want to accessorize your AR-platform rifle. Just in the category of optics alone, there are many telescopic sights being offered. Holographic, one power and red dot sights are being manufactured by several different companies. Most of the holographic sights have both red and green dot sights that will get brighter with an adjustment knob.

Then there’s the small, bright, 100-lumen and higher flashlights that can attach to picatinny rails on the handguard of the rifle.

There are also laser sights, replacement quad rail handguards and nitride/melonite treatment to make the barrels more durable, long-lasting and impervious to changing weather.

There are bipods, one- and-two point slings, vertical foreword grips, CMC tactical replacement trigger mechanisms, and rear and front sights that attach to the picatinny rails. There’s tools such as the Critical Tools Kit and the Leatherman MUT available from Brownells and other warehouses for those who like to work on their own rifles. There are quality soft cases designed for AR rifles, and various flash suppressors, compensators and muzzle brakes.

The list could go on, but my point is that there are a lot of manufacturers trying to sell accessories for the AR-platform rifles. However, let’s slow down for a minute.

One of the primary reasons people buy AR-platform rifles is because they are lightweight, reasonably powerful and easy to carry and shoot.

But the more accessories one adds to the rifle, the heavier and less wieldy it becomes, making it harder to carry all day if necessary.

That is not to say that there aren’t some well thought-out accessories for the AR-15, but everything that you hang on the rifle comes at a cost. For example, laser sights and some flashlight accessories have wires that run from the accessory to a pad on the pistol grip. So before you start accessorizing your AR rifle, think about the cost of adding it to your rifle and whether it is really necessary.

I probably shouldn’t use myself as an example, but I am the AR-15 owner who I am most familiar with, so don’t think too badly of me. When I bought my last AR-15, I knew what I wanted and had thought about the accessories that made sense to me.

I purchased a rifle with a nitride/melonite barrel treatment, which added no extra weight to the rifle. I then switched out the standard bird cage flash suppressor for a muzzle brake to control what little barrel rise would occur during firing, hopefully improving accuracy a little bit.

I added a vertical grip on the handguard and a winter trigger well, which allows me to easily get my finger in the trigger well while wearing gloves. I also made sure I can attach a flashlight that I can comfortably operate with the thumb of my left hand.

Lastly, I bought a single-point sling that can be used as a double-point sling. In the future, I will probably purchase a red dot optic from Barkus, EOTECH or True Glow.

Right now, my AR weighs about 3 ounces more than when I bought it, and the red dot optic will probably increase the weight a little more, but it should be acceptable. I will still have a rifle with the accessories I like that still weighs 7 and 1/2 pounds or a little less.

You are certainly free to spend another couple thousand dollars on laser sights or a telescopic sight that fits in front of your red dot sight, which brings 200- or 300-yard targets much closer. You are also free to purchase a bipod to steady the rifle while firing, plus all the batteries that make all these accessories work.

Remember, we buy AR rifles because they are lightweight, easy to carry all day and shoot hard with little recoil. Get what you think you want on it, but keep it light.

Smokey Merkley was raised in Idaho and has been hunting since he was 10 years old. He was a member of the faculty of Texas A&M University for 25 years. There he taught orienteering, marksmanship, self-defense, fencing, scuba diving and boxing. He was among the first DPS-certified Texas Concealed Handgun Instructors. He can be contacted at mokeydo41245@hotmail.com.

Recently, a reader e-mailed me some questions about a column I wrote during the first part of 2016 about finding bears in Yellowstone National Park.

I immediately reviewed the 2016 column and decided that the information in that column was still pretty accurate. However, I have continued to visit Yellowstone to see the wildlife, including bears, and I’ve learned more than I knew last year.

The particular reader I mentioned was mostly interested in the most likely places to see grizzly bears, so this column will kind of mirror the response I sent him.

First of all, the park rangers do what they can to discourage bears from hanging around the roads in Yellowstone. In addition, the city dumps in West Yellowstone and other locations around the park have been eliminated. That is why fewer bears are seen along the roads in Yellowstone and most of the bears that visitors do see are best viewed with binoculars or spotting scopes.

