Mehul, I'm delighted to read how you are starting to sample hunting in America. Glad you had a good time and I predict much better results the next venture. Normally duck hunting is pretty busy. Two ducks sounds like a slow day.

But as you know, the real joy and value of a hunt is the fellowship with your friends and fellow hunters, not the body count.

Keep it up! Jim

Mehul,
I was lucky enough to travel from Colombo down the coast to Hikkaduwa and then back up to Kandy. I then spent several days in Nuwara Eliya and the reserve there. The mountains were much bigger than I expected. I saw a great deal of wildlife and a bunch of elephant. Saw stag, numerous fowl, boars and all. Just couldn't find a leopard-maybe next time. I shot 20 rolls of film, though.
The war seems to be in remission but you can see the aftermath in places. I hope it gets straightened out for everyone's sake. Beautiful countries-it looks like some limited hunting and fishing would be welcomed.
Anyway, enjoy your stay and the hunting. It may not always be great but it's still hunting.
Jeff

Jeff,

I love the drive from Kandy to Neuwaraeliya more than any other place in the world. India has tea plantations in several states but in my opinion the Neuwaraeliya estates are among the best places in South Asia if you like hills and forests in the Tropics. I have not been there in some years and your description as well as my parents' (They were there two weeks ago and told me about it) tells me that it is as beautiful a place as it always was...

I must visit there soon! Do try and organise a hunt when you go there next. If you have a friend who has a shotgun you can borrow it and there is no restriction on your doing this as long as the person who loaned it to you goes along with you. The boars don't get as big as they do in India for some reason but it is still a wonderful place to hunt in. If they have bird hunting and you enjoy it, there are more than fifty different types of waterfowl that you can hunt on the plains in addition to the wildfowl on the hills. In the old days you could buy a hunting license in any Post Office but I have no idea what it is like now. That said, the Sri Lankans have been very careful in keeping their country beautiful under the circumstances of the war there compared to India which has sadly turned into a hunting and conservation basket case.

Good hunting!

Jim,

Thanks for the good words. Yes, with other members posting about 19 ducks on a single day, I guess it was a small bag, but the stew was still fantastic. I hope that with a little practice things would get better in the future. We should be going out for geese again very soon.

Good hunting!

Jeff,



A lot of driving in South Asia is what you saw in Sri Lanka. Believe me, it is safe and there are really few accidents. That said, try the Sri Lankan Mendis special local arrack. It tastes really nice with orange or lemon juice if you liek that sort of drink.



The hunting ban in Sri Lanka is really sad. I guess they are doing what India has been trying very unsuccessfully - encourage handguns and cut down on rifles and shotguns because they are more powerful and could be used in the civil war.



Their warning to you about the security alerts are nothing new. I had to endure much the same thing before my wife and I came here and it was really funny. A lot of South Asians live in what are almost daily battle zones but worry about the far corners of the earth - I guess it is a regional pre-occupation there.



Just saw your website - it is very beautifully done.



Good hunting!