The Ethics of Sport Hunting Essay

Hunting is very valuable to me, but the value is deeper than just hunting. There are so many aspects of hunting that I love. But I cherish my bow above all of them. Having my bow with me when I’m in the stand or when I’m at my neighbor’s house practicing, gives me a since of dominance. Also brings me pride knowing I’ve worked hard and stayed committed to something I truly love. There are all kinds of animals to hunt and different ways to hunt them. My favorite type of animal to hunt, is the white tail deer. While hunting the allusive deer I like to follow a code of ethics, which a lot of people don’t follow. Even though I would have liked to be given all my hunting needs, I’m proud of myself for going out and getting those needs by myself. Buying my bow and getting into bow hunting, caused me to take responsibility and taught me to stay committed to a true value in my life.

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 something we've done since we've been on this planet. We used to do it out of necessity, but in the modern world we do it for many other reasons. As technology has increased, we have developed different methods of hunting. These methods have carried over to today, but two have prevailed: bowhunting and rifle hunting. These methods are both hunting--obviously--but they're different in almost every other sense. Bowhunting and rifle hunting are different based on the weapon used, the way you hunt, and your connection with the animal and the land around it; however, the same in the way the respective methods bring people together.

Hunting is an extremely controversial topic in the U.S. Since the beginning of history, man has hunted animals for food to live and to utilize other parts for clothing and other essential reasons. There are many people who are strongly opposed to hunting and think that it should be banned. There are also many people that support hunting and think that it is an acceptable thing to do. One such writer, Rick Bass, describes a similar emotion in his essay, “Why I hunt”. In the essay, he emphasizes his deep love for hunting and claims that it is an enjoyable activity. He employs such details to his story describing his surrounding beautifully that towards the end of the article, his attempts to appeal to reader’s imagination strengthen his

Many people have misconceptions about hunting. One such misconception is that hunting is easy and any person can go sit in the woods and wait for an animal to cross the hunter’s path. However, people who believe this are sorely mistaken. Hunting is not just sitting in the woods with a rifle; there are many other aspects that must be considered. An individual must have all preparations complete, purchase or gather the equipment needed, and know what to listen for while in the woods.

Further in the article, Mr. Kleine distinguishes “hunters” and “gatherers” with students and professors. “A hunter must go into the world with a strong sense of purpose and direction, and employ deliberate strategies and technologies to kill his game, while a gatherer must look about widely, making sense and use of the food he discovers…A hunter finds what he is looking for; a gatherer discovers that which might be of use” (24).

In the short essay “Why I Hunt” by Rick Bass, the writer gives the reader his personal perspective of what hunting is like for him. Rick Bass goes on to share the story of his family’s move from the hills of Fort Worth, Texas to the very remote Yaak Valley of Montana. The move to this area makes Bass want to hunt more since there is a better variety of prey, and due to everyone that has lived in what Bass calls “the Yaak”, has hunted their entire lives, he feels obligated to do it more than what he did when he lived in Texas (655). In “Why I Hunt, Bass argues that his love for hunting is an enjoyable hobby that develops his imagination and gets him in touch with nature, and that people should put down technology and try hunting. Bass uses imagery to show the beauty of hunting, and pathos to describe his emotions towards hunting.

Aldo Leopold is on the forefather of modern environmentalism. His book, A Sand County Almanac, is based on the notion of viewing land as a community and as a commodity. In the chapter “The Land Ethic”, Leopold invokes a rethinking of our relationships to our world and is based on the principle that ethics are “a process in ecological evolution” (238). Leopold describes the stages of ethic evolving and explains that the rules for socializing were originally defined for human beings. These rules are expanded upon in the next stage of “Ethical Sequence” (237-238), describing how humans interact toward their community. The third stage is the ethics between humans and the land. Upon analyzing “The Land Ethic” I have come to the conclusion that in order to have respect and ethic for land, or anything, one must make a personal connection.

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

On the other hand, trophy hunting, which is “the selective hunting of animals for human recreation” , is a problem that can increase the risk of extinction. UK scientists confirm that hunters have the tendency to hunt the animal with the best genes. There is an intense discussion about the rightness of this activity because some argue

“The Facts About Hunting.” Friends of Animals And Their Benefits. Friends of Animals And Their Benefits, Web. 8 November 2013

In modern society’s fast-paced world where information and decisions are constantly being exchanged and broadcast, one may find themselves not taking the time to slow down and contemplate those decisions being made and their ramifications. Removing oneself from the hustle and bustle of civilization often gives a person time to contemplate and consider the choices and consequences that can happen. Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson are two men from American history, who during the 1820’s and 1830’s transcendentalist movement famously left civilization to find peace in nature through a journey of self-discovery and thought. One personal example of stopping to consider a decision occurred when I was a young teenager hunting alone in the remote Idaho high mountain desert. This decision was different from many others because it required thought and consideration of the outcome, the means to obtain this outcome, and ultimately the consequences of the actions taken. All of which happened when a large doe and her young fawn walked over the barren ridge and into my scope’s sights. I was faced with an ethical dilemma. Ethical dilemmas are complex choices that involve the consideration and testing of many ethic theories and essentially ethics, “the analysis, evaluation, and promotion of correct conduct and/or good character, according to the best available standards” (Ward 264). In the case of my personal ethical dilemma, whether or not I should shoot the deer.

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

The great thing about hunting and fishing is being outside in the many vast locations that are part of God’s country. Few things are as peaceful as watching the forest come alive or the sun rise over the treetops and reflect off of the flat calm lake. It is a beautiful experience. But as beautiful as the sun rising off the lake is, it does not compare to the various other locations that hunting offers. While fishing, a person is always on the water, whether that is on a river, lake or ocean. Hunting offers many options such as in the mountains in the West, the dry desert in the Southwest, the farm fields in the Midwest, the swamps down South, and any place in between. These many options make hunting very diverse.

Harvesting game not only benefit the land and wildlife; it also helps out a family. Venison and other wild game meats are healthy and great sources of protein. Over forty meals can be made with a single deer, which can feed a family of four ten times. The price of a hunting license and game tag combined is around eighty dollars; that can really help out a family in need. Instead of buying beef at a store which came from a slaughter house, you can pay for a hunting license and a game tag, and go harvest a deer. That deer will put food on your table and keep the game population managed. Humans might not find benefit to the hide nowadays, but that is no reason not to hunt. Hunting is still beneficial to the animals and yourself.