I don't hunt for the photos, and I damn sure don't leave guts in a dead animal any longer than it takes to retrieve it. That buck in the photo is amazing, but I sure wouldn't chance spoiling all that MEAT just for a good picture. I've got several 'back of the truck' pics of great deer, and I'm not the least bit ashamed of them. 2 actually grace the walls of my 'man cave'. I'll try to remember to snap pics this season while still in the field, but food on the table is my main priority, and if I forget my camera, that deer is getting field dressed, and the pics will be 'post-gutted', blood and all.

Sometimes you just have to take what you get when it comes to pictures.

For instance, in 2008 I shot my very first buck with a bow right at the end of shooting hours. It went and died on my neighbors land and even though they were kind enough to let us go retrieve it, our presence back there made their dogs bark like mad, so not wanting to be rude we hurried up and got the deer to the truck.

The next morning my hubby had to go to work, right away and it was hotter then you know what out so it was off to the butcher for the deer. A couple of quick back of the truck pics was all I was able to get and I show these off proudly, meaning no disrespect to either fellow human or animal. It just didn't work out where I could.

Would I have liked to get nicer pics? You bet I would have. So maybe we should not all be so quick to judge the back of the truck shots. You just may never know the story behind it.

Markj I agree, just how do you harvest a game animal with a tractor? Harvesting is for crops you shoot a deer. I do like to see photos though right after the hunt either where they killed it or back at camp.

I love to see children involved in anyway possible. I think Ben's picture is just fine, however just take a minute to make something nice for yourself. No gut piles in the back ground, take off you gutting gloves, don't glom your big hands all over the antlers and check the background a little, and if it looks like crap, just drag it somewhere it will look better. NOW, my pet peeve is seeing mounted animals being used as hat racks, coat racks or just hanging stuff off them. I mean, HOW DISRESPECTFUL. If you didn't care that much about it, you shouldn't have mounted it in the first place.

I like the back of the truck or tongue out if that's what it comes to. More than the size of the animal or the rack I like seeing the enjoyment of the people and if it's someone I know the story that goes with it.

I like those photos of cutting up the elk carcass on a sheet of plastic in the basement of that old track home we used to have, fat cow. Wife has a big old grin and a big old kitchen knife, lotta meat.

Oh no don't show the blood! Sorry, but I purposefully let that blood out, and some of that blood will be in my belly and become part of me.

I really hate the ones when the guy is sitting on the deer like a horse holding the head up.

I feel there is always a way to take tasteful pictures of any animal you harvest. Sure, it may take a little extra time and effort, but it is always possible to accomplish.

Like my dad taught me, "always do things in the outdoors as if someone from the general public was watching you. Assume they have a neutral opinion of hunters. What you do may influence the way they perceive all hunters from that day forward."

Words to live by.

Nice photo. I wish more hunters would show the respect this guy does. Truck bed photos aren't bad, i've done them. Just nice to have photos all can enjoy. What pee'ves me? When uneducated morons view hunting as just "KILLING". Maybe they go out aimlessly shooting at anything that moves just to see blood. That does nothing but backup all the statements and views that ones that oppose hunting have. When I or any of the dozens of people I hunt with go in the woods we have in mind what we want and hunt for it, being choosey to HARVEST THE ANIMAL we want. IF YOU DISAGREE, FIND A DICTIONARY AND LOOK UP THE DEFINITION OF "HARVEST"!!

I never thought a "thread" about pictures of game would have brought so much contention!
Pics are really nice. I tote a throw away each season to take a pic of every deer I shoot. Wally world no longer does 1 hr photos, everything is digital! Walgreen's still does!
To those who question whether the deer was field dressed or not, check the deer's flank! If the deer had been field dressed, the flank would look much thinner! HAS the deer been field dressed? I dunno, I wasn't there when the photo was taken, so I can't judge!

Bubba

first let me say that is an awesome buck! I really like the picture it will show what that deer looked like in the wild and a great back round like a painting a picture its done artfully as its hung by the wall mount it done for you no one else. i know its a dirty job i don't really care if someone doesn't like blood or hunting i do it out of respect and it puts a smile on my face undoubtedly when i look at a well done picture of a good memory. Way to go Ben on the buck and starting them young!

WHATS WITH THIS NOTION THAT THE GUY HASN'T FIELD DRESS THE DEER????????? WHAT DOES YOUR DEER LOOK LIKE AFTER YOU'VE DRESSED THEM OUT?? THE BODY ON MY DEER ALWAYS LOOK SIMILAR TO HIS. LOOK AT THE TAIL ON THE DEER, ITS BLOODY! LOOKS LIKE HE'S FIELD DRESSED IT. AS FAR AS HIS CLOTHES, WHO SAID HE WASN'T IN A GROUND BLIND WITH BLACK APPAREL ON. MAYBE HIS WIFE CAME OUT TO PICK HIM UP AFTER THE HUNT, BROUGHT THEIR CHILD ALONG TO BE PART OF THE PICTURE?!? LOOKS LIKE HE'S DONE IT ALL CORRECT TO ME.