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I have nothing against "sport" hunting, if thats what you want to call it. In fact, I guess I do it. Like someone said, it would be much easier to go to the store and buy a steak... and god knows it would be cheaper.. so I don' hunt because I have to. I hunt because I enjoy it.
Boing,
There are several studies.. in fact every study that I'm aware of, that show game animals making a huge comeback over the last 40-50 years. Before hunting was "organized" and people weree required to have licenses and seasons were set, combined with that era's rapid expansion into the suburbs, game was dying off. Especially in the Northeast, NJ, CT, MD, etc.... Today you can't spit in NJ wihtout hitting a deer, same for CT. In fact, they are a problem, and a road hazard. Drive down the Garden State PArkway at or after Dusk and you'll see what I mean, they don't even have to mow the grass anymore in some places...really.. the deer are like sheep.
The best example is the NAtion Wild Turkey Federation. Remember the Pilgrims... those guys who invented Thanksgiving ;0..they hunted turkeys.. but for DECADES no one saw a wild turkey in North America. Thanks to revenue from hunting licenses and money raised by NWTF there are now established populations of wild turkeys.. BIG ones.. in EVERY state and most of Canada. There are established spring seasons in almost every state, and fall seasons in at least 20. Over the last 25 years, the Wild Turkey has made the most amazing turn around int he history of animals, I think. And now we hunt them, and they are vey challenging.. these are not domestic turkeys let loose or anything like that...these are the real deal.
I could go on, but I would rather refer you to the following sources:
National Wild Turkey Federation
Quail Unlimited
The Grand NAtional Waterfowl Association
Buckmasters
Ducks Unlimited
They will have tons of info on the positive impact that controlled hunting has, and the good that revenue from hunting does.
BTW- state Department of Natural resources have teams of bioloists that monitor populations and habits. They set the seasons and limits. One year they may want the season in teh middle of the rut (when hunting is easiest) to cull animals, the next year they may want it before the rut. Or they may sell special doe tags if the population is really strong.. there are hundreds of variations.
Hunting is fun, and it provides a service to the overall ecosystem. The former is an opinion, but the latter is a fact. If you feel that shooting an animal at 50 yards with a high powered rifle is a bit too easy, you can try it with a muzzle loader, handgun, Xbow, Compound bow, or a knife to increase the difficulty.
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-Essayons
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