The Ethics Of Hunting

What goes through the minds of people when they think about trophy hunting? Hunting is the act of pursuing and killing live animals for food, recreation, or trade. Early human civilizations relied on hunting for subsistence. As humans and civilizations evolved, so did hunting. Hunting became a sport rather than a necessity. People who are for hunting claim that it helps control wildlife populations, whereas people against it believe that trophy hunting will lead to the extinction of certain animals. This paper will examine viewpoint one, two, and my viewpoint on trophy hunting being banned or not.

disagreed upon for various reasons, the effects of hunting have been and will continue to

Hunting is beneficial to our society and therefore should be allowed. Historically human beings have been pursuing wild animals to provide their families with food, clothing, and shelter. In modern times the need for hunting for survival has lessened because of the development of animal husbandry and agriculture. There were times in history worldwide when hunting became profitable and hunters began killing animals for their fur, skins, and meat. Then it became necessary to put regulations in to effect to preserve wildlife as well as to somewhat appease the critics who felt hunting should be illegal. Three main reasons why hunting should be allowed is to

history of hunting reveals that hunters of today share many of the same motivations and methods as ancient hunters. While technology and accessories may be different that those used for hunting thousands of years ago, the ability to take down an animal is something to be celebrated. When you learn the history of hunting, you’ll gain greater appreciation for this old tradition. Hunting is an essential component of conservation and can be used in everyday life; it has been a part of American history from its earliest beginnings and once provided a necessary source of food. In the early 1900s, when many wildlife species were almost near extinction, hunters stepped forward and asked Congress to impose an excise tax on the sale of firearms and ammunition products to help fund wildlife conservation in the United States. Another act that came into effect was the Conservation Movement. The conservation movement covers the movement to preserve and protect America’s wildlife, the lands, and other natural resources. A lot of hunters hunt for one purpose and that is to feed their families. These hunters usually hunt during the specific seasons where they can harvest the animals that their families will eat. Hunting is also an effective form of management because it will remove a number of individual animals from a population and prevent them from reproducing. Reducing the population will reduce human/animal conflicts, such as car collisions, Lyme disease and landscaping damage.

It may be safe to assume that some Americans view hunting as being barbaric. This may be due to the fact that our society is not one that relies on this method for survival anymore. Most Americans acquire their food through a local grocery store which gets their food from farmers who grow vegetables and raise domesticated livestock. In the recent decades, hunting has been portrayed more as a “sport” than as a means for survival. It would appear that the meaning behind hunting has been lost and with it people’s idea that it is meant to be helpful.

In a civilized and cultivated country, wild animals only continue to exist at all when preserved by sportsmen”("MARC FOLCO: Some hunting, fishing quotes to live by"). Hunters are the leading source for all conservation programs. Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most passionate hunters. People put down hunting like it’s a bad thing. Many hunters contribute billions of dollars the the economy. Hunting should not be banned because of the positive impacts it has on society.

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 allows a person to reconnect with nature. For many, hunting isn’t just about the chase and the thrill of catching their game. For many, hunting

One of the most controversial topics in the past and even more so today is hunting. Hunting has been around as long as we know it. Ancient civilizations hunted as a source of food, tools, and clothes. Hunting is the act of one animal pursuing another wild animal and killing it. Humans much like other animals hunt mainly for a source of food, although; humans also hunt as a way of protecting their selves, to remove unwanted animals, and to eliminate predators. Hunting for many has become a challenge; a challenge to kill the elusive game the hunter or huntress is in pursuit of. Many people around the world hunt all different kinds of game. Some animals have become extinct due to over hunting the animals, but laws have been put in place to protect this from happening to other animals. Wildlife conservation foundations have greatly benefited from hunters who have donated billions of dollars to these foundations. Hunters around the world enjoy the pastime, however; to such groups like PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) despise hunting. These anti-hunting groups go as far as condemning those who take part in hunting as a recreational activity of killing animals. Even though many people and groups are against hunting, hunting has boosts local and national economies, improves society, and manages animal populations, which in turn helps the environment.

Hunting has always been argued in being beneficial or critical to the environment. Especially, in recent world topics as well as the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell. Mr. Sanger Rainsford in “The Most Dangerous Game” changes his opinion on hunting. The short story states, “The world is made up of two classes—the hunters and the huntees.” This quote illustrates that Rainsford is expressing his philosophy on what he believes hunting is, and not having a problem with it. As you can see, it is my position that hunting is beneficial to the environment because it balances out the ecosystem, and teaches humans the value of nature.

Alongside the lessons learned by hunting, the connections that ethical hunting creates are very beneficial to human health. Ethical hunting creates three very strong and lasting connections: social, natural and spiritual. Social connections are forged with the people that are hunting partners. These connections usually create strong bonds that last forever. Nothing is more fun than going out and enjoying a hunt in the midst of nature with a loving family member or a best friend. The camaraderie that is created between hunting partners runs deep and will last forever as the tradition of hunting is carried on; good times will continue to happen between friends that hunt together. The natural connection is a bond between humans and nature. There is no better way to connect to an animal than to

Hunting is the world’s oldest and most productive means of food, yet it has begun to take a turn from its originality. Most “hunters” do hunt for food, but the select few that specifically hunt for the sport and nothing else have begun to sway organizations to the concept of “Anti-hunting.” These institutions have concluded some very critical, and factual, evidence in their opposing arguments on the matter, but in some ways the argumentation presents weakness that has been overlooked; these flaws are menial, but need to be surfaced. These little defects within the following arguments justify the hunter’s right to hunt and harvest game, and Anti- Hunting organizations such as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) have stated multiple facts about the way hunting has turned against its inventiveness such as: sport hunting as an unnecessary form of cruelty, fair chase of animals, and hunters as conservatives.

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

Everyday thousands of animals are brutally murdered by people that participate in the recreational activity that is hunting. Hunting is an activity that involves a person attempting to kill or trap an animal. Hunting is mainly done to animals in the wildlife and often in cases are used for food, clothing, recreation or trade. In my opinion hunting is morally wrong.

Humans have been hunting on this planet for over two million years. Our ancestors used complex hunting techniques to ambush and kill antelopes, gazelles, and other large animals dated back to times before Christ. People all around the world still carry on the tradition, but the view on hunting is not the same as it was back then. The world is so industrialized, and people think hunting is cruel and useless because you can buy meat at grocery stores. But in reality, it is the reason the wildlife they see are not extinct. Harvesting game not only benefits the hunter with the meat, but also the land, the wildlife, and controls the game population; therefore, without it wildlife would starve, and land would not be managed.