Hunting has been one of the most controversial topics around the world and in this post, we’ll discuss one of the frequently asked questions – is hunting good for the environment?
There are two sides to every story and the same applies to hunting. Both sides have pros and cons and it is important to take a look at this matter from both perspectives to fully understand the answer and get the most accurate answer.
So keep on reading to learn both pros and cons of hunting and how it affects the environment!
Is Hunting Good for the Environment?
Even though people believe hunting is cruel and that it is very bad for the environment, hunting is actually not destructive and it even has various benefits to it.
Of course, as we’ve mentioned earlier, there are two sides to every story so hunting can also be dangerous if rules aren’t followed. But if guidelines, regulations, and general rules are followed by hunters, hunting is good for the environment.
In fact, hunting is the most environment friendly when it’s controlled and a group of hunters is gathering wild food that has plenty of benefits to the society.
The food gathered is used, it is sold, and if there’s any excess, it’s donated to food banks, for example. It is also a great way to manage wildlife populations which can actually be a real problem within certain species, and it can even be a problem for farmers and people who own land.
If there’s a lack of food and wildlife isn’t managed properly, wildlife will start going further to get some food and will end up doing damage to locals.
Of course, hunting isn’t the cheapest activity so all the money from the licenses, gear, equipment, and other things you have to pay for benefits the society and economy in a way.
Situations When Hunting Might be Bad for the Environment
Hunting has many regulations and rules and one of the most important rules is the hunting season. Each state has its own hunting seasons for almost every type of wildlife you will hunt.
The hunting season should be followed and if you’re caught hunting outside of the hunting season, you will get fined.
The reason why it’s important to hunt during the hunting season and never out of it is that it helps manage the wildlife and it helps states and counties to regulate the local wildlife and make sure that hunting isn’t doing any damage to the species.
Of course, hunting when you shouldn’t lead to an extension or other problems of certain wildlife in some areas which can also be bad for the environment, it is cruel, and it can be further bad for the society and economy.
So the biggest issue that’s not good for the environment is illegal hunting which it can easily come to a lot of excess fresh food, but the biggest issue is the damage that can do to the wildlife.
Are There More Pros than Cons to Hunting or is it a Vice Versa Situation?
Generally, there are more pros to hunting than cons. If done properly, is well regulated and every hunter gets licensed and follows the rules, hunting has more pros than cons.
Of course, some cons are definitely tied to hunting but it also includes things such as safety, situations where hunters try to compete with others and turn hunting into a sport rather than a way of life, abusive practices, causing some animals to suffer (unintentionally), and it can be cost prohibitive.
However, on the bright side, hunting has many benefits for the hunters who get to be active, do something they love in nature, and hunting can even benefit the brain. Of course, on top of that, hunting provides healthy and lean meat, and it can provide food for families as well as financial support.
If done properly, hunting can also help manage wildlife, can protect society from wild animals who are trying to get to food such as coyotes, and helps maintain a connection of us with the planet and a system where we’re optimized with everything around us.
Why People Think That Hunting is Bad for the Environment?
There are many people who most of the time aren’t hunters but have a certain view on hunting and hunters in general. They often find hunting to be cruel, unnecessary and damaging to the wildlife population.
Of course, there’s a certain level of cruelty in hunting since that’s not for everyone, but on the other side, this can be seen as a way to connect ourselves with the way of life and ground ourselves in life and get the sense of life.
Hunting is definitely not unnecessary because it has many benefits to the wildlife by controlling their population (helping everyone get food easily), helping society (protecting farms from wild animals), and even then there’s the financial gain as well (personal, business, and state gains).
Of course, if hunting is not regulated or people hunt illegally, it’s true that hunting is then more useless than useful and that it can be bad for the environment as it will have a very negative impact.
But if all regulations are followed and all hunters are licensed and aren’t only interested in personal gain or feelings, hunting is a way of life that is proven to work and is actually a good thing.
Conclusion
There are many different answers to the question if hunting is good for the environment, but generally, yes, hunting is good for the environment.
There are many benefits and pros to hunting, when executed correctly, of course. But there are also downsides and negative impacts on the ecosystem if hunting isn’t done properly.
That’s why each state has certain regulations, hunting license providers, and hunting seasons for almost all game types so the ecosystem is very well maintained.
What do you think about hunting and do you also find it to be good for the environment or do you have any concerns?
