Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Pictures of Trapped and Shot Wolves Are Bad

ruffcutt, read the whole thread. It started off real mild, taking about how we as sportsman have an obligation to keep the pics "g" rated to help our image. ended up being a tool measuring contest between a couple chaps. Nobody is questioning trapping, at least not on this thread. IMO, trapping is simply another form of hunting, just like rifle, archery, etc. Sometimes the 24 hour campfire turns into the 24 hour daycare.

I think you missed the point. I'll summarize for you: a lot of people think trapping is cruel, and if trappers don't realize that and conform their conduct accordingly, trapping will be banned via voter initiative. Any questions?

Ranger, no body's saying hide it. Come on man, your better than that aren't you? It's about being tasteful, intelligent, and thoughtful. Use the God given attributes you have, and play in the system we have been dealt. You can't win by going off half caulked with that attitude. They will win. You will have your pride, but trapping will end. Is that what you want? It's really quit simple. They just ran the story in KECI TV as I typed this. GREAT!

While it doesn't really bother me, here is a well documented wolf attack that shows the pain and cruelty of the natural world.

Dig this treehuggers...

While I see where Ranger1 is coming from when he talked about "hiding" it, makes it look like something you are embarrassed of, or something that is bad, you have to weigh the benefits of how much you show. I mean, why THIS photo, out of all the hundreds of photos posted on trapperman, as well as dozens of other hunting forums, this is the one that blew up. It shows a long struggle by wolf, bleeding, bleeding=pain=suffering. Right or wrong, most of non-hunting public will overlook, ignore, accept most of what we do as hunters when we post our successes, grip and grin shots. The animal is already dead, they don't want to know how it died or see "the deed". Just like they can walk into a super market with aisles filled with slabs of meat. They don't want to think about where it came from, but they buy it and eat it. Hypocritical? Absolutely, but don't ask most people to delve too deeply into self-reflection, its a messy business.

But by the same token, don't go around poking a sleeping bear. That is what this photo has done. Its fuel for the fire and money in the pockets of trap free montana, and footloose MT. It's more volunteers to get signatures, its more tanks of gas to spread the word, its more people pushed off the fence in the camp of the ones out to end trapping, not just wolf trapping, ALL TRAPPING ON PUBLIC LAND. I guarantee, that wench down in Missoula that runs footlooseMT did a happy dance when she saw that photo because she knew her bank account was going to go up in a hurry. I can't help but believe, if/when they get their initiative on the ballot, its gonna pass, that stupid photo may have been all they need to get it there.

I know the guy worked long and hard to finally catch a wolf, I congratulated him myself on that forum, but he didn't post that photo on that site(not trapperman), he should have just kept that phots to himself. It was a bad move. He took a great pic with the dead wolf, should have been happy with that.

One of the best arguments a hunter has against the antis is that being hunted is an end that is far more humane than that animal will encounter otherwise.
Really it is the kindest end they could hope to come to.

The antis will use whatever emotional appeal they can. I suspect it forms the basis for their thinking. Hunting is usually defended using logic and game management science, but emotion could very effective on the bunny huggers. Photos of natural predation can be a powerful tool.

drahthaar is spot on. I'm sure it wasn't the intent of the trapper, but that photo and the ensuing fiasco in Missoula will go a long way towards Footloose's fight. And mark my words, if those lunatics get trapping banned, something else we sportsmen value is on the list next. mtmuley

A lot of folks have expressed how I feel about this topic. If we as hunters and trappers cannot use discretion as to what pictures we put out there to go viral with the things we enjoy are really at risk.
If we present ourselves ( in their minds) as people who show no or very little respect for animals or for those who don't participate in our life style we are doomed.
Idaho and Montana and hopefully Wyoming shortly have worked hard to be in the position their in with the hunting and trapping of wolves. We have a chance to assist in bringing our ungulate populations back in those states. Why would anyone do any thing that would give fuel to those who would like to derail what has been so hard to get to?

I am for trapping and hunting wolves big time,I just said this post by him was wrong and he should have known better.Besides being wrong for the cause,he has put his life in danger by doing so...

His name/address and employer were posted publicly and came the death threats.



Not a good thing in any way other than another dead wolf!

Jayco

Link to page...
3/4 of the way down...

http://drstevebest.wordpress.com/

Yeah..I didn't want to post his name etc being an Elk City boy myself.It's just to bad it has to be this way but we sure don't need more gas on the wolf debate fire.

Kill 'em all and I would be happy but I cringe and hope our Wolf Hunting seasons remain intact with all those nut cases wanting to stop it...

One Judge is all it takes even with the new law and its skids on again.


Jayco

He does look pretty tuckered out.

Here is a site I came across a few years back while doing some Mt Beetle recce. We managed to snap a bunch of pictures and some good video.

Went back in the spring while guiding and found a few bones, but that was it.

Mother Nature at her finest.





[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/3pack.jpg
[/IMG]







Cheers

SS

there's another bloody circle in the snow.
I find this one more offensive than the first

Me too!

And while we sit here having pissing contests and bitch slapping each other with handbags the antis are rubbing their hands together with glee, divide and conquer seems to work well for them.

As hunters and trappers I'm sure we can all agree some photos should not be shown publicly BUT the guy was within his legal right to be doing what he did and as such he should be getting our backing publicly. If you disagree with the pic then say so but make damn sure you clarify your stance, that the photo was not suitable for public viewing but that you support the trapper in his catch.

Pics like those of the moose and wolves above are good ammunition for the general public, use those to back our stance that predators need to be controlled and that hunting/trapping is not as cruel as nature. They will not convince the idiots who post death threats towards hunters and trappers but they will help sway the average person to accept that our sport is not as bad as the antis make out.

I agree with Ranger1 on this one. There is nothing to be ashamed about for good, honest, tasteful portrayals of trapping or hunting. As long as those criteria are met, then dont hide from the criticism, but rather look to educate.

Logcutter, I dont understand your point at all. And why would you want pictures of Ranger1 with his shirt off?

My point is and was,posting pictures like that one do nothing for hunting/trapping in general.Just the opposite happens...The greeners get all hyped up besides putting a $1,000 bounty on him with his name/address and place of employment..Why and for what purpose..

Maybe we should take video's of wounded game animals not yet dead squirming/bawling and kicking around before the final shot to put it out of it's misery and post them on the net and see the outcome of that..

There are just some things that not need posted publicly in the name of responsible hunting...Lets not add fuel to the fire on firearms and hunting and especially,Wolves in the very early stages of legal hunting that has been "stopped" before.

Jayco

Looks to me like your point may have had something to do with not posting any kind of picture that shows a trapped animal. The pictures that I posted show animals that are calm and not injured. How is one to educate the public about trapping if you can't show them that it isn't the barbaric sport that some seem to think?

We are not going to educate the public showing them first a picture of a wolf with a leg in the trap with red snow all around it,then the same wolf dead.

If you followed the story, it included others taking shots at the wounded wolf before the trapper did his part..This all happened close to a public road right here in Idaho.

You and I are not going to educate the public on responsible hunting practices but we can add fuel to the ongoing fire with inappropriate pictures posted on the net.That wounded,in the trap alive picture had know buisness being posted other than bragging rights.

He would have served his cause by just his picture with the dead wolf that so many post without the before and after effect.Like here is Bambi alive and playing then here is dead Bambi......

Some thought has to go into what a guy post pictures of and what maybe he shouldn't.

Bottom line...His name/address and employer are presently posted on the net with a reward on his head of $1,000...I would have to ask him..Was it worth it?

Jayco