Hunting is often the topic of heated debates, and there is no doubt that it can spark controversy. As a hunter who lives in a big city, I am continuously exposed to the hypocrisy of urbanists “exposing” my hunting as unethical and bad for the environment. Trust me, no one has had this debate more than me, so let me tell you why hunting is good for the environment.
Before I get started on why hunting is good for the environment, however, I’m going to tackle the main argument that these uneducated city-dwellers usually come up with hunting leads to overhunting, which depletes populations and disrupts the ecosystem.
Aight well guess what? Overhunting doesn’t happen, because every single state has strict regulations that are tightly enforced. There are firm bag limits, close tracking of animal populations, and lots of conservation funding going towards keeping everything up to snuff.
Overhunting used to be an issue over a hundred years ago — but blaming us for hunting as a bad environmental impact because the first American settlers shot bison out of trains is like telling someone they can’t drive a car because their great-great-grandfather caused a car accident once.
So with that out of the way, let me tell you the three main reasons why not only is hunting ethical, – but also why hunting is good for the environment.
#1 Population Control
Hunting is quite literally the most vital way that we manage our wildlife populations. If hunting was all of a sudden banned severe overpopulation of many animals would take into effect all over the country, leading to habitat destruction, food shortages, and a decline in biodiversity.
Hunting helps maintain a healthy population of wildlife and preserves the beauty of American nature. By regulating the number of animals in certain areas, we establish a balanced predator-prey relationship that allows nature to thrive.
I believe that as humans and Americans, we have a duty to keep our beautiful nature as pristine as possible. If you don’t shoot that rabbit there will be too many rabbits, and all of a sudden a bunch more wolves will come from elsewhere to start eating all of the bunnies you’re not shooting – then there will all of a sudden be too many wolves and too few bunnies, leading to overgrowth of grass and weeds, and then also all of a sudden a bunch of starving wolves when all the bunnies are gone because no one is shooting the wolf either, and so on.
Trust me, nature is better off with a few hunters that are carefully going after prey in a regulated and controlled manner. Which we are. Because hunting regulations exist.
#2 Conservation
Hunters have historically always been the biggest promoters of conservation, because, selfishly, we are incredibly invested in the health of our wildlife populations. We rely on animals for sport and livelihood, and as a result, we are more incentivized than anyone else to support the conservation efforts of our wildlife to ensure it is still thriving for decades to come.
The animal population in America is currently thriving due to the efforts of hunting programs that have been involved in habitat restoration, scientific research, and anti-poaching measures for several decades.
Most state conservation programs rely heavily on funds from hunters, including hunting fees, taxes, and donations. These funds are crucial for supporting conservation efforts such as preserving habitats and preventing poaching.
Additionally, the funds collected from hunting also help create jobs and stimulate local economies in areas of the US that would otherwise struggle financially. These “environmentally friendly” urbanists in their Amazon skyscrapers forget that a majority of America is rural, and rely on nature and local economies for survival.
#3 Sustainable Food Source
A lot of the people that are anti-hunting are ironically often vegan or vegetarians protesting against the American meat industry. I mean, I agree: the mass production of meat in this country is 100% bad for the environment. I have no doubt a bunch of emissions is going into the atmosphere and killing all the polar bears or whatnot. But guess what doesn’t kill the polar bears?
Shooting some metal at an animal out in their natural habitat.
Also, polar bear hunting is illegal – for the record.
Hunting is the most sustainable way to obtain meat, and that’s just a fact. When we hunt for food we are taking advantage of an environmentally friendly alternative to obtain meat aside from factory farms.
It also encourages responsible and sustainable consumption of resources, since hunting is extremely closely regulated by state government agencies. We’re subject to quotas, bag limits, seasons, and a vast array of other regulations, ensuring the most ethical way to obtain meat.
There You Have It, 3 Valid Reasons Why Hunting is Good for the Environment
Hunting helps create a symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. It’s a win-win situation that benefits both the environment and local communities – so if anyone ever accuses you of being against global warming or whatnot because you like hunting, now you got your facts straight.
Looking for other general tips and tricks? Check out our library of hunting guides here!
