Sport Hunting
Photo by Mark L. Watson
According to a survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, approximately 15% of the U.S. population hunts. Hunting for sport is cruel. Hunting disrupts migration and hibernation patterns, decimates animal family units, and degrades habitats.
Types of Hunting
- Hunting dogs are sometimes are raised in horrible conditions. They may live at the ends of chains until hunting season begins.
- Trophy hunting aims to harvest the strongest animals in a population, leaving the weakest to pass on their genes to future offspring.
- 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. Canned hunting has been banned in 20 states in the U.S.
Problems Caused by Hunting
- Population Imbalances: When hunters kill predatory animals, prey animals flourish.
- Vehicle Accidents: Along with other factors, hunting seasons may contribute to seasonal spikes in automobile accidents.
- Lead Poisoning: Lead bullets from hunters contaminates animals and can leeches into the soil and water ways contaminating underground water sources. This contaminated water feeds into wells and municipal water supplies.
Take Action to Help Save Wildlife
- First, respect and value nature.
- Enjoy non-consumptive forms of outdoor recreation including hiking, camping, boating, and photography.
- Urge legislators to change wildlife management practices to protect, not destroy, wildlife and to vigorously enforce laws already enacted.
- Educate family and friends as to the harm can cause to natural resources.
- Join organizations against sport hunting.
- Urge state wildlife organizations to have a balance of hunting and non-hunting individuals as staff members.
- Before supporting a wildlife or conservation group, make sure the group does not support hunting. The names of some local, state, and national organizations may be misleading. as “wildlife,” “wilderness,” or “conservation,” may actually support hunting. Investigate before becoming a member.
