If You Enjoy It, Why Not (Original)
In the matter of human nature, we are all savage animals in one way or another; people just don’t seem to notice. But bring in the term hunting; only those who hunt are the real savage animals. Hunting isn’t the same thing for everybody. Every person has his/her point of view about it. Hunting has been around for thousands of years and yet it has been a controversial topic for many years. There are many types of hunting: Stalking, Hide, Long-range, Drive, Safari, Mountain, and Sports Hunting. Every type of hunting has their own controversies but sport hunting seems to be above all the rest. Some people want sport hunting banned for a number of reasons but that will not likely happen and it should be allowed to be practiced.
When it comes to sport hunting, the hunters main goal is take down the animals with as less shots as possible. Hopefully in a one shot one kill type of basis. “No hunter wants to make an animal suffer needlessly, and it is not in the hunter’s best interest to wound an animal that runs off, is panicked and difficult to locate for a second shot.” The hunter is highly motivated to make an accurate, humane kill shot to the vital organs. This is for the sake of the animal and for the sake of the hunter as well. If the animal survives with the one shot, the hunter obviously will feel bad due to the fact that the objective they had going into this was to not make the animal suffer and the hunter has already failed.
In the whole animal kingdom, the humans are at the very top hunting wise but there are more expert hunters out in the wild than us; the animals themselves. “When compared to cougars, wolves, alligators, and other predators, the hunter is perhaps the most humane hunter in the wild.” Animals have very heightened senses than humans which makes them a lot more dangerous or an expert at escaping possible death, depending on the animal too. Animals in the wild kingdom can be vicious and it is incredible how most animals hunt down there prey. Animals from the wild are a lot more vicious than us humans and getting shot from a distance would be a lot better than being chased down and eaten alive.
Even though it might not be sports hunting, hunting can also be used as a form of keeping certain animals to a certain number for which is acceptable for the ecosystem and/or area in which the animal(s) live in. “Though most of these urban hunts involve archery rather than firearms, all have three things in common: They are highly regulated, and only very-well qualified hunters make the cut. As a result, they are very safe.” Urban hunts are a group of local hunters, not hired by the state or anything like some states do, in which the groups are called sharpshooters, that also help thin out the herd when needed. Sharpshooters can be sometimes cruel to the animal when they are once caught and then killed. The sharpshooters sometimes charge around $250 and more for every deer they kill. But the urban hunters are certainly more humane and much more economical and ethical. Also, the meat from these urban hunts general goes to community food banks. This also depends on the area in which people live in because some areas may have more animals than others.
Some people can and will argue that hunting is morally bad and it’s something that should be banned and it’s perfectly understandable why those people would want to ban hunting. “At this time, no federal law governs canned hunting. The Animal Welfare Act does not regulate game preserves, hunting preserves, or canned hunts. Although the Endangered Species Act protects species of animals listed as endangered or threatened, it does not prohibit private ownership of endangered animals and may even allow the hunting of endangered species.” The hunting of endangered animals is wrong and many will agree with that but if you ask any other hunter who partakes in something like sports hunting, that hunter will say that the poaching of endangered animals is frowned upon in the hunting community and isn’t taken lightly. Poaching is wrong because that specific animal one day might not be around anymore due to poachers. Poachers just give normal hunters a bad name and ruin the activity for everybody else who actually enjoys it.
For the most part, hunting makes us human. “Hunting is indeed what makes us human; hunting is what led humans to cooperate, to plan, to anticipate, to form society. The first great turning point in Mankind’s development was when two unrelated families found they could hunt large animals by working together, and so be more efficient at obtaining high-quality food; thus was the first tribe born. Hunting has made us what we are.” It might not be sports hunting, but hunting does bring people to together and most of the time, this is a true form of happiness for many people who just love the sensation they get when hunting. For many, hunting isn’t just about killing the animal; it’s much more than that. It isn’t about death, it’s about life.
Hunting, as well as sports hunting, can also make significant contributions to wildlife protections. “While hunters and conservation groups may not see eye-to-eye on every issue, what connects them is an understanding that healthy ecosystems mean healthy habitats for game animals.” Hunters and conservation group’s work together to ensure that animals have a beautiful and healthy ecosystem. A healthy ecosystem can ensure that the game animals will be strong and healthy which would be good for the hunter. The animals can live longer too.
