Respect for our quarry

[danebrewer10 6]

Respect for the quarry we hunt. Do you show it?

First off I don’t want this post to turn into one of those “if you don’t like it don’t look†kind of arguments, and I know I have commented on other threads and gotten a similar response, but please read the whole thing and then comment.

 

I feel that respect for quarry no matter what it is, is very important. Whether it is one of the so called â€vermin†species, or one of the esteemed game birds or deer species.

Respect for the quarry comes not only from choosing the right tool for the job, bullet, cartridge, shot size and type of firearm for the job in hand to ensure quick, clean kills and minimum suffering to our quarry, right up to how we handle the animal after the shot, this I feel extends also to photography.

Ignoring the correct choice of firearm and ammunition, I want to concentrate on what happens after the shot, which to my mind is equally as important as the pursuit and the clean shot. My reason from writing this stems from trophy photos, both on forums and in the magazines and on the web. Often, animals are photographed still with blood dripping from their mouths or noses. Weeping wounds are unavoidable, but some effort can be made to clean the animal up for photography.

Another example, and probably the most prevalent, is of foxes, so often one sees on forums (this one as well), less than perfect photos taken on a camera phone, fuzzy, out of focus shots (perhaps this is not important), with most of the foxes insides hanging out, which does nothing for the good face of our sport nor for the dignity of the animal, I shoot a .17 HMR and have seen what that little frangible bullet does on a small lightly built animal like a rabbit. One can be proud of the success of the hunt and of the results but in a more sympathetic way. Again referring to my earlier point about animals being respected and not just treated as “vermin†or “sporting targetsâ€. If you are out after any quarry species and you know you want to take a few snaps, pack a small camera in a pocket, I guess most people will own one and will enable much better pictures to be takes, you don’t have to go out there and spend £3K on a professional SLR to get decent snaps. I am no expert on photography, far from it, but this I feel is how quarry photos should look, or at least on the same lines in terms of lack of blood. OK I did go back to fetch my SLR, a Nikon D60 with the kit lens, and yes I did shoot the fox with a shotgun which dosen’t make nearly as much mess as a rifle bullet, but you get the idea.

DSC_7620 by danebrewer12, on Flickr

 

DSC_7631 edited by danebrewer12, on Flickr

 

DSC_7614 by danebrewer12, on Flickr

 

When I shoot a species that I do not intend to keep or cannot eat, such as a magpie, crow or fox, I do not lob it into the bushes with a throw that an Olympic hammer thrower would be proud of, where possible I feel animals such as this should be laid wherever their final resting place should be, or if that is not possible lofted with care (a paradox perhaps I know) into the middle of the hedge or wherever where they will not be disturbed, and can be found by passing scavengers and cleaned up.

Even animals we intend to keep and eat I feel need better treatment, not just as pieces of meat, but as the animals that they are, put, where possible into the land rover or wherever and not tossed.

Some may find my opinions soft or over the top, even bordering on “anti†I shudder at the thought, having held my FAC and SGC for 3 years and been shooting, probably since I was 10 or 12, (being aged 20 now) but I feel it is an issue that needs addressing and one that should be instilled into newcomers into the sport.

 

DB

[scothunter 12,609]

dont shoot anymore,but no matter what i quarry i do now i have always shown respect for it.its the right thing after all. good post btw and well written

[RicW 67]

Respect for the quarry we hunt. Do you show it?

First off I don’t want this post to turn into one of those “if you don’t like it don’t look†kind of arguments, and I know I have commented on other threads and gotten a similar response, but please read the whole thing and then comment.

 

I feel that respect for quarry no matter what it is, is very important. Whether it is one of the so called â€vermin†species, or one of the esteemed game birds or deer species.

Respect for the quarry comes not only from choosing the right tool for the job, bullet, cartridge, shot size and type of firearm for the job in hand to ensure quick, clean kills and minimum suffering to our quarry, right up to how we handle the animal after the shot, this I feel extends also to photography.

Ignoring the correct choice of firearm and ammunition, I want to concentrate on what happens after the shot, which to my mind is equally as important as the pursuit and the clean shot. My reason from writing this stems from trophy photos, both on forums and in the magazines and on the web. Often, animals are photographed still with blood dripping from their mouths or noses. Weeping wounds are unavoidable, but some effort can be made to clean the animal up for photography.

