Cecil The Lion

Jeff.
my take. From what has surfaced it's hard to say "innocent", very. Lets cut to the chase (rather than discuss/analyze various elements)
He admits shooting it
He regrets it.

Ignorance, no matter how much we pay guides to ensure "all" is legal....We ultimately have the choice to pull the trigger or not.

If we haven't learned by now the power of the net and as KMG rightfully said, just how much damage it can do.
Ask some cops in the states.

Its only been, what a month since the Giraffe and this one has even more people up arms, more traction, more play.

Not sure exactly what the answer is, but we need to get in front of them.

The crazy thing is more people are excited and ranting about a lion getting killed than are ranting about ISIS that is torturing and massacreing thousands and expanding thier ground. Not condoning what these 3 poachers did but in the wild lions die every day and usually in very violent territory/dominance battles. An animal dieing in the wild is a normal thing. They all die. Now you have activists calling for death sentences and hangings yet they say and do nothing about atrocities happening all the time? Thousands of cattle were slaughtered during mad cow breakouts yet no outrage about them. I guess "life" is not really an equal thing for activists. If you are cute ( seal pups) you have greater standing and get more attention and respect than a Holstien? I guess Mufassa is a god to these people?

Yeah well, while it's related and I had quite a bit to say that on my FB wall. About that and some of the other hiprocrisys and insanity, on just that aspect alone and no doubt some of my friends don't like me very much today...

if we can, lets "try" to keep the scope of this very complex and broad topic (like other issues) as narrow as can
:)

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Originally Posted by terrym

The crazy thing is more people are excited and ranting about a lion getting killed than are ranting about ISIS that is torturing and massacreing thousands and expanding thier ground. Not condoning what these 3 poachers did but in the wild lions die every day and usually in very violent territory/dominance battles. An animal dieing in the wild is a normal thing. They all die. Now you have activists calling for death sentences and hangings yet they say and do nothing about atrocities happening all the time? Thousands of cattle were slaughtered during mad cow breakouts yet no outrage about them. I guess "life" is not really an equal thing for activists. If you are cute ( seal pups) you have greater standing and get more attention and respect than a Holstien? I guess Mufassa is a god to these people?

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Exactly terrym !!!! Well said!!! As I said on here a while back when the bear was shot in Toronto. Smoky the bear, Leo the lion, Gerome the giraffe, Sammy the seal and on and on. God like sacred status to garner worldwide attention by all the movie stars and whack jobs that know or care less about nature , logic and common sense than an anvil would. Slaughtered humans , human trafficking, child pornography, child labour etcetera, etcetera. Seldom a whimper or much fuss over " real" tragedies but stand back if "ONE"
of Walt Disneys critters garners any attention. When you have whack jobs calling for death and head mounts of a person, you automatically know your dealing with individuals whom are a half bubble off of plumb.

Social media is such a double edged sword. On one hand it allows folks like us to get together, but on the other everything we say and do is out there for scrutiny. I started another thread about our recent trip this summer to South Africa and to Zimbabwe. I was writing up a story to share with my fellow hunters and last night stopped posting after my Barbary Sheep hunt. The reason you may ask? The next part of the hunt was for giraffe, commonly hunted in RSA, yet obviously very sensitive to the greenies ... sadly the recent controversy is enough to make me wonder sometimes if participating on social media is worth the potential backlash. I guess the antis win a small victory if we begin to hide in the shadows. Today it is the giraffe and lion tomorrow the black bear. Sorry if I took this a bit off topic.

KMG.

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sadly the recent controversy is enough to make me wonder sometimes if participating on social media is worth the potential backlash

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Not sure how to word this, grant some latitude. While I whole heartedly agree we should be sensitive, try to avoid stirring a hornets nest through words, images or stories.

There comes times when you kind of have to say "Well crap, I know if I say much, I know what's coming".. Not unlike some things here, when people start taking pot shots, and/or utter disdain for others thoughts (opinions)..

After reading many comments from acquaintances and friends vilifying "trophy hunters" and more. Just had to step in the line of fire.

The "battle" if you will isn't for the Antis, its for the middle ground.

By late last night/this moring, a few of my friends (a couple no doubt I pissed off) and maybe I lost a couple others (don't care, they aren't friends if they cant handle it and prefer herd mentality). Figured it out.

I may not have convinced a few who are perfectly fine with sustenance hunting, but dead set against Trophy hunting. Not my goal (to each his own). I provoked them to think, to realize its not so simple as the Antis and Rickys and more and that there is so much to weigh. Pointed out some of their hipocracies, or that by calling us sociopathic @55s (yup I got that from a couple) ...or even something as simple.

"can you see the collar in that mane in all the heart wrenching images of Cecil".....

/no regrets

And lol auto spellers.

All we need to do to understand the animal rights groups is understand that it's always all about the money from donations to "the cause" from the bambi set. Every time something like this inevitably happens,these organizations are experts at exploitation and manipulation of the media with hysterics and vilification. They can then sit back and watch the donation money come pouring in from a pathetically gullible public. When these organizations advocate murdering people as a way to protect animals,every thinking person must realize that this is all coming from the lunatic fringe. It's sad that supposedly educated people can't see through that.

Had one very smart friend turn it around on my when I said something to the effect of "ricky, with his fame and fortune,ljust think what he could be doing instead.

She replied something to the effect of (and she recognized I provoking thought) called me on it. :)
"I think what he is doing is wonderful, he's speaking for the voiceless and provoking thought"

Fair enough, I'm good with that.
Isnt it funny how despite his resources that's all he does is make sure he stays in the limelight.
question everything.

The problem if you will Trimmer is by using those arguments..."You cant believe the Antis they are only in it for the money". Same could be said of the Pro hunting crowd, be they Safari international, be they gun manufactorers, be they XYZ.

Who actually gives back.
Ricky with his coifed hair, fading celebrity career, and manicured fingernails who has likely never broken a sweat or chipped a nail or spent a few days in the bush and been eaten by mosquitos?

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Originally Posted by JBen

KMG.



The "battle" if you will isn't for the Antis, its for the middle ground.

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Well said!

While I will post things on hunting sites ... I do as I suspect most of us do refrain from stirring the pot on social media sites such as Facebook etc...

the middle ground in my small circle (all I can reach) are
my friends, some of their friends
and FB is best tool I have to use (when needed).

Most despite me ruffling a few feathers, once they started reading some of the things on my wall....and theirs...agreed that's what's needed.

is open minded, open dialogue looking at all angles.

Im happy with that, most are quite smart and once they start really looking below the surface, are willing to entertain there is a lot, and how easy social media can be used by activist and to get caught up with the herd....................