Game hunting

[skc101fc]

I don't consider myself to be an extreme animal lover. I even kill turkeys for christmas, and take my sheep to the abbatoir. I do however try to give all creatures respect and dignity.

So I find it both saddening and disturbing to read the current exposure being given to (Americans) hunting big "game" in Africa.

Why Game? Do the animals involved enjoy playing it?

Then trying to expand my mind a bit, I googled hunting tours, only to find that there are many more companies offering this service than I could ever have imagined. I believed this industry/occupation/hobby was consigned to the history books.

Shoot an animal dead, then that's it. Its over. No one else can ever see it. Selfish ! Photograph and enjoy and let others do the same, and it promotes spending tourists for these cash strapped countries, and preserves and maintains an ecological balance.

We really are a truly shameful race on this planet.

Or am I misguided?

[njmusk]

No you are not misguided. There is BIG money to be made in hunting. Not just americans do it either.

[skc101fc]

I know the stakes are big, one of the operators I looked at was asking $49000 for a 10 day trip with guaranteed lion kill.

Interesting to read Delta airlines are now refusing to allow these guys from bringing their trophies home. Good...Make them eat the whole bloody thing

[mickdundee]

A lot of these hunting trips are organised in managed reserves. The animals are selected as part of the management of the population and a decent cut of those big fees go back into the conservation projects and anti poaching patrols to protect the high risk animals such as elephants and rhinos. There's definitely two sides to the story.

 

 

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[skc101fc]

Thanks for that. That side of the story definitely never makes the headlines

[skc101fc]

However that also creates a need to keep procuring a ready supply of animals for entertainment doesn't it

[mickdundee]

I think that's the idea. Give people a reason to maintain healthy numbers of these animals. If they were trying to make their money farming then the big game would be considered pests and habitat would continue to be destroyed for crops and livestock. Unfortunately Africa is mostly very poor so there's not much love for anything that costs them money

 

 

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[skc101fc]

My eyes have been opened a little wider now.

Thanks

[the village idiot]

I think what most people struggle with (myself included) is the fact that people get a thrill from killing these amazing animals. It is a shame that our species has multiplied to a size that these conflicts for space occur, but this is just how it is. Better to control numbers in a heavily regulated fashion ( even if that means big game testosterone junkies) than leaving it to the farmers to kill Willy nilly to protect their families and livelihoods.

 

What would be even better would be If the lions and rhinos etc all 'packed a piece' giving them the opportunity to compete for territory on a level playing field!

 

They have as much right to eat as we do.

[TIMON]

I think what most people struggle with (myself included) is the fact that people get a thrill from killing these amazing animals. It is a shame that our species has multiplied to a size that these conflicts for space occur, but this is just how it is. Better to control numbers in a heavily regulated fashion ( even if that means big game testosterone junkies) than leaving it to the farmers to kill Willy nilly to protect their families and livelihoods.

 

 

 

What would be even better would be If the lions and rhinos etc all 'packed a piece' giving them the opportunity to compete for territory on a level playing field!

 

 

 

They have as much right to eat as we do.

 

 

Or hand to hand (or paw) combat. Make it even more interesting.