Another example, and probably the most prevalent, is of foxes, so often one sees on forums (this one as well), less than perfect photos taken on a camera phone, fuzzy, out of focus shots (perhaps this is not important), with most of the foxes insides hanging out, which does nothing for the good face of our sport nor for the dignity of the animal, I shoot a .17 HMR and have seen what that little frangible bullet does on a small lightly built animal like a rabbit. One can be proud of the success of the hunt and of the results but in a more sympathetic way. Again referring to my earlier point about animals being respected and not just treated as “vermin†or “sporting targetsâ€. If you are out after any quarry species and you know you want to take a few snaps, pack a small camera in a pocket, I guess most people will own one and will enable much better pictures to be takes, you don’t have to go out there and spend £3K on a professional SLR to get decent snaps. I am no expert on photography, far from it, but this I feel is how quarry photos should look, or at least on the same lines in terms of lack of blood. OK I did go back to fetch my SLR, a Nikon D60 with the kit lens, and yes I did shoot the fox with a shotgun which dosen’t make nearly as much mess as a rifle bullet, but you get the idea.

DSC_7620 by danebrewer12, on Flickr

 

DSC_7631 edited by danebrewer12, on Flickr

 

DSC_7614 by danebrewer12, on Flickr

 

When I shoot a species that I do not intend to keep or cannot eat, such as a magpie, crow or fox, I do not lob it into the bushes with a throw that an Olympic hammer thrower would be proud of, where possible I feel animals such as this should be laid wherever their final resting place should be, or if that is not possible lofted with care (a paradox perhaps I know) into the middle of the hedge or wherever where they will not be disturbed, and can be found by passing scavengers and cleaned up.

Even animals we intend to keep and eat I feel need better treatment, not just as pieces of meat, but as the animals that they are, put, where possible into the land rover or wherever and not tossed.

Some may find my opinions soft or over the top, even bordering on “anti†I shudder at the thought, having held my FAC and SGC for 3 years and been shooting, probably since I was 10 or 12, (being aged 20 now) but I feel it is an issue that needs addressing and one that should be instilled into newcomers into the sport.

 

DB

 

Ric

[lola & tom 0]

i completely agree with that, a life is a life at the end of the day. good post

[halamrose 24]

Interesting topic, I shoot for Sport, Vermin Control and food. I'm not a trophy man, but I enjoy some of the stories and pictures here. I think animals deserver the cleanest death we can give them, but nature is not so sympathetic.

 

Poorly presented trophies may or may not achieve what the hunter wants but I really don't think the dead animal cares at all. In the way we treat dead animals we tell ourselves and others about our attitude and how civilised we are or want to think we are. If you treat animals savagely then perhaps your a savage, on the other hand if you treat the empty husk of what had life as anything more then perhaps you have unresolved ethical issues - but that's OK = you don't want to get complacent.

 

So I guess it comes down to why you hunt, what the trophies are for and its all very personal. One thing I'm sure of though - the animal no longer cares once its dead, so any effect is on the hunter and anyone seeing the trophies.

[danw 1,748]

Is having respect for your quarry just a way of salving your conscience once you have taken its life?

[lola & tom 0]

possibly - if your not going to eat it, but i wouldn't like to think ill be thrown about once I'm dead so i dont do it

[coldweld 65]

Respect is a personal thing .

I try to kill cleanly, Finish off any wounded quickly and either eat it or if vermin dispose of the bodies the deer pit.

 

 

I can't understand why people feel the need to take pics and then post them ? is that respect or is it boasting ?

 

What would the public think off our Soldiers if they posted pics of the dead people they have shot respectfully posed with a SA80 and a empty case on someones chest .

 

 

I am not having a pop just my oppinion of respect is different from some others

[danebrewer10 6]

Thanks for the positive feedback, I must honestly say I was expecting an extreme backlash from the foxing chaps.... who knows this may be the calm before the storm

 

 

Is having respect for your quarry just a way of salving your conscience once you have taken its life?

 

no I don't think so, I don't feel gulity at all, it's just a continuation of good ethins before and during the hunt and the shot.

 

 

Respect is a personal thing .

I try to kill cleanly, Finish off any wounded quickly and either eat it or if vermin dispose of the bodies the deer pit.

 

 

I can't understand why people feel the need to take pics and then post them ? is that respect or is it boasting ?

 

What would the public think off our Soldiers if they posted pics of the dead people they have shot respectfully posed with a SA80 and a empty case on someones chest .

