Good Bye Africa! Hello Canada

"Hello, Bert"
It was Kel  calling from Karoi, his home town before he moved to Harare.
"Your plans for this coming April still a 'Go?'"
"They sure are. John and I will be there, full of vim and vigor. We're both looking forward to it." I said.
"I'm just calling to tell you, that I've found a guide for you. He normally guides hunting parties.
He's got a down period during your planned three weeks and would be able to take you."
"That's okay" I said, "as long as he does not expect us to do more than photograph the animals.
You know how John and I feel about killing them. Our "hunting" will be done with a Camera.
"Well" and the 'well' was a long drawn out sound of caution, "Chuck is a real He Man. He thinks that 'hunting' is a God-given right of Man over the animal.
"I'm sure" I said, "that God did not have in mind 'trophy-hunting'. I can't believe that even Diana or Artemis thought about an adult Kudu being killed and his skull and horns being mounted over the fire place in some guy's living room, or an Elephant's legs becoming an umbrella stand in his Villa.
Or, a stuffed Lion head being mounted over the entrance to his hunting lodge in the Black Forest"
"Hold it, Bert" Kel called out with his quiet chuckle. "Chuck is a 'hunter' he doesn't know about Artemis or Diana."
"I'm sorry" I said. "I'm grateful for your effort. As long as Chuck knows the Countryside. It's okay with me and I'm sure, John won't have a problem either."

We had a wonderful 3 week Safari. 
Chuck turned out to be an excellent guide, knowledgeable, a great story teller around the camp fire, and an "all-round good guy."

Of course, we philosophized about the alleged local economic benefits, the moral justification and Man's lust for killing, all satisfied, more or less, by the  hunting of unarmed animals.
"Once Lions, or Impala are equipped with a high powered rifle, with a distance calibrated tele-lens, to allow them to shoot back, I will consider it an even-up contest. But not before then. Up to this point it is no less than wanton killing."

And here is the pay-off, which we heard much later via the grape-vine:
Chuck is reported to have remarked: "I get hunters to within about 75 meters of the target. 
These guys, (and with "these guys" he meant us), were barely satisfied with 50 meters. Then their cameras started in rapid-fire."

Chuck, we were told, never took another hunting party. He concentrated, from then on, exclusively on Photographers.

Farewell to Africa

Hello to North America

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