Well. Hogs can definitely be considered "Big Game".
And scary-I took my last one with a crossbow. Never again-next time a muzzleloader or some other rifle....
It's no secret that I hunt-I hunt what the government tells me I can hunt, and when and where, mostly, and I only hunt for meat-I'm not one of those guys who decorates the home with animal heads-I don't even take photographs. That's my way, and my family's way, and always has been. That being said, I've known people who go on African safari every couple of years. I can certainly see the attraction in hunting something that has a pretty good chance of killing you first-and I try not to judge people, or the activity-I just wouldn't engage in it myself, or encourage anyone to do so.
Years ago, I tried to climb Mount Everest. I was a pretty fair mountaineer: I'd summited (there's one of those verbified nouns for you, Tez) Denali, Rainier, and, in preparation for Everest, Noshakh and Cho Oyu. I was stunned to see people who had never really climbed before being guided up Everest, and it's part of the reason why I discourage everyone from trying to do so-I put so-called "canned hunts" mostly in the same bin-such people are posers.
I also once participated in the killing of a bear- the one and only time I've ever hunted something simply because I wanted to kill one.
I've posted about it here -it was not a good experience.
African game is viewed by the nations that host safaris as a resource-and one to be exploited. Exploited as long as people are willing to pay for the privilege of hunting them. It seems to me that those who have a beef with this sort of activity might do better aiming their rancor at the nations and organizations that promote and host such activities, and not towards those who choose-
having been given that choice- to participate in it.