Cecil?

[Zuma]

I carved this lion last year. He is still in the neighborhood
and has been tagged Cecil by the the new owner.
I would have posted the pic of the carving during the recent
controversey but thought it better not to.
This is about carving and the appreciation of big cats
not PC.
Thanks for looking .
Zuma

[bowandarrow473]

Beautiful carving, I really like it.

What a shame that they killed him though, what a shame that one finds the need to kill a lion in the first place. I imagine that they just throw away the meat, and that's what angers me more than killing a threatened species. It's the complete disregard for the animal.

[Trapper Rob]

Nice carving Zuma.

[chamookman]

Nice ! Bob

[Pappy]

Very nice work, that is a beauty.
 Pappy

[son of massey]

Beautiful carving, I really like it.

What a shame that they killed him though, what a shame that one finds the need to kill a lion in the first place. I imagine that they just throw away the meat, and that's what angers me more than killing a threatened species. It's the complete disregard for the animal.

I am not sure what lion killing you are referring to, so I am jumping to an assumption here-apologies if off base. Have you heard any quotes from the people who live in the area? Apparently, they have no shortage and their children live in fear while doing things like walking to school because they have a very real chance of being dragged off into the brush. Don't buy into the PC hype and regurgitate the baloney you hear spouted all over the place-I am not for disrespecting the animals or wiping them out or anything along those lines, and big cats are awesome animals, but being halfway reasonable and thinking about things is a worthwhile activity as well. Destroying someone's reputation for taking an animal because 'hunting is bad' and 'meat is murder' is something I see as far worse.

SOM

Oh, and what shoulda been the first thing said, very cool carving. What did you use to work it out and how did you generate the plan? Carvings like that always strike me as cool but too intimidating as I am sure I would get the scale way off front to back or something.

[riverrat]

nice carving.Tony

[jayman448]

Beautiful carving, I really like it.

What a shame that they killed him though, what a shame that one finds the need to kill a lion in the first place. I imagine that they just throw away the meat, and that's what angers me more than killing a threatened species. It's the complete disregard for the animal.

Very cool carving

As for the actual cecil, how it ususally works is it costs a but tonne of money for someone to be allowed to shoot these safari animals. That money goes into the conservation effort. If it is a legitimate conservation guide company, they will pick the very animal you shoot (be it because its lame or non reproductive etc.) (Ofcorse this is in certain areas. To them over there shooting a lion is like us here shooting a bear.)Then the meat is given to the bush people so as to reduce poaching. The pelt can be taken as a trophy (although this has been made very hard due to the recent uproar. At least thats my understanding of a legitimate safari conservation hunt. I saw a quote from africas president (or wherever cecil was shot. Zimbabwe or whatever. He said something to the effect of"im touched by how much concer americans have had over the death of cecil the lion. But here hunting lions is part of our culture. Crying about lions must be part of american culture". I thought that was pretry darn funny

[bowandarrow473]

I was under the impression that it was not a legitimate conservation hunt, and that the guides did not have the proper papers to be able to kill lions. I may be wrong on this, but that is what I have heard. I see no issue with killing common animals but I thought lions were put on the threatened species list awhile ago. Here in Florida, we see manatees more than some might believe, and they are listed as endangered, so sometimes even though an animal appears common, it can still be in some hot water. I am not saying that I am mad at people who kill lions, it's just something I would never do, same with bears, the thought just doesn't sit right with me. I have no issue with killing bears but I don't like the idea personally. BUT what does make me mad is when someone kills something and let's it rot, and that is what I heard happened with Cecil, I thought they left the body to rot.

[Josh B]

Beautiful work Zuma!  You're a talented man!

As for the Cecil bit, I just had this conversation with my 13 yr old daughter this weekend.  She started the conversation by asking me what I thought about it.  I told her straight up what i thought and that is that it was a bunch of overblown hooey.  I explained to her that the animal was a free range critter and as such fair game.  She asked about baiting it off the preserve.  I explained that when you bait for animals you have no control over which animal comes from where.  Again, free range critter.  She asked if I had any problems at all with the killing of the lion.  I said for the most part no.  I didn't like that the animal was wounded and took along time to be tracked down and finished off and that I thought the dentist should have done a better job vetting his guide.  I went on to say that I've made less than perfect shots myself so I can't really criticize the dentist for that.  She then asked if i thought hunting for trophies was okay.  I said it's not my cup of tea and that i hunt for meat.  That's where I stepped in it.  She then asked about all the coyotes and raccoons that I've harvested and didn't eat.  Well....she had me there.  So i said okay, I guess I do just hunt for skins from time to time.  I then said now that you've pointed that out, I guess i have no room to criticize the dentist at all.  She's then asked, "so you have no problem with Cecil getting shot?"  I said I guess not.  Then she got mad at me and said i was wrong not to care.  How do you win a debate like that?  Kids.....they're just plum crazy!  Lol!  Josh

[jayman448]

i know this isnt where the thread was supposed to go at all, but the only issue i would have is if the hunter knew that the hunt wasnt proper. if he was under the impression that it was all legit i dont see how anyone can be mad at him for the illegitimate conservation aspect. now back to the carving... very cool. there is a lady out near me who carves too. all chainsaw work. to watch her is pretty amazing cuz i swear her chainsaw weighs about as much as she does. (shes just a little five foot nothing peanut of a woman)

[Zuma]

Thanks for all the kind comments. I love carving wild life.
For sure the Cecil type incidents can cause quite a stir.
Being able to voice your opinion here where I am sure most
are all really bonded to wildlife (and each other) is refreshing.
Perhaps the best outcome from situations like this is that
reading all the various posts helps educate us all.
We are all in this together like it or not. Thanks for
making the best of it.
Zuma

[paoliguy]

Zuma, you should do a build- along or is that a carve-along! That's som ereally nice work.

[Zuma]

LOl
I am convalescing at the moment but here are some from the past.
I hope I get back at it. Gettin old.
Zuma