According to a poll taken on debate.org, 48% of the people who voted believed hunting must not be banned and 52% believed it must be banned. The topic of hunting and what is ethical and what is unethical is often discussed and debated by hunters and anti-hunting organizations. Most anti-hunters believe hunters kill for fun, for bragging rights, and to bring home large antlers. Fred Bear, legendary bowhunter and founder of bear archery, said, “A hunt based only on the trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” The ultimate goal is to be one with nature and experience the beauties of this earth (Pickhartz). Contrary to popular belief that hunters are bloodthirsty people who have no respect for animals or nature, hunters …show more content…
Before 1905 it was estimated that there were 4,000 deer in the Kaibab, but the carrying capacity was estimated to be 30,000. In 1906, Theodore Roosevelt created the Grand Canyon National Game Preserve to protect these deer. The first thing they did to protect the deer was to completely ban hunting. Next, they tried to eliminate all predators of deer. By 1920 there was major evidence of deer overpopulation and deterioration of the land. Noticing the problem, the Kaibab Deer Investigating Committee attempted to cut the deer population in half. They reopened hunting and removed livestock from the area. Even though 675 deer were killed by hunters, it was not enough. Over the next two winters about 60,000 deer died of starvation (“The Lesson of the Kaibab”). This horrible situation in the Kaibab would not have occurred if hunting had not banned and the predators of deer killed. When asked how hunting helps the environment, Dennis Jacob said, “Hunting helps control the population of animals and protects the environment from the effects of overpopulation. When the deer overpopulated in the Kaibab, animals stripped trees by ripping off the bark. Eventually there was not enough food to support them and they starved to death. Deer were found dead all over the landscape. That is a horrible way to die.” Hunting helps control this and prevent a massive die-off. When the animals die from starvation and dehydration, their meat goes to waste. Allowing hunters to use the meat that would have otherwise gone to waste, provides meat for their families. Hunting plays a large role in protecting the environment and animals from the effects of
The deer population has increased so much that in many areas, they suffer from chronic starvation. “Bucks only” laws passed years ago to help in re-establishing the dwindling deer herds now work against the deer by resulting in an overabundance of does. Even with the overabundance of does many hunters refuse to shoot a doe. They believe in the old saying, “It takes a doe to yield a buck.” This is entirely true but it ignores the basic law of nature that any piece of land, and the food and cover in it, can support only so much game. If the excess game is not harvested by hunters or killed by predators, nature will take over and exterminate enough animals as needed or more through disease and starvation. That’s why hunting is a much more humane means for a deer ...
Environmentalists call this problem the Urban Deer Dilemma. This exists when the number of deer exceeds the ability of the environment to support the deer (2). During the 1600s, when Jamestown’s first settlers arrived, there were between 24 and 31 million white-tailed deer in North America (4). As settlers pioneered farther west, the deer population steadily decreased until a dramatic drop in the 19th century. By the end of the century, less than half-a-million deer were left. In some parts of the United States, there were none. In 1886, the US Supreme Court forced hunters to get licenses and follow certain restrictions. Conservationists urged hunters kill bucks instead of does. Because of these precautions, by the 1940s, 30 states in the United States had deer herds large enough to starve themselves (4).
When a Minnesota dentist killed a prized African lion named "Cecil" he received an onslaught of criticism and reignited the debate concerning big game hunting. Is big game hunting wrong? Should big game hunting continue? Big game hunting has been a very controversial topic for some time and these types of questions are being asked daily. There are a lot of people for it and a lot of people against it. This issue causes a lot of extreme behaviors and ideas by both sides. Those who oppose it believe it to be morally wrong, unfair to the animals and damaging to the environment. Those individuals for it believe that it is the citizens' rights and a way to be involved in the environment. Hunting is the law and shall not be infringed upon. In defense of the hunters' I believe that there are five main issues of concern.
