Our hunter conservationist

[dana]

Soooo, I'm confused. The whole reason for the article is that Jim Shockey's son in law posted a photo of a grizzly bear he harvested. And then goes on to say hunters need to post more than harvest shots blah blah blah. Ummm, has this dude ever followed any of the Shockey's on social media. Ummm, they post more about the 'rest of the hunt' than they ever do about the harvest photos. Sooo, what was it that the son in law did wrong? The photo is very respectable as is all the Shockey's photos. So where did he go wrong? Oh that's right, it was a grizzly bear. Can't show those kind of critters. So does the hunter conservationalist have a list of acceptable critters we can post up? Because from what I've seen on social media, bears, cougars, wolves, coyotes, lions, zebras, giraffes, heck any African animal, moose, sheep, deer, and even fish all recieve attacks from the antis. I have had online death threats but just minor. Do you know Eva Shockey gets thousands of death threats each and every day? And they post tons and tons and tons of 'background' to their hunts. So what is it that the hunter conservationist and Shane Mahony, who was actually the inspiration for this article, what do they want hunters to do? Hide. Crawl under ground? Stop using social media and become social misfits? Seriously, i seen gobs and gobs and gobs of positives with hunters using social media. Just go on IG and educate the nonhunters who follow you. Post more hunting photos. Not less. Be A Voice! What hunters need to do is stop being slobs like shooting pet dogs. How many dead dogs were on Global last hunting season. 3??? Seriosly, WTF. Stop being assholes thinking you and only you own the bush. Stop and talk to nonhunters and be nice to them. Motocross and mountain bike riders are not the enemy. They are allies! Stop being dicks in the outdoors throwing your beer cans out the windows because you don't want to be accussed of the drinking and driving you were actually doing. Time to stand up and be counted as a real hunter and wear it proud. Post those pictures, have civil discussions and show the world who were are.

[Bugle M In]

don't think it's about "not posting it", imo.
I think it means to post more of the entire hunt, not just the "kill pic".
If that's all we post up, then that's how it gets portrayed, by those who have never hunted or even considered it.
We all know all more goes into the hunt (about 99.9% more), then just the moment the trigger is pulled and the pic is taken.
Show everybody else, everything else that goes with hunting, the pursuit, the packing, the country, the friendship.
That's how it take it.....maybe I'm wrong?

[dana]

don't think it's about "not posting it", imo.
I think it means to post more of the entire hunt, not just the "kill pic".
If that's all we post up, then that's how it gets portrayed, by those who have never hunted or even considered it.
We all know all more goes into the hunt (about 99.9% more), then just the moment the trigger is pulled and the pic is taken.
Show everybody else, everything else that goes with hunting, the pursuit, the packing, the country, the friendship.
That's how it take it.....maybe I'm wrong?

That's exactly what the Shockeys do. They post up all the stuff that go into the hunt. They are very good sbout it. But they get slammed because they post up a harvest photo of a grizzly. So what is it. Only photos of sunsets and no harvest photos period? You can't slam the Shockey's for doing exactly what you are telling everyone else to do.

[Bugle M In]

Firstly, I don't think it's hunters that set out to "slam shockey" (or anyone else with posting those type of pics, hell, we do it often enough around here in the past).
The big difference I think is to "consider"/"take into consideration" that nowadays, things posted on the web are easily accessible, and used against hunters.
Lets face it, hunters at times have been their own worst enemy.
That Gbear video of it spinning around and around, with countless shots ringing thru the air, was taken, and then released to the public, by hunters.
(not a shockey moment you could say)
But, that is how hunting is portrayed to the "general non hunting public", and I don't mean the anti public, just the "on the fence public".

My wife knows I have a deep fascination/care for wildlife (and she is amazed how many different creatures like me more then most people), yet it still perplexes her how I can love these creatures, and at the same time hunt them (although she understands that we both eat meat).
It's hard for even her to understand the "odd scenario".
An Anti would just say we "do not actually care about living things", and that we are the ones confused.

So, if words are not found to describe "Why we hunt", we have the "power of photographs" to help convey "why we hunt".
Now, do you think if it try to make her understand why I have a passion for hunting thru my photos, do you think I will
just put down one photo after the next, each one just reflecting "what I have taken" as per MD or Elk etc.
Me and the beast laying before me?
Nope.
It will be the scenery, the hikes, the side by side amongst friends etc.

But that same power of photo's can be used against us as well.
Did anyone think Trump could really become President the day he announced he was going to run??
Look where "media", and the power of it" got him.
If we are not careful, guess where it could get us.
It's just a different time, then years ago, and we need to understand that/ consider it.

For me, on the net, where everyone has access to, I would rather see the rack on a pack, and meat on the other pack,
both in the same photo. (these days anyways)

Me and the beast, I will keep for myself and share with friends, in person or by email.
But that's my opinion.
But things like the Gbear video, well, look where that got us.

