Hi Gentlemen,

I want to pull knowledge from your collective brains, as I know there are many fellows here very well versed in both practical African lore, and also many who have read far longer and wider than I have, regarding Africa.

In regards to Mr. Bell, in my internet wanderings I keep coming across negative references to him, often in threads where his marksmanship, or number of kills, are spoken of. The gist of it is: he didn't care about a clean kill, was a lawless poacher, scattered wounded elephants all over the place, etc.

In the reading I have done, I've never run into anything factual that supports this. In fact, to hear the man's words from his own pen and his own mouth, you can tell he desired a clean kill above most things. It only makes economic sense, too. No one out in the wilderness for months, perhaps years, wastes valuable ammunition if they can help it. Umm, the Lado Enclave WAS pretty much lawless, and without law, and bag-limits, and quotas, how can you be considered a poacher?

Now, my questions are these:

I suspect that much of this ill-will is internet "experts" sour grapes, and that oft-seen desire to drag down the other man, to make oneself seem greater. I also think a lot of the ill-will is impressing modern values onto a time where they didn't exist. I suspect people see "1000+ elephants" and recoil, with a resulting backlash.

Does anyone know the source of these mumblings? Any actual facts? A well-known African writer calling Bell down? A modern, prolific gun-writer with Bell-envy?

I've been curious about this for a while.