Female trophy hunter poses with slaughtered bears and boasts about skinning them

A woman who hunts bears and boasts about loving to skin them has hit back at online trolls, calling them uneducated hypocrites.

Hunter Alexandra Tyutchevam, 23, has been labelled a “cruel killer” online, while others have told her “I wish it was you lying there instead of the bear”.

Alexandra is unapologetic about her hobby and hopes to inspire other hunters to embrace their passion.

The Russian university student said: “There are many people that don’t understand and throw hate at you whilst having zero knowledge on the topic.

“There can be comments that say, ‘I wish you were lying there instead of the bear,’ or, ‘you are a cruel killer’. Some have even threatened my non-existent children who will ‘pay for that.”

“They don’t realise how hunting influences our ecology. Proper hunting management can increase the number of elephants in Africa for example by thousands or bighorn sheep in the US.

“It’s hypocritical to eat meat and then also criticise people who work hard to provide their own meat for themselves.

“I’m currently writing my bachelor’s degree thesis on trophy hunting in Russia.”

Alexandra first started fishing and camping with her father when she was 12 years old and the started hunting together six years later.

“My father and I are very close. We spend a lot of time together hunting with our guests. My mum and three sisters don’t enjoy hunting but they support us. Hunting isn’t for everyone,” Alexandra said.

“In Russia, it’s not unusual to drive five hundred kilometres to go hunting especially if you live near a city so you don’t go very often.

“The biggest hunt I’ve had was a Kamchatka brown bear. We don’t weigh them but it must’ve been around two hundred and fifty kilograms.

“Hunting is a part of who I am now, it’s my hobby, my job, and my philosophy.”I love the strong connection I have to nature and the understanding of how things work in life.

She added: “You challenge yourself in harsh conditions, storms, rain, and snow but that’s just nature. You become more patient with experience.”

Alexandra hopes to inspire others to embrace their passion as she does hers.”Hunters, do not hide your passion or apologise for being a hunter,” she said.

“As for other people, do not judge something you don’t understand. Search for information and talk to people try to learn.”Curiosity and self-education is important.”

Lead Image Source: Alexandra posing with a bear she hunted (Image: Mediadrumimages / @russian.huntr)

This article was first published by The Mirror on 5 May 2020. “Focusing on Wildlife” does not support the killing of bears and strongly condemns and campaigns against trophy hunting.

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