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.

[stumppy]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

That's nothing. Sometimes I like to catch sleeping kangaroos, jump into their pouch and choke them out.

Who said anything about killing A monkey. Not just any monkey, my business is that I usually only go after the cute ones......and buddy, business is good

Kangaroo ain't bad, kinda tough though. Nowhere near as good as baby seal. The great thing about baby seal is you get dinner and a new pair of gloves.

[notorious]

Think of the old elephant as Alex Smith, and one of the young elephants as Mahomes.

[Iowanian]

I like to start my kids off slow by purchasing talking parrots off of Craigslist and listening to the scream and curse as we pluck the feathers....one by one.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by tarheel23

I am so sick of the outrage over such stupid shit. It was a freaking elephant that was being hunted legally. Anyone that compares a human life to that of an animal is a fool. Get a life.

And people getting overly defensive about people calling this guy a piece of shit also need to get a life.

This is just a funny story. It's incredibly ironic, and a wonderful illustration of what happens when you make your wings out of ****ing wax and fly too close to the goddamn sun. I'll bet this dude thought he was a huge ****ing badass if he let himself get close enough to these behemoths so that one actually freakin grabbed him with its trunk.

Want to hunt elephants and do dangerous shit? Fine, but don't expect me to think of your death as a tragedy if nature decides it's had enough of your bullshit and says, "Bend over, bitch. I'm going in dry."

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Yup, hard to feel sorry for this clown

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by Inmem58

You must have some real insecurity issues. Are you trying to justify your manly ego? Not sure what you get out of killing a ****ing monkey.

[Ming the Merciless]

seemed appropriate

[In58men]

Originally Posted by Bwana

.....dumb


I knew he wasn't being serious. Smh

[MAG]

It's too bad no one else in his group was killed.

[Otter]

Remember that dentist that shot a lion in Africa and brought the head back into the USA to be mounted? It was big news for awhile and I'm sure the story is easily available via Google search but it was never explained (that I've read) how the hell he got a lions head past airport security.

I just flew from CO to PA and back and had bottled water confiscated and that guy managed to get a disembodied head of a full grown lion through. There has to be some ****ery involved in that story.

[BlackOp]

What's interesting (to me) is all the hunters coming to this **** -tards defense.

There is a difference between shooting someone that is entering your house...and sniping random drivers on a freeway. Yes..they both include killing and a rifle. Shooting animals isn't necessarily an all inclusive club. Hunting is ancient...Native Americans gave mad respect to the animals that sacrificed so they could survive...they were "in-tune" with natural law. They were horrified when "whitey" shot thousands of buffalo...just for their hides and left the carcasses to rot.

Killing things so your peers think you are cool....this guy was a manipulator.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

This thread sure exposed the reeruns.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by BlackOp

There is the saying that our civilization was truly built by 1000 great men...the cornerstones of real innovation and progress. Everyone else is just parasitic...myself included.

That's a pretty stupid saying.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Originally Posted by Fish

That's a pretty stupid saying.

He just called himself a parasite. I think it's pretty accurate.

[Pablo]

I'm sure his wife and kids have lots of mounted animals and shit to remember him by.

I wonder how flattened he was. Anybody got pics?