What you choose to do depends on your own ethical stance, and whether you’re motivated by animal welfare and rights, conservation and/or environmental issues. If you want to make a difference, here are a few things you can do…
Choose to shop ethically Money talks. As a customer, you can choose to shop in a way that reflects your values. Find out more about the brands you should shop with and research their optics to find the best product for you.
Break the silence Normalise conversations about ethical shopping, trophy hunting and illegal hunting activity with friends, family and wildlife-watchers that you know, by chatting to them about the issues, sharing this website on social media and reading the Ethical Consumer reports.
Ask for transparent policy statements Contact your optics brand and let them know your concerns. Ask them to be transparent by publishing policy statements on illegal hunting activities, trophy hunting and sponsorship of hunting activities. Find contact details here.
Demand an ethical position Ask manufacturers to adopt an ethical position on marketing their products to hunters which addresses: the glamourisation of ‘big game’ and trophy hunting; the use of hunting imagery that contains animals that have been impacted by hunting (evidenced in scientific literature); sponsorship of sports hunting; and/or animal rights. Find contact details here.
Show the love for wildlife-friendly brands Contact the companies with no links to hunting and encourage them to use this in marketing materials, for example developing ‘wildlife-friendly’ optics ranges and promoting wildlife watching. Find contact details here.
Reconsider sponsorship If you are part of a conservation group, consider developing a policy on sponsorship. Are you willing to accept money from an optics company that endorses trophy hunting or doesn’t challenge illegal hunting activities? Read more about the issues here.