http://allafrica.com/stories/201508110737.html



Kenya: Hollywood Star Kirk Douglas Regrets Game Hunting in Kenya

By Elly Gitau



American actor Kirk Douglas has described his wild game hunting in Kenya 50 years ago as "the most stupid thing I've ever done." His comments came after the killing of 'Cecil the lion' in Zimbabwe two weeks ago, which has since sparked worldwide outrage, especially from conservationists and animal rights activists.

The 98-year-old actor wrote a blog post for The Huffington Post last week, describing his feelings of triumph, and eventual disappointment and shame, after his first - and only - wild game hunt in the country half a century ago.

"I remember being drunk with power as I softly pulled the trigger of my high-powered rifle and watched a leopard, a gazelle, an oryx, a zebra and other defenseless animals fall to the ground," he wrote.

As reported by The People magazine, a photographer was present, documenting the trip for a book called Great Hunts and the animals Douglas killed were shipped home and mounted in his projection room.

He continued, "One day I looked up and all my trophies seemed to be staring at me. I realised how obscene it was to kill them. I quickly got rid of all the 'trophies' and tried to forget the sin that I had committed."

After seeing the outcry over Cecil's killing, Douglas believes that Dr Walter Palmer (the Minnesota dentist who killed the 13-year-old lion) is definitely paying for his "inexcusable" actions.

"He is being hunted much like he stalked his prey. But he is not alone, many people hunt and kill wild animals for sport. That must be stopped."

People like this should not have hunted in the first place.Hunting never meant much to them in the first place.That is all I can say.

Just like the women who are popping up 40 years later to jump on Bill Cosby. If it was such a terrible thing to do back then - why in God's name didn't you say something half a century ago?

Publicity?

Name in paper?

Douglas who played a sailor on 20,000 Leagues Under the sea, where he and Capt. Nemo ran around sinking ships? You didn't like the safari?

Really?
Really?
Really?
I believe in the Tooth Fairy, too.

So, the guy changed his views/philosphy. Sometimes as one gets older his views on the values of life change. Just because I/we don't agree with his views doesn't mean he is not entitled to them.

Personally, I wouldn't shoot a world record lion if he was standing in front of me unless he was trying to make a meal of me or others. However, that doesn't mean that I oppose other's legal killing of lions.

to hell with him and Roger Moore, Ricky Gervais and all the celebrities who can hit their ass with both hands. He complains and cries 50 years after the fact. There is a reason he hunted. Bullshit.

Back in those days all the Hollywood stars hunted Africa, some because they really were hunters and some because it was necessary at the time to get your 'man card'. Things were sure different then, because for the most part the public was very interested in African hunting.

I could give two flying schitts what Kirk Douglas, or any other Hollywood loser has to say.....about anything.

Isn't it unfortunate that a person gets credibility in the press just because they have the cachet of name recognition.
I wish someone with similar stature would step up and make a press release statement to counter this statement of latent lament.

Jimmy Stewart did the same thing, went on several safaris and when he got old regretted it.

I can completely sympathize with Kirk Douglas; because as I get older I find myself regretting having watched his films.

I have also changed my opinion of many things I did in my past.
But I really do not care what any celebrity thinks about anything. (unless they agree with me)

I have a couple copies of that book. It was one of my favorite books as a child and I have probably read it cover to cover a couple hundred times.

Douglas is a has been who is trying to shine light on himself. He was never a hunter, and should have never went on a safari to begin with.

The was given a gift of the 264 Winchester from True Magazine and probably the safari as well. Those details will probably escape the populous.

I hate to see people like him who aren't into it be pushed into it for a status and then regret it.

I would have had more respect for him if he just decided after killing the first animal he wasn't going to hunt anymore.

The name of the book is "Great True Hunts" or something like that. It was a True Magazine publication in the 1950s. Roger Fosset, Roy Rogers, HRH Pahlavi, The reigning Greek King, the reigning Danish Prince, and a folks are in it.

I have at least two copies, I buy them whenever they pop up. Not sure why but I like keeping them.

98 years old and Movie Star is all that is necessary here. Simply an old man trying to make one last grab for fame.