Secondly, if you do decide to go hiking on the trails in Yellowstone, hoping to see bears, be sure to travel in a group and talk, sing or make noise so bears and other wildlife will hear you and there won’t be any surprise encounters. Park officials and others often recommend having bear spray and a cow bell, which can definitely be heard quite a ways away by wildlife. I will admit that I personally do not wear a cow bell when hiking in Yellowstone, but I do like to travel in a group and talk with others as I hike. I also carry the bear spray, which is recommended by most park officials.

Do I need to mention that it is a very bad idea to try and get close to any wildlife in Yellowstone? The past couple of years have seen numerous people getting hurt and sometimes killed because they got too close to bison, bears and other wildlife in the park.

Both black bears and grizzlies can be spotted in most areas of the park by those with sharp eyes, a willingness to be patient and at least a good pair of binoculars. My binoculars are 12-power and have served me well at ranges of several hundred yards. Most of the professional researchers that are working in the park have spotting scopes and set up in areas that are known for bears.

If I am looking for bears in the Lamar Valley, the trailhead for Trout Lake with a parking area is just a couple of miles west of the Pebble Creek Campground on highway 212. The hike up to Trout Lake is pretty steep, but those in good condition can make the climb in about 20 to 30 minutes. The area is remote, pristine and a decent place to see bears. If there are others wandering around the area, the bears may avoid coming too close, so find a vantage point, plan on staying awhile and use your binoculars to spot them.

Another place we have seen grizzles in the Lamar Valley is along the Lamar River, across the road from the entrance to the Slough Creek Campground. There are practically no turn-offs along the road and park rangers can get a little surly whenever a crowd develops in this area, traffic gets blocked or people begin running up and down the road.

It is not in your best interests to argue with the park rangers. Just follow their instructions, which usually amounts to “get back in your car and move along.” My wife was scolded by a ranger for letting her kids run up and down the road in this area, and they weren’t even her kids. So the park rangers can get pretty frustrated, too.

The Slough Creek area is another place where you might see grizzlies, especially if you hike the old wagon trail to the Silver Tip Ranch on the northern border of the park.

The area just east of Roosevelt Junction and just north of Highway 212 is fairly flat, ending in a slight rise about 1,500 yards from the junction. We have seen grizzlies there on several occasions. A good spotting scope is nice to have when watching bears in this area.

The Dunraven Pass is another good area to see grizzlies for those who have sharp eyes and a driver that will keep his/her eyes on the road and let the passengers look up the mountain for bears.

Another area worth mentioning is the trail around Pelican Creek. The trailhead starts about 2 miles east of Fishing Bridge on the way toward the East Entrance to the park.

You may also be able to see bears between the East Entrance to the park and Pelican Creek.

If you are planning a trip to Yellowstone National Park this summer and can spend a few days camping and exploring the park, you will have a better chance of seeing bears during your visit even if you don’t see them every day. Just be smart, don’t get too close, be alert, be cautious, stay close to the established trails, travel in a group, make some noise and carry bear spray. That way you can have a great time and stay safe.

Smokey Merkley was raised in Idaho and has been hunting since he was 10 years old. He was a member of the faculty of Texas A&M University for 25 years. There he taught orienteering, marksmanship, self-defense, fencing, scuba diving and boxing. He was among the first DPS-certified Texas Concealed Handgun Instructors. He can be contacted at mokeydo41245@hotmail.com.

Have you ever heard of that place you can’t get to from here? Believe me it exists.

After driving from Pocatello to Boise, my wife and I headed west across Oregon toward the coast.

The problem is that you can’t just drive west. You have to go drive northwest from Boise, to Ontario, Oregon, west to Burns, northwest 127 miles out of your way to Bend, Oregon, connect with highway 97, go south for about 50 miles then turn west again at Crescent, go over a couple of mountain ranges, connect to Highway 5, go south for about 30 miles, then turn west again on Highway 38, and go 40 miles to reach the coast.

I would fly next time, except there is no airport there.

Did I mention that the scenery along the way is gorgeous? We went through high desert and several mountain ranges all the way to the coast.

I just spent the last two weeks of March in Reedsport, Oregon. Reedsport is a small town of 4,107 and has a rich history of logging and fishing. The logging industry ended in 1999, but the U.S. Forest Service still maintains an office in Reedsport.

Neighboring Winchester Bay is one of the largest fishing ports on the Oregon coast, and you can buy live crabs for dinner at Captain Stan’s floating seafood store. Just watch your hands and fingers until you throw them in a boiling pot.

