No amount of money could persuade me to go on a week-long ‘dream’ trophy hunting trip, never mind one I’d have to go on with Donald Trump Jr.
Seriously, I couldn’t think of anything worse. Trophy hunting and the president’s son? For an entire week? No thank you. So the fact that someone would actually spend money on the ‘privilege’ is rather baffling to me.
How much money? Oh, no biggie, just $150,000. Yep, you heard me right: somebody was willing to splash out $150,000 just to spend seven days hunting with Trump Jr. and a guide. You really can’t make it up.
Hunting LegendsThe trip was offered up to keen shooters attending a four-day annual trophy hunting convention in Reno, Nevada, organised by the Safari Club International (SCI) earlier this month.
Trump Jr., an avid trophy hunter who has previously been accused of killing an endangered animal under controversial circumstances, spoke at the world’s largest trophy hunting convention, which kicked off on February 5.
The president’s eldest son gave a keynote address to the crowd, in which he offered up the ‘trip-of-a-lifetime’ for his fans to bid on. And bid they did, with SCI confirming the trip had sold for a massive $150,000 on February 8.
As per the organisation’s website:
Don Jr and his son will be hosting this year’s hunt along with Keegan in Alaska. Join them aboard Alaska’s premiere luxury hunting vessel for a 7-day Sitka black-tailed deer and sea ducks hunt along with Master Guide Keegan McCarthy. Method of take is hunters’ choice…
Each hunter can harvest two Sika black tailed deer. Come share Keegan’s [the guide] knowledge and Don Jr.’s passion to create a once-in-a-lifetime hunting experience for a new hunter.
PA ImagesA week away with Trump Jr. wasn’t the only thing being auctioned off at the event, with other prizes including a 14-day trip to Namibia, an all-inclusive hunting package to Zimbabwe to shoot buffalo, giraffe and wildebeest, and a 10-day crocodile hunting expedition in South Africa.
Other features of the event included an estimated 870 exhibits, selling everything from animal heads to hides, and 300 hunting trip opportunities across the country.
The Humane Society of the United States slammed the convention in a statement that said, as per the Independent:
This annual event is the largest meeting in the world of people who celebrate the senseless killing, buying and selling of dead animals for bragging rights.
As our planet suffers an extinction crisis, it is business as usual for the trophy hunting industry and SCI, who continue to revel in spending millions of dollars every year to destroy imperilled wildlife.
The event comes as Trump’s White House attempts to roll back protections for endangered wildlife worldwide, including providing the first trophy import permit for a lion trophy from Tanzania.
That’s right, rather than focusing on his own impeachment, or the economy, healthcare, and immigration – y’know, pressing issues that might impact the upcoming election race – the president has been busy encouraging trophy hunting.
But hey, as long as really rich people can get their thrills by murdering and posing with innocent animals, right?
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]
A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).