[dana]

But the point of the article is that Shockey's son in law screwed up by posting a harvest photo. So basically, it doesn't matter that they posted 20 sunsets, 20 sunrises, 20 mountain images, 20 preping food images, 20 campfire images, 20 shooting bows and rifles images, 20 backpack images, all before and after that 1 harvest photo. They screwed up by posting that 1 respectful photo of a grizzly harvest So what is the author trying to tell us. Hide your harvest photos and don't let anyone ever see them. Just like what you are planning to do. And I say that is absolutely silly. We must not hide who we are. We must stand up and be proud of who we are. The Shockey's did nothing wrong and did everything right. The contraversy that came after the photo is from a bunch of wackos that are mentally off their rockers. Why are we told we must cater to those people. These are the same people who are equating hunters, farmers, ranchers and loggers as mass murderers and rapists that need to be killed for the betterment of the planet. Think about that!

[Bugle M In]

I understand what you are saying.
You have no idea how frustrated I am as well at the current situation.
Being a hunter, and having the majority of others these days (so it seems, but that might be an over statement), pointing fingers at us, as the reason for the past/present/future extinction of creatures on the planet, and that all we are, is a bunch of murderers.
Yup, I get it.
I wish they would see it differently?????
They never will.
They will just take those images and hoist it to those on the fence folks, to generate an emotional based opinion.
(Just like the comments from that Gbear killing that Bbear cub video, because their "hearts bleed" when they see those sort of images).

I made the comments that I don't like some of the hunting programs on WildTV, and I will stand by that, as I really puke when I see how they act, and can only imagine what the non hunting public would think if they saw those shows.
Then, there was that episode from hunting in the rough with that bc elk hunt up north.
THAT, made me proud to see, to represent me, to represent hunting.

Some are just going to have to have to deal with the new order of things, or get bashed by the media.
Sad, but true.

But I agree, its sad when I do see legit hunters, doing it right, and yet, still getting bashed by the anti's and media.

[Wild one]

Look at the history of any group that successfully limited public persecution that impacted them and look how it was accomplished

Not one accomplished results by bending to the public’s views and changing who they were. They all stood strong on who they were and put it out in front of the public with pride. They went out of their way to be in the public’s eye and tackled myths head on.

Plain and simple as hunters we will always have those against what we do no matter what live with it. If you choose to hide, give up things that make us who we are, and stay silent all you are doing is becoming a weak easy target that can be attack with no repercussions. You are basically rolling over a playing dead making hunters an easy target

You want hunting to last forever stand your ground don’t play dead

[Rackmastr]

But the point of the article is that Shockey's son in law screwed up by posting a harvest photo. So basically, it doesn't matter that they posted 20 sunsets, 20 sunrises, 20 mountain images, 20 preping food images, 20 campfire images, 20 shooting bows and rifles images, 20 backpack images, all before and after that 1 harvest photo. They screwed up by posting that 1 respectful photo of a grizzly harvest So what is the author trying to tell us. Hide your harvest photos and don't let anyone ever see them. Just like what you are planning to do. And I say that is absolutely silly. We must not hide who we are. We must stand up and be proud of who we are. The Shockey's did nothing wrong and did everything right. The contraversy that came after the photo is from a bunch of wackos that are mentally off their rockers. Why are we told we must cater to those people. These are the same people who are equating hunters, farmers, ranchers and loggers as mass murderers and rapists that need to be killed for the betterment of the planet. Think about that!

I think the important thing to remember is no one is being 'told' to do anything. Everyone has their own opinion on how we should represent ourselves, what we should do with public perception, etc and everyone has a different way of expressing that opinion. Creating the conversation is likely the most important part, and among our different groups we'll have disagreement. Some great conversations about 'grip and grin' photos from Ben O'Brien and various other podcasts out there, and I've listened to Rinella speak about a few things as well as the Shockeys, etc. Having the conversation is better than burying our heads in the dirt though, and anyone can see that we face multiple issues about what we've been doing and what we can be doing to ensure our long term enjoyment. We are losing ground at a ridiculous rate and likely wont be stopping regardless of what we do (my opinion)

[IronNoggin]

... So what is it that the hunter conservationist and Shane Mahony, who was actually the inspiration for this article, what do they want hunters to do? Hide. Crawl under ground? Stop using social media and become social misfits? ...

If that is what you read into Shane Mahoney's efforts and stance, you really missed the boat.
He is rather proactive and supportive of hunting as you may grasp, and well understands the employ of social media.
Why don't you ask him your question directly on his Facebook page?

As for myself, I ain't about to run & hide, nor stop sharing my love of the land, the wildlife, and being there.
Methinks the Kechika report I tendered here is a half decent example of the way I roll... And will continue to.

Cheers,
Nog

[Bugle M In]

Here is something to take from this thread.
Not all threads are black and white.
Some threads are about "being right", "what is legal".
Then there are threads like this, that are "for discussion", and not about "winning it".
I know the next time I have taken something, and take pics, you can bet on it, that I will consider everyone comments
on he subject, due to this thread.
Hopefully others will do the same as well because of the thread.
Even if you do the same thing as before, that's fine, but as long as the conversations and thoughts rattle around in the brain.
That the point of some threads, "to think about it".

One thing I do know, it's Saturday Oct 27th, and all of us posting today on this thread should be out hunting!
Thats the sad part!