Hunting is often misunderstood and seen with scrutinizing eyes, especially by people who view it as an infringement of the rights of all creatures. Seen from an ethical point of view, many citizens think of hunting as unnecessary and a good-for-nothing activity.
However, such points of view do not consider the wide-ranging benefits of hunting. Hunting’s enriching ecological, environmental, and economic impact is much more significant than the act. Moreover, in many ways, the sport is crucial for conserving the ecosystem and wildlife of natural habitats.
Here are eight reasons why you should think of beginning hunting.
1. Hunting Controls Wildlife Population
Hunting is critical for maintaining a healthy population of animals. As we stretch our urban areas into green animal habitats, the human footprint adversely affects the predator and prey equation. So, to keep the ecological balance intact, it is good to hunt down the overpopulated species.
For example, if a jungle has few predators and too many deer, it leads to food scarcity for the deer, making them malnourished. Therefore, hunters can balance the number by hunting a few of them. While making an attempt to hunt, newbie hunters should prepare with appropriate gear, including the best whitetail hunting clothing, to keep themselves safe.
2. Hunting Counters Poaching
Poaching is a wildlife crime that runs worldwide through dangerous international rackets. Poaching of elephants and tigers for ivory, bones, and skins is a customary affair regarding wildlife trafficking.
Hunters act as the initial defense against the encroachers who unlawfully kill species. It is not possible for game wardens to always keep track of all the animals. So, hunters can play a pivotal role in the resistance against poaching.
3. Hunting Promotes Conservation of Wildlife
Although it may sound counter-intuitive, hunting often helps to raise funding to conserve wildlife. Millions of dollars are raised every year through the means of hunting licenses. This money assists in funding conservation efforts like scientific research, buying reserve land for wildlife, and maintaining existing wildlife areas.
Such arrangements aid in protecting wild species and their natural habitats. Additionally, such conservation efforts help restore and protect affected habitats of endangered species.
4. Hunting Propagates the Laws of the Wild
True hunters are experts who have all the knowledge of hunting and fishing laws, seasons of hunting, and the ways to hunt animals. Therefore, besides fighting the poachers, they can also propagate hunting laws among the common populace.
Accordingly, when you try your hand at hunting, you will invariably learn all those rules of wildlife, including the scheduled hunting season, the protected species, the list of endangered animals, the requirements of the wildlife, etc.
5. Hunting Has An Economic Value
Money is always a great stimulus behind any industry, and it is the same for hunting. Besides acting as a recreational sport or personal hobby, lawful hunting is part of a massive industry that thrives on hunting products and services. The hunting market has four sub-categories: small game, big game, migratory birds, and miscellaneous animals like feral pigs and raccoons.
Big game hunting attracts the most hunting enthusiasts, with almost 12 million hunters spending over 200 million days for the sport, resulting in around 17 billion dollars in sales.
6. Hunting Helps You Source Food
While many criticize ‘hunting for eating,’ we should remember that consuming industrially raised livestock is probably more unethical than unhealthy. Most of the dairy industry-produced products go through an inhumane cycle.
Such animals are only raised to be meals for humans. In this respect, hunting wildlife for sourcing your food is much more ethical and ecologically beneficial. You also get to eat healthy meat without additives, hormones, or artificial dyes.
Moreover, the hunters know the hunting season and locations, making it a safe act for obtaining animal meat.
7. Hunting Can Be A Great Leisure Activity
There are innumerable ways in which people can spend their leisure time. But instead of common pastime activities like gaming, watching TV, going to the cinema, or just idly spending your time away, hunting could be a unique and rewarding recreational activity.
Moreover, hunting challenges your physical, mental, and psychological abilities, making you more focused, physically fit, and adept at handling adverse situations independently. The adrenaline rush will make you feel rejuvenated and will provide you with a sense of satisfaction.
8. Hunting Creates Camaraderie and Great Memories
Hunting is not for the soft-hearted; you’ll find like-minded people on your hunting expeditions with similar experiences, skills, and knowledge. You can make many great friends on your hunting trips who will stick with you during the game-hunting and during the ups and downs of your life.
You can come back home with some extraordinary memories (and photographs) that will bring a smile to your face for ages.
The Bottom Line
Hunting is more than firing shots to kill an animal. Hunting amalgamates skills like observation, agility, judgment, restraint, patience, planning, and execution. Although hunters have unique reasons to go hunting, it is a great way to become stress-free and one with nature. Be assured that hunting will teach you much more than killing the game.