Researching wolves at the time, Farley Mowat’s “Never Cry Wolf” details the massacre of caribou for their heads. At one point, a massacre is described when a group of deer was herded into a circle by a plane and a group of “hunters” shot at them from said plane. Once the firing was over, Mowat described the scene with “crimson slush” snow and the carcasses of 23 caribou. Of those caribou, only three showed any trace of harvesting: their heads. Every single caribou was wasted, as no person or animal benefited from the caribou’s plentiful meat. This harvest of caribou was common for this time period, making the caribou a threatened species and eventually led to governmental restrictions on hunting and hunting of endangered species (Mowat, NCW). A similar event happened in Michigan and the conterminous United States with gray wolves, when hunters would go out and kill wolves for no purpose other than “predator-control” (fws.org). With strict laws and restrictions, the wolf population would quickly return to normal. These two examples are reasons hunters should be concerned with the harvest of deer for sport. Those in favor of sport hunting would point at the economic benefits and that the white tail deer does not have a natural predator in the state of Michigan. While there are economic benefits and there are few predators to white tail deer, it does not rightly justify the killing of deer for
Since the beginning of time man has been hunting animals for food. Even before fire, man needed to hunt, because hunting was the only way to eat. At first man used things such as spears and rocks to kill its prey. As man evolved, they started using bows and arrows. Next came an early model of what we use today, the firearm. It is powerful yet easy to carry around. It puts the animal through less suffering and is a lot more efficient than previous techniques. Hunting was once a necessity, but now it is a tradition, passed on from father to son as a way to spend time together, enjoy the outdoors, and experience what our ancestors went through in hunting their dinner. Since it is considered a sport some think we are killing off the deer population, when in actuality, “While most other big-game species have declined with the spread of urbanization, the whitetail has been able to adapt to its ever-changing environment. Through the efforts of state agencies and conservation groups like Whitetails Unlimited, wildlife officials estimate today’s whitetail population to exceed 30 million” (www.whitetailsunlimited.org).
Hunting as we all know can be a very controversial sport in the eyes of the public. Hunting as described by Webster’s Dictionary is the activity or sport of chasing and killing wild animals. There are numerous different ways to hunt the same animal as well as innumerable different species of animals to hunt. Hunting includes trapping, shooting, and even fishing. Americans tend to hunt for the sport of it while citizens of other countries often depend on the catch of the prey to feed their families and communities.
Since the European colonization of eastern Africa, big game hunting, also know as "trophy hunting", has been a very controversial topic. During the early days of trophy hunting, dwindling numbers of some of the world’s most unique and prized wildlife was not a problem like it is today. When a trophy hunting dentist from Minnesota paid $55,000 to kill a prized African lion, he unintentionally reignited the heated debate concerning big game hunting. Wildlife conservationists and hunters debate the impact of hunting on the economy and the environment. Legal hunting can be controlled without government intervention, and the expensive sport of trophy hunting could generate a large sum of money to support conservation efforts.
3”Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me. 4And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat… “(Genesis 27:3-4) People claim that hunting is an evil practice and it’s unnecessarily cruel to “defenseless”, “harmless” animals. What they don’t realize is that their opinions are not based off the Word of God but instead what they (as in humans) think is right. God gave us these delicious-tasting animals to enjoy as food respectfully, as opposed to killing them only for the thrill. I am going to be showing you the roots of hunting and why it is necessary today. And by the way, a wise man named Paul Rodriguez stated “Hunting is not a sport. In a sport, both sides should know they’re in the game (2012)”
When many people think of hunting, they think of cruel, evil people senselessly killing innocent animals. What they don’t realize is that hunting is a passed down tradition and a way for people to bond with others who share a love for the sport. There are two main types of hunting: bowhunting and hunting with a rifle. There are strict rules and regulations that apply to hunting, so someone can’t just go out and start shooting up all the animals. Before anyone can hunt, they have to pass a class and a field test in order to get their license.
