The Importance of Hunting

 

Student Research Paper by Cate Owens

        It was early morning when we got on our safari. Our plane had landed in Tanzania only hours before and even though all of us were out of sorts with jet lag, excitement seemed to radiate off us. The sun started rising, bathing the world in orange as we made our way through the somewhat beaten trail. There was a parade of elephants walking towards the watering hole. Three little calves bounded around playing like puppies, and two giraffes lounged in the shade of the forest; however, nothing caught my attention like the herd of zebra that dashed out of the woods, only a mile ahead. The stripes started making me nauseous, but it wasn’t the zebra that made me excited. Iit’s what made them run. The car crept closer to the forest before three beautiful lionesses and a black lion came running after the zebra with four cubs running in their wake. Cameras snapped at the sight; the guide told us the names of the members of the small pride. He told us that that specific pride was new and relatively small. The rest of the trip was not nearly as eventful with flamingos, cheetahs, and rhinos. However, once we got back to the animal center there were two trucks hauling in two lions or at least what looked like lions. One of the workers walked over and spoke to our guide. When the man left, our guide turned to us speaking in his thick accent, “These poor creatures are the ones we saw today. You see, hunters, poachers, or lion dancers as we call them hunt the lions for their skin. Occasionally we work with these people when a lion attacks a human, but today they saw two black lions who were simply living their lives and could not resist the kill.” 

        Animals have been killed around the world since the Fall; there is nothing new there. However, the way we hunt has changed with every generation: arrows, swords, guns, daggers, poisons - all of which are dangerous to the hunter who cares not for themself or for the animal they are hunting. Even so, hunting is necessary; from population control to land that is protected for such a sport. Hunting, while it may seem cruel in a fallen world, may be carried out in a way that does more good than harm.

        There are two kinds of hunting: hunting for food and hunting for a trophy. Hunting for food is something that man has carried out for millenia. “Fresh meat is highly nutritious and contributes several essential nutrients which are difficult to obtain in the right amounts from other food sources.” (NIH) Although, eating something that was once living sets some people's teeth on edge, eating protein is as necessary as breathing oxygen. Sport hunting comes in many forms: poaching and trophy hunting being the most common. The entire act of sport hunting isn't ethical. This happens when an animal is killed for its skin or antlers and the carcass is thrown away or sold for unreasonable prices. However, this is not always the case. Some more responsible hunters will gather the venison, buffalo, or whatever was hunted and do a meat drive where they offer the meat they have hunted for low prices (or give it away for free) Most deem this method much more ethical.

        Hunting is a dangerous sport even when precautions are taken to keep hunters safe. The USDA, and FWS are just a couple organizations that work to keep animals and people safe. However, accidents will occur, people will be careless, and tragedies will take place. Unfortunately, it's not just the people who get hurt. A hunter who is using a new weapon or has never hunted before is likely to harm the animal but not kill it. When this happens, the animal will suffer immensely; if it is not killed by another hunter, it will be killed by another predator. If it doesn’t meet that fate, it will die of either blood loss or infection.  

        Another harmful hunting practice happens when people kill off the younger, stronger animals creating problems in the genetic make-up of the species. Nature has worked out its own way of weeding out the older and sick animals; however, the hunters go after the younger animals - the food hunters for the more tender meat, the sport hunter for the finer pelt. However, when the younger generation is over hunted the older animals will breed offspring that are misshapen and ill.

        In contrast to these careless practices, it’s the sport hunters who have given these animals a chance to survive. “In a civilized and cultivated country, wild animals only continue to exist at all when preserved by sportsmen” (Theodore Roosevelt). Over the years, hunters and conservationists have been working toward the same goal: preserving land for the growth and welfare of animals. These conserved lands are now a great phenomenon of nature. They include places like the Ozark Highlands and Yellowstone National Park. In addition to these conserved areas, there are places called hunting farms. Organizations will fence in land, up to thousands of acres and stock it with wildlife ranging from deer to lions. These animals will be treated less than ideally. Many agree, from fellow hunters to the activists, that this is not acceptable. In contrast, there are other hunting farms that make some animal reserves look small and polluted. With thousands of acres of woodland and open terrain, every population thrives and is free to come and go as they please.

        Hunters, however surprising it may be, are the biggest nature activists. If there is land that is open and beneficial to animals, the hunters will be the first line of defense for it. Hunters care quite a bit about what is happening to the ecosystem. In fact, “hunters are a driving force behind funding many of our nation’s conservation efforts,” (fws.gov). If something happens to the animals, hunters pay the price. If the animal is ill, the hunter who consumes it  will in turn become the same. The ethical hunter takes care of the environment just as much as the activist. Interestingly, there is a government-funded program for hunters. The government will pay them to hunt certain animals to lower the population. Though it may sound wrong and completely unethical, it's important. Invasive species will ruin the balance of a forest or entire state if hunters are not recruited. “If some deer are not harvested, they destroy habitat for themselves and other animals and die from starvation or disease.” (Fws.gov)

        In conclusion, hunting is an important part of the ecosystem. It helps protect wildlife, but like anything else, when it’s overdone, it is harmful. The Bible says in Genesis 1:26, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over creeping things that creep on the earth”. God calls us to take care of the creatures just as he takes care of us. Although the activists, hunters, and governments do their best to help take care of the ecosystem, it's ultimately the job of every responsible citizen. This important responsibility of stewardship does not belong to just one person. It is a responsibility given to everyone since Creation. 

Work Cited 

Geiker, Nina Rica Wium, et al. “Meat and Human Health—Current Knowledge and Research Gaps.” Foods, vol. 10, no. 7, July 2021, p. 1556. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10071556.

“Hunters as Conservationists | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.” FWS.gov, www.fws.gov/story/hunters-conservationists.

“Why Hunting Is Allowed on Refuges | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.” FWS.gov, www.fws.gov/story/why-hunting-allowed-refuges