Just finished watching the latest issue of TAA. In it they are buffalo hunting in Zim when the hunters (not Boddington) find blood in the spoor of the buffalo they are tracking. After some discussion the PH decides to abandon the track. His reasoning is that they would have to shoot the first buffalo they see without regard to trophy size since they would have to assume they are on the track of a wounded buff. I would think that the normal procedure would be to track the wounded animal and sort it out lest it suprise the next person coming down the trail. Any comments from you PH's? Ivan?
Shakari?

I am not a PH, but it was my understanding that the hunter had not wounded the Buffalo and the taking of the wounded buffalo would be clients "trophy". It would seem to me it wasn't his mess to sort out so he chose not to do so. It is my trophy fee and I would like to make the choice of to shoot or not to shoot. JMO

However, the original poster's question seems to point at a generally accepted and agreed upon element of the PH's job: to ensure that wounded game animals, especially those classified as DG, are not allowed to remain wounded lest they become a significantly greater threat to future unsuspecting people. In other words, the PH is under ethical and legal requirements to find and kill a wounded beast.

What's most interesting about this question is that we can easily dismiss the legality duty based upon the facts given; i.e., based upon the facts, the hunter nor the PH wounded the game animal. This leaves us with the ethical dilemma. If it were me in the situation, and based upon my professional hunter assessment, I felt the animal was, in fact, wounded I think my response would be to call it in to the nearest authority I could and await a resonse. Then the decision could be made to await another party to arrive who could deal with the animal or do it myself.

I saw that and had similar thoughts. I choose to believe that the PH believed that it had been injured naturally.

That was my thought also ...... maybe a lion attack.

I watched the episode last night.

I guess I fail to see the logic in having to shoot the first buffalo one sees, which the PH said one had to do in so many words, without determining if it was the wounded one and with no consideration of trophy qualities.

It would seem to me that one could stumble upon a nonwounded buffalo and shoot it by mistake only to then come upon the wounded one and have to shoot it as well. Also, if it was wounded it would seem that leaving it to roam would put anyone at risk of death that happened upon it.

I would say the best course would have been to contact wildlife authorities and have them deal with the wounded buffalo or get permission to do it oneself without having it apply to one's quota. Maybe that wasn't an option though in the place being hunted.

I'll be honest I don't think he wanted to deal with it, even the trackers were wondering what was going on. i guess his bollocks must have softened up on him.

Even though I think the PH felt the animal was wounded naturally, I do agree with the above two posts - something should've been done. I kinda don't think I'd want to hunt with that PH.

I watched that same episode, I felt myself wanting more information.

And that leaves me in no position to judge as I sit here in my office.

But it did leave uncomfortable feeling in my gut.

My view on ethics would dictate tracking the wounded animal to ascertain if it was a bullet wound or a natural wound. If natural then let nature or the hunter take its course. If a bullet wound then it is the duty of the PH to put the animal out of its misery and avoid further suffering and danger. Anyone who can see an unnaturally wounded animal and leave it to suffer at the cost of his or her trophy quality would be better off sitting at home watching TV. As a conservationist this is not even a question to me, but it is sad that the number on a tape takes precedent over the inflicted suffering of an animal. The possible consequences of that animal turning violent are a whole other ball game.
But perhaps Im just old fashioned...

I may be completely wrong, but shouldn't the game scout have been the one to make the decision to pursue the buff, and let whoever take it - and it not be from their quota/fee? Last year in ZIm, a guy hunting in the next camp from me killed an ele that had a snare wound on its leg. The game scout said it was dangerous, injured, and they told us the guy got a free ele. I thought wounded dang. game was to be dispatched if possible, and if the client hadn't initially wounded it - he didn't have to pay for it.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

I saw the episode and wondered as well. I don't want to criticize Craig's show as I think they do a really good job, but I think I might have ommitted that whole scene from the program - just to save this kind of speculation from viewers.

quote:

Just finished watching the latest issue of TAA. In it they are buffalo hunting in Zim when the hunters (not Boddington) find blood in the spoor of the buffalo they are tracking. After some discussion the PH decides to abandon the track. His reasoning is that they would have to shoot the first buffalo they see without regard to trophy size since they would have to assume they are on the track of a wounded buff. I would think that the normal procedure would be to track the wounded animal and sort it out lest it suprise the next person coming down the trail. Any comments from you PH's? Ivan?
Shakari?

men ,
i wasnt in the edit room or on that hunt , but i will find out and let you guys know what happened ...we are so limited to time , its sometimes hard to get the whole story out there ... I will gfuarantee one thing without knowing the facts ...the animsl would have to be naturally wounded as there is no way a the Ph would have turned away from an animal that they had wounded ..

cheowre has a huge lion population at the moment , and purely epeculatively , perhaps the ph could tell from the track that it was a young bull , cow or calf that was wounded and ratrher than all the complications of shooting a charging cow or young bull , he looked for another herd ....as i say , pure speculation ...i will find out and let you all know ..

i am off hunting for the next few weeks with no internet for a while but will post as soon as i get back !

In lion country most any buff you wind up killing will be covered with scars from lion claws.

It must be a hell of an existence, knowing all the brief days of your life you are constantly just one step away from a lion choking you to death.

Every bloody buff isn't going to die or charge someone. Fear not, if that buff was severely wounded, it would be lion food in short order. Lions are constantly following and harassing buff herds.