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?