Hunting, for the most part, can mean a number of things for many different types of people. “People who don’t hunt should recognize that the motive of the hunters we work with is not simply to increase the numbers of animals for hunting or even to have more places to hunt,” says Matt Miller, a lifelong hunter who works for the Conservancy in Idaho. “It is a much bigger view of the land and the wildlife.” Back in the day, Sportsmen were and are the original conservationists. When Roosevelt entered office in 1901, he enacted the most sweeping environmental legislation the world had ever seen. Roosevelt too was fellow hunter. In the decade of the 1930’s, hunters and gun companies sponsored two laws that funded the most far-reaching restoration of wildlife and habitat in history: The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act and the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Act. The federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act created an 11 percent tax on sporting firearms and ammunition and a 10 percent tax on handguns to support wildlife conservation and to promote hunter safety. In the 75 years since this act has been around, it has raised more than $5 billion for conservation. The Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Act Stamp Act, requires waterfowl hunters aged 16 and older to possess a valid federal hunting stamp, commonly known as a ducks stamp. The sales that this act has brought forward has been nearly $700 million since this act was first introduced back in 1934 and have helped to purchase and establish 5.2 million acres of the National Wildlife, Refuge system.
While some forms of hunting, like poaching, are wrong, sports hunting and everything else than falls under that category is perfectly fine and should be allowed. Hunting is human nature and no one can change that; it’s in our history, in our blood, and it’s everywhere. Hunting has been around for thousands of years and will continue to be around for many, many more years to come. Hunting will continue to be a much debated topic.
In the matter of human nature, we are all savage animals in one way or another; people just don’t seem to notice. But bring in the term hunting; only those who hunt are the real savage animals. Hunting isn’t the same thing for everybody. Every person has his/her point of view about it. Hunting has been around for thousands of years and yet it has been a controversial topic for many years. There are many types of hunting: Stalking, Hide, Long-range, Drive, Safari, Mountain, and Sports Hunting. Every type of hunting has their own controversies but sport hunting seems to be above all the rest. Some people want sport hunting banned for a number of reasons but that will not likely happen and it should be allowed to be practiced.
When it comes to sport hunting, the hunters main goal is take down the animals with as less shots as possible. Hopefully in a one shot one kill type of basis. “No hunter wants to make an animal suffer needlessly, and it is not in the hunter’s best interest to wound an animal that runs off, is panicked and difficult to locate for a second shot.” The hunter is highly motivated to make an accurate, humane kill shot to the vital organs. This is for the sake of the animal and for the sake of the hunter as well. If the animal survives with the one shot, the hunter obviously will feel bad due to the fact that the objective they had going into this was to not make the animal suffer and the hunter has already failed.
In the whole animal kingdom, the humans are at the very top hunting wise but there are more expert hunters out in the wild than us; the animals themselves. “When compared to cougars, wolves, alligators, and other predators, the hunter is perhaps the most humane hunter in the wild.” Animals have very heightened senses than humans which makes them a lot more dangerous or an expert at escaping possible death, depending on the animal too. Animals in the wild kingdom can be vicious and it is incredible how most animals hunt down there prey. Animals from the wild are a lot more vicious than us humans and getting shot from a distance would be a lot better than being chased down and eaten alive.
Even though it might not be sports hunting, hunting can also be used as a form of keeping certain animals to a certain number for which is acceptable for the ecosystem and/or area in which the animal(s) live in. “Though most of these urban hunts involve archery rather than firearms, all have three things in common: They are highly regulated, and only very-well qualified hunters make the cut. As a result, they are very safe.” Urban hunts are a group of local hunters, not hired by the state or anything like some states do, in which the groups are called sharpshooters, that also help thin out the herd when needed. Sharpshooters can be sometimes cruel to the animal when they are once caught and then killed. The sharpshooters sometimes charge around $250 and more for every deer they kill. But the urban hunters are certainly more humane and much more economical and ethical. Also, the meat from these urban hunts general goes to community food banks. This also depends on the area in which people live in because some areas may have more animals than others.
Some people can and will argue that hunting is morally bad and it’s something that should be banned and it’s perfectly understandable why those people would want to ban hunting. “At this time, no federal law governs canned hunting. The Animal Welfare Act does not regulate game preserves, hunting preserves, or canned hunts. Although the Endangered Species Act protects species of animals listed as endangered or threatened, it does not prohibit private ownership of endangered animals and may even allow the hunting of endangered species.” The hunting of endangered animals is wrong and many will agree with that but if you ask any other hunter who partakes in something like sports hunting, that hunter will say that the poaching of endangered animals is frowned upon in the hunting community and isn’t taken lightly. Poaching is wrong because that specific animal one day might not be around anymore due to poachers. Poachers just give normal hunters a bad name and ruin the activity for everybody else who actually enjoys it.
