[Big Cat Sighting]

3 minutes ago, Greb147 said:

Don't get jealous now I've dumped you. 

I noticed that to, stinks of resentment 

[Big Cat Sighting]

1 minute ago, Greb147 said:

Just read up on it, they have both worked together so must be part of the same project. 

That will be it then lol

[Big Cat Sighting]

1 minute ago, Greb147 said:

That's Dave Salmoni buddy, Varty is South African. 

 

Yeah he was a yank who I’m on about, was a fair while ago now 

[Big Cat Sighting]

You read any of Jim Corbetts man eater books? I read them online years ago but will probably buy them one day to read again, Really interesting books  

[Big Cat Sighting]

4 minutes ago, Greb147 said:

No think that's someone else, this bloke I'm talking about is a film maker. You're talking about that Dave Salmoni? 

The fella who I'm talking about is John Varty. 

It’s John varty mate, the two tigers he had called ron and Julie 
 

Be some crack with them on the lamp lol

[Big Cat Sighting]

1 hour ago, Greb147 said:

If you watch the last half of that documentary I posted the bloke is on there, he's dedicated his life to tigers as well.  

His tigers are confined but are out in the wilderness in massive enclosures, I'm not sure if he releases cubs in to the wild when they're big enough to fend for themselves. 

Have you seen the fella who has a supposed conservation project for tigers in Africa, not sure I believe all that as it's more than likely a money making scheme. 

I’ll watch it now pal, and the guy in Africa who was slipping them tigers on ostriches to get them going? Lol

[Best fishing trip of my life!]

Had an awesome couple of days on a lake in Thailand this January called “exotic fishing Thailand” about an hr away from Phuket and set in absolutely stunning settings, literally like being in a scene from Jurassic park! The lake holds monster catfish, stingrays, carp and the fish I really wanted arapaima. I’d seen the photos, read the reviews and all looked good but nothing could prepare me for the state of the place when I got there. A quick walk round the lake had my mouth watering at the sport that lay ahead of me for the next two days!

I woke up at 6.30am to this view!

 

and promptly made my way to my peg for the lake side breakfast and to get the rods out.

For the first few hours, nothing happened, it just got hotter by the min while the arapaima were slapping the water above my bait, teasing me that they were going for it! Huge, gaping mouths of giant Siamese carp were everywhere taking bugs off the surface but for 5 hours not a bite.......suddenly I had a run and after a short fight a small redtail catfish was in the net (by small I mean 20lb) at least I wasn’t blanking......a few more of these cats later and it starts to cool down as the sun sets behind the mountains, as the shadow slowly covers the lake, it becomes a hive of activity now the fish are on the move......the  Australian guy on the peg to my left has been here 3 days and not caught an arapaima, I’m only here for two days so it’s not what I want to be hearing! He is listening to the cricket on his phone, when all of a sudden I see him running to his rods and when he strikes his rod hardly lifts up! Instantly we knew he was on to something huge, the guides all came over and for the next 30 mins the Aussie wrestled with around 250lb of Mekong catfish! He was a fit lad, was really good at jujitsu and in Thailand to learn Muay Thai but he was absolutely Knackered after! 
 

After all the commotion had died off, I re cast all my rods for the last couple of hours and I caught a Siamese carp around 70lb and a nice redtail catfish at around 90lb 

Both personal bests so I was happy but as we called it a day when it got to dark, I was a little gutted I never hooked into a monster like the Aussie had! 
 

After a good nights sleep, I was up early again and in my peg for 7am......the Aussie had gone back to Phuket and no one else was fishing my side of the lake that day so I had the whole corner swim plus the Aussies swim which he had been baiting up for three days so I hired two extra rods and went all in for an arapaima......on one of the extra rods, the guide set up a system where he used a massive ball of ground bait (about the size of two cricket balls) a really long hook tracer and then on the hook some foam to make it float. The ball of ground bait sits in the floor and the hook floats above it then a shoal of little fish will come and eat the ground bait and the arapaima will strike at the shoal which should hopefully have your hook floating nicely between them so they pick that up as well, pulling the line which has a weight on to hit the ground bait and hook them. Again the morning was ridiculously hot so I spent most of it in the shade of my hut on the peg just relaxing and enjoying the views and watching the different wildlife to what we have here

A few more red tails, an African catfish I can’t remember the name of and again as the sun drops behind the mountain the lake comes alive and my rod right over the spot where the Aussie had caught the cat goes flying off.......I run up, lift the rod, strike and instantly knew I was into something big as again it hardly moved! It swam right out to the middle and my guide instantly knew it was a Siamese carp, bit gutted again but I knew it was a good size one so all was good and after about 20 mins I pulled a nice 100lb+ Siamese into the cage.

