At the Wildlife Leadership Academy in high school, we discussed white tailed deer ecology and conservation. While deer are overpopulated and regulated and focused hunting is beneficial for our forest ecosystems, the issue is highly contested by many different groups with opposing views.
From a scientific standpoint, hunting is necessary to keep deer populations in check, and this can be done most effectively by hunting female deer. Therefore, conservation-minded groups support the increased issuance of antlerless deer licenses and decrease in antlered deer licenses. This way, most hunters must kill females, and the populations reduce quickly. This would be an easy and simple solution to the problem of deer overpopulation, but the opposing sides don’t have the same priorities as the conservationists.
Hunters want to hunt as many deer with the biggest antlers possible, so some hunting groups support the increased issuance of antlered deer licenses. There is an aspect of cultural dislike for killing does, which are perceived by some as a less valuable kill. Hunting groups that are accustomed to the state of deer overpopulation that has troubled this area for so long even ask that the government supply stocked deer to areas where they used to see more deer.
There are also animal-rights activists who have fundamental issues with the concept of “consumptive” outdoor recreation. Groups like PETA oppose the issuance of hunting licenses at all, and attack the morals of
2).With 12.5 million hunters in the United States, it seems as though most families have a reason to support hunting rights in country. Safety is a top propriety; new younger hunters are now required to pass a gun hunting safety class. The safety class deals with such issues as proper handling of a firearm, and safety issues and how one must never point a gun at anything that the hunter does not want to kill.“The hunter education course instills in students the knowledge and skill to be a responsible and safe hunter. The basic course consists of 10 lessons during a minimum of 10 hours. Students learn how hunting accidents are caused and how they can be prevented. Hunter responsibility and safety are stressed throughout the classes, which consist of lectures, demonstrations, group discussions, practical exercises, and individual study and activity assignments” (Wisconsin department of natural resources, 2009, p.1). Hunting is also important to the economy of the country in 2006, [125 million hunters entered the woods spending $22.9 billion that would have not went into the economy without hunting. Total cost of hunting equipment for hunting was $10.7 Billion](“2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation,” 2006). Which would not have went to local business without hunting. Hunting is not just a pastime in the United States; it is big business
Hunting is a common activity all around the world, and if performed properly, can have many benefits to us and the rest of the planet. The art of hunting has been around since the beginning of time. Living off of the land used to be a necessity across the world, until the mass production of food came along. In America, people do not usually need to hunt to survive. However, the population of animal species needs to be controlled. Too many of one type of animal can cause a drastic change to any ecosystem. Food supplies decline quickly, leaving many animals without food. Hunting can help keep the population of a group of animals at a good number, making the lives of the other
“Hunting is good for the environment because one it helps keep down on the deer herd and other animals that are hunted.”(Smith) ”When you hunt you help herds of animals from getting to over populated. When the deer herds are kept to a lower number there is less likely of a chance for diseases to start to get spread around in return killing off a lot of the deer herd. Hunting to keep down on the deer herd also helps prevent interbreeding. When there gets to be too many deer in one herd there is a good possibility that interbreeding can occur and then birth defects could occur as well as health problems. When deer herds are kept to a low number there is not as much of a chance for deer and vehicle crashes to happen. When there is smaller deer herds that are controlled by hunting the
In America, deer are an animal hunted widely throughout our country. Each winter citizens have mixed emotions about the sport. Some say its barbaric and cruel, while others argue that it’s beneficial and useful. Although people may say hunting is cruel and barbaric, have they ever thought about the upsides to be gained from hunting? While this is a topic that can be argued viciously back and forth, I believe hunters win the argument. Deer hunting keeps the population down, protects farmers’ crops, boosts economic sales, betters a person’s mental health, and teaches lifelong lessons on respect. These are just a few of the amazing benefits that can be gained from hunting.
