The Many Benefits of Hunting Essay -- Sport Hunting

When a Minnesota dentist killed a prized African lion named "Cecil" he received an onslaught of criticism and reignited the debate concerning hunting. To many people, hunting is a cruel and inhuman act. For others, hunting is a sport and a way of life. Is hunting ethical? Should hunting be allowed to continue? First off, what is hunting? According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, hunting is a â€Å"sport that involves the seeking, pursuing, and killing of wild animals and birds, called game and game birds, primarily in modern times with firearms but also with bow and arrow† (â€Å"hunting†). It is my firm belief that most hunting should most definitely be allowed to continue and they should also be supported. My first reason for being pro-hunting is population control. Hunting is a legitimate and ethical method to stop wildlife populations from overpopulating and inevitably dying off. According to the Department of Natural Resources, â€Å"deer/vehicle accidents declined by more than fifty percent as a result of managed hunting programs in sections of Montgomery County, Virginia, and the United States† (Hotton). The anti-hunting group P.E.T.A proposes that there are alternate methods such as sterilization. According to an article by PETA, â€Å"if females are captured, marked, and counted, sterilization reduces herd size† (PETA). There are two methods of sterilization that may be used. The first method is surgical sterilization. The way this is done is by removing parts of the reproductive system. The problem is that â€Å"this method is extremely costly, ranging up to $1000 per deer† (â€Å"Deer Control†). The second method is the â€Å"ligation of t he oviduct† (â€Å"Deer Control†). â€Å"This method is effective, but very expensive and puts a lot of stress ... ...laughterhouse." PBS. PBS, 31 Mar. 2002. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. PVCI. "PVCI." Bobcat. Web. 03 May 2012. . Ramsey, P. S. "Poaching." Encyclopedia of Environmental Issues, Revised Edition. Ed. Craig W. Allin, 2nd ed. 3 vols. Salem Press, 2011. Salem Science Web. 06 Oct. 2011. "Tradition." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com. Web. 03 May 2012. . Staff, CBS News. "Pink Slime in Ground Beef: What's the Big Deal?" CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 14 Mar. 2012. Web. 02 May 2012. "Subsistence." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com. Web. 02 May 2012. . "Subsistence Hunting in a Global Economy." The Arctic and the Global Economy. Making Waves: A Newstetter for Community Economic Development [CED] Practitioners in Canada,vol 4, No 3. Web. 02 May 2012. The Many Benefits of Hunting Essay -- Sport Hunting When a Minnesota dentist killed a prized African lion named "Cecil" he received an onslaught of criticism and reignited the debate concerning hunting. To many people, hunting is a cruel and inhuman act. For others, hunting is a sport and a way of life. Is hunting ethical? Should hunting be allowed to continue? First off, what is hunting? According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, hunting is a â€Å"sport that involves the seeking, pursuing, and killing of wild animals and birds, called game and game birds, primarily in modern times with firearms but also with bow and arrow† (â€Å"hunting†). It is my firm belief that most hunting should most definitely be allowed to continue and they should also be supported. My first reason for being pro-hunting is population control. Hunting is a legitimate and ethical method to stop wildlife populations from overpopulating and inevitably dying off. According to the Department of Natural Resources, â€Å"deer/vehicle accidents declined by more than fifty percent as a result of managed hunting programs in sections of Montgomery County, Virginia, and the United States† (Hotton). The anti-hunting group P.E.T.A proposes that there are alternate methods such as sterilization. According to an article by PETA, â€Å"if females are captured, marked, and counted, sterilization reduces herd size† (PETA). There are two methods of sterilization that may be used. The first method is surgical sterilization. The way this is done is by removing parts of the reproductive system. The problem is that â€Å"this method is extremely costly, ranging up to $1000 per deer† (â€Å"Deer Control†). The second method is the â€Å"ligation of t he oviduct† (â€Å"Deer Control†). â€Å"This method is effective, but very expensive and puts a lot of stress ... ...laughterhouse." PBS. PBS, 31 Mar. 2002. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. PVCI. "PVCI." Bobcat. Web. 03 May 2012. . Ramsey, P. S. "Poaching." Encyclopedia of Environmental Issues, Revised Edition. Ed. Craig W. Allin, 2nd ed. 3 vols. Salem Press, 2011. Salem Science Web. 06 Oct. 2011. "Tradition." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com. Web. 03 May 2012. . Staff, CBS News. "Pink Slime in Ground Beef: What's the Big Deal?" CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 14 Mar. 2012. Web. 02 May 2012. "Subsistence." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com. Web. 02 May 2012. . "Subsistence Hunting in a Global Economy." The Arctic and the Global Economy. Making Waves: A Newstetter for Community Economic Development [CED] Practitioners in Canada,vol 4, No 3. Web. 02 May 2012.