Once we turned off Highway 5 onto Highway 38, we drove about 40 miles to Reedsport. About 10 miles west of Reedsport on Highway 38 is the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area, where one can see hundreds of elk.

Other points of interests are the Oregon National Dunes Recreation Area with Dunes South and Dunes North, along with Lake Marie, Coos Bay and Florence.

The beaches in this area are really pretty, and my wife came home with agates, seashells and sand dollars she found along several of the beaches. We explored most of the the beaches along Highway 101 from Reedsport to Waldport.

Just 11 miles south of Waldport, we visited the Sea Lion Caves. Oregon has the largest ocean cave in the United States and hundreds of sea lions call the cave home. An elevator will take you 20 stories down to the cave in 50 seconds, where you can see the sea lions relaxing along the rock walls and playing in the surf as it thunders in and out of the cave.

The Umpqua River Lighthouse really interested me. Originally built in 1857 on the spit of the Umpqua River as it ran into Winchester Bay, the lighthouse was destroyed four years later by a severe storm when high waves knocked the lighthouse off its foundation. The lighthouse was rebuilt on a hill 100 feet above sea level on the southside of Winchester Bay. The lighthouse itself is 65 feet high.

The lens of the Umpqua Lighthouse emits a distinctive red and white automated series of flashes and is the only colored signal on the Oregon coast. The lens was made in France and transported to Winchester Bay by ship. The lens weighs 4,000 pounds

The Umpqua lighthouse is still in operation 24 hours a day and was the first lighthouse built on the Oregon coast.

Lighthouses are no longer necessary for navigational purposes, so the Umpqua River Lighthouse is now maintained by the Douglas County Parks and Recreation Department, and tours of the old lighthouse are conducted daily.

The tall ships are coming to Coos Bay from June 1 to 5, so I want to go back and see them and take a ride on one. We may not get back until the middle of June, though.

If you like long drives through beautiful country, you ought to visit Reedsport, Oregon, and the surrounding attractions sometime.

Smokey Merkley was raised in Idaho and has been hunting since he was 10 years old. He was a member of the faculty of Texas A&M University for 25 years. There he taught orienteering, marksmanship, self-defense, fencing, scuba diving and boxing. He was among the first DPS-certified Texas Concealed Handgun Instructors. He can be contacted at mokeydo41245@hotmail.com.

Cross draw carry isn’t new. Cowboys of the 1800s and early 1900s often carried cross draw so their revolvers wouldn’t get in the way of the work they performed on the ranch.

Today, cross draw carry is usually where the handgun is worn in front of the non-dominate hip at waist level, with the muzzle pointing toward the outside of the body and the grip facing toward the dominate hand.

An exception to the above is the shoulder carry variation, where the handgun hangs in a holster under the non-dominate arm, with the butt of the handgun facing forward.

The draw is performed by the dominate hand crossing the torso, grasping the handgun, bringing the handgun back across the torso and pointing it at the target.

The advantages of cross draw carry are easy access to the handgun while seated, such as while driving long distances as truckers and body guards often do, or for anyone else that sits at a desk. It’s also good for wheelchair-bound folks.

Cross draw carry is also an option for a second or backup gun. Some police units are required to carry two handguns and cross draw is one choice, in addition to the FBI carry on the dominant side, where the primary pistol is usually carried.

I also like to carry a large-caliber single-action revolver in cross draw when I am hunting, so it won’t continually scrape against my rifle, which I often have slung over the shoulder of my dominate side.

There are also orthopedic or medical reasons one might choose to carry in cross draw. Some injuries to the strong side hip area can make it agonizing to wear a firearm there, but the weight can be born on the opposite hip.

Some people find it easier to learn cross draw with their dominate hand than learning conventional hip draw with their “weak” hand.

Certain shoulder injuries, particularly those involving the rotator cuff, can limit the ability of the patient to draw from a strong side hip position, but do not impede access to a holstered firearm in cross draw position. Some people with bad backs or hip conditions require weight to be removed from the pelvic area where possible. After some abdominal or hip surgeries, doctors recommend the patient not even wear a belt during the recovery period.

Another advantage of cross draw carry is that one can easily appear to be just folding the arms where the handgun can be accessed if they feel threatened, but don’t feel justified in displaying the firearm yet. The shooter can even draw the weapon and keep it hidden under a jacket to speed the draw if the threat level increases to where a reasonable fear of great bodily injury or death is perceived.

