IS IT ETHICAL?

Is it ethical to walk up to (and sometimes provoke a charge) wounded dangerous game (or any other game that would stand its ground and charge) instead of shooting them there & then as soon as eye contact is made with the quarry?
Although the former (walking to the animal) does really put your nerves to the test, it does prolong the pain & sufferings of the animal. Tracking and shooting the wounded animal on first sight is a thrill but to some more 'intrepid' hunters, walking up to their wounded game and letting them decide the way they are going to die is the preffered way to settle terms with the prey. What are your opinions guys?

This sounds like Mark Sullivan.

Hi There,

Safety first is the key in this topic. Never ever get your client and yourself in an unecessary dangerous situasion. Kill as quickly and cleanly as possible for the sake of the animal and yourself. But maybe Ray has a different take on this subject?

Originally Posted by M'bogo hunter

but to some more 'intrepid' hunters,walking up to their wounded game and letting them decide the way they are going to die is the preffered way to settle terms with the prey.?

"letting them decide the way they are going to die"? . . . sorry, but that's truly a load of 'Mark Sullivan bullshit'. C'mon, charges do occur, but in my opinion he sets it up and instigates it for the sake of some film footage. That isn't ethical.

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I don't know any true hunters that would intentionally disrespect their quarry in this manner. Hunting dangerous animals over a long enough time period you will eventually find your ass in a sling someday, without having to create the situation.

This is a great question!

There is only one ethical and sensible answer in my opinion: Dispatch a wounded animal as quickly and as humanely as possible.

My reasoning?
1. You cannot call yourself a "hunter" if you abuse a game animal by allowing it to suffer. (You CAN call yourself other names...)
2. You put yourself and your companions at risk if you allow a wounded animal the time to defend itself.

- browningbbr

If you feel a need to ask if something is ethical............ it probably isn't.

In this case the correct course of action is so painfully obvious that it isn't even worth asking the question.

Can't agree more with you guys. If you do that kind of thing you should get eaten or trampled because then you are a dumb arrogant piece of s#/t.

Neil you’re a funny guy HA HA.

Well Louis it would seem that there are two camps on this. There are those who think it not ethical (you, me and the others on this topic to this point) ..............and then there are the guys booking to go on those hunts, wanting that very thing. There are videos out there by the thousands showing hippow being pushed into a charge, wounded buff, etc., etc.

I suppose this is another form of hunting or practice that I should just accept and not question because it is legal and someone wants to do it.

Sorry, but it is bad form...............

Originally Posted by Skyline

Sorry, but it is bad form...............

Without question it is bad form. Just because an act or practice is not prohibited by law does not mean we must accept it without question. By the same token a man is not innocent of a crime simply because he was acquited by a jury.

Laws cannot and should not control every aspect of our lives. Personal integrity and public opinion can effectively control much of what surrounds us, but only if we express our opinions firmly and in unity.

Kelly the one thing that I think we all need to take out of this is that don't go out looking for trouble it will come by itself. That is why we call it dangerous game but let me tell you in the entire year of hunting DG in Zambia it was not a lion nor a buff that gave us a charge but a roan can you believe that.

Louis, I agree with you the most dangerous animal in the world is the animal that you are dealing with at that specific moment. Ethics is very important if we are to carry over our sport of hunting over to our future generations. Do not give the "greenies" ammunition against us!!!! by provoking a charge on a wounded animal.

...Great responses guys! I agree dispatch the wounded animal as quickly as possible. Trouble will always seem to find you without looking for it or creating opportunities! Eventually that provoked charge etc. will go in favor of the animal & then What?

Greetings gents,

i totally agree with Neil's first response - safety should be the key factor on every hunt.
Not just with the known baddies, but also with the regulars. I have in my time received very nasty surprises from supposedly 'friendly' and dead quarry.

Personally - i also have too much respect for an animal whose life i am going to end, i fail to see how there is any respect by provoking a charge in a wounded animal. Yes the spontaneous charges do happen sometimes by animals not wounded - but that is the animals choice - not the hunter's doing.

I am glad so far all you gents seems to agree on the safety and no unneccessary suffering aspect. Yip - i am sure the 'greenies' will love this topic....

Hi guys,Its great to hear from you.I have been personally hunting dangerous game for more than 20 years now and it was a fringe eared oryx that charged me during my hunting career.I agree with Neil and others about the issue of safety and thats what i prefer.

Originally Posted by Big5

"letting them decide the way they are going to die"? . . . sorry, but that's truly a load of 'Mark Sullivan bullshit'. C'mon, charges do occur, but in my opinion he sets it up and instigates it for the sake of some film footage. That isn't ethical.

The reason I asked this question was because i saw a footage by Mark Sullivan(i don't remember the title)which showed him throwing dust(with his foot) at a hippo in some pretty thick bush.The hippo charged and was shot.As Big Five said,its bullshit.He's being doing the same with wounded buffalo.Thats actually what made me try to figure out if Mark's way of hunting is truly ethical.
Thanks for the opinions guys,i'm glad to learn that you all respect your quarry.

Regards,Mubarak.

Don't even get me started on Mark Sullivan's antics!

On the law and right issue, the law doesn't make anything right simply because it is legal, but the law serves as a referee when folks disagree on what is ethical. The law doesn't make you do anything that you consider unethical, but it does prevent you doing something that the majority of the population considers unethical. That is called DEMOCRACY, gentlemen!

Suffice to say I do not agree with provoking a charge of a wounded animal, under any circumstances. It is not only unnecessarily dangerous, but shows total disregard for the game we all love to hunt on ethical ground!

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

Respecting the animal whose life we take for the sake of our sport should be the first thing to any hunter.By respecting the animal you hunt,you come to naturally heighten your safety measures while hunting it.Provoking a charge from wounded game is disrespect and the thrill of a hunt isn't in a provoked charge,but in the chase itself.

Only a fool grabs a tiger by the tail. If you want a thrill,pull down your pants and slide on the ice.

You got it Thomas...or go on a bungee jump.

Having been charged 3.5 times by buffalo, once by a Lion and several time where elephant are concerned included false elephant charges, I will be the one to make the decision to kill him, not him making it for me...

That warm and cozy statement on letting the animal choose his death, is a quote direct from Mark Sullivan himself and its certainly promotional and under the circumstances its distastefull IMO.

I would never envoke a charge, you can get killed like that and you can get someone else killed all to hike up you ego! Then you have to deal with the maniac that wants the charge, then when he gits one, he craps his pants and hi tails to the truck, prettty disgusting stuff..

I won't deny that I get a rush that is like nothing else from a buffalo, elephant or Lion charge, I love that feeling, but I would never invoke one, no way, no how! that is not sportsmanlike, it is phoney and it is counterfiet to the highest order IMO..

That animal is not choosing the way he is going to die, that has been predetermined with the first shot, he is dead, it just has to be determined when and where, he is only trying to stay alive as best he can and I will forever honor him with the quickest death I can promote, and I will not bully him into dieing.