Cecil the lion and the controversy

[h2ofwlr]

I am surprised no one has brought this up yet.

On the BMTN FB page, yesterday and earlier today I was one of the few defending Dr Palmer hunting in Africa.

Basically I feel that the G/O set him up as a fall guy. They broke the laws, and did the dirty work of luring the lion out of the NP. He relied on their expertise and knowledge to make sure everything was legit. But I do think Dr Palmer has quite the ego too based on some of the info out there.

And I do have a problem when you use a spotlight at night on a hanging bait animal and a guy says that is "sporting". If you want to stalk your prey or lay in wait like deer B&A hunters here do, I am all for that. But to purposefully lure the big cat out of the park by dragging a blood trail, shoot it at night, and use a spot light?? Where is the ethics in all this? A very sad week for hunters everywhere being many non hunters now think we are all like the 3 idiots in Africa. And many non hunters will become anti hunters as result of all this.

That being said, If I had the money would I shoot a African cat or other big game animal like an elephant or rhino? Yup. With a camera lens. Sure I'd maybe shoot a gazelle with a rifle for camp meat if they were plentiful and not endangered. But if endangered, why add to the problem is how I see it. Yet if a person wants to fork out $55K to shoot a legal lion and the permit fee is say $20k and it goes to the game wardens salaries to stave off the poachers--so be it. But there is a fine line in all of this. Obviously that line was way over crossed and apparently rules broken as the landowner did NOT have a permit to take a lion.

Now that all being said, if you have a mind to, say a prayer for Dr Palmer's family as there are bona fide wackos out there that may indeed try to do harm to him.

Think not? http://bringmethenews.com/2015/07/29/pr ... -continues This is not even the tip of the ice berg.

So what is your take on all this?

[tornadochaser]

Guy sounds like a chronic law breaker. But I don't like how trophy hunting is being assaulted because of these idiots. http://indefinitelywild.gizmodo.com/lio ... 1720901473

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[mulefarm]

More people are outraged with Cecil being killed! Why aren't the people outraged on the death of Kathryn Steinle? Google her name and read the details!

[Quack]

Hunting specifically for trophies doesn't fit my ethics. Trophy appreciation as a byproduct of hunting for food & general recreation is fine and dandy.

Ego is a sorry reason to hunt.

[HnkrCrash]

If it wasn't for people like Palmer, the savages in the hell-hole continent of Africa would have wiped out every friggin animal other than their anorexic cows by now. The only reason lions even exist in Africa today is because they have a price on their heads. The same goes for several other large mammals. The natives realized these animals are incredibly lucrative via ecotourism and hunting and it's in their best interest to manage them as a revenue source, nothing more, nothing less.

Palmer should be praised as a hero for infusing a great sum of money into the local economy, rather than vilified for shooting an animal that if given the opportunity wouldn't think twice about eating humans, it's young, or its own shit.

[h2ofwlr]

Well from what I read, Zimbabwe gets none of the lic fees to pay the game wardens, rather the $ goes to pay off the corrupt politicians/local authorities. So how much of thelic/permit money is really getting into the local economy? seems like none is. Hmmmm. Only the WWF is paying the GW salaries to stave off poachers. And I read that permit fees account for $1m where as $1.3B is spent for photo safaris.

if you really want to get an overview of what has/is happening in Zimbabwe, read this Time article. http://time.com/3976344/cecil-lion-zimb ... er-palmer/

[deet]

This shouldn't even be a thing. I hate how good the media is at influencing what occupies peoples' minds.

[h2ofwlr]

Here is the REAL story not being reported. The elephants were Killed by locals for the Ivory bound for Asia - not killed by hunters. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wor ... ere-slain/

[Hansen]

I know Dr. Palmer. He was my dentist for years. His office is a few blocks from my parents house. One day I go in for a regular cleaning, my teeth are feeling fine. Palmer during his exam tells me I need a root canal! What, my teeth felt fine, no pain. I wait it out but his office kept calling me asking me to set up my root canal appointment. After 6 months I go to a different dentist in the main floor of my office. They tell me my teeth are fine and I definitely don't need a root canal. Dr. Palmer is an unethical prick.

[Big Doe Hunter]

I know Dr. Palmer. He was my dentist for years. His office is a few blocks from my parents house. One day I go in for a regular cleaning, my teeth are feeling fine. Palmer during his exam tells me I need a root canal! What, my teeth felt fine, no pain. I wait it out but his office kept calling me asking me to set up my root canal appointment. After 6 months I go to a different dentist in the main floor of my office. They tell me my teeth are fine and I definitely don't need a root canal. Dr. Palmer is an unethical prick.

Hahahaha! All dentists are pricks!

ps No dentistry is better than bad dentistry