But there are disadvantages of cross draw carry. For one, it is easier to disarm somebody who is carrying cross draw with the grip of the handgun facing forward. It also requires a longer and slower draw stroke to reach across the torso to access the handgun.

The muzzle of the handgun covers a wide arch from the non-dominate side of the shooter until it is brought to index the target during cross draw, unless one is properly trained in keeping the handgun low (without shooting oneself in the foot) and pushing it straight out to index the target.

When worn in cross draw carry, a handgun is difficult to conceal with the exception of the shoulder holster version. When worn in a shoulder holster, the pistol is either worn with the muzzle pointing straight down, possibly indexing the shooters non-dominate leg at times, or pointed straight back and down a little at whatever is behind the shooter.

The handgun is not difficult to conceal under a sweater or jacket, but the shooter must be very careful to have any safeties engaged. I don’t think the public would be comfortable if they knew the individual just ahead of them was wearing a pistol that was pointed straight behind. I certainly wouldn’t.

Cross draw is not allowed in some combat shooting sports, a number of shooting academies, police academies and police departments. The reason is that when standing facing the target at the range, the cross draw can swing the muzzle of the loaded handgun across the shooter on the holster side and perhaps even the range safety officer behind the firing line. Being prohibited in so many venues makes it hard for one to practice and become proficient in the cross draw technique.

If you choose cross draw carry, make sure that it is the best option for your circumstances and find a good instructor and place where you can became proficient at the technique.

Smokey Merkley was raised in Idaho and has been hunting since he was 10 years old. He was a member of the faculty of Texas A&M University for 25 years. There he taught orienteering, marksmanship, self-defense, fencing, scuba diving and boxing. He was among the first DPS-certified Texas Concealed Handgun Instructors. He can be contacted at mokeydo41245@hotmail.com.

When I was about 7 years old, I was playing cops and robbers with a friend. I was the robber and I had my toy gun stuck down the front of my pants, just like I imagined a bad guy would carry his pistol.

My father, who taught me my first lessons concerning firearm safety, looked at me for a second and then said, “that is a real good way to blow your brains off.” My father thought a lot like Spiro Agnew, the 39th vice president of the United States, who felt that too many young people did their thinking with their butts instead of with their heads.

In my case, my father obviously thought my brains were somewhere else. His comment really resonated with me, and I moved my brains back where they should be and never stuck my toy gun down the front of my pants again.

That lesson from my father was so ingrained in me that I repeated his words of wisdom to my own children and to the students I taught during the Texas Concealed Handgun Course at Texas A&M University.

For the last couple of years, one of the most popular concealed carry methods has been the appendix carry, where one sticks the handgun down the front of the pants, with or without a holster, thus indexing the muzzle somewhere between the groin and the juncture of the hip.

In defending appendix carry, one author wrote that 95 percent of thugs can’t be wrong. Actually, that many thugs can be wrong about appendix carry and a lot of other things.

The two primary issues I have with appendix carry are safety and comfort. First, appendix carry violates the second rule of concealed, or open, carry, which states, “Never point a gun at anything you are not willing to absolutely destroy.”

Second, appendix carry is definitely uncomfortable with a full-size semi-automatic pistol or revolver. Sitting or bending over pushes the muzzle of the handgun into one’s groin area. You must remember to put on your shoes before you put your pistol on when carrying appendix style.

Smaller semi-auto handguns like the S&W Shield, and compact 1911s and Glocks, as well as S&W J Frames and SP 101 revolvers, are a little better comfort wise, but can still pinch a little.

When speaking of where to carry a pistol or revolver, most instructors compare the body to a clock, with the navel being 12 o’clock and the placement of the gun and holster being 1 to 4 o’clock for right-handed folks and 11 to 8 o’clock for left-handed folks. In the case of appendix carry, the gun and holster are placed at 1 o’clock for right-handed people and 11 o’clock for left-handed people.

Some proponents of appendix carry claim they carry a double-action semi-auto pistol that can’t go off regardless of where they carry it. That is stinking thinking and most professionals will tell you so.

Others will point out that even those of us that adhere to the FBI carry that just a tad behind the hip at 3 to 4 o’clock, or 9 to 8 o’clock can experience unintended discharges, even with the 1911’s “Cocked and Locked” style safety.

