Blood and tongues

[BuckBunger]

(I posted this in the photography section but I decided it might be seen by more people if I also posted it here. Hope that doesn't annoy anyone)


Hats of to all successful hunters this year! I hunted hard and took an average 2-pointer not worthy of pictures, but if I had taken a picture I would have done 2 important things:

1-I would have washed off as much blood from the neck as possible, and,
2-I would have tucked the tongue into the mouth. Eeeew.

Dead is dead, and cheers to us, but lets not boast on pictures of animals that look like we hit 'em with our trucks. The anti hunter groups don't need any more reason to hate us as it is. Plus you will simply enjoy your photos more over the years if the body isn't blood-smeared with a half-bitten-off tongue lolling over the lips.

'course, if you did hit it with your truck...ouch...maybe keep those pictures to yourself and your insurance agent.

BB

 

[kirkl]

Dont get annoyed over this either, you gave your opinion now im giving mine, What i get tired of over the years is people telling me how to take pictures, do this, dont do this, youll offend this group of people but you wont offend this group, dont show your deer in the back of the truck, make sure you buy a box van to go hunting in so when you shoot something you dont offend veggie eating, tree huggin little johnny and his mom that drove out from the big city in there lexus. This post is just like somebody earlier telling us what to do with our deer after we shoot em. I dont mind the blood and tounges, if ya dont like it, dont look.

Sorry for the rant

 

[JohnSWA]

How in the world can you get your picture taken without blood on your hands after gutting a big game animal? I could care less about what anybody thinks of the picture of my kill. Don't tell me that you take soap and water with you in your pack when you have to pack out your animal. I suppose it's possible, but seems like an awful lot of work just to make the pic palatable for antis. If you are proud of your animal, who cares what anybody else thinks!

Tuck in the tongue? I suppose we should close the eyes also, maybe place a white sheet over the deceased! Give me a break!

 

[BuckBunger]

No prob. My antis comment just seemed like the thing to say at the time. I like antis as much as much as the next guy--especially with seasoned salt. My bigger point was just about cleaning up the animal for a photo you'd be proud to display at your desk at work. Animal in the truck, on the mountain, or head and cape displayed on a bus bench. Whatever. I have a picture of a buck on the roof of my car, but damnit, the tongue isn't hang out. I'm just always struck by how many people are proud to post pictures on the web who don't seem to see a problem with this. Maybe I'm just obsessive about tidy picture but when was the last time you saw a magazine print a photo of a haggared-looking deer with a bloodied face and shoulder, throat cut, and big brown tongue hanging out?

I'm just trying to give people advice about getting a nice shot in the field right after the shot is taken. It will be appreciated more for the effort.

How's that for a rant? }>

BB

 

[huntsonora]

Its not even about antis, its all about respect for the animal. I dont think that it is unfair to ask that you clean the animal up before you photograph it. It makes for a more professional picture that people dont mind seeing. I have see hundreds of deer die and I cant stand to see a picture that is full of blood. Its pure laziness to not properly clean an animal before taking pictures.

Drum

 

[Hawkk33]

In my instance, I shot photos as the deer lay and some with me and my cousin holding the buck. I have not had enough experience taking game of this caliber, nor was I with a guide who would have told me how to pose with the buck. I missed out on some good photo's not knowing how to pose the buck. Some of the pictures I see in the mag's have the game posed all pretty n sh*t, but like I said I wasn't thinking about that stuff at that very moment.

Instead, at the time the high of taking such a magnificent animal was all that was on my mind. However, I was contacted by a magazine shortly after posting them here and upon scouring through mu photos for submittal to that magazine I noticed the buck has his tongue hanging out and is bloody.

My intent was not to dishonor that animal or myself but its water under the bridge now but I do know what to do in the future when I take the new Oregon state archery bull next year.

 

[BuckBunger]

JohnSWA--Did I say close its eyes and cover the animal with a sheet? No. I said clean up the blood and hide the tongue. No I don't carry hand soap in the field but I do have enough self respect to clean up myself and my kill as much as is possible in the field before having my picture taken with my kill. Kneeling next to my kill for a photo is enough ego for me. I don't also need to be covered in blood to express my love of the hunt. You do what you want. Heck, maybe you'd like to include the gut pile?

Relax. I'm just passing on advice about getting a nice picture of your buck, bull, or ram. I think people are really reacting negatively to my post because of my offhand comment about the antis. I regret that comment because it derailed my post. Try rereading the post and ignoring that comment. Maybe it won't piss you off so much and you'll see it for what it was intended.

