Explaining hunting in africa

[Capebuffalo]

The safari company/cattle ranch was called Klawerberg, but a few years after the hunt he sold his entire operation as he was well into his senior years. It was about 45 miles south and east of Windhoek and I didn't get to see all of his property but what I saw was wonderful. If I might, our runner up choice at the time of our booking was Mike and Sophie Kibble of Progress Hunting and Photo Safari. I would encourage you to check them out. They came across as very sincere folks and I believe that they are just a bit north of Klawerbergs and a bit further east of Windhoek. I have met them both a couple of times since our Namibian hunt and they always had time to talk.

Good luck and happy hunting

Very much appreciated, Neil!

 

[VertigoBE]

We are a minority and so are the Anti zealots. It is very easy to vilify hunting.

I doubt many have respect for a rabid zealot propounding their views on either side of the equation.

The wide middle ground are the folks we will need to have tolerate, if not support our future hunting endeavours. "Hunters" are half way there and with some education might actually be supportive. The future might be worth the effort.

I tend to agree with this observation. In my experience the true anti-hunters unwilling to listen to any kind of reason and being confrontational about it to myself are far and few between. Most people who ask me about hunting, come with certain pre-suppositions, like "but you are killing an animal and not even eating it", "why go across the other side of the world to go kill, do you take pleasure in killing?", "you have not hunted elephant/lion/etc. right?", "I cannot believe you are allowed to hunt x specie" etc.

By remaining calm and neutral and trying to approach them as a human being just explaining the reasons and motivations behind this passion of mine, I have had overwhelmingly good responses. "Oh I did not know that about the conservation value", "I would not want to live with lion's in my back yard either", "good that the meat is not wasted". Most just do not know or are aware that there are any positives to the activity of hunting.

As hunters we will never, and perhaps gladly so, be able to convince everyone of becoming a hunter. But remaining non-confrontational, not allowing "insulting/obvious questions" to increase our blood pressure, but rather calmly and rationally explaining the why's, will allow us to convince one person at a time of at least not being against hunting.

My wife is not interested in hunting herself, but as she (luckily) likes me and is interested in me and my passions, I have spoken about and explained to her several times the different typical questions/objections that someone who is unfamiliar with the topic would ask. In front of groups of friends who question me about my African hunting or hunting in general, she is my biggest advocate and spokesperson now. (She even get's irritated when people are not listening to her arguments!)

Be calm, be reasonable, explain, approach the other person as a person and do not react emotional to any insufferable comments they make. 9 out of 10 after a few minutes you will both walk away with the other person being a changed man/woman.

 

[Beck]

Two thoughts:

Take the high road:
Smile, and say "you should try it sometime, lots of fun"

or
Be a Dickhead:
"It is nice, maybe if you spent a little less or worked a little harder..."

 

[Just Gina]

My response depends on what mood I am in. Being an ICU nurse, I can tell you from experience that nurses educate! That being said, you can educate ignorance, however you cannot educate or fix stupid. The response always to the “must be nice” regarding anything is: “it is!”
When asked how I can kill an animal like that is almost always: “with a high caliber rifle usually.”
When someone wants to ask me how I sleep at night, I say “with my eyes closed.” If people actually WANT to know/learn, you can tell and I have no problem educating them.
I really enjoy hunting and I have understood hunting since I was 4 years old and cried when my dad killed “Bambi” and he educated me on hunting and what it entails. I got it when I was a small child.
I will not waste my time on idiots. I have better things to do. I have no agenda and am not hunting or telling stories to further an agenda or peddle books, gear, or the like.
I love that my pulling a trigger feeds people and provides jobs and income for others. I love that if the crap hits the fan, not only can I grow my own food, I can hunt and fill my freezer as well as my my family’s freezer!

 

[ActionBob]

I tried to keep my rhino hunt pretty quiet for many years but have tired of that. I actually find it to be the easiest to explain. It usually gets one of two initial responses. 1. Shock I've killed one.. That can't be legal, aren't they extinct? (Obviously not! Some people don't even know what extinct is.) Well then how did you sneak it into the country? I didn't, it is actually a fairly easy process to legally import a legally hunted one.
2. Fascination with it.

