quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
I thought the commerce part was his desire to sell the tusks as alleged in the indictment.

That he pled to the ESA charge indicates that he was willing to sign off that it was his plan, IMO.

That to me says poaching. Maybe he did a legit hunt...that he wasn’t convicted of violating. I would not be surprised if the guy would have kept the tusks if he could take them home, but it sure sounds to me as he doesn’t have a RSA residence (the business about getting an affidavit from his sister about staying with her) so that doesn’t hold water.

Sure, this whole thing could be overreach by the feds, but there is enough there that the guy hung himself and he agreed to the plea, so he’s a self admitted elephant poacher.

Yes, his life has been turned upside down, and probably more by the desire of the US attorney to crack down on the hunting viewed as commerce than anything else... but if he hadn’t made some statements that got recorded about selling his ivory, he would probably not be in this situation.

Just my reading of this stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by SafariSean:
One AR member stated that he bet Ross would appreciate it if I shut up and quit defending him. SO FYI this incident was reported in EVERY main stream news outlet in Colorado including the local Denver evening news and the plea was circulated to every anti hunting hate group on the planet so I don't think that a few hundred AR members arguing about this is going to have much impact while Ross is facing daily death threats, protestors in his front yard etc.. I however have to start getting ready for my 2 month stint in Namibia and Zim starting in less than 2 weeks so this is my final post on this matter.

When a hunter pays to be guided on a hunt he is at the operators mercy and expects to be guided within the law.

Ross Jackson PAID to have the services of not one but 2 professional hunters, one a Zim PH the other a PH from the RSA. The hunt was 100% legal and if having a South African PH in attendance made it illegal then MANY American hunters are headed to COURT or JAIL including current AR Members. IT is COMMON to have a South African bring their clients to Zim and work with Zim pros during the course of the hunt.

After wounding the animal the ZIM operator conducting this hunt and the legal possessor of the prepaid quota contacted a Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority Main Office in Gonarezhou and was not only allowed to enter the park the ZPWMA officials provided parks employees as GUIDES to assist in the recovery of the wounded animal.

What happened after concerning where the tusk were to be sent is really just a legal argument that USFWS used to attack a hunter doing something they (USFWS) want stopped. ANY reader here that thinks an American was in charge of this party has NOT hunted Africa, the PH is god on a hunt and the client must follow the PH's instructions and recommendations period.

USFWS burocrats know what message they are sending and that message is that they want ALL African hunting stopped and what better way to start that without legislation is to call into doubt the PH and make hunters second guess what they are told which by the way could be easily fatal in the field. All of the email and actoins after the hunt were in reaction to the degrading situation and were an attempt to stay out of trouble JUST like the plea. As I stated in the first of my post Ross Jackson is not the devil and this is a political maneuver by a bunch of very biased government employees with a hidden agenda. I wish I could say this was the beginning of the end of African hunting for Americans but we are already well down that road so hunt now while you can the door is closing quickly..........................