 

I tried my best to lift it for better photos but it was struggling like f**k and was a lot stronger than I anticipated so it was gone about 1 sec after the photo! 
 

Now this was all good, I was happy enough smashing my carp and catfish PB to bits but I really wanted an arapaima so for the last few hours all my roads were set up for one. Chicken livers on one rod, dead bait on another, giant pellets on the 3rd and the huge ball of ground bait on the last. With about 1hr left to go I didn’t think it wouldnt happen but never gave up hope.....I could see the people on the other side packing up for the day and my guide looked at me to start getting mine in.......I started reeling the rod with ball of ground bait in when all of a sudden something struck at the ball and my rod was bent double! My guide threw his rod on the ground and started blowing his whistle for the other guides to come, saying to me “arapaima, arapaima” getting me even more excited! For about 30 mins I was fighting the beast I had come for, trying to win every inch of slack off the fish but I just couldn’t tire it out, I got to the bank twice and it started violently shaking f**k out of line with its head out the water as if to say “I’m not even half tired yet” sweating, baking, out of breath, mosquitos having a free for all everywhere the could and a crowd of 7 people watching me I finally got the beast in the cage and jumped straight in the lake to cool off! It really topped off an amazing couple of days I was (still am) made up to catch a fish I’d wanted for many years! They don’t weigh them everytime they are caught cause of the stress of getting them out the water but last time out it weighed 225lb so give or take 20lb either way.......

Would definitely recommend exotic fishing if your over that part of the world, The famous uk fisherman John Wilson was good friends with the owner before he sadly died over there and had a lot to do with creating the lake and fished it regularly as well as his own so that’s the level of planning gone into it and everything about the whole set up was top class!

 just thought I’d share something a bit different and thanks for reading 
 

 

[Big Cat Sighting]

1 minute ago, Greb147 said:

I'm sure that's where that other fella is from who I mentioned. 

If so ask about because I'm certain he has a wild tiger sanctuary there, I'm sure he would welcome you mate. 

At least that way you should be guaranteed to see one or two.

On the Russian one they take you to sanctuary to mate so you defo get to see one......I actually got in a cage with two tigers in Asia last year, they were 18 month old sisters, tiny in comparison to the big males in the next cage but you could still see how easy they could rip you apart, they were “tame”, Raised from cubs, the trainers had fire extinguishers and big sticks behind the photos and while it was amazing to get so close to them, I don’t mind admitting I was happy to get out of there and wouldn’t do it again or even recommend it as if they did switch there would be f**k all you could do about it, the place even makes you sign a declaration that your family can’t sue them if you get killed lol Sad truth is though they are probably full of ketamine tbh and even though they looked happy enough (the one asleep was running round 1 min before it lay down) it has put me off ever going to a zoo again while we have the opportunity to see them (or at least signs of them) in the wild before humans finally clear the lot up. 
 

 

[Big Cat Sighting]

25 minutes ago, Greb147 said:

Livihg my dreams pal. 

I'll always remember the first documentary I saw as a child on tigers because a tigress with cubs killed a leopard, exciting stuff for a bairn. 

I know the lion has a louder and more powerful roar but to me a tigers roar is much scarier and more eerie. 

All in its about 2.5k for two weeks mate and they provide all the cameras to and you get a memory card with everything on it to keep. All food, accommodation and travel while with them is included to. Warm clothing and boots etc are there for to use so need to take loads of extra items with you. you can fly to Vladivostok for about £800 from different airports here or budget flight to Moscow and take the Trans Siberian train from there for £120 2nd class but it’s 6 day trip, probably be good in the summer and get off at interesting places along the way but in the middle of a Siberian winter I think a flight would be best! I was hoping to do it this year but corona put a stop to that, just makes me keener for getting it done now though while/if we have chance. It’s something different and it’s the one single “trip of a lifetime” I always comeback to so will just book it and go when the worlds up and running again.
 

