Does the law affect hunters ability to take video or photos of their hunting trips?
No. First of all, the statute only prohibits depictions of cruelty that is in itself unlawful. Therefore, images of lawful hunting activities are not covered by the statute. There is also an exemption for journalistic or educational depictions, so an outdoor column with images of animals being killed or a website educating hunters would not be covered by the Act. In addition, the clear intent of the Depictions law was to target the most gruesome acts of cruelty, such as the despicable “crush videos” in which scantily clad women are shown impaling small animals with their bare or high-heel-clad feet, or images of grotesque and unlawful animal fights. Depictions of hunting activities are not within the ambit of the statute’s intended targets, and prosecutors will not waste resources on such matters.
