Death of a Monarch

23 September 2012, 22:01

fairgame

Death of a Monarch

This magnificent creature known to me as the Hot Spring Lion and who once ruled a good piece of the Kafue National Park was recently snared by poachers and found in this condition in Lunga Luswishi GMA. He bit his own leg off above the snare in his will to survive. That is after the poacher(s) blinded him in one eye with shot.

The accompanying hunting client in a compassionate gesture bought a Lion permit and paid the concession fees in order to put this poor brute down.

I have hunted this Lion and seen him in all his glory.

I think I will get pissed tonight.

23 September 2012, 22:04

shakari

Such a bloody waste....... I think maybe I'll join you in that drink.

23 September 2012, 22:04

Caracal

What a shame!!!

23 September 2012, 22:13

Todd Williams

Damn, that really pisses me off. What a absolute waste of a fine animal.

23 September 2012, 22:22

Bill/Oregon

I wish the very best for the client who paid to put him down. What a fine, generous and humane gesture. He is a hero in my book.

23 September 2012, 22:28

Eland Slayer

quote:
Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
I wish the very best for the client who paid to put him down. What a fine, generous and humane gesture. He is a hero in my book.

+1 Good on him...

What a damn shame that such a powerful, magnificent animal could be worn down to this condition and have to be put out of his misery.

23 September 2012, 22:33

chuck375

My feeling is putting the poacher through what he did to the lion would be too kind and compassionate.

I commend the client, what an absolutely gracious and kind act. Please pass on our best regards to him.

Have a few for me.

23 September 2012, 23:01

pagosawingnut

A very generous and humane thing to do.

23 September 2012, 23:08

fujotupu

Meaning the Zambian Wildlife laws would rather have an animal in such a suffering state to continue "living" until it drops dead - unless someone pays the trophy fee?

23 September 2012, 23:29

retreever

I would not get angry, I would get even!

Mike

24 September 2012, 00:44

Aaron Neilson

Andrew - Damn Shame!! I too have seen/hunted some good lions at the Hot Spring, as you know. Hate to see this for sure!!!

24 September 2012, 03:20

N E 450 No2

This is why I have no problem with poachers being shot on site.

While hunting in Zim we came upon poacher camps and poacher snared animals that were not recovered, and hundreds of snares the poachers had set out.

24 September 2012, 08:16

Nakihunter

Such tragedy! Makes me mad!

24 September 2012, 08:44

470EDDY

I am Drinking as I read this...really a sad commentary!!
Thanks for sharing..a very sobering reality!!

24 September 2012, 09:25

prof242

Haven't had a photograph affect me in a long time. This one did. I think the poacher should be given the same treatment.

24 September 2012, 10:10

Frostbit

Just not right!!

I'm sorry for the type of ending this creature endured and for you Andrew. I know how much this must bother you.

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24 September 2012, 10:35

zhaba

such a waist!! I agree with Mike get even. It about time there was more "shoot to kill" when it comes to poaching

24 September 2012, 11:33

npd345

quote:
Originally posted by Eland Slayer:
quote:
Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
I wish the very best for the client who paid to put him down. What a fine, generous and humane gesture. He is a hero in my book.

+1 Good on him...

What a damn shame that such a powerful, magnificent animal could be worn down to this condition and have to be put out of his misery.

+1 ALSO! good for the "client" AND my greatest respect to him and the worst to the asshol# poachers!!

24 September 2012, 11:45

Andrew McLaren

Andrew, although those are disturbing and peace of mind upsetting photos, I still thank you for sharing. Let these serve to underscore the significant contribution of poaching by indigenous people on wild lion populations. Let these alse serve to remind some here about the absolute lack of any compassion, indeed the cruelty, of rural people in Africa. Let these also serve to remind all that ever since man came down from the trees, he has been a meat eater, and setting snares is the easiest way for a rural African to get hold of meat.

The solution? We must support PETA and other animal rights activist organizations in their efforts to convert and develop the rural Africans into becoming vegetarians!

Please convey my appreciation for his kind deed to your compassionate hunting client.

