https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/...whos-killed-14267723

No bias there!

Question for some of you. Do you feel that if you are the PH or guide the hunt that you are the killer?

Just curious. Did this guy really pull the trigger on 5,000 elephants. James Sutherland's total was around 1,500.

quote:

Originally posted by Capt. Purvis:
Question for some of you. Do you feel that if you are the PH or guide the hunt that you are the killer?

Just curious. Did this guy really pull the trigger on 5,000 elephants. James Sutherland's total was around 1,500.

Ron did a hell of a lot of culling...

I believe that he shot that many. When elephant culling/control was done, the folks doing the shooting could rack up a lot of numbers.

As to if the PH considers it their kill or not, I don't think most do- but I would certainly not deny them the claim. As the hunter, I am more the guy who does the shooting and less the guy making the calls on tracking. We both collaborate on deciding which animal to shoot.

Good!

They wanted him to grovel and apologize, he told them to stick it!

The BS never ends.

The anti-hunting brigade will stop at nothing in order to achieve their goal.

I have no respect whatsoever for the opinions or judgments of stupid or ignorant people.

I therefore agree with very few these days who spout their views in the media on the subject of hunting.

That makes any discussion a test of my patience.

The problem we face is that nearly everyone is ill-informed or misinformed on the subject of hunting, a subject which is so near and dear to us.

We should try to fix that, to the extent we can, and fight it, when we can’t.

Ron worked for the game department and culling elephants was part of the job. He would get a lot of shooting in that way, but that not the same as sport/trophy hunting. Most of the other game he shot was culling type too. These greenies trying to make something (sport hunting from culling) not what is was is. I am forwarding this story to a friend in (now) the UK, who worked with Ron and was a PH and Selous Scout, and know he might respond to it.

Don't know anything about him. But, in today's world, anyone who talks to the media about hunting, most so when one has a huge bag of animals the public is fond of, is doing much harm to the hunting world. His bragging of his bag numbers is one more nail in our collective coffins.
Cal

I no longer try to reason with misinformed idiots.

Anyone who seems to be so bloody ignorant on hunting and firearms, I just tell them I have no time to try to explain common sense to stupid, brain washed idiots!

If anyone comes close to that number, it would be Ron, considering the amount of culling he did.

Of course, the press focuses on him as a "hunter", when most of his animals were taken as part of management operations, and - oddly - they fail to emphasize his time as Provincial Warden, Wankie National Park, Director of Bophuthatswana Nature Conservation, &c., &., because that doesn't sell as much copy.

Cal, he's one of the greatest conservationists Africa has produced. His current brainchild, the True Green Alliance is doing a lot of good work in southern Africa.

Ron was Provincial Warden, operating out of Wankie (Hwange) National Park, and later director of Bophuthatswana Nature Conservation/National Parks. Most of his shooting has been done as a part of management operations.

If you ask him how many elephant he's shot, he'll tell you. He doesn't pull any punches and you have to recognise here that the media will manipulate this, focusing on him as a hunter, rather than a conservation officer. So you need to blame the media for the "bad" press - it's something at which they excel.

And, BTW, check out his books (I think they're available on Amazon), buy them and read them. He's a very good writer.

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
Don't know anything about him. But, in today's world, anyone who talks to the media about hunting, most so when one has a huge bag of animals the public is fond of, is doing much harm to the hunting world. His bragging of his bag numbers is one more nail in our collective coffins.
Cal

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
No bias there!

+1

Also he was stationed in Gonarezhou as well
I had few email conversations with him
Extremely knowledgeable person and I loved it
Read most of his books

Can’t see the article but does it explain how Ron saved habitat and biodiversity by culling those elephants? Does it say how many thousands of elephants he saved by culling these? Does the article mention his work saving black rhinos?

This is simply the now common practice of picking some individual who is "visible" in something they don't want done and destroying them. The Politics of Personal Destruction it is called I think. With media everywhere, this is tactic of Hate that seems to be socially acceptable. It is spreading.

Granted I live in the south in a fairly rural area. Hunting is not out of the ordinary.

I find most people who have never been hunting know almost nothing about it. They really don't know about hunting outside of the states.

I haven't had much problem with informing them though.

Heck most don't know elephant hunting is even legal. They surely don't know there over populated in the parks. You should see puzzled looks when I start explain how they can eat a whole villages food supply in a matter of days. Or the various ways they kill people if they get angry.

You notice they end the interview when he brings up the conservation side. Do whatever they need to do to fit there narrative.

His interview worked. I just purchased one of his books on Amazon for $3.99


Ski+3
Whitefish, MT

Ron Thompson is one of the good guys. One of us. Great author, hunter, and conservationist. I want Ron Thompson in print, on tv and online, telling everyone his experiences and stories. Including elephants shot. With that high of number they have to ask why. He can and does tell them exactly that.

