The Ethics of Hunting

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“Easily overtaking the struggling deer, I move beside him, hold for the lungs, and shoot him again through the chest. The buck’s final breaths cloud the cold evening air. Feeling more sadness than elation, I step aside and watch him die.” Through this short excerpt from M.R. James’ Dealing with Death, we are introduced to a hunter who is connected to the natural world on a deeper level than anyone could understand. Hunters take pride in their strengths to take another life, and like most, appreciate life and death more so than a non-hunter. In today’s “eco-friendly” society, hunting is a more frowned upon subject. Many consider it to be an activity for truck driving hillbillies and in some cases that may be true, but that’s just what you can see on the outside. What many people don’t realize is that there is a lot of passion and pride within these men and women that hunt. Hunting is a tradition that goes back to the beginning of time. For many centuries before, it was the only way man could survive. To hunt is to participate in the ecosystem rather than just watch from the sidelines. When a hunter is to track an animal, they use all of their senses to take in the surroundings, as if they were a wild animal themselves. So by the time they actually shoot something, the hunter has developed a deep connection to the species and to the land. Some considered themselves an environmentalist before they started hunting. But until they are out there, can they understand the traditional ways of their ancestors. Hunting in today's culture, still provides nutrition for those that still believe in living off the land, why? Because, it has little to no environmental footprint, no antibiotics, artificial hormones, pesticides, herbicides, or unnatural feeds were used in raising this meat. Unlike farmed animals, a wild one doesn't contribute to soil erosion, water pollution, or

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