The question whether or not hunting is ethical is asked very often. There’s a large group of people against hunting, and a large group for hunting. So, how do we keep hunting ethical? I myself am a hunter and believe that hunting can be both right and wrong. There are different ways you can hunt that makes it more or less ethical. You might think because I am a hunter this will be a biased article, but its only fair that I stay as unbiased as I can to answer the question. Hunting can be wrong for many reasons. Many argue its unsafe and unnecessary. They say trophy hunters are terrible because they kill for the simple pleasure. While on the other hand people argue hunting provides food for their family or hunting supports animals’ conservation. I hope to shed light on both stand points.
Ethical hunting, In regards to how ethical it is to the animal you’re shooting, comes down to how you hunt. I was taught never to take a shot I was unsure in, whether using a bow or gun when I shoot, I make sure my shot is going to quickly kill my target. I practice shooting at home before every hunting season to make sure my shot is straight, and my equipment is ready. Unfortunately, not every hunter practices these methods and not every shot is perfect. So many can argue its unethical, but majority of hunters practice ethical ways to harvest their target.
How dangerous is hunting? Before any hunter can buy a license or step foot in the woods, he/she has to pass a hunter’s safety course. If every hunter followed the rules taught in hunter’s safety then hunting wouldn’t be dangerous, but this isn’t a perfect world. Not everyone checks to see what’s behind that big buck, and you could end up killing or wounding something else. According to the international hunter education association, for the average year, fewer than 1000 people in the united states and Canada are accidentally shot by hunters. Of these fewer than 75 result in fatalities. (thoughtco.com) We do still have to keep in mind that this is only pertaining to hunters who were accidently shot. Most hunting injuries and fatalities are inflicted by the hunter themselves, but with every sport comes injuries and sometimes death.
Deciding if hunting is necessary can be controversial. You are perfectly capable of surviving in this day of age without hunting. Food is at your convenience, but for a price. personally, any animal I harvest is appreciated by being cleaned and packaged to fill the freezer. Hunting saves me the money that some people spend to buy steaks, burgers, exc. I was raised around hunting, my father guided elk and bear for most of my childhood. In the picture below you can see me at a very young age standing next to a bear bait pile. I have been all sorts of places hunting all sorts of animals, I have seen hunters and poachers do awful things. For instance, one time in Wyoming while I was elk hunting, I came across a hunter and a bull elk he had just harvested. I had asked him if he needed help packing the elk off the mountain, he assured me he would get it down himself. Unfortunately, the next day I came across the same elk, the skull and hide was all that hunter packed off the mountain. The saddest part is this is a common thing for some hunters to do. There is a community of unethical hunters that get away with some terrible things. Hunting for pleasure is unnecessary in many ways.
Trophy hunting is often considered to be for pleasure. I have been to Africa hunting and experienced firsthand what trophy hunting is. Behind trophy hunting is organizations like Safari Club International (SCI). This is where my hunt was purchased for Africa. All the profits go to the conservation of safari animals. SCI has chapters all throughout the united states. My family is apart of many organizations for hunting. Some include: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), and whitetails unlimited. All these organizations support conservation of animals. Although I couldn’t bring the meat back from Africa, I was told the meat was either sold or given to villages in need.
Hunting has provided me with many of memories I will always cherish. It brings my family together every year. The way I hunt and the way many hunters alike hunt is ethical. The way poachers and some trophy hunters hunt is unethical. Leaving meat to rot is unethical, a 70-yard shot with a compound bow through sticks is unethical. Just like most things when the rules are followed its ethical, but when they are broken it’s not. Hunting can be dangerous and unnecessary when rules aren’t followed and unfortunately not much more can be done then what already is being done to prevent this problem.
RIPE Magazine | Volume 1 