What Do You Consider Disrespectful Trophy Pictures?

[LivingTheDream]

So speaking of pictures, I will say what was cool, was all of my co workers are non hunters. They knew I was preparing for my Yukon sheep hunt and walking with my pack everyday for a couple of hours. They would rearrange meetings for me, and we're super supportive. They became like a cheerleading group and when I got back made me show them pictures. They told me they didn't understand it but thought to was awesome I did it. The point being they knew the pictures weren't just me grinning over an animal but knew the work I put into it to make it happen, they were along for the journey so to speak. And I think that journey is what gets lost in the pictures.

 

[mark-hunter]

Its good point highlighted in last posts.
Photo is a moment, but hunting is story, and effort of meaningful time consuming activity.
If hunt could be presented like that. No issue.

The example that crossed my mind is a movie "Ghost and darkness", based on true story of two maneater lions of Tsavo.
I dont think after the movie that anybody complained about the dead lions.
The movie gave the full meaningful story.

A single photo can not give that.

 

[CLICKBANGBANG]

So speaking of pictures, I will say what was cool, was all of my co workers are non hunters. They knew I was preparing for my Yukon sheep hunt and walking with my pack everyday for a couple of hours. They would rearrange meetings for me, and we're super supportive. They became like a cheerleading group and when I got back made me show them pictures. They told me they didn't understand it but thought to was awesome I did it. The point being they knew the pictures weren't just me grinning over an animal but knew the work I put into it to make it happen, they were along for the journey so to speak. And I think that journey is what gets lost in the pictures.

I've got a similar experience going on now. I did a microdiscectomy back surgery this last spring. I had to cancell two hunts, one in spring and I opted out of an early season Archery hunt. I was actually on the table when I was supposed to be in the field hog hunting with friends. After my surgery, I started physical therapy with the goal of not canceling my late fall hunt. My physical therapist turned out to be an anti-hunter (not hard to find here in CA). I have a SW TX aoudad hunt booked for November. It will be a lot of walking, hiking, climbing. No road access on the property. She wants nearly as bad as I do for this hunt to go off without a problem. I'm doing great and have been released from theropy. No pain and am training with a weighted pack now. But she is still checking in on my training. I'm not at all comparing my "cheap sheep" hunt training to what it takes to do a Yukon hunt. But I have a small cheer squad of both non hunters and and anti- hunters with the group that I did my physical theropy with. If I'm able to pull it off and am successful, I'd love to be able to share a tasteful trophy picture (if she asks to see one) along with all of the other million pictures I'll take while on the trip.

 

[johnnyblues]

I think the trouble with trophy pictures is that they do not capture the hunt at all. If you have been through it, you can look at it with an educated perspective. You know what it took to get that trophy, and what that aged animal means. If you have not gone through the frustration of a failed hunt, a cold, snowy day, the training and preparation....if you haven't done that then it is just someone grinning over a dead animal. It makes little sense. How the heck can you capture the pure feeling of the hunt in a picture that only caputres the end result? I wonder about that.

Wow..Well said, and so true. I remember years ago when I was training in the gym, I was on a lifestep machine with a loaded pack training for my bighorn sheep hunt, sweating and agonizing. I lost 65 lbs years ago for my Mtn Goat hunt. Sitting in -32 degree's weather in Alberta for 5 days I could go on and on but yes your right. Seeing pictures is a small part of most hunts.

 

[BWH]

How about this one......

No I didn't kill a cow. It had died....Where i duck hunt. So i wanted to pull a joke on my wife & sent it to her.

 

[LivingTheDream]

@CLICKBANGBANG good luck man! Keep it up! Look forward to seeing your hunt report!

@BWH lol man my wife would freak

 

[johnnyblues]

How about this one......

No I didn't kill a cow. It had died....Where i duck hunt. So i wanted to pull a joke on my wife & sent it to her.

View attachment 204049

Very funny!

 

[Pheroze]

This concept was encountered during the last Photo Contest here on AH.
What's a hunting picture?
How do you capture XYZ...... in any picture? It is incredibly tough to do.
It is always evident to me that the pictures mean something to the owner, but those feelings are very often NOT conveyed to those who were not there.

So, "grinning over a dead animal" is often exactly the message being conveyed.
It is merely a moment in time and to capture more than that moment you require incredible eye, timing, good luck and skill.

I just occured to me as I was flipping through a Kuiu catalogue, that they do a fine job with their photos. One I am looking at right now shows the trophy tucked in the backpack, and the lads standing by a glacier.

