Big game hunter crushed to death

[Al Bundy]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-n...nter--10469997

A professional big game hunter is dead after he was crushed by a wounded elephant as it was fatally shot.

Theunis Botha, 51, was on a hunt in Gwai, Zimbabwe, when his gro[/URL]up was charged by four breeding elephants.

A female elephant picked up Botha in her trunk after he fired at the others and collapsed on top of him - crushing him to death - after she was shot by another hunter.

Heartbroken friends described the married father-of-five as a "legend", while opponents of big game hunting offered little sympathy following his passing.


Theunis Botha was killed by an elephant when he was on a hunt in Zimbabwe (Photo: Facebook)

Botha often took wealthy foreigners on hunts for leopards and other animals (Photo: Theunis Botha/Youtube)

Botha and two other men pose with the giant tusks of an elephant
Botha, from the South African town of Tzaneen, and the rest of the group were out for a walk on Friday afternoon when they came across the herd.

A source told Netwerk24 that Botha shot at three elephant cows as they stormed the hunters.

A fourth cow stormed from the side, lifted Botha with her trunk and was fatally shot by another hunter. The elephant then collapsed onto Botha.


Elephants and lions were among the animals hunted during Botha's safaris

Botha came from a family of cattle ranchers and big game hunters

Botha and another man pose with a crocodile that was killed during a hunt
The South African specialised in big game safaris and often took wealthy foreigners on hunts for lions, leopards and other animals after founding his own company in the 1980s.

Friends paid tribute to him on Facebook, where one wrote: "RIP Theunis Botha. Our heartfelt condolences to Carike and family. He was a great man! So sad!"


Botha's company was called Theunis Botha Big Game Safaris and Hounds

One of Botha's friends (not pictured) was recently killed by a crocodile during a hunt

Another friend added: "A legend has fallen but will never be forgotten... It's with a sad heart that we say goodbye to you Oom Theunis Botha. Our deepest condolences to the family. May God be with you all in this difficult time."

Critics of big game hunting responded with little sympathy.

One person wrote: "You should be crying for the innocent elephant that was senselessly murdered not this idiot hunter who deserved what he got."

Heartbroken friends described Botha as a "legend" of big game hunting (Photo: Facebook)

The married father-of-five ran his own safari company out of South Africa (Photo: Theunis Botha/Youtube)
Botha's friend, Scott van Zyl, 44, was killed by crocodiles during a hunt in Zimbabwe last month, Netwerk24 reported.

Botha's company, called Theunis Botha Big Game Safaris and Hounds, as he was known to hunt with dogs, is a family operation run with his wife Carike.

In 1878 his ancestors moved into a wild and rugged region of South Africa, becoming cattle ranchers and hunters, the firm's website states.

It adds: "In the year of ’66 Theunis became the latest addition to his family, and was privileged to be raised in the ways of the bush and its people."

He served in the South African infantry during the Angolan War and left the Army after reaching the rank of sergeant.

After returning home he started offering hunting safaris in 1989 to pay for his studies, and completed a degree in psychology and anthropology in 1991.

His first client, Bill Reynolds, from the US state of Montana, hunted a leopard on the family's game ranch bordering Kruger National Park after his hounds picked up the animal's scent, the website states.

It added that Botha pioneered traditional European-style Monteria hunts, where game are driven with dogs, in South Africa.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by srvy

Required reading for clueless snowflakes would advise Death in the Long grass. You might get a idea what a Professional Hunter does and perhaps why and how dangerous and damaging some of these animals are. Africa isnt for the faint of heart.

We know, and he chose to do this for the trophies and money, nothing more, nothing less.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by tooge

this reminds me of a cartoon I saw once. I think it was in Field and Stream or something. Maybe a Farside, not sure. It was this guy sitting there with this huge Grizzly mounted in his office. The Grizzly is standing tall with claws and fangs showing as it looks super mean. Off to the size there is a little sub cartoon pic from before the kill, that shows the guy sitting in the bushes about to shoot the Grizzly and its sitting down in in a pasture sniffing a flower.

[JakeF]

Originally Posted by srvy

Required reading for clueless snowflakes would advise Death in the Long grass. You might get a idea what a Professional Hunter does and perhaps why and how dangerous and damaging some of these animals are. Africa isnt for the faint of heart.

The world's ecosystems survived fine before man, will survive fine after man. The idea that the world needs man to go around killing shit is beyond laughable.

[ptlyon]

So much hatred for this guy but a double standard for all the Broncos fans heads Rain Man has on his walls in his office

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by ptlyon

So much hatred for this guy but a double standard for all the Broncos fans heads Rain Man has on his walls in his office

They deserve to be heads on someones wall.. the elephants don't.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by JakeF

Don't give a single ****. I hope every one of them pays the 50k and then get disemboweled by the very animals they hunt. Win/win.

Cool story bro.

[frozenchief]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

We know, and he chose to do this for the trophies and money, nothing more, nothing less.

So do professionals athletes. Should we stop watching boxing because of it? Or football, considering the toll players inflict on each other?

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Cool story bro.

I'd love to see those fat guys gun-less trying to outrun a Bengal tiger.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

I'd love to see those fat guys gun-less trying to outrun a Bengal tiger.

Why would they give up their guns? We're the superior species.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by frozenchief

So do professionals athletes. Should we stop watching boxing because of it? Or football, considering the toll players inflict on each other?

Nope, but you can't compare the 2. Those combine two sets of living things that are entering the "playing field" knowing they are there to beat the hell out of each other and they bring the exact same gear...

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Why would they give up their guns? We're the superior species.

I wouldn't call that old dude superior at anything.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

Nope, but you can't compare the 2. Those combine two sets of living things that are entering the "playing field" knowing they are there to beat the hell out of each other and they bring the exact same gear...

It's like comparing a tribe of genius pygmies to a woman's track team.

[Spott]

Originally Posted by ptlyon

So much hatred for this guy but a double standard for all the Broncos fans heads Rain Man has on his walls in his office

If I was a hunter, I would exclusively hunt .

[Spott]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Why would they give up their guns? We're the superior species.

The guy in that pic is a worthless piece of shit coward, just like you.

[In58men]

Originally Posted by Pawnmower

You're so ****ing stupid you burned your apartment down with a BBQ and then asked for your deposit back. You act like your opinion matters...

You're a ****ing idiot and clearly didn't read shit in that thread.