Dear tv/video hunters, please stop talking and KILL the wounded animal. I just watched another video from a well known PH who spent time chatting with the client on camera while the animal in the background was clearly sick but still very much alive. It is bad enough when they are still moving a leg, rolling their head or you can see them heaving for a few last breaths, but my god, some of these were lifting their heads and trying to look around. Sadly, I think this is MUCH more prevalent on safari videos/tv than it is on deer/elk/bear etc shows. I know that those rounds could cost you an extra $5 but do us all a favor and put that animal down for good then you can tell us all about it. I personally think that we have an obligation to quickly and humanely finish what we started. I know that if somebody like myself who is as pro hunting as they come finds it offensive, then I can only imagine the gut response of non hunters who view a large animal like an elephant or buffalo laying there gasping for breath for the last few minutes of their lives with the hunter making no effort to end the suffering. I know that some will argue that these are merely tremors of the nervous system, or that the animals are so far gone that they are feeling no pain. I say, SO WHAT, it ain't dead till it stops moving so keep shooting till it is over! Sorry for the rant but there just seems to be a lot of this going on including on some of our "favorite" shows and I don't think it is doing any of us or our sport any good! What say you?

I fully agree.
Once I've shot, there's only one more thing I do. Get over there to the animal as soon as possible. IF it's still alive, finish it up right then w/o hesitation.
Thanks for posting this.
George

I agree with your sentiments especially so where it is all shown on video in many cases for the world to see. In reality this happens a lot more than you would think, off camera, and in many cases the animal is in its death-roes and the hunter will wait until it finally stills without putting another shot in it.
Many of the larger African animals are taken at relatively close range in open country hence can be seen still kicking, bellowing or gasping their last breath as the hunter and PH approaches. In comparison deer, elk and bear are more often taken at longer range and in denser country where it likely takes the hunter longer to approach whereby the animal has expired completely once the hunter and camera gets to it.
Sometimes banging away at a downed animal can be more disturbing to anti-hunting folks. Of course standing around joking, whooping and high-fiving while an animal is obviously still gasping it’s last few breaths and coughing up blood etc is not a humane look.

Good point ! It also irritates me to no end when they shoot an animal (I reckon that it must be obviously fatally to them) and as it runs off they turn to the camera and start celebrating without seeing the result ..

I am only guessing here, so someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Meat is very important to the people of Africa, whether they are black or white. The more bullet holes, the more meat damage.
I personally shoot until there is no sign of life. I don't have a problem killing, but I do have a problem with watching something suffer.

If the animal is downed then there is no need to keep banging away; one well placed shot will instantly put an end to the show.

Then you have the eccentrics who want to know how their bullets perform.

names or it didn't happen. How else can they and we learn?

Agree.

Agreed. Let's keep this as humane as possible. Especially since we are allways on trial by the left.

But remember, behind these ridiculous scenes is an editor who CHOOSES to use that footage. Shame on them as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Wendell Reich:
Agreed. Let's keep this as humane as possible. Especially since we are allways on trial by the left.

But remember, behind these ridiculous scenes is an editor who CHOOSES to use that footage. Shame on them as well.

Personally I am going another step.

If I ever get to Africa, my pro will be directed
to fire upon report of my rifle in order to:

1- Attempt to Insure Quickest/Most Humane kill
2- Attempt to Insure NO need for me to pay a
trophy fee on game that got away.

I don't judge those who want their pro to shoot
under an alternate pre-established understanding.

We will never be careful enough, the antis will always find something.
But I have to agree, don't show the death throws and high fives on TV shows. I've been disliking it for years and turns me off. Screw the antis, I look at it as disrespect to the game from us, HUNTERS, be it in Africa or here in States. Even our ancestors probably going back to Australopitecus most likely showed respect to the kill and thank them for providing food for their families.

quote:

Originally posted by bwana cecil:
I don't have a problem killing, but I do have a problem with watching something suffer.

+ 1
The other sad thing is when folk rush up and start talking and prodding and poking. Let the animal expire without further trauma. The back legs streching out is usually an indication that it is over.

quote:

Originally posted by bwana cecil:
I am only guessing here, so someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Meat is very important to the people of Africa, whether they are black or white. The more bullet holes, the more meat damage.
I personally shoot until there is no sign of life. I don't have a problem killing, but I do have a problem with watching something suffer.

Agreed on keep shooting. I have never noticed the African locals to cut around damaged meat like we do in the states. I've seen them biltong meat that had bone fragments blown through it. They just don't seam to care much about the meat condition.

quote:

Originally posted by McKay:

quote:

Originally posted by bwana cecil:
I am only guessing here, so someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Meat is very important to the people of Africa, whether they are black or white. The more bullet holes, the more meat damage.
I personally shoot until there is no sign of life. I don't have a problem killing, but I do have a problem with watching something suffer.

Agreed on keep shooting. I have never noticed the African locals to cut around damaged meat like we do in the states. I've seen them biltong meat that had bone fragments blown through it. They just don't seam to care much about the meat condition.

+1

You are barking up the wrong tree.
Send a note to the show sponsors. Tell them you are not happy with the show they have sponsored and will not buy their product. $$ talks. It always has and always will.
Bitching on the internet is a waste of time.

Above is "Dead On" correct! Good thinking Muletrain!

"Tell them you are not happy with the show they have sponsored and will not buy their product".

If they see that some of their items are not selling to the hunting crowd what's stopping them from offloading these goods to a third party that is not being boycotted which will sell to the general public?

Boycotting is not really as effective as one may think.

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:
"Tell them you are not happy with the show they have sponsored and will not buy their product".

If they see that some of their items are not selling to the hunting crowd what's stopping them from offloading these goods to a third party that is not being boycotted which will sell to the general public?

Boycotting is not really as effective as one may think.

Because the margin is much higher selling the the end user compared to a B to B transaction.

quote:

Because the margin is much higher selling the the end user compared to a B to B transaction.

Agreed that they will be cutting their profit margin but still better than a kick in the crotch.
Once they know they have lost one category of customers they will divert their line to exclude slow moving products.

Take the end of season "SALE" time - prices often get reduced by 50%+ and they still make something... or break even .... or a teeny weeny loss.