Canadian TV presenter Steve Ecklund is taking an online beating from outraged animal rights activists after “The EDGE” host bagged a mammoth mountain lion earlier this month.
The Alberta bow hunter posted images of the big cat on Facebook, calling the hunt “an unreal ending to a fun filled season” in the northern reaches of the province.
But Ecklund didn’t stop there. The big game enthusiast posted a gory image of a sliced mountain lion heart amid pictures of him making a stir-fry from the meat.
Steve Ecklund (Facebook)
The images eventually ticked off anti-hunting activists who flooded Ecklund’s social media pages with rage – including over-the-top death threats.
“What a sad, inadequate excuse for a man you are,” one Facebook user replied.
Added another: “So incredibly disgusting. It’s obvious you have absolutely no respect for life or any creature on this earth. You’re such a pathetic excuse for a human.”
Steve Ecklund (Facebook)
And it continued: “If only it was the other way round. Go put a bullet in your own head,” another raging social media user wrote.
Things continued to escalate: “You’re a piece of s—. That animal had a life and you had no right to take that from it. I hope you and your family rot, you scumbag.”
Ecklund didn’t seem fazed by the onslaught of hate, taking to Facebook to answer his critics.
“If you can guess what post has 900 likes, 450 comments, 13 confirmed death threats, 754 swear words and one very happy hunter in it,” Ecklund joked, “I will enter your name into the draw for the new cougar cook book, filled with mouth water (sic) recipes for your next mountain lion hunt.”
Of course, Ecklund had plenty of supporters, too.
“I am with you Steve,” one Facebook user responded. “Don’t pay any attention to these people who have no idea about what hunting is all about. They are just a bunch of no minds who still sit outside by their barbecues and chew on a hamburger. Way to go my friend.”
Ecklund’s show The Edge follows him and three co-hosts as they explore big game hunting in North America. It airs on Wild TV and the Sportsman Channel.
