Trophy the film - let your voice be heard

[barryk]

Just saw it this evening. I was also surprised that our side was presented....not as strongly as I'd liked to have seen....but still presented. I think the crocodile shoot gave us a poor image.....in addition to the unclean kill of the elephant.....they just had to show that. And why not quickly bring an end to the hunt after the elephant is down......again, the lingering elephant death does not help our cause. Quick, clean kills....whatever you're hunting. At least this show may stimulate some rational conversation...maybe. And, yes, Philip did a good shot on that lion....as it should be.

 

[cls]

Watched tonight, Philip, Thanks for putting yourself out there for all hunters. Seemed to be very balanced portrayal. Showed the good the bad and the ugly of hunting. I would believe the crock hunter(the ugly) is in the minority of hunters. Thanks again Philip, you my friend have steel cahones.

 

[BobT]

My wife is pro hunting but,

in addition to the unclean kill of the elephant

This brought her to tears, she said later that this scene alone would have made her hate hunters had she been a fence sitter.

 

[Philip Glass]

I've been wanting to watch this since Phillip first mentioned it and posting here.

Only able to watch the first half but I was happy they truly showed both sides of the story. The good, bad and in-between.

I was raised a farmer so see that side, but was also raised as a hunter to hunt free range and ethical. I enjoyed seeing your hunt Phillip. I'd take a tent and walking over a pampered pool location any day of the week.

When the alligator hunt came on it actually surprised me. That is the opposite of my hunting spectrum. Everything from the hunter to the spot just didn't agree with me at all. But I get it. It's all legal. But to me that's what gives us hunters such a black eye to outsiders.

If I was an normal guy and only watched hunters like that one I'd think it was wrong too.

I hope to get to finish the rest and maybe try to get the wife to watch aswell. She's fine with all hunting except lions and elephant so I know it would be a hard watch for her but I'd want her to watch your hunt and try and see some facts from my side

Very good thanks!

 

[Philip Glass]

That’s what happens when you don’t produce one sided propaganda. Both ends hate the middle.

That’s the brilliance of the film makers. They made everyone mad and thus talking the issues!

 

[Philip Glass]

So the ARA and SCI both hate this film. Who woulda thunk it? LOL!

This is the funny thing that has come out. All sides are mad but the antis are really mad. They assumed, wrongly, that this was a hit job on hunters and they stand in disbelief!

 

[Philip Glass]

WOW ! I too was not impressed with the croc . hunt ....but I'm proud to say Phillip represented us as a hunting community well ... I'll always say I'm a member of AH with out fear !
Glen

Thanks Glen!

 

[Philip Glass]

In all I would say very balanced ! Quite amazed that CNN would even dare to broadcast this. Obviously a few raised eyebrows on some issues. I commend Phillip. Would have liked to see more on what exactly Huntets Dollars bring towards Conservation though.

The film certainly leaves you wanting more that is the brilliance of it. Everyone want to talk about some issue in depth about this film after watching it.

 

[Philip Glass]

Watched tonight, Philip, Thanks for putting yourself out there for all hunters. Seemed to be very balanced portrayal. Showed the good the bad and the ugly of hunting. I would believe the crock hunter(the ugly) is in the minority of hunters. Thanks again Philip, you my friend have steel cahones.

I really appreciate it. And yes you are all spot on on the croc hunter. Distasteful but not illegal.

 

[Upton O. Good]

I just finished watching the film and I believe, in very subtle ways, it presented a stronger "anti-hunting" versus "middle ground" message.

I have a B.S. in zoology and an M.S. in fisheries. I also have an M.S.W. in clinical social work (therapist). I am also a hunter starting at age 7. I've hunted in South Africa twice, Zimbabwe once.

My thoughts are, there should have been more information on the habitat demands of animal species, their respective life histories and managing animals through hunting. The discussion of forage requirements of, say, elephants, was non-existent and subsequently there was a lack of information on the impact of over grazing by them. And, there was no discussion of the cost of managing wild populations of elephants, rhinos, lions, in terms of socioeconomic impacts and resources needed in terms of dollars.

I wish I could write more but the hand tremor is bad this morning so I'll close with this lasting image. A young woman loudly protesting against hunting, yelling that she is a vegan. It contrasts deeply with the very thin bodied villagers waiting in line to gain a few pounds of elephant muscle or guts to hang for biltong while they live in mud brick huts hoping the elephants won't wipe out their crops or the lion take their last surviving cow.

 

[barryk]

I just finished watching the film and I believe, in very subtle ways, it presented a stronger "anti-hunting" versus "middle ground" message.

I have a B.S. in zoology and an M.S. in fisheries. I also have an M.S.W. in clinical social work (therapist). I am also a hunter starting at age 7. I've hunted in South Africa twice, Zimbabwe once.

My thoughts are, there should have been more information on the habitat demands of animal species, their respective life histories and managing animals through hunting. The discussion of forage requirements of, say, elephants, was non-existent and subsequently there was a lack of information on the impact of over grazing by them. And, there was no discussion of the cost of managing wild populations of elephants, rhinos, lions, in terms of socioeconomic impacts and resources needed in terms of dollars.

I wish I could write more but the hand tremor is bad this morning so I'll close with this lasting image. A young woman loudly protesting against hunting, yelling that she is a vegan. It contrasts deeply with the very thin bodied villagers waiting in line to gain a few pounds of elephant muscle or guts to hang for biltong while they live in mud brick huts hoping the elephants won't wipe out their crops or the lion take their last surviving cow.

Upton....good points....I really like the contrast between the vegan and the villagers.

 

[barryk]

Philip...I, too, want to express my appreciation for putting yourself on the line and defending your beliefs....takes guts.

