I am writing in response to the column Hunting maintains natural beauty (SN 12/2).
In the column, the author appears to be arguing that hunters somehow protect animals, and hunting has a positive impact on them. Maybe it’s just me, but I wouldn’t consider a “steadfast guardian” as someone who chases me through the woods shooting at me.
The author also argues the deer population is out of control, but I think the same argument could be made for the human population. The human birth rate is growing faster than the death rate and we are quickly depleting the world’s supply of fresh water. Should we be petitioning hunters to start keeping our population under control?
Furthermore, approximately 100 people die in hunting accidents in the United States every year, and unlike other forms of recreation, hunting endangers the entire community, and not just the willing participants.
Finally, the author argues the Department of Natural Resources does not have a sufficient amount of funding to do its job. However, recruiting more hunters is not a good solution to this problem because it does not address the real issue. Our federal government should be funding our parks and wildlife programs by cutting our bloated military budget and making sure corporations actually pay their fair share of taxes.
So instead of teaching my kids and their friends to hunt, I think I will encourage them to try an activity that doesn’t involve the killing of helpless animals.
David Switzer
hospitality business junior
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
