This message should be circulated far and wide.


A TRULY EXCELLENT LETTER FROM PAUL STONES TO AN ANTI HUNTER:
Hi Christa
My name is Paul.
Home is Africa, a place I hold very close to my heart. Partly ‘cause it’s home but a large part because of its wonderful, incredibly diverse wildlife and habitat.
I look at your page and I see a person that has a passion, a love and a very caring side re wildlife and most likely animals in general. Not dissimilar to me.
However you live thousands of miles away from Africa, you are not African nor do you have any understanding of Africa, it’s people, it’s poverty, corruption and all that accompanies such. You do not realize the magnitude of the population explosion here, the need to feed, to clothe and the havoc it wreaks on wildlife and habitat, actually more on habitat. You may have visited Africa on a “safari” been inside the “bubble” as I call it, the safe havens, the easy rides, the tourist traps, same pic you took will be taken by another of the ill-informed next week, only through a different lens!
This Christa,is not Africa, it is what the world wants Africa to be like. This pseudo harmonic relationship with animals!
I have to admit, I too have been and seen most of those areas and they are fabulous, they are indeed the safe havens for wildlife to a degree but the bulk of Africa is a far cry from this Nirvana.
Most is hostile, hot, tsetse fly infested, inhospitable, impassable terrain, yet superbly beautiful and still in many places holding good game numbers. Why? Your like have nothing to do with this success and I say that respectfully!
You would not pay a dime to be in these places, nor would you contribute to our conservation efforts and anti poaching drives that are so successful.
Where in many places games numbers are better now than they have ever been.
Where vast swathes of an Africa unbeknownst to your world exists and where we do our damndest to keep it that way, to dove tail with communities to try and somehow keep the wildlife and human conflict apart, to save our beautiful wild animals that we have the same passion for as you do.
Our world to you is distasteful and regarded as barbaric, your world to us is one of materialism and insincerity, yet we do not attack you, vilify you at each turn!
We love an Africa that sadly will soon be gone as we know it. Thanks to the posts by the lying NGOs, the uninformed fools, antisocial media trolls, the absolute ignorant, responsible hunting will end!
You may celebrate with misplaced glee but know this, those places that you have never seen nor taken a moment to try and understand, will disappear like morning mist on a hot day and with it your lions, your leopards, your elephant and all that you hold so dear. You and your kind will have committed the greatest crime against African wildlife that has ever been committed.
“The systematic demise of hunting as a conservation tool, will ensure the absolute demise of African wildlife”
January 2016
Paul Stones, Professional Hunter

I think part of the letter got deleted.

There, that's better.

Fulvio:

Great letter! 100% correct. Thank you for posting it here.

Fulvio:

Great post (as usual). I am still amazed at how PH's, Outfitters.....etc; Those living in Africa and navigating the "African" bureaucracy (that I have 0-no understanding of) are able to live and support their families. It seems to me that so many are against your livelihood and I am sure that it is a very difficult career.

As much as I enjoyed Africa (I have only been to RSA 3 times), I would never want to live there and try to support a family.

I guess many PH's (like the one I know) would never want to live here. I guess one accustoms and deals with the challenges put before them.

I think though, that hunting is changing (everywhere) and mostly, not for the better....

quote:

Originally posted by Jason P:
Fulvio:

Great post (as usual). I am still amazed at how PH's, Outfitters.....etc; Those living in Africa and navigating the "African" bureaucracy (that I have 0-no understanding of) are able to live and support their families. It seems to me that so many are against your livelihood and I am sure that it is a very difficult career.

As much as I enjoyed Africa (I have only been to RSA 3 times), I would never want to live there and try to support a family.

I guess many PH's (like the one I know) would never want to live here. I guess one accustoms and deals with the challenges put before them.

I think though, that hunting is changing (everywhere) and mostly, not for the better....

Please do not see my post below as a rant or even a answer to your statement above. It is simply my own views on the topics you touched on Sir!

We see ourselves as white Africans. We have been here for centuries and the land is in our blood, just as yours is in yours. We are prepared to die for it if it comes to that. Through the ages we have become part and integrated into the African way of life and living, while still maintaining our European heritage and culture, and an unwavering believe in God, the Bible and a straight shooting rifle. In general we all, as PH's and Outfitters know that it is way of live, and will never become rich. BUT, as long as hunters supports us we can support our families and look after the wildlife that we are custodians off.

As to hunting that is changing. I am off the firm believe that we, as hunters, capitulate TOO easy. We are too easily saying that hunting is changing or will go away.

Do you ever hear the zealot anti's saying that they can never stop hunting? NO.

We must mobilize, and in our own small way contribute to preserving that which we hold so dear. From the quail in the shrub to the Elephant in Botswana. We must FIGHT them.

I believe the assessment of 30% hard core anti's on the left faced by 30% hard core hunters on the right, with a moderate middle, is accurate.

So go forth good fellows and spread our gospel of sustainable utilization of natural resources EVERYWHERE

Paul Stones is a long time professional, and I believe a lawyer. It is a brilliant writ and should be shared far and wide!

I doubt the anti hunter would read past the first line.

Anti hunters are not qualified to speak of Africa and it is about time the African's made some noise of their own.

quote:

Originally posted by infinito:

quote:

Originally posted by Jason P:
Fulvio:

Great post (as usual). I am still amazed at how PH's, Outfitters.....etc; Those living in Africa and navigating the "African" bureaucracy (that I have 0-no understanding of) are able to live and support their families. It seems to me that so many are against your livelihood and I am sure that it is a very difficult career.

As much as I enjoyed Africa (I have only been to RSA 3 times), I would never want to live there and try to support a family.

I guess many PH's (like the one I know) would never want to live here. I guess one accustoms and deals with the challenges put before them.

I think though, that hunting is changing (everywhere) and mostly, not for the better....

Please do not see my post below as a rant or even a answer to your statement above. It is simply my own views on the topics you touched on Sir!

We see ourselves as white Africans. We have been here for centuries and the land is in our blood, just as yours is in yours. We are prepared to die for it if it comes to that. Through the ages we have become part and integrated into the African way of life and living, while still maintaining our European heritage and culture, and an unwavering believe in God, the Bible and a straight shooting rifle. In general we all, as PH's and Outfitters know that it is way of live, and will never become rich. BUT, as long as hunters supports us we can support our families and look after the wildlife that we are custodians off.

As to hunting that is changing. I am off the firm believe that we, as hunters, capitulate TOO easy. We are too easily saying that hunting is changing or will go away.

Do you ever hear the zealot anti's saying that they can never stop hunting? NO.

We must mobilize, and in our own small way contribute to preserving that which we hold so dear. From the quail in the shrub to the Elephant in Botswana. We must FIGHT them.

I believe the assessment of 30% hard core anti's on the left faced by 30% hard core hunters on the right, with a moderate middle, is accurate.

So go forth good fellows and spread our gospel of sustainable utilization of natural resources EVERYWHERE

Paul Stones is a long time professional, and I believe a lawyer. It is a brilliant writ and should be shared far and wide!

Infinito:

Great post; I do not see it as a “rant” but well thought out. I admire your determination and fortunately there are those like yourself, Fulvio, Fairgame etc.., that are preserving what we all love to do.

As much as the Anti’s are an issue, I think the current population trends may play the biggest factor. However, that’s for another discussion.

Well written letter. Hopefully a few people not in the choir will read it.

Thanks for sharing it with us fulvio.