I was disgusted many were not

Isn't trophy hunting the practice of killing a precious animal just for the thrill of the hunt? It has nothing to do with eating what you kill. ( Vegetarian ) ?
I know my friend with all the trophies gave the carcasses to the guides that were with him, who in turn used it to feed their families and friends. The meat was not wasted.
 

I know my friend with all the trophies gave the carcasses to the guides that were with him, who in turn used it to feed their families and friends. The meat was not wasted.
I think that is true for a lot of people who don't want what they kill. Give it away! I have no problem with that. If a specie is endangered then no hunting period.
 
As a former hunter, I wouldn't consider painting such a thing. I have plenty of pictures of me with my deer, mostly all bucks that I shot over the years. I was an archery hunter and enjoyed the hunt. I wasn't a hunter that sat in a tree stand and waited maybe for hours for a big buck to pass under my tree stand so I could take him down. I would track my deer and shoot him the way real hunters do.
I did the same. I tried sitting in a tree stand and I would see lots of doe and small bucks come by, but never shot any. A friend of mine got me started on using a tree stand and I would get bored after about an hour of waiting for that 8 point to come strolling by. He gave me some jerky to chew on while waiting, but even that didn't help pass the time.

I only have a few pictures of me with my deer that were taken by others in my party. We bought a cabin in Clearfield County. Lots of deer up there, but I preferred eating deer that ate corn and beans from the farmers during the summer months. You can tell the difference from the meat of a mountain deer and a deer that ate off of the farmer's land or what we called "valley" deer.
 

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I've hunted (which means I'm definitely pro gun) and fished for as long as I can remember but I don't do it for trophies I do it because I enjoy hunting and fishing and we enjoy eating what I harvest.....if anyone finds the below pics offensive so be it.

Early 90's NWT.
n.pike.jpg

Fall 2022 Okla.
DH3.jpg
 
The deer head painting is of course an image I protect myself from (and thank you for not posting it).
But Art is a form of freedom of expression.
When you start trying to control other people's freedom of expression then it is no longer Art in it's totality. I do personally draw the line though.
 
Here are the biggest bucks ever taken, For you real hunters out there, I am sure you will enjoy these pictures, but could you shoot one? I had a 10 point in my archery sights that probably went over 200 pounds dressed. I couldn't shoot it. I wanted to really let the arrow go, but couldn't let it fly. I always wanted a monster buck, but when I had the chance to take one, my integrity of killing a buck just for a shoulder mount said "NO!"

My friend who was hunting at the bottom of the hill and working his way up didn't see it, but said I should have taken it because someone else will. My only retort to that was, "Maybe."

Biggest Bucks
 
You would be wrong. I’m not vegetarian . I just don’t believe in trophy hunting. How does that make me a hypocrite? I was merely expressing how I would feel about being in a Facebook group with someone painting a dead animal they killed for sport. How is that being a hypocrite?
My husband fishes. He catches fish for food. He’s a good fisherman. We eat the fish. There’s nothing hypocritical in anything I said.View attachment 350390
My mistake, Peppermint Patty. I do not consider you a hypocrite at all, and I never said so. But to judge a trophy image as evil is to assume that the trophy will not be eaten.
The image is probably of a beautiful animal, I mean, it obviously wasn't a mangy old one-eyed doe, was it?
 
Here are the biggest bucks ever taken, For you real hunters out there, I am sure you will enjoy these pictures, but could you shoot one? I had a 10 point in my archery sights that probably went over 200 pounds dressed. I couldn't shoot it. I wanted to really let the arrow go, but couldn't let it fly. I always wanted a monster buck, but when I had the chance to take one, my integrity of killing a buck just for a shoulder mount said "NO!"

My friend who was hunting at the bottom of the hill and working his way up didn't see it, but said I should have taken it because someone else will. My only retort to that was, "Maybe."

Biggest Bucks
My husband felt the same as you.
 
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I agree with you, @LoveTulips , what you described is disgusting and offensive....as is any form of trophy hunting.
So, how can you determine that this was "trophy hunting" instead of a way to put food on the family table? In some families and some communities, shooting your first deer is a rite of passage, and is often commemorated with a photo. I'm sure my older brother has a picture of his granddaughter and the deer she got, using the shotgun that belonged to our father (her great grandfather). After processing, the meat was shared with family and friends.

We humans are omnivores and we are sustained only by consuming other living things.
 
In my state hunters by law, no matter what their purpose is, are required by law to retrieve and utilize the animal. Packing the meat out could be a substantial physical effort in addition to carrying the head and or antlers of a "trophy." The "trophy" hunters shows as much respect for the game as any other hunter.

