When you hear the term "trophy hunter", you might you have a visceral negative reaction, which is understandable when you see social media photos of wealthy individuals, rifle in hand, smiling proudly next to a dead exotic animal they just killed like an elephant, lion, rhino, or giraffe. Millions of people worldwide condemn this blood sport. I ran into two trophy hunters who were willing to share their story.
On a recent trip to San Antonio, Texas to visit the Alamo, I checked out the Buttermilk Cafe in nearby New Braunfels, and met a recently married couple, Tom and Marisa Snyder.
Tom grew up very poor, and despite only having a high school education, he grew a very successful insurance business and decided to give back to those in need by providing free scholarships for kids of all ages to experience the great outdoors on a charitable ranch he founded called Trinity Oaks. The program became so successful, Tom was approached by numerous veterans organizations to host special hunts for the disabled, as well as "dream hunts" for the terminally ill.
One of those dream hunts was for Marisa's husband, Jason, who was dying of cancer. Jason went on his dream hunt but didn't get to harvest the animal on his wish list. When Tom learned this, he invited a family member to complete the hunt in Jason's honor, which Marisa accepted, and bagged an exotic Axis deer. Marisa was so impressed with Trinity Oaks' ability to transform lives, she volunteered to help out, was soon offered a fulltime position, and began working with Tom directly. They fell in love and married last year.
Since then, they have followed their passion for hunting all the way to Africa to harvest the Big Five and Dangerous Seven animals of the world. They defend their hunting trips which fund anti-poaching programs and feed thousands of people by donating 100% of the meat to local villages.
Listen to their story and make up your own mind regarding the ethics of trophy hunting. If you would like to learn more about Tom's charity organization near San Antonio, please visit: www.trinityoaks.org.
If you're in the San Antonio area, enjoy some great food at:
Buttermilk Cafe
1324 Common St.
New Braunfels, Texas
78130
830-625-8700
www.thebuttermilkcafe.com