Week 12: A Life Among the Trees

"Hunting is cruel and must be forbidden everywhere." 

 

Yes, there are hunters who are not moral beings. Those who hunt for the thrill of it. But, it is wrong to label a whole group of people based on the wrongful acts of a few. We face this issue in our nation with stereotypes regarding ethnicities. If it is wrong to do that, it is wrong to accuse all hunters as being heartless.

I grew up hunting with my dad. Spending time together outdoors, for every hunting season was what we thoroughly enjoyed doing. We were avid hunters, but I was raised to know the ethical ways of hunting.

I took Hunter's Education when I was around the age of 7. All individuals who wish to hunt must take this course at some point in their lives, and it helps to provide reasons as to why hunting is so important.

Outsiders tend to think hunters hunt for trophies, but I was raised to know the real reasons as to why it is important to maintain my hobby… to help preserve the land around us.

When I first began to hunt, I felt that I was a monster. It felt wrong to sit and wait for an animal to cross my path before I made the decision of what to do next. I couldn’t force myself to do it. But, over time I grew out of this mindset and began to understand, firsthand, why hunting is so important and effective for the environment.

Hunting helps keep animal populations under control. According to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), hunting animals such as deer helps to manage the spread of disease, such as Chronic Wasting Disease, which can take out large populations of animals, often causing them to suffer for long periods of time. Hunting also allows the deer population to continue to evolve.

Rather than hunters being viewed as cruel, they are actually more invested in helping to protect the environment than the average person.

Hunting is also used to protect native species in certain areas. A few years ago, my neighbor, Laura, was letting her beagle outside to go to the bathroom before bed. Belle ran into the yard as normal but did not run back up to the door after finishing her business. Laura called out to Belle, but she heard nothing. The next morning, Laura called my dad and I over to see if we had seen her dog. “No, we haven’t seen her… but we will look for her,” we replied.

Following this conversation, my dad and I set foot into our swamp behind our houses to see if our neighbor’s dog just ran off for the time being. We ended up finding Belle, alive but critically injured. She was laying in the middle of the swamp and had been attacked by a coyote. Belle ended up being fine, but from that day forward Laura, who had not supported hunting one bit, completely supports the act of hunting now.

Animals who are not predators need to be protected somehow. Our beloved pets and small children could face circumstances as Belle did if it is not for hunters. Without hunters controlling the animal populations, who knows what type of predators could be migrating to our land, harming the beings we hold dear to us.

For those who may be strongly opposed to hunting, ask yourself this: what if your dog or cat was attacked by a predator? Would you want animals such as mountain lions or coyotes to risk the lives of those you care about? Or would you want the acts of ethical hunters to help protect you and your family?