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Game Hunter Trampled To Death By Elephant

Dovkan

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A professional game hunter has been trampled to death by an elephant while leading a hunt with an American client in Zimbabwe.

Ian Gibson, 55, was tracking animals in Chewore North in the lower Zambezi Valley of Zimbabwe, when the young bull elephant “began a full charge.”

Paul Smith, the managing director of Chifuti Safaris which employed Gibson, told The Telegraph: "We don't yet know the full details of how 'Gibbo' as we called him, died, as the American client and the trackers are still too traumatised to give us full details."

In a note on the website of Safari Classics, the company explained Gibson had been searching for a target for five hours when they stopped for a rest.

"It is with deep sadness to announce the passing of Chifuti Safaris professional hunter Ian Gibson," the note said.

ian gibson

Ian Gibson was killed by a charging African bull elephant

"Ian was tragically killed by an elephant bull earlier today while guiding an elephant hunt in Chewore North."

It adds: “Feeling he was quite close to the elephant, Ian and his tracker Robert continued to follow the tracks in hopes of getting a look at the ivory as the client stayed with the game scout.”

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Gibson’s tracker indicated the elephant was in “musth” – a condition where the animal’s urge to mate goes into overdrive and it becomes overly aggressive, but Gibson continued.

The note continues: “They eventually caught up with the bull, spotting him at about 50-100 metres. The bull instantly turned and began a full charge.

bull elephant zimbabwe
The animal was in a state of 'musth' making it aggressive (file picture)

“Ian and Robert began shouting in order to stop the charge. At very close range, Ian was able to get off one shot before the bull killed him. The scene was very graphic.”

It is not known if the animal was killed in the incident.

Gibson is paid tribute to as “a fine man and one of the most experienced professional hunters on the African continent.”

The same company lost a staff member in 2012 when Owain Lewis was killed by a buffalo, NewZimbabwe reports.
Game Hunter Ian Gibson Trampled To Death By Elephant
I hope the elephant is doing well.
 
The elephant was doing what comes naturally. I'm sorry that Ian Gibson lost his life.
 
No surprise. I figured that was the point of your OP.
 
The elephant did what it needed to survive. Can't feel sorry for the hunter.
 
The elephant did what it needed to survive. Can't feel sorry for the hunter.

I can never feel sorry for anyone who is killed by an animal if they are attempting to kill the animal, or the animal's family.
 
Doesnt "he died doing what he loved" work here? :cool:
 
When will this ridiculous pass time be banned?
 
Don't they shoot man killers?
.

Why not? They shoot ones minding their own damn business as well.

I am sorry for the guy's family but it is really hard for me to feel sorry for someone who gets what they give.
 
Why not? They shoot ones minding their own damn business as well.

I am sorry for the guy's family but it is really hard for me to feel sorry for someone who gets what they give.

Yes, if he has family, I am sorry for their loss, but not that the professional hunter was killed by an animal he was trying to kill.

I'm not anti-hunting, even for bull elephants. There's been research by orgs dedicated to the welfare of the animals that favor legal trophy hunting because it puts a very high value on the animals, employs many locals, and encourages them to treat their local wildlife as a resource to be protected instead of allowed to be killed by poachers who will saw off the tusks, sell them in the black market, etc.

But, yeah, when those who get their thrills by killing trophies are a victim of their prey, that's part of the deal they signed up for.
 
The elephant was doing what comes naturally. I'm sorry that Ian Gibson lost his life.

If he was hunting that elephant than I am not really sure that I am sorry that he lost his life, it all depends on the particulars about what he was doing at the time of his death. I am sorry for his loved ones but if he was hunting that animal and it turned and killed him before he got the chance to kill it then good for the elephant and tough luck for his would be killer.

If you hunt large animals than you have to accept the chance that it will kill you. Man already has most of the best tools needed for killing a large animal with little or no risk to themselves but in the rare times the animal strikes back then I am not that sad for the person who died.

Hunting to prevent a wild animal from hurting people or being a trouble animal that must be eliminated is one thing, hunting big game for ivory or pleasure is something that I disapprove of and if this guy was doing that and got killed in the process then tough luck for him.
 
Elephant 1, Hunter 0.

I'm sorry for him, but why should the elephant not have a fighting chance to save his life? Can't blame the elephant for doing what comes naturally to him.
 
Read an article the other day. Woman, big game hunter, normally goes after older animals, driven from the herd, injured.
Killed an old giraffe, the twiteervesre erupted. Yet the animal was then used to feed locals.
The link
Trophy-hunter gets death threats after Ricky Gervais skewers her on Twitter for lying next to dead giraffe | National Post

I don't have any problem with the fact the giraffe was killed - it's no more or less immoral than killing pigs or cows for food. But she sort of invited the criticism by posing with it the way she did. She said, "I chose to honor his life" by killing it - OK, fine - 'so now I'll lay down next to this dead animal and smile like it's all a big lark and then post the photo on my blog!' That last part is where she went off the rails and what (at least some of) the reaction was all about.
 
In that five hour time span the elephant probably gave the hunter every possible opportunity to quit tracking him that he could think of (elephants are known to be quite intelligent).

Once he ran out of ideas, he was fighting for his life. It seems that the professional hunter was unable to stalk his prey without notice. Too bad, so sad.
 
The elephant did what it needed to survive. Can't feel sorry for the hunter.
If a hunter who had a history of utilizing his prey for dinner, such as most elk hunters, (and I was nearly trampled by elk one very early morning not quite light, and I sort of walked upon them as I was trying to find a place to pee) well then perhaps and even likely I'd feel sorry for the hunter. But big game hunters, that just kill for the sake of it. No sympathy. Cheers to the elephant. I hope they don't kill it as it's not a man hunter, it wasn't hunting man, it was defending itself.
 
Elephants have very long memories so most have seen relatives killed by men so I expect that a lot of them are willing to kill men.

I would love to have a giant elephant tusk but I wouldn't kill an elephant to get one. I would rather buy an elephant and wait for it to die of old age but they live longer than I have left.
 
I can never feel sorry for anyone who is killed by an animal if they are attempting to kill the animal, or the animal's family.

I am assuming then that you are a strict vegetarian and that you never wear any furs or leather?
 
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