Baiting Birds Of Prey, To Photograph?
Aug 17, 2018 07:07:34 #
I looked at some wonderful owl shots that were obtained by using pet store mice as bait. Personally I'm dead against it. If I did this in British Columbia, I would get beaten with my own tripod.
Google search:
Several magazines and photo contests now reject baited shots of owls and other predators, including National Wildlife magazine, where Lisa Moore is editorial director.
"It's unnatural behavior and it devalues the hard work of ethical wildlife photographers who are out there taking the time in the field to wait for that shot," Moore says.
She says her magazine's goal is to feature ethical, authentic photos — not of wildlife in a game farm, or lured with bait.
What are your views on this subject?
Harold
Google search:
Several magazines and photo contests now reject baited shots of owls and other predators, including National Wildlife magazine, where Lisa Moore is editorial director.
"It's unnatural behavior and it devalues the hard work of ethical wildlife photographers who are out there taking the time in the field to wait for that shot," Moore says.
She says her magazine's goal is to feature ethical, authentic photos — not of wildlife in a game farm, or lured with bait.
What are your views on this subject?
Harold
Aug 17, 2018 07:12:37 #
StevenG
Loc: Long Island, NY
Feiertag wrote:
I looked at some wonderful owl shots that were obt... (show quote)
I am in total agreement with you and with the position stated by Lisa Moore.
Steve
Aug 17, 2018 07:21:59 #
Aug 17, 2018 07:22:46 #
Aug 17, 2018 07:36:23 #
Aug 17, 2018 07:39:11 #
Not so with bird feeders and bird baths. Is that cheating? I realize it is different from using live bait.And am opposed to that.But I feel no remorse using bits of food that helps the creatures survive and for me to get the shots.
Aug 17, 2018 07:39:24 #
GED
Loc: North central Pa
Feiertag wrote:
I looked at some wonderful owl shots that were obt... (show quote)
I am in total agreement, many of the great shots of raptors and whitetails are setups and should be presented as such. In Pa. the deer herd and elk herd are currently at risk of being decimated by CWD (chronic wasting disease) which originated from deer farm escapees. The deer farms are where many of the big buck photos come from. A photo taken in the wilds under natural conditions is a different commodity from setup and zoo pictures. A great deal of time and work is involved to obtain real shots of wildlife under natural conditions. By using pet store mice to lure owls in, what diseases might be introduced to the local population?
Aug 17, 2018 07:45:55 #
Baiting is a rotten practice it teaches wildlife not to fear human kind and other dangers like cars and such. Plus it removes the thrill and accomplishment of that special moment where you see the animals in its own habitat and get a picture.
Aug 17, 2018 07:52:50 #
Aug 17, 2018 07:54:30 #
Fergus wrote:
Cheating is cheating no matter how you do it and for what reason.
Cheaters are the same as liars.
Aug 17, 2018 08:32:13 #
Aug 17, 2018 09:03:35 #
Old Timer wrote:
You mean I can not shoot birds at my feeder?
Of course you can, Old Timer. This topic is about "Baiting Birds Of Prey" (Eagles, Owls, Hawks), using live store bought bait (rodents)
Aug 17, 2018 09:21:59 #
StevenG wrote:
I am in total agreement with you and with the position stated by Lisa Moore.
Steve
Steve
Thank you for you comment, Steven.
Aug 17, 2018 09:25:03 #
bedouin wrote:
Not so with bird feeders and bird baths. Is that cheating? I realize it is different from using live bait.And am opposed to that.But I feel no remorse using bits of food that helps the creatures survive and for me to get the shots.
This topic is strictly regarding birds of prey & owls (raptors).
Aug 17, 2018 11:05:25 #
bedouin wrote:
Not so with bird feeders and bird baths. Is that cheating? ...
Feiertag wrote:
You could extend the bird feeder situation to the fact that backyard birds offer a good living for certain hawk species (Cooper's etc. Lots of pics on UHH of those).This topic is strictly regarding birds of prey & owls (raptors).
The first time I saw a UHH user tossing frozen fish into the Yakima River in order to get action shots of bald eagles, I was appalled. Though I got some photos of the eagles returning to the nest with their "catch" I did feel it was cheating as far as photography goes, but also upsetting the natural order. Then I heard all the stories of the eagles around Puget Sound that are fed scraps by fishermen
In the couple of years since that experience, I've broadened my viewpoint, but only for the photos that are NOT entered to contests. In the owl topic you reference, the OP clearly said he provided the meals, so he wasn't trying to trick us in any way.
As far as the ethics of feeding wildlife outside of photography goals, that is probably a complicated discussion which can be vary from species to species (e.g. we eliminated some natural predators of grazing animals, so more starve in winter).
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