 

 

I am not having a pop just my oppinion of respect is different from some others

 

I think photos are really, in the case of paid hunts, for sealing memories, where the trophy photo in conjunction with others can help bring back memories of past hunts, and it better enables you to share your hunts with others.

as for the boasting aspect, who isn't pleased at a sucessful hunt, be it pigeons, geese, foxes or whatever?, people like sharing their stories, much like you read in the magazines, I think that is what goes on here, it's just that I think it could be a bit different.

[danebrewer10 6]

Thanks for the positive feedback, I must honestly say I was expecting an extreme backlash from the foxing chaps.... who knows this may be the calm before the storm

 

 

Is having respect for your quarry just a way of salving your conscience once you have taken its life?

 

no I don't think so, I don't feel gulity at all, it's just a continuation of good ethins before and during the hunt and the shot.

 

 

Respect is a personal thing .

I try to kill cleanly, Finish off any wounded quickly and either eat it or if vermin dispose of the bodies the deer pit.

 

 

I can't understand why people feel the need to take pics and then post them ? is that respect or is it boasting ?

 

What would the public think off our Soldiers if they posted pics of the dead people they have shot respectfully posed with a SA80 and a empty case on someones chest .

 

 

I am not having a pop just my oppinion of respect is different from some others

 

I think photos are really, in the case of paid hunts, for sealing memories, where the trophy photo in conjunction with others can help bring back memories of past hunts, and it better enables you to share your hunts with others.

as for the boasting aspect, who isn't pleased at a sucessful hunt, be it pigeons, geese, foxes or whatever?, people like sharing their stories, much like you read in the magazines, I think that is what goes on here, it's just that I think it could be a bit different.

[RicW 67]

I take entirely your point about respect being shown after, as well as during, killing. However,I still have a problem with wounded animals. If you shoot amd wound a fox on land where you have permission I take it as read that you will do your best to follow up and give the beast the coup de grace. So far so good. But what if it runs onto land where you do not have permission? With deer, as I read the legislation, you are REQUIRED BY LAW to follow the beast and humanely kill it with a second shot; if that is on land where you do not have permission the landholder becomes the owner of the dead beast. But what does the conscientious fox shooter do?

 

The other problem comes with shooting milky vixens. Sheep and foxes drop their young at the same time of year. The foxes are after easy prey, and are likely to go after new-born lambs. So it is probable that a vixen with cubs may be shot. If you go out with a terrier or long-dog you can trace the vixen back to earth,and humanely dispatch the cubs but again what if this is on land where you do not have permission?

 

I don't have answers, but the questions are worth asking.

 

Great post DB

 

Ric

[Mr_Logic 5]

With deer, as I read the legislation, you are REQUIRED BY LAW to follow the beast and humanely kill it with a second shot;

 

I would anyway, but which bit of legislation is this please?

[RicW 67]

With deer, as I read the legislation, you are REQUIRED BY LAW to follow the beast and humanely kill it with a second shot;

 

 

 

I would anyway, but which bit of legislation is this please?

Lifted from the British Deer Society website.

 

Ric

[dicehorn 38]

I must confess that I come down on the side of Danebrewer regarding his thoughts on this subject. I can understand that a guy wants to put up a photo of his first fox - what I cant understand is why it is neccesary for certain members to take photos of every fox they shoot - to me they are either immature or just willey wavers begging for praise from them that appear to get a kick also out of seeing a dead fox with its guts blown out (usually a sign of a close shot, so no big deal) - why not (if they have to) flip the fox over so that the bullet entry side is shown? - we will all believe its still dead.

 

And before anyone accuses me also of being an 'anti' I am pretty well known to a few members on here as a fox shooter - so far this year my total is 82 but I dont start my shooting until mid June when I get my first call from one of the 3 commercial shoots in my area.

 

The only time I would take a photo of one of my shot foxes would be if it had two tails or 5 legs.

[borntoshoot 1]

 

What would the public think off our Soldiers if they posted pics of the dead people they have shot respectfully posed with a SA80 and a empty case on someones chest .

 

 

 

 

Animals and people are completely differant so no thats is not acceptable But as many people have already said I personally as do many others take photos of the bag as a way of remembering the day but to also share with others the result of a successful day whether it be stalking rabbits with an airgun, decoying pigeons with a shotgun, or deer stalking with a rifle.