Just finished watching "Great Migrations" on Nat Geo Channel. They are covering the Serengeti migration of wildebeest and other natural phenomena. Tonite they were showing tracking with GPS collars of elephant seals and monarch butterflies and they showed use of tracking collars in Kenya on elephant and stated how decimated the population of Kenyan elephant was. They failed to mention the rampant overpopulation in Krueger and Botswana and left the viewer with the feeling that if we didn't send money right away, all the elephants might be gone tomorrow! Is it any wonder that when you talk to the average person, they can't understand how hunting benefits wildlife? The truth is never stated: Kenya bans hunting- their wildlife is decimated. Other counties allow regulated hunting- their wildlife flourishes.

I agree that elephants are endangered... at least when I can afford the trophy fee.

did the politically correct network mention KENYA band hunting and poaching is rampant. and they had a sever drought that killed of large portions of the animal population!!!!!! not a work about that right?? bias BS from the liberals again

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Originally posted by Blacktailer:
Just finished watching "Great Migrations" on Nat Geo Channel. They are covering the Serengeti migration of wildebeest and other natural phenomena. Tonite they were showing tracking with GPS collars of elephant seals and monarch butterflies and they showed use of tracking collars in Kenya on elephant and stated how decimated the population of Kenyan elephant was. They failed to mention the rampant overpopulation in Krueger and Botswana and left the viewer with the feeling that if we didn't send money right away, all the elephants might be gone tomorrow! Is it any wonder that when you talk to the average person, they can't understand how hunting benefits wildlife? The truth is never stated: Kenya bans hunting- their wildlife is decimated. Other counties allow regulated hunting- their wildlife flourishes.

Saw the same show with my wife and daughter. You are 100% correct and I, of course, over reacted when "the worlds most respected elephant researcher - Sir Iain Douglas-Hamilton" - made that statement.
THIS and not stupid videos on YouTube, is what persuades the average person - even those who are open-minded about hunting in general - to condemn hunters who hunt certain species. "If the experts are saying it, it must be true."

Try to convince my wife or mother or many of my non-hunting family, who never have had any qualms about hunting, that I'm not a bad guy for planning to go elephant hunting now that we all have seen and heard the "expert".

I actually like the NatGeo channel, especially their Border Wars and others.

However, there is no question that on the subject of wild animals, especially those in Africa, that certain things are frequently said in the voice over narrations that simply are not true and do perpetuate myths regarding the endangerment of species. If we are lucky they will specify "poaching" but don't count on it. Seems to me they have backed away from saying the word "hunting" (perhaps they have heard from too many of us on the improper use of that word) but now simply use the word "killed", often leaving the viewer to figure out what that actually means. To the uneducated non-hunter that frequently translates to "hunting".

So there you are. I can only suggest that we continue to advise them of the erroneous use of words as they relate to the problems in animal conservation, survival of the species and hunting. Sponsor pressure may have an effect, but some corporate sponsors have adopted the HSUS and/or PETA positions and could care less about the truth.

A few weeks ago I was watching the NG HD channel with my daughter.

They were showing cheetahs chasing a reedbuck.
The cheetah knocked the reedbuck down, he did a complete 180, and ran in the same direction he came from.

The cheetah continued chasing him.
They disappeared behind a large bush from the camera.

As they appeared on camera again, the cheetah had a Thomson gazzele by the throat!

What an amazing feet, to turn a reedbuck into a Thomson's!

I once had a magician friend who called himself "Cheetah". Don't know where the fool is now. He probably turned himseld into something else.

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Originally posted by Blacktailer:
tracking with GPS collars of elephant seals and monarch butterflies.

Dang! Either real strong Butterflies or the GPS tracking technology has gotten tiny!

quote:

Saw the same show with my wife and daughter. You are 100% correct and I, of course, over reacted when "the worlds most respected elephant researcher - Sir Iain Douglas-Hamilton" - made that statement.
THIS and not stupid videos on YouTube, is what persuades the average person - even those who are open-minded about hunting in general - to condemn hunters who hunt certain species. "If the experts are saying it, it must be true."

This why I keep telling you guys that hunters and hunting companies MUST get behind research themselves to get the real truth out there.

Reminds me of when I used to be a Sales Rep. You just had to tell the client enough to get them to buy the product, you didn't have to tell them everything.

The general public, for the most part, isn't too concerned about anything beyond pop culture, the latest trends, and, occasionally, the news. The natural world is often very low on the list, hence why anything they hear (or think they heard) about it is fact. Try asking people where tigers are from and see how many say "Africa."

quote:

Originally posted by Sevens:
Reminds me of when I used to be a Sales Rep. You just had to tell the client enough to get them to buy the product, you didn't have to tell them everything.

The general public, for the most part, isn't too concerned about anything beyond pop culture, the latest trends, and, occasionally, the news. The natural world is often very low on the list, hence why anything they hear (or think they heard) about it is fact. Try asking people where tigers are from and see how many say "Africa."

You mean to tell me that Tigers aren't from Africa???

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...The truth is never stated: Kenya bans hunting- their wildlife is decimated. Other counties allow regulated hunting- their wildlife flourishes.

It's the animal version of the typical liberal idea. Sure it didn't work there or that time, etc. but they didn't do it right. They then argue to try it again and again while ignoring what DOES WORK because that doesn't meet their idea of how things should be.

Elephant, as a species are not endangered at all, but a few individuals would be endangered if I could afford to hunt them!

The animal rights folks tend to think if they don’t see them everywhere like cattle in an open field they must be endangered! The whitetail deer is not see often in the streets of New York city, but they are so thick in many parts of the USA that they overreach their food supply. In Central and South America PeTA says the Jaguar is going extinct, yet every year wildlife forms are found that nobody knew existed in the jungles of South America! My question is, If they don’t know what “IS” in the jungles of South America, how in hell do they know what is “NOT” in the jungles of South America?

Leopards are considered by them to be on the edge, because they don’t see them the same way they do zebra or wildebeest, yet we know because they are nocturnal that for every one you see in daylight there will be fifty you never see in daylight. In many places leopard are as populated as coyotes in the western USA.

Trying to teach the truth to a person who’s mind is already made up is a futile effort!

.......................

quote:

Originally posted by Sevens:
Reminds me of when I used to be a Sales Rep. You just had to tell the client enough to get them to buy the product, you didn't have to tell them everything.

The general public, for the most part, isn't too concerned about anything beyond pop culture, the latest trends, and, occasionally, the news. The natural world is often very low on the list, hence why anything they hear (or think they heard) about it is fact. Try asking people where tigers are from and see how many say "Africa."

there is a black guy who works in our operating room who is from Nigeria. he has been in the US about 1 year. when i got back last week from my Zim buffalo hunt, he was looking at some pictures i took to work and asked if i saw any lions OR TIGERS DURING MY TRIP!!!!! ENOUGH SAID

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:

there is a black guy who works in our operating room who is from Nigeria. he has been in the US about 1 year. when i got back last week from my Zim buffalo hunt, he was looking at some pictures i took to work and asked if i saw any lions OR TIGERS DURING MY TRIP!!!!! ENOUGH SAID[/QUOTE]

Well, did you tell him how many Tigers you saw??

Elephant are endangered! I been waiting to see one on my 2 acres in SE Texas and I ain't seen one yet! LOL. What pc Bs we are subjected to again.