Barbaric- Fury at big game hunter’s exotic haul

ItsAWindUp

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3915951/Barbaric.html

A BIG game hunter poses beside an elephant he has just shot in the wilds of Africa.The bearded marksman cradling a powerful gun looks every inch the classic adventurer of movies.

But in reality David Barrett, 55, is an ex-civil servant from Hampshire who brags of slaughtering more than 300 animals — and feeling "no guilt" about it.

He said: "I enjoy hunting, it's primeval and I don't see it as evil. When I look through the scope I don't see a living thing — it is a target to engage."

Mr Barrett has spent 14 years travelling the world hunting big game and has built a trophy room full of stuffed animals and mounted heads.

He insisted his actions were justified — but last night he faced a storm of criticism, with one campaigner accusing him of "bloodthirsty power thrills".

Mr Barrett justified his killings by saying he only shoots animals which are edible.

He does not target big cats but so far his tally includes three elephants, a hippo, 14 buffalo and dozens of antelope.

He said: "Those who eat meat but profess anti-hunting views are hypocritical. And I have no feelings of guilt for killing. Most people in the Western world just pay someone else to do the dirty work for them."

Mr Barrett, who hunts deer and rabbits when he is home in Britain, also said wild animal numbers are a problem in some areas and had to be controlled.

And he explained that hunting generates huge sums of cash for villages which can be used to build clinics or schools.

But Liane Eltan, of PETA — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals — said: "A psychologist would have a field day with his lame rationalisation for his admitted enjoyment in his vile hobby. There's nothing admirable in hunting."

What a sick individual this man must be, reminds me of this http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3806600/Whos-the-bigger-beast.html

Temptamperu

How noble of him to kill this peaceful and tranquil marvel of nature :rolleyes:

ILikeBananas

The guy's a scumbag but I don't think the Sun and NewsCorp should be casting the first stone in a contest of ethics

The Snipe

Leave him off! Hunting is one of the worlds oldest hobbies! How do they think we survived for thousands of years!

Hell! Its survival of the fittest, they hunt other animals, why can't we?!

ItsAWindUp

XiledSniper wrote: »

Leave him off! Hunting is one of the worlds oldest hobbies! How do they think we survived for thousands of years!

Hell! Its survival of the fittest, they hunt other animals, why can't we?!

They do it in order to survive. This fella does it to feed his insane blood lust, he must be mentally unhinged in some way.

The Snipe

Hunting was often popular in the past for recreational pourposes.

IvySlayer

XiledSniper wrote: »

Leave him off! Hunting is one of the worlds oldest hobbies! How do they think we survived for thousands of years!

Hell! Its survival of the fittest, they hunt other animals, why can't we?!

The elephants conservation status is listed as vulnerable, which means it's likely to become endangered unless things change, it should be illegal to shoot/poach these animals anywhere.

ronaneire

Deers and rabbits fair enough. But why Elephants? They say one never forgets!

ItsAWindUp

XiledSniper wrote: »

Hunting was often popular in the past for recreational pourposes.

Important bit in bold, killing animals for the sake of 'sport' should absolutely be a thing of the past.

Temptamperu

XiledSniper wrote: »

Hunting was often popular in the past for recreational pourposes.

So was watching gladitorial battles, should we bring back those because we used to do it?

Einhard

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

They do it in order to survive. This fella does it to feed his insane blood lust, he must be mentally unhinged in some way.

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

Important bit in bold, killing animals for the sake of 'sport' should absolutely be a thing of the past.

Any hunter that I know does it for the sport. That they might have something for the pot afterwards is an added bonus. To target this man and denounce him to the world, whilst overlooking the thousands of animals that are hunted and killed by hunters on these isles every year is hypocritical.

Noreen1

I have no problem with hunting, either for food, or to cull animals (when necessary).

On the other hand, hunting for "sport" is just disturbing...

Dotrel

Meet a real-life Noah who has been accused of killing two of every animal!

Winty

Look at the number of africian elephant, Zimbabwe - +85,000
Botswana - +150,000
Namibia - +10,000
South Africa - +12,000
Zambia - +15,000

A few kills will add much needed money to the local economy and thus help to stop illegal poaching of young bulls, as only the older elephants past the breeding age get hunted.

Win Win IMO

Einhard

Noreen1 wrote: »

I have no problem with hunting, either for food, or to cull animals (when necessary).

On the other hand, hunting for "sport" is just disturbing...

Isn't eating animals just "sport"? I mean, we don't need to do it. As PETA so often point out, it's entirely feasible to live a strictly vegetarian diet. WE eat meat because we like it; it brings us pleasure. Surely then, when we demand that animals are killed for our pleasure, it's hypocritical to condemn someone who kills animals for his pleasure?

Coriolanus

I don't see a problem here.

