Dead fox cub photos - PR?

[VSS]

It's nothing to do with being "PC", and everything to do with advertising.
We are trying to "sell" both a product and a service, and in order to do so we need to ensure that the images we place in the public domain are likely to appeal to (or, at the very least, not be distasteful to) our target audience (ie, the general public).
No different from selling anything else: If you were trying to promote a particular brand of car, for example, you wouldn't post a picture of one just after all of its occupants had been killed in a smash. Your rivals might - if you were stupid enough to make that picture available to them - but you'd post footage of the latest gleaming model bowling along the open road through panoramic scenery to the accompaniment of an attractive soundtrack.
So that's where we're at. Think before you post. Share images that tell our story in a positive light, and refrain from posting pics that, if used against us, could have a negative impact.
The type of people who persist in posting images in the public domain that could be taken and used against us are the antis in our midst, effectively working for the rival advertising agency.

 

[Sinistral]

So, I will expect a barrage of strong opinions but.......over the past few days there has been photos of dead fox cubs up at the top of the stalking directory home page. Now, I do as much as I can to educate family and friends regarding fieldsports but there are some aspects that are really hard to justify to the uninitiated or those who have very little access to the 'real' countryside.

Personally I find the shooting of cubs distasteful and a vixen in milk even more so - if the cubs are left to starve. However, that is just a personal opinion and I do not have any responsibility regarding predator control and I would imagine those that do would look at it from a completely different perspective - I appreciate that.

Either way, when we could have potential newbies looking in and maybe family members peering over the shoulder, I am wondering if we should be a little careful about those images that could create the wrong first impression?

I agree with the OP, but to be correct these 3 pics were not on the Home Page. They were in 'Writeups' and headed the 'Media' sub-forum page. As such they're unlikely to be seen by a casual visitor. Having said all that, I think shooting fish in a barrel isn't very smart or bragworthy. Others have a different opinion. Logically speaking, there are other options rather than a post like this, which draws public attention.

• 'Report' it to Admin with your views, and leave it up to them.
• Block all posts from certain forum members
• Don't look at the 'Writeups' or 'Media' forums.
• Use an Adblocker to block certain forums, and 'Attachments' of any kind. That's pretty much obligatory, as it's impossible to predict when unwelcome or unsolicited pictures are going to appear within posts. It's quite easy to do this technically. That way if you want to see pictures within Ads, forums, or posts you can just unflip the Adblocker switch off, and reset it back on when you're done.

I prefer options 3 & 4 because 1 & 2 need me to Login. I had to break my golden rule to see what this was about.

 

[User00056]

There are simply no good pictures of dead animals.

This. I photograph deer I've shot for my own records, and to show evidence to my farmers that I'm actually taking deer. I also post what I do on my own Facebook page, so that non-shooting friends can gain awareness of how it's done. I never post photographs of dead deer though. Nor do I personally shoot foxes. (No problem with it, I just have no need to control them here).

There are some who claim we shouldn't hide what we do, and that's valid to a point. I do feel though, that the majority of photos serve little purpose. Shooting folk all know what a dead deer or fox looks like, and photographs really only serve as fuel for the antis

 

[Tony Morgan]

Shooting folk all know what a dead deer or fox looks like

Yes.

Although it's understandable that people like to show pictures of a first deer, or of one with an interesting feature, or of a fine-looking head.

But a dead fox? Not so much.....

 

[Demetrius]

I guess I'm an "anti" in as much as I wouldn't even consider shooting any critter that I'm not going to eat.
And in common with many others, I really don't think that pictures of some smirking clown posing with his gun and a bunch of dead foxes is doing shooting sports any favours at all.

D.

 

[Mr Tree]

I guess I'm an "anti" in as much as I wouldn't even consider shooting any critter that I'm not going to eat.
And in common with many others, I really don't think that pictures of some smirking clown posing with his gun and a bunch of dead foxes is doing shooting sports any favours at all.

D.

What do you do about rat control? Would you object to them eating your food? I would happily shoot a creature in oder to conserve a much rarer one, or one that is eating my food! or endangering me or others.

 

[Keith Edmunds]

I agree with the OP, but to be correct these 3 pics were not on the Home Page. They were in 'Writeups' and headed the 'Media' sub-forum page. As such they're unlikely to be seen by a casual visitor. Having said all that, I think shooting fish in a barrel isn't very smart or bragworthy. Others have a different opinion. Logically speaking, there are other options rather than a post like this, which draws public attention.

