A photo of a bird flying in the sky appears on the screen. The screen subsequently splits in two, with the photo relocating to the right side. On the left side, the video’s title, “Outdoor Recreation: Hunting”, is highlighted on the brown background. Two men stand in an open field with hunting gear in their hands. A truck is parked behind them. A photo of meat pieces becomes visible. An image of a herd of deer in the forest appears on the screen. From their cabin, the two hunters use binoculars to scan the field for prey. One man climbs a tree and waits on a branch, his hunting tools ready.
Hunting for game can be both fun and challenging. Many of you are hunters and hunt for both meat and sport. Most hunters understand the reasons for hunting which extend beyond personal satisfaction, but some people haven’t spent much time examining the benefits of using hunting as a part of a comprehensive wildlife management plan.
A black-and-white illustration of a buffalo hunt runs on the screen. Another picture shows tents, horses & a few men around them in an open field. A bunch of deer roam around in the field grazing.
Historically, the primary reason for hunting has been to provide food, clothing, and shelter for humans. More recently, hunting is a part of scientifically designed game management programs.
A colony of birds looks for food on the ground. The screen divides into two halves. On the right, a photo of a deer in the field appears. On the left, “Game Animals” is displayed, followed by its definition- “Animals hunted for food and/or sport”. Bunch of deer between greens. A group of pigs moves between the fields. A swaying crop of maize in the field.
Before we can talk about hunting, we need to examine game animals. What are game animals? By definition, a game animal is one that is hunted for food and/or sport. It’s important to manage these species to keep them from becoming over- or underpopulated, and to limit damages to crops and livestock.
A sheep stands in the open field. Text appears below- “Game management employs science to balance the needs of game animals and wildlife with the needs of humans.” The text continues to display on the screen with an image of animals grazing in the lush field with long trees and snow-capped mountains behind. The screen splits in two. On the right, a beautiful bird is standing on the ground. On the left, text reads: “Game Management- includes monitoring the populations and health of different species, their habitats, and food sources.” Hunters are peeking at the prey from a cabin with the help of binoculars. A text bar below reads- “Proceeds from selling hunting licenses and tags is the single largest contributor to wildlife conservation funding in the U.S.
Game management employs science to balance the needs of game animals and wildlife with the needs of humans. Game management includes monitoring populations and the health of different species, their habitats and food sources. Another important benefit of hunting is that proceeds from selling hunting licenses and tags is the single largest contributor to wildlife conservation funding in the United States.
Deer graze in a dry field. A bunch of deer play in the lush green ground with snow-capped mountains in the background. Deer relax on the ground under the shadow of trees. A deer is relaxing with its legs on the snow. A bone piece of an animal lies on the ground.
It’s important to monitor the population of animal species in a given area to keep a proper balance in the ecosystem. Situations like drought, an epidemic of a disease in one species of animal, and improper human management can throw off this balance. If a species of animal becomes too great in number, there can be several consequences. Excessive populations can create competition for food sources. As the supplies of those food sources decrease, the health of the entire population begins to diminish, causing the spread of diseases and malnutrition.
An animal disease. A rabbit enjoys fresh green grass in the field. A wide shot of a barren field with lush trees on the borders. Deer roam around in search of fresh food for themselves.
Overpopulation can foster the spread of diseases like Lyme disease or the spread of parasites. If a species of animal becomes underpopulated, food sources that animal eats can then become overabundant. In both instances, the ecosystem is thrown out of balance. So, you can see why it’s important to manage animal numbers so that they don’t get too high, or too low.
A group of geese and ducks search for food in the ground. A crop field of ripe wheat appears on the screen with the text bar below that reads- Damage from game animals to agricultural products costs farmers and ranchers millions of dollars each year. A farmer harvests a fully ripe maize crop. A beetroot ready to be harvested runs on the screen.
Many game species feed on agricultural crops and livestock. Damage from game animals to agricultural products costs farmers and ranchers millions of dollars each year. Hunting these species can decrease these costly losses. Can you think of examples where a game species might cause damage?
A deer eats corn. Pig enjoying fresh grass. A group of pigs with their calves come to a water body to quench their thirst.
Some examples include deer damaging corn, and feral hogs damaging wheat. Hunting these animals helps to keep their population in check to decrease the damage they cause to crops.
A coyote suffering from skin disease moans in pain in a flower field. An coyote strolls around the forest. Another coyote stands in a dry field.
What about game species and their effects on animal agriculture? Coyotes are a good example. Coyotes feed on smaller game animals, but often kill sheep, goats, chickens, and even cattle. Even though we don't typically consume coyote meat, it’s still important to keep their population in check.
A video of an antelope running between the bushy grass field. An open ground with greenery in some portions and dry grass in others appears on the screen. Water flowing overlooking the grass field. Deer play in the shadows. A wide shot of a forest area becomes visible on the screen. Looking at the camera, a scared antelope runs away into the bushes. American bison and deer graze on grass and have water nearby. An American bison bathes in the pond.
Another goal of game management is to monitor and maintain habitats for game species. For all game animals, it’s important they have an abundant food source, clean water, and cover from the elements and predators. Hunting is an important part of effective game management, but it’s imperative that animals not be overhunted. State governments monitor game animal populations and issue a set number of permits for the harvest of those animals. Overhunting can lead to a species becoming endangered. An example of overhunting is the harvest of American Bison in the 19th century.
Riders on horseback keep an eye on the animals enjoying their mealtime in a crop field. A cave painting of hunting from the Paleolithic age appears on the screen. Hunters set up cabins in the forest to observe animals.
Hunting has been a vital part of life around the world for millennia. Hunting has provided food, clothing, and even shelter, and continues to do so. In modern times, we have discovered that hunting is an integral tool in successful game management.