 

[kevin masters]

Well, I might not wear all my best hunting cloths, but the point is that most people walk around thinking we need to be ASHAMED that we hunt and try not to ruffle any politicallly incorrect feathers.

I say BULLS$#T

If I am wearing a hat in public it is one that makes it obvious I hunt. I have plenty of old hunting jackets and they get used in the spring and fall when I am out and about. THEN I GO OUT AND ACT LIKE A GOOD CITIZEN which puts me as a hunting representative way ahead of most jerks walking around the streets.

If I volunteer to do something I wear cloths that scream "THIS GUY IS A HUNTER" while helping the community.

Point is, show people that you hunt AND THEN act like a good citizen and do something to improve the image of hunters....don't just hide the fact that you hunt in order to not upset some liberal bunny hugger running rampant on our streets you might pass.

That is awesome, I agree wholeheartedly! I carry a camo yeti, my phone case is camo and My bible
is camo! I carry a cross on my key chain because I think if you care for something that much like your
passion for hunting or your faith you should not be ashamed but be proud and let people know where
you stand.

 

[Andy Spencer]

I like unstaged photos of hunters around their quarry the best. Pictures during the field dress, first discovery, and transporting out I find more intriguing than the staged pose. With the amount of photos we have available now days, I know what I look like and my hunting partners. I want to see a picture of their expresssion when we first find the animal, during a congratulatory handshake, etc. I really enjoy "how we found it laying" pictures.

In fact, I don't even care if its my animal if I am even in the picture. I do like to share my pictures, so pictures with innards exposed, bloody faces, etc I know I wont share as often so try and avoid those.

 

[sierraone]

I like unstaged photos of hunters around their quarry the best. Pictures during the field dress, first discovery, and transporting out I find more intriguing than the staged pose. With the amount of photos we have available now days, I know what I look like and my hunting partners. I want to see a picture of their expresssion when we first find the animal, during a congratulatory handshake, etc. I really enjoy "how we found it laying" pictures.

In fact, I don't even care if its my animal if I am even in the picture. I do like to share my pictures, so pictures with innards exposed, bloody faces, etc I know I wont share as often so try and avoid those.

Not sure I understand the bloody face thing, but whatever. When I was a young deer hunter, the men in the camp would cut your shirt tail off if you missed one. I guess it's about the same thing!

 

[Andy Spencer]

Not sure I understand the bloody face thing, but whatever. When I was a young deer hunter, the men in the camp would cut your shirt tail off if you missed one. I guess it's about the same thing!

I mean when the animals face is a mess. Im not offended, I just dont think they look as good.

 

[sierraone]

I mean when the animals face is a mess. Im not offended, I just dont think they look as good.

I agree. I was referring to hunters putting the animals blood on THEIR face.

 

[Andy Spencer]

I like anything involved with hazing new hunters. Its like a snowflake vaccine.

 

[Dewald]

I agree. I was referring to hunters putting the animals blood on THEIR face.

I’m not sure about the rest of the globe, but in SA almost all of us had some blood smeared on our faces with a first animal hunted by our farthers or mentors. You also ate a slice of raw liver (excluding warthog or pigs). As far as I’m concerned you were proud of that, and it was done with great respect to the animal. It mostly entailed a line or cross of blood on your forehead and or nose and cheaks.

Most kids wanted to hunt, we showed off the printed pictures of our animals and blood on our faces after the holidays back at school and no one needed a safe space after having gone through that, nor did we have to go for counseling. Probably because we didn’t eat Tide pods...

Anyhow. As far as hunting photos go I will not easily judge. I am a gun nut and love to take a photo with only the animal and the rifle or a days bag of birds and the shotgun. Posing it neatly doesn’t disrespect the animal in my opinion, and I will always have the picture should the rifle oneday be sold, stolen etc.
Something to this extent:

Certain poses and angles work well, and I advise hunters to take a few “normal” trophy pictures wth their animals, before trying new angles poses etc. I don’t like sitting far away from the animal, as it looks unrealistic. If you so wish to for eg. stand on your giraffe for some reason, I’m not going to stop you, but if you look like a giant knob doing that, and it is the only photo you have, you might well be very bleak about that in a year.

I also take photos of the loading, caping, skinning on occasion, and though not strictly trophy photos, you remember your trips detail that way, and sometimes those unposed “action” photos come out very nice. Lastly, if the tracker is with on the hunt, if there is a recovery crew involved or a dog that came with, it is always nice to get a picture with them in. It shows to them you appreciated their work and it is good to remind you of who was all involved.

