Big Game Hunting.

What are your thoughts on "big game hunting?"

You know, where hunters go to Africa, gun down an elephant, or a lion, or a cape buffalo, then have the poor lifeless bastard mounted so they can bring it on home and hang it over the fireplace.  And then brag to all their buddies about how they confronted danger in the Dark Continent...and escaped with their lives!

Do you agree with PETA, and the ASPCA, and "Mother's Against Hurting Wildebeests Unnecessarily (just made that last one up!)" when they call for an abolition against all such hunting?  In fact, PETA would prefer that no animal anywhere would ever be killed again for any reason whatsoever.  Sort of like forced veganism, I guess...

I know that this subject is a bit controversial.  You'll recall the dentist from Ohio who mistakenly shot poor old Cecil the Lion on a private game preserve a few years back.  And you'll recall he was tarred and feathered and run out of town on a rail.  He lost his license, and his dental practice, and his marriage.  Yeah.  Controversial.

Oh yeah, and I should also add in about here that more than 200 local villagers were eaten in the months following Cecil's ignominious demise.  That was because all hunting was outlawed for a time due to the outrage over poor old Cecil's death.  And no hunting meant no herd control.  And out-of-control herd growth results in waaaay too many lions vying with each other over who gets to eat whom.

So do you think hunting for Big Game, or any game, for that matter, should be abolished?  Should hunting for Big Game be officially sanctioned?  Or outlawed altogether?  Well, fellow Pilgrim, let's take a deep dive into that question...

Did you know that Africa is a poor continent?  With exception of South Africa, it is.  Africa is beset with poverty.  And crime.  And corruption.  And anything the world can do to help them in their time of need should be welcomed, don't you think?  So do I...

And Big Game hunting is often a major source of help.  Of economic assistance.  Their pathway out of poverty.  Whaaaat?  What's that you say, Mr. Chuckmeister?  That Big Game hunting is actually HELPFUL?  Yes, yes it is.  And here's how...

Africa has been divided up by its various countries into a series of franchises they call "concessions."  Much like McDonalds, Africa's countries have divvied up their millions and millions and millions of square miles into several dozen game preserves that are each called "concessions."  And each concession is tasked with locating, inventorying and protecting the health of the game animals within its borders.  But each is also tasked with protecting and caring for their various indigenous tribes, their "human capitol," lest they wither and starve.  So each concession must also provide security for its citizens, its residents, while protecting its game animals from poachers.  And poaching represents the single biggest threat to Africa's big game animals today. 

So, how does one preserve and grow the herds of game animals, protect and feed the tens of thousands of tribal members under their sway, and also hunt down, arrest and prosecute poachers?  They do it by selling permission slips to kill their animals.  

Each concession offers hunters the right to come to their territory, their preserve, whether it be in Zimbabwe, or Uganda, or Kenya, or any of the other participating countries, and hunt any of their animals...for a price.  A tag to hunt a wart hog, for instance, could cost as little as $200.  A wildebeest, $1,500.  A Sable would cost you $4,000+.  An Oryx, around $6,500.  And then it starts to get interesting.  

The so-called "Big Five," lion, cape buffalo, leopard, rhinoceros and elephant, will set you back Big Bucks.  A lion tag, good for a period of as little as 10 days in duration, start to finish, costs around $32,500 for a lioness, and $50,000 for a black mane male.  That's just for the license!  A cape buffalo, perhaps the toughest of all big game animals, costs around $30,000.  A leopard, a cool $60,000.  And an elephant, believe it or not, as much as $100,000!

So you hire a safari company (around $2,000/week, lodging and meals only) and a Professional Hunter to serve as your guide (upwards of $5,000/week, plus tip) to help you fill out your Bucket List tags.  That's on top of all your costs fo transportation, both to Africa and in-country, and for firearms, and ammunition, and specialized clothing and gear.  And once you've hunted down and dropped that elephant something unexpected will happen.  The local villagers will appear en masse, as if by magic, in mere moments, to harvest the meat.  And within 30 minutes there will be nothing left of that elephant but bones.  And had that elephant not be harvested at that time, and at that place, then that tribe would not have eaten that day.

There are no food stamps in Zimbabwe.  No welfare.  No Medicaid.  No nothing, but a wealth of game animals which can be turned into a payday.  And a meal.  If managed correctly... 

And oh yeah, I should mention it can cost more than $10,000 to have one of your trophies mounted for presentation.  Ten Grand!  

"Hey Larry!  Whaddaya' think of my elephant foot waste basket?"

All of the foregoing expenditures occur within poor countries.  Countries with slight other economic opportunities than hunting.  And now that these professional concession operators are caring for and growing their herds while hunting down poachers, we have the best of all worlds.  Their job is to field the private police forces necessary to hunt down poachers, which are paid solely by the concessionaires, and then arrest and prosecute those evil bastards who kill elephants and rhinos solely for their tusks and horns.  And those tusks can command as much as $200,000 each, proving the worth of this modern franchise concept.   

So, by managing herd size through a carefully-controlled hunting program, the concessions can earn enough income to police against poaching while guaranteeing their tribal members don't starve.  What's not to like? 

The United States gives African countries $Billions each year in foreign aid.  Zimbabwe gets nearly $One Billion all by itself.  Other countries contribute far less, but still a significant amount.  But most African countries are still doing their best to work their way out of poverty.  And hunting is a major component of that quest.

So, I ask again:  what do you think about Big Game hunting?  Has knowing a bit more about what it entails and the many benefits it offers changed your mind somewhat?  Or are you still dead-set against it?  I'm certainly not here to change your mind.  That's not The Chuckmeister's job.  My self-appointed job is just to bring you the information you need to form an intelligent opinion.  Have I?  Have you?