Griffin Johnston, Unethical Deer Hunting and Breeding

With the constant advances in science and technology, we are exposed to issues that are on the border between ethical and immoral. An article on FoxNews.com touches on one such issue. The article reports on the new ability of hunters to breed deer so that they have larger antlers. The hunters set the bred deer free and then proceed to hunt and kill them for the coveted big antlers. Some of the deer are released on a 10,000 acre piece of land while others are released on small 2 to 5 acre pieces of land. As Brian Murphy (CEO of the Quality Deer Management Association) said, “That is not hunting. There has to be a high degree of not being successful. The deer has to have a fair chance to escape.” Others have differing morals and views on this method, saying, “It’s no different than raising cattle that’s going to go on people’s tables.”

            According to Vassar Farm and Ecological Preserve, one of the main reasons for the overpopulation of deer is due to, “natural predators of deer” such as “wolves and cougars have been eliminated from our urban environments allowing deer populations to grow.” When there is an overpopulation of one species, the circle of life becomes unbalanced. This is a detriment to our environment. In order to keep the deer population in check, the regulated hunting of deer is encouraged. Deer hunters go after the bucks with the largest antlers. Breeding deer so that they have bigger antlers, however, seems to be turning an environmental-helping recreational activity, into an unnecessary, unnatural, ploy. 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/15/hunters-trade-shots-over-deer-breeding-killing-methods/