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Hunting Department of Natural Resources An American Tradition Back to Top Hunting, we are told, is a tradition—one whose roots are at the very heart of what it means to be an American. However, killing wildlife for sport is inherently cruel and uncivilized. Hunters who hunt for the thrill of the kill lose themselves in an ancient belief that humans rule over the animals. We do not. In reality, hunting disrupts migration and hibernation patterns. It decimates animal family units and degrades habitat. Some hunters leave trash that soils the earth and harms the animals, their campfires burn out of control, and their recreational vehicles create noise and air pollution. Approximately five to ten percent of the Many hunters profess they are culling the herd so the old and infirmed do not die slow deaths from disease or injury or are killed by predators; yet the animal they are most likely to take is the large, young, 8-point buck. The process of natural selection, which nature handles quite well, means the weaker get taken by their predators while the stronger live to pass their strong genes on to the next generation. When hunters take the strong and leave the weak, we see the reverse of evolution—the reverse of survival of the fittest. To make up for the loss of strong genes, weak genes must reproduce more vigorously in the hope that some will make it to the next generation. We humans have created what is perceived to be an overpopulation of some species of wildlife. We did this by first killing off predators, so their prey increased. For instance, when wolf populations are low, deer flourish. Next, we took away wildlife’s natural habitat to build roads, homes, shopping centers. And then, we became angry when wildlife moved into our backyards and even our convenience stores. Yet, can hunting ever be justified? Yes, there are some societies that hunt in order to eat. Often their members give thanks and bless the sacrifice the animal made. Also, there are a few societies that use the raw materials from animals to build their homes or make clothes. Today, hunting for food, especially for impoverished segments of our population, may be considered acceptable, but sport and trophy hunting are not and never should be. Types of Hunting Back to Top Hunters come in all sorts of sizes and shapes, anywhere from those who stalk their prey while toting their own rifles to those who sit at their computer and, through a webcam and remote controlled gun, shoot their prey. Other forms of hunting include aerial hunting from small planes and helicopters and bow and arrow hunting—considered the most inhumane as most bow hunters are not particularly precise. Their prey is wounded but not killed instantly and often runs into the woods to die a slow death never to be retrieved by the hunter. Dogs in Hunting Back to Top Some hunters use dogs who find, chase, and retrieve prey and sometimes kill it. Some of these dogs are raised in horrible conditions—living at the ends of chains until hunting season rolls around and then let go once the season is over as they are too expensive to maintain. They may not receive proper, or any, veterinary care, vaccines, or heartworm medication. Trophy Hunting Back to Top Another type of hunting, trophy hunting, involves going after big game and mounting all or part of the animal in a trophy or game room where the hunter’s weapons may also be on display. Since some trophy hunters often want only the head, the carcass is left to the vultures or other scavengers. Some of the big game these hunters prize include lions, African elephants, Cape Buffaloes, leopards, rhinoceroses, bears, tigers, hippopotamuses, moose, deer, elk, bighorn sheep, coyotes, cougars, mountain lions, panthers, and boars. Small game include rabbits, squirrels, opossums, raccoons, beavers, red foxes, minks, and muskrats. Game birds include turkeys, grouse, pheasants, bobwhites, quail, and doves. Waterfowl include ducks, geese, and swans. Canned Hunts Back to Top Canned hunts involve hunters shooting captive animals. These animals come from a variety of sources—bred for the purpose; taken from the wild; retired from zoos, circuses, and other game farms; or bought from animal dealers and research laboratories. Some of these animals are so accustomed to being around humans they do not see any danger in a hunter walking up to them. These defenseless victims of canned hunts include native species of deer, elk, bison, and bears and exotic species of antelope, boars, zebras, and large cats. Kept on fenced game ranches ranging from a few acres to a couple thousand, these animals have no escape. On some of the larger ranches, hunters are driven around until they spot an easy target. Hunters pay to visit these ranches, or even visit a website, and kill helpless animals of all kinds. Hunters use a variety of methods in the wild and on canned hunt ranches to entice wildlife into their sights. These methods include using decoys or lures, dogs, noises replicating the sound of the animal being hunted, camouflage, driving animals in a particular direction, flushing animals out of concealed areas, waiting in blinds for animals to come along, using nets shot out of cannons to trap the animals, spotlighting or shining artificial lights to find or blind animals, stalking, and tracking. On canned hunt ranches, many of the animals are fed at the same time every day by their captors, who use this as a tool for hunting them. Game ranchers will drive a hunter to the feeding area at a time when the animals normally get fed, so the hunter can shoot them as they come to eat. In fact, killing an animal at these ranches is so certain, many ranches offer a “no kill, no pay” policy. Twenty states have either banned or placed restrictions on canned hunting. Department of Natural Resources Back to Top Most states have a department of natural resources (DNR) that is responsible for protecting natural resources and keeping wildlife safe from harm. Most state DNRs are funded 100 percent by hunting and fishing licenses and from a portion of the federal excise tax on hunting and fishing equipment. DNRs create feeding stations to lure wildlife to places hunters can easily get their shot. Instead of protecting and defending the natural resources, state DNRs are exploiting them for financial gain. As these so-called sports fall out of favor, DNRs are trying to lure young people into the fold through programs geared especially to youth. Managing wildlife should not mean making them easy targets for hunters. Setting up feeding