AN ANIMAL hunter who put sick photos of his illegal kills on Facebook, including him kissing a dead deer and drinking vodka with the corpse of a beaver, has defended them as "jokes".
Pavel Gotovchikov's horrific snaps came to light after a disgusted friend alerted an animal rights group.
They sent the images to police who launched a criminal investigation.
But the 54-year-old, who this week was ordered to pay a £50 fine and £2,000 in compensation, sickeningly defended his passion for killing animals.
He also said he thought taking photos of them was "a good joke". As well as deer and beaver, his defenceless victims also included hare, grouse, rabbit and ducks.
Gotovchikov, from Koshika Village in western Siberia, Russia, said: "Yes, I am a hunter. Yes, I am guilty. I did not always follow the rules. I photographed what I shot because hunters love to pose with their trophies.
"As to the beaver and vodka, well, I thought it was a good joke. This photo was taken a long time ago."
He also hit back at the animal rights group claiming they invaded his right to privacy.
Gotovchikov said: "It was stupid idea of mine to post these photos. But I did not know that these animal rights activists would go on my personal page like anyone else would steal something from a person's pocket.
"These so-called ecologists brazenly went on my personal page and never bothered to contact me if they had a problem, instead they made it their mission to destroy my reputation and my life."