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Is deer hunting a dying sport?
Results so far:
| Yes | 37% | 306 votes | Total: 821 votes | |
| No | 63% | 515 votes |
Yes
by Stephen Mattson
Created on: May 12, 2010
Deer hunting is becoming less popular due to many different factors. Historically, hunting was a relatively easy sport to participate in, and many families depended on deer meat, called “venison”, as a main source of food. Before the migration to big cities, much of the population lived in rural or agricultural areas, and hunting was a normal way of life. Times have changed, and deer hunting is now a rare sport practiced by few, and there are many reasons for its newfound inaccessibility.
* Loss of Habitat
As populations grow and cities expand, deforestation, farming, and development projects reduce the number of deer habitats. Eventually, deer die, migrate, or simply adapt to their new environments. For hunters, the change in landscape means it’s harder to find legal areas to hunt. In some cases deer populations may continue to thrive –they may even flood suburban areas – but hunting is usually restricted within populated areas, so the deer are left to run rampant or are managed by the local Department of Natural Resources. Today, hunting often means traveling far distances to locations where deer aren’t guaranteed to live.
* Increased Regulation
For hunters, the loss of natural woodlands and prairie has caused an increase in regulations and rules by the government. To prevent over-hunting and promote the health of deer populations, hunting is now flooded with a quagmire of licenses, permits, restrictions, qualifications, and penalties that must be learned by every hunter. As hunting policies and enforcement continue to get stricter, hunters have less freedom related to how, when, where, and what to hunt.
* Increased Expenses
Before you can handle a rifle, an individual is required to get a safety permit. This requires time and money for completing the class, and many people simply avoid the hassle. Upon completion of the course, hunters then need to buy a deer-hunting license and tag – these can cost hundreds of dollars. The equipment is also pricy, with rifles costing anywhere from a couple hundred dollars, to over a thousand. Amenities such as bright-colored orange vests, camouflage clothing, scopes, scent, boots, ammo, knives and skinning gear also increase the amount of money spent.
Once the prepping process is done and hunters are ready to go, they still need to find land to hunt on. Owning land is expensive, private land requires permission, and public land could be overpopulated with other hunters. If you don’t own your own land, the best option is to find a friend or relative who is willing to have you and your hunting party on their property.
Overall, deer hunting has is becoming increasingly inconvenient and expensive. It’s transformed from a blue-collar pastime to a white-collar luxury, with hunting camps charging thousands of dollars for individuals who are promised large bucks and trophy antlers. Although deer hunting remains popular and strong within many parts of the world, the changing factors have reduced participation to a niche group of die-hard seasoned hunters. If things aren’t reversed and hunting continues to have bothersome obstacles, the number of new and younger hunters will decrease even more, and the sport will lose public interest.
Learn more about this author, Stephen Mattson.
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No
by Randy Godwin
Created on: March 31, 2008 Last Updated: August 16, 2008
It seems as if hunters and animal rights groups are always at each others throats when deer season is about to begin. It's a shame they can't have a realistic exchange without getting angry or being narrow minded. They refuse to give an inch on either side.
In this day and age, the question of deer hunting being a sport at all is controversial. It seems that all types of hunting, not just for deer, are being portrayed as bad by some people. They simply do not understand how hunting controls the animal population and also the health of the animals themselves. I do not fault them for their love of animals, but I do question their lack of understanding.
For thousands of years deer hunting has been considered a sport. Many of the first immigrants to the Americas were forbidden to hunt in their ancestral lands. This activity was reserved for the royalty and their acquaintances to enjoy. The common people were severely punished if they poached on the king's property. Many of them risked prison to add needed meat to their meager larder. Just trapping a hare could mean imprisonment or fines.
Those early immigrants to America had to experience wonder and disbelief at now being able to hunt the varied animals that abounded in this new wilderness. This new found freedom was only the beginning of understanding what restraints they and their forefathers had lived under. Many of them had to learn from the beginning the rudiments of hunting and of protecting their families from hostile animals and the native peoples.
Over the years we have celebrated this freedom and passed it on to our children as something worth keeping and celebrating. Almost as a rite of passage. It brings us back to our ancient past when freedom was total and hunting was the difference between life and death. Though not a game, hunting requires many different skills including knowledge and patience.
According to statistics deer hunters are becoming fewer each year, but does this mean deer hunting is a dying sport? Of course not. Numbers don't determine whether something is a sport or not, nor do the people who disagree with the activity of hunting.
The answer to the dwindling number of deer hunters is simple, it costs more to hunt today and the options for other recreational activities which are easier on the wallet are many. This is because much of the previous woodlands and farming areas are now owned by fewer people and the urban population is expanding at a furious rate.
Many who would enjoy hunting of some sort are prevented by the mere cost of the basic essentials needed to get started. If you live in a large city you probably haven't been exposed to hunting unless one of your friends or family members have experienced it.
Five hundred dollars a day is not an uncommon price to pay for a quail hunt and this doesn't cover a place to stay while there. One I'm familiar with charges thirteen hundred dollars for one day of hunting with board. Acquiring a trophy buck at a similar hunting lodge can run into the thousands.
The way these places are operated is questionable as far as the true sporting beliefs run, but that's just my opinion. Pen raised birds and deer fattened by daily feeding are not really an example of true hunting but it's as close as some people get to the actual experience. I guess I can't blame them for not knowing the difference. That's something you have to acquire in rare circumstances in today's world.
It's almost as if we have come full circle from the old days of royalty to today when only the privileged few can afford this ancient pastime. No, the sport of deer hunting isn't dying, just the ability of the common man to participate in it. Many true hunters who respect and honor the privilege of this right still exist and will continue this ritual as long as man lives and predators aren't here to control the animal population for them.
Learn more about this author, Randy Godwin.
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