That is certainly true, but the difference with the FBI carry is one might get an embarrassing butt burn if the pistol discharges. But when carrying in the appendix position, a discharge will result in catastrophic injury, including castration or death if the femoral artery is hit. That is the reason that the International Defensive Pistol Association competitions, and the NRA’s Practical Police Course, do not allow appendix carry.

If you are wondering if any professionals or well-known firearms teachers advocate appendix carry, the answer is yes. Jerry Barnhart, Craig Douglas, Ken Hackathorn and Todd Lewis are some of the top trainers in the business. And all carry and train others to carry appendix style. Massad Ayoob teaches appendix carry, but I’m not sure if he ever carries that way himself, since every time I have seen him he was wearing his holster in FBI carry.

So what are the advantages of appendix carry? One advantage is that it is harder for someone to disarm someone who uses the appendix carry. Another stated advantage is that its proponents claim it is the fastest draw because our hands are naturally forward of our hips more often than they are behind us. Actually, my hands seem to generally hang just above my pelvis.

Appendix carry is also generally more comfortable for women than it is for men because of their high hips and short torsos. Proponents of appendix carry also claim it is easier to draw from a sitting position if necessary.

I’m a little skeptical that appendix carry facilitates a faster draw than the FBI carry, but it is hard to argue with Hackathorn and Barnhart. Besides, most of us who have been taught by some of the top trainers know that the fastest draw has nothing to do with which style of carry one prefers.

However, the second-fastest draw can be influenced by the method of carry, and the argument between FBI carry and appendix carry will continue for some time.

So, if you carry concealed or openly, think hard about how you carry your handgun. Make sure your carry style fits your circumstances, and stay safe.

Smokey Merkley was raised in Idaho and has been hunting since he was 10 years old. He was a member of the faculty of Texas A&M University for 25 years. There he taught orienteering, marksmanship, self-defense, fencing, scuba diving and boxing. He was among the first DPS-certified Texas Concealed Handgun Instructors. He can be contacted at mokeydo41245@hotmail.com.

While I feel that concealed or open carry by law abiding citizens is a right guaranteed to the citizens of the United States, I believe it is a natural right that isn’t subject to political leanings.

I do support the prohibition of firearms in homes and businesses of those who own those homes and businesses if they choose to prohibit firearms, just as I support the right of people to avoid places where firearms are prohibited. I also support serious consequences for those who use firearms during the commission of a crime.

However, I don’t think we ought to be arguing about a natural right if someone wants to carry concealed or openly as they go about their daily routine.

My concern is for the safety of society, which is the reason our Founding Fathers decided to not prohibit the ownership and public possession of arms. They felt that the right to keep and bear arms was a natural right with a commensurate responsibility, and not subject to political discussion.

However, our Founding Fathers also believed in firearms training and marksmanship training from an early age for the purposes of self-defense and defense of their communities and nation.

For those same reasons, I also support making quality firearms training available for those who choose to carry a firearm concealed or openly in public.

In short, I believe the right to keep and bear arms is a natural right with a commensurate responsibility demanded of those who choose to exercise the right.

Although Idaho has passed permitless carry, it seems a great number of people are still applying for the standard or enhanced permit in order to carry in states other than Idaho. But what about those who simply choose to exercise their right to carry concealed or openly without any training or permit? One can do that at their own risk, but serious consequences can ruin one’s life if mistakes are made.

Are you considering carrying a weapon in public, or do you already carry a weapon for personal protection? Do you have the proper training, or do you think training is unnecessary?

Do you know the “Five Threat Levels,” and at what point deadly force is justified? Do you know the “Four Rules of Firearm Safety” everyone who carries in public should know? Do you know what the “Fatal Funnel” is and how to avoid it?

Think about it. Do you really understand “Reasonable Fear,” and the parameters under which you are justified in using whatever force is available to you to defend against a determined attack by another?

There is a great deal of confusion among the general public concerning what justifies the use of lethal force against another. The confusion comes from both a vague understanding of criminal law and a conflict between personal morals and public ethics.

Personal morals are the personal rules of conduct we hold ourselves responsible for adhering to. Personal morals may be based on the morals our parents taught us or religious principles we believe in.

Public ethics are what our public laws are based on, and what our actions will be judged by if we find ourselves in court.

Personal morals and public ethics may be very similar in some cases but vary widely in many circumstances.