Many famous hunters transitioned from hunting to photography/conservationists after a number of years hunting, most notably Corbett.

quote:

"I remember being drunk with power as I softly pulled the trigger of my high-powered rifle and watched a leopard, a gazelle, an oryx, a zebra and other defenseless animals fall to the ground," he wrote. "One day I looked up and all my trophies seemed to be staring at me. I realised how obscene it was to kill them."

I regret setting my sights on an elephant of a lady years ago. I remember being drunk with power as I softly pulled her to me and watched as she smiled and defenselessly fell back on the ground. But one day I looked up and all the ugly women I had been with seemed to be staring at me. I realized how obscene it was.

If my old man were alive he would tell you in no uncertain terms about this man's manipulative make believe profession and question his religion. The world is a lesser place without my father.

quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:

quote:

"I remember being drunk with power as I softly pulled the trigger of my high-powered rifle and watched a leopard, a gazelle, an oryx, a zebra and other defenseless animals fall to the ground," he wrote. "One day I looked up and all my trophies seemed to be staring at me. I realised how obscene it was to kill them."

I regret setting my sights on an elephant of a lady years ago. I remember being drunk with power as I softly pulled her to me and watched as she smiled and defenselessly fell back on the ground. But one day I looked up and all the ugly women I had been with seemed to be staring at me. I realized how obscene it was.

Fat chicks need love too. Don't beat your self up....

Jeff

Mike:
I have read all of Corbett's books and have never decided whether he would have called himself a hunter more than a naturalist/the most knowledgeable student of flora and fauna I have ever known. I don't believe that he ever wanted to hunt leopard or tiger, absent his very early youth for a leopard. I could be wrong but it is my impression. What a great man and personal hero to me. We are so poorer for his passing.

Dutch

People in Hollywood are mostly phonies. They have a platform and use it to tell others how the others should live even though many of them live lives that are far away from that of anyone else. Why people pay so much attention to what they say boggles my mind. Most in Hollywood have been on the politically correct WRONG side of everything.

Regrets are bullshit if you ask me.
It's in the past dummy, of course unless you have time machine...

It just goes to show that you could be a famous actor,writer etc...and still be full of shit.

They spend their entire lives pretending to be someone or something they are not.. They serve no meaningful purpose...

Real men and women know who they are and what they believe in. 99% of the actors and actresses are losers that never grew up, never accepted responsibility for their lives...

That's nice, Kirk. Go back to sleep.....has hospice been called yet?

Kirk Douglas is entitled to his opinion, just like everyone else on this site.

Being critical of the man and his comments serves no useful purpose.

People change their views all the time on
all kinds of matters after mature reflection.

Everyone should appreciate that thinking changes throughout life; what we though at 16 may be different at 18, 21 or 98 years !

I would also like to point out that many great names in former years regretted have killed so much wild game and as a consequence gave up hunting entirely.

The great Samuel Baker, who left a fine legacy of written work on hunting, including dangerous game, wrote that he was sorry he ever killed any elephant!

At the age of 54 years old, I realize my time is running out. I need to get in some more African hunts under my belt before I start regretting it.

quote:

"He is being hunted much like he stalked his prey. But he is not alone, many people hunt and kill wild animals for sport. That must be stopped."

"Being critical of the man and his comments serves no useful purpose".

And herein lies our problem.....

So, people apologizing for hunts they did decades ago is helpful in keeping hunting alive into the future?

I hunt for so many different reasons and I am not ashamed of it nor do I have kids that due to the crowd I hung out with found more excitement in drugs and filthy lifestyles.

I and my kids respect wildlife and respect the system that is in place to promote conservation practices that allows utilization of the ecosystem and animals that inhabit those areas. I have supported this system through money spent on licenses and so many donations to organized wildlife habitat promotions through out many venues including improving habitat on my own land. I have donated to good causes when I had extra to help in areas that I don't even live in nor have traveled or hunted to help in a small way with anti poaching.

I place value in this system as to date when respected by all it is the best way to have wild areas and wildlife.

I don't respect someone saying this system should be discarded. Then to discard this system and adopt the idea you don't like to hunt and all hunting should be stopped because you have aged and you saw a new light is bovine scat.

