Nicholas Kristof’s article “For Environmental Balance, Pick up a Rifle,” which appeared in The New York Times, attempts to convince the American people that deer pose a danger to humans by taking more lives each year than any other American mammal. He states that deer populations, unchecked by predators, are increasing in a way that is unnatural and are destroying the ecosystem in many parts of the country. The suggestion he makes to his readers is that we must kill deer to bring the population down in order to prevent so many human deaths. Kristof appears to advocate hunting without much concern for other alternatives. While he does include statistical data to strengthen his point, other types of support he provides could be considered …show more content…
A tick does not discriminate against its food source. Many animals in the wild are carriers of such parasites, and one reason the deer is considered a major carrier is that it has limited ability to remove ticks. It may be safe to assume that some Americans view hunting as being barbaric. This may be due to the fact that our society is not one that relies on this method for survival anymore. Most Americans acquire their food through a local grocery store which gets their food from farmers who grow vegetables and raise domesticated livestock. In the recent decades, hunting has been portrayed more as a “sport” than as a means for survival. It would appear that the meaning behind hunting has been lost and with it people’s idea that it is meant to be helpful. At one point in the article, Kristof does mention how states such as New York and New Jersey are talking about using birth control in order to decrease the deer population. Then he states, “Deer contraception hasn’t been very useful though.” He leaves out a lot of information regarding this alternative method. Questions that readers may want to know is “What kind of birth control?” and “Why is it considered not effective if the states have only talked about it?” His wording sounds confusing and with missing facts. This confusion may lead the reader to believe that the author only wanted to mention it,
In America, deer are an animal hunted widely throughout our country. Each winter citizens have mixed emotions about the sport. Some say its barbaric and cruel, while others argue that it’s beneficial and useful. Although people may say hunting is cruel and barbaric, have they ever thought about the upsides to be gained from hunting? While this is a topic that can be argued viciously back and forth, I believe hunters win the argument. Deer hunting keeps the population down, protects farmers’ crops, boosts economic sales, betters a person’s mental health, and teaches lifelong lessons on respect. These are just a few of the amazing benefits that can be gained from hunting.
Hunting is a common activity all around the world, and if performed properly, can have many benefits to us and the rest of the planet. The art of hunting has been around since the beginning of time. Living off of the land used to be a necessity across the world, until the mass production of food came along. In America, people do not usually need to hunt to survive. However, the population of animal species needs to be controlled. Too many of one type of animal can cause a drastic change to any ecosystem. Food supplies decline quickly, leaving many animals without food. Hunting can help keep the population of a group of animals at a good number, making the lives of the other
Hunting throughout the United States has adapted to fit the needs of the people and new technology. Some might argue that hunting has become unethical and that animals need to be protected, but no one fights for animal protection more than hunters. Hunters, while using new technology, are making unethical decisions that affect the way other people hunt; these changes should be regulated so hunters are not making unethical decisions, effectively better conservation of animals. Hunting has grown in ways many people never would have thought possible. According to Aldo Leopold, a well known hunter, “Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is
Hunting is something we've done since we've been on this planet. We used to do it out of necessity, but in the modern world we do it for many other reasons. As technology has increased, we have developed different methods of hunting. These methods have carried over to today, but two have prevailed: bowhunting and rifle hunting. These methods are both hunting--obviously--but they're different in almost every other sense. Bowhunting and rifle hunting are different based on the weapon used, the way you hunt, and your connection with the animal and the land around it; however, the same in the way the respective methods bring people together.