In order to get this point across to my students, who were training to carry a concealed weapon in Texas, I explained this principle in a way they could more easily understand.

Let’s have you and I make a $1,000 bet. If you lose the bet, I get your $1,000. If you win the bet, you get to keep what you have and walk away with nothing extra.

Would you make that kind of bet?

That is exactly the bet you make any time you use force, including lethal force against another. If you are judged justified in your actions, you gain nothing extra but get to keep what you already have. If it is determined that the force you used did not meet the parameters of the public ethic, you can lose everything you have and possibly serve time in jail or prison.

When I moved back to Idaho, I stopped teaching defensive firearms and tactical courses to anyone except family members because I no longer was immune from prosecution if one of my students was involved in an incident and was judged unjustified in their actions.

Most of the gun shops and sporting goods stores in Pocatello can put you in touch with qualified instructors of the Idaho Concealed Carry Course. Contact one of them and get the training.

If President-elect Donald Trump makes good on his intention to have national concealed carry reciprocity, it will have to be approved by Congress and you will undoubtedly have to show a permit to prove you have gone through the training.

Training has always been the key to responsible firearm ownership and use. You can never have too much of it.

Smokey Merkley was raised in Idaho and has been hunting since he was 10 years old. He was a member of the faculty of Texas A&M University for 25 years. There he taught orienteering, marksmanship, self-defense, fencing, scuba diving and boxing. He was among the first DPS-certified Texas Concealed Handgun Instructors. He can be contacted at mokeydo41245@hotmail.com.

India in the late 1800s and early 1900s was an interesting place, with very beautiful mountainous forest regions filled with interesting wildlife.

Tigers and leopards, which this column is about, were abundant in India right up to the early 1950s. India has suffered more through the ages under the threat of man-eating tigers and leopards than any place on earth.

The best information we have available suggests that at least 500,000 Indians and a minimum of one million people have been eaten by tigers and leopards over the entire Asian continent in the last four centuries. In the 1800s, there may have been as many as 800 man-eating tigers operating at the same time.

Tigers are not normally inclined to eat people unless diseased or injured. Leopards are simply scavengers when necessary and don’t mind eating what is available.

James Edward Corbett was born July 25, 1875, in Nainital, United Provinces, British India, in the region known as Kumaon. Jim, as he was called, grew up in the 6,000-foot high mountain country. He was a naturally gifted woodsman and hunter. He was fascinated by the wildlife around his home and learned to identify most animals and birds by their calls.

After a stint in the army and obtaining the rank of colonel, Corbett returned home and listed his profession as hunter, naturalist and writer. Interestingly, he reportedly only hunted one tiger for sport during his lifetime. Every other tiger or leopard he hunted was a man-eater, and he was asked by the province tehsildar (tax collector), who generally was more or less the highest ranking authority in the village, to kill it.

James Corbett considered himself a student of tigers and leopards rather than a hunter of the animals. He wrote books about all the wildlife in the mountain regions of India, and he was an expert speaker on wildlife and an advocate for conservation of India’s wildlife.

However, he did track and shoot a number of man-eating tigers, and at least two man-eating leopards, including the Leopard of Rudraprayag, the Leopard of Panar, the Temple Tiger, the Man Eater of Kumaon, the Talla-Des Man-Eater, the Thak Man-Eater, and the Chowgarh Tigress. Over the length of his career, Corbett killed man-eating tigers and leopards, which among them accounted for over 1,500 human victims.

In 1903, the Champawat Tigress, which had killed 200 people in Nepal, was chased out of Nepal and into the Kumaon Region of India. By 1907, it killed another 236 people in the Kumaon region of Corbett’s homeland.

In 1907, Corbett was asked by the tehsildar of Champawat to kill the murderous tigress, which had killed several people in the area. As Corbett and the tehsildar were talking, a man came running up from the village with news that a girl had just been taken by the tigress. The girl went down to the river to get water for her family when she was attacked and dragged into the jungle by the tigress. Corbett grabbed his 500 Nitro Express double rifle and ran down the slope to the river.

An explanation of the 500 Nitro express double rifle Corbett hunted with may be of interest to the reader. It has two separate barrels with two separate actions so that if one barrel becomes damaged, the other barrel and action will operate independently.