 

[Scott Slough]

My wife is pro hunting but,

This brought her to tears, she said later that this scene alone would have made her hate hunters had she been a fence sitter.

As a hunter I was offended....shame on the hunter and the PH!

 

[ActionBob]

As a hunter I was offended....shame on the hunter and the PH!

I'm not willing to throw Phillip under the bus on this. Two main points come to my mind on the elephant.

1. Having been there and done that; Even for an experienced hunter, there are many firsts. I'm sure that elephant was a first for Phillip. As was the case for me. We read up, practice, talk to other hunters, etc. But when you are there, in the moment, you at experiencing tons of emotions and adrenaline. You are relying on your instincts and your PH. That is all you have at that moment. Most of us have the expierience of pretty much never shooting an animal in the head, it is just not instinctive for most of us.

2. I was very disappointed the PH did not say "put one in the top of the head to finish it". But i can't fault the hunter, especially knowing full well how things go in these situations. In my case, the PH was patting himself on top of the head telling me to put another in.

I thought it looked like Phillip' s shooting was all top form. Not positive but it seemed to me like a fantastic shot anchoring that elephant on the 3rd shot. And seemed like the first shot was good.

Very interesting watching the translations of the locals. Wanting 30 elephants killed for the season, but only going to get 7.

Phillip thanks again for putting yourself out there. Those of us on the sidelines cannot criticize any part of what you are doing here and have done, lest we step up to the plate ourselves. You are poised, prepared, proper and precise. I don't see how our entire hunting community can do anything but be grateful for your efforts.

 

[Rick Cox]

It turns out I've had the film Trophy on my list for dome time (to rent ) and last night I watched it. I was surprised to find it offered a balanced perspective and in fact presented the idea of trophy hunting as a tool for conservation in a positive light.
My thanks to all involved especially to @Philip Glass for baring his soul. That took real courage.

 

[Rick Cox]

As the director of this film, living in New York City, I was one of those that screamed when i knew nothing. Three years later after spending endless time traveling with hunters, being in Africa my views have vastly changed. This September we are changing the conversation about conservation. Come see the film and help us spread the word

Thanks for making this film and keeping an unbiased perspective.

 

[Rick Cox]

Just saw it this evening. I was also surprised that our side was presented....not as strongly as I'd liked to have seen....but still presented. I think the crocodile shoot gave us a poor image.....in addition to the unclean kill of the elephant.....they just had to show that. And why not quickly bring an end to the hunt after the elephant is down......again, the lingering elephant death does not help our cause. Quick, clean kills....whatever you're hunting. At least this show may stimulate some rational conversation...maybe. And, yes, Philip did a good shot on that lion....as it should be.

Philip Glass is a very experienced hunter and I feel that had Philip been alone, the elephant would have been dead very quickly. In my opinion, when we as hunters place ourselves in the hands of the PH's we accept their experience and expertise and follow their instructions, even though when left to our own devices at home, we may have done things differently.

 

[Upton O. Good]

Another point for me, the poster advertising for “Trophy” depicts a white rhino in the crosshairs of a rifle scope. It was clear from the content of the production that sport hunting has nothing to do with the decline of rhinos. Seems either to be “baiting” to attract more viewers, what I call the “Howard Cosell” approach in broadcasting or it sets the stage to catch an anti-hunter with a surprise.

One part I did truly appreciate was the attention paid to the growing emphasis of hunters to what is hanging on the wall versus the story of the hunt. That was most evident in that sorry croc hunt and the auctions of hunts for specific types/sizes of animal heads. I don’t blame game ranchers for wanting to breed bigger/wider, more unnatural headed animals. That is what the market demands. I offer that we hunters have lost sight of the value of the experience of the hunt and our competition with other hunters in “mine is as big or bigger than yours”. Think not? What is the first thing asked of most hunters? “How big is it?”.

When Phillip is wading through the Caprive wetlands, that captured my soul. Too bad the show couldn’t capture the heat, mud, dust, long miles of walking, the exhaustion at the end of the day. I also wish he had shot the dying elephant in the head rather than the body but I defer to the PH onsite.

 

[Royal27]

On the elephant.

First, hunting can be brutal. We all know that. It's a fact. No, that elephant wasn't dead before it hit the ground, not all animals are. Would any hunter who had an issue with the elephant have the same reaction if that had been a kudu, or a whitetail, or a buffalo? I honestly doubt it. If you can tell me you always put more lead into any animal that isn't dead the second you reach it then great, but I bet no one here hasn't waited a minute or two for an animal to expire. I know I have.

Second, based on the video it wasn't that long and a final chest shot was put in when it became apparent the cow wasn't dead. Remember, this was an elephant at close range, not a 300 yard PG shot that gave the animal time to die. Again, stuff happens. Perhaps in the experience of the PH hunters are so shaky after shooting an elephant that the PH prefers a chest shot, even at that close range, as the finisher. And, almost certainly the PH thought the animal was going to quickly expire from the initial lung shot.

Lastly, elephants are DAMN TOUGH. They don't always die like the book says they should. As anyone who read my hunt report knows my elephant took the initial shot through both lungs and creased the heart. As it was running off it took five more shots between me and the PH. That's 3000 grains of bullet. We found it very much alive and pissed off 11 hours later and it took a final frontal brain shot to end it. I would have very much preferred for that to have gone down differently, but it didn't.

Anyone who wants to second guess Philip, go for it, but you weren't there.

 

[Philip Glass]

New Links:
CNN Cuomo Prime Time - aired live Fri. 1/12

https://app.frame.io/f/490ae906-7430-4465-bce6-e8f3f015f9ea


CNN Newsroom w/Ana Cabrera - aired Sat. 1/13

https://app.frame.io/f/10103325-9435-428f-9a7c-1160dbabdf66