Anietra Hamper, travel writer, gives helpful tips on what to do when traveling and working with guides in a foreign country — especially in light of the “Cecil” story.
When Cecil, the famous African lion, was shot and killed in Zimbabwe by an American dentist on a hunting trip, global outrage erupted. Ever since, public discussion of the incident has centered on the ethics of big game hunting and conservation. The one discussion that is missing, is the matter of putting so much trust in local guides. In this case, the dentist, who is now being sought for extradition, says he relied on the expertise of his local guides to ensure his hunt was legal.
No matter where you stand on the Cecil shooting, I want to shift the conversation to a lesson we can learn about reliance on local guides and your personal responsibility when you are outside of U.S. borders. In the end, the responsibility IS yours.
I travel around the world fishing for some of the largest and most unusual species that I can find. I rely on local guides in the countries that I am visiting to get to the best locations with the best fishing opportunities.
(Anietra Hamper photo)
I do trust my guides because the skeptical journalist in me thoroughly researches them before I ever book a trip. In Ireland, some loughs require no license to fish, others do; In Scotland, it is illegal to fish in some places on Sunday; in Southeast Asia, it is illegal to fish for the giant Mekong catfish in the wild and in most countries there are very specific licenses and requirements that must be followed.
Blind trust can get you into a lot of trouble.
You have likely heard the stories of hikers taken captive because they accidentally crossed a border, or fines levied against anglers who did not know the local laws or did not have proper licenses. As trusting as we like to be, the truth is, there are many guides in many countries who will do just about anything for a buck…including posing as a guide when they are no more qualified than a random local off the street.
Here are several ways that I recommend digging a little deeper the next time you hire a guide to take you hunting, fishing, hiking, kayaking, rock climbing or any other outdoor activity in a foreign country:
Anietra Hamper has written other helpful posts, at The WON, in her column, Reeling the Globe.
Long before Anietra Hamper dedicated nearly 2 decades to a successful career in television news as top-rated anchor, she was digging up night crawlers and fishing at her grandparents’ cottage. Now, a published travel writer/photographer, member of the Society of American Travel Writers and host of “Road Trippin-USA,” a travel television show, Anietra uses her world travels to fish wherever she goes. She has a penchant for seeking out the world’s largest, most unusual fish and currently holds the female record at Bungsamran Lake in Thailand for the Giant Mekong catfish. Her authentic approach to uncovering unique and spectacular places to fish enables her to make sure readers have the information necessary to duplicate that experience. She appears regularly in her column, “Reeling the Globe.” Anietra and her sidekick, Sunny (a “hot mess” dog that she literally rescued from the street), live in Columbus, Ohio. Visit Anietra’s website at www.Threewordpress.com. View all posts by Anietra Hamper
We are the top of the kingdom. I don’t care about Cecil or the cubs. Maybe they should send you the bill for keeping them then we will see how much you care.
Great Sharing I am Mostly doing in my City but now think to go outside of the country!