On Wednesday another American tourist was killed by an elephant in Zambia. Juliana Tourneau, 64, from New Mexico was killed near Victoria Falls when her vehicle was stopped by elephants blocking the road.

Elephant two and Hippo one so far and the season has hardly started

But apparently, they have names they call each other at very low frequencies and other warm and cuddly features.

No one who has been up close, very near, to an elephant without a rifle would want to be there again unless he (or someone else next to him and able to use it to good effect) had a heavy caliber rifle ready in his hands.

RIP, Ms. Tourneau.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
But apparently, they have names they call each other at very low frequencies and other warm and cuddly features.

No one who has been up close, very near, to an elephant without a rifle would want to be there again unless he (or someone else next to him and able to use it to good effect) had a heavy caliber rifle ready in his hands.

RIP, Ms. Tourneau.

I have.

On several occasions been close to elephants without a rifle.

One actually had his trunk a few inches from me in Kenya while sitting in the truck.

A bit unnerving but being surrounded by them was a fascinating experience.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
But apparently, they have names they call each other at very low frequencies and other warm and cuddly features.

No one who has been up close, very near, to an elephant without a rifle would want to be there again unless he (or someone else next to him and able to use it to good effect) had a heavy caliber rifle ready in his hands.

RIP, Ms. Tourneau.

I have.

On several occasions been close to elephants without a rifle.

One actually had his trunk a few inches from me in Kenya while sitting in the truck.

A bit unnerving but being surrounded by them was a fascinating experience.

Me, too.

I missed my rifle intensely.

Had to tell our unarmed guide to back off.

Really stupid.

It is only fascinating until it’s fatal.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
But apparently, they have names they call each other at very low frequencies and other warm and cuddly features.

No one who has been up close, very near, to an elephant without a rifle would want to be there again unless he (or someone else next to him and able to use it to good effect) had a heavy caliber rifle ready in his hands.

RIP, Ms. Tourneau.

I have.

On several occasions been close to elephants without a rifle.

One actually had his trunk a few inches from me in Kenya while sitting in the truck.

A bit unnerving but being surrounded by them was a fascinating experience.

Me, too.

I missed my rifle intensely.

Had to tell our unarmed guide to back off.

Really stupid.

It is only fascinating until it’s fatal.

You know, let us look at facts.

How many people get killed in hunting every year?

Clients, professional hunters , trackers etc?

And how many tourists get killed in comparison??

I have been in situations on a hunt where I had my rifle, in extremely thick bush, where anything can turn south.

Two years ago I shot a lion just before sunset.

I was unable to shoot again as he ran off into the bush and high grass.

He continued growling for quite a while.

Sun was down, so no more time to waste.

No blood, and extremely hard to see tracks in the grass.

Only good pard was we knew where he ran through.

One of trackers saw him dead less than 6 feet away!!

Imagine he wasn’t dead??!

Many years ago, my (now) ex-wife and I went to Zimbabwe. They had a game viewing area near the camp with all sorts of animals including a few young elephants.

Well, the wife wanted to show me something. Off we go in a jeep. We drove right up this young elephant. She fed it peppermints out of her hand . She thought it was fantastic. I was about a nervous as a whore in church.

I told her to never trust an elephant . Of course, this made me a total ass in her mind . I didn’t care because I didn’t want to die.

These elephants had armed guards around to protect against poachers. The elephants saw and interacted with these guards on a daily basis . The week after we were there , this same young elephant killed the guard .

Never trust an elephant.

We were in Kenya on a private camp.

They had a waterhole below the camp, about 150 meters away.

They had a walkway, protected by logs, going down close to the waterhole.

There was an area like a circle 20 meters in diameter at the end where guests can stand and see the animals at the waterhole.

There was a large tree just outside this circle, and most animals walk on the other side of this tree to the waterhole.

Down we went with our came, with a friend who loves photography.

Not long after elephants started making their way to the water.

An enormous one with at least 100 pounds decided to walk between the tree and our barricade.

I got close - he passed about 2 meters away.

Took great pictures.

Turned around to talk to my fr, and found out he was half way up to the lodge!

He said afterwards he thought I would wait till the elephant got close, and I would run leaving him behind!

We were in Amboseli.

Saw what was probably a thousand elephants over a large area.

Some were fighting less than 50 yards away.