Hunting Myths

For many people who have never hunted, or have little or no direct links with where their meat comes from, hunting might appear to be an archaic practice.

We are all being bombarded with messages from animal rights organisations who’s primary goal is to enforce a pet-less and meatless society. Unfortunately many of those messages are driven by a “win at all costs” approach and the tactics they employ are designed to frighten, upset and alarm. The complete eradication of all animal related activities including pet ownership and all meat consumption is the stated aim of the animal rights movement.

It is unfortunate that many animal welfare organisations including the RSPCA have shifted much of their focus away from promoting animal welfare and responsible ownership to a hard line approach opposing all forms of legitimate animal activities and uses.

Unfortunately the issue gets very clouded at times when the facts get overshadowed by the emotions and fervor of the debate.

The following insights are provided as a quick check of basic hunting facts.  If you have any other questions you would like us to address in this section please feel free to contact us.

 Hunting

Continuing Need:
Hunting is unnecessary/nobody needs to hunt. This is true. We can go to the shops.  However, many people who say hunting is unnecessary also think buying and eating meat is unnecessary.  They believe it is morally wrong.
Hunting is a way of taking moral responsibility for the choice eat meat – which is a personal, individual choice.

Environmental Leaders: It is not true to say that the world’s leading environmental organisations are opposed to hunting. There is a great divide in the world between environmental organisations and animal rights organisations.
The world’s leading environmentalists recognise that hunting has a place in the care and repair of the world’s natural ecosystems. Every one of the World’s major conservation organisations has a pro-hunting position; a position shared by many leading conservationists.

Natural England:

“Let me make this clear to you all – we have no desire to see shooting curtailed”… Helen Phillips CEO Natural England

The Wilderness Society:

"recognizes hunting as a legitimate use in wilderness areas…subject  to appropriate regulation for species protection."

The North American Wildlife Foundation:

"Beneficial non-game wildlife populations and those that are threatened and endangered are given the full protection of the law. Surpluses of game populations can be cropped each year on a sustained basis under strict licensing and regulations…" *

Ducks Unlimited, Inc.:

"supports the concept of regulated sport hunting as an integral part of sound wildlife management, and as a wise and prudent use of renewable natural resources…Because DU was chartered as a conservation organization, it is not a 'hunting' organization per se. But as a part of its singleness of purpose, DU attempts to educate the public about wildlife habitat and management." *

World Wildlife Fund:

"the organization itself takes no position either pro or con, on hunting…WWF recognizes that responsibly conducted hunting can be an appropriate wildlife management tool, particularly for abundant game that is maintained on a sustainable basis…WWF opposes hunting which might adversely affect the survival of threatened or endangered species…" *

The National Audubon Society (America):

"has never been opposed to the hunting of game species if that hunting is done ethically and in accordance with laws and regulations design to prevent depletion of the wildlife resource…we will advocate restrictions on hunting, include the complete closure of a hunting season, whenever we are convinced that the welfare of the species involved requires it"

Cruelty and wounding:

Hunters respect their quarry and their constant aim is a quick kill.  Contrary to widely circulated myths about duck hunting wounding rates; US research has indicated that the reality is that more than 90% of birds taken are killed outright (Tom Roster - CONSEP).

Hunting organisations and State governments invest considerable time and resources providing training for game bird hunters to minimise the potential for wounding. 

Hunters as Conservationists:

In Australia hunters were among the first conservationists and are still at the forefront of conservation. Duck hunters spend thousands of hours on wetland and habitat restoration. Banning hunting goes against conservation. New South Wales is a prime example of this. In 1994 duck hunting was banned. Today, the wetlands are not cared for and ducks are hunted all year round because they are treated as pests.

Conservation Hunting: Hunters remove thousands of feral animals from Australia’s most endangered environments every year. One fox can eat hundreds of native birds and small mammals.
Hunters are removing them from where they don’t belong. The hunting of unwanted species including foxes, rabbits, deer, pigs, goats, wild dogs and feral cats makes a major contribution to the welfare of Australian native animals. It also significantly reduces the need to distribute large quantities of 1080 and other poisons in the environment.

Who Hunts:

Hunters come from all backgrounds and all walks of life.  There are lawyers, carpenters, doctors, teachers, nurses, at-home mums, scientists, and any other job you can think of.  Men and women, young and old, it makes no difference. Anything else is just a negative stereotype, usually based on prejudice and misinformation.

Duck Hunting In Australia

Why Hunters Hunt: In the debates of the 1960’s and 1970’s many animal rights organisations claimed that duck hunters only hunt ducks for the thrill. Duck hunting is a traditional and cultural activity, both within the non-indigenous and indigenous communities.  Hunters consider duck hunting to be much more than a “sport”.
Referring to duck hunting as a sport is used by those opposed to duck hunting to further their argument.  Duck hunting is used as a means of harvesting meat. Duck hunters eat what they harvest. With respect to the activity of hunting ducks - “Majority belief that duck hunting is not acceptable for recreation… is inconsistent with approaches to conservation, based on sustainable use, ecological management…implemented throughout the world and sanctioned by all international conservation treaties and conventions”
(Scientific Panel Review of Open Seasons for Waterfowl in New South Wales report November 2000 – Chaired by Dr. Richard Kingsford.) Whether you choose to harvest your own animals for meat, or have others kill and package an animal for you on foam trays, you’re still part of a process where an animal dies. The only difference is at which stage you are involved.

When Hunters Hunt:

It is quite mischievous to claim that game bird hunters shoot anything that flies whenever they like. The prescribed duck season is only 12 weeks maximum in any one year in three Australian states. There is also a season in the Northern territory. The prescribed season for duck hunting was established so that it does not interfere with breeding and nesting.

Hunters can only take an extremely limited number of ducks and selected species of duck each day during the prescribed season. This is determined by the relevant State Government.

What Hunters Hunt:      Hunters can only harvest a specific number and specific species of duck. Duck hunters must sit a waterfowl identification course and test to obtain a permit to hunt ducks (Game License). This game license is only valid for a maximum twelve week season commencing in March.
The State Government decides how many ducks a hunter may harvest and the exact number of each duck species that may be hunted by one person in one day. There are very strict penalties for shooting a protected duck and those restrictions are enforced by a range of agencies.

The Lead Question:     

Many years ago hunters recognised that lead pellets from shotgun shells was causing a problem for some waterfowl which find their food in the mud at the bottom of wetlands. Lead shot was phased out in all states and territories of Australia and hunters use non-toxic steel shot. This law is very strictly enforced and applies to everyone except indigenous hunters in some areas.

Duck Numbers:            Claims that duck hunting threatens the viability of duck populations is simple mischief making. Duck numbers are studied all year round in all parts of the country. There is no evidence to show that the well managed and limited duck seasons in Australia have any adverse impact on duck numbers.
In States where duck hunting has been stopped there is real evidence that game bird numbers have declined for a range of reasons. New South Wales is a prime example of this. In 1994 duck hunting was banned. Today, the wetlands are not cared for and ducks are hunted all year round because they are treated as pests.

Mating Habits:

Claims that ducks mate for life are used by those opposed to duck hunting to further their idealistic argument. There is no scientific evidence to suggest that this is true.

Two centuries of records in Australia have failed to make this observation. It seems more likely that ducks mate with no intention of changing mates. If they lose a mate they find another fairly quickly.