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Hunter Sparks Outrage After Sharing Photos Of Mountain Lion She Killed

Hunter Sparks Outrage After Sharing Photos Of Mountain Lion She Killed

A wildlife group has called her 'sadistic'

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

WARNING: ARTICLE CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES

An American trophy hunter has sparked anger and outrage after she posted photos of herself with a bloodied mountain lion that she had just shot on her Facebook page.

Seriously, why would you do that? Outside of the fact that you've just shot and killed a lovely mountain lion, you know it's just going to fuck everyone off.

As you've probably gathered, that is exactly what happened. She has since been lambasted on social media by a load of people, more specifically, a wildlife protection group called Prairie Protection Colorado.

It turns out that the senseless killing of a beautiful and helpless creature for your own enjoyment - which is to say, trophy hunting - sort of gets under the skin of wildlife enthusiasts.

So, when Franchesca Esplin showed off pictures, one of which shows her holding the dead lion aloft, Prairie Protection Colorado called her out for being 'sadistic' and asking for a ban on trophy hunting.

The group said: "This is the mentality of people who kill predator species for sport and fun.

"Make no mistake that Colorado's wildlife policies and officials support this insane looting of Colorado's wildlife. It is OUR RESPONSIBILITY as people who care about wildlife to END the insanity of killing for pleasure.

"We have to do more than get angry and type about it on Facebook. We need to all come together to start the process of changing laws."

Esplin with the dead mountain lion.
Facebook

Alongside the photos - and a video in which she actually shoots the lion whilst it sits in a tree - Esplin posted her thanks to the houndsmen who helped her shoot the mountain lion and said that the kill 'has been at the top of my bucket list FOREVER'.

Esplin wrote: "Thank you to all those that helped out, you guys have NO idea how happy I am.

"I can see why this hunt is addicting. I'm so dang happy."

The hunt in progress.
Facebook

On top of expressing their distaste at Esplin's actions, the wildlife protection group appealed to supporters to sign a petition calling for a ban on the hunting and trapping of bobcats in the state of Colorado.

Whilst it's too late for this one, they hope to change the rules of the Department of Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Under the current laws, hunters must obtain a lion licence and keep it on them whilst they hunt. They're allowed to kill one lion each hunting season.

Speaking to Fox 31 Denver, a local TV station, Esplin defended her actions as 'completely legal'. The Parks and Wildlife officials backed her up.

The kill shot.
Facebook

She has since removed her social media profiles and complained that she's been threatened. Prairie Protection Colorado have said that they didn't mean to attack her personally, but added: "Anyone who would glory in the blood of an animal they kill has some cleary [sic] sociopathic tendencies.

"Ethical hunters feel reverence and a sense of responsibility to the animals whose lives they take for subsistence. They do not proudly display the 'trophy' of the animal they killed and exclaim that the kill had been on their 'bucket list forever'.

"Unfortunately, this mentality and the killing of our native species for sport is codified in Colorado's wildlife laws that are geared towards protecting sport hunters right to kill."

"By publishing these types of photos, we are shining a light on what is legally accepted in Colorado. We do this to inspire the people who care to get educated, put their feet on the ground and work towards change."

Featured Image Credit: Facebook

Topics: News, US News, Animals