Tucked into the corner between India and China, nakedly exposed to the terrible wrath of the monsoon seasons, lies the country of Bangladesh. Never a popular place to visit, the country is best known for having the highest population density on earth. In and among this population is a beautiful country with a viable wildlife population that supports sport hunting. For the foreigner, the hunting options right now are limited, but as in many developing countries an invitation from the right person can open up doors that otherwise might just be impossible to see behind. I recently had the opportunity to be a guest in the country and to see first-hand what the country has to offer in the way of general tourism and sport hunting. I was shown around the country and had the privilege of accompanying five Bangladeshi hunters, as an observer, to the areas they have set aside for the purpose of management of their natural resources, including wildlife. Here are my observations. What follows in some cases are first-hand accounts, but in others they are a compilation of facts as reported to me by well-placed people within the government.
Most hunting opportunities in Bangladesh country are of the feathered variety, which I will pass on describing at this point. Turning to big game, an area of the country has been set aside for wild boar hunting. Because of religious persuasions many of the population do not eat pork, and there are good populations of these animals. I witnessed the butchering of a boar I estimated around 300 pounds while we were in a small village in the hill country. The pigs are an "undiluted" variety, related to the European boar, but coal black with very little hair. They wreak havoc with the farmers, who are more than happy to have them taken out.
Another animal here is the muntjac or "barking deer." They are found in tea gardens, as well as the hill country in the southeast. It appeared to me that the tea estates are subject to a considerable amount of hunting pressure, while........(continued)