Predator, are you out there?

 

[JohnSWA]

>JohnSWA--Did I say close its eyes
>and cover the animal with
>a sheet? No. I said
>clean up the blood and
>hide the tongue. No I
>don't carry hand soap in
>the field but I do
>have enough self respect to
>clean up myself and my
>kill as much as is
>possible in the field before
>having my picture taken with
>my kill. Kneeling next to
>my kill for a photo
>is enough ego for me.
>I don't also need to
>be covered in blood to
>express my love of the
>hunt. You do what you
>want. Heck, maybe you'd like
>to include the gut pile?
>
>
>Relax. I'm just passing on advice
>about getting a nice picture
>of your buck, bull, or
>ram. I think people are
>really reacting negatively to my
>post because of my offhand
>comment about the antis. I
>regret that comment because it
>derailed my post. Try rereading
>the post and ignoring that
>comment. Maybe it won't piss
>you off so much and
>you'll see it for what
>it was intended.
>
>Predator, are you out there?

I was hoping that you would catch the exagerations and facetiousness in my post, although sometimes it's hard not to get your pic taken with out blood on your hands when you had to hike deep in the woods to get your animal!

Gut pile! ROTFLMAO!!! Yeah, I have a huge 10x12 glossy of my elk gut pile from this years hunt! That was a good one! I like to take the guts to the taxidermist for the awesome wall mount they make! Horns shmorns!!! }> ;-)

 

[Chef]

Sure, there are some things that we could all do better, and some things that irk us in one way or another about these pictures. I prefer the hunters to have a HUGE smile like they enjoy being out there as much as I do. Some guys act like big ol' tough guys with "killer" faces on. Not everyone smiles though, and who am I to tell them to? They probably are dead tired, exhausted, starving, dehydrated, and excited all at once! They have a huge chore of packing this big boy out ahead of them, they know that working time has come! So they forget to smile, they forget about the tongue, they forget to fold it's legs under him. It's not always laziness that causes us to forget. Lazy is not wanting to go deep into the forest on foot to hunt where we do. If we were lazy, there would be no picture to post.

I appreciate all the pictures posted, including the bloody ones. This is what we are here for. To share our pics, stories, questions, etc about the sport that unites and brings us closer together.

I think we all are being educated though on what looks nice. We all like the pretty pics in the mags and I'll be sure to clean up and smile HUGE this next season after I draw my Kaibab mule deer tag and Bull elk tag!

Chef
"I Love Animals...They're Delicious!"

 

[eelgrass]

I personally don't mind seeing a picture with blood and tongue hanging out, as it gives the picture a sense of realizm.

I usually take pictures as the animal lays "for the record" so to speak. Then I try to clean him up and take a few "posed" pictures to show the general public.

One thing we need to remember is hunting is not a guaranteed right under ANY constitution. It is a privilege. I would guess that if a proposition banning hunting were put before the voters it would pass in about half of the states. Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think I'm too far off. And it's only going to get worse as time goes on.

Just something to think about. It is in our best interest to put our best foot forward.

Steve

 

[fatrooster]

Well I reckon I'm guilty. The antelope pictures that Wes posted for me the other day has got bllod in them. Sorry. But it goes to show that I'm not a photographer, just a redneck. I'll try to do better next time. Those are some good points to think about eelgrass. fatrooster.

 

[BCBOY]

I have photo albums full pics of animals with tongues sticking out, blood, and even gut piles in the background. It doesn't diminish the memories of those hunts one little bit. Don't think it shows dishonor to the animal either. When I was growing up, my old man never thought about taking 'magazine quality' photos. All I know is I am thankful he had his camera with him and I can look at those pics and remember each hunt vividly in my mind.
That being said, I have learned a lot about taking pics from this site. In the past, photos was normally something I did really quick because I had a lot of work ahead of me. A couple of snap shots and the way I went to work. Now, I actually have been trying to take the time to get some decent photos. Doesn't mean that my photos won't turn out bloody though. When you hunt by yourself, it isn't easy setting up a big bodied buck for that perfect pose. Snow makes it very difficult because even a little bit of blood looks like a lot. Keeping the tongue in can pose a problem when you set the camera up with the timer and run to hold the buck before the camera goes off. LOL! This year I actually packed a small needle and thread in my pack and sewed the mouth closed. Really worked well. Heard others have used light fishing line to just simply tie the mouth closed. These are tricks I have picked up here and really have given me much better field photos.
I do not think that everyone should stop posting their pics if they aren't magazine quality. Not everyone is a professional photographer. Many are using cheap point and shoot cameras in low light conditions. They post because they want to share their experience with everyone. I say post away.

