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Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH)

Hunting fanatic Ron Thomson replied to

5/6/2014

17 Comments

 
Letter to US Fish and Wildlife
By
Chris Mercer, Campaign Against Canned Hunting.

I refer to the hysterical letter of protest by hunting fanatic Ron Thomson to US Fish and Wildlife, complaining angrily about the decision to temporarily suspend imports of elephant trophies taken in Zimbabwe and Tanzania for the rest of 2014.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ron-Thomson-Publications/154457934661580

First we’d like to apologise to USFW for the tone of this 20-page rant. Not all South Africans are so abusive and discourteous.

In this letter, he attacks your culture, motives and competence because of the suspension, likening the desire of USFW to protect elephants in Africa as the same as “trying to enforce Christianity on to an Islamic state”.
Africans, he claims, have no culture of protecting wildlife, only in its commercial exploitation.

He challenges the reason given by USFW that “there has been a significant decline in the elephant population” on the basis that it conflicts with his “belief” (unsupported by any research) that there are far too many elephants in Africa.

Finally he laments the failure of African governments to continue regular elephant culls after the trade ban on ivory in 1989, claiming that “the sale of ivory paid for the culling exercise.”
In other words, he argues that the only way elephant populations can be properly managed is if African governments are allowed to sell the ivory of the slain elephants in order to pay for the cost of killing them.

So what is he asking USFW to do?
He wants you to get out of the way and let the hunters kill as many elephant as they want. His main reason is his belief that there are “tens of thousands of elephants who should be killed.”
But this reason, even if true, does not logically support his plea. Sport hunters play no useful role in reducing elephant populations, because “hunters selectively shoot only elephant bulls.” Hunting certainly harms social cohesion and herd dynamics, but it leaves the breeding cows alone.

What he is really calling for is a massive culling exercise. Culling is the exact opposite of sport hunting. The goals of the two are mutually exclusive. Culling is a para-military operation where whole herds are rounded up and liquidated. The aim is to drastically reduce overall populations.
Expressing his argument as a syllogism, he is contending:
1. There are too many elephants in Africa, and they should be killed.
2. Hunters kill elephants.
3. Therefore, hunting is good.

But why is someone, who wants to see tens of thousands of elephants killed, promoting the sport hunting of elephants? It makes no sense at all.

Thomson is really arguing that massive indiscriminate slaughter, either by government killing or by elephant poachers, benefits the ecology far better than hunters.
Does he realize that the implication of his arguments? Is he actually calling for more elephant poaching?

Let’s deal with some of his other extraordinary claims:-
1. A poaching frenzy.
He claims that because of the one year suspension of import of elephant trophies, poachers will invade all the hunting concessions in Tanzania, causing mayhem. This claim wrongly assumes:
1. that this temporary suspension amounts to a total ban on all hunting.
2. that all hunters will immediately abandon their concessions.
3. that hunters are the only force for protecting wilderness.

2. Starvation!
He claims melodramatically that the African staff employed by the hunters will not only be put out of work by this temporary suspension, but that they will “starve.” Thomson’s tender concern for the digestion of the natives again ignores the fact that the temporary suspension only affects elephant trophies. The hunting fraternity will continue to kill all other species freely.

3. Philanthropy:
He alleges that “hunting is the best way to take wealth from the rich people of the first world and give it to the poor people of Africa”.
What a sweeping statement! The money from hunting goes mainly to the hunting operators. The “poor people of Africa” get only the crumbs from the hunting industry’s table.

I’m sure that USFW is perfectly able to see through this monument to crooked thinking and muddled reasoning.

I leave you with this piece of self-congratulation in his letter:
He boasts: “I hunted and killed several thousand elephant over a five year period in the Zambezi Valley.
In 1971 – 2, I was lead hunter in reducing the elephant population in Gona-re-Zhou game reserve by 2,500 animals...
I have had a very distinguished career. ”

17 Comments
Karen Ryan
5/6/2014 03:21:29 am

Ass hole

Reply
D Gauldie
5/6/2014 06:59:39 am

This sort of ill educated, self centred, greedy ******* is what gives hunting a bad name (not that I am pro hunting). Its this senseless, indiscriminate wanton slaughter of animals, just because he is allowed to do so, that causes such havoc added to the losses inflicted by poaching. The only difference is that he has a licence to kill. Until you educate yourself as to what is needed to maintain a healthy balance in Nature, learn more about the ways and needs of the animals you are so quick to kill , stay the hell off this Continent and leave our animals alone."A distinguished career: is not dependent on the no of animals you have legally poached - so think about it a bit more before you start boasting again.

Reply
P Cornish
7/19/2014 09:10:19 pm

You are a shame to the human race. I pray that you realise the ugliness of your nature towards wildlife and start shooting with a camera instead of a rifle. Get psychological help - you are a very sick person!

