A Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia (SSAA) advertisement has been vandalised, labelling a SSAA hunter as a “coward”.

The advertisement, which is on display in St Kilda, Victoria and forms a part of the SSAA’s 2013 Year of the Hunter national campaign, has also been the target of complaints citing depiction of weapons and violence to the Advertising Standards Bureau.

SSAA National Media Officer Rachael Andrews said the graffiti attack and advertising complaints illustrated the need to educate Australians of the important roles hunters play in our society.

“Our hunters are responsibly managing wildlife populations, sustainably sourcing their own food and enjoying an outdoor recreation no different to fishing,” Rachael said.

“Australia’s non-hunting public has often become disconnected from something that is a legal government-regulated activity, not realising the difference between fictional violence in movies or the criminal element acting illegally with firearms.”

The image in question displays an inset image of a man in his day job as an electrician and a larger background image of the man taking part in his hunting pastime by choice, safely holding an unloaded hunting rifle.

“The purpose of this advertisement is to draw the public to the connection that Australia’s hunters come from all walks of life and form part of the community,” Rachael said.

The advertisement location of St Kilda was chosen as an urbanised, trendy location that is far removed from the realities of the rural landscape. It is in the outer regions where the needs of managing wildlife such as foxes and rabbits cannot be overlooked and the opportunities exist to harvest your own meat.

“Hunting is a legitimate, beneficial pastime, and we are using an image that is in no way sensationalising violence or weapons to spread our message,” Rachael said.

To learn more about hunting in Australia, see the ‘SSAA launches 2013 Year of the Hunter Fact Sheet’.