I wonder if Kirk truly paid for or had licenses for the animals he shot or was it some slick accounting maneuver that the studio did for him to keep him entertained and obviously portray him as something he was not a real hunter that tried to make things better taking a few aged excess animals to support the area he was hunting.

So many need to get real and realize to support the system for the wildlife and wild areas the hunting system works. Once, I at my age get my eyes back in order will be booking a safari for something. But if I don't get the eyeballs working as they should I will cherish the memories of the hunts I have been on and encourage my kids and others to get out and hunt. Knowing in my heart that I supported the system that does work to be carried forward.

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
People like this should not have hunted in the first place.Hunting never meant much to them in the first place.That is all I can say.

Shootaway,
You are 100% correct with that statement. They were trying to prove they were men's men...nothing more.

F*&k Hollywierd!

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
So, the guy changed his views/philosphy. Sometimes as one gets older his views on the values of life change. Just because I/we don't agree with his views doesn't mean he is not entitled to them.

Personally, I wouldn't shoot a world record lion if he was standing in front of me unless he was trying to make a meal of me or others. However, that doesn't mean that I oppose other's legal killing of lions.

It's one thing to change your views.

It's entirely another to state it in such a way to belittle others.

Shootaway, Lane and so many others regarding this issue it is good to read your words.

Thank you

quote:

It's entirely another to state it in such a way to belittle others.

As a group are hunters today willing to accept the idea that those that were able to experience things those of us today are trying to experience, should make statements that will or could deny us from being able to partake in what those people did?

Come on folks the future of hunting, world wide, depends upon the ability of future generations to be able to experience the same things us older hunters have experienced.

How many older hunters are ready and willing to take what we have experienced away from those following us, and I am fixing to be 65 and I DO NOT want to know that my generation was the LAST to enjoy what hunting meant to me.

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:

quote:

It's entirely another to state it in such a way to belittle others.

As a group are hunters today willing to accept the idea that those that were able to experience things those of us today are trying to experience, should make statements that will or could deny us from being able to partake in what those people did?

Come on folks the future of hunting, world wide, depends upon the ability of future generations to be able to experience the same things us older hunters have experienced.

How many older hunters are ready and willing to take what we have experienced away from those following us, and I am fixing to be 65 and I DO NOT want to know that my generation was the LAST to enjoy what hunting meant to me.

+1

quote:

Originally posted by mackey:
Kirk Douglas is entitled to his opinion, just like everyone else on this site.

Being critical of the man and his comments serves no useful purpose.

People change their views all the time on
all kinds of matters after mature reflection.

Everyone should appreciate that thinking changes throughout life; what we though at 16 may be different at 18, 21 or 98 years !

I would also like to point out that many great names in former years regretted have killed so much wild game and as a consequence gave up hunting entirely.

The great Samuel Baker, who left a fine legacy of written work on hunting, including dangerous game, wrote that he was sorry he ever killed any elephant!

+1

I regret killing a wild lion so I can see how Kirk Douglas can regret his earlier hunting.

I also have no issues with proper wild lion hunting - just no desire to ever do it again regardless if I am being paid to do it.

Mike

Muhammad Ali said, "A man who views the world at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life." Everyone is entitled to change their opinion.

Changing ones opinion is fine, as long as that change does not create a situation where those coming along behind us are denied the experiences we had.

Regretting choices we made when younger is only human.

Should our regrets be used to stop others from having the experiences?

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:


I regret killing a wild lion
Mike

I don't!! I regret not doing a perfect side brain shot on an Elephant. But I don't regret hunting one and killing it.

Cheers
Jim

I agree that everyone is entitled to their opinion. There is a lot of truth to the saying "a wise man changes his opinion often and a fool never". We all change as we grow wiser through knowledge and experience. That is a part of aging and maturing.

However, I have zero respect for anyone that depends on popular opinions, tweeter, polls, fads, the latest emotional outcry, facebook, the news, etc. in order to decide what their view and opinions should be. That just shows a complete and total lack of character and a person totally void of any individual and intelligent thought. No real leader would ever stoop so low.

But that's just my opinion.