The saying every dark cloud... here your caring client was the silver lining!

Andrew McLaren
Professional Hunter and Hunting Outfitter since 1974.

http://www.mclarensafaris.com The home page to go to for custom planning of ethical and affordable hunting of plains game in South Africa!
Enquire about any South African hunting directly from andrew@mclarensafaris.com

After a few years of participation on forums, I have learned that:

One can cure:

Lack of knowledge – by instruction. Lack of skills – by practice. Lack of experience – by time doing it.

One cannot cure:

Stupidity – nothing helps! Anti hunting sentiments – nothing helps! Put-‘n-Take Outfitters – money rules!

My very long ago ancestors needed and loved to eat meat. Today I still hunt!

24 September 2012, 12:43

Scriptus

quote:
Originally posted by fujotupu:
Meaning the Zambian Wildlife laws would rather have an animal in such a suffering state to continue "living" until it drops dead - unless someone pays the trophy fee?

With you on that! Me, I would have done him straight away. That an animal had to suffer so.

24 September 2012, 13:15

fujotupu

24 September 2012, 14:49

Jaco Human

It is a very sad situation and a very disturbing photo.

Poaching become a very big problem in Africa and are driven by 2 needs.

1)Rural people are very poor and need protein, they set snares indiscramanetly and also they do not know every place where thety set up the snares. The trapped animals are just left to die. The biggest reason for the the huge amount of poor people is that the African economy cannot support the massive birth rate among rural people, add uneducated and unskilled people entering the labour market.

2) Greed in the East. Rural people see the poaching of Rhinos and Lions as an easy way to get money to support their families. In fact they receive a very small amount of maney compared to what the syndicates receive.Wild animal parts are also used in muti. I have heard storiestheat sangomas sell a cure for aids consisting of types of aloe and Rhino horn.

We see on a daily basis photos of Rhinos that was poached, sometimes the horns have been hacked of while the animals are still alive. This to me is barbaric behaviour.

I do not know the answers, but we have a big problem with poachers and they act in a very inhumane way.

Life is how you spend the time between hunting trips.

Through Responsible Sustainable hunting we serve Conservation.
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24 September 2012, 16:51

tendrams

I have written and deleted at least four different comments thus far. There are simply no words to describe the contrasts of character in this story.

24 September 2012, 17:12

Aspen Hill Adventures

Pictures of immense suffering.

24 September 2012, 17:23

Bren7X64

quote:
Originally posted by Scriptus:
quote:
Originally posted by fujotupu:
Meaning the Zambian Wildlife laws would rather have an animal in such a suffering state to continue "living" until it drops dead - unless someone pays the trophy fee?

With you on that! Me, I would have done him straight away. That an animal had to suffer so.

Given and agreed.

But in certain countries, you probably would get your PH licence revoked and your belongings confiscated.

The "no mercy killings" rules are there for a reason. And, NO, I don't necessarily agree with them in all cases.

Just suppose you saw the MGM lion and he had a bleeding clawmark from a fight, you might shoot him to "put him out of his misery" and then realise that the wounds weren't quite as bad as you first thought .....

It's a cleft stick they've got the PH on - on the one hand his livelihood, on the other the obvious suffering. Fortunately in this case a real gentleman stepped up and took the hit for the team.

Still a terrible thing to happen to a great animal.

24 September 2012, 18:20

BRICKBURN

Pass along my thanks to this Sportsman for me please.

24 September 2012, 18:57

fairgame

quote:
Originally posted by BRICKBURN:
Pass along my thanks to this Sportsman for me please.

Thanks and will do. I will forward him a link to this post. Note Richard Bell Cross was the PH and he had a license in hand within a couple of hours.

When Richard approached the Lion it tried to make a last stand but was too weak.

The poachers shotgun blast in the face looks like it was fired at some distance as the shot hardly penetrated the skin but punctured an eye. It was presumed that the Lion was still in the snare when this happened. The wounds looked to be of the same age and the atrocity probably occurred a couple of months back.

