Hunting remains a huge sport and tradition. In decades/centuries past, hunting was a means of survival, but now in modernized societies there is no need to hunt animals for the purpose of supporting a family.

What are the pros/con to hunting wild animals for sport?

Does it really cause any problems to kill animals in the wild where they might be killed by other wild animals anyway?

well to me personally, I am against game hunting! I think it is just wrong and sick. Now if you want to kill it and eat it and use it for more then a head on your wall, then I say theres nothing wrong with it. Sick, I wouldn't do it personally. But I am a meat eater so obviously they were killed. And heck if you want to be technical, being shot is much more humane then the way we kill our meat

I don't believe in hunting animals unless the animal is going to be used for food. Any other reason is just senseless murder, IMO.

Totally agree. Hunting should not be a sport, it should be a way to support your family. I am a veg. But I have friends who hunt and use every single bit, skin included. Even the bones, and I have absolutely no issue with that. In fact, I think it's more humane than the mass murder of cows on a regular basis. If I had to eat meat, I would eat venison someone killed long before I would eat a steak. JHMO.

Creating this thread came about because after watching the Tour De France and a Hunting show followed it. The whole show was about promoting the sport of hunting. There was no pretense to justify hunting for the purpose of food, it was all about thrill of stalking wild animals and killing them.

When I was in 7th grade we moved to a small logging community in Washington state, there hunting extremely popular. I remember one 7th grader who killed his first deer. In that community, it almost a right of passage for a boy to go hunting and kill a wild animal.

I remember one 7th grader who killed his deer. In that community, it almost a right of passage for a boy to go hunting and kill a wild animal.

This is exactly how it is in our town too Neal, except they use all of the animal. My dad is the only one I know who doesn't hunt.

In my hometown, schools are closed the first day of deer season every year. And yes, the majority of the animals killed are used for food, even if the head or antlers wind up on the wall somewhere.

Where I lived in the 7th - 8th grade, the deer that were killed were used for food, it wasn't 100% sport. Hunting was part of the culture in that commuity, it wasn't like they were a bunch of city slickers who hunted strictly because it was fun.

I'm not into hunting and am so glad DH isn't either. Hunting is popular here in rural New England, and I have no problem with hunting for food, but it's just that I get so angry when I hear about the hunting accidents every year. We live in a wooded area and we're nervous to go out into our own yard during hunting season. One woman in Maine was shot to death a few years ago in her own yard because she was wearing white mittens and a hunter mistook her for a white tailed deer. More recently, a father shot his own son thinking he was a deer. :cry: The father of one of my former coworkers was shot in the neck by someone in his own hunting party and died later from the injuries. WTH?! How do you mistake a person for a wild critter?! I know accidents happen, but for God's sake, make sure you actually SEE what you're shooting at first before pulling the trigger! :mad: Sorry, but this burns my butt.

Trina, my dad has shot one deer in his life and he felt so bad he's never shot another one, but he said another factor is that one time his friends went hunting and of course when you hunt, you all scatter out. So the one dude sees a deer, takes aim, shoots it, then goes over to the dead deer. Notices it isn't crazy big and manageable enough for him to carry so he throws it over his shoulder. So another guy is still hunting, sees a deer, shoots, runs over to see his kill and looks down to see his dead brother he shot in the head. :( So incredibly dangerous.

that is so scary, and probably happens quite often.

Hunting remains a huge sport and tradition. In decades/centuries past, hunting was a means of survival, but now in modernized societies there is no need to hunt animals for the purpose of supporting a family.

What are the pros/con to hunting wild animals for sport?

Does it really cause any problems to kill animals in the wild where they might be killed by other wild animals anyway?

If you in part define "sport" as a recreational activity, I do have a problem with killing animals solely for this purpose. There should be a greater justification for killing an animal that has posed no harm or threat.

I also grew up in a community with a lot of hunters. One positive was that for some families it was the major way boys, fathers, uncles, and grandfathers could spend time and bond. And then blow the head off a beautiful deer...;) I would pick another activity, but I am not a hunter.

In terms of the harm, I can think of some: hunting accidents, including shooting and falling off of deer stands; danger to farm animals and pets (a childhood friend's fawn-colored Great Dane was shot in her grandmother's backyard); an increase in gun ownership; the cruelty of wounding of animals that are not/could not be tracked down and killed; and unintended consequences to the animal population. One unintended consequence has been the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in the natural deer population from animals imported from other areas to be used in game farms.

As for the pros, aside from the (mostly) male bonding, deer hunting does reduce the white tail population in my state. Of course, my state also intervenes when possible to keep that population up in order to attract hunters. The influx of hunters to more rural areas is another positive: it generates revenue and promotes tourism during non-hunting season times. Lastly, in some areas, hunters have been advocates for land conservation and environmentalism as they want to protect areas rich in game.

Great post Ari.

I personally don't care for hunting myself, but I don't see it as totally bad for the positive reasons you pointed out.