It breaks open at the breech so a panatela-sized cartridge with a 570-grain bullet can be inserted into the breech of each barrel. Each cartridge case was filled with Kynoch or cordite powder. One can expect the 570-grain bullet to exit the muzzle at 2,150 feet per second and deliver 5,850 foot-pounds of energy. It would also deliver 74.5 foot pounds of recoil, or a good old-fashioned kick into one’s shoulder.

Corbett tracked the pug marks of the cat for half a mile. The spoor then crossed over a hill and went through a brushy area. The trail then took a hard left turn and the cover grew thicker. There was a pool of water a little further ahead.

At this point, Corbett’s instincts kicked in and he got that old feeling that he was being watched from above somewhere. He backed off a bit and studied the area around the pool of water. He was sure he was close to the cat’s lair and the pool was a excellent place to drink unseen. As it was getting dark, he returned to the village because he knew he was no match for what he estimated to be a 700-pound tigress in the dark, but a plan had started to form in his mind and he thought it just might work.

Corbett normally hunted alone, but the next morning he had climbed to a grassy ledge above the pool he had seen the previous afternoon, while getting the tehsildar and the village people on top of the hill with pots and pans that they could bang together as they came down the hill above the suspected tigress lair.

At a previously agreed upon time, the village people started screaming and banging their pots and pans together as they came down the hill. Corbett, who was concealed on the high grassy ledge above the pool, waited patiently. After a few minutes Corbett saw the tigress coming down the gorge away from all the noise the villagers were making. It was going to work.

As the tigress came within 90 feet of Corbett, toward the pool, the 500 Nitro Express shattered the silence of the pool area, and a 570-grain bullet smashed into her left shoulder. She flinched and turned toward the direction from which the shot had come. In doing so, she gave Corbett a good shot at her right shoulder, and the mighty 500 sounded off again, sending another 570-grain bullet into her right shoulder, shattering the shoulder joint and continuing on into her vital area containing the heart and lungs

Now things got interesting. Corbett was out of ammunition, never thinking he would need more than two rounds. For what seemed like an eternity, Corbett and the tigress stared into each others eyes across 90 feet of jungle. Finally, the tigress turned and started to walk back up the hill and collapsed. The Man-Eater of Champawat and Kumaon was finally dead.

Col. James (Jim) Edward Corbett spent another 40 years in the Kumaon region of India as a hunter, naturalist, and writer. Then he sold his house in Kaladhungi in 1947, and retired from hunting. He and his sister moved to Nyeri, Kenya, where he continued to write and sound the alarm about the declining numbers of tigers and other wildlife. He died of a heart attack at 79 years of age, April 19, 1955, and was buried at St. Peter’s Church in Nyeri.

Smokey Merkley was raised in Idaho and has been hunting since he was 10 years old. He was a member of the faculty of Texas A&M University for 25 years. There he taught orienteering, marksmanship, self-defense, fencing, scuba diving and boxing. He was among the first DPS-certified Texas Concealed Handgun Instructors. He can be contacted at mokeydo41245@hotmail.com.

India in the late 1800s and early 1900s was an interesting place, with very beautiful mountainous forest regions filled with interesting wildlife.

Tigers and leopards, which this column is about, were abundant in India right up to the early 1950s. India has suffered more through the ages under the threat of man-eating tigers and leopards than any place on earth.

The best information we have available suggests that at least 500,000 Indians and a minimum of one million people have been eaten by tigers and leopards over the entire Asian continent in the last four centuries. In the 1800s, there may have been as many as 800 man-eating tigers operating at the same time.

Tigers are not normally inclined to eat people unless diseased or injured. Leopards are simply scavengers when necessary and don’t mind eating what is available.

James Edward Corbett was born July 25, 1875, in Nainital, United Provinces, British India, in the region known as Kumaon. Jim, as he was called, grew up in the 6,000-foot high mountain country. He was a naturally gifted woodsman and hunter. He was fascinated by the wildlife around his home and learned to identify most animals and birds by their calls.

After a stint in the army and obtaining the rank of colonel, Corbett returned home and listed his profession as hunter, naturalist and writer. Interestingly, he reportedly only hunted one tiger for sport during his lifetime. Every other tiger or leopard he hunted was a man-eater, and he was asked by the province tehsildar (tax collector), who generally was more or less the highest ranking authority in the village, to kill it.

James Corbett considered himself a student of tigers and leopards rather than a hunter of the animals. He wrote books about all the wildlife in the mountain regions of India, and he was an expert speaker on wildlife and an advocate for conservation of India’s wildlife.

