Theunis Botha killed by elephant
- Thread starter palmer_mike
- Start date
EMcC
Well-Known Member
I was brought up with the words from my Father that if you have nothing good to say, say nothing.
In this case I give my condolences to his family and friends and can also say that the only people that will get any pleasure from hearing of this sad loss will be the poachers.
These people do a wonderful job for conservation, not everybody realises that, and it will be a very sad loss for all that knew him. RIP my friend.
In this case I give my condolences to his family and friends and can also say that the only people that will get any pleasure from hearing of this sad loss will be the poachers.
These people do a wonderful job for conservation, not everybody realises that, and it will be a very sad loss for all that knew him. RIP my friend.
Chasey
Well-Known Member
We justifie killing deer due to overpopulation of the species in the limited environment we have for them. Deer are at problematic numbers and cause much in the way of secondary damage to other species.
They hunt game on game reserves for pretty much the same reason. The reserve can support X number or Y big game species so they have to be culled. The people who pay big money to do this are vitle to paying for the parks and helping to prevent poaching. The cull anamals are strictly controlled and profesionaly selected.
The who ha about Cecil the lion overlooked the fact it was a animal only still alive for celebraty value and was well past cull age.
I have no interest in trophy hunting or big game hunting. I prefer to shoot what I can eat. I don't even like mass phesent days. Id rather shoot clays because to me driven phesent shoots are like live clay days.
However, I see the benefit it brings to the land that's kept and maintained for the pheasant, so I support it. In this way I support strictly controlled big game hunting whilst not personaly finding it of interest.
ATB
CHasey
Chasey
Well-Known Member
Indeed and id ask as many as possible to comment on the discussion threads outside SD on this because the Father of five who died trying to protect the people he was guiding is getting ripped apart on social media
I saw the comments and this was the first thing to jump into my mind.
far to often when something happens to one of us, certain types on Facebook etc comment that it serves them right.
well posted.
RIP Mr Botha.
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nonethewiser
Active Member
I fail to see exactly how the animal that was shot in this instance was a 'strictly controlled and carefully selected' cull animal. By all accounts, they blundered into the middle of a breeding herd and someone shot an elephant - this is carefully selected? Anyway in deferrence to the polite request made by JayB, i will refrain from further posts. Much as i would like to respond to a number of the posts on this thread, quoting my original comment and filled with sanctimony, in the interests of not being 'inflammatory', i will make no further comment. Sad to see that PC and 'non contraversial' has reached even SD.
sikamalc
Administrator
I have seen some of the personal comments made on other sites about this mans demise. whether you agree or disagree with big game hunting is neither here or there as far as I am concerned.
The fact remains that man has lost his life doing the job he was paid to do. Now we have a wife without a husband, a child without a father and a husband and wife without a son.
Frankly I am sickened by people who seem to take some sort of distorted view of Africa and its wildlife and hunting. And when someone looses their life the big key board morons come out to play and seem to relish the fact that a hunter has died.
The fact is very little respect is shown these days to hunters, whether its so called trophy hunting or just shooting behind a fence culling in Africa or any other part of the world makes little difference to me. Some one has lost their life, so SHOW some respect or move onto another forum.
The fact remains that man has lost his life doing the job he was paid to do. Now we have a wife without a husband, a child without a father and a husband and wife without a son.
Frankly I am sickened by people who seem to take some sort of distorted view of Africa and its wildlife and hunting. And when someone looses their life the big key board morons come out to play and seem to relish the fact that a hunter has died.
The fact is very little respect is shown these days to hunters, whether its so called trophy hunting or just shooting behind a fence culling in Africa or any other part of the world makes little difference to me. Some one has lost their life, so SHOW some respect or move onto another forum.
limulus
Well-Known Member
How can you be so insensitive?
I hope something like this never crosses your path. Elephant, car crash, riding a bicycle....ultimately a man died and from all accounts wasn't trying to harm other humans in what he did.
condolences to the family
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Chasey
Well-Known Member
Your story is warped
They did accidentaly end up in a group of breeding elephants but no one shot one for a jolly. As I understand it, they were charged and they were trying to defend them selves against the charge.
He died trying to defend other people from a charging elephant not because he was hunting the elephant that killed him.
yes this is true...one was shot on charge and landed on Theunis, this is what killed him!
Good to see site admins stepping in to remind people of forum values.
The thread was honourable in its original intent, yet got dragged off course inappropriately. I have only been a member of SD for a short time but was attracted to it over many other forums because (by and large) the members keep the tone above the normal trash talking standard of gutter dwelling morons that has infected so many other forums. Opinions differ, sure, and sometimes threads go off on all sorts of rants, but surely our values and ethics should guide us away from trash talking in a thread started to express condolences. Learning when to keep quiet is an essential skill in life.
This was a very sad incident that will scar those who were present, leaving a family without their father and husband, and an extended network of people associated with the man without their leader and mentor. Mr Botha was a very well known conservationist and professional hunter who led from the front and tackled a great many complex conservation issues for the overall benefit of many, including the animals in the areas he hunted. Those of us who have spent a long time in Africa in these environments know just how brave and resilient a man must be not just to hunt, but to protect. To succeed is to win intensely political, social and economic battles, one after the other after the other, in a murky world like no other. Africa is definately not for sissies. RIP.
The thread was honourable in its original intent, yet got dragged off course inappropriately. I have only been a member of SD for a short time but was attracted to it over many other forums because (by and large) the members keep the tone above the normal trash talking standard of gutter dwelling morons that has infected so many other forums. Opinions differ, sure, and sometimes threads go off on all sorts of rants, but surely our values and ethics should guide us away from trash talking in a thread started to express condolences. Learning when to keep quiet is an essential skill in life.
This was a very sad incident that will scar those who were present, leaving a family without their father and husband, and an extended network of people associated with the man without their leader and mentor. Mr Botha was a very well known conservationist and professional hunter who led from the front and tackled a great many complex conservation issues for the overall benefit of many, including the animals in the areas he hunted. Those of us who have spent a long time in Africa in these environments know just how brave and resilient a man must be not just to hunt, but to protect. To succeed is to win intensely political, social and economic battles, one after the other after the other, in a murky world like no other. Africa is definately not for sissies. RIP.
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Cootmeurer
Well-Known Member
I am of two minds on this.
First, I am sorrowful for the loss of a beloved husband and father, and well-respected PH.
On the other hand, and please forgive my imprecise wording, I am pleased for him for a death this way. Many/most of us will die in a stinking bed, addled by mental or physical disease. In some cases we may pass from a senseless or random accident. Even rarer we may die in combat. And yet, aside from a heroes death, what better death is there than to die doing something you love? Not only that, his passing also shows that we are not the penultimate animal, that there are still creatures than can deliver death to us.
First, I am sorrowful for the loss of a beloved husband and father, and well-respected PH.
On the other hand, and please forgive my imprecise wording, I am pleased for him for a death this way. Many/most of us will die in a stinking bed, addled by mental or physical disease. In some cases we may pass from a senseless or random accident. Even rarer we may die in combat. And yet, aside from a heroes death, what better death is there than to die doing something you love? Not only that, his passing also shows that we are not the penultimate animal, that there are still creatures than can deliver death to us.
I hear you!! If I have to choose (and its not in my hands)...this would probably be also my way...
palmer_mike
Well-Known Member
No problem
I didn't expect the negativity on this thread at all and find it quite disappointing. Glad it's back on track now though.
Here here.
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