stations, clear-cutting and controlled burns to open up areas to hunters, constructing target-shooting ranges for hunters to practice, and other such activities to make hunting easier for the hunter should not be the principal methods for controlling wildlife in any area. Wildlife management should be about making wild areas safe for their inhabitants. Problems and Solutions Problem: Too Many Wildlife Back to Top Solutions: Implement better wildlife management policies. By setting aside habitats where animals are safe and where no-development zones are established, wildlife can flourish without creating problems for the human population. Return natural predators who have been systematically wiped out to effect a balance of nature. Predators take care of surplus prey animals and all live in balance as nature intended. Hunting actually increases the population of certain wildlife, contrary to what hunters profess. When too many animals of one species die (or are killed) in one area, there is more food for the remaining animals; so they reproduce more aggressively and often have multiple births instead of just one offspring. Instead of a population decrease brought about by hunting, hunting brings about the opposite result. We need to leave wildlife alone. Feeding wildlife may make them dependent upon people for food. Wildlife will congregate where food is easy to obtain and plentiful. Hunters know this—that is why they set up feeding stations. They know wildlife will become dependent on this food and make them easier targets to shoot. Unsuspecting humans may in fact be setting wildlife up to be killed when they set up feeding stations for them and cause them to become comfortable around humans. Wildlife become easier targets if they are not afraid of their pursuer. Use nonlethal means to control deer population. Immunocontraception technologies are commercially available. These contraceptives work for several years before the population begins to increase. During that time, the wildlife population will have declined by natural causes. Finally, and only as a last resort, hunting may be used for wildlife management purposes; it should be performed by responsible persons who utilize methods that result in instantaneous death. Problem: Wildlife Causing Accidents Back to Top Solutions: Drive more slowly especially during mating season. The same crash at 50 mph will be quite different from one at 75 mph. Drive defensively. Constantly survey the landscape. Speed and distractions account for more than just accidents with wildlife; they account for most accidents in general. Keep roadside vegetation cut low so animals will not congregate at the edges of highways and motorists can see wildlife before they enter the highway. Reflecting lights on the highway may also be a deterrent to animals crossing the road. Studies have shown that hunters are the cause of some deer/auto accidents. Wildlife become frightened as bullets whiz by them. They run in any direction. Some run into the road and hit or are hit by passing vehicles. In fact, some insurance companies report an increase in vehicular accidents with wildlife starting on the opening day of hunting season, decreasing only when hunting season is over. Of course, the fact that hunters feed wildlife also causes wildlife to congregate in larger groups than normal, many of whom eventually come into contact with the vehicles on the road. Problem: Wildlife Eating Plants Back to Top Solutions: Plant flowers, shrubs, and crops that deer or other major grazers do not like. You can obtain a list of such vegetation from your local extension office. By planting undesirable plants (smell and taste) around the perimeter of a garden, wildlife might not enter the garden to dine on your favorites. If there is an abundance of deer friendly shrubbery, they are going eat it. Consider planting native shrubs and trees that will regenerate easily in case wildlife cause some destruction to your garden. Erect fencing around crops and plants or cover trees and shrubs with mesh or netting to keep wildlife from eating them. If appropriate, use lighting at night to keep wildlife away. Problem: Health Threats (lyme disease, rabies, lead poisoning) Back to Top Solutions: Check for ticks each time you come in from the yard or woods. Wear white socks and possibly white clothing so ticks are easier to spot. Ticks are everywhere. Wildlife may carry them but so can we. We can pick them up while we are out in our garden or taking a walk in the woods—or just through our neighborhood. Avoid direct contact with wildlife as they may carry a variety of diseases that can cause humans sickness and death. Rabies, for example, is carried by a number of wildlife and can be passed on to humans. If immediate medical attention is not sought for a person who has had direct physical contact with a rabid animal, that person may die. Lead poisoning threatens human and nonhuman animal life. Lead bullets wind up in the flesh of nonhuman animals, contaminating that flesh, which humans may eventually eat. Plus, the lead leeches into the soil and water ways contaminating underground water sources. This contaminated water feeds into wells and municipal water supplies. Nonhuman animals may be poisoned by drinking from contaminated bodies of waters. Final Thoughts Back to Top Millions of animals die yearly and many more millions are crippled and orphaned due to hunting. Some animals may have been shot multiple times before dying. Many carcasses are never retrieved. But wildlife are not the only living, breathing, sentient beings harmed when others go hunting. Innocent bystanders and companion animals can be injured and killed. Additionally, hunting hurts everyone because we destroy part of our natural environment and our connection to it when we kill and injure wildlife for sport. Before supporting a wildlife or conservation group, make sure the group does not support hunting. Many organizations with words in their titles, such as “wildlife,” “wilderness,” or “conservation,” do actually support and promote hunting. Others do not. These organizations may be on the local, state, or national levels. Some have close associations with environmental issues that people today are interested in supporting. However, as with any organization you are interested in, do not just write a check or send in your membership form; investigate. Take Action to Help Save Wildlife What can you do to protect wildlife? First, respect nature and her inhabitants. What you do not respect, you do not save. Other humane actions include:
November 2009 Back to Top |