# Are anti-hunters especially outraged by female hunters? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 18, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991 "2015-04-18T15:04:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/1 "2015-04-18T15:04:09Z")
At least so it seems to me, given several such publicized controversies. Is it that men are dismissed as troglodytes anyway, but women don’t get that pass? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/2 "2015-04-18T15:15:42Z")
I have never seen any indication that people opposed to hunting are especially bent out of shape by women hunters. That said I don’t pay much attention to the debate over hunting so may have missed it. Do you have examples of what you are talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/3 "2015-04-18T15:47:34Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I have never seen any indication that people opposed to hunting are especially bent out of shape by women hunters. That said I don’t pay much attention to the debate over hunting so may have missed it. > > Do you have examples of what you are talking about? [Rebecca Francis](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/04/17/why-female-big-game-hunters-become-hunted-online-in-a-way-men-dont/) [Kendall Jones](http://nypost.com/2014/07/03/cheerleader-who-loves-shooting-endangered-animals-im-a-conservationist/) [Melissa Bachman](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/tv-presenter-slammed-photo-lion-killed-article-1.1519039) ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Why\_Bother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19adc/32.png) [@Doctor\_Why\_Bother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Why_Bother)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/4 "2015-04-18T15:52:35Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I have never seen any indication that people opposed to hunting are especially bent out of shape by women hunters. That said I don’t pay much attention to the debate over hunting so may have missed it. > > Do you have examples of what you are talking about? As it happens, I’ve started a pit thread about just such a case. The damn thing’s not been open two days and it’s already longer than War and Peace so, to summarise, a woman shot a giraffe and took a selfie with it smiling. Ricky Gervais found out about it somehow, got all pissed off and retweeted it, and now the female hunter in question is in the middle of an online shaming shit storm. Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was an element of sexism in this, simply because hunting is much more associated with men than women so people may be more shocked, even though they shouldn’t be. While men posing with kills have been shamed in a similar fashion in the past, this particular incident seems more intense than others. Then again, maybe my perception’s a little off because this incident is so recent. (P.S. - Pit thread: [Shut the fuck up, Ricky Gervais.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=754646)) ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/5 "2015-04-18T15:53:14Z")
I’ve known lots of women hunters and generally speaking they look almost exactly like men hunters. They’re bigger than the average man - big burly women in tacky orange jackets. These women are not the type of woman hunter people get especially passionate about. I dare say nobody cares about that type of woman hunter at all. It’s the thin classically attractive pretty young women hunters that seem to infuriate people. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/6 "2015-04-18T16:02:09Z")
I don’t recall much collective outrage over Palin’s hunting or her advocacy of gunning down animals from helocpters, outside of animal rights groups anyway. I did find [this article](http://www.theawl.com/2010/12/sarah-palin-the-tv-star-exposes-sarah-palin-the-fake-hunter) claiming she’s a fraud and doesn’t know what she’s doing. Not the same type of outrage though. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/7 "2015-04-18T16:21:57Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > I don’t recall much collective outrage over Palin’s hunting or her advocacy of gunning down animals from helocpters, outside of animal rights groups anyway. I did find [this article](http://www.theawl.com/2010/12/sarah-palin-the-tv-star-exposes-sarah-palin-the-fake-hunter) claiming she’s a fraud and doesn’t know what she’s doing. Not the same type of outrage though. She didn’t have the picture where she looked on with glee over what she killed as far as I know. And she didn’t talk of going to foreign places killing exotic animals, something that already upsets people. These are rich women paying a ton of money to go foreign places to kill animals. I won’t say their gender doesn’t factor in. But there’s a lot more to it than that. I can’t remember who it was, but some politician’s sons also would go around hunting exotic game in Africa and people had a problem with that, too. People have a problem with going to Africa on hunting trips for pleasure. There’s anger at the rich wasting money, going that far out of your way, killing exotic animals, getting pleasure out of the act of killing, etc. Having a picture of the dead animal and their gleeful face makes it more visceral. It’s not just about gender. Though I’m sure the juxtaposition of the pretty girl with a smile and the ugliness of the dead carcass makes the image even stronger. (There’s also another story I saw where a female veterinarian[shot a feral cat with a crossbow](http://www.inquisitr.com/2016341/police-in-texas-investigating-facebook-image-of-alleged-veterinarian-holding-dead-tomcat-first-bow-kill/) and made a post about how the only good feral cat is a dead cat–but I’m sure you can figure out what besides her gender might have created controversy.) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/8 "2015-04-18T16:42:28Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > [Rebecca Francis](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/04/17/why-female-big-game-hunters-become-hunted-online-in-a-way-men-dont/) > > [Kendall Jones](http://nypost.com/2014/07/03/cheerleader-who-loves-shooting-endangered-animals-im-a-conservationist/) > > [Melissa Bachman](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/tv-presenter-slammed-photo-lion-killed-article-1.1519039) > [@Doctor\_Why\_Bother](#): > > Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was an element of sexism in this, simply because hunting is much more associated with men than women so people may be more shocked, even though they shouldn’t be. While men posing with kills have been shamed in a similar fashion in the past, this particular incident seems more intense than others. Then again, maybe my perception’s a little off because this incident is so recent. I have not read the Pit Thread but I am not quite seeing women hunters being picked on because they are women. People opposed to hunting like to jump on these things be it a man or a woman. The women in question seemed to try to dial-back an instance that looked bad and it made them look worse (e.g. I killed the giraffe for the locals and it would die anyway). I am trying to keep this away from a debate on the merits (or lack) of hunting and focus on whether women get an extra special helping of hate from those who oppose hunting. Three examples are a start but ultimately anecdotal and not an indication of a broader hate for women hunters. Particularly since there seem to be unusual circumstances that made these “famous”. There are numerous examples of men being hated on for hunting. Not seeing “special” treatment here. Of course hating on women hunters in particular is absurd. You can make a case for hating hunting but giving women special scrutiny here reminds me of [Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBL0q707fAg) telling Joe Pesci his choice of pants doesn’t matter to the deer you just shot. I would think the deer would not care about the gender of who shot it either. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/9 "2015-04-18T17:16:23Z")