For the most part, hunting makes us human. “Hunting is indeed what makes us human; hunting is what led humans to cooperate, to plan, to anticipate, to form society. The first great turning point in Mankind’s development was when two unrelated families found they could hunt large animals by working together, and so be more efficient at obtaining high-quality food; thus was the first tribe born. Hunting has made us what we are.” It might not be sports hunting, but hunting does bring people to together and most of the time, this is a true form of happiness for many people who just love the sensation they get when hunting. For many, hunting isn’t just about killing the animal; it’s much more than that. It isn’t about death, it’s about life.
Hunting, as well as sports hunting, can also make significant contributions to wildlife protections. “While hunters and conservation groups may not see eye-to-eye on every issue, what connects them is an understanding that healthy ecosystems mean healthy habitats for game animals.” Hunters and conservation group’s work together to ensure that animals have a beautiful and healthy ecosystem. A healthy ecosystem can ensure that the game animals will be strong and healthy which would be good for the hunter. The animals can live longer too.
Hunting, for the most part, can mean a number of things for many different types of people. “People who don’t hunt should recognize that the motive of the hunters we work with is not simply to increase the numbers of animals for hunting or even to have more places to hunt,” says Matt Miller, a lifelong hunter who works for the Conservancy in Idaho. “It is a much bigger view of the land and the wildlife.” Back in the day, Sportsmen were and are the original conservationists. When Roosevelt entered office in 1901, he enacted the most sweeping environmental legislation the world had ever seen. Roosevelt too was fellow hunter. In the decade of the 1930’s, hunters and gun companies sponsored two laws that funded the most far-reaching restoration of wildlife and habitat in history: The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act and the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Act. The federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act created an 11 percent tax on sporting firearms and ammunition and a 10 percent tax on handguns to support wildlife conservation and to promote hunter safety. In the 75 years since this act has been around, it has raised more than $5 billion for conservation. The Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Act Stamp Act, requires waterfowl hunters aged 16 and older to possess a valid federal hunting stamp, commonly known as a ducks stamp. The sales that this act has brought forward has been nearly $700 million since this act was first introduced back in 1934 and have helped to purchase and establish 5.2 million acres of the National Wildlife, Refuge system.
While some forms of hunting, like poaching, are wrong, sports hunting and everything else than falls under that category is perfectly fine and should be allowed. Hunting is human nature and no one can change that; it’s in our history, in our blood, and it’s everywhere. Hunting has been around for thousands of years and will continue to be around for many, many more years to come. Hunting will continue to be a much debated topic.
Works Cited Page
Clark, Ward M. “Hunting Is a Natural, Ethical, and Healthy Undertaking.” Hunting. Ed. Dawn Laney. Detroit: Greenahaven Press 2008. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from “Why Hunt?” www.wildfowling.co.uk. 2004. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 20 Nov. 2013
Herring, Hal. “Hunting Makes Significant Contributions to Wildlife Protections.” Hunting. Ed. Dawn Laney. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. From “Today’s Sportsmen and Sportswomen Are a Powerful Force for Conservation.” Nature Conservancy Magazine (Autumn 2006). Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 31 Oct. 2013
Lapierre, Mike. “Sports Hunting Is Not Unnecessarily Cruel to Animals.” Hunting. Ed. Dawn Laney. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. From “On the Anti-Hunting Point of View.” www.backcountryjournal.com. 2007. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 31 Oct. 2013
Stange, Mary Zeiss. “When Done Ethically, Hunting Can Be Human.” Hunting. Ed. Dawn Laney. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. From “Why Deer Hunts Can Be Human.” USA Today 20 Dec. 2005: 13A. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 31 Oct. 2013
Clark, Ward M. “Hunting Is a Natural, Ethical, and Healthy Undertaking.” Hunting. Ed. Dawn Laney. Detroit: Greenahaven Press 2008. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from “Why Hunt?” www.wildfowling.co.uk. 2004. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 20 Nov. 2013
Herring, Hal. “Hunting Makes Significant Contributions to Wildlife Protections.” Hunting. Ed. Dawn Laney. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. From “Today’s Sportsmen and Sportswomen Are a Powerful Force for Conservation.” Nature Conservancy Magazine (Autumn 2006). Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 31 Oct. 2013
Lapierre, Mike. “Sports Hunting Is Not Unnecessarily Cruel to Animals.” Hunting. Ed. Dawn Laney. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. From “On the Anti-Hunting Point of View.” www.backcountryjournal.com. 2007. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 31 Oct. 2013
Stange, Mary Zeiss. “When Done Ethically, Hunting Can Be Human.” Hunting. Ed. Dawn Laney. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. From “Why Deer Hunts Can Be Human.” USA Today 20 Dec. 2005: 13A. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 31 Oct. 2013