Thread: Defending hunters

Depends how you define sport, I like being out in the bush, I enjoy being amongst nature, learning about the bush and the animals that live in it and appreciating it. I enjoy the hunt, getting in close, pitting my stalking skills against the senses of my quarry and hopefully beating them to get close enough for a shot.
I enjoy the adrenaline rush before finally getting in position to take the shot or when being surprised by my game.
I enjoy the element of fair chase, I like getting in close and engaging their senses, this is more sporting to me than a long range shot where you are not perceived as a threat (not having a go at long range, just a preference!)
I don't need to hunt for food, I can knock over a sheep or beast any time I want, I hunt because of the whole experience of it, getting meat at the end of it is just a bonus to me.
I keep the horns/antlers as they are a nice keepsake for me to remember a particular hunt from, not to gloat to my friends or post on book face.

I consider myself a sport hunter, I don't see anything wrong with it, in fact I see it as better than someone who goes out to get meat at all costs.

Each to your own I guess, just don't tell me that I am wrong because my motives are different to a meat hunter.


On another note, we need to realise that Africa operates on a very different model to here and many other countries, all Hunting is on private or tribal land, it has to be profitable or that land will be used for other farming means. The game has to be worth something or it will be eaten by poor tribes people, put a $50k price tag on it and it is worth more to them to sell to a hunter than to kill and eat (even lion and leopard as although they will not eat it they will kill it to protect livestock).
Trophy hunting is where the money is, it pays the bills and allows the farmer to be able to supply meat hunting to local hunters, often used as part of the culling programme out of season. Meat hunting by itself is not profitable, especially with the amount of security (game scouts, patrols) and fencing (to keep poachers out not animals in) required in Africa.
Yes there are dodgy operators as in any industry, but without the big money trophy hunters bring in, the whole industry will quickly collapse.

Aside from a Cape Buff, the big 5 are not something I would ever hunt, but as long as it is sustainable and supporting the conservation of habitat (this is the key, habitat destruction is the biggest danger to conservation followed closely by unregulated poaching) then I see no problem if it is done legally and as humanely as possible.

Let us take Kenya for example, hunting was banned in 1977 there, since then they have lost 70% of their game, that is massive!
No matter what the motive for hunting, the result is more habitat and subsequently more game.