It is early in the morning; the majestic Elk bugles in the distance. The sun is kissing the tops of the peaks with the most beautiful gold, and painting the clouds rose red. The men and women who enjoy the outdoors whether it is hunting or just hiking help make these types of moments possible. Hunting and the ecosystem is tied closely to conservation of land and animals. The articles of “Hunting and the ecosystem” written by the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks Department (SDGFP), and “Facts and statistics on wildlife conservation” written by Roger Holmes, director of the Fish and Wildlife, touch on how hunting is important in the environment to keep a good balance in the ecosystem. They also point out how hunters do more than any other organization for wildlife and environment. Our country was created by outdoors men who hunted and they passed their knowledge of the outdoors to their kids. Hunting has worked its way down from the generation and we should learn to “pass it on” Hunting is great for the environment and wildlife and should be preserved for the ages to come.
Hunters often reveal that being in nature provides time to clear the mind. In the woods, there is no rush, no schedule, and no deadlines; nature moves at its own pace. This interaction provides a deep spiritual connection with the land, the wildlife, and our planet. Hunting has been around since the beginning of time and has been in many people 's lives for generations, these are some reasons why people all across America continue to hunt. Hunting has many benefits such as reducing deer related car accidents, controlling deer densities in heavily human populated areas, creates jobs, and feeding and supporting families. Thus, deer hunting is necessary for several reasons.
According to statistics from State Farm Insurance, “an estimated 1.5 million vehicles collide with deer every year in the United States, causing 1.1 billion in property damage,” as stated by Dave Roos, author of “Does Deer Hunting Reduce Car Accidents” as published on How Stuff Works website. This statistic is too high, meaning that the people of the United States need to do something about the deer population in our country. Many people do not like the deer because things like this happen. Although the deer in this world have rights, they are overpopulated and need to be hunted more and more because the deer cause car accidents, put food on the table, and hunting is a real sport that can be fun.
It’s a brisk November morning like any other day, but today isn’t any other day, today is the first day of firearm deer season. Shots are going off everywhere like world war three declared on deer. I’m wrapped in every hunting garment I own but winters cold embrace always finds its way in. My cheeks are rosy red and my breath was thick in the air. As I raise my shotgun and pull the trigger, my heart races and my hands shake. As I race after my prize, the sounds of leaves crunching beneath my feet are muffled by the ringing in my ears. I’m walking face to the ground like a hound on a trail and then my eyes caught it, my very first whitetail. I will never forget my first deer and the joy I felt sharing it with my family. Hunting is a passed down tradition for my family and friends. Throughout the world, millions of people participate in the spoils and adventure of the hunt. Hunting has been a pastime since the beginning of man. Hunting is one of those things either you like or you don’t like. It’s hard to explain the joys of hunting ,because it’s something one must experience for his self. Hunting does have laws and regulations you have to abide by. Are hunting regulations benefiting the hunter or the animal? This paper will discuss some of the regulations and laws, types of game, disadvantages of regulations, the pros of regulations, poachers, and ways to preserve wildlife and there habitat.
Hunting is a passion for millions of Americans across the United States and without it who knows what the current deer population would be. With the white tailed deer having few predators and a large habitat to thrive in it is important to keep the tradition of hunting going. Besides, the real problem Anti-hunters should be focusing on is the growth of cities and communities because they are what truly hurts the deer population. As long as deer hunting safety remains under control and the deer population stays in tacked, there should be no reason to end future hunts for Americans. To conclude, it is true that many people don’t believe in the ethics of hunting and that is alright, because regardless of how they feel hunting is here to stay for many years to
The topic of hunting has always been filled with controversy, excitement and trepidation for the environment. Both sides have varies ideas as to what is wrong and right. I realize that many people do not understand why people have to hunt or why people do hunt. One of the questions that kept coming to mind is why so many people are against hunting when their ancestors hunted and without hunting many of them would not be alive today. This question is relevant because many people are becoming to be worried that animals are in pain when being hunted and that it is unfair for people to hunt selfless animals with modern weaponry, and with many people going against the right to own guns.