The _section of the population_ who are susceptible to [the Greater Internet](http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19) [Fuckwad Theory](http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/greater-internet-fuckwad-theory) seems more vocal about pretty young female hunters, yes. The audience is more receptive to the more photogenic case. You’d have to make a case whether those who don’t spend several hours a day on Twitter care as much. ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/10 "2015-04-18T17:29:44Z")
If that is sexism then it’s good sexism. There’s a sort of hunter which lights up a deepseated visceral repugnance in me. 1) the fat business man who shoots big animal game from his big-ass SUV with various high tech and automatic weapons as if they were fish in a barrel; 2) sorority girls who giggles all the way to the slaughter and take selfies for her Instagram profile. They’re just not worthy of the animals which they slay. If hunting is for sport then there has to be some element of empathy with the animals, a at least token amount of fairness in the match, and you have to have put in the required amount of work and study to acquire the skills required. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/11 "2015-04-18T18:14:48Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > She didn’t have the picture where she looked on with glee over what she killed as far as I know. [Of course she did.](http://aattp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/palin-hunt.jpg). If you Google “hunters with kill,” there are thousands of similar images. Taking a picture of themselves smiling with the thing they’ve just killed is, apparently, extremely common among hunters. > [@](#): > > And she didn’t talk of going to foreign places killing exotic animals, something that already upsets people. Given that a Sarah Palin probably thinks Montana is a foreign country, no, she likely hasn’t done that. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/12 "2015-04-18T20:23:22Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > People have a problem with going to Africa on hunting trips for pleasure. There’s anger at the rich wasting money, going that far out of your way, killing exotic animals, getting pleasure out of the act of killing, etc. Having a picture of the dead animal and their gleeful face makes it more visceral. Agree. I’ve no problem with hunting in general but this picture makes me cringe and despise her, for the reasons you mention. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/13 "2015-04-18T20:59:52Z")
The previous link to Melissa Bachman doesn’t work: can you please substitute this one: > **[Sample Page - Denver Post Niche Blog Sites](https://wordpress-niche.medianewsgroup.com/)** > > This is an example page. It’s different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will show up in your site navigation (in most themes). Most people start with an About page that introduces them to potential site visitors. It might say... Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/14 "2015-04-18T21:14:57Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. the fat business man who shoots big animal game from his big-ass SUV with various high tech and automatic weapons as if they were fish in a barrel; does such a person exist? 'cos it sounds like something which resides solely in your mind. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/15 "2015-04-18T21:27:10Z")
I kept waiting for the debate to begin, but I am going to move this to IMHO in the meantime. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/16 "2015-04-18T22:35:36Z")
[Axelle Despiegelaere](http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/loreal-cuts-ties-with-belgium-supporter-axelle-despiegelaere-after-hunting-trip-photographs-9599738.html) is another “example” if you want to think of it as such. It’s somewhat different in that it involves a company with an anti-cruelty policy, not individuals. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2015, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/17 "2015-04-18T23:43:29Z")
> [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > [Axelle Despiegelaere](http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/loreal-cuts-ties-with-belgium-supporter-axelle-despiegelaere-after-hunting-trip-photographs-9599738.html) is another “example” if you want to think of it as such. It’s somewhat different in that it involves a company with an anti-cruelty policy, not individuals. Who the heck are those performers on the wallpaper? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/18 "2015-04-19T00:11:55Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > does such a person exist? 'cos it sounds like something which resides solely in your mind. Yes, that needs a cite. I have no doubt that someone in Mozambique or somewhere used an AK to poach, but 1) African game is taken with something MUCH more powerful than anything fully automatic, and 2) in the US automatic weapons are really quite rare and also not suitable for hunting. They’re not “easy mode.” Someone did it once? Sure. Does it account for more than 0.0001% of hunts? No. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/19 "2015-04-19T00:41:55Z")
I’ve gotten some grief for teaching Hunter Ed over the years. I’ve never seen a male vs female thing in those giving me their negative opinion but there is a really strong “how dare you teach innocent children to kill animals” thing happening. That one has been around and vocal for more than the 35 years I’ve been teaching. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991/20 "2015-04-19T02:26:51Z")
I expected, but oddly enough didn’t find, any internet vitriol directed at Regis Giles: female hunter and author of the conservative blog Girls Just Want To Have Guns. However I did find another female shooter who’s suffering hate and threats online: [Rachel Carrie](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2914810/The-England-shooting-star-hunted-sick-Twitter-trolls-Commonwealth-Games-star-says-s-treated-like-terrorist-online-bullies.html) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-anti-hunters-especially-outraged-by-female-hunters/717991.md?page=2)