Do you believe in ''legal'' hunting?

Do you believe in ”legal” hunting? And what is this legal hunting?

The only legal hunting that I know and agree with is. Is a predator (minus humans) hunting it’s prey. It’s their natural way of getting food or protecting their territory.

Humans killing animals have no basis of being legal. It’s just an excuse to hunt animals for no valid lessons. But rather greed and evil passion.

I have read some articles trying to justify the legality of the so called ”legal hunting”. Including the trophy hunting. And none of these reasons are of best interests to the animals. But solemnly done to feed the human ego. Why do we have fun killing other animals.

Nature has a way of balancing its elements. From the population of both animals and plants. It always finds a way to ensure almost everything is a balance.

I remember a friend trying to sell the card of controlling wildlife population. By hunting some. Hence achieving effective wildlife population. Then I asked in return, have you ever heard of wildlife over population anywhere in the world. The rules of the food chain takes care of that.

Humans have been increasing in population rapidly around the world. Do we kill some of them to take care of the bursting population scandal. No, we don’t. Diseases, natural causes, accidents and other things does that. Animals are just like us and we should accord them same respect. We belong in the same kingdom, Animalia.

Population control should not be an excuse to kill the innocent animals.

Survival for the fittest

That’s the rule of nature. The surviving species have the best genes and able to conquer any environmental changes. The animals that have the best genes, ones that have evolved and are able to adapt to the ever changing environment. Are able to pass those genes to generations. But when we kill them for the sake of trophy hunting. We wipe out some of the best species.

No trophy hunter will go after a weak sickly animals. They always target the strongest and rarest. And what they don’t know or choose to ignore. Is that they are robing us these species forever. For a stupid feeling that lasts for few minutes.

What really makes them feel good about killing an animal? What goes on in the brains as they risk their lives to just end a life of an animals for status? Is it worthy it? Paying to kill animals rather than support their existence. What will they tell their great grandchildren when they ask about the animals whose heads have been placed on their walls? But above all, why kill an animal just for fun?

Hunting of animals by humans should be considered as a first degree murder

That’s right. Humans kill animals in cold blood and later brag about it. Is this not similar as killing a fellow human? Is there any difference?

The hunters go to where the animals are. Their home and take their lives away. Is this not murder? A cold one in that case? WIth no or stupid motive.

It’s time we reviewed laws protecting wildlife. They have same rights as other citizens . Hence needs total protection from us.

The court rulings should be tighter and accorded weight they carry. Wildlife life is no different as that of wildlife. So if you take one of them then you deserve to rot in the jails.

Bails and few months sentences are not doing anything to the poachers and hunters. They always find their way out.

Voiceless and helpless

That perfectly describe wildlife. As much as they bring a lot benefits than harm to us. They mostly receive hostility from us.

Tourism is one of the best revenue generator in most countries. People rarely visit other places to see other humans. But they travel to enjoy wildlife and other sightings. But what do we do in return to appreciate their presence. Do we even care if we will enjoy they company few years to come. Or that’s none of our business.

What will we tell our future generation about the species that will have disappeared? Has it even hit us that we may not be able to have any wildlife years to come.

As much as they don’t speak out for themselves. It’s our responsibility and duty to ensure that we change the narrative. Let’s be their protector and teach each other the importance of conserving and preserving them.

Say no to hunting/poaching.

Every life is important

No living animal deserves to be killed for wrong reasons. Especially for fun and sport. That’s close to madness.

Conclusion

It’s time we mind our own business and nature will take care of itself. We only have to stop our negative impacts to her. Allow her time to heal and repair herself. She always have a way of rebuilding herself. But if we continue pushing her to her limits. She will eventually give up. And we will be the great losers. We are the ones who will suffer the consequences.

29 thoughts on “Do you believe in ''legal'' hunting?”

  1. I agree! We don’t need hunting any more, it’s just a sad residue of more brutal times. As a ‘sport’ it’s, frankly, disgusting. And the hypocrisy of hunters claiming they kill animals out of love of nature…

  2. That’s a very difficult topic, living in the US hunting contest of birds, ducks and deer. I think if people are shooting to eat or to give to someone to eat it’s ok. I have a problem with people going out and shooting animals that are in hunting clubs where the animals have no chance to get away. When you talk about hunting in other parts of the world, it’s complicated. One thing I strongly against is poaching. If a family needs to eat they should be able to eat small animals and birds. I’m appalled at poachers and the fact the government of the countries killing or animals for horns and then the government pilled up saying they are making a difference. Thank you for bring up such a hot topic.