 

[scottyboy]

BuckBunger, I understand where your post was going. I think that if you gave all that effort and time (and money) into the hunt, the least you can do is spend a few minutes cleaning the animal and yourself up and take a few pics that you can be proud to show to anybody.
I can also see the other guys points of views. They are just as proud of their photo even if there is blood and guts and tongues. I have plenty of my own from back in the day. BUT REMEMBER, not everybody sees our passion of hunting through a hunter's eye. Be them antis or just plain non hunters, none of them want to see the battle field gore photo of your trophy critter. It is just in bad taste in my opinion.
Hell, you've already spent a considerable amount of time just to get that trophy on the ground, just spend a few more minutes and have a great trophy photo to go with your great trophy animal. Good luck.....
Scottyboy

 

[Nelly]

WOW, that is almost all I have to say. BUT come on, how long does this have to go on??? We need to respect one another whether we belive the other is correct or not. We need to come together for the sake of hunting and keeping it our right... Now to my point, BB first off, its cool that you gave us your opinion, but you should have stated it a little better that it was just your opinion. Some people get there feathers ruffled real easily. Also, you did not tell us how you cleaned your hands up when you hiked 2 1/2 miles back in? I was just wondering cause that is how far me and my buddy hiked in and if we did not have a river right next to us, we could not have cleaned our hands without wasting our drinking water. If I was so worried about what a person would think about my pics then I surely would not share my photos with them. Let alone go to a site where hunting and pics in there own right are questioned. ( This was the last thing on my mind when my best friend got his first deer, all I wanted to do was gut it, and take pics and pack this 200 pound deer out). Oh, and kneeling next to your kill is all the EGO you need if you do this for ego then you have a few issues you need to discuss somewhere other then here!!!!! Sorry to rant I have not posted in a couple years but this just hit my own butten tonight. Agian I did not post this to ruffle feathers of others I just felt like this stuff was geting old............
Just my 2 cents
Curtis

 

[B_F_E]

Good points by all, I respect & like looking at any harvest photos, even when they look as if Mrs. Godzilla menstruated all over any surface areas.
I church mine up now. The first time my ol'man saw me doing that for a photo op, he had this funny WTF look on his face that I still remember.
Whack em & Stack em, as you wish, just please show me every photo you've got.

 

[nbjbhunterman]

Who in the hell would care about making sure the tounge and blood was not showing??? Respect?? Don't shoot the damn animal if you are worried about respect. Post pics anyway you like!


NBJB

 

[ELKMAN]

WOW PC now with PICS!

Most of the time emotions are really high, and people forget!

Unless it is that 400 bull or 200 buck,, then it will be in mag!

 

[rost495]

Whatever the case, I won't go into the woods without wet wipes and surgical gloves, and waterless bacterial hand wash. They don't weigh squat and I hate to walk out with blood all over me for a number of reasons. Bears are one, and the diseases blood and fluids can carry are another. Its pretty easy to avoid those if folks are smart enough to plan ahead. Also sometimes we end up with a peforation behind the diaphragm, either bullet, frags, or cut. That leaves a less than desirable odor. Wipe it off and its more pleasant.

Before you holler wimp, I do taxidermy and have skinned out cats and yotes that are gut shot and green in places already so I can handle about any odor, but why do it if you can avoid it.

Taking pics and the tongue problem. Reach in and cut it off.

Also FYI I started buying and carrying the small cheap snap off blade knives. Weight wise I can carry 3-5 for the weight of a normal knife. They are not the best at everything but I've used them to skin, gut, and cape easily. And when dull, snap off to the next blade. Cheap, light, easy. Just thought I'd pass that along a bit.

End note, we usually have enlargements of good animals in the house. Those are all clean and tongueless. Vs some old ones that are not, the clean ones just plain look better. Even when the hunter is cleaner. I've got some old ones with bloody and old Tshirts and still camo face paint on. They don't look as good as a clean posed shot. Thats just an opinion after comparison. Not a Rant. Want a rant lets talk about effecting the soccer moms on the road home again. Hell the butcher shops don't drag their carcasses around with flies on em do they? Folks would be repulsed of the meat markets then.......

