Some of the reactions on Adam Freeman's Instagram account don't seem out of place at first _ like the occasional angry face emoji. Others are more noticeable, like the comments on photos of his sons posing with the deer or bears they've killed: "Future psychopath," or "AWFUL!!!" Commenters call his photos "sad," "gruesome" or "heartless." Freeman, who lives in Caldwell, said those are some of the more mild responses he gets when posting about his family's hunting trips to his 32,000 followers. He also receives private messages containing accusations and, at times, threats.
"A lot of times these interactions happen in direct messages," Freeman said in a phone interview. "People don't want to do that in public." The 39-year-old teacher is one of many Idaho hunters who say they're often hit with blowback when they post hunting photos online. To avoid the onslaught of vitriol, some of them are changing the way they hunt and share their stories on social media.
