To Grip and Grin or not to Grip and Grin

I have recently been reading several articles, listened to several outdoor podcasts, discussing "Grip and Grin" style photos and how they may or may not be perceived by the non hunting world. Below I pasted some links to two interesting articles on the subject. I never really gave it any thought until recently. I, being a hunter, have no problem with grip and grin style pictures and just about every picture I have of me celebrating a successfull hunt would fall in to the grip and grin category. I also have absolutely no ill feeling, obviously, towards any other hunter who chooses to display his or her success in such a way (I do absolutely HATE force perspective in photos though). But after reading some articles it got me thinking about the topic and how maybe I can evolve as a hunter, outdoors enuthiasist, and conseravtionist. Maybe I can try to be creative and take a different style of picture that better represents the sport I care about in a different light to those who haven't participated or are not a fan of. So I think with the upcoming seasons about to begin it would be cool to start a thread where people display pictures of their hunt and their trophies in a manner other than the traditional "Grip and Grin". I think with todays cellphone cameras and the like that we can come up with some cool photos to share on the forum and to the world. What do you guy/gals think?






http://themeateater.com/2014/gripngrinphotos/
http://westernhunter.net/view-from-the-mountain/

I enjoy seeing pictures of my friends and the game they take. I always snap a few photos when I score. I try to be respectful and creative. However, I also respect that a lot of non-hunters don't "get it" and are turned off. They see these photos as boastful, disrespectful or just gross. So I don't shove the photos in non-hunters' faces. It's kind of like not parading around town with an elk propped up in the back of the truck... Uncool.

Just like Mr. Roarke said " smiles everyone, smiles"......

Doesn't get much more redneck or white trash than sitting on the animal in pictures.

When I was introduced to hunting in Texas by my inlaws, the pictures were not so much of a big thing with them at that time. Back when the boys were young and first hunting yes, but not so much in their early twenties when I married into the family and even then they were referred to as kill shots. They were more interested in whoever got nothing, the least or the smallest cutting off their shirt tails (never understood that). I did not hear "grip and grin" until I moved up here, on this forum. Grip and grin pictures were what you did with politicking in Texas, while you thought something else about the politicians entirely.

New to hunting, it took me a number of times to get used to seeing the deer dead and the processing part, so I understand the perspective of none hunters, I remember. After a few times, it became meat for my family, thats how I see it now (how many packages of meat will I be able to get out of that, freezer space, processing the hide, any antlers for my artwork, etc).

Setting up a website for a hunter conservation group here in Bozeman that was hoping to possibly reach out to non-hunters for conservation work, after their member discussion, I set up the wildlife gallery with a special folder for any grip and grin photos, with a warning on it to view at their own discretion, the decision was totally the viewers if they felt they would be offended. Their focus was conservation first, hunting second.

In the discussion of ethical hunting with some other hunting friends, we wanted to reach a broader audience and hopefully share hunting from the beauty of the outdoors, the experience, not just from the kill perspective. I used some hunting photos that did not have any kill shots for the hunting postcards with the hunting quotes. Maybe we will reach some non-hunters that might eventually try out hunting if they see a different side that is not immediately or overtly objectionable to them. Kind of like breaking them into it, like I had to do. I do the same with the videos I choose for the website, that maybe if the kill is omitted, they might begin to understand why we hunt and what we get out of it. At least to have a dialogue.

The hunter with the rifle and pack or the pheasant below

I happily and unashamedly take grip and grin pics. My pictures are for my memories and to be shared with friends. When we as hunters become ashamed of documenting the outcome of pulling the trigger or releasing an arrow for fear of offending others we play right into the anti-hunters hands.

I do try to take the best photos possible of me with my dead critter. I'm amazed at how many non hunters who come in my office and comment positively at the photos. It gets alot of conversations started that is not work related. I have yet offended anyone with them. More times than not, they'll related it back to their fathers or grandfathers who hunt or have hunted and sparks memories for them.
There's no way I'll stop taking and displaying them.