Jeff

 

[polarbear]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-16-04 AT 07:25AM (MST)[p]This thread sounds to me like "Gene, the anal retentive hunter". Before taking pictures be sure to gently clean the animal with a mild, anti-bacteria soap and rince with pure spring water. Dry and fluff the hair or fur with your portable hair dryer. Gently clean the tongue an nose with a baby wipe. Carefully incert the tongue back into the mouth and secure it with a single whip stitch using your pocket sewing kit. With said kit, procede to sew the eyes shut to give the illusion that the animal is peacefully sleping. Finally, carefully wrap the entrails in aluminum foil, folding the top over 4 times. Carefully place in a large paper bag, fold over 4 times and seal with a single, 4" strip of scotch tape directly in the middle of the fold. Finish it off with a nice, pretty ribbon or bow. Before proceding with picture taking, make some garland out of fir boughs and place around the animal to hide any wounds. Be sure to take a good, vigorous bath in order to remove any nasty blood from you body and wash ans style your hair for a nice clean, fresh look. Also remove any soiled clothing and replace with clean, pressed and starched apparel. Clean and shine your boots. Brush your teeth. Go potty and blow your nose. Now you may procede with capturing this moment on film.

Eric

 

[ridgetop]

I say each to their own. I am rarely critical of anyones photos unless they are just plain nasty looking. Blood is a part of the deal.

I think in many of todays pics you see a Martha Stewartesque bent, extreme anal retentive efforts in getting everything just so. I think some of them magazine pics these days look so to-a-tee perfect as to appear more than a little pompous and contrived... almost like they drug their critter half way down the mountain to get to this perfect setting to take a spectacular pic. Again, each to their own.

I usually try to take several pics of animals worth taking pics of, preferrably in the field where they dropped now a days to help me remember where it was taken when Im old and gray, and hope a couple turn out (easier to do with a digital I must say). This year I got a buck where I actually wiped off some of the blood on his side, but most of the ones where I was holding the head up had the tongue lolling out the side. Did I disrespect the deer by my snafu? I think It was just something I didnt think about, and the guy taking the pics didnt notice. Boo hoo. Im not losing a second of sleep over it. The pics still look pretty good, but I guess I could photo shop them out if I really wanted to.

 

[Bura Nut]

BCBOY: last year I was shown a trick you might use. Just cut the tongue off with you knife then you dont have to sew or anything else and it wont be hanging out........my extra bottle of water in my pack is used for dabbing off the blood on the hide........this helps make the picture a bit cleaner......... Allen Taylor......

 

[BuckBunger]

Wow!
Until yesterday, I hadn't made a post in a long time. I had no idea so many people would take my post negatively. My advice seemed simple to me: you get better pictures if you do what you can to clean up the animal a little.

I get the feeling that some of you are looking forward to taking extra-bloody pics next year in spite of my friendly advice.

It has been fun to see how many of you think I'm anal retentive, obsessively clean, and worried about what soccer moms think as they pass hunters with kills visible in their trucks. Cripes, if you look back, I already mentioned my regret about the "antis comment."

It's fine if your pictures of great hunts in your past shows a tongue hanging out. But I stand by my opinion that you should learn from pictures like that and do it a little better the next time. I improve my hunting skill, technique, and equipment a little every year. Why not improve photography as well?

I'm done reading posts to this thread. Most of you missed the point anyway.

BB

 

[kingfish]

It's all about RESPECT!! Not only for the animals, or other hunters, or anti's...It's the right thing to do. Be a positive unfluence and be considerate in everything you do and this type of stuff is never an issue....

Keith.

 

[huntercameron]

I think your just mad because you got a dink 2 point , and you want to put people down that beat you . I myself got a 5x5 muley this year dang proud . I bet if you showed us your pic of your 2 point it would be bloody , and dont lie. I say show us the pic of your deer . The ones that complain are the ones who cant hunt or get a good trophy . Your pissed as I can tell because you didnt get a nice one . Boo who .

later , hunter cameron

 

[Chef]

I personally don't think it's lack of respect.

I myself choose who and what I respect. I respect God, my family/friends, the law, I could go on. In my list though, so are the animals that I hunt. That is why I don't take high risk shots, use enough gun, etc.

I really could care less (those that know me can attest) what the PC crowd thinks. I am NEVER going to satisfy PETA by cleaning up for a shot. Tree huggers and the like will never approve of my actions or my way of life. The majority (soccer moms) of people in the USA gawk at my dream to go to Africa and Alaska! Do you think I care?!