Hunting is an extremely controversial topic in the U.S. Since the beginning of history, man has hunted animals for food to live and to utilize other parts for clothing and other essential reasons. There are many people who are strongly opposed to hunting and think that it should be banned. There are also many people that support hunting and think that it is an acceptable thing to do. One such writer, Rick Bass, describes a similar emotion in his essay, “Why I hunt”. In the essay, he emphasizes his deep love for hunting and claims that it is an enjoyable activity. He employs such details to his story describing his surrounding beautifully that towards the end of the article, his attempts to appeal to reader’s imagination strengthen his
When the American cultures are hunting, they have to make sure that they have a lot of land. If they do not have a lot of land it will be hard for them to be able to hunt for food. It has been estimated that people that have a lot of land
Hunting has been around for as long as people have been on this earth and if that were taken away completely some people would lose that sense of nature to hunt. Hunting is people who kill animals for food, clothing, or sport. In 2011 13.7 million people, 6% of the U.S. population 16 years old and older, hunted. Big game like elk, deer and wild
I think hunting is uncalled for, and the most outrageous thing. Not only are you harming animals who do have the potential and the right to be here, you are also being careless and shooting over what you should shoot. Animal hunting has been around for 2 million years, so I do why it's such an important thing and I understand that we need meat and food to survive, but hurting poor animals isn't the answer. Everyone says it's good to hunt dear because of the population which is huge amounts of dear, but you always will have ignorant people out there that hunt and kill other animals then what they should be hunting. I think that we as people should have to sign a bunch of papers and takes tests to be able to hunt. By stopping all the hunting and killing of animals I believe we can become a better American
Hunting is a sport that men and women around the world have enjoyed for centuries. However, today there is so much controversy over whether it is ethical or beneficial for animals to be hunted. People who do not support hunting are not aware of the benefits it offers for not only the hunter, but also the animal population. There are hunting seasons, specific types of guns the hunters can use, the time sportsmen can hunt, and many other rules that keep sportsmen from hunting unfairly or overhunting. Sportsmen must buy license and tags to hunt legally, which keeps many people from hunting. The people who go against these regulations face heavy fines and in some cases, jail time. People who do not support hunting probably are not aware that because
What goes through the minds of people when they think about trophy hunting? Hunting is the act of pursuing and killing live animals for food, recreation, or trade. Early human civilizations relied on hunting for subsistence. As humans and civilizations evolved, so did hunting. Hunting became a sport rather than a necessity. People who are for hunting claim that it helps control wildlife populations, whereas people against it believe that trophy hunting will lead to the extinction of certain animals. This paper will examine viewpoint one, two, and my viewpoint on trophy hunting being banned or not.
Hunting is the practice of pursuing wildlife in order to kill it. Individuals who hunt do so for a variety of reasons while wildlife activists oppose hunters’ views and practices. Many people in rural areas of the United States hunt in order to harvest lean, organic, healthy meat for personal consumption. Some individuals hunt because it is tradition and a significant part of their heritage. Others choose to hunt as a means to escape the ins and outs of a chaotic society while taking in the serenity of the great outdoors in a therapeutic manner. Some hunters enjoy hunting for the thrill and the challenge of the chase. Other reasons people hunt include trophy hunting, travel to exotic locations, spending quality time with family and friends, and wildlife conservation. Individuals who are against hunting typically argue that hunting is inhumane and is considered cruelty to animals. Due to the benefits of properly managed ethical hunting, hunting should be legal within the United States.
The deer and elk population is growing at an alarming rate. According to Outdoor Life, the "Whitetail deer population grew from 29.8 million in 1994 to 32.7 million today." According to Garth Kidd, the solution to this overgrowth problem is hunting. If we were to get rid of hunting,
Hunting is beneficial to our society and therefore should be allowed. Historically human beings have been pursuing wild animals to provide their families with food, clothing, and shelter. In modern times the need for hunting for survival has lessened because of the development of animal husbandry and agriculture. There were times in history worldwide when hunting became profitable and hunters began killing animals for their fur, skins, and meat. Then it became necessary to put regulations in to effect to preserve wildlife as well as to somewhat appease the critics who felt hunting should be illegal. Three main reasons why hunting should be allowed is to
In a civilized and cultivated country, wild animals only continue to exist at all when preserved by sportsmen”("MARC FOLCO: Some hunting, fishing quotes to live by"). Hunters are the leading source for all conservation programs. Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most passionate hunters. People put down hunting like it’s a bad thing. Many hunters contribute billions of dollars the the economy. Hunting should not be banned because of the positive impacts it has on society.
2).With 12.5 million hunters in the United States, it seems as though most families have a reason to support hunting rights in country. Safety is a top propriety; new younger hunters are now required to pass a gun hunting safety class. The safety class deals with such issues as proper handling of a firearm, and safety issues and how one must never point a gun at anything that the hunter does not want to kill.“The hunter education course instills in students the knowledge and skill to be a responsible and safe hunter. The basic course consists of 10 lessons during a minimum of 10 hours. Students learn how hunting accidents are caused and how they can be prevented. Hunter responsibility and safety are stressed throughout the classes, which consist of lectures, demonstrations, group discussions, practical exercises, and individual study and activity assignments” (Wisconsin department of natural resources, 2009, p.1). Hunting is also important to the economy of the country in 2006, [125 million hunters entered the woods spending $22.9 billion that would have not went into the economy without hunting. Total cost of hunting equipment for hunting was $10.7 Billion](“2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation,” 2006). Which would not have went to local business without hunting. Hunting is not just a pastime in the United States; it is big business