This may not be cool to some, but dad always instilled in us that the taking of one of god's creatures need not always be put on film, but kept in our hearts and minds. We always heard about his trips hunting in the Selway here in Idaho for two/three week stretches on horseback. They never brought out a rack because to them was just added weight unless it was something massive, and even then was discussed amongst all. The stories we loved most were about the horses going for a walk during the night with their hobbles on, a pack horse shedding a load on a steep shale trail. We still have some of dad's beat up equipment from those days.If only he were still here today to tell us the stories around the campfire.....

I think grip and grin photos are ok if done correctly. I always try to do whatever I can to make the animal look like it did just before the shot, not just after. What I mean is, I try to make the animal in the picture look alive as much as possible. Obviously, with me in the pic it wouldn't look like its alive but I try to avoid showing the entry and or exit wounds, the bloody mouth with a tongue hanging out, or laying in the back of a pickup. I will even wet the eyes if they look dried out. In my experience, most non-hunters aren't offended by well composed photos and the ones who are, would be offended by the mere notion of hunting. With that said, I do believe poor photos portray all hunters in a negative light. I find it disrespectful to show off photos of someone riding a dead animal like a horse with a mouthful of blood. The other picture cliché I hate is throwing a weapon on the animal. The weapon of use should be in the pic just not front and center.

I agree with Gerald and kenton. No problem with G-n-Gs, as long as they are done well. If I wasn't so lazy I'd try to link to the thread we had on here of bad critter photos.

twsnow18 said:

Doesn't get much more redneck or white trash than sitting on the animal in pictures.

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I am sitting on top of my first buck, and it is still one of my favorites. I couldn't help it, I don't think I have ever been more excited about anything at that moment. Didn't realize I
was white trash...until now.

+1 for C&R hunting photos. Creative and Respectful.

Gerald Martin said:

I happily and unashamedly take grip and grin pics. My pictures are for my memories and to be shared with friends. When we as hunters become ashamed of documenting the outcome of pulling the trigger or releasing an arrow for fear of offending others we play right into the anti-hunters hands.

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+1 Very well said.

I just think that we can't spend all of our time and energy trying not to offend those whose mission in life is to be offended. When I was a kid, and I'm sure most of you can relate, there was a full section of the local paper on Saturday during rifle season dedicated to photos of successful hunters, with a heavy slant toward the kids. Now, I was young, but I don't remember any outcry from "special groups" or life long activists looking for a cause. Just the fact that there is a discussion says to me that they are slowly picking away.

idnative1948 said:

We still have some of dad's beat up equipment from those days.If only he were still here today to tell us the stories around the campfire.....

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That old beat up equipment tells the stories, as would the pictures if they existed. Really, I think that is why I take so many, to help remind me of the lost details.
I agree with wishing he were here-even if only to cuss you for leaving the barn door open.

My family has an audio recording of my grandfather telling a childhood memory. It is a fairly plain piece. You or I could tell the same story and garner little attention. If I got my family together and then played the 3 minute tape everyone would cry.

I take photos for that reason. For moment I want go back in time to a place where I was full of love and joy. In the moment I may have taken some pretty tasteless pics, but that was who I was then and it was upon that foundation that my wife built the man I am now.

I know that being a member here has changed the way I document an adventure. It is the whole process I want to record, the getting there, the being there and "results" of the adventure as well.

Recurve, When I look into some of the conservation easements being handled by conservation land trust groups and see all allowable activities except hunting (I know some of that is based on landowner choice), when I see more and more of the anti-hunting groups gaining control, even promoting sterilization of wildlife with an immunocontraceptive that renders the animal unfit for hunting/eating rather than hunting to manage populations, when I go to agency/governmental meetings that affect wildlife and there is no hunter representation - I am concerned.

DOI Sec. Sally Jewell came to Montana recently, she spoke at MSU. One of the concerns that she voiced was the growing population disconnect with nature. That the future of legislation would be in the hands of people and the public that did not relate to nature, they would not be able to get proper funding. So one of her goals was to get the younger generation invested again.