 

[sierraone]

I’m not sure about the rest of the globe, but in SA almost all of us had some blood smeared on our faces with a first animal hunted by our farthers or mentors. You also ate a slice of raw liver (excluding warthog or pigs). As far as I’m concerned you were proud of that, and it was done with great respect to the animal. It mostly entailed a line or cross of blood on your forehead and or nose and cheaks.

Most kids wanted to hunt, we showed off the printed pictures of our animals and blood on our faces after the holidays back at school and no one needed a safe space after having gone through that, nor did we have to go for counseling. Probably because we didn’t eat Tide pods...

Anyhow. As far as hunting photos go I will not easily judge. I am a gun nut and love to take a photo with only the animal and the rifle or a days bag of birds and the shotgun. Posing it neatly doesn’t disrespect the animal in my opinion, and I will always have the picture should the rifle oneday be sold, stolen etc.
Something to this extent:
View attachment 236074
View attachment 236075


Certain poses and angles work well, and I advise hunters to take a few “normal” trophy pictures wth their animals, before trying new angles poses etc. I don’t like sitting far away from the animal, as it looks unrealistic. If you so wish to for eg. stand on your giraffe for some reason, I’m not going to stop you, but if you look like a giant knob doing that, and it is the only photo you have, you might well be very bleak about that in a year.

I also take photos of the loading, caping, skinning on occasion, and though not strictly trophy photos, you remember your trips detail that way, and sometimes those unposed “action” photos come out very nice. Lastly, if the tracker is with on the hunt, if there is a recovery crew involved or a dog that came with, it is always nice to get a picture with them in. It shows to them you appreciated their work and it is good to remind you of who was all involved.

Good point on the Tide pods!

 

[Hank2211]

I’m not sure about the rest of the globe, but in SA almost all of us had some blood smeared on our faces with a first animal hunted by our farthers or mentors. You also ate a slice of raw liver (excluding warthog or pigs). As far as I’m concerned you were proud of that, and it was done with great respect to the animal. It mostly entailed a line or cross of blood on your forehead and or nose and cheaks.

Most kids wanted to hunt, we showed off the printed pictures of our animals and blood on our faces after the holidays back at school and no one needed a safe space after having gone through that, nor did we have to go for counseling. Probably because we didn’t eat Tide pods...

Anyhow. As far as hunting photos go I will not easily judge. I am a gun nut and love to take a photo with only the animal and the rifle or a days bag of birds and the shotgun. Posing it neatly doesn’t disrespect the animal in my opinion, and I will always have the picture should the rifle oneday be sold, stolen etc.
Something to this extent:
View attachment 236074
View attachment 236075


Certain poses and angles work well, and I advise hunters to take a few “normal” trophy pictures wth their animals, before trying new angles poses etc. I don’t like sitting far away from the animal, as it looks unrealistic. If you so wish to for eg. stand on your giraffe for some reason, I’m not going to stop you, but if you look like a giant knob doing that, and it is the only photo you have, you might well be very bleak about that in a year.

I also take photos of the loading, caping, skinning on occasion, and though not strictly trophy photos, you remember your trips detail that way, and sometimes those unposed “action” photos come out very nice. Lastly, if the tracker is with on the hunt, if there is a recovery crew involved or a dog that came with, it is always nice to get a picture with them in. It shows to them you appreciated their work and it is good to remind you of who was all involved.

Good advice, @Dewald, and great pictures.

A question. Did you use a wide angle lens for the impala picture? Thanks!

 

[Dewald]

Thank you @Hank2211,

I use a Nikon D700 with 18-200mm DX lense, but often simply my iPhone.

 

[JPbowhunter]

I dont personally love the smeared animal blood thing but i don't oppose it. What i don't think is tasteful though is people sharing those photos on social media, thats the sort of stuff antis jump all over. The counter argument is that we're proud hunters and why should we hide. I get it but fact is we're under the pump these days amd it just plain doesn't help our cause. I say keep the photos to yourself for you and the people it means something to.

What i find disrespectful is people sitting on animals, excessive blood, tongues hanging out, sticking beer bottles and cigarettes in deer mouths (seen that several times), sitting waaay back to make the animal look bigger is a big one with me. My wife is a good barometer for me, shes a non hunter but supports me doing it. These are the things she hates most.

Neat and tidy presentation and s

 

[mark-hunter]

I remember that I have seen somewhere recently some rules of how to make ethical trophy photo by some international hunting orgaznisation.

It could be by DSC or SCI, or some other... But now again searching on internet I can not find it.
So if someone knows about it to post the rules, or give a link to web site?