Reply
Simon Williamson link
6/4/2016 11:48:19 am

This author obviously did not read or understand Mr. Thomsons letter. The main focus of Ron's statement is that each population of elelphants has to be managed individually. Any population eventually has to be controlled in order to protect the soil and flora on which they depend for food. Better the population is controlled by increments year on year by sport hunting and sustainable utilization before the numbers get out of hand. This is entirely a natural situation as elephants have been hunted by man for millenia. Once the numbers are out of hand due to the animal rights dogma of protectionism a massive and ubdesirable cull becomes the only option to avoid massive collapse of the elephant population and environmental disaster.

Reply
Chris Mercer
6/4/2016 10:28:13 pm

Hunting and culling are two completely separate activities with absolutely opposed goals. It is dishonest for hunters to pass off their nasty cruel addiction as 'culling.'
Culling by hunters does take place in well-managed preserves in Europe, but not in Africa, and not for trophies.

Reply
Alexander Roberts
3/11/2019 09:51:14 am

FUCK YOU

Your name links to http://huntersodyssey.com/

Reply
Alexander Roberts
3/11/2019 09:54:17 am

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ingrid-newkirk/the-pastime-of-psychopath_b_8084410.html

https://www.preventdisease.com/news/15/073015_Trophy-Hunting-Exposing-Weakest-Mentally-Ill-Members-of-Society.shtml

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trophy-huntings-contribution-to-conservation-not-much/

Evelyn Milligan link
8/5/2020 12:50:34 pm

I would suggest that when the human species reaches high numbers, a group of them should be culled! The animal kingdom and nature, survived well without the worst species on the planet, humans!

Reply
Simon Williamson link
6/7/2016 01:44:34 am

Dear Mr Mercer

I can make no sense of your argument. Perhaps you could tell me the exact reason you are against hunting to enlighten me. Thank you.

Simon

Reply
Alexander Roberts
3/11/2019 09:46:09 am

PSYCHOTIC MORON

Ron Thomson writes on his website he killed 5.000 elephants on his own. These days he is consultant of the President of Botswana

https://www.facebook.com/2027553750830381/photos/a.2192746084311146/2192746064311148/?type=3&eid=ARAOue5_nrlGDdKeMj5wFulhwBD-REShKSj2q34xsCMmunB808a9L7REIdC0IZrxR0NNAOWOJh41R7GZ&ifg=1&hc_location=ufi

Reply
Owen Shaffer
3/11/2019 10:08:25 am

Ron Thomson is a disgrace to the human race He was responsible for bringing canned lion hunting to South Africa. He claims that 88% of the elephants in Kruger need to be culled.

Reply
Frans Fouche
11/6/2019 09:55:59 am

The latest count of elephants in Kruger is around 20,000. The sustainable population is about 7500 to protect the biodiversity of the park for future generations. It is clear that some sort of management of these animals should be a priority.
SANPARKS stopped culling in 1996 and that created the situation we have today. Other methods like relocation,sterilization have been tried but is very expensive and create social disorders within elephant communities. Other reserves do not want elephants because they already have too much etc.So unfortunately culling seems to be the only option. The by-products of these animals could then also be utilized for meat and other forms of income for the park.
One should put emotions aside and think clearly about this problem.

Reply
Juanita Everson
3/11/2019 12:54:46 pm

The culling that needs to take place is not of Elephants, Lions, Rhino's or other beautiful creatures. It should be actively carried out by the worlds people that hold all of these animals precious. Thomson is #1 on the list.

Reply
john armstrong
4/9/2019 07:40:41 am

I definitely need his head mounted over my fireplace. Would he care to donate it?

Reply
Anne E. Shapiro
4/9/2019 02:16:32 pm

You, sir, are a disgrace to the human race.
It is NOT a right to go shooting defenseless animals ... nature can, and always has taken care of itself.
Big brave trophy hunter ... you should be ashamed of yourself!

Reply
Kate Medford link
4/10/2019 01:49:24 am

As a clinical psychologist, one proven fact is that one of the worst indicators of problem adults is if they kill animals for fun which usually starts in childhood. I think the ironic question is why the need to cull arose since the animals were there first and seemed to be pretty well taking care of their own "culling" before people needed their territory. The problem that is overlooked is that glorifying killing of animals for ecological purpose belies the stupidity of what the real reason is which is trophy hunting in most cases. But the most dangerous point about Thompson is his "lack of remorse" for the killings. As humans, there should always be some type of feeling when we take a life whether the taking of that life is justified or not, war/self-protection and even killing to eat. Those who have no remorse have no soul and fortunately make up most of our high prison population, just a fact. Anyone who does not understand that the leap from glorifying killing that many animals and rationalizing killing animals is some heroic deed often leads to rationalization of why some people should be culled. The next time there is a random mass shooting of innocent people sitting in a church/ mosque, theatre, club, etc. just think of the killer who is rationalizing some reason why those innocents should be "culled". You idiots who support this man's bragging and don't see that bragging that he does without any remorse for those killings need to pat yourselves on the back at the next mass killing because you have helped some young person think it's ok. And numbers really don't lie when it comes to the decline of the magnificent creatures that were culled for the other geniuses who rationalize Thompson's actions. This man does not promote nature but promotes the belief of the cheapness of life.

Reply
Chris Mercer link
4/10/2019 02:14:19 am

Thanks for your incisive comments Kate. I particularly like the last sentence.

Reply



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