However, he did track and shoot a number of man-eating tigers, and at least two man-eating leopards, including the Leopard of Rudraprayag, the Leopard of Panar, the Temple Tiger, the Man Eater of Kumaon, the Talla-Des Man-Eater, the Thak Man-Eater, and the Chowgarh Tigress. Over the length of his career, Corbett killed man-eating tigers and leopards, which among them accounted for over 1,500 human victims.

In 1903, the Champawat Tigress, which had killed 200 people in Nepal, was chased out of Nepal and into the Kumaon Region of India. By 1907, it killed another 236 people in the Kumaon region of Corbett’s homeland.

In 1907, Corbett was asked by the tehsildar of Champawat to kill the murderous tigress, which had killed several people in the area. As Corbett and the tehsildar were talking, a man came running up from the village with news that a girl had just been taken by the tigress. The girl went down to the river to get water for her family when she was attacked and dragged into the jungle by the tigress. Corbett grabbed his 500 Nitro Express double rifle and ran down the slope to the river.

An explanation of the 500 Nitro express double rifle Corbett hunted with may be of interest to the reader. It has two separate barrels with two separate actions so that if one barrel becomes damaged, the other barrel and action will operate independently.

It breaks open at the breech so a panatela-sized cartridge with a 570-grain bullet can be inserted into the breech of each barrel. Each cartridge case was filled with Kynoch or cordite powder. One can expect the 570-grain bullet to exit the muzzle at 2,150 feet per second and deliver 5,850 foot-pounds of energy. It would also deliver 74.5 foot pounds of recoil, or a good old-fashioned kick into one’s shoulder.

Corbett tracked the pug marks of the cat for half a mile. The spoor then crossed over a hill and went through a brushy area. The trail then took a hard left turn and the cover grew thicker. There was a pool of water a little further ahead.

At this point, Corbett’s instincts kicked in and he got that old feeling that he was being watched from above somewhere. He backed off a bit and studied the area around the pool of water. He was sure he was close to the cat’s lair and the pool was a excellent place to drink unseen. As it was getting dark, he returned to the village because he knew he was no match for what he estimated to be a 700-pound tigress in the dark, but a plan had started to form in his mind and he thought it just might work.

Corbett normally hunted alone, but the next morning he had climbed to a grassy ledge above the pool he had seen the previous afternoon, while getting the tehsildar and the village people on top of the hill with pots and pans that they could bang together as they came down the hill above the suspected tigress lair.

At a previously agreed upon time, the village people started screaming and banging their pots and pans together as they came down the hill. Corbett, who was concealed on the high grassy ledge above the pool, waited patiently. After a few minutes Corbett saw the tigress coming down the gorge away from all the noise the villagers were making. It was going to work.

As the tigress came within 90 feet of Corbett, toward the pool, the 500 Nitro Express shattered the silence of the pool area, and a 570-grain bullet smashed into her left shoulder. She flinched and turned toward the direction from which the shot had come. In doing so, she gave Corbett a good shot at her right shoulder, and the mighty 500 sounded off again, sending another 570-grain bullet into her right shoulder, shattering the shoulder joint and continuing on into her vital area containing the heart and lungs

Now things got interesting. Corbett was out of ammunition, never thinking he would need more than two rounds. For what seemed like an eternity, Corbett and the tigress stared into each others eyes across 90 feet of jungle. Finally, the tigress turned and started to walk back up the hill and collapsed. The Man-Eater of Champawat and Kumaon was finally dead.

Col. James (Jim) Edward Corbett spent another 40 years in the Kumaon region of India as a hunter, naturalist, and writer. Then he sold his house in Kaladhungi in 1947, and retired from hunting. He and his sister moved to Nyeri, Kenya, where he continued to write and sound the alarm about the declining numbers of tigers and other wildlife. He died of a heart attack at 79 years of age, April 19, 1955, and was buried at St. Peter’s Church in Nyeri.

Smokey Merkley was raised in Idaho and has been hunting since he was 10 years old. He was a member of the faculty of Texas A&M University for 25 years. There he taught orienteering, marksmanship, self-defense, fencing, scuba diving and boxing. He was among the first DPS-certified Texas Concealed Handgun Instructors. He can be contacted at mokeydo41245@hotmail.com.

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