Cecil The Lion

Wether the dentist was in on it or duped by crooked guides doesn't matter any more. He has been tried and convicted by the Internet. This type of thing is why I think a lot of the television shows are detrimental to hunting. The emphasis on trophy size will always be spun negatively by the antis and they far outnumber the legitimate sportsmen. I truly believe hunters are thier own worst enemies at times. This new desire to document everything with gopro cameras and post everything online should be done with a bit of strategic editing. I truly don't get the need to be on video but I'm getting cranky as I age I've been told.

I hope the anti groups don't start naming all the moose, deer and bears in Ontario or we are in trouble

I'm sure this will blow over when the next big news story comes along. Remember the kerfuffle over the lady that shot the Giraffe? It dropped off the radar after a few days,too. The media don't have any good news stories,lately and this is driven by PETA,IFAW and of course,every actor that ever wants to work in their anal-retentive PC world. What a pathetic bunch they are.

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Originally Posted by KMG Canada

Obviously I am watching this unfold with great interest having just returned from Zimbabwe last Sunday. I have seen so many things posted online and in the press it is hard to tell what the truth is. Bottom line - no permit = illegal hunt. Like everything else nowadays this has been tried in social media and when the real verdict comes out it will be a mere byline. Some sad things are that they keep referring to him as a hunter and not a poacher if he did what they say he did, paints all of us hunters with the same brush. The damage to the hunting industry could be incredible and a major setback for conservation through hunting. It also illustrates that you must know who you are booking with for a hunt. You wouldn't book a caribou, bear or moose hunt here and not do some research, same goes for over there. The antis are having a field day with this ...

Illustrated with statements like: '"If, as has been reported, this dentist and his guides lured Cecil out of the park with food so as to shoot him on private property ... he needs to be extradited, charged, and, preferably, hanged," People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said in a statement Wednesday. The statement, emailed to The Associated Press, came from Ingrid Newkirk, president of the animal rights organization.'

I always keep the following pic with me whenever the antis start to bash hunting. It always comes down to facts vs emotions.

Attachment 30340

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if this were Facebook.
/love this comment and thoughts.

only other thing I'd add and for the love of what ever gods you believe in, when will we, the hunting community realize the power of the net, the power of perception and reality, and how "we" shoot ourselves in the foot, and why in the help aren't "we" leading the charge to see this guy and those involved dealt with.

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Originally Posted by JBen

if this were Facebook.
/love this comment and thoughts.

only other thing I'd add and for the love of what ever gods you believe in, when will we, the hunting community realize the power of the net, the power of perception and reality, and how "we" shoot ourselves in the foot, and why in the help aren't "we" leading the charge to see this guy and those involved dealt with.

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Because we don't know the exact story... For now I think it's unfortunate, weather he was in the wrong or is innocent, that his entire life is destroyed. All the talk in the last couple of years about bullies..... Is this guy not being bullied by probably the same people who condem bullying? If he's was in the wrong does that make bullying ok? If he's innocident how does he go back to normality? Who takes the blame when he can't handle this anymore and takes his own life? Why would anyone, especially fellow hunters, want to jump on the hate wagon?

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Originally Posted by B Wilson

I hope the anti groups don't start naming all the moose, deer and bears in Ontario or we are in trouble

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Just don't start baiting moose next to a provincial park or you'll be accused or luring bullwinkel off protected lands. ;)

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Originally Posted by JeffBondar

Because we don't know the exact story... For now I think it's unfortunate, weather he was in the wrong or is innocent, that his entire life is destroyed. All the talk in the last couple of years about bullies..... Is this guy not being bullied by probably the same people who condem bullying? If he's was in the wrong does that make bullying ok? If he's innocident how does he go back to normality? Who takes the blame when he can't handle this anymore and takes his own life? Why would anyone, especially fellow hunters, want to jump on the hate wagon?

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"Why would anyone, especially fellow hunters, want to jump on the hate wagon?"

Because if this fellow did what he is accused of (and it appears that he did - I'm not seeing him defend himself very well) - he has done a lot of damage to the "hunter image". I only need to look at my facebook feed and see the number of non-hunting friends I have - who know I hunt - who are reposting peta and other broadsweeping anti-hunting crap.

This guy has many archery record (elk, white rhino, leopard....) and has pretty much shot every big game in N.A so he must knew who and what is was dealing with. I don't think he can play it dumb.... There are a lot of lions to shot out there so targeting that one might have been done legally but it wasn't a smart move and now he is paying for it.

Still innocent until proven guilty....

In the big picture, why is this blown out of proportion? Because it's a Lion that was given a name! Do not all animals deserve the same respect? Would this exact same story be news worthy if everything was exactly the same except he shot a gazelle instead? Or maybe a hyena? Is he being penalized really for possibly breaking the law or is he being penalized for shooting a lion?

Until he's sentenced I'm more then happy to defend this guy.....

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Originally Posted by JeffBondar

Still innocent until proven guilty....

In the big picture, why is this blown out of proportion? Because it's a Lion that was given a name! Do not all animals deserve the same respect? Would this exact same story be news worthy if everything was exactly the same except he shot a gazelle instead? Or maybe a hyena? Is he being penalized really for possibly breaking the law or is he being penalized for shooting a lion?

Until he's sentenced I'm more then happy to defend this guy.....

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It was essentially a "pet lion" yes - that's what the uproar is about now its morphing into a more general anti-hunting sentiment. Your a logical guy and say - but its a wild lion, the name thing shouldn't matter. But it does to a huge chunk of the general population who are more emotional less logical.