Philosophy on The Value of Hunting

Hunting is a personal thing, and a persons ethics plays a role in hunting. I grew up in a hunting family and my father took all three of his sons bowhunting starting at age 12. We lived in a rural area, and all of our friends hunted. It was as normal as the internet. Dad taught us ethics that went far beyond what the legal requirements were for hunting. And my grandfather taught us about nature starting when we were six years old. I’ve detailed those important events in chapter 1 of “Know Hunting”.

Once my twin brother and I obtained our doctorates in wildlife and became college wildlife professors, I learned more about the values of hunting. Up till that time there were individual values (see chapter 4 of “Know Hunting”), but the wildlife education brought home other values. Very important values. Consider the following. At the state and national level, it is hunting that is responsible for the huge wildlife populations that we are blessed with in this country. It is the hunter that creates the economic incentive to have larger wildlife populations in the wilds. Let me explain that just a bit. What would create an incentive to protect wildlife if there was no legal hunting in America? Would it be enough for citizens to just say......we like wildlife and we want it all protected? Yes, it would, IF, and only if, those citizens would be willing to have their taxes raised by the approximately $1.2 billion that hunters and fisherman raise with those funds going to run the state wildlife agencies.....in all 50 states. Approximately 75% of most state wildlife agency budgets come from hunter-fishermen dollars. The amounts that come from all other taxpayers, i.e. from general revenues, are not increasing as you might think. In fact, they are decreasing. Thus, it is apparent that taxpayers do not want to pay for wildlife...at least not to the extent that is now being done. Not to the extent that keeps our wildlife populations so healthy.

Might wildlife photographers contribute the monies needed? Maybe we could sell a wildlife photography license? Maybe, but the numbers sold would be pitifully small and the monies generated would never come close to the $1.2 billion now generated for fish and wildlife management. While you may not like hunting, especially if you have not participated in hunting, it is still true that hunters are very willing to create the economic incentive to keep wildlife in the woods. It is live animals that create this incentive. Same in Africa, Asia, Canada, everywhere.

This economic incentive idea is not the reason I hunt. I hunt because I enjoy hunting. It is a spiritual thing, something that gives my life meaning. Hard to understand that last statement if you haven’t hunted, but it is true non-the-less. But as a wildlife biologist, I understand the economic incentive principle. Someone has to show a financial interest in anything to keep it out there. It is a basic business principle that applies to wildlife management. It is the backbone of the greatest wildlife system in the world and it works oh so well. Wildlife populations (i.e. deer, elk, antelope, black bears, wild turkeys, pheasants, many grouse species, doves, etc.) are all at their highest levels in modern history. And all are hunted. (For more on the economic incentive of hunting, read chapter 5 of Know Hunting).

"Know Hunting is a modern classic, a book destined to be mentioned by future generations in the same breath when they talk about the most important hunting books ever written. It is recommended reading for every hunter." Bob Robb, Outdoor Writer