any human art forms – from times immemorial to
the present – focus on hunting and the hunted. In the course of humanity’s
evolution from hunter-gatherers to settled agriculturists on to industrial
and post-industrial societies, the once all-encompassing values of hunting
became successively less significant for the majority. Modern society
continues to show a sporadic interest in hunting. The focus has changed,
however. Hunting is today evaluated for its contribution to conserving a
vibrant biodiversity. Hunters view hunting as a ancient tradition with a
modern purpose and together with conservation biologists, indigenous
communities, wildlife managers and the mainstream conservation
organizations recognize its positive aspects. Other groups – in
particular the animal rights movement – oppose hunting with a variety of
means and despise hunters as anachronistic killers.
I am a passionate hunter and have been one my entire life. I also
consider myself an ardent conservationist and with strong ethical
commitments to nature. This later point is not obvious to the average
non-hunter. In particular the anti-hunter negates the fact that every
decent hunter is also a committed conservationist! This essay should bridge
the information gap between non-hunters and hunters. Knowledge about the
position of the "other side" is essential for dialogue. Therefore
I want to give the non-hunter some insight into hunting.
The hunter has – because of uniquely human qualities – an entirely
different relationship to the hunted animal as the non-human predator. This
anthropocentric approach distinguishes the human hunter from a predator
like a lion. The hunter consciously enters into this relationship for
various historical and present-day reasons. These may be subsistence,
spiritual sustenance, initiation rites, expression of political power,
acquisition of a particular trophy, the maintenance of intact eco-systems,
a particular experience, or a combination of some or all of these factors.
|
Box 1
A hunting trophy remembers a particular experience, valuable and important
to the individual hunter. It is all the more important to the hunter, if
the difficulties associated with collecting the trophy are exceptional.
Self-discipline is a key-factor in trophy hunting, since the trophy must be
the result and not the ultimate objective of the hunt. |
Hunting was not excluded from evolutionary change. Hunting methods,
weapons, and purpose have changed and have been adapted to cultural and
social scenarios. However, from distant times, when the human species was
on nature’s "Red List", to the present day, with over six
billion humans occupying every conceivable niche on the planet, hunting has
remained a particular human activity. It "evolved" from the
archaic form of securing survival to the modern form of trophy hunting.
Trophy hunting (see box 1) is inseparably connected with
preservation, conservation and the concept of sustainable use of wild
natural resources. This ecological motivation is of critical importance for
the credibility of hunters in modern society.
Today, recreational aspects, and the satisfaction of the hunter’s
personal aspirations are additional aspects. In a world of increasingly
scarce individualism, dominated by pervasive tameness and sameness, hunting
has remained one of the few highly individualistic activities, providing
unique challenges and rewards. The hunters’ perceived archaic pleasure in
pursuing game in lonely and wild places, their voluntary flight from the
mass-pleasures of modern society, and their passionate defense of
biodiversity conservation make them rare specimens in today’s
"fun-oriented-society"! The rejection of this cultural heritage
and individual passion seems to be as misguided as indulging in hunting
without ethics, unchecked by laws and personal restraints.