    1. Indeed its one of the hardest topics to discuss but we have to. So as to spread awareness and fight useless killing of animals especially for fun. Its very humane to trap animals in one location and have fun killing them defencelessly. It has to stop.

  3. I agree with humans hunting animals only to obtain food they will eat, but am against all hunting for sport. I think killing animals for sport is disgusting, and I have never hunted in my life, nor have I even so much as held a hunting rifle.

  4. It’s a complex subject. My husband and I live in a semi-rural area in the US. Up to a few years ago, when he became too old and creaky to enjoy it, he loved hunting ducks and geese on the river near our home. Previously, when he was younger and fitter, we would hunt deer and other kinds of birds as well. He didn’t hunt endangered species, he obeyed the laws limiting how many he could hunt in a day, and we ate everything he brought home. And every meal we ate using game was a meal that did NOT use animals raised through agriculture. I’m sure you’re aware of the horrific environmental effects of high-density meat farming.
    There’s also the cruelty angle. We raise our own beef using humane and sustainable methods, and I don’t buy factory farmed meat or fish … but most people don’t even think about the terrible cruelty perpetrated on factory farms. Seems to me that if a duck or a deer gets to spend its life living naturally, and then suddenly bang, it’s over, that’s a whole lot better than being raised in crowded, unnatural conditions before dying in a terrifying way.
    Then there’s money. You and I, and other people who don’t like hunting – we want to go to game reserves, or even see animals just living free, right? But would you pay as much to visit a game reserve as a hunter will pay to shoot something? No, you wouldn’t – and even if YOU would, most people could not afford to. When governments and farmers use the income from hunting to preserve natural habitat and provide a place for wild animals to live naturally, I have to support that. I have to support pretty much anything that creates jobs in Africa. And as for trophy hunters, I presume you know that the animals they kill are usually given to the hunting guides, who take it home to their villages.
    You say trophy hunters take only the best and strongest animals, or the rarest. That’s actually not true. Each animal they hunt has a price on its head, and only the wealthy can afford the animals with the most impressive horns. For many trophy hunters, they’re looking for the safari experience. (Yes, they could have that with a camera instead of a gun – you and I agree on that – but let’s accept that some people want the “thrill of the kill”.) They go out into the veld, they shoot something, they get their picture taken, and they go home with a trophy that might actually be quite ordinary, but it’s proof that they’ve been to the Dark Continent and won. And ever step of the way they pay and pay and pay.
    On a personal level I just don’t understand the desire to kill something for sport. But in our imperfect world, provided hunting is managed so that the animals and the environment are protected over the long term, I do support it.

    1. And that’s why sport hunting is a real huge nightmare. Its done by the powerful and rich. For the thrill of killing they can try that using a different thing and not the voiceless helpless wildlife. Irregardless of the money they contribute to the conservation, am still not convinced its the right thing. We will end up having money contributed but no wildlife to protect. And this money mostly end up in corrupt hands hence never make their way to what they intended to do. If you look keenly on the animals that are used for sport hunting, most of them are rare species. Not everyone will obey the set hunting rules. Powerful and rich people are know for living above laws because they can do so or buy their way out. So the only safe thing to do is discourage any kind of hunting. Because humans we are weak when it comes to taking things away. We keep taking until there’s none left.

  5. Most legal hunting are people that kill the animal and eat it, for me that doesn’t pose a moral question. I’m fine with that. I don’t like to kill an animal and hang it on the wall. That would be legal, but for me inmoral.

    1. Many years ago hunting was done to put food on the table. So it was sustainable. But nowadays, we overdo it or do it for wrong reasons. Sadly , some going to the extreme of targeting rare species. And that’s what i mainly against.

  6. I should add that in certain parts of the US there is legal hunting in order to maintain a balance, if there are lets say too many dears, they eat to much of whatever they eat from the land and when that runs out they first have destroyed the habitat and they die since they have no food, so in comes the hunters, kill a certain percentage and we help nature. You can make that argument too.

