For many families, hunting is seen as a good ol’ rite of passage. Family members of all ages and sexes take trips into the forest to hunt wildlife of choice and bond with one another.
When many people think of hunters, they think of heads and horns of animals mounted on the walls of cabins. These mounts can act as trophies from some of their proudest achievements and as a way to honor the animal’s life, but what many people view as a fun, meaningful activity can also be seen as an outdated, cruel and unsophisticated waste of time.
Is hunting for sport wrong and unnecessary, especially in the days where we no longer have to hunt to feed ourselves?
As someone who was vegetarian for a long time and has never touched a gun while living in Georgia, it might be surprising that my family is full of people who love to go hunting and fishing. While feeling like I would never have the bravery to aim at an actual living thing, I always told my stepbrother to go out and enjoy himself.
My stepmother cooked deer for the family many times. Even if you value an animal’s life as much as a human’s, you might see there are many benefits hunting can hold for a person.
It’s an opportunity to spend time with people you are close to, a good way to learn lessons about what we often take for granted and it helps the economy.
“I find hunting to be a highly relaxing activity that always allowed me to bond with my children or my buddies,” said retired veteran Howard Miles.
Miles is a man who enjoys deer hunting and puts perspective on the spiritual and familial meanings that hunting can have on a person.
“It’s nice to be in nature like that and notice everything around you. It could really clear my head sometimes,” said Miles.
According to the website fishwildlife.org, hunting is also a huge industry that generates income for the economy, specifically when people use the parts of the animal. Hunting tools and expenses bring in billions of dollars every year.
It may not be necessary to hunt for dinner anymore, but doing so for a week can teach you about how much we take the easily accessible food we have for granted. Something else that must be said, it is not written that people who hunt do not love animals. Many honor the animals that they catch and eat, this being one of the reasons people mount them as trophies.
Hunting is not a bad thing. It can actually be a very positive action when done responsibly and with purpose. Taking on this activity with caution, knowledge and responsibility can result in providing quality time, peace of mind, food on the table and money in the pocket.