The DVD was given to me by Dirk Faul of Ntshonalanga Safaris in December of 2004 as he stayed at my house the week prior to the 2005 DSC show. No mistake of material fact there.

Actually having hunted in South Africa and Zimbabwe instead of simply opining from my keyboard, it is obvious this little clip took place in South Africa on one of the South African Lion Operators properties. Wild lions in other countries will not sit still for a truck at this range as they do not expect to be feed! In addition, in the countries where wild lion are found, shooting from the back of a truck is illegal. This is only allowed in South Africa and possibly some areas of Namibia. So in the extremely remote chance, and I do mean extremely remote chance, that this took place outside of South Africa, the shooting from the back of the truck was at a minimum, ILLEGAL.

If this was not an example of diesel stalking a semi tame cat in South Africa, and it is, how do you square the comment "As you can see, we had to shoot", when in fact, the truck could have just continued driving. When the first shot is fired, the truck is stopped. I agree that the second shot "had to be fired" but the comment "as you can see, we had to shoot" is an embellishment.

What has happened here is that Gatsby's friend fell victim to the South African Lion Hunt deception as have so many others. Myself included. He made up a story to go along with the "as you can see, we had to shoot" so that he could convince himself that he had actually hunted lion. I'll bet that if asked his opinion today, he would have a different attitude, especially if he has hunted dangerous game outside of South Africa.

Gatsby, I really don't mean to get into a pissing contest with you. I also don't know of your hunting background. But I'll venture a guess that you haven't hunted dangerous game outside of South Africa. If you have, I am really surprised by your comment that you believe the narrative of this video clip is unembellished. If you haven't, I completely understand your statement that you believe the narrative of this video clip is unembellished.

If your friend insists to this day that "we had to shoot" when the truck could have just continued driving, then I would be less concerned about the difference of opinion on the date of this video clip and more concerned with what else your friend has misrepresented to you.

Again, I don't really have a huge problem with the SA Lion program other than it being done with deception and from the back of a truck. Why not just level with the hunter and do it on foot. Shooting a cat from the back of a truck when it expects to be fed is just unethical in my book. And again, if that is less important to you than the type of rifle used, let's simply agree to disagree and not share an African camp fire together.