• 'Report' it to Admin with your views, and leave it up to them.
• Block all posts from certain forum members
• Don't look at the 'Writeups' or 'Media' forums.
• Use an Adblocker to block certain forums, and 'Attachments' of any kind. That's pretty much obligatory, as it's impossible to predict when unwelcome or unsolicited pictures are going to appear within posts. It's quite easy to do this technically. That way if you want to see pictures within Ads, forums, or posts you can just unflip the Adblocker switch off, and reset it back on when you're done.

I prefer options 3 & 4 because 1 & 2 need me to Login. I had to break my golden rule to see what this was about.

I'd find it very sad if a group of like-minded (not identical) individuals don't have the freedom to simply discuss a topic such as this on a forum such as this.

 

[VSS]

I'd find it very sad if a group of like-minded (not identical) individuals don't have the freedom to simply discuss a topic such as this on a forum such as this.

That's what we're doing, isn't it?

 

[Tim.243]

I'd find it very sad if a group of like-minded (not identical) individuals don't have the freedom to simply discuss a topic such as this on a forum such as this.

Have/did you discuss it with the person who posted the pictures prior to starting the thread?

 

[Keith Edmunds]

That's what we're doing, isn't it?

Yes and rightly so, I was referring to this comment.....

Logically speaking, there are other options rather than a post like this, which draws public attention.

• 'Report' it to Admin with your views, and leave it up to them.
• Block all posts from certain forum members
• Don't look at the 'Writeups' or 'Media' forums.
• Use an Adblocker to block certain forums, and 'Attachments' of any kind. That's pretty much obligatory, as it's impossible to predict when unwelcome or unsolicited pictures are going to appear within posts. It's quite easy to do this technically. That way if you want to see pictures within Ads, forums, or posts you can just unflip the Adblocker switch off, and reset it back on when you're done.

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Have/did you discuss it with the person who posted the pictures prior to starting the thread?

No, that's not the point - I am not saying that my view is correct, I am merely sharing my opinion on a........."forum".........Hell, I thought that's what forums were for

 

[Mike1979]

I guess I'm an "anti" in as much as I wouldn't even consider shooting any critter that I'm not going to eat.
And in common with many others, I really don't think that pictures of some smirking clown posing with his gun and a bunch of dead foxes is doing shooting sports any favours at all.

D.

Good to have your opinion but obviously you dont do any pest control and calling people who do "smirking clowns" is a little unfair. I have shot plenty of foxes over the years and see nothing wrong with sharing these images as part of the story with like minded folks. I dont post pics of foxes with half their head gone or guts everywhere. I may be a clown but I do think of the impact that blood and gore may have on those non smirking clowns amongst us

 

[Mike1979]

That's what we're doing, isn't it?

Cant beat a bit of healthy debate. Hopefully it remains polite

 

[kevtherev]

Don’t put pictures on and draw attention to yourself it’s all over the fox pages on FB and instagram.
Everyone is entitled to do what they want on their own land if they wish.

 

[FrenchieBoy]

Cant beat a bit of healthy debate. Hopefully it remains polite

I've given my thoughts! We have to remember the old saying which I will leave you to chew over - "You can please some of the people some of the time but you will never please all of them all of the time"!

 

[Tim.243]

No, that's not the point - I am not saying that my view is correct, I am merely sharing my opinion on a........."forum".........Hell, I thought that's what forums were for

Yes you are correct it is a forum, and as for blowing hunting horns and putting sprigs of a branch on an animal after you shot it...

 

[VSS]

Yes you are correct it is a forum, and as for blowing hunting horns and putting sprigs of a branch on an animal after you shot it...

I have to say I find the whole "last bite" ritual a bit lacking in taste.

(No pun intended, btw).

 

[Pedro]

I can understand pictures of dead animals being taken for personal records or to prove you are doing a job.

But really, I think the number of people who want to see pictures of bloody dead deer, foxes or whatever plastered all over the internet that they have nothing to do with is pretty darned small.

 

[Mike1979]

I can understand pictures of dead animals being taken for personal records or to prove you are doing a job.

But really, I think the number of people who want to see pictures of bloody dead deer, foxes or whatever plastered all over the internet that they have nothing to do with is pretty darned small.

Agreed but I think the point is that this is a shooting forum and its not really plastered all over the internet.

I would never post pics on facebook or similar but if we cant post pics on a shooting forum then what hope is there left?

May as well ban the ability to post any pics if we dont want to cause offence to people who will never agree with shooting anything.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Yes you are correct it is a forum, and as for blowing hunting horns and putting sprigs of a branch on an animal after you shot it...

Completely different life style all together on the continent by far!

It is ingraineded in the continentals from birth, plus hunting in the likes of Germany with the hunting horns are a spectacle to put hairs up on the back of your next a truly wonderful experience, one of which I have had the fortune to be a part of on more than one occasion