eny's good posting about where to donate towards anti-poaching made me think a bit. Now I wish to a bit.

eny did the right thing: He asked about which he felt that he did not know enough about to just start doing - in his case donating. Not only did he ask, he also asked in such a way that he could reasonably expect to get at least some good information, right here on AR Forum! But, and this is important, he also asked in a way that the reply he gets will also educate, or better educate already knowledgeable individuals, a lot of other hunters.

Now a question, one of many, about which I do not know enough about ....... Well, just look at the subject heading of this posting!

I would guess that the most important thing an individual can do to combat poaching in Africa is to continue to hunt in Africa. Without the dollars from hunters to preserve habitat and fight poaching, the battle will be lost. One need look no further than the game situation in non-hunting areas that are anywhere near communal areas. Contributions will never replace the hunting dollars.

Thank you Andrew. The "cecil " thing got me stated thinking about all this. Now I try to point out to the antis and haters that if you don't like a white guy killing an old male animal, you should see what's going on the rest of the time with poaching, and here is what you can do to help if that is really want to do. It seems most anti poaching info comes to the public from anti hunting organizations. I am left wondering how can the hunting community keep this subject (poaching) alive on social media in a way that redirects the energy and resources to a positive outcome. anti hunters are often very emotional about their position. If a drowning person is about to grab your canoe and tip it over in the rapids, better to throw them a life jacket than try to explain to them that they need to calm down and listen to your instructions.

Here is one way to keep the issue alive:

Mokore Anti Poaching

start a reality TV show ... "chinese and unscrupulous" ... or would that be "vietnamese and impotent" ... or "african and desperate" ... "bad boys, what you gonna do when the rangers come looking for you" ... seriously, I think poaching and antipoaching are not covered in the media and that story needs to be told.

If a big problem, like poaching, is to be addressed, it should be done at all levels.

I quote from Russ Goulds posting:

"chinese and unscrupulous"

Arguably the most difficult part of poaching to counter. The kingpin. The alpha. The Boss. Big-time businessmen [Triad members] who have a number of senior South African, and an even larger number of more senior southern African, politicians “totally under control” through bribes and other Triad methods. They provide “merchandise” , be it elephant tusks or rhino horn to the wholesale buyers. I’m happy to use Russ’ classification of “Chinese and unscrupulous”, but they may also be Vietnamese, Russian or any other nationality, like Sicilian!

... or would that be "vietnamese and impotent"

I‘ll call this the “end user” – the impotent oriental who believes that a concoction of ground rhino horn will do the trick. Or the wealthy Chinese merchant who wants to boast with his wealth through the use or display of genuine elephant ivory carvings. Or the Arab noble who wishes to stick to tradition by giving his son a rhino horned dagger.

... or "african and desperate"

These are the poor suckers who actually gets caught and sometimes killed. But here there are two, actually three, distinct types: One sets a snare and shares the meat with his family or in his immediate area, the other gets paid for killing something he does not eat! The third type is the poor dentist who was led by others to shoot Cecil! 

... "bad boys, what you gonna do when the rangers come looking for you"

I see these as the “middle men” who conveys messages, money and goods, or tusks or horns, between the other role players.

... seriously, I think poaching and antipoaching are not covered in the media and that story needs to be told.

I quite agree with Russ here, but. And this is a big BUT, we need to first get our own story straight before running to the media. Herein lies a problem: I still regularly see the words “canned” and then right next to it “hunting” used in postings here on AR Forum. If we, as pro-hunting hunters, cannot even learn to talk about “canned shooting”, how do we hope to get to use uniform terms in describing the various role players involved in poaching, and also the anti-poaching team, of which we want to be a part?

But that brings me to my next pet peeve: The quality of the data that we use to motivate the statement that hunting is good for conservation. In another recent posting we have seen how Derek Joubert very glibly uses completely fictitious numbers to make his point. It is very easy for me, at least it is for some smooth talkers, to equally glibly accuse Derek of falseness by quoting equally fictitious and false figures to make the case for hunting look better. But I ask, as a scientist: What are the real facts? Again, as a scientist, I believe that the false information spread by Derek Joubert and other anti-hunting organizations can only be effectively countered is we have accurate, proven and easily verified data at our easy disposal, preferably in a public access database where all can see the actual true data. But, I’m dreaming…..

Let us rather start by teaching the public and the press at large that poaching is NOT hunting. And then a few more truths that needs to be told in a uniform manner and based on sound, and verifiable data.

The best way to stop poaching is to keep hunting and support those outfitters that fund or help fund anti-poaching patrols.

Im an ex argentine army scout and ex air force surgeon and currently we teach tactical tracking ,combat shooting and tactical medicine to military special operations teams .We can provide training and service and personel for a limited frame of time .All my personnel speaks english .We can provide medical asistance to local communities .Some of my instructors are working in Africa rigth now .I hunt in Africa too but i believe we can do a bit more .

Having spent a few months on the ground in both Zim and RSA, in heavily poached areas...the most correct answer is, nothing....with laws and society being what it currently is, you can do nothing. When the mindset becomes, "Slay them all, God will know his own"...then some progress will be made.
Until then we, all people, are handcuffed. Until the Governments (laughable) in African Countries determine you will not be prosecuted if you take action (up to and including the use of lethal force) on poachers, the issue will forever continue to be a major clusterfuck. I caught a poacher, red-handed and he was given a $5 USD fine and released, with the meat, hide and horn he poached. $5! That will sure teach them a lesson.
You cannot target just the major players. You have to hit them at every level. On every ground, over every single animal on the Continent.
You want to donate money? Good for you. GO ahead. Most of what you donate lines the pockets of corrupt bureaucrats, most of whom are heavily involved in the poaching industry. It is what it is.
Reality is a hard pill to swallow. and in this particular instance...it is a very sad reality as well.

Cheers,

Brian

Shoot to kill orders like those implemented in Tanzania a couple of years ago are a start, but they have consequences. Poachers shoot back and if they know they will be shot on sight, they might shoot first. That happened in Masailand a couple of years ago resulting in the death of a PH. I've hunted where such an order was in place and it was essentially an armed camp.

The problem with that is it is cutting the tail off of the snake. We need to cut the head off of the snake, which necessarily means targeting the Chinese and other Asians.

People complain about racism and racial profiling, just as they do with terrorism, but the fact remains, the Asians are the primary cause of poaching. They supply the market.

The other way, if you really want to get serious, is to flood the market with real, or fake (it doesn't really matter) rhino horn powder that is poisoned such that all of the end users die or get very, very sick and nearly die (preferable, so they live to tell the tale). Destroy the market, then you destroy the supply chain.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
I would guess that the most important thing an individual can do to combat poaching in Africa is to continue to hunt in Africa. Without the dollars from hunters to preserve habitat and fight poaching, the battle will be lost. One need look no further than the game situation in non-hunting areas that are anywhere near communal areas. Contributions will never replace the hunting dollars.

Exactly.

And donate to known anti-poaching operations run by well known PHs.