And hunters are worse than the people who released thousands of non native mink into the wild to decimate our fauna?
It's hunters that are cleaning that mess up.

ItsAWindUp

Deleted User wrote: »

And hunters are worse than the people who released thousands of non native mink into the wild to decimate our fauna?
It's hunters that are cleaning that mess up.

Totally irrelevant, what does culling mink have to do with someone travelling to Africa with the specific aim to hunt and kill innocent animals?

ItsAWindUp

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

Totally irrelevant, what does culling mink have to do with someone travelling to Africa with the specific aim to hunt and kill innocent animals?

Well you all seem to lump the word hunter in with these people.

Winty

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

innocent animals?

What is an innocent animal ?

Keith186

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

They do it in order to survive. This fella does it to feed his insane blood lust, he must be mentally unhinged in some way.

Well he says he only kills edible animals so somebody must get the meat from them. If he now has a lot of dead meat wouldn't that mean, in theory, that one less cow will be slaughtered because this guy and his hunting party are having elephant for dinner instead of steak.

Once the meat is not wasted it's much of a muchness really (once its not endangered species).

ItsAWindUp

Deleted User wrote: »

Well you all seem to lump the word hunter in with these people.

Please show me where I did that.

ItsAWindUp

Winty wrote: »

What is an innocent animal ?

One that doesn't pose him any danger whatsoever, yet he still slaughtered it, by shooting it cowardly from a distance.

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

Winty

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

One that doesn't pose him any danger whatsoever, yet he still slaughtered it, by shooting it cowardly from a distance.

So what should Irish hunters do about Mink?

I have never heard of a mink posing any danager to a human.

Einhard

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

Totally irrelevant, what does culling mink have to do with someone travelling to Africa with the specific aim to hunt and kill innocent animals?

I think you're anthropomorphising the animal there. "Innocence" and "guilt" are human concepts, and can't be just projected onto animals to serve an agenda.

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

One that doesn't pose him any danger whatsoever, yet he still slaughtered it, by shooting it cowardly from a distance.

So I presume any meat that forms part of your diet dies with your bare hands around its neck, strangling the life breath from it? Or, like the rest of us, do you allow someone else to kill the animal for you, as you remain, cowardly, at a distance?

At least this guy kills for pleasure. We pay other people to kill for ours.

Winty

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

by shooting it cowardly from a distance.

From a distance is best for the animal as they never know they are in danger, should I walk up and stab them with a pen knife?

ItsAWindUp

Einhard wrote: »

I think you're anthropomorphising the animal there. "Innocence" and "guilt" are human concepts, and can't be just projected onto animals to serve an agenda.



So I presume any meat that forms part of your diet dies with your bare hands around its neck, strangling the life breath from it? Or, like the rest of us, do you allow someone else to kill the animal for you, as you remain, cowardly, at a distance?

At least this guy kills for pleasure. We pay other people to kill for ours.

I don't eat meat.

ItsAWindUp

Winty wrote: »

From a distance is best for the animal as they never know they are in danger, should I walk up and stab them with a pen knife?

They should leave them the f uck alone tbh.

Einhard

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

I don't eat meat.

Well at least you have the courage of your convictions then. Can you change your thread title to reflect that you think all the rest of us meat eaters are barbarous cowards too?

stovelid

Love the way he calls it primeval as if blowing them away with a gun for fun is natural.

Put him unarmed in a cage with his quarry...

ItsAWindUp

Einhard wrote: »

Well at least you have the courage of your convictions then. Can you change your thread title to reflect that you think all the rest of us meat eaters are barbarous cowards too?

I could but people may be offended;)

Winty

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

They should leave them the f uck alone tbh.

That is your way and fair play to you but I enjoy hunting and when my kids are old enought I will show them how to kill an animal with compassion and if I had the money I would kill an elephant and enjoy it

irishgeo

i didnt know elephant and hippo were edible.

Winty

irishgeo wrote: »

i didnt know elephant and hippo were edible.

?

You can eat all meat why is a hippo different to a pig

CrazyRabbit

I've no problem with (non endangered) animals being hunted for food. That's the nature of things.

But I do have a problem with people doing it for enjoyment or sport. Anyone who gets a perverse satisfaction from killing animals is in need of psychological help in my humble opinion.

It's the context that's important.

ItsAWindUp

Winty wrote: »

That is your way and fair play to you but I enjoy hunting and when my kids are old enought I will show them how to kill an animal with compassion and if I had the money I would kill an elephant and enjoy it

Glad to see those children will have a such a compassionate upbringing as being taught to slaughter animals that pose them no harm, and to consider it enjoyable People like you who hunt purely for your own entertainment make me sick tbh, and I recommend that you seek professional help.

RussellTuring

I don't see how he's much worse than anyone else who eats meat, except perhaps that he goes to so much effort to kill. Malice is probably worse than ignorance.

irishgeo

Winty wrote: »

?

