Ethical or unethical - baiting wild animals to photograph?

4 years 10 months ago #649292 by Tony Imaging
My wife and I went on a hike early this morning and we came across a pile of raw fish in the middle of the path.  We stopped because it was so out of the ordinary to see this here.  I started to kick the fish off the path and then 2 photographers came running out and started to ask why I was doing that.  Apparently they were off in the bushes hiding and placed the fish there to bait bobcats to photograph.  :blink:

Really?  They planted this stuff to lure in wild animals into this public path.  I don't know, I might be wrong, however I thought this was way unethical and could be harmful to the animals AND humans.  I argued the point, however these two photographers seemed to be lacking common sense. 

Let me get your opinion, do you feel this is right or wrong?  


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4 years 10 months ago #649293 by garyrhook
Yes, it's unethical, and harmful, and selfish. I don't even approve of baiting birds, but that's just me.


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4 years 10 months ago #649296 by Tony Imaging

garyrhook wrote: Yes, it's unethical, and harmful, and selfish. I don't even approve of baiting birds, but that's just me.


Those two photographers mentioned that in their argument to me as well.  "other photographers bait birds all day long, how is this any different?".  

These photographers are good example of what is so wrong with people today.  


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4 years 10 months ago #649311 by Pete Franko
Those two are idiots.  I would have continued to kick the fish off the path.  If those animals get used to finding food there, and then a family is walking down the path and the animals bite the humans, the animals now get put down.  


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4 years 10 months ago #649315 by icepics
I think it's unethical. I don't think it's a good idea to bait birds either; if you start putting out bird seed you're supposed to continue with it because birds/animals will come back to that place. And as Pete posted about, it's dangerous to lure wild animals to a place where people frequent.

You know, if the path you were on is in a park or preserve etc., maybe you should call and report it. Then the park rangers/staff can keep an eye on that path and clear off any bait - and deal with the idiots with cameras (they can tell them they're not allowed to do that and/or kick them out).

Sharon
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4 years 10 months ago #649319 by Pete Franko
And the sad part about it, many are baiting birds to get those head on shots.  


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4 years 10 months ago #649322 by Andy Gladwell

garyrhook wrote: Yes, it's unethical, and harmful, and selfish. I don't even approve of baiting birds, but that's just me.


:agree:   I couldn't agree more.  This gives photographers bad name.  


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4 years 9 months ago #649325 by Sanford
Pin the fish to the back of their shirts and tell them to go for a run.  :rofl:


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4 years 9 months ago #649481 by Brody Kross
Bad eggs


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4 years 9 months ago #649511 by Roger Lang
So wrong.  Hopefully the park ranger came by and got those two. 


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4 years 9 months ago #649548 by Wyrick Photography
Sad part, is that these animals will get comfortable and think it's OK to find food here.  They will run into a human, possibly attack the human, then get put down. 

Canon 5d Mark II • Canon 24-105mm F/4.0 • Canon 135mm F/2.0 • Canon 50mm F/1.8 • Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 • Canon 580ex ii
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4 years 9 months ago #649640 by Tony Imaging
Glad to see everyone is on the same page. 


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4 years 9 months ago #649670 by Nathan D
Very wrong +1 on them getting caught by park rangers.  


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4 years 9 months ago #649753 by Moe
Very unethical


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4 years 9 months ago #649769 by Studio Queen

garyrhook wrote: Yes, it's unethical, and harmful, and selfish. I don't even approve of baiting birds, but that's just me.


Very similar words I would’ve used.


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