Many hunters (such as the one pictured above) tend to post “trophy shots,” in which they pose with the animals they kill. Such posts are disrespectful to the recently deceased and create a malicious reputation for hunters, regardless of their actual motives for hunting (Hagerty Ryan/pixnio).
Attending Geneseo after growing up on Long Island has taught me many differences between suburban and rural lifestyles. I found one of the more striking differences to be how common hunting is for people who live in rural areas. Many of my peers hunt for food as well as for sport, and they often begin doing so at a very young age.
I’ve come to learn this not through conversation, but rather through their social media posts. All too many hunters post pictures of themselves posing happily with their dead prey; they smile while holding up a lifeless deer by the antlers while others may post a group of dead fowl lined up in the back of their pickup truck. These “trophy shots” aren’t made with remorse, but with pride.
At the surface, I find such posts utterly disrespectful. Any sane person wouldn’t post pictures of a dead human being, and they certainly wouldn’t mockingly pose with their corpse. So, what makes doing so with an animal any more acceptable?
Upon further analysis, I find the immense pride that hunters get from their hobby alarming. We all have the right to our own opinions on hunting and if it is carried out legally and ethically, I suppose I can respect one’s decision to hunt. However, when one becomes emotionally invested in hunting and can’t help but smile upon looking down at their casualties, they should re-evaluate whether they are hunting for unethical motives.
I may be misinterpreting hunting posts as barbaric rather than reverent, but the unclear nature of social media is a tricky obstacle to avoid. When someone posts a hunting picture, I can’t help but assume they are getting joy from ending a life simply because the only context I have is a gruesome picture. When this picture is paired with congratulatory comments, my interpretation (and disgust) is amplified.
Retired hunter education coordinator Larry Leigh said, “hunters should take the time to position the animal in a natural position and wipe away any blood,” according to CBC News. “It’s an exciting moment but it’s also a moment of reverence because an animal has just died.”
It is understood that hunters put a lot of time, energy and planning into their hunts and would like to share their accomplishments with friends and family. However, respect is owed to their prey that lost their lives for a human’s advantage. Hunters should pay homage to these once-living creatures with more natural posts.
Often, the same people that hunt come home to pet dogs and cats. God forbid their beloved pets pass away; one might create a post comprised of cute, lively pictures of them in order to honor their memory. The contrast between these loving posts and those post-hunting trip posts is uncanny. What deems one animal worthy of companionship and another worthy of being hunted?
Rather than post that picture of a dead animal, hunters should consider educating their followers on why they hunt and its benefits. In doing so, they may find that they don’t actually have an ethical reason to hunt.
Aliyha Gill is a psychology and English double major junior who would only ever hunt for a good deal at the mall.