Hunting is an unnecessary activity in the modern world. Slob hunting is the way many
so-called sportsmen hunt these days. The phrase slob hunting refers to indiscriminate
assault on animals, whatever their type. This type of recreation is harmful and
undesirable the United States for three reasons: 1) It reduces the number of areas
available for tracking animals, 2) It upsets the natural balance, causing many species to
have their ranks drastically reduced, and 3) It can be unnecessarily cruel to animals.
Hunting on private lands is one of the best ways to hunt, because the game is plentiful,
and there is challenge to the sport. However, when land-owners encounter a slob hunter on
their lands, they are much less likely to let anyone hunt their land in the future. When
a person wishes to hunt on a certain person's land, s/he is often denied the privilege,
after the proprietor of the land has had one negative experience with some other hunter.
This can make hunting a much harder sport to participate in, even for the people who are
hunting for their livelihood. (Satchell 30)
Over the years, hunting has reduced the animal population drastically. In the 1970's,
the number of ducks making annual flights was approximately 91.5 million. In 1995, the
number had been reduced to around 64 million. Within 20 years, in short, the duck
population was reduced by almost one third, showing the drastic toll hunting is taking on
our wildlife. If we assume that other species have been reduced in number at
approximately the same rate in recent years, then what are the larger implications for
our ecological balance? If this trend continues, by the year 2055, the members of species
which are hunted could be reduced by as much as 81 percent. (Satchell 31)
Not only does hunting reduce the number of animals, it can also be unnecessarily cruel
to the creatures. When deer are bowhunted, they often are not instantly killed. Most deer
will then suffer a painful and lingering death, as only 50 percent of deer struck are
retrieved and put out of their misery. This is unnecessary cruelty; only an end to slob
hunting would bring this to a halt. (Satchell 32)
In the modern era, with advanced technologies, we have found ways of killing large
numbers of animals painlessly. Although some people continue to hunt, it is needless
because it can lessen the area available for hunting in, cause many animals to have their
population decreased, and be pointlessly cruel to animals. These three evils humanity can
live without, which makes slob hunting an ecologically-unsound throwback to a less
enlightened age.
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