However both will inevitably inquire as to legality, and how could you do that? Aren't they endangered?

The fun part is explaining. Well he was the primary breeding bull. If he wasn't removed, he would have begun breeding his own daughters.

Do you think that an old male should breed his own daughters? That right there sets most people back on their heels and then they are thinking instead of reacting. I immediately follow up with questions and statements around... What value to the species does an old male animal have once it can no longer breed and is detrimental to the health and survival of the females and young? It has non. The World has too many old male rhinos already. Zoos don't want more because if they did, they'd buy them. No, the only practical use is to sell them to a trophy hunter. I go on with cost of raising and keeping them and they ultimately need to pay their way. Etc.

 

[ActionBob]

The discussion on wild elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, croc, hippo becomes pretty easy as well. They are a danger to people living in the villages. They need to be controlled. How would YOU like to have those critters prowling around while your kids and your elderly parents are walking anywhere? Hunters bring balance to those wild areas. Providing money, jobs, public services, meat or food. As well as increasing security for people all the while increasing security for the greater populations of animals by giving them a greater worth.

 

[Neil Molendyk]

So here is a tactic to use on those that don't like or disagree to hunting in Africa.

When I went to hunt cape buffalo at Makuya, bordering KNP, I took along my youngest son (30ish) along for his PG hunt, his first. It was a great father son bonding moment and would recommend it highly. I left my wife at home and that only cost me a new kitchen, granite countertops, the works Lol.

Anyways when I was gone to Africa for a couple of weeks, neighbours would stop in and the question would come up, where is your husband? As I at that time in my life I did a lot of shift work and it was not unusual to absent in the community.The first couple of times she simply stated that he is on a hunting safari in Africa, and the reaction was sometimes mildly scorned. So she changed her response to the question.

Neighbour: So where is your husband?
Wife: Oh, he's gone to Africa for a couple of weeks.
Neighbour: Oh, what's he doing in Africa?
Wife: He's joined a group of people helping to feed the indigenous people there.
Neighbour: Wow, that's great! What church is he with.
Wife: It's not with a church group, its nondenominational.
Neighbour: Thats rather unusual.
Wife: Not really, he is on a hunting safari and they always give the game meat to the local native villagers, orphanages and schools.
Neighbour: Oh, I had no idea

Feel free to use this approach if you wish

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hello friends.

I am a very low key guy. I live on my farm and keep to myself for the most part. I hunt a lot. Have a few elk, deer, pronghorn and a caribou on the wall. I'm not a big score keeper, I just enjoy seeing memories of my hunt.

My closest town is under 1.000 people. I went to coffee the other day and someone said " I heard you went to AFRIACA" "Must be nice!!!".

I didn't respond. Then the next guy says " Did you let them get out of the pen before you shot them?!.

I just left. I didn't want to explain to them that hunting in Africa isn't all that much different than hunting private land in the US or Canada. I've been on private land Elk, Antelope and Mule deer hunts in the US. Africa was harder, much harder. Thorns, brush, low visibility, much, much more wary game.

Hell the easiest hunts I've had have been in the US on private land or next to federal land (next to Jackson Hole WY) The moose and caribou I have hunted weren't near as weary as ANY animal I hunted in Africa.

I like my fellow hunters very much, but how do you respond when someone tells you Africa isn't a real "hunt" ? Not that it matters to me, but I'm interested if anyone else has faced the same judgement.

I don't need to defend myself from these fellow hunters. Just interested if anyone else has been judged for hunting in Africa and how do you handle them? GTH is my current response.

@Stormy Kromer
I was asked why hunt Africa. I asked if they had 5 minutes and I would tell them. If they were genuine the conversation usually lasted quite a while. The hard part is getting them to understand is if it doesn't pay it doesn't stay. When they grasp it is more beneficial for a farmer and the community to run wild game and all the advantages they have a change of heart as they didn't know.
If they haven't got 5 minutes they aren't interested any way.
Bob

 

[Daveboone]

I have actually been quite surprised by folks who bring it up. I quickly point out the desolation seen on "tribal lands"{, vs managed lands and how "if it dont pay, it dont stay" works. As well, they are surpised when I point out how every animal is immediatly professonally butchered and utilized locally.