Professional trophy hunter and houndsman Theunis Botha, 51, died last Friday, after killing an elephant. A hunter delivered a fatal shot to an elephant cow at very close range and as she collapsed, the elephant fell on Botha, killing him.
According to sources Botha was leading a small group on a walk that afternoon when they encountered a breeding herd of elephants at a farm in Zimbabwe. Three female elephants charged the hunters while a fourth flanked the group, attacking Botha.
The elephant picked Botha up with her trunk when one of the hunters took a shot at her, killing the elephant. The elephant toppled, crushing Botha.
The group was traveling through the Good Luck Farm near Hwange National Park, said Simukai Nyasha, a Zimparks spokesman, to the Sun.
The hunter posing with a trophy. (Photo: Botha/the Sun)
Nyasha said that Botha was on a licensed 10-day hunt when he “Unknowingly got in the middle of a breeding herd of elephants with several calves and was trampled to death.”
Botha “perfected” large cat hunting using hounds. (Photo: Botha/the Sun)
Known to many as a world-class hunter, he is survived by his wife Carike and five children. News of his death has produced a mixed reaction. Friends and family posted supportful messages like “RIP Theunis Botha. Our heartfelt condolences to Carike and family. He was a great man! So sad,” and “A legend has fallen but will never be forgotten … It’s with a sad heart that we say goodbye to you Oom Theunis Botha.”
Others were much less sympathetic, saying “Karma! Theunis Botha big game hunter crushed to death by elephant he killed,” and called him a “vile slaughterer of beautiful creatures,” and “a big game murderer.”
Bothea was a pioneer of what he called “European-Style Driven Monteria hunting” in South Africa using dogs to flush leopards and lions to hunters.
“A passionate and professional hunting outfitter operation focused on giving his clients a unique exiting African safari experience,” his website describes him.
News of Botha’s death follows the discovery of another professional Zimbabwe hunter killed by prey, Scott van Zyl, 44. Zyl’s remains were discovered in the stomach contents of two crocodiles after he disappeared in April.
Good riddance
Seconded. I’ll even go so far as to say I hope that bastard suffocated slowly.
I’m opposed to all sport hunting, but it’s especially vile in the case of animals like elephants. These are HIGHLY intelligent, emotional creatures that mourn their dead. When one is killed, it’s known to cause great trauma to the others in the herd. How anyone could sleep at night after causing that sort of suffering to innocent creatures is beyond my comprehension.
THE SECOND REASON WHY WE NEED “ADULTING CLASSES”?
TO WEED OUT THE OBVIOUS DUMBASSES???
http://fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/explosive-device-blows-mans-hand-allegedly-tries-kill-two-spencer-county-deputies/199638
This is quite possibly the happiest story I’ve read on trenches…sorry to hear about the elephant, however.
“Others were much less sympathetic, saying “Karma! Theunis Botha big game hunter crushed to death by elephant he killed,” and called him a “vile slaughterer of beautiful creatures,” and “a big game murderer.”
Unchallenged.
Killing animals for food is totally acceptable.
For sport is NOT!
Agreed!
Sure, sometimes people need to defend themselves against attacking animals. And I can understanding killing animals for food and even for clothing as long as it’s done as humanely as possible. Even animals kill other animals. It’s all part of the circle of life. Getting meat by hunting is an important survival skill, and it’s also usually more humane than getting meat from a grocery store.
Killing animals purely for pleasure is another story. It’s cruel by definition. It’s also a chickensh!t way of affirming one’s “manhood,” since animals can’t shoot back.
People fool themselves when they think sport hunting makes them “tough.” It’s about as “tough” as winning a fistfight with a crippled child. Why not get in an MMA cage with another man of equal size and face him one-on-one? Because that would require not being a pussy, that’s why.
The world would be much better place if more people realized that lacking empathy does NOT make one a “bad-ass,” and having empathy does NOT make you weak.
“It’s also a chickensh!t way of affirming one’s “manhood,” since animals can’t shoot back.”
That, my friend, is the bottom line.
ZERO ‘sport’ in THAT!
Dumbo’s revenge….
Sounds like a good Disney sequel.
What until you see when Bambi meets Godzilla.