    1. Meaning there are no predators I presume? If that is the case then the balancing of the population may be reasonable but they should ensure that they don’t target the strongest and best dears. Since they will be wiping out the best genes and leaving behind the weak ones. Which you can agree it rarely happens, most hunters go after the strongest and biggest. So how can we get a balance or solution that wont harm the wildlife?

      1. There is no solution. At the end of the day we are going to eat meat, being a person to hunt it in the wild or killing them while in those massive produce ranchs. I believe is more noble if you will to do the hunting yourself and skin it and eat it, instead of going to a restaurant and you have a great stake that it suddenly appears from the kitchen. Wildlife is doing pretty good, there is no reason to believe that any wildlife in the US or in the world at large is going to be extinct by humans, agreed that some wildlife is in very real danger and we have to be aware of it but as a whole, I don’t see any evidence. So as the world goes round and round imperfectly, wildlife is doing pretty good in general.

          1. The giraffes, rhinos, elephants, lions, hippos, just no name a few. They are being targeted for their meat, bones, hide, teeth, simply their body parts.

          2. I also think that even the other species that are not endangered don’t deserve to be hunted or poached by any humans. We should stick to the domesticated animals for our food. And of course put them in good conditions and treat them with respect. Let’s allow the wildlife to be wild and free.

  7. the tovarysh connection

    I I recently wrote a post on hunting because it is deer hunting season here in North Carolina. I tried to write my post in a neutral tone even though pre-dawn shots piercing the darkness shook me to the core. I got a response from a deer hunter from Michigan who restored my faith that there are hunters out there who respect the animals they hunt and who use the meat throughout the winter. There are many practices here in my state that are legal with which I don’t agree. And though I am not a hunter myself, I have to respect the sport when done for food and with honor for the animals that give up their lives to feed us. Trophy hunting is an entirely different issue, which I cannot condone in any way, shape or form. I understand your passion and agree that we need to be more conscious of the role we humans play in the cycles of nature. Thank you for an interesting post.

  8. Yes, it is a complicated topic
    A century ago sport hunting in North America was a nightmare. Today, after decades of experimentation with regulation combined with scientific study, most North American animals have returned to substantial stable populations. Those that haven’t are not legal to hunt.
    I come from a hunting and fishing family and I have known many serious hunters during my life and they have more understanding and appreciation of nature than most of the non-hunters I know. They appreciate the need for habitat. People who follow the rules, buy their licences, etc, abide by the rules – they are not poachers.
    I am against trophy hunting. But almost all North American deer, moose, elk, duck, grouse hunters eat what they kill – and, as pointed out by Belladonna Took here, the animals they eat are taking the place of animals raised in the nightmarish conditions of factory farms
    Where there are not enough hunters and/or predators are absent [I am for restoring all predators] deer and moose frequently deteriorate in health from high tick infestations.
    And if legal hunting can be made to work in North America, it can be made to work anywhere.
    None of this means that I don’t appreciate the value of people who don’t want to kill anything. The world needs more of you.

    1. Thank you very much. If we have to be vegetarians so as to stop killing of wildlife, then let it be. We need these animals centuries to come for the future generations. Very few people abide by the set guidelines and rules nowadays. And that’s our biggest nightmare.

  9. I have looked this through and through and though I didn’t read the text in entirety, I understand the picture you paint and eventually, we have already distorted the balance of nature and as such some arguments such as those condemning targeted hunting outrightly may have some flaw. But even legal hunting of wildlife is a flaw too. Nature tends to always balance itself in the end. The real issue where hunters will always target the best and ignore the weakest is a big flaw. Nature allows for weakest animal species to be targeted by predators and diseases. We have to understand hunting techniques that work in tandem with nature if we will have to hunt at all. And extinction threatened animal species be totally avoided altogether. We may never be able to recreate how nature balances itself but we can balance how we unbalance their ecosystem and leave many species vulnerable to extinction.

      1. Most welcome. I think you could write an addendum to this post looking at it from the points I raised and some more as might come into light. It’s an issue and the world needs to tackle it at some point otherwise, we do to animals what we have already done to plants by completely taking over their ecosystem.

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