In the early 1800s hunters and adventurer’s alike started documenting and trying to maintain habitat for the future generations to enjoy. Hunters and anglers to note of over hunting and fishing and began to develop new strategies in conserving wildlife. From the days of Charles Darwin to Theodore Roosevelt and to this current moment, naturalist and conservationist are committed to preserving wildlife.
Wildlife conservation unfortunately, at moments, faces many issues (Paterniti,2018). The issues can vary from the climate, invasive species, residential population and extending into the possible over hunting and fishing. There are many non-profit organizations helping with conservation and most do a great job, while some non-profits use hunting and fishing as a negative impact and would love to rid of this cultural “past-time”.
Some conservationist say that the conservation of a species should be left to science and others say that hunters and anglers should help in the fight of conservation. Hunters and Anglers successfully impact wildlife conservation through funding, regulations and habitat management.
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There are non-profit agencies out there that continually attack one’s lifestyle simply because they don’t like to hunt or fish. These organizations believe that hunting and fishing are inhuman and our rights should be taken away. Sport hunting is looked upon badly, it is blamed for dwindling herds and it is looked at as despicable when put on display. Maybe this does give hunting and fishing an awful look and is what develops discredit towards conservation. Within our cities and suburbs, there is a cultural divide on whether hunting and fishing are acceptable (Heffelfinger,2013).
Hunters and Fisherman alike, should be willing to preserve, defend and protect wildlife putting forth efforts into conservation. Hunters and anglers tend to perceive that they are conservationist, unfortunately they consider themselves sportsman first. In some hunting models, it shows that if sales of sports licenses increase, hunters and anglers decrease. This clearly shows that hunters and fisherman are sportsman with conservation on the back burner. Between the environmentalist and sportsman there is a lot of disconnect.
This disconnect lowers trust and discourages hunting advocates (Paulson, 2012). Doug Howlett, claimed that “if you’re not for us, you’re against us”. Let’s be clear, if you’re only hunting, you’re not contributing to wildlife conservation. Individuals may think there conserving wildlife by tanning a pelt, showing off antlers and bragging about mounts. Hunters and Anglers remove the animal or plant from the environment and doing so messes up the ecosystem. Our country has devoted conservation agencies to develop non-lethal human/wildlife conflicts (Howlett,2018).
Trophy Hunting, whether it be in North America or hunting the “Big Five” in Africa, happens to bring up a load of moral and financial questions. Sport hunting and fishing in the wild or behind a fence can and usually will arouse the opposition. Wildlife experiencing a lot of pressure from humans, climate change, dwindling resources and poachers perk the ears of the organizations against hunting and fishing (Paterniti,2018).
Michael Paterniti states, “Trophy hunting fees could help and are capable of funding conservation, critics say the benefits are exaggerated and that killing animals is wrong” and that “Wild game is the world’s version of crude oil and it too will run out someday”. He also goes into discussing that trophy hunting and the killing of animals for their skins, antlers, horns and full body mounts are just profit driven and being overseen by a corrupt government (Paterniti,2018).
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service only 5 percent of Americans, approximately 12 million people think of themselves as hunters and fishermen today. This happens to be down from 9 percent from 2001 and down 15 percent from 1996. Support from the public happens to be on the rise and the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service found 78 percent accept hunting and fishing today compared to 73 percent in 1996 (Arnett,2015). These stats prove that most American people back hunting and fishing and recognize the conservation being established.
Hunting and Fishing plays a huge part in the American Culture. It’s a way of connecting with the outdoors for millions of individuals. These activities generate billions of dollars for the economy. The economy created helps out in the local, state and national areas of conservation. The hunting and fishing community generates approximately 38 billion dollars a year on non-commercial expenditures. This culture creates thousands of jobs and contributes very much to local, state and national revenues (Arnett,2015).
“Regulated hunting is the foundation of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation” (Heffelfinger,2013). The money spent by Hunters and Anglers across the country goes to many local, state and national organizations that help manage conservation. Money given to these organizations help establish laws and regulations toward the conservation game plan developing a relationship with hunters and Anglers. Wildlife preservation and the protection of plants and animals was a goal set in the 1800s by sportsman to guarantee our country and the world could enjoy the outdoors for future generations.
Conclusion, most hunters believe they are conservationist and as a hunter or fisherman, should seek how the practices of hunting and fishing fit into the greater scheme of conservation. Conservation must be thought of in a broad sense and not a single species.
Conservation refers to protecting, maintaining diversity, environment and biological resources. Hunters and Anglers successfully impact wildlife conservation through funding, regulations and habitat management and is a constant value that needs upheld. In all, if it wasn’t for hunters and anglers most local, state and national organizations wouldn’t be able to afford programs the look after conserving our natural habitat.