Some bastard really wanted this Lion and we suspect for the bones and not the skin.

24 September 2012, 19:05

FishN4Eyes

That super sucks and that lion deserved better.

Man, I love to hunt and shoot but as an animal lover, I hate to see any animal go through that kind of suffering.

Terrible fate for that cat, dammit to hell.

24 September 2012, 20:48

fujotupu

Bren 7x64:

We have a "mercy killing" comment made with reference to the evidence provided.

We are not talking about an MGM lion with "thorn in its pad" or a few claw marks from a fight.

With all the evidence in hand I very much doubt any PH would lose his license or be prosecuted for his actions.

Why are we, PHs included, charged with the task of doing everything humanely possible in following up and eliminating a wounded animal, if not to ease its sufferings and to prevent examples as the above?.....or is it just because it was a Lion?

24 September 2012, 21:02

Tembo

What a waste of a damn fine lion. Good on the client who ended his suffering.

24 September 2012, 22:00

fairgame

Painting by Friedrich Wilhelm Kuhnert

24 September 2012, 22:53

TrophyShotPrints

Damn....this is BAD!

That animal should've been put out of its misery by someone/anyone upon its discovery... PH license or not/ Trophy license or not!

I'm wondering doesn't the government have some type of consideration/appeal for something such as this?

Why should a PH not be allowed to dispatch the animal in this very type of situation?

GOOD on the hunter/client...WOW!...talk about stepping up to the plate and getting it done and footing the bill.

I admirably applaud your decision sir!!!

But the government definitely needs to address this type of stuff...
and yes, I have read Bren 7x64 post of the No Mercy Killing----cleft stick they got the PH on.

Maybe Fairgame can show these horrible images to these so-called OFFICIALS to enact some positive changes?

25 September 2012, 01:19

Michael Robinson

South of the Selous a few years ago, we saw a grand old lion withered and dead in a thick steel snare. The snare had been fixed to a heavy log. The lion starved to death. Just wasted away. Awful thing.

25 September 2012, 01:27

TexLonghorn

Just sickening and a real shame, but glad that a client stepped up to the plate.

25 September 2012, 03:20

Frank Beller

What a shame !!! NE 450 No2 & Retreever have the right ideas.

25 September 2012, 04:35

h kittle

I sam sitting here having a drink to relax a bit before dinner. Now I am just pissed.

25 September 2012, 05:07

Bill C

What a crap way to go. Harsh realities....

I have shot numerous elephant, but the only mental image that disturbs me is of the dead elephant bull we found, poisoned and laying in a pool of water. I suppose it is due to the wastefulness, death without any purpose or value. It is vastly different from a game animal hunted for trophy fee and/or meat, or an animal killed as part of “the cycle”. Just isn’t right.

Pictures like these should be powerful in efforts to raise awareness, and perhaps anti-poaching funds.

If the gentleman will be taking possession of the trophy, perhaps the Hot Spring Lion will be restored to his former glory, and remembered as such.

25 September 2012, 13:46

Will

quote:
Let these alse serve to remind some here about the absolute lack of any compassion, indeed the cruelty, of rural people in Africa.

Don't think this reality will show up on ABC news any night.

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26 September 2012, 18:03

Bwanamich

Horrible photo indeed.

We have come across 2 male lions with relatively fresh snares around them (one in the neck and the other around the hips). Because they were relatively fresh, did not appear too serious and the cats were still in decent condition, the GS would not let us "intervene with nature" and the Gov vet at Serengeti wasn't available in a hurry.

The above cat is extremely emaciated but the wound seems to be healing rather well and judging by the good condition of his mane (Something that usually falls off in patches in case of a lion's poor health due to injury or sicjness) he might just have made it! I'm in no way alluding that he should not have been shot - especially seeing that the client bought a permit and paid the fees. Only those that were there could make that call.

Below are pics of another lion that survived a similar injury and fully recovered - you can tell by the relatively good condition he is in. Being part of a pride can make it easier for such an injured lion to survive. Perhaps "The hot spring lion" was a loner and stood no chance. Pity.