Wildlife Issues FAQs

“Without hunting, wouldn’t deer and other animals become overpopulated and die of starvation?”

Starvation and disease are terrible, but they are nature’s way of making sure that the strong survive. Natural predators help keep the species strong by killing only the sick and weak. But hunters kill any animal they come across or any animal whose head they think would look good mounted above the fireplace—often the large, healthy animals needed to keep the population strong. And hunting creates the ideal conditions for overpopulation because once hunting season is over, there is a quick drop in population that leads to less competition among survivors, which means that more animals are born.

If we were really concerned about keeping animals from starving, we would take steps to reduce animals’ fertility instead of hunting. We would also preserve wolves, mountain lions, coyotes, and other natural predators. Ironically, many deer and duck populations are purposely manipulated to produce more and more animals for hunters to kill.

 

“Aren’t hunting fees a major source of revenue for wildlife management and habitat restoration?”

The relatively small fee that each hunter pays does not even cover the cost of hunting programs or game wardens’ salaries. Hunting fees only pay for programs that benefit hunters, like those that involve manipulating animal populations to increase the number of animals available to kill. The public land that many hunters use is supported by taxpayers, and funds benefiting “nongame” species are scarce.

“What about people who have to hunt to survive?”

If people truly have no choice but to hunt and fish to survive, that is acceptable, but in this day and age, meat, fur, and leather are not a necessary part of survival for most of us.

“Is recreational fishing OK if the fish are released after being caught?”

Unfortunately, people who practice “catch and release” fishing cause just as much harm to fish as other anglers. Fish who are caught and then returned to the water suffer such severe stress that many die of shock, and their injuries make them easy targets for predators.

We can appreciate nature and bond with friends and family without hurting animals.