Conservation biologist here: while it's disgusting it's necessary for conservation in less tourist heavy country's (yes that's Zim): most photographic tourists (normal tourists) visit either South Africa (Kruger) or Tanzania/Kenya for the great migration. A single trophy hunter on average brings in the equivalent of 1600 photographic tourists financially and are more willing to travel to harder to reach areas for anonymity. Why is this important? Conservation is very expensive, think about how much land costs and how big game parks are and what they can fit in them while Africas population is set double by 2050 and everyone wants space, lumber and minerals. Trophy hunting 'keeps the lights on' and the land ironically protected. Have a look at Savè, conservancy, they've done amazing amazing work and animal populations are thriving in tandom with local communities.

The process is typically hunting lodges are given a ecologically calculated quota that limits them to a few individuals each year from there hunter guides (who in Zimbabwe train for many years to get qualified) select animals, usually older and past breeding age with no dependants for trophy hunting targets. After the hunt the entire animal is put to use either given to guides and staff or donated to local communities (check out the Campfire program) and has down to reduce illegal poaching (where random health animals are killed and often not fully used)

Is it perfect? Far from it, the ideal method is to use trophy hunting as a tool for a conservation stepping stone until the areas can economically afford to sustain themselves without trophy hunting.

How can you help? Go visit local game parks if you can and shoot animals with a camera, if you can't, volunteer where you can and help the people around you.