12 Year Old Girl Faces Online Backlash Over Hunting Photos

[Chipper Blu-wolf]

ABC news article with video: https://gma.yahoo.com/12-old-girl-faces-online-backlash-over-hunting-113309909--abc-news-topstories.html#

Daily Mail UK article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3742171/Pre-teen-hunter-receives-death-threats-posting-pictures-exotic-animals-s-killed.html

Her facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/aryanna.braidsandbowshunting/


Tried to post as much as I could to make this as balanced as possible.  I'm not summarizing the stories, just jumping into the discussion.

I say the girl did the right thing, and I hope she has thick skin to weather the firestorm.

1.)  Yes she killed game in Africa.  As far as I can tell, these weren't animals on preserves, protected for the preservation of the species.  The reports say she was not killing simply for sport and that the meat from the animals goes to hungry and needy children in villages nearby.  Guess what...the people would've probably killed animals anyway for food and it wouldn't have been a news headline, well because they have to eat too!  I'm sure in rural Africa this is hardly newsworthy that an animal died.  People got to eat and if laws were followed, and she was willing to give her kill up to those who were hungry, good for her.  Its not different than hunting white tailed deer in the woods during hunting season around me.  You follow the rules, tag your deer, butcher the animal, and eat well.  Been there, done that, and humans have been doing that since paleo times, so I don't get the outrage over hunting for food to survive.

2.)  Granted what I don't 100% agree with is the trophy posing.  Its bragging in my opinion, and bragging every now and then is not a bad thing.  Its always good for people to enjoy their moment in the spotlight when they've earned it, and I stand by that as a teacher.  Going over the top is where I start to say "ok lets tone it down a bit".  Posing with giraffes and other game while holding bows and arrows is certainly a bit over the top in my opinion.  Its asking for trouble, and this is why I hope she has thick skin.  Social media brings out the absolute worst in humanity that can hide behind a prefabricated username and jeer, sneer, and threaten others.  I didn't waste my time with the comments on her facebook page and the death threats and posts that people share with her.  Nobody has the right to be threatened, nor should they be when she apparently is following all applicable rules, and she is not just leaving the corpse to rot in the savannah.  People will actually get good use out of the food and the money she raises for conservation efforts.  This is hardly bragging for the sake of bragging. 

Do I like seeing animals die?  No way!   But the reality is, they will and people have to eat.  Killing for the sake of killing is 100% wrong, and I don't feel she has done this.  To be fair, I hope she continues conservation efforts beyond shooting animals and posing with them afterwards.  There are other ways to help animals besides killing them. 


Thoughts and comments?

[GrayWolf448]

iv got nothing wrong with the actual hunting if she is giving it to people who them selves dont have a reliable food source, though the picture taking i kinda heavily against.killing a living thing shouldn't be a happy "oh yay, i killed something!" moment, it should be "i did what i had to do to survive/help others survive" and her taking pictures sorta shows that she is enjoying the experience (not saying you should feel guilt, just you shouldn't really be excited to go hunting)

another thing that bothers me about hunting is you go after the animal, no one helps it. the animal goes after you in self defense, and everyone around you would shoot it. it's a very unfair fight.

[ShopePapilloma]

I have almost nothing against legal hunting, and I actually think it's really cool she donated the meat! She appears to be a talented hunter for her age and favors a bow, which is cool. I wouldn't go hunting, as a personal choice, (I can't even kill a spider without feeling guilty. XP) but I don't think that people should be mad at her. Hopefully the backlash doesn't get to her too much.

[Old Rabbit]

Often people respond negatively to images that tell little of the
reality. They should investigate prior to making a big stink. Which
could cause real harm to someone who may not deserve it.

It's part of reality that we all live on death. Be it plants or animals.
It's when people who kill just to see a animal fall or to maim, then to
 brag about it I feel is wrong. Though wild animals are a natural resourse
 that many need for food or money. We still should try to limit pain or
fright when killing them.

Human society has screwed up the natural world, so we often have
to kill animals to save them as a species. Or keep them from becoming
a distructive nuisance.

I am not really in favor of hunting parks. Raising animals so we humans
can slaughter them for fun.  But it's better than having some idiot out in
the wild shooting at anything that moves.