Hunting is a sport that men and women around the world have enjoyed for centuries. However, today there is so much controversy over whether it is ethical or beneficial for animals to be hunted. People who do not support hunting are not aware of the benefits it offers for not only the hunter, but also the animal population. There are hunting seasons, specific types of guns the hunters can use, the time sportsmen can hunt, and many other rules that keep sportsmen from hunting unfairly or overhunting. Sportsmen must buy license and tags to hunt legally, which keeps many people from hunting. The people who go against these regulations face heavy fines and in some cases, jail time. People who do not support hunting probably are not aware that because
Predators, hunters, and habitat contribute to the increasing densities of whitetail deer in some locations. The populations of predators, wolves and cougars, have greatly declined in suburban areas. This declination has helped with the increase of the deer population. Since the 1970’s the number of hunters has been declining. This may be because of the number of people that do not believe in recreational, or sport hunting. For some hunting has become a hobby to show off and brag about causing others to be turned off to the whole idea of hunting. Although hunting can be popular it is prohibited in parks,
Through strictly regulated hunting we have reintroduced and repopulated various game species into areas where they were previously wiped out due to extremely excessive hunting by settlers. In the early 1900s all of Indiana’s whitetail deer were virtually extinct. By the 1930s whitetail deer were beginning to be reintroduced into Indiana. In just 20 years after initial reintroduction the population was at a sustainable level so that regulated modern hunting programs could begin. Conservationism has been a necessity to the ecology of the United States and many other countries around the world. The U.S. Forest Service by itself manages 193 million acres of public land nationwide or roughly 8% of the total land in the United States. The management of this land would not be feasible without the funding hunters provide through licenses, tags, and stamps. The 193 million acres does not include any public recreational land on the state level. There is 2,260,380 acres of public hunting land in all the states
Hunting has become a staple of American traditions since the beginning of the first hunter/gatherers, to the Native Americans who have lived in the U.S for millennia, even all the way until present day. Much of today’s society looks at hunting as a cruel activity when in reality it has more of a positive effect on the environment than it does harm. There are an abundance of benefits that come from hunting. Some of the benefits of hunting are: it is the biggest contribution to conserving wildlife, the meat is healthier than commercially produced meat, many jobs are being supported out of hunting, and every hunter wants “to bag” the trophy animal; however, there are a few cons to this, which include poaching and interference by the activist
Hunting is the practice of pursuing wildlife in order to kill it. Individuals who hunt do so for a variety of reasons while wildlife activists oppose hunters’ views and practices. Many people in rural areas of the United States hunt in order to harvest lean, organic, healthy meat for personal consumption. Some individuals hunt because it is tradition and a significant part of their heritage. Others choose to hunt as a means to escape the ins and outs of a chaotic society while taking in the serenity of the great outdoors in a therapeutic manner. Some hunters enjoy hunting for the thrill and the challenge of the chase. Other reasons people hunt include trophy hunting, travel to exotic locations, spending quality time with family and friends, and wildlife conservation. Individuals who are against hunting typically argue that hunting is inhumane and is considered cruelty to animals. Due to the benefits of properly managed ethical hunting, hunting should be legal within the United States.
It is impossible to discuss deer at all without talking about deer management, because there is there hardly a deer alive in America today that is not directly influenced by man. We control the water the deer drinks, the food that it eats, and the land that it lives on, and we regulate the manner, sex, and amount of deer harvested. The problem lies in the way we manage the deer herd. The time has come to practice Quality Deer Management.
Hunting throughout the United States has adapted to fit the needs of the people and new technology. Some might argue that hunting has become unethical and that animals need to be protected, but no one fights for animal protection more than hunters. Hunters, while using new technology, are making unethical decisions that affect the way other people hunt; these changes should be regulated so hunters are not making unethical decisions, effectively better conservation of animals. Hunting has grown in ways many people never would have thought possible. According to Aldo Leopold, a well known hunter, “Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is
When people talk about deer, they are commonly talking about the North American Whitetail. That is because they are so prevalent in this country. They can be found in every state in the US. The only place where you will not find any whitetails is in parts of Arizona and California. In most states the whitetail is very prevalent, especially in the northeast. They are one of the most hunted animals in this area, particularly in Pennsylvania and Michigan. Despite the amount they are hunted, both in and out of season, you can not drive more than a few miles out of the towns without seeing one that was hit by a car. The deer population in this area just keeps growing. It is unclear what
Austin R. King English 11 Mr. Johnson 7 May 2018 Should Deer Hunting Season be Extended Deer hunting came around several thousands years ago in the states. It has provided a great source of food, clothing, and household items. After a buck has been hunted, you can use the antlers for handles, knives and multiple other things. The evolution of hunting has come a long way over the last few decades because of the inventions of guns and cannon nets.
“The Facts About Hunting.” Friends of Animals And Their Benefits. Friends of Animals And Their Benefits, Web. 8 November 2013
The deer and elk population is growing at an alarming rate. According to Outdoor Life, the "Whitetail deer population grew from 29.8 million in 1994 to 32.7 million today." According to Garth Kidd, the solution to this overgrowth problem is hunting. If we were to get rid of hunting,