Huntress posing with bloody HEART

[Fred Gunner]

I’M OVER THE MOON’

Trophy hunter slammed for posing with bloody HEART from giraffe hubby paid £1.5k for her to shoot as ‘Valentine’s gift​

A TROPHY hunter posed with a bloody giraffe heart which was cut out of the beast she shot.

Merelize Van Der Merwe, 32, infuriated campaigners by sharing the photo of her "perfect" Valentine's Day gift.

She boasted how her "wonderful" husband paid £1,500 for her to kill an old giraffe at a game park.

She captioned the picture: "Ever wondered how big a giraffe's heart is? I'm over the moon with my big Valentine's present!!!"

It sparked outrage among animal rights activists who said it was plain "cruel" and branded her a "sociopath".

But Merelize argues her kill actually helps save threatened species in South Africa.

The defiant mum told the Mirror she calls animal rights groups "the mafia" and has "no respect for them".

The couple had been planning a Valentine's trip to the resort of Sun City but they "quickly" changed their plans when the opportunity to shoot a giraffe came up.

Merelize said: "I'd waited years for my own perfect bull – the older a bull gets, the darker he gets.

"I love the skin and the fact it's such an iconic animal for Africa.


"Our plans changed quickly. My wonderful husband Gerhardt knew this was my dream.

"I was like a child for two weeks, counting the days. Afterwards I was flooded with emotions."

She plans to use her 17-year-old victim's skin as a rug.

 

[Fred Gunner]

She killed a giraffe in a pen then posed with the heart and we own this show your support like her on social media send her donations to her legal defense fund get on board boys she's one of us!!

posing with bloody HEART​

 

[Fred Gunner]

This is not hunting and any SOB who claims otherwise is a coward and PM me for my address so we can discuss this in person!

 

[BeeMaa]

So I don't get it.
You do or do not like her (or her husband) for the legal hunting of a Giraffe?
Or you don't like her posing with the picture of a Giraffe heart?

Was it a legal hunt?
Then guess what, that money went to animal conservation.
And did more good than any "animal rights activist" ever did.
Like it or not caged or high fence hunts are a reality.
They might not be your cup of tea, but there's something out there for everyone.

 

[Proneshooter]

There is a whole lot of hunting done in South Africa at so called "Game Parks". Fred your going to have a lot of people to be mad at right here on this board. And I do not see any fencing in the background so maybe get your facts straight or do you have proof of what you are accusing this woman of that nobody else is privy to? I will agree posting that picture on social media may not have been one her better decisions.

 

[Fred Gunner]

So I don't get it.
You do or do not like her (or her husband) for the legal hunting of a Giraffe?
Or you don't like her posing with the picture of a Giraffe heart?

Was it a legal hunt?
Then guess what, that money went to animal conservation.
And did more good than any "animal rights activist" ever did.
Like it or not caged or high fence hunts are a reality.
They might not be your cup of tea, but there's something out there for everyone.

Spoken like a true pen killer she's your poster girl own it

 

[Fred Gunner]

There is a whole lot of hunting done in South Africa at so called "Game Parks". Fred your going to have a lot of people to be mad at right here on this board. And I do not see any fencing in the background so maybe get your facts straight or do you have proof of what you are accusing this woman of that nobody else is privy to? I will agree posting that picture on social media may not have been one her better decisions.

If this is the face of Hunting that you support it's over and in a very short story...If the hunting community does not condemn this in the strongest way...If we continue to support pen killing then we have already lost and true hunting is going to be lost forever...Own IT!!

 

[sestoppelman]

Fred you seem very angry about this and confrontational towards us and want us to "own it", whatever that means. I dont see anything in the article about killing it in a pen, if she did I missed that.
I agree it was foolish to post on FB with it, but she said she did it purposely to taunt the anti's. Oh well, her choice.
I once turned down an opportunity to shoot an old stink bull with a rash for free, so its not like I dont like giraffes.
As far as condemning this, why? It doesnt matter if every member here condemned it, would make no difference to the anti's.

 

[YancyW]

I get it, I used to day drink sometimes too. A couple advil and good night's sleep will help this situation.

 

[BeeMaa]

Spoken like a true pen killer she's your poster girl own it

So I'm a "pen killer".
What exactly is a pen killer?

 

[Red Leg]

If this is the face of Hunting that you support it's over and in a very short story...If the hunting community does not condemn this in the strongest way...If we continue to support pen killing then we have already lost and true hunting is going to be lost forever...Own IT!!

Take a deep breath.

With the information provided, none of us have a clue where, how, or under what conditions this animal was taken. Would you still be angry if the old bull's "pen" was actually a 5 thousand hectare game farm. There is nothing in the "article" to indicate otherwise.

I would guess 90% of the giraffes taken in South Africa fit the definition of this old bull, which, due to his age, has become a liability rather than an asset to the farm and has been offered as a trophy animal to a client.

I am not sure I have the nuanced understanding of hunting ethics to determine shooting a giraffe under such conditions is bad and an impala from the same environment would be just fine. Or do you condemn all high fence operations and those who participate in those hunts? Just trying to make sure I understand whom among us needs to "own it."

As others have noted, posting anything on social media is questionable - much less the heart of a hunted animal.

But I always find it useful to exercise a little critical thinking before becoming too judgmental on almost any subject.

 

[LivingTheDream]

So I'm a "pen killer".
What exactly is a pen killer?

Well there is all type of color varieties...even subspecies...if you saw the bic I got the other day it was nice. I got a papermate 2 years ago that might make book.

 

[375Fox]

This is not hunting and any SOB who claims otherwise is a coward and PM me for my address so we can discuss this in person!

How did you come up with this was hunting in a pen and not hunting? Hunting an old bull giraffe is as ethical as hunting any other animal. What was your motivation for posting this? I’m assuming either more than a few drinks or PETA hacked your account?

 

[375Fox]

Well there is all type of color varieties...even subspecies...if you saw the bic I got the other day it was nice. I got a papermate 2 years ago that might make book.

I was thinking a serial killer lurking in the shadows, but holding a pen instead of a knife

 

[BeeMaa]

Well there is all type of color varieties...even subspecies...if you saw the bic I got the other day it was nice. I got a papermate 2 years ago that might make book.

Nailed a few of these in my day.
Damn Zebra were everywhere!

 

[Areaonereal]

Regardless..
do not flaunt it...accept the gesture..in private from your spouse...to express as she did...totally unacceptable. Scalp your enemy...brag about it...but not the animal you just shot. Stupid Is as Stupid does, epitomizes this photo.

 

[375Fox]

Regardless..
do not flaunt it...accept the gesture..in private from your spouse...to express as she did...totally unacceptable. Scalp your enemy...brag about it...but not the animal you just shot. Stupid Is as Stupid does, epitomizes this photo.

Agreed, however these kind of posts criticizing her actions simply spread information for the antis

 

[lwaters]

It was a bad post. Of all the animals I've hunted the zebra will get the most crying. I don't think I'd post a giraffe. People seem to get upset about them.

 

[Areaonereal]

My point exactly. A truly dumb shit photo to be posted on this site. Jerome..delete it. How assinine can we get with these type of photos.

 

[crs]

The picture reminds me of when the tracker and game skinner brought me the heart of the Cape Buffalo that I killed that morning. He wanted to show the PH and myself the bullet hole through the heart - he was happy and maybe even proud of me for such a shot on my first buffalo. So was I, but no pictures were taken.