Hunting numbers were declining according to a number of sportsmens statistics. Yet, there are growing segments of hunters, one being women. I am hoping that with womens numbers growing, this might help reach more children as well. A couple months ago I read a report on demographics in the US concerning activism, volunteers - who are responding to social issues and how to reach them. The highest active groups were college students and women 40+. These are the sectors that are mobilizing the most.

I got an email in May from Anja Heister, a co-founder and past exec. dir. of Footloose Montana, about something on my EMWH website. She asked about my perspective on trapping. I explained to her in detail, that I was a conservation hunter and though I did not personally trap, had some concerns with certain aspects of trapping (have a hunter friend whose hunting dog got caught in a trap while on a hike on public lands), that it is legal in Montana. I expressed my concerns at the eroding of hunting. She replied with some points which included hunters and ex-trappers in their membership, then ended with this statement, "This is not meant as a ‘lecture,’ but motivated by a concern in that, if we can’t convince you as someone who is already concerned about wildlife conservation, then we may not have our message right. So, any feedback from you would be very much appreciated." She wants dialogue, not just trying to reach one person, but a person with a website and newsletter. Because if she can convince me, then she hopes that I will reach out to others.

As diverse participants in hunting with growing vocal opposition, I think the subject of presentation is not going to go away. A while back I came across a statistical report on the perceptions of hunting by non-hunters. "According to Duda, American hunters, not anti-hunters, hold the key to public opinion on hunting. And good behavior by hunters counts. 'Overall, the American public supports hunting and that support appears to be increasing,' he said. 'However, there’s still that discrepancy between the public’s opinion on hunting and their opinion of the hunter.' It’s up to us to be better hunting ambassadors. 'You can present the facts, but it’s just as important to not forget the heart,' he said. 'Nonhunters may not perceive hunters as caring because, simply put, they shoot game.' "

Not saying to be ashamed of grip and grin photos or stop taking them and certainly not to post them to a forum such as this, which is clearly about hunting, but to be cognizant that non-hunter opinion is a factor in whats happening out there, including legislation, lobbyists, etc.

I like them because I like to brag about when I kill an animal I'm really proud of. Killing a target animal is a huge accomplishment in my mind, and taking high quality photos and sharing with you guys helps add to the experience for me. It's satisfying for me to know other hunters are envious of an experience I had. If it weren't for hunttalk I definitely wouldn't have the trophies on my wall that I do now. Having the bar set by other hunters and seeing what's possible has driven me to set my personal goals higher.

I haven't yet decided if that's 100% a bad thing or not, but I'm not going to beat around the bush and pretend that's not part of it for me.

Gerald Martin said:

I happily and unashamedly take grip and grin pics. My pictures are for my memories and to be shared with friends. When we as hunters become ashamed of documenting the outcome of pulling the trigger or releasing an arrow for fear of offending others we play right into the anti-hunters hands.

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Thoughts like this miss the mark. It's not about being ashamed or playing into the hands of anti hunters, it's about preserving the sport we love. Like I said in my original post, I think of this topic as a form of evolution. I think it's wise to try to grow as a hunter and from time to time evaluate how we do things. If a hunter can look at how he or she does things and in response to that encourage others to participate in hunting or at least increase their impression of it then it will always be a good thing. I cherish the opportunity to have a fellow hunter share their photos, grip and grin or not, and tell me about the amazing experiences that go along with it. How one approaches the hunt means more than the celebration in most cases. I just wanted to personally think about unique ways we can take photos and share memories and maybe inspire others along the way.

You better believe I am gonna grab an Antler or a set of ears and smile as big as I can. When you got the tag in the mail did you do Yoga and try and figure out where you and the animal stand in the Universe. Heck no! You set out to put a bullet in it's boiler room and you meant it. I have a picture of the only Buck my Daddy and I ever killed together, you bet your butt I have a smile on my face as my daddy did. Dad is gone now, but I do have a neat photo of a special hunt. Quit with the mystical BS and take a knee and grip those Antlers. It might be your last Buck or Bull. John