Both terrifying beasts for sure, either one in front of you would put the fear of god into you! 
 

I don’t know how true it is but apparently in the gladiator film they voiced over the lions roars with tigers for the extra fear factor so you might have a point, in no rush to find out for myself though! 

Another good package tour is snow leopards in the Nepalese/Indian Himalayas with fishing for golden mahseer and a helicopter ride around Everest thrown in for good measure. Can be done for about 3k for 3 weeks and there’s always one bad habit you can drop to raise the money. Hemis national park is the one I’ve found most people recommend and looks absolutely amazing, Admittedly it’s not quite as remote as outer Wiltshire but I think they still did well to get a crystal clear and pretty f***ing stunning camera trap image  

Sooner the airports open again the better

[Big Cat Sighting]

1 hour ago, Greyman said:

I can assure you I’m not interested in convincing you or anyone else, you are paying someone to show you footprints in a country covered in snow it’s a ridiculous comparison, while your there ask him to show you an Amur leopard they do have around 70 much  more than I’m looking for and most of them have trackers on and are known by name, so shouldn’t be to hard, I just look for things and pass them on to people with much more knowledge than us and I,ll leave it to them to tell me I’m right or wrong, enjoy Russia

It doesn’t snow in the uk? I’m not trying to get in an argument so let’s stop there and just have a normal discussion about big cats. 
 

Totally agree about the tigers having names and collars. Yes I’m paying somebody to show me tracks of tigers he knows are there. To be truthful with you he told me the chances of seeing a tiger in the flesh are basically zero, he even told me that fresh tracks are backed away from swiftly simply because it’s an apex predator that would kill you in seconds if get to close! You are miles away from the nearest hospital so even a slight mauling might mean death! 
 

However, what he has guaranteed me is an experience like no other of spending time in an apex predators home territory, the feeling of knowing something is hiding the same forest could be watching you be ready to kill you in the next 5 mins is said to be an adrenaline rush like no drug! 
 

In just two weeks, he will take you out and set camera traps in places he knows tigers pass, he knows them so well he can set a timer to when they will pass certain trees to scratch, rocks to scent mark, pools to drink in and areas full of prey where they hunt. All off this he knows from a lifetime in the forest, he speaks no English, lives as basic a life as possible and devoted his life to saving and researching the Siberian tiger, an animal that has fascinated me since a child so they chance to spend some time in its natural habit with the leading expert is one I can’t wait to take up. Gordon Buchanan did and filmed the exact same trip and made a documentary on it thats worth a watch 

All big cats are awesome animals, but for me the tiger is the best and out of all the sub-species the Siberian (Amur) is the one that stands out, the biggest and strongest of them all yet lives in -30 conditions and all alone for 11 months of the year just surviving like a king. Imagine stalking deer in Siberia and you see this running out the cover 

 

be the last thing you ever seen! 
 

This is a really good documentary to, the Korean cameraman's sooyoung park dedication to filming these cats is literally unbelievable! Watch it and see what he had to go through and what he did before you say all the tigers have names and collars, they don’t all have them on from birth and they find them from scratch eventually because they are there to be found.

Will be a once in lifetime trip for sure

[Big Cat Sighting]

12 minutes ago, Greyman said:

Your going to Russia so you can be shown how to follow tracks in snow ok then, I,ll pack in what I’m doing, thanks for the advice could of ended up wasting my time

In just two weeks, I can fly to the Far East of Russia and be hooked up with one guy who can track a tiger and can get me camera trap footage of the worlds most elusive big cat, in a area of forest roughly 4 times the size of Britain....... People have been on about cats over here for decades pal, it’s nothing new and they still have nothing to offer as evidence so maybe you should pack up and stop wasting your time because it’s a bit of a poor show so far. Cats are not hard to find with all the technology available today. Night vision, drones, heat seeking cameras on helicopters, every single person more or less has a camera on them 24/7 on the phones today, probably every inch of the uk is lamped or hunted in some way, 1000s of snares/traps are set around the country every day, 1000s of people live and work in the countryside everyday and still there is not one single clear piece of footage or still shot to make millions of people believe there’s big cats in the UK. It’s just folklore, if you get some pleasure and enjoyment out of it then fair play, your not doing anyone any harm and I wish you good luck on your little venture but other people can form an opinion based the evidence, or lack of it! Yes cats are elusive, but so are foxes, deer, weasels, mink etc but all can be tracked, found or hunted with dogs, nothing can’t be found anymore, from the top of snowdon to the bottom of the deepest ocean humans have found and discovered animals for millennia yet unbelievably no one has found or taken one clear photo of a big cat on a small island?
 