There are better and more productive ways to satisfy our need to continue enjoying our sport. The big one is VOTE!! Second is to take a kid hunting.

Okay, now I'm ranting.

Chef
"I Love Animals...They're Delicious!"

 

[polarbear]

Respect is something that has to be earned. It is a HUMAN ideal that is not shared by animals. Do you think that a deer has any repect for anything other than its self? You guys that talk about "disrespecting" and animal have been brainwashed by too many Disney movies! Haahaaaaa...... They are non emotional beings! Get over it.

Eric

 

[Chef]

Okay...I'll bite.

Disrespect would be allowing the animal to die slowly and in severe pain. Disrespect would be to blow it's lower jaw off at 500 yards and never finding it to die of starvation. I don't think we are saying that animals relate to our feelings/emotions and such, but we can relate and regard to their suffering.

-To feel or show deferential regard for; esteem.
-To avoid violation of or interference with: respect the speed limit.
-To relate or refer to; concern.

Chef
"I Love Animals...They're Delicious!"

 

[rost495]

Food for thought. Some say take the pic the way it is. Blood tongue and all. Be fine to hang that on the wall right? Cool by me but its not for me.

Now do those same folks when having a family portrait, go down in their muddy, greasy etc.... work clothes, not comb their hair, etc.....?

Just a brain teaser...

(side thought here- I don't blow dry the animals hair-- I kinda wipe up the messy part -- you know make an effort to cover a huge exit wound, and matted up pools of blood, cut off the tongue... but we all realize we can't get it perfect either)

Jeff

 

[B_F_E]

Polarbear, ????
I don't have to speak with mule deer to understand I have a deep respect for them, & yes they have earned it many times over, regardless if they are oblivious to anything but; eating, craping, screwing & avoiding predators(defiantly my ideal gig)
Thats why I want pictures that represent their beauty, not their demise.
Like Rost mentioned, maybe thats why taxidermist's cant order a form with the tongue hanging out option.
Even though I've never spoke to any of the fallowing I still hold respect for; trees, art, humor, old cars & large knockers :9

 

[cpsandman]

I'm sorry for getting off track but did the original post actually say "Eeeew"?

CPSANDMAN
"The Buck stops here...I hope!"

 

[JohnSWA]

>LAST EDITED ON Dec-16-04
>AT 07:25?AM (MST)
>
>This thread sounds to me like
>"Gene, the anal retentive hunter".
> Before taking pictures be
>sure to gently clean the
>animal with a mild, anti-bacteria
>soap and rince with pure
>spring water. Dry and
>fluff the hair or fur
>with your portable hair dryer.
> Gently clean the tongue
>an nose with a baby
>wipe. Carefully incert the
>tongue back into the mouth
>and secure it with a
>single whip stitch using your
>pocket sewing kit. With
>said kit, procede to sew
>the eyes shut to give
>the illusion that the animal
>is peacefully sleping. Finally,
>carefully wrap the entrails in
>aluminum foil, folding the top
>over 4 times. Carefully
>place in a large paper
>bag, fold over 4 times
>and seal with a single,
>4" strip of scotch tape
>directly in the middle of
>the fold. Finish it off
>with a nice, pretty ribbon
>or bow. Before proceding
>with picture taking, make some
>garland out of fir boughs
>and place around the animal
>to hide any wounds.
>Be sure to take a
>good, vigorous bath in order
>to remove any nasty blood
>from you body and wash
>ans style your hair for
>a nice clean, fresh look.
> Also remove any soiled
>clothing and replace with clean,
>pressed and starched apparel.
>Clean and shine your boots.
> Brush your teeth.
>Go potty and blow your
>nose. Now you may
>procede with capturing this moment
>on film.
>

>
>
>Eric

LOL! You have definitely been watching too much Martha Stewart! ROTFLMAO!!!!!

 

[TheKnack]

Heck lets market a new product called "The Big Buck Makeup Kit"!
It will include baby wipes, eyeshadow, bullet hole plugs in many different colors and instructions on how to doll up your deer.LOL
JK
I realize it does look better to clean up the deer a little and most do it if we have the time but I will not come down on someone if they did'nt clean up an animal to cosmopolitan standards.
Just my 2 cents.
Best,
Jerry

 

[woodruffhunter]

Hunting season must be over........