AI says -

4 stages of hunting​

The 4 stages of hunting are a concept developed by researchers to describe the progression of a hunter’s attitude and behavior as they gain experience and skill. These stages are not rigidly defined and may vary from person to person, but they provide a general framework for understanding the evolution of a hunter’s approach to the sport.
Stage 1: Shooting Stage In this initial stage, hunters are primarily focused on shooting and testing their skills. They may not be concerned with the ethics or morality of hunting, and their primary goal is to bag as many animals as possible. This stage is often characterized by a lack of experience and a desire to prove oneself as a skilled hunter.
Stage 2: Limit Stage As hunters gain more experience, they begin to focus on limiting their harvest to a specific number of animals. This stage is marked by a growing awareness of the importance of conservation and a desire to respect the animal and the environment. Hunters in this stage may still be driven by a desire to bag a certain number of animals, but they are beginning to consider the bigger picture.
Stage 3: Trophy Stage In this stage, hunters focus on the quality of their harvest rather than the quantity. They may be interested in hunting specific species or sizes of animals, and they may be willing to pass on opportunities that do not meet their standards. This stage is characterized by a high level of skill and experience, as well as a deep respect for the animal and the environment.
Stage 4: Sportsman Stage
The final stage of hunting is characterized by a deep respect for the animal, the environment, and the sport itself. Hunters in this stage have a strong sense of responsibility and ethics, and they may be involved in conservation efforts or hunting organizations. They view hunting as a way to connect with nature and themselves, rather than just a means of bagging animals.
It’s worth noting that not all hunters will progress through all of these stages, and some may skip certain stages altogether. Additionally, these stages are not mutually exclusive, and hunters may exhibit characteristics from multiple stages at different times.
 
My point was, even if it was offensive to me, I would not ask that it be removed. I am not the king of the FB painting page and I have to share it with others.
I agree. The instructor needs to remain neutral for the success of the group. I would hate an image like that and might look for another group for myself because trophy hunting isn't something I enjoy seeing. :unsure:
 
Most (actually all) deer hunters I know take the carcass to a local shop that processes the meat, and it ends up in the family freezer. Venison. How do you know that the hunter in question did anything different?
I’m not against people hunting. I don’t think the teacher should be discluding the picture someone wants to paint. We don’t know how or why the animal was killed nor is it any of our business. My comment was made based on my own personal sensitivity towards viewing dead animals. I don’t expect others to change due to my sensitivity
 
The painting offends some people. That means it should be censored? No. Hunting for food or for a trophy (or both) is not an illegal activity. Nor is it a sign of some moral failing. And nobody has to hang the painting in their house if they don’t like it.

Why would anyone think that removing this one painting would begin and end with that painting? A precedent for censorshp by offended people has been set. Another person paints her gay son and his partner in their wedding outfits. That offends somebody, so remove it. What about nudes? I bet they offend some people. Another person paints a picture of angel (a beautiful woman, showing a lot of cleavage, of course!). That offends somebody’s religious beliefs about angels. So remove it from the site. What about a painting of an angel holding a flaming sword? It’s offensive. It promotes violence. Get rid of it. Where does this end?

It’s an error to think that censorship of what some people think is an offensive painting will begin and end with that one painting. I fear censorship by offended people far more than I fear a hunter.

Whoever controls the site has the right to remove the painting. But, don’t think it will stop with that one painting.
 
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My mistake, Peppermint Patty. I do not consider you a hypocrite at all, and I never said so. But to judge a trophy image as evil is to assume that the trophy will not be eaten.
The image is probably of a beautiful animal, I mean, it obviously wasn't a mangy old one-eyed doe, was it?
I don’t judge the hunter as being evil. I just don’t like seeing dead animals. My husband cuts the heads off and cleans the fish before bringing them home. I don’t ask or expect him to. He just knows how sensitive I am and is a sweetheart for doing so.
 
The instructor instructs! Removing the art of a student on the request of another student or students isn't what he does.

Lets turn this around to that student being offended by what you paint. He asks for your effort to be removed. Would you be thrilled that you unintentionally offended another student?
 
I almost feel the teacher has no right to sensor a photo, probably would fall under freedom of speech. Even if the teacher hates the photo or subject, it probably has to be accepted.

Is it in bad taste? For an art class setting, sure, at least in my opinion. Does the woman have the right to paint the picture? Yes.
 
I don’t judge the hunter as being evil. I just don’t like seeing dead animals. My husband cuts the heads off and cleans the fish before bringing them home. I don’t ask or expect him to. He just knows how sensitive I am and is a sweetheart for doing so.
lol, we had a recreational fishing lodge. Many were the fishermen who walked into my kitchen with a 'gift fish' were ordered without preamble down to the fish-cleaning room on the docks.
 
Hunting animals is something humans have been doing for hundreds of thousands of years. If someone is squeamish about seeing hunted animals in a painting, well, quite frankly, don't look at it. While a deer head may not be such a great model for painting, hunting is not immoral or illegal. I think your instructor was correct. It was not up to you to approve other student's work.
 
If this is a private site, the owner of it most likely has the right to control what is displayed.
Whether the owner should remove the photo of the painting is another issue.
 

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