PS highly recommend his writings.

quote:

crbutler
one of us
posted 10 April 2019 12:01
No bias there!

Didn't read the whole article but enough to know it's just another piece of irresponsible, BS "journalism" intended to prompt anti-hunting emotions. It wouldn't surprise me if the timing is deliberately related to Botswana's pending decision on reopening Elephant hunting. The article comments on how British hunters are threatening the survival of African Elephant !

Read all you can from him
Excellent reading

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvand...-hunter-ron-thomson/


Piers Morgan interview and video.

Piers Morgan: Liberal, full of BS.
The Sun (UK): Trashy tabloid.


Ron Thompson can be compared to a soldier carrying out his job under instructions, without feeling and without remorse. Without those traits the task of culling the established numbers would not be achieved.

Unfortunately this mindset cannot and will never be understood by people who let themselves be ruled by emotions.

This is what the world has become today and primarily due to the wimps of society, those who believe animals are more important than man; those who have been brought up to live and believe in a sterile environment surrounded by characters taken out of Jungle Book and similar.

How in the hell is anyone ever going to find the right words to convince these brainwashed minds (is what they are) that they have their wires crossed?

Piers Morgan obviously hasn't heard of the Elephant culling that was done by the Game Dept. using choppers.
Ever wonder how the Courteney Boot Company in Zimbabwe came about?

Ron lived in a unique time period and had unique opportunities and experiences that never occurred before his lifetime and will never repeat after his lifetime.

He really did kill 5000 elephants, many while culling with FN FAL rifles, not remotely hunting as we know it.

His knowledge of nature is encyclopedic and his writings has done more to shape my thoughts about conservation and the future of Africa than any other author. He articulates his thought process very well about conservation concepts.

His books are well worth reading.

One of the best books ever about Elephant conservation. And conservation as a whole

i'd love to meet him

Thompson showed the world what a fool the interviewer was.Thompson informed everyone that there were about 2-3000 elephant in Hwange Park in 1960 and there are over 50000 today destroying the biodiversity and everything else in the park.
Here is more of the interview. Thompson Interview

I think Thompson's views on conservation are spot on. He also exposes the corruption of Cites. If your at all interested in wildlife conservation read his books.

Dave

I know a man who killed over 100 lions .. nobody has heard of him. There are more where those came from, in Botswana.

Only a fool would give an interview about hunting, especially elephants to a liberal, anti-hunting media outlet (which just about covers 99% of media outlets).

I've been re-reading "Last of the Few" by Tony Sanchez, and he talks about some of the great Ivory hunters of all time. Around 3000 or so generally tops the list, even counting the old ivory hunters who turned to culling for the government.

I think the 5000 number might be a bit of an exaggeration, but if true, my heartiest congratulations for living a life most can only dream about.

BH63

I've read Ron's great articles and work for some time. Here is the link to his website https://www.mahohboh.org/ Enjoy the reading.

Bryan

I would hardly call him a fool and a career of culling you rack up some elephant

quote:

Originally posted by BuffHunter63:
Only a fool would give an interview about hunting, especially elephants to a liberal, anti-hunting media outlet (which just about covers 99% of media outlets).

I've been re-reading "Last of the Few" by Tony Sanchez, and he talks about some of the great Ivory hunters of all time. Around 3000 or so generally tops the list, even counting the old ivory hunters who turned to culling for the government.

I think the 5000 number might be a bit of an exaggeration, but if true, my heartiest congratulations for living a life most can only dream about.

BH63

^

In this day and age, there are way too many extremists that will try and ruin your life (or even kill you) if you go on record about killing 5000 elephants.

That is foolish IMO.

Look at what happened to the Dentist who killed Cecil. He had to shut down his practice and move out of state.

Hopefully, this guy will not be treated that badly and wind up regretting his interview.

BH63

quote:

Originally posted by BuffHunter63:

I think the 5000 number might be a bit of an exaggeration, but if true, my heartiest congratulations for living a life most can only dream about.

BH63

Culling is completely different from ivory hunting. The ivory hunters financed themselves and had a small staff that would be enlarged as bearers were needed.

Rhodesia's culling days were completely different. A family unit of possibly twenty animals would be found and dispatched within a couple of minutes. Trucks would immediately be dispatched to take the elephants to be butchered, rendered, tanned, etc. This entire process would be repeated the next day. Possibly again that afternoon. If you have two people culling together it doesn't take that much time to rack up some large numbers.

It has been many years since I heard the numbers, but I believe one of the "C" brothers culled over 13k, the other may have been over 9k. A couple people that have posted on AR in the past were involved in the cull. If someone else knows better, please correct me on this.

If Thompson says his numbers were 5k, I would believe him. There are still people alive who could contradict him if they wanted.

He was hired to do a job that had to be done or the overall total of elephants would starve to death..Culling is controlwork not killing, its for the good of all, and its proven to work..As to the nay sayers they can kiss ole spoot..