Trophy hunters are a thing many of us are realising exist, really I had imagined them gone with Topi helmets and Empire.

It is part of wealth, status, aggrandisement, a conspicuous form of elite consumption and display.

The hunt was in ancient times adopted by the elite as a sanctifying activity, the elite could exclude others from the best food and experience. This illustrated their power, they could control a thing many wanted. After all deer hunting etc for food was a primal activity of all.

To remove progressively the rights of the community hunt to take the quarry of the many for the elite is a powerful statement. If you want to partake in this status, food, pleasure, you have to accept patronage, in a hierarchy of supplication.

In countries with dangerous predators the King as a protector is a motif, it symbolises migt, power, right to rule.

To imagine the trophy hunter is driven only by collecting mania or blood lust is naive. It is a powerful trope which has deep historical and psychological meaning.

It resonates with their supporters, their underlings even more, as it upsets the liberal, it is a code for being a real tough free human, also a rich elite one.

It is stolen honour, the true life long hunter, the meat provider, the protector of herds and community gained their status by skill and achievement in a life. A trophy of a great wild sheep head the result of a mountain mans strength, courage, skill.

You may dislike that intensely, disagree profoundly, but that is who the real hunter was, likely not rich, likely a life of hardship, in general even local wealthy elite had to endure hardship to gain a trophy.

The rich kid elite today have guides, helicopters, planes, what became tourism in early car safari is now a well worked commercial transaction for anyone with money.

Their actions are repugnent in many ways, not least their theft of honour and valour from traditional hunters.