You can eat all meat why is a hippo different to a pig

i dont see hippo or elephant steak listed on irish menus.

Einhard

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

I've no problem with (non endangered) animals being hunted for food. That's the nature of things.

But I do have a problem with people doing it for enjoyment or sport. Anyone who gets a perverse satisfaction from killing animals is in need of psychological help in my humble opinion.

It's the context that's important.

But the vast majority of hunters shoot for enjoyment, and make no bones about the fact. The fact that they bag something for dinner at the end is just an added bonus. Very few people these days go out and shoot solely with an aim to put food on the the table.

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

Glad to see those children will have a such a compassionate upbringing as being taught to slaughter animals that pose them no harm, and to consider it enjoyable People like you who hunt purely for your own entertainment make me sick tbh, and I recommend that you seek professional help.

In all fairness, IAWU, I think you're being somewhat dishonest. If you think the man in the article and Winty are sick for hunting for pleasure, then you must think I'm sick for eating meat for pleasure. If so, then you should come out and say it so we can get the full context of your remarks; if you don't think I'm sick, then why the hypocrisy?

Coriolanus

irishgeo wrote: »

i dont see hippo or elephant steak listed on irish menus.

You rarely see rabbit or deer either though, that doesn't mean that they're not edible as well does it?

ItsAWindUp

Einhard wrote: »

But the vast majority of hunters shoot for enjoyment, and make no bones about the fact. The fact that they bag something for dinner at the end is just an added bonus. Very few people these days go out and shoot solely with an aim to put food on the the table.



In all fairness, IAWU, I think you're being somewhat dishonest. If you think the man in the article and Winty are sick for hunting for pleasure, then you must think I'm sick for eating meat for pleasure. If so, then you should come out and say it so we can get the full context of your remarks; if you don't think I'm sick, then why the hypocrisy?

There is a difference, albeit a small one IMO.

Winty

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

and I recommend that you seek professional help.

I am, when I have the money I will use a professional game hunter to help me track a bull elephant for my daughter to kill.

It will be a good day

The Snipe

Temptamperu wrote: »

So was watching gladitorial battles, should we bring back those because we used to do it?

Do people still watch wrestling? Its still violence; theres no real difference.

Voodu Child

It takes a big tough man to get driven around in a jeep and protected by locals, get pointed in the direction of an animal and then shoot it from 50 feet away with a rifle.

Einhard

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

There is a difference, albeit a small one IMO.

So you think I'm slightly less sick for eating meat than this man who shoots it and then eats it? Glad we cleared that up.:D

Although, I would have thought you'd be more angry at the likes of em who "cowardly" have someone else kill our dinner. At least this guy goes out and gets his hands dirty.

ItsAWindUp

Winty wrote: »

I am, when I have the money I will use a professional game hunter to help me track a bull elephant for my daughter to kill.

It will be a good day

I hope your daughter will be proud of herself, slaughtering an animal that poses her no threat, needlessly butchering an innocent an defenceless creature to get her, and your, sick kicks. What a kind-hearted individual that girl will turn out to be I'm sure.

irishgeo

Nevore wrote: »

You rarely see rabbit or deer either though, that doesn't mean that they're not edible as well does it?

i know they are edible.

I never heard of people eating elephant or rhino before, that was my point.

Einhard

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

I hope your daughter will be proud of herself, slaughtering an animal that poses her no threat, needlessly butchering an innocent an defenceless creature to get her, and your, sick kicks. What a kind-hearted individual that girl will turn out to be I'm sure.

LOL or maybe she'll turn out to be a butcher!! Speaking of which, I'm off to marinate the poor innocent ickle lamb which my local abattoir kindly murdered for me during the week, and my local butcher so nicely ripped apart into presentable cuts of yummy meat!

SteveDon

What is the problem here really, the animals aren't endangered so who cares really? Complete non-story.

Dont think i could do it myself, but who am i to judge someone if they want to kill an elephant and eat it. It would be hypocritical of me considering all the meat i eat.

Its human nature to hunt. Its human nature to eat meat.

Get over it, or go marry a swan or something.

The Snipe

ItsAWindUp wrote: »

I hope your daughter will be proud of herself, slaughtering an animal that poses her no threat, needlessly butchering an innocent an defenceless creature to get her, and your, sick kicks. What a kind-hearted individual that girl will turn out to be I'm sure.

Just for your 'hunting for sports' comments, the definition of hunting is:

Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade.

Its part of human nature..


Its been around since before human's were around, ever since the basic forms of humanoids, and quite possibly much before. We are not as advanced as you would like to think we are, as we are only a scratch on the time that this earth has been around - with the ammount of species that have become extinct before and while we were around, most of which we wouldn't even have known about. Its nature way of natural selection and evolution, They will eventually evolve to outdo our hunting methods, or they will be eradicated. And the same will happen for us.