Just because you spend all your time convincing yourself there’s big cats here it doesn’t mean there is or that everyone has to believe and agree with you. People do similar with their favourite football team or boxer and despite how foolish they look will continue to spout nonsense and get defensive when pulled on it because deep down it’s what they believe despite others knowing better......don’t follow the same route, it’s not healthy and won’t do your cause any favours.

ATB in your endeavours anyway

[Big Cat Sighting]

There are no cats in the wild in the uk, it’s simple enough to leave a carcass and camera out and film the footage. They have found cats in remote jungles, mountain regions and deserts easy enough so finding a cat here would be a piece of cake. But they can’t find what isn’t there. 

Next year I’m going to Vladivostok in Russia to spend two weeks tracking tigers with world renowned big cat expert, Alexander balatov, he tracks Tigers in Russia’s remotest forests, single handed in the middle of a Siberian winter and regularly gets footage. If he can do that, someone over here could easily get footage of a big cat but there are not here so won’t ever be filmed. End of, why waste your time and efforts looking for something that won’t be found when there’s far bigger and more exciting cats out there 
 

 

 

[Tyson fury]

6 hours ago, JDHUNTING said:

Not sure what sporting intelligence is and how it differs from bog standard intelligence? And why bother comparing Ali's best opponents to Fury's worst? I don't really even like fury he's not the kind of sportsman or man I admire so no "fanboy" here. To be honest someone who thinks a 6'9" world champion has absolutely no chance and it's not even debatable to beat a guy from 60 years ago who was a bug's dick off getting beat by a 6ft 14 stone British champion then that's what smacks of "fanboy". 

I’m a fury fan, I’m just not deluded enough to think he will ever be included in the worlds best ever boxers list.....I was comparing fighters they both fought in their prime years. But don’t listen to me, I know sweet fa about boxing in truth.......however if you can find any video or quote from anyone with decent knowledge of boxing, some one who had been in the game for years and has a respected opinion that says fury would beat Ali by the end of today I will send you £50 

[Tyson fury]

 

 

[Tyson fury]

Ali after beating sonny liston at 22 yrs old in 1964 (56 years ago) 

 

If people are still talking about him as the greatest nearly 6 decades later, I think it’s fair to say it’s because he was simply that good and actually went on to back his words against elite fighters.

By comparison, when Tyson fury left the sport and went off the rails he was pretty much forgotten about within a month, maybe two at the most. 

Quite frankly I find it preposterous for anyone with any level of sports intelligence to claim that Tyson fury is even fit to lace Muhammad Ali’s boots but in the age of heavily edited footage, hand picked fighters and delusional “fan boys” this will unfortunately happen. 
 

Names like McDermott, wallin, Schwarz, pianeta etc just don’t or ever will match up to names like Fraizer, Liston, foreman, shavers and yes in fury’s credit he did beat klitschko, the way he simply melted and was forgotten about soon after proves how great he really isn’t! 
 

That aside.......what he did is pretty inspirational, to comeback from being a 28 stone train wreck to win a heavyweight boxing belt is awesome, fair play to him and full credit for doing something that far many can’t do in beating his demons to reach the top of the current crop. Unfortunately that does not make him the best fighter the world has ever seen, the ultimate fighter who was so fast he could switch the lights off and be in bed before the room got dark. Greatness is defined by legacy....Muhammad Ali has left his legacy, Tyson Fury is still writing his and while he is lucky enough to have a chance to add to his, he can’t change it and as commendable as his comeback was, as good as it was he beat wilder and reach the top of his sport.......he just isn’t Muhammad Ali.....! 
 

 

 

[Best of bloodlines, saluki lurcher pups]

On 29/08/2020 at 10:00, thefensarefarbutistillgo said:

Nero

My type of hound that 

[Cordless lamp]

On 30/08/2020 at 11:30, mC HULL said:

Battery’s always